Tina Fountain

The foreclosure investor often has a lot of work ahead of them. While the homes they speculate in may be exceptionally low priced for the area and type of home, the nature of foreclosure lends itself to lack of maintenance, outright vandalism and opportunities for lawbreakers to "move in" and trash the place... or set up shop. Learn to minimize the risk with these suggestions.

Always bring someone with you, preferably more than one someone when you go to inspect a foreclosure, especially one that has had known problems or has been empty for a while. It is not uncommon for homeless people to set up shop inside a foreclosed home or for criminals to use it as a base of operations. Having people with you can make it less likely for you to be taken by surprise.

Take a self-defense course that will enable you to break free and/or momentarily incapacitate an attacker. Explain to the instructor your specific circumstances and ask for recommendations for moves/strategies that will be most helpful.

Carry a cell phone on you for emergencies. You may also feel safer with a whistle, pepper spray or other non-lethal forms of self defense. Carry a gun only if you have the proper training in its use and safety.

Announce your presence when you enter the house by knocking and calling your name and why you are there. If anyone is present in the house, this gives them the chance to leave instead of being startled. Startled people, especially startled people engaged in criminal acts can be dangerous. Let them leave the house unless in the unlikely event of being able to securely lock them in a windowless room until the police arrive. If you see any evidence that the house was used to store or manufacture illicit drugs, leave and call the police immediately.

A foreclosed house can be in any shape, from pristine to completely gutted. There are stories of former homeowners who rip the copper wiring out of the house to sell and who even set booby traps for the next person who sets foot in the place. Avoid anonymous puddles and keep doors and windows open while you inspect; you don't know what might have been spilled in the home. Be extremely careful in a foreclosed house and, if you are seriously thinking of purchasing one, get a thorough inspection done.

Foreclosure homes can be a great deal and buying one means that you are helping the neighborhood get back on its feet. However the inspection of foreclosures can be a risky business. Protect yourself first.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Cobb County Real Estate.

When purchasing a new house you want to ensure everything is in good working order and the structure is sound. With the rising cost of energy prices there are certain perks to watch for that may minimize those monthly utility bills. If you're selling a house that has any of these features, make sure to mention it to your agent when marketing your home.

Energy Star Rating: This is an energy rating introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 to identify energy-efficient products and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. If any appliances or lighting are included with your home purchase, look for this rating. These products are designed to save money while consuming less energy. An entire house can also have this rating if the homeowner participated in an Energy Star program, and the rating would appear on the inside of the circuit breaker. A home with this designation performs at least 30 percent more efficiently, a definite plus for any home buyer.

Insulation: A poorly insulated house can waste your valuable heating energy by 25 to 40 percent. If your home has, an R-value is higher than locally required, extra insulation in attics, crawlspaces, or any other wraps or sealant applied to reduce air escaping from gaps in the construction, it's worth pointing out.

Windows: 25 to 50 percent of your heating and cooling comes from your windows, and new technology has led to even more effective ways of managing this. If you have newer windows with insulated frames and a low U-factor rating, this is a feature to make prospective buyers aware of.

Heating and Cooling Systems: A furnace is measured by the annual fuel utilization efficiency rating, or AFUE. A minimum fuel to heat conversion rating is 78 percent. If you have a furnace with an Energy Star label, your rating is higher than 90 percent, much more desirable when paying high fuel prices. For warmer months, an air conditioner should have at least a 10 seasonal energy efficiency ratio, or SEER. That rating would be 12 or higher for an Energy Star label.

Other system perks include the type of unit you have such as a heat pump. Depending on the temperature zone, these can provide economical year round heating and air conditioning. A tankless hot water heater provides an endless supply of hot water and can save 20 to 30 percent of your energy bill. These systems are more expensive than some of the conventional methods of heating and provide a definite selling asset for any homeowner. In addition to actual heating and cooling devices, point out other energy savers such as programmable thermostats with timers, ceiling fans or radiant flooring.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Cobb County Real Estate.

