About Douglas County, GA

Lithia Springs,Douglasville, Ga, Sweetwater Creek State Park, Hike

Last Saturday morning we met some friends for a hike at Sweetwater Creek State Park in Lithia Springs, (Douglasville), Ga. It has been years since I have walked there and previously I had only done the red trail down to the mill ruins.

Trails at Sweetwater Creek State Park

We met at the interpretive center/park office on Factory Shoals Rd and started off on the white trail. This was a beatiful walk that went through varied terrain and elevation changes. In the springtime I'm sure there would be a lot wildlife and native plants. Approximately the first 2/3 of the trail are pretty easy although sometimes steep. As the trail headed down to Jacks lake it became much more rugged. In the slideshow you'll see a pic of the waterfall that drops from Jacks lake down to the creek branch.

From this point on it was pretty ruggged for novices like us. Some of it was from the terrain and some of it was from debris left from the September floods....

See the rest of the story and photos

Mortgage bond prices rose last week pushing mortgage interest rates lower. The bond market rallied nicely Tuesday following moves by China to curb growth. Oil prices fell almost immediately providing a much-needed reprieve following the recent run up in prices tied to severe cold weather across the US. The consumer price index data showed tame inflation, which also helped rates improve. For the week interest rates fell by about 1/2 of a discount point.

The inflation data Wednesday will be the most important economic release this week. Signs of stronger than expected inflation would not be good for mortgage interest rates. The bond market is closed Monday in honor of the Martin Luther King holiday. Interest rates may be volatile Tuesday as trading resumes following the extended holiday weekend.

LEI

The index of leading economic indicators (LEI) is a weighted average of eleven economic variables that "lead" the business cycle. It is constructed for forecasting future aggregate economic activity. The eleven variables that make up the LEI measure workers' hours, initial unemployment claims, new factory orders, vendor performance, contracts and orders for plant and equipment, new housing permits, changes in unfilled orders, prices of raw materials, stock prices, money supply and consumer expectations.

Each of the variables that comprise the index has a tendency to predict (or lead) economic activity. For example, new orders for manufactured goods, new orders for plant and equipment, and new building permits are all direct measures of the amount of future production being planned for the economy.

Analysts monitor the LEI in an effort to predict future economic growth. When the LEI report is up, mortgage market participants expect credit demand to increase and inflationary pressures to build. Thus, when the LEI report is rising, interest rates tend to rise as well.

The LEI report is a valuable forecasting device that correctly predicts most economic turning points. The percentage change in the LEI is reported monthly and is an indication of the activity that will occur within the next three to six months. The LEI tends to turn down before peaks in the business cycle. Continuous declines are generally accepted as evidence that a recession continues.

Nine of the eleven components that make up this index are known before the release of the report, so the index is easy for economists to predict. Thus, although this is important predictive data for market participants, surprises are not common with the release of this data.

Treasury sets guidance to simplify "short sales"
Al Yoon
NEW YORK

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Treasury on Monday set long-awaited guidance on a plan for mortgage companies to speed "short sales" of homes and other loan modification alternatives to stem a rising tide of foreclosures.

Read More at
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5AT5X520091130

The frustrating part of this experience was the reminder that - statistically - most agents won't or can't, and therefore certainly don't make an irresistible presentation on pricing. 90% (9 out of 10) listings are listed too high. In the third quarter of this year, the median Days on Market for homes that were priced right and did not need a price reduction in order to sell was 25 days (less than a month!) in metro Atlanta. However, for those listings that had to have a price reduction before they could sell, the median Days on Market for those homes was 252 (10 times longer!).

The truth is that being overly optimistic about a listing in terms of price or condition or appeal is the equivalent of putting lipstick on a pig. We live in a smart world. We are living in the reality of a buyer's market. A buyer's market means that buyer's don't fall for marketing...or lipstick. They fall for value, and they fall when price is less than value. If your listing's price exceeds the value of the listing, game over. If your value exceeds your price, game on.

In the world of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" the market always wins. A seller's personal circumstances, no matter how dire or compelling they may be, do not determine the value of their property. Only the market determines value. Sellers often say, "I need to get this much...I owe the IRS this much...my divorce is costing me this much...I have to get this much in order to break even...my house is newer...bigger...better...lighter...brighter...smarter...more efficient...it has a newer HVAC...a bigger water heater...a better view...a bigger lot...better looking neighbors...lower utility bills...a newer roof...etc., etc., etc." All of which are nothing more than lipstick...on a pig.

One of the toughest elements of this market is the fact that houses lose their uniqueness. They're not special, no matter how special they are. The real disconnect is coming from this: Most sellers are trying to sell emotionally and buyers are buying logically. And agents who list properties and only speak "emotion" are really exacerbating the level of disconnect because buyers can't understand the logic behind their sales pitch. The best thing that we as agents can do for sellers is to speak "logic" when we take a listing a pitch it to buyers in the market. An emotionally charged marketing campaign in the absence of a logically based price results in reduced prices and expired listings, and sellers continue to be "held hostage" (thanks Michael!) by a home they no longer want. Logic means that something has to make good sense, particularly when compared to other things. Therefore, the properties that sell in less than 1 month on the market are the properties that show better than the other active listings on the market and are priced better than anything else that a buyer sees.

A listing is like an illness. With the right prescription (price) it goes away. With the wrong prescription (price) it gets worse.

No matter what, we have to be more concerned about taking an overpriced listing than we are about letting a good listing get away. Falling prey to the emotional circumstances and needs of a seller does no one any good. It hurts our bottom line; it hurts our reputation; and it does our sellers a disservice by giving them false hope and wasting time and money that many of them don't have.

Our ability to price listings accurately enough to attract offers has never had more importance. The time and money that this can save our sellers can literally save them. It can save their marriages, their families and it can save them financially. For the agents who understand this and become obsessive about it, there's never been a more rewarding time to be a Realtor.

I realize that the truth is tough and can hurt a seller right now. However, the lack of truth hurts more and does more damage than most people can see on the front end of selling a home. Our challenge and our opportunity is to raise the level of our game so that our clients can trust our data, trust our recommendations and predict the future as clearly as we can. Together we can meet this challenge!

Thanks for fighting the good fight! Together, we are making a huge difference in the lives of the people that we serve. I'm so proud to be in business with you.

Your #1 Fan...

SHAUN

This is a great article to share with clients and those buyers who may be waiting for the better deal? What goes up must come down and with market always vice versa.

http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/dec2009/bw2009127_753974.htm?link_position=link12

For Further Questions feel free to contact us.To check Your Local Market Data go to Your Market Snapdshot For further information about Metro Atlanta. orIf you have a Real Estate need in Atlanta trust the Full time Local professionals at Team Renton Keller Williams. For Free Home Search for Metro Atlanta go to http://www.servingHotlantahomes.com