Photos from Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO
New Publix in the heart of Birmingham Village in the New City of Milton GeorgiaLocated in: Milton, GA
There is no surprise across the nation that the inventory of the number of Atlanta homes for sale is down considerably. While many in real estate are rejoicing in the streets over this supposed sign of recovery, they are not allowing themselves to consider why this has really happened. It is not an anomaly, and it does not mean that the lack of inventory bodes well for the near future of Atlanta real estate. For those that are informed, there is an acknowledgement that Atlanta home buying patterns are being refined and will not return to what many in real estate are expecting. We may not see things return to the way they were for quite some time...if at all.
United Security Bank, Sparta, GA failed this weekend. United Security Bank had $157 million in assets and $150 million in deposits and two branches, one branch operatedas the including the branch in Woodstock, GA that operated as Bank of Woodstock. The bank, of Moultrie, Ga., assumed the assets and deposits of the failed bank. United Security Bank failure is expected to cost the FDIC fund an estimated $58 million. The failure of United Security Bank makes the 21st Georgia bank failure this year>Gerogia has had more bank failures than in any other state.
The FDIC press release:
"On Friday, November 6, 2009, United Security Bank, Sparta, GA (including the branch that operated as the Bank of Woodstock) was closed by the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was named Receiver "
Alpharetta GA is a city in located in north Fulton County, Georgia, 26 miles form the city of Atlanta via the GA 400. The estimated 2008 Alpharetta's population was 49,903. Alpharetta began as a campground, originally known as New Prospect Camp Ground until late 1858. Officially chartered on December 11 1958. The name 'Alpharetta' (supposedly Greek for "first town") served as the county seat of Milton County until the end of 1931 when Milton was merged with Fulton County to avoid bankruptcy during the Great Depression.
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Need a mortgage, and have bad credit? You can probably still get a loan, but you are going to pay dearly for it. A loan officer explained the rating system for mortgage rates based on FICO or credit scores and the cost to borrow. While we are used to buyers shopping different lenders for loans, a lot has changed in just a short time. It may be pointless for buyers to shop for better rates if their credit is not the best under this system. It may be like a dog chasing their tail and going nowhere especially if they have bad, damaged or impaired credit. Investors have implemented, "Risk Based Adjustments." Simply stated "Risk Based Adjustments" is the relationship between the an individuals credit score and the loan to value. The higher the credit score the better the LTV. An example: a customer with a 740+ MID FICO will get the best Loan to Value (LTV) adjustment, 95% LTV with no hits to the rates. As the FICO score of the individual applying for the loan goes down so does the Loan to Value, 680-699 scores will be limited to a 90% LTV and a .75 hit to the rate. The lowest acceptable score that will be accepted is the 620 - 639 scores, and even though you can still get the 90% LTV, there is a whopping 2.75 hit to the rate. This confirms that investors are willing to lend, but the customer will pay for it. I thought this was very interesting, and even though I do not make loans, I like to keep abreast of the current trends.
I am anxiously counting down the moments to the Real Estate bar Camp RDU in Cary NC forward this coming Friday November 6, 2009. I will arrive with my wife Ellen tomorrow evening. I look forward to meeting a lot of new friends and Active Rainers I've not met in person yet! Although I've spone at many reale state conventions, retreats and office get togethers, this will be my first Real Estate bar Camp. I will be participating as a Thought Leader and will be doing a session entitled "Strategizing Internet Profit with Website & Real Estate Blogging" This will be a basics session that will start with the fundamentals of a successful real estate web business in everyday plain language. I am sure I will learn a lot from this session.
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Atlanta real estate, homes for sale, new homes, foreclosures, luxury homes, relocation. Serving the Atlanta real estate market since 1993 as experienced Atlanta real estate professionals & REALTORS.
Looking for Atlanta real estate? You're in the right place! No one knows more about Atlanta homes for sale than Jim Crawford. He has been selling Atlanta real estate since 1992. Atlanta luxury homes, Atlanta golf homes, Atlanta foreclosures, Alpharetta homes for sale, and Cumming GA homes for sale.
