Newnan, GA

Albert Einstein is quoted as saying that "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

I am a big fan of both college and professional football. I enjoy watching my favorite teams compete each weekend in the fall.

But it irritates me when coaches call the same plays, use the same strategies, and fields the same complement of players week after week in losing efforts. At what point does somebody say: "Hey, what we're doing isn't working so we need to change our game plan?"

I guess that we all could ask the same question regarding our businesses. If we haven't changed our marketing strategy, learned about new kinds of sales, and updated out technology products despite using the same tired old techniques over and over we just might not be thinking correctly:

And if we are truly expecting different results, well, that's just insane!

Coweta County Georgia was rather fortunate during the devastating Atlanta area flooding that occurred over the last few days. We did not experience the record rainfalls that pummeled the metro area with deluge after deluge of precipitation.

However, Coweta County is downstream from Atlanta and the Chattahoochee River serves as the western boundary. The Chattahoochee is the principle watercourse that stretches from north Georgia through Atlanta on to the Gulf of Mexico. The water crested yesterday at record levels setting a new 100-year flood mark for the region.

The short-term effect of the flooding is devastation for property owners in low-lying areas that had their homes inundated with water. It will take a lot of time and effort to rebuild and move forward with their lives.

The long-term effect can be as equally devastating. Many property owners will now find themselves suddenly thrust into the 100-year flood zone that will make their properties difficult, if not impossible to sell. Flood insurance is costly, and most buyers will shy away from the additional expense of insuring properties in designated flood areas.

The most important lesson to take from this is to be informed about the changes. As the new flood maps become available it is important to know which properties are now affected by the flood-zone designation.

The waters are receding and the clean-up will commence. Only time will tell what the long-term effects of this record-breaking flood will be.

We lost a HUD bid a few months ago. And not by a little bit either, as the winning bid was about $10,000 higher than ours on a $100,000 house.

We were in second place, and indicated that we would accept a backup position. As time passed, our clients purchased another property and we have already closed and they are satisfied with their purchase.

Today I was notified that the house is back on the market.

I can't help but wonder why it took three months for the original HUD purchase and sale to fall apart. In most cases with a HUD home, title is cleared before the home is placed on the market so I have to assume the issued was on the buyer's side of the deal. If there was a financing issue, wouldn't that be discovered in less time than three months?

I hate the fact that my client lost a great opportunity because someone else did not have his or her act together. And I can't help but wonder if the extra $10K bid had anything to do with either qualifying for the loan or contributed to buyer's remorse.

Hopefully, we'll find another buyer for the property. In the meantime, we'll just keep pressing on!

I always enjoy taking photos of Newnan Georgia. The town is nearly pristine, with a real movie-set quality that takes you back forty years in time.

As a matter of fact, many movies and television shows have been shot on location here in Newnan. The TV series "October Road" actually showed some of my listings in the background! The latest is movie is Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson which was filmed here earlier in the year and set for release on October 2, 2009!

Hollywood comes to Newnan for the small town charm and appeal. I photograph it for the same reason!

There is a real estate company in the Newnan Georgia area that ramps up recruiting efforts every year at the time the Board of Realtors dues are collected.

Since this company is not a member of the board, the affiliated agents are not required to pay the annual fee that is used to fund all of the activities, amenities, and protections offered to Realtors.

There is nothing wrong with not being a member of the board if one chooses not to participate. That's a free choice and everyone is entitled to make there own decision.

What I find somewhat disingenuous is the fact that not participating in the board is presented to prospective agents as a perquisite and not a detriment.

What does that say about an agent that will change companies to save a mere dollar a day? How dedicated are they to the profession, to ethics, or to cooperative networking?

I know that times are tough these days, but the survival of the profession depends on the solidarity of the member boards across the land.

Realtor dues are cost of doing business. Without them, there might not be a business to worry about.