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Karen Tucker

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We Are Weathering the Gas Crunch

10-23-08
Karen Tucker

I look around our friendly mountain town of Clayton, Ga., and I see everyday people, happily going about their business and tending to their families, as usual. I do notice a major difference from the way it used to be. Instead of running to the store everyday, we are planning our shopping trips for more than just bread and milk, and taking care of our entire list for the week. As a Realtor, I am planning my showings carefully--still showing the things people want to see, but making sure everything is really shown in sequence. When the gas crunch hit, our first reaction was, "NOW what are we going to do?" But after evaluating this situation, Americans have taken a closer look at our insatiable need to go where ever we wanted to, without ever thinking of the consequences of the cost of a gallon of gas. I see, not only our neighbors in my charming mountain town of the NE Ga Mountains, but all over America, people making the decision, "Is this trip necessary?" I am proud to see so many of us conserving the way we should have been doing for years--really paying attention to our surroundings and finding a more affordable solution to our NEEDS. Our WANTS are now taking a back seat in our lives. We are not thinking of ME, but of WE. Americans are tough but logical, and we know this too, shall pass. Gas was over $4.00 a gallon in our area, and very hard to find for over three weeks. I am happy to say that today it is $2.77 a gallon. The price has fallen only because of supply and demand. We weathered the storm and said "We really can do without so much". And, truly our lives will be better for it. For this I am proud of our nation of people who, once again, are starting to care about what is really important.

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IT'S GETTING WARMER IN THE NE GA MOUNTAINS--REAL ESTATE AND THE WEATHER!

03-02-08
Karen Tucker
IT'S FINALLY GETTING WARMER IN THE MOUNTAINS--TODAY'S TEMPERATURE SHOULD BE 65 AND SUNNY! AND THE REAL ESTATE MARKET IS HEATING UP, TOO! SINCE JANUARY, WE ARE NOTICING ANXIOUS BUYERS READY TO LOOK SERIOUSLY! THE INTEREST RATES HAVE DROPPED, THERE ARE QUITE A FEW 1031 EXCHANGES THAT ARE IDENTIFYING PROPERTIES, AND THERE ARE CASH OUTS FROM REFINANCING AT THE LOWER RATES. THOSE PEOPLE WITH CASH OUTS ARE TAKING THEIR CASH AND BUYING SECOND HOMES. PRICING IS HOLDING STEADY FOR TWO REASONS--OUR COUNTY IS 70% NATIONAL FOREST--USFS--WHICH INCLUDES GA. POWER LEASE LOTS ON OUR THREE BEAUTIFUL LAKES, AND WE DON'T HAVE MANY SUBDIVISIONS, SO THERE ARE VERY FEW NEW HOMES JUST SITTING AND WAITING FOR A BUYER. A BUILDER WILL BUILD ONE HOME AND NOT BUILD ANOTHER UNTIL THAT ONE SELLS. I AM TROUBLED HOW THE MEDIA DEPICTS ALL MARKETS THE SAME--BIG CITIES, HUNDREDS OF SUBDIVISION HOMES NOT SELLING--WHEN I WOULD BET AMERICA IS VERY MUCH LIKE OUR TOWN--SOME SLOW DOWN LAST YEAR BUT A NOTICEABLE CHANGE OF ATTITUDE THAT STARTED WITH THE NEW YEAR. HERE'S TO 2008--A YEAR TO REMEMBER AS THE TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE IN RABUN COUNTY, GA!
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