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James attended SUNY Buffalo. He was originally licensed in New York State in 1978, and has also been licensed in Maryland and Virginia. James has a background in management, contract negotiations, arbitrations and lobbying. He is currently licensed as a Broker Associate in Georgia, and Virginia. James is a frequent speaker at real estate conventions. Jim has spoken at many real estate conventions both in the United States and Canada, and is a regular Internet real estate columnist for Realty Times. Jim is considered and expert on is: marketing, nationwide relocation, cutting edge technology, Search Engine Optimization SEO for real estate, and Internet marketing. He is an acclaimed speaker on INTERNET networking, web positioning, Internet ethics, and internet marketing. His marketing ideas have been published and quoted regularly in trade publications. He is a real estate columnist for www,realtytimes.com James Crawford is a also a charter member of the e-PRO 500, and CyberProfessionals! View Jims teaching site Real Estate Tech Coach site.
Jim is also the real estate marketer in the group! He is the webmaster for www.AtlantaBestHomes.Com is a number one destination for Atlanta home buyers.
Jim Crawford, ABR, e-PRO 500 is a Broker Associate with REMAX Greater Atlanta in Roswell, Georgia 30076, where he and his wife, Ellen, work as a team in the northern Atlanta suburbs. His marketing ideas have been published in numerous trade publications, and he is also an online real estate coach, with a self-tutorial coaching site for real estate professionals. He has also been interviewed by CNN, LA Times, Realty Times, RE/MAX Times, and many other Realtor publications.
Jim was a featured speaker at the November 2004 National Association of REALTORS® convention in Orlando, he also recently spoke at the Wisconsin REALTORS® convention in September 2005, and at the Atlantic Connection in Halifax Nova Scotia September 2006. Visit his website at RealEstateTechCoach.com, or e-mail him at http://mailto:jimandellen@mindspring.com.
Jim is a real estate columnist for http://www.realtytimes.com/, his RealtyTimes. Com bio is available to view here. Jim's area of expertise is: Internet, search engine placement, search engine optimization, real estate Search Engine Optimization, SEO, Internet ethics for REALTORS, Internet consulting, Internet product development, public speaking for real estate, and coaching for real estate success!
Jim is currently licensed as a broker associate in: Georgia, Virginia and Maryland.
"Even a technology expert has "their" experts to go for help. One of my web and Internet experts is Jim Crawford from Atlanta, Georgia. A full time real estate agent, Jim has unraveled many of the inner secrets of how to make money using the Internet with well designed and "placed" web sites. Jim has posted many of his trusted secrets, tips and resources on his website http://www.realestatetechcoach.com.
If you do your own website, you need to look at his site. If you have someone else do your website work, you need to pass along his site the them. Make sure you check out his "Free Web Stuff" and "Interactive Stuff" pages. Lots of goodies, references and resources for free."
The Anderson Post ... Real Estate Technology News
A free On-line Real Estate Technology Newsletter
On-line Edition, December 4, 2001
Web Site: http://www.rolfanderson.com/ Email: http://mailto:rolf@rolfanderson.com
"If you are a "do-it-yourselfer" and are building or maintaining your own web site, you must check out http://www.RealEstatetechcoach.com - It is a tutorial site for the Internet by Jim Crawford who, aside from being a Tech Coach and speaker, is a successful real estate agent and over 76% of his business comes from the web.
The site is an excellent tutorial and is a compilation of several years worth of research. Those using Microsoft Front Page will find the site especially beneficial." THE LEADERS POST - Issue #64 - January 14, 2002
from Results-net.com
http://www.results-net.com By: Doug Towes, Editor leaderpost@results-net.com
"Tech Advice His Web Site Offers Many Internet Tips
By Phil Smith, RE/MAX Times Associate Editor
"ROSWELL, Ga. - Jim Crawford has long been known as one of RE/MAX Mainstreet's foremost experts on Internet marketing. He and his wife, Ellen, both Sales Associates with RE/MAX Greater Atlanta, derive 80 percent of their business from the Internet, and as a result have drastically reduced their marketing budget while increasing their free time.
Crawford (ABR), who designs and maintains his own sites using Microsoft FrontPage, gets so many inquiries about the Internet that six months ago he put up a Web site (www.realestatetechcoach.com) that answers most of the basic questions he was getting from agents around the country."
