Bob Southard,e-Pro Powder Springs and Marietta Real Estate

I just did my most recent ";Service or Life"; newsletter by email instead of in print. There are still a few hundred in my outbox, so if you haven't received it yet, I hope you do get it in the next few hours :-).

If you would like to add yourself to the email list just let me know. I'll be sure that you get next months issue and all the valuable real estate news that you can use!

For my fellow agents out there who are reading this ... MS Outlook email merge is pretty easy to use. It eliminates bouncebacks from folks whose isp won't allow emails that are cc'd to large groups. Each email goes out one at a time. Since they are sent one at a time, don't do as I did. Send it at night when it won't matter if your email send/receive is plugged up :-). Other than that Outlook email merge is a great tool for keeping in touch with your database.

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How To Avoid Dangerous Health Risks

On Your Next Airline Flight…

April 2009

Dear <;<;name>;>;,

I hope that you are doing well. In order to save paper, I have included a link to this month’s issue of my Service For Life® free consumer newsletter. It’s loaded with useful consumer and health tips, trivia, funny jokes, entertainment, quotes, and more. I think that you’ll really enjoy it. It’s in adobe acrobat (.pdf) format which almost every computer has installed.

This Month's ";Service For Life!";(R)

If the link is broken just copy and paste this address into your browser http://issue5.agentbobsells.com

Between jetlag, backaches and sore muscles to getting downright ill, traveling by air can be risky business. That’s why I’ve highlighted a number of proven tips for staying healthy when flying your favorite airline. It’s all detailed right here in my latest Service For Life! ^® Free consumer newsletter. But before you dig into this issue…

Here’s what’s new in the world of real estate: Is it a good time to buy or sell? No doubt that the real estate market has been in the news a lot lately. There is a lot of fear being created by the news media. But what is the real answer? Well the best answer that I can give is maybe! For some people it is a very good time to buy OR sell.

It is a great market for buyers. Prices are down and interest rates are unbelievably low. For 1^st time buyers who are ready to accept the responsibility and rewards of home ownership the timing is excellent!

The same factors can really benefit sellers who are moving to a similar or higher priced home. How? In a “better” market you buy and sell for retail. Your current $200,000 home sells for $200,000 and you move on up to your $300,000 home. You pay $100,000 price difference.

But today’s market won’t bring retail on either home. Just picking some numbers, lets say you have to sell your current home for 5% less than it would have brought last year, or $190,000. But by the same token your new home also sells for 5% less than last year, or $185,000. Your net difference on the purchase is $95,000 and you just saved $5000! Plus you get to take advantage of today’s low, low interest rates. With a good agent (like me J) these numbers are very real and may even be conservative.

You can read more of my real estate newsletters, commentaries and miscellaneous ramblings on my website.

Agent Bob's Newsletters and Blogs

Also, I’d like to say a few special words about my client and friends, Lamar and Lorra Harden. I have known Lamar for over 20 years. I’ve know is wife Lorra for almost as long. In just the last year, Lamar has blessed me with 5 great listings totaling $900,000! Lamar and Lorra also provided their home for my surprise 50^th birthday party! Thank you Lorra and Lamar for your friendship and for your business.

Finally, I want you to know, <;<;name>;>;, that you may call me for any reason. And please let me know if a friend, family member or neighbor, need a caring, competent real estate professional to help in buying or selling.

I truly appreciate your friendship and referrals. Enjoy your issue!

This Month's ";Service For Life!";(R)

Warmest regards,

Bob Southard

REALTOR®,E-Pro®,CREO®

Solid Source Realty

770-656-9134

www.AgentBobSells.com

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P.S. Do you suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Go to page 3 right now for quick-tips to ease the pain…

My big day in Cobb State Court....

Back on Feb. 11, I was pulled over for an expired tag on my car. I had just taken my daughter to the Doctors office at West Cobb Pediatrics and we were heading for the big McDonalds there at Lost Mountain Road and Dallas Hwy. The officer was actually quite polite but he did give me a ticket. No slack for a broke Realtor who just had to take his kid to the Doctor. A few days later I finally got the Jag to pass the Georgia emissions test so that I could buy my updated tags.

A few weeks later I got a letter informing me to show up April 15, 8:30 am,at the Cobb State Court building at 12 East Park Square in Marietta. The Honorable Judge Nancy Campbell would be the judge for my case. The letter also told me that I could pay $169 bond and then forfeit the bond instead of showing up. They could just take that for my fine and we would be even.

Cobb State Court, 12 East Park Square, Marietta

$169!!!
Like I said, I'm just a poor broke Realtor. Somebody told me that if I went to court and proved that I now had tags I might be able to get out of it. I'm no lawyer but I've seen them on TV so I figured... what the heck, worst case scenario is that it still costs me $169. My list of excuses defenses was growing. I mean, really, I already bought the tag and paid the county it's tag tax and late fees, I know my tag was expired so I rarely never drove the car, I was taking my daughter to the doctor (I even have a copy of the receipt with time of day on it!).