Many people, especially those who are involved in business, will recognize the BlackBerry on sight, as it is one of the few smart phones that is recognizable by brand name. What the BlackBerry does is combine a cellphone, PDA, laptop and camera into a handheld mobile device. For the real estate agent who is juggling a full schedule of home showings, client appointments, MLS monitoring and more, it may just be the ideal co-ordinator of one's working and personal life.

What do you do all day? You have appointments for home showings, the office, you have stuff you have to get done, you have papers that need filing and a hundred other little tasks that can pile up and be forgotten if they aren't brought to your attention. You're on the road a lot to appointments, seminars, lunches, etc. Maybe you have to keep track of a lot of clients and colleagues. You may have a family, which will mean that you need to make sure that you're there for them when they need you. You need a portable system that's easy to use, but is also powerful enough to help you do all of this.

The BlackBerry allows you to sync your computer calendar/organizer with the Blackberry software. If you use Google Calendar or one of many other popular calendar/organizer software, your BlackBerry can update it as well as downloading information changes. This makes it easy to ensure that all of your appointments and reminders, including the ones you note on the fly are sent to where you will be able to see them when you are planning your schedule. While small, the keyboard for a BlackBerry is functional enough to support fairly quick data input.

Need to get to an address? BlackBerry Maps can help you by pinpointing your location with the BlackBerry GPS and showing you where the address you're seeking is on a map. You can plan a route or get driving directions to wherever you're going.

The constant connection to the Internet offered by most BlackBerry plans can be ideal for the busy agent, who is nowhere near an office, a computer and/or WiFi, to search the MLS and email clients. There is no more waiting to get back to the office; with a BlackBerry, the office comes with you. While not as powerful or as versatile on the Internet as a true laptop, the BlackBerry is more than capable of getting the essentials out immediately. The BlackBerry also supports MSN Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, BlackBerry Messenger and Google Talk for realtime conversations.

Need to send a picture of a property or feature? The BlackBerry has a camera with zoom capability. The Internet connection makes it easy and fast to send said picture to Facebook, email or Flickr. If your clients are asking about what something looks like, you don't have to tell them - you can show them!

One of the most exciting features that BlackBerry is going to offer to Realtors is the eKEY from BlackBerry's parent company, Research in Motion (RIM). The eKEY will retrieve data directly from the MLS and enable users to search by ID number, address or buyers' profiles. Google Maps is connected so that listings can be viewed on a map. Contact information is constantly updated, so that you can contact other agents, no matter what company they are working for. Users can also get real-time notifications on home showings and the agent(s) representing the homes being shown.

All the bells and whistles that this little machine offers are perfect to help out Realtors on the move. If you're looking at changing your phone and wondering what would suit you best, check out the BlackBerry. It is a great solution to some of the problems of an "on the go" career.

Tina Fountain Realtors is an Atlanta real estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including homes for sale in Marietta and homes for sale in Cobb County. We can be reached at 404-842-1555. Be sure to visit our Atlanta real estate blog for other tips and new listings.

Painting is one of those jobs that many homeowners will try to tackle themselves. It's also one of those jobs that looks easier than it is. Anyone can slop paint on a wall, but not many can make it look like a professional job. We recommend hiring a professional for best results. For those do-it-yourself types, here are some tips to make your next painting project look like it was done by an expert. It may take a few more steps, but it's well worth the effort.

1. Wipe down all woodwork with a cleaner. Paint adheres better to a clean surface. Sand all the trim, doors and windows and vacuum and wipe with a tack cloth.

2. Before using your paintbrush soak it in water (if being used with latex paint), or paint thinner (for use with oil-based paint). Flex the bristles to spread the liquid right into the base of the brush and spin or shake it dry. This step will make your brush easier to clean later. When you open the paint can, use a nail to drive holes in the U-track around the top of the can. This allows the paint to drain back into the can after pouring.

3. Prime any bare woodwork before applying final coat. When molded doors, paint the rails first, then the inside panel, and finally the stiles or outside frame. Allow to dry overnight and sand with a 220-grit sandpaper. Vacuum and dust once again.