Copyright c 2002 RE/MAX International Inc. 2/13/02
"RealEstatetechcoach.com EXCELLENT site compliments of my dear friend Jim Crawford, chock full of great ideas, tips, easy marketing and too many things to list" Risa Saltman "Risa's Web Wire!" GREAT Stuff compliments of Risa
Risa Saltman - REALTOR RE/MAX Town & Country Realty 1315 Tuskawilla Rd, Winter Springs, Fl.32708
I decided to list my home Spring, 2007, and rehired Jim and Ellen to be my listing agent, as I had first employed them 4 years ago (as my buyer agent) when I bought the Roswell home I am now selling. As was my experience the first time I dealt with this husband-wife realtor team, they were competent, no-nonsense, professional and insightful.
When Jim arrived at my home, Jim came prepared with comps to talk market price and selling strategy, then diligently walked through and around my home and sized it up for me. He gave me a very specific list of "fix-it/improve-it" recommendations if I wanted to improve the attractiveness and sellability of my home.
I heeded his advice and listed my home a month following completion of the improvement items. Even in this very soft (Buyers) market, I got lots of traffic right away, and to my amazement I received a viable contract within a month of listing it.
The Buyer's agent was a nice lady, but extremely inexperienced (this was her first home sale to date), and Jim and Ellen were superb on working with her to ensure all i's were properly dotted and t's crossed, and thankfully, the accelerated closing went through without a hitch.
I have hired nearly a dozen realtors thus far in my life, and I can honestly say, after one purchase experience and one selling experience with Jim and Ellen, they are simply beyond compare. The overall support, responsiveness, insights and advice I received from them in both transactions was simply beyond compare. If you want a great realtor then look no further, whether you are buying or selling.
Jim and Ellen, thanks for everything...you guys are top of the heap!! Sincerely, Dennis Roswell Home Owner 2007
"I cannot begin to adequately express my deep appreciation and gratitude for all that you both did to help me through this grueling house-selling process. Your very high level of expertise, knowledge and professionalism were why I wanted to work with you, but I was also continually grateful for your warmth and heartfelt friendliness during those moments when I got discouraged. I am firmly convinced that I got the best representation from initial listing to final closing because I was working as a team with you two. Thank you both so very, very much for all the guidance and many little extras that you provided. Now that I'm almost settled in my new home, I want to invite you both to a relaxed social call when scheduling permits. Thanks again, a hundredfold. Best Wishes,
Donna Harlow" Alpharetta Homeowner Camden Pond - 2007
"I wanted to thank you both for all your hard work towards selling our home. We all know it was a difficult sell, and us being out of town did help the situation. You both went above and beyond my expectations, and I feel that if it wasn't for you I would still own a house in Atlanta. Thank God, that is not the case. Keep up the hard work and best of luck in the future." Sincerely, Ryan - Roswell Home Builder - 2006
"Jim and Ellen represented the selling of our home in Sugar Hill, GA. in Spring of 2005. We were very impressed with the nowledge both of these agents possessed regarding the home selling / buying market. My husband and I were in a relocation 0 which required us to leave our home vacant after moving to Tennessee.
With the "pressure on" to sell our home in ample time so that we would not be in the financial situation of paying two mortgages, Jim and Ellen showed their true home selling colors.
Despite the challenges of the current Atlanta home selling market, our home was sold in ample time and for the price we were striving for. Jim and Ellen demonstrated an aggressive edge, and genuine concern for the selling situation.
If our future ever holds a relocation situation back to the Atlanta area, we will undoubtedly use them again as buying agents. We would highly recommend them to anyone, and feel good about having had such a positive experience."
Kevin & Melissa Mann - Sugar Hill Georgia Home Sellers
"I liked the way Ellen did the initial administrative tasks thoroughly and accurately within 24 hours of receiving my call, even though the weather was poor, and you did the follow up until closing. You both met my
expectations!" Ed Fernandez, Roswell Home Seller
"I would like to commend you both on the outstanding job that you did to find me a home and get me relocated and moved in.
