Newnan, GA

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I know that my personal experiences are anecdotal, and I am a firm believer in statistics, but I have seen a dramatic increase in the amount of activity on listings priced over $200,000 since the new $6500 tax credit went into effect November 7th.

In one case, a beautiful home that sat for months almost unnoticed suddenly had two acceptable offers within a few days of each other. And the number of showings has nearly tripled in this range.

Could this be the kick in the pants the market really needed to jump start itself to a recovery, or merely a result of some pleasant fall weather? Only time and complete data analysis will tell the true story.

But for now, I’ll just enjoy the boost in business …whatever the reason!

Even though most of their compatriots have succumbed to shortening of the days and brisk gusts of wind, there are always a few stragglers that just won’t give up!

And although it’s the middle of November and we had a tropical storm that blasted though earlier in the week, there are still some small pockets of resistors here and there.

But the clock is ticking and time is running short, but as long as there are colored autumn leaves still hanging in there, I’ll keep the camera by my side. I shot this beautiful maple at the Male Academy Museum in Newnan Georgia this afternoon.

I suspect I’ll keep up the “hunt” until Thanksgiving!

October 2009 was a good month for real estate sales in Coweta and Fayette Counties.

County-wide, in Coweta County the total number of real estate sales was up 0.8% in October, the only positive gain in 2009 so far. The previous best month had been June, which experienced a 3% decline in sales from 2008.

In Fayette County, October was also the best sales month in 2009 so far, with a 5.3% increase in sales.

Our Newnan ERA United Realty office closed more sides in October 2009 than any other month in the last two years.

And although this anecdotal information is only one statistical point in the entire data set of all local real estate sales, it is still an indicator that at least one real estate office is enjoying robust sales.

And November looks pretty good so far! It’s still a great time to buy, with low interest rates and unbeatable prices!

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!