Metro Atlanta Buy Lease Sell Sadly Accepts Agreement Termination in Buckhead Atlanta GA DAY 2

Dear AR friends,
RE: The blog from 30 May 2011
http://activerain.com/blogsview/2324948/metro-atlanta-buy-lease-sell-sadly-accepts-agreement-termination-in-buckhead-atlanta-ga

Tonight I have an idea where the tipping point towards termination of the Buyer's Agreement was located. The friend probably just stimulated the process.

Here it is:
My personal satisfaction comes from narrowing down choices and having just the right choice so the decision may be made the first day out. Therefore - I was honed in on getting the search done well.

I misunderstood their target - I thought it was to BUY a home. I totally missed that they were just interested in looking and were not ready to buy! All their comments led me to believe that they wanted to find a house -- and we found exactly what they had asked to have, in exactly the neighborhood they wanted and at least $100K less than the neighborhood level, leaving room to update the baths and still be OK financially and it was four BR not 3 and had fresh painted walls, refinished TRUE hardwood floors, new carpet and had all kitchen appliances -- all they asked for was there in one lovely home! I think the reality of having to make a commitment was another issue. They are first time buyers who need more time and .

Anyway - let's move on to the interesting subject of Earnest Money. Pamela's comment alerted me to how different each states rules are for Earnest Money. In Georgia, we have the State Code that holds the laws for EVERYTHING! The Georgia Association of Realtors (GAR) Purchase and Sale Agreement, Paragraph 4, clearly states the Earnest Money policy.

4. Amount and Deposit of Earnest Money. Buyer has paid to (Name of Brokerage here) (“Holder”) earnest money of $_____ check, OR $_____ cash, which has been received by Holder. The earnest money shall be deposited in Holder’s escrow/trust account (with Holder retaining the interest if the account is interest bearing) within five (5) banking days from the Binding Agreement Date. If Buyer writes a check for earnest money and the same is deposited into Holder’s escrow/trust account, Holder shall not be required to return the earnest money until the check has cleared the account on which the check was written. In the event any earnest money check is dishonored by the bank upon which it is drawn, Holder shall promptly give notice of the same to Buyer and Seller. Buyer shall have three (3) banking days after receiving such notice to deliver good funds to Holder. In the event Buyer does not timely deliver good funds, Seller shall have the right to terminate this Agreement upon notice to Buyer.

The Georgia Real Estate Commission offers a FAQ page for further information about Earnest Money.

One day I'll write a longer post about that but for now - DAY 31 of the 31 Days of May Challenge - for now - BYE!

Have a happy day,
Lynn

Metro Atlanta Buy Lease Sell Sadly Accepts Agreement Termination in Buckhead Atlanta GA


Dear AR friends -

I almost feel as if this is a grieving situation. I didn't want my suspicions to come true. I had trusted this young couple and really enjoyed their company and working with them. Then it happened - the Buyer's Agreement I had with them was cancelled abruptly by e-mail!

We had worked online daily for a week - intensely sorting through properties and refining the search. Many hours spent in office work and one day out previewing homes before going with them. Yesterday they drove around several neighborhoods to see if the selections I had made matched the "feel" of what they wanted for their home.

Today we spent from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm together, seeing and studying three homes. The third home met all of their requests - it was actually amazing to find it all in one house. More amazing that it was at their price point which was $100,000 below the norm in the neighborhood! It was a foreclosure ... We called and set up an inspection appointment for Friday.

Then she asked if they could call their friends over to see the house. I cheerfully said sure. And it was all downhill from there.

Once he arrived with his wife, the friend started telling them "xxxx" and "yyyy". Then he began grilling me about what documents I had shown them. What had they previewed? Why did I want an Earnest Money Check with the contract? They should only give the Earnest Money after the contract was accepted. Had I done this and that because they were first time buyers and ... BOOM! I saw the whole success disappearing before my eyes. Here was his former college roommate coming in and shattering what had been an atmosphere of trust and respect on both sides.

