Newnan, GA

Yesterday, I got to spend five hours driving through the rains of tropical storm Ida on my way to join some fellow auctioneers for a continuing education class in Cleveland Georgia.

And although I could have taken the class online, I chose to make the trip to in order to see old friends and to make some new ones. These classes are more like class reunions, and we spend a lot of time catching up and listening to each other’s war stories revolving around the ancient profession of auctioneering.

Some of my readers were surprised when I mentioned that I was an auctioneer, and in the comment section asked some specific question about the profession that I would like to address now.

The first question is “how do you become an auctioneer?”

The answer is not so simple. It depends on where you live. Each state sets its own requirements for licensure, or some states have no license laws at all. In those cases, county or municipality governments may control who may perform an auction.

In Georgia, an Auctioneer’s license is a professional license, administered by the secretary of state. It requires 80 hours of pre-license training and successfully passing an examination.

Another question had to do with “auction verbiage,” and is that part and parcel of being an auctioneer?

It’s called “the chant,” and it indeed an integral part of auction. Some auctioneers are so good at the chant that they are hired by other auctioneers to “call” their auctions. The chants can be almost magical, and can inspire bids when properly performed.

Our venerable instructor, Charles Gay, who is also the chairman of the Georgia Auctioneer Commission, has an underlying tone in his voice that cannot mask his skills in the chant. It’s almost mesmerizing.

Another question asked was “can you sell anything or just real estate?”

An auctioneer in Georgia can sell anything that doesn’t require additional licenses. For example, to auction real estate, you must have both an auctioneers license and a real estate broker’s license. To auction used cars, you need an auctioneer’s license and a used car dealer’s license. Other examples are firearms and livestock, which have additional legal prerequisites.

Other that that, I can sell anything at auction such as antiques, tools, and other general merchandise. I can perform business liquidations and estate sales, and court-ordered disposals.

Estate sales are good, because I can sell the real and personal property, a form of “one-stop full service!”

If you need to sell real estate or anything else in the state of Georgia at auction, give me a call. I’ll be glad to assist you!

It appears the Coweta County real estate market is showing some signs of recovery. The number of foreclosures advertised in the Newnan Times-Herald for November 2009 is 185, down from 207 in October and a record 265 in September.¹

In addition, requests for on-site environmental health evaluations is up nearly 20% from a year ago, indicating that there is a modest increase in building activity, These factors, combined with new federal tax credits for home purchaser, could help to stabilize the local economy.

And while these improvements may only be baby steps in the right direction, they still tend to reduce the slippery slope to something a little more manageable!

Coweta enjoys low property prices, and combined with low interest rates and new tax credits, there has never been a better time to purchase a home in the county. If you are considering a move to the Atlanta area, be sure to include Coweta County and Newnan on your list of possible places to relocate.

¹ Source for all statistics: The Newnan Times-Herald

It used to be that if a caller to the real estate company indicated that they wished to purchase a three bedroom, two bath home and keep the monthly payment below five hundred dollars we used to ask this question:

“What kind of tires do you want on that mobile home you just described to me?”

And that was back in the mid 1980s! Now, in the year 2009 as incredible as it seems, the combination of low real estate prices combined with excellent mortgage interest rates have many homebuyers purchasing property with mortgage payments at or below $500 per month.

Even more remarkable is that these purchasers are buying homes at or below ONE YEAR’s equivalent of their annual income. We have even sold a few houses to individuals who paid more for the most recent vehicle they purchased.

The bottom line is this: real property has never been more affordable. Anyone that is currently renting that is in a position to purchase should take advantage of this window of opportunity.

Because it will not remain open forever!

The Newnan - Coweta Board of Realtors Oktoberfest event is held every year for the purpose of raising money for local scholarships and the Red Cross. The event consists of both a silent auction and a live auction of goods and services donated by local Realtors and merchants.

This year's event will be held at the old freight depot in downtown Newnan from 6-9 P.M. on Tuesday November 3. Tickets are $20 and there will be a cash bar available. Price includes catered heavy hors d'oeuvres, appetizers and desserts.

ERA United Realty Newnan has presented a "Taste of Newnan" gift basket for the auction with over $275 dollars in local restaurant gift certificates, sample delicacies, t-shirts and cookbooks donated by local business and ERA United Realty agents and staff!

The old Train Depot is located on East Broad Street at the railroad crossing. Ample free parking is available. Please plan on attending this worthwhile event! Feel free to call with any questions. 770-827-6225

The ERA gift basket includes:

2 Bags of Coffee from Espresso Lane, $20 Gift Certificate from Fabiano's
$20 Gift Certificate from The Half Shell, $10 Gift Certificate for 10 East Washington
$40 Gift Certificate for La Fiesta, $10 Gift Card for Quiznos
$30 Gift Certificate from Golden's on the Square, Bottle of Merlot from Uncork'd
Toffee from Let Them Eat Toffee, T-Shirt from Redneck Gourmet
T-Shirt from Sprayberry's, Bottle of Local Honey BBQ Sauce from Sprayberry's
NCBOR Cookbook, Taste of Georgia, Cookbook Bag of Gourmet Popcorn

In January 2009, Governor Sunny Perdue eliminated state reimbursements for counties homestead exemptions. Lawmakers failed to reinstate funding and the result is higher property taxes for homeowners throughout Georgia.

In Coweta County, that’s an additional $300 dollars or so for each homeowner, making 2009 property taxes the highest dollar amount EVER for most property owners.

What makes this even more unpalatable is the fact that this increase was not noted in preliminary bills that might have prompted property owners to appeal their assessments in a timely fashion.

For now, taxpayers can only grit their teeth and pay the tax. Next year however, all citizens of Georgia should appeal their assessments and also take their revenge at the polls.

At this point in time, tax increases on property owners are unconscionable.