4. Use Dap or spackling compound to fill any nail holes or cracks. Once dry, sand lightly if necessary and paint with primer.

5. Caulk all the gaps between the trim or baseboard and the walls to create a nice clean line. To smooth the caulking, wet your finger and run it along the the line.

6. It's time to paint the ceiling. Cut in or paint a 2 to 2 1/2 inch stripe along the outside edges of the ceiling. Wipe away any paint that touches the walls. Using a roller, complete the rest of the ceiling by dividing your strokes into a 3-foot section. Work your way across the room, one square at a time.

7. Now begin the finish coat on your trim, windows, and baseboard. Once dry, sand lightly and dust with a tack cloth. Next, apply your finish coat. When painting window trim, if you get paint on the glass, let it dry and then scrape it off. Dampen the glass first to prevent scratching it with the window scraper.

Some use the paint as a sealant from moisture. To do this, hold the edge of a wide putty knife blade against the glass, flat side against the wood, and scrape up to it. You'll end up with an even strip of paint on the glass about the thickness of the blade.

8. Once the baseboard is dry, cover the top of the trim with blue masking tape. Using a brush, cut in around windows and door trim, then along baseboard and finally at the ceiling or crown molding. Use an extension handle on your roller to paint the walls. Just as with the ceiling, envision a 3 or 4 foot square and fill in working from the top down. Use a putty knife to remove any paint nubs on the wall once the paint dries. Finish with a final coat and remove the masking tape as soon as the paint has set. Don't wait too long or you may pull off some of the drywall with the tape. Resist the urge to yank the tape, but instead pull it slowly and evenly to avoid ripping it.

Be sure to visit our Atlanta real estate blog for more tips, information, and details of homes for sale in Atlanta.

While there are many people who will tell you that there is some sort of "magic" formula to selling in this kind of market, the oldest strategies still hold true. When selling in a buyer's market, sometimes the simplest, cheapest options are the best to secure a sale. Cleaning the house, clearing away clutter and neat landscaping are three ways you can make your house stand out.

Removing clutter that distracts the eye from the home itself will aid you in showcasing your home. Rent a storage locker and store such pieces of furniture that interfere with the best impression your home can give. Try storing your packing boxes in an unobtrusive part of your home if you can't get them out to a storage facility. If your home is smaller, think spacious and minimalist - less furniture will give your prospective buyers the impression that there is more space.

It may pain you, but remove personalized things from the immediate viewing area. The refrigerator should be clear of pictures, the walls clear of family photos. This helps a buyer to better imagine your house as "theirs". Tell yourself and your family that the new home can be personalized to your heart's content, but for now, a more neutral setting is needed to produce the effect you want.

Cleanliness is one of the most effective selling techniques that you can utilize. A clean home sends a subtle message to the buyer that the home is naturally light, bright and sparkling. Clear windows that let in all the natural light possible sell homes much faster than dirt-streaked ones, covered by scrubby blinds or dingy curtains. Make your home surpass others of its kind by cleaning the seldom-seen and -used areas such as closet corners and basements. Surface cleanliness sends the message that the home is well-cared-for.

The outside of your home will benefit from a wash or paint, as will attention to details of the trim. A well-mowed lawn, tended garden and pruned trees and bushes will tell prospective buyers that you are serious with your home upkeep. While none of this is done without a significant outlay of time, money or both, the impression you are striving for is that of easy upkeep and a clean property. Clean and paint outbuildings and get rid of any junk that has been lying around. If there is a naturally messy place, such as a woodpile, you can at least see that the wood is neatly stacked, the area swept free of chips and sawdust and tools neatly and safely in their proper places.

Cleaning, de-cluttering and landscaping are three of the cheapest, most effective options you have for selling your home in a buyer's market. A home that is easy to navigate, that gleams with cleanliness and is attractively landscaped will be miles ahead of similar, but less well-cared-for, residences.

Tina Fountain Realtors is an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta homes for sale and Cobb County homes for sale. For more information contact us at 404-842-1555.