My blog tonight is mostly the letter I wrote to them after receiving their termination notice. (Names changed of course!) With every success and with every disappointment, lessons are there to be gleaned. As I track what happened, I am not angry just sad. I actually regret it for both our sakes. What a wonderful time we had had together during our research and our house hunting! And we actually found the house they had described ! A house that had all the features they had wanted and even two more!

My lessons learned here? More reflection needed ...
NEXT DAY'S UPDATE: http://activerain.com/blogsview/2326949/metro-atlanta-buy-lease-sell-sadly-accepts-agreement-termination-in-buckhead-atlanta-ga-day-2

Have a happy day -
Lynn

Here's the letter I emailed back to them.

Dear Adam and Jill,
As of 10:30 pm, May 30, 2011, I accept the termination of your GAR Exclusive Buyer Brokerage Agreement with me. I have already called to cancel the inspection appointment for the house you selected today - the house at 1466 Pinehurst, 30338.

It was a pleasure to meet you both. You are dynamic together and I am confident you will do well. I wish you the best on your future search. I'm sure you will find the exact house to meet your needs and time schedule.
Sincerely,
Lynn

PS I left your Listingbook account open for you to use at your convenience. If you get another agent, ask the person to switch you over to his/her Client base. In addition. you have many of the GAR contract forms which I had sent to you by e-mail to review. You have the blog links that you may read for more information. I hope all of that information will be of value to you as you pursue and gain your new home.

Adam and Jill, as I carefully explained to you before you signed the Buyer's Agreement, if I showed any home to you, I would be in line for the commission even if you chose to terminate the agreement and work with another agent later on at the same home. I also suggested to you at that first meeting that if you should choose to terminate with me or anyone else you worked with in the future that you should tell the new agent which properties you had previously seen with another agent.
In addition, the subject of commissions came up today when your friend mentioned it in the garden, saying you "couldn't" buy a house that I had shown you if you worked with a different agent. I clarified the situation again by stating that you always could work with another agent and buy the same house I had first shown to you. However, in that case, ODAT Realty Services, Inc. still would be entitled to the commission since I had previously shown the home to you. Therefore, based on the signed agreement, the commission obligation to ODAT Realty survives the Buyer Agreement Termination on the three properties we looked at together:
1. 5337 Southchace, 30338
2. 1811 Fairfield, 30338
3. 1466 Pinehurst, 30338

Again, best wishes for success. Hopefully our paths cross again sometime in the future!

Lynn

Metro Atlanta Buy Lease Sell Reports Locksmith Scam spreading across US Strikes Sandy Springs near Buckhead Atlanta, GA

When you need a locksmith, you need a person you may trust.  Brett McMenimon is just that kind of person.  He is a third generation locksmith who works in the family business, The Flying Locksmiths, in Massachusetts. 

 

In Atlanta, Georgia, you would call Tom at Bullard's or Burt at Sandy Springs Locksmith.  Both men run companies that have have extensive experience in both residential and commercial work.  Bullard's specializes in safes as well.  Sandy Springs additonal asset is affiliation with a reputed local alarm company.  Just the type of people Metro Atlanta Buy Lease Sell would recommend. Just the type of folks everyone could trust.

So imagine how surprised Burt was when customers began to call and complain about being quoted one price on the phone and another when the "service man" arrived!  Some calls were double even triple what the person had been told!  To add insult to injury, many times Sandy Springs Locksmith had to go out and correct the work these impersonators had done.

Apparently, since 2007, these ruthless advantage takers have been rampaging across the US.  Consumers would call what appeared to be local companies, promising "15 minute" response and reasonable pricing. NOT TRUE! The responders would arrive much later than 15 minutes and charged anywhere from two to four time the estimate given on the telephone. Time after time, the frauds perpetrated by USA Locksmith and Dependable Lock were traced back to one office, actually located in New York. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), our nation's consumer protection agency, offers a warning about locksmith impersonators. "... some locksmiths advertising in your local telephone book may not be local at all. They may not have professional training. What’s more, some of them may use intimidating tactics and overcharge you."  In addition, the FTC offers advice on how to select a locksmith.  Following the links in this post will provide extensive information.

