Mary McCleskey & Michelle Gumeny

In August 2008, two new schools will open in northwest Cobb County. Allatoona High School and Pickett's Mill Elementary School are the final two of nine schools constructed. It is very important to be on top of the school districts in the communities you are listing homes. Buyers agents should also check the accuracy of the school district before contracting on a home for their buyer.

It is very simple in Cobb County Georgia to check for schools. You can actually check all schools at one time that service a property. Just by going to http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us ! When you get to this site click on school and bus locator on the left side. The page it directs you to will allow you to search by address. Very Simple!

Be sure to check all of your listings today!

The Acworth Police Department is seeking pledges as they run the bases for 24 hours in an effort to raise funds for the completion of a Special Needs Field.

Please come and participate in their efforts to raise funds and cover the bases.

Where: Acworth Sports Complex

When: May 9th-10th 5pm-5pm

Contact: Acworth Police Department

770-974-1232

Come & Join the Fun

http://www.acworth.org/files/departments/police/specialneeds.pdf

Why Now Is a Great Time to Buy a House in Metro Atlanta?

As speculation about a declining real estate market continues to fuel an endless number of magazine articles and television segments, one local real estate company has managed to focus on what really matters-home ownership in Metro Atlanta. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, a leading brokerage in Cobb County for the last 10 years, recognizes that current conditions may pose a challenge for home sellers. But these same conditions represent a great opportunity for would-be homeowners.

Michelle Gumeny, owner of Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, is happy to see consumers getting a second chance at homeownership: "A few years ago, many of the people we talked to were kicking themselves for not buying a house sooner. Prices were rising so high so fast. Inventory was scarce. Homeowners saw the value of their homes skyrocket. They were in the driver's seat when it came time to sell. And a lot of people were willing to pay the high prices because they thought home values would continue to skyrocket. But there were a lot of other people who simply couldn't afford to buy a house in Metro Atlanta. It's different now."

Investors who were buying houses because they wanted to make a "quick buck" flipping have retreated. That leaves the people who want to buy a home to live in, not just as a good investment. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty works closely with homebuyers to help them find the perfect house-the house that makes them say "Ahh. This is home." when they walk in the front door. In addition to Assist-2-Sell's® numerous exclusive listings, homebuyers who work with Assist-2-Sell also have access to thousands of properties listed in the multiple listing service (or MLS).

"By marketing directly to buyers we are often able to save our sellers thousands of dollars that may otherwise be paid in commission," added Gumeny. "And the significant savings that home sellers enjoy by working with Assist-2-Sell allows them to pass commission savings onto homebuyers in the form of lower prices."

Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty also spends time educating buyers on the best opportunities in today's local real estate market and helping them understand financing options. They understand that many consumers are hesitant to buy a house in today's market, but point out that this hesitancy makes today the best time to buy: "There aren't as many people buying homes today so overall demand is down. That puts homebuyers in the driver's seat. When demand returns-and it will-home prices will rise."

People who want to learn more about homeownership in Metro Atlanta area should contact Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty at 770-514-8877 or a2sinfo@assist2sellrealty.net. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty is located at 1301 Shiloh Road, Suite 130, Kennesaw, GA 30144 and online at www.assist2sellrealty.net.

There are some other factors that may make buying a home in 2008 a smart choice:

• Large housing inventory means more of a selection to choose from
• Mortgage interest rates remain low
• Home prices are lower
• Some sellers are offering buyer incentives, such as help with closing costs or down payments
• Tax benefits that are unique to homeowners continue to make real estate an excellent investment

As speculation about a declining real estate market continues to fuel an endless number of magazine articles and television segments, one local real estate company has managed to focus on what really matters-home ownership in Cobb County. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, Inc., a leading brokerage in Kennesaw for the last 10 years, recognizes that current conditions may pose a challenge for home sellers. But these same conditions represent a great opportunity for would-be homeowners.

Michelle Gumeny, owner of Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, is happy to see consumers getting a second chance at homeownership: "A year ago, many of the people we talked to were kicking themselves for not buying a house sooner. Prices were rising so high so fast. Inventory was scarce. Homeowners saw the value of their homes skyrocket. They were in the driver's seat when it came time to sell. And a lot of people were willing to pay the high prices because they thought home values would continue to skyrocket. But there were a lot of other people who simply couldn't afford to buy a house in Cobb. It's different now."

Investors who were buying houses because they wanted to make a "quick buck" flipping have retreated. That leaves the people who want to buy a home to live in, not just as a good investment. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, Inc. works closely with homebuyers to help them find the perfect house-the house that makes them say "Ahh. This is home." when they walk in the front door. In addition to Assist-2-Sell's® numerous exclusive listings, homebuyers who work with Assist-2-Sell also have access to THOUSANDS of properties listed in the first multiple listing service (or MLS).

"By marketing directly to buyers we are often able to save our sellers thousands of dollars that may otherwise be paid in commission," added Gumeny. "And the significant savings that home sellers enjoy by working with Assist-2-Sell allows them to pass commission savings onto homebuyers in the form of lower prices."

Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, Inc. also spends time educating buyers on the best opportunities in today's local real estate market and helping them understand financing option. They understand that many consumers are hesitant to buy a house in today's market, but point out that this hesitancy makes today the best time to buy: "There aren't as many people buying homes today so overall demand is down. That puts homebuyers in the driver's seat. When demand returns-and it will-home prices will rise."

Cautions Gumeny, "Consumers who are waiting for home prices to fall further may be disappointed. Home prices in Cobb may have fallen slightly, but they are higher than they were before the real estate ‘boom.' Last year's home price declines can be attributed to the normalization of a ‘frenzied' real estate market and to home sellers pricing their homes based on actual value, not on what the market was willing to bear 2-3 years ago."

People who want to learn more about homeownership in Cobb County and surrounding areas should contact Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, Inc., at 770-514-8877 or marym@assist2sellrealty.net. Assist-2-Sell, Home Buyers & Sellers Realty, Inc. is located at 1301 Shiloh Road, Kennesaw and online at http://www.assist2sellrealty.net/.

There are some other factors that may make buying a home in 2007/2008 a smart choice:

• Large housing inventory means more of a selection to choose from
• Mortgage interest rates are at record lows
• Home prices are lower
• Some sellers are offering buyer incentives, such as help with closing costs or down payments
• Tax benefits that are unique to homeowners continue to make real estate an excellent investment