Our family has had the benefit of your experience, knowledge, skill and expertise in Real Estate on numerous occasions over the past 8 years. You have helped my 2 sons and myself move here from Maryland, and the family of my daughter-in-law move here from Florida.
Last April I had just retired and was recovering from a difficult surgery and I faced the daunting task of relocating to the Alpharetta area to be near my children. My sons and their wives highly recommended you and sang your praises. From my very first contact with you I was very impressed.
Initially I logged on to your Web site from Maryland and was very pleased to be able to get a good deal of information from there. I was very impressed that you were blazing the computer age trail with all the Real Estate information you made available.
You arranged your schedule so that you could meet with me for the short period I would be visiting in order to find a home. You assessed my needs and desires and showed me many suitable properties. You were very knowledgeable about the demographics of the area, investment suitability, convenience of locations, property values, available resources and many other items that a person needs to know before purchasing a home, which is big commitment and a sizable expenditure for most.
When I decided what property I wanted to buy you were right there helping me with the decision and telling me all the pro's and con's. Your advice was absolutely essential and was extremely helpful. You were always available for questions and always responded quickly to my calls.
You were present at the inspection and your advice was very helpful. Before closing, you helped me make certain that I had all the necessary paperwork completed and all the tasks done, that was so very reassuring. I really appreciate the address labels that you gave me at closing, that was so thoughtful and very useful.
You figuratively held my hand throughout the entire process and I am very grateful. I just love my new home and it suits me perfectly, all the homes in this subdivision have now been sold and Pulte is building others, clearly
this was a good purchase.
Your years of experience in Real Estate gives you a high level of professionalism and the knowledge and expertise necessary for any transaction. You have a high level of integrity and strong Christian values making you very honorable and trustworthy. Add to that your charming, gracious and charitable personalities and that is a winning combination. I would highly recommend you to anyone!!
Warmly,
Barbara" Alpharetta Homebuyer
We were very pleased with the service we received from the Crawford team. They laid out a very thorough plan to market and sell our home. They secured a qualified buyer immediately and continued to walk us all through the rest of the process. Their attention to detail was priceless. Our only regret is that we were unable to take them with us to our new home state for the purchase of our next house!
Thanks!
Nikki & Mike Kilbane Roswell Home Sellers
Thank you so much for finding our "Dream Home" for us. You made the process go as smooth as silk. We anticipated so many problems that other homeowners warned us about, but you made the entire time unbelievable easy and quick. You have so many outstanding resources and have an excellent knowledge of the current market. You helped us buy our new home and helped us sell our old one and we trusted you 100%. We are now happily settling in and are so glad we found you on the internet. You were patient with our many special requirements and kept the communication going strong the whole way. We will be sure to recommend you to any future home buyers we know.
Thank you from the bottom or our hearts...
Gary and Summer --Roswell GA Homebuyers & Sellers
"We expected that selling our home would be a stressful experience, but with Jim & Ellen Crawford as our REALTOR, that was not the case. When we first met with the Crawfords, we were impressed both with their savvy regarding the local home market and with his good humor. They heard our needs and concerns, devised an effective marketing plan for our home, listed it, and within two weeks, it was under contract to a buyer to whom we felt very comfortable selling. Jim and Ellen continued to assist us throughout the inspection process and were a sound advisors at closing. We recommend them unreservedly."
Kate and Sean Henry -- Roswell GA Home Sellers
Our home is lovely! We knew you wouldn't let us buy anything that is not good!
Thank you!
Jaana, Jouni & Jola Leskinen --Alpharetta Home Buyers
"Jim and Ellen Crawford made selling our house a wonderful experience.
We really appreciated Jim and Ellen kept for all the hard work they did to sell our house.
Thank you Jim and Ellen Crawford."
Tim & Gail DenHartog --Home Seller's South Forsyth
"As a Doc' and an ARMY Officer I get asked to endorse a lot of things and often I will not do it because I either do not feel comfortable or confident in the product or the service. Your company and your service are "TOP NOTCH" and I would recommend your service to anyone!
