Jonesboro, GA

Day 12 - 12/12/11 - Today we held our annual Christmas luncheon at the Jonesboro GA office of Solid Source Realty GA. It was, as always, a wonderful time of breaking bread and swapping stories among the brokerage family.

The food and the company were great, and our broker, Michele Velechek announed our newest project.

We have identified 25 children out of the 125 families that received a Solid Source Thanksgiving meal that we will be providing Christmas gifts for as a token of love from God to these children in dire need.

That's the way we do it at Solid Source, y'all!

I feel truly privileged to be a Jonesboro GA real estate agent in the Solid Source family – especially when we come together to make things like this happen!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Best Atlanta Short Sales Offers a Helping Hand to Local Homeowners Headed Toward Foreclosure

Distressed property expert urges homeowners struggling with mortgage payments to pursue lower-impact alternatives to foreclosure

Jonesboro, GA – October 15, 2011 – “Nationwide, 10.9 million or 22.5 percent of all homeowners with a mortgage owe more on their property than it’s worth in the current market, and another 6.3 million are in some stage of foreclosure,” noted Elva Branson-Lee of Solid Source Realty GA.

A Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE), Branson-Lee pointed out that the long-term implications of foreclosure cannot be underestimated. To help Jonesboro and other south metro Atlanta residents understand their options, her Best Atlanta Short Sales team has developed a report entitled, “Need a Helping Hand?” This free report can be accessed from www.BestAtlantaShortSales.com

“Too often, the anxiety associated with missed mortgage payments and the fear of putting trust into the wrong hands, causes homeowners who are heading toward foreclosure to avoid seeking help or pursuing a short sale,” Branson-Lee said.

A short sale occurs when the current market value of a home is worth less than what is owed on a mortgage and a real estate agent assists in negotiations with the lender on behalf a financially strapped homeowner to accept a loan payoff that is less than the amount owed. “While lenders were once reluctant to negotiate short sales, the current glut of foreclosed properties on their books has prompted an aggressive push to mitigate losses, and some are even paying homeowners significant cash incentives to make a fresh start on their lives after the close of the short sale,” Branson-Lee explained.

Real estate agents who have received the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation have proactively sought out the real estate industry’s best training for serving clients within the complicated and highly charged distressed property arena. CDPE agents are required to complete intensive and ongoing training and are held to a high standard of expertise, efficiency and ethics.

For more information about the CDPE Designation, visit www.CDPE.com.

About Best Atlanta Short Sales and Elva Branson-Lee:

Elva Branson-Lee leads the Best Atlanta Short Sales team, a dedicated team of real estate professionals and Solid Source Realty GA agents who specialize in providing foreclosure alternatives and related services to home sellers in distressed situations, such as those unable to make mortgage payments, forced relocation, or financial hardship due to unexpected loss of income or increase of expenses.

For more information, please contact:

Elva Branson-Lee

678-855-5238

Elva@BransonLee.com

# # # #

Jonesboro, GA Homes for Sale – Market Snapshot

Active Listings:

Based on information from the Georgia MLS, today’s Market Snapshot of the historic Jonesboro GA real estate market shows ­­­­­440 single-family residential properties currently available for purchase, with an average list price of $106,007 and average days on market of 124. The majority of Jonesboro GA homes for sale inventory falls in the under $100,000 range. The highest prices property currently for sale is $1,800,000. The lowest is an investor or handy-man’s bargain at a hardly believable $12,600.

Pending Sale Listings:

Another 180 Jonesboro GA homes for sale are currently under contract, with an average asking price of approximately $80,934. This group has a slightly lower number of 87 days on market compared to active listings 124 DOM.

In the most recent six months, 568 single-family residential properties have closed escrow in Jonesboro GA!

So if you are thinking of buying or selling a Jonesboro GA property, you’d better step up your game. Inventory is shrinking and investors and smart shoppers are buying. Right now may be your best opportunity….don’t miss it.

Jonesboro GA Real Estate Market Report - September 2011:

Summer bargains abounded in the Jonesboro, GA area over the past few HOT months --- hot in more ways than one for the local real estate market. Congrats to the many lucky home buyers and real estate investors who were able to take good advantage of the heated up market.

Jonesboro has been priced to sell lately. And savvy buyers have cashed in on the opportunities. Even in a distressed market, homes must be priced right and in appropriate condition to attract a sharp buyer looking for a home that will provide good investment value.

Pending sales in the Jonesboro, GA real estate market have been up this year over last year by an average 10.9%!

And this, even though buyers are a little more scarce this year than last year, partly due to the disappearance of the homebuyers’ tax credit, but also due to continuing economic uncertainty on one hand, and increasingly stringent lender guidelines on the other.

As a result of more sales and fewer distressed markets coming on the market, inventory of homes for sale in Jonesboro GA has also nomalized somewhat. This means that the really good deals take a little more ingenuity and research to find.

Taken together, these factors still make for a stimulating real estate environment in Jonesboro GA.

Engage a Specialist for the best investment.

But buyer and sellers alike, be warned: navigating this South Metro Atlanta real estate market requires in depth knowledge and expertise. Like many of the cities surrounding Atlanta, Jonesboro GA real estate has suffered acute value loss in the post-bubble price crash.

A knowledgeable local real estate professional who is experienced and trained in working with investors can help any home buyer identify the best neighborhoods and subdivisions for long-term investment growth. Here at the Best Atlanta Short Sales Team, we have taken the additional training to earn a Certified Investment Agent Specialist (CIAS) designation in order to better serve real estate buyers in our market.

Clatyon County School Board Gets Good News

The Clayton County School Board has had more than its share of the limelight in recent years. Unfortunately, that light was shining on accreditation troubles more than on achievements.

So here’s a bit of good news, recently released by the school board and school district: For the Fourth straight year, the Business Services Department of Clayton County Public Schools has won the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting Program as sponsored by the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO).

This certificate was designed by the ASBO International to enable school business officials to achieve a high standard of financial reporting.

The Certificate of Excellence is the highest recognition for school district financial operations offered by ASBO, and is only conferred to school systems that have met or exceeded the standards of the program. To qualify for this honor, the district's Business Services Department provided a high quality Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the fiscal year 2010.

Congratulations to the Clayton County School district’s Business Services Department for a job well done.