Side note: Saying I've seen lawyers on tv is sort like saying, I have watched "Flip This House" I don't need an agent. If this had been a serious event there is no way I would have gone without a lawyer. Like I said, my maximum risk was $169.

So today was the big day. I left home early and it was a good thing. The traffic at Macland and Powder Springs was terrible but I made it to the Marietta Square by about 8:10 and was in the courtroom by 8:20. I signed in and the prosecutors were already calling names of folks who were there. By about 8:25 one of the prosecutors called my name. OK, this is it, now I can tell my story...

The prosecutor asked me if I had tags now, so I gave him a copy of my tag receipt. He then informed me that I had 2 choices. I could plead guilty, have my fine reduced to $86, appear before Judge Campbell, and get out of there ... or plead not guilty and they would schedule a new court date with my choice of a Judge or Jury trial. About 1 millisecond later I told him I can pay the fine today if that's ok :-).

At almost exactly 8:30 court was called in to session, I appeared before the judge, the bailiff took me upstairs to pay my fine and I was in my car driving home by 9am. The downside to the whole story is that I did get a ticket and a fine. But all in all my entire experience with the Cobb County government was a good one. The police officer was friendly, the court was extremely well run, and all of the officers of the court were quite nice. I hope that any of you reading this never have to do business with Cobb State Court, but I want to say that if you do, it's not so bad.

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Bob Southard, e-Pro, Realtor ®, Solid Source Realty, Inc. Buy a home, Sell a home, in Powder Springs, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Dallas, Hiram,and Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, North Fulton, South Cherokee, County, Ga. Call me for all of your real estate needs.

Visit my website

Call me for all of your Real Estate needs

770-656-9134

Copyright © 2008 By Bob Southard, All Rights Reserved

Follow Bob on Twitter , FaceBook, and LinkedIn

Ok, I learned this one was I was a kid and once you read it you'll know how obvious that is. Anyway it's my favorite Easter joke and I love to share it.

Knock Knock:

Who's there?

Ether

Ether Who?

Ether Bunny!

>
>

Knock Knock:

Who's there?

Cargo

Cargo Who?

Cargo beep beep.... run over Ether Bunny!

>
>

Knock Knock:

Who's there?

Boo!

Boo Who?

Oh, Don't cry ... new Ether Bunny will be back next year

Ok, now all of you can groan together

Happy Easter!

“I was going to pay cash but my financial adviser said to get a mortgage …. I need the tax breaks”

OK, I’ll admit that I don’t have this conversation very often since most of my buyers do not have the choice to pay all cash for their next home. But I have in fact had the conversation a few times.

Not too long ago I had a client who brought up exactly this point. We had an accepted contract on a bank owned home in which the buyer had made an all cash offer.

The client wanted my advice and wanted to know if they could go ahead and get a mortgage even though they had offered cash.

First of all, yes they could obtain a mortgage if they chose to. The fact that the offer was all cash doesn’t mean they can’t get a mortgage. However it does mean that if there would have been any glitches in obtaining the mortgage the seller didn’t care. The buyer would still be expected to close as contracted.

But the real question is why would somebody want to get a mortgage when they could pay cash instead? The answer of course is those mysterious tax advantages. So I asked the client a series of questions. I am a big fan of Dave Ramsey so I was pretty familiar with the questions.

*Your last home was paid off or nearly paid off before you sold it. Did you feel compelled to go get a mortgage to go in to debt on that home? No

*If you were to get a $100,000 mortgage on this new home at today’s rates you pay about $5000 in interest. If you are in a 30% tax bracket you’ll save about $1500 in taxes. Is it worth going in to debt $100,000 to save $1500 per year? No

*Is worth paying $5000 a year to the big monster mega bank mortgage company to avoid giving $1500 to Uncle Sam? No

*(this was my favorite ..) If you gave $5000 to your favorite charity instead of to the big monster mega bank mortgage company wouldn’t get exactly the same tax break? Yes

OK so I’m financial planner or adviser, I’m just the guy you hired to represent your best interests on your home purchase. I don’t really understand why it would be better to go in to debt instead of paying cash! Ultimately the decision is yours but I think your adviser needs to give you a good explanation of why you should get a mortgage.

About an hour later they called back. We decided to go ahead and pay cash for the house.

Under our current tax codes we are allowed to deduct our home interest from our income. But that doesn’t mean we should go in to debt just to get a tax break. And this doesn’t only apply to paying cash. How about paying it off early or getting a 15 year mortgage?

That’s my opinion, How about yours?

Check out the Dave Ramsey Fan Group on ActiveRain

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Bob Southard, e-Pro, Realtor ®, Solid Source Realty, Inc. Buy a home, Sell a home, in Powder Springs, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Dallas, Hiram,and Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, North Fulton, South Cherokee, County, Ga. Call me for all of your real estate needs.

Visit my website

Call me for all of your Real Estate needs

770-656-9134

Copyright © 2008 By Bob Southard, All Rights Reserved

Follow Bob on Twitter , FaceBook, and LinkedIn