The Associated Locksmiths of America (ALOA) the trade's professional association, offers a map with links to the offices in every state for the state Attorney General where consumers may report fraud.  If you or anyone you know has been victimized by these people, go to the map, click on your state and make a report. 

Remember -  in several states, members of this national disgraceful group have been prosecuted successfully.  Don't hesitate to report them!

The video below documents a sting operation conducted in Seattle and followed up in New York to expose these unscrupulous characters.

Have a happy day,
Lynn 

 

 

 

Metro Atlanta Buy Lease Sell Presents iPhone vs Android Samsung Galaxy S in Buckhead Atlanta GA

 

A few short sentences to introduce a long video about two smartphone devices.

While all "i" products fall under the same umbrella - and as some say - apps sprout up every nano-second for the "i" platform, ANDROID comes as a platform on devices from many different manufacturers. Now the ANDROID market offers many more apps every day. Nonetheless, it is true that at this time - there are more apps for the "i" system.

I thought this video was so delightful that I wanted to share it with everyone.  Since the video was prepared without words, each viewer may interpret each of the details as the phones are compared and contrasted and come to his/her own conclusions. In some scenes, I wondered if I had been expected to prefer the shine on the screen or to prefer the shadow? Almost like a type of Rorschach test!

 

Another note about Google before the video. Look what's new and in beta test now: GOOGLE OFFERS. Background: In November 2010, Groupon refused an offer of (reportedly) $2-$3 billion from Yahoo. After that, Google offered to pay $5.3 billion with a $700 million "earnout" as a sweetener in addition. Groupon refused the Google offer as well. Now I don't know what others think but I would have taken the offer and started another company if I got bored clipping coupons and I mean BOND coupons - not grocery coupons! So where is Groupon now? Not only is Google taking them on, but Groupon faces direct competition from other sites such as LivingSocial. Another nascent competitor is our (formerly) own Jon Washburn in his new endeavor "Daily Ticket". Jon said, "Six amazing years after creating ActiveRain, I am no longer CEO. I'm now focusing 100% of my efforts on revolutionizing the daily deals industry through the Daily Ticket community. We are taking on Groupon and LivingSocial with our revolutionary business model powered by local franchise business owners and our focus on building strong communities through remarkable experiences." About time for the video - eh?

U P D A T E But Teacher I couldn't do my BLOG Last Night The Storm Felled a Tree, the Tree Landed on the Power Lines and THERE WAS NO POWER in Buckhead Atlanta GA

Notes from the day after -
The day was sunny but - unfortunately, there were two people killed when another tree in the same neighborhood crashed down on their car with a cloth convertable top. May they rest in peace and may their families find comfort.

The power was turned back on after only 14 hours. The telephone should be restored within six days. Our house escaped any damage.

Once we had our power back, I went to research the facts about food storage during a power outage. The facts I found were these:

1. Refrigerated Food

   • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that food in your refrigerator should remain safe for about four hours during a power failure as long as you don't open the refrigerator door. If you suspect the power failure may last longer than four hours, you can pack refrigerated items in a cooler with ice to keep them cold.

   Frozen Food

   • Frozen food will stay fresh in your freezer for a while, as long as you don't open the freezer door. If your freezer is half full, food should keep for up to 24 hours. If it's completely full, food should keep for up to 48 hours.

   Check Food Temperature

   • Use a food thermometer to check the temperature of any food products that may have gotten too warm or been stored incorrectly while the power was off. If the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you can safely eat or refreeze the food. Otherwise, toss it out.

The various types of food have different guidelines. Other information comes from the FDA:

Power Outages: Key Tips for Consumers About Food Safety

Be Prepared:

• Have a refrigerator thermometer.
• Know where you can get dry ice.
• Keep on hand a few days worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling, which depend on electricity.

When the Power Goes Out:

• Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible.
• The refrigerator will keep food cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened.
• Refrigerators should be kept at 40° F or below for proper food storage.

Once the Power is Restored:

• Check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer.
• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can't rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• Refrigerated food should be safe as long as the power was out for no more than 4 hours. Keep the door closed as much as possible.
• Discard any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs or leftovers) that has been above 40° F for two hours or more.

Here are the photos from the day after -