Once again..."THANK YOU"...you guys deserve a Medal or something for dealing with all the multiple complex issues involved in our home sale! The repairs, recommending the workers, the marketing strategies, the issues with sales and finances, personalities, worried relocated owners...you did it all! Even more,...you did it all and made the sale during the 9-11 timeframe...when the market hit its lowest level in years! We made a profit and did it in a very bad market! If we ever move back to Atlanta we will call you first and only!"
Dane and Sherry Harden, Homesellers Lilburn GA
"Lisa and I appreciate your dedication to selling our home in Roswell as well as assisting in the purchase of our new home in Woodstock. The professionalism that you both exhibit is beyond reproach. Your personal commitment on both the selling and purchasing sides of the transactions was
unparalleled.
Again, thank you both and please know that our most heartfelt recommendations go out to any of our friends and associates who are looking for that perfect agent. You two not only "top" the list. You are the list."
Joseph and Lisa Burke --Home Seller's Crabapple Area North Fulton Crabapple Lake
"Jim and Ellen made the process of buying and selling our home seem effortless. With their vast experience in the real estate industry, they educated and consulted us into what always turned out to be the best
decision for us."
Sincerely,
Willie and LaTonya Lee Alpharetta, GA Silver Ridge
"If it wasn't for the hard work done by Jim and Ellen Crawford, our home may still be for sale.
This task was extremely difficult since my wife and I have moved from Atlanta to Boston, and the house was sitting empty. Also, the summer of 2002 has been a time when the market in Atlanta is very soft.
Nevertheless, Jim and Ellen worked day and night to make sure our house was seen often by possible buyers. Once an offer was made and accepted, Jim and Ellen made sure they stayed on top of the lawyers and the bank to insure a prompt close.
Jim and Ellen are very professional, thorough, and have great attention to detail. We had total confidence in putting the sale of our home in their hands.
Thank you, Jim and Ellen, for all you did for us. God bless !!"
Dan & Marie Sinkiewicz Bedford, New Hampshire --Gwinnett Home Sellers
"We cannot express our thanks enough to Ellen and Jim Crawford for their expertise and efficiency in selling our home. Their professionalism and marketing strategy are incredible! Our home sold in just 16 days! No hidden secrets or broken promises...Just RESULTS!! I am happy to say I have had a stress free experience with friendly professionals. The web advertisements were the BEST we have ever seen. Thank you Ellen and Jim for a job well done and the heart to care..."
Sincerely, Terry and Lucy Home Seller's Duluth GA
What can we say....you did it. When Larry needed to list this
property, I told him he only had 1 choice. With my 33 years in the Escrow and Title industry, experience has taught me many things. Always list with a professional who makes real estate their business. I searched the internet, with a few companies in mind, and picked you two because of the professional web site and information, and the strength of the company you represent.
You kept us so informed, we never had any questions, that went unanswered. You have gone above and beyond our expectations, and if you were in Arizona, we would use you on our next home purchase.
God Bless you both...Have a great summer.
Judi and Larry Gonshak Atlanta Home Sellers Lexington Crossing
It was a pleasure working with you as well. I can now see why Willie Lee referred you to me. We at no point felt pressured into making a decision. Without your
guidance it would not have been possible for us to make an informed decision. We appreciated you being honest about your opinions. I would recommend you to any friend of mine who is looking for a house. If the need should arise in the future, I
will definitely work with you.
Sincerely
Sanjeev Navalkar -- Alpharetta Home Buyer Windgate Subdivision
"Jim made the entire home buying process not only stress-free but also enjoyable. His wealth of experience and knowledge of real estate paid off for us in a big way -- We love our new home!! Definitely Atlanta's Best!"
Mr. & Mrs. Matt Gallaher -- Alpharetta Homebuyer Windward
"Just wanted to let you know that it was a real pleasure to have you folks sell our home. You let us know what we needed to do to get the house ready for sale and then did everything possible to get the house in front of people.
I am a believer in your company because our house sold in less than forty days. In today's market that is very impressive.
Thanks again for all your hard work."
Fred & Sue Gehrisch --Alpharetta Home Sellers! Andover North
"I just wanted to thank you again for all of your help selling our house. I've never dealt with a real estate agent that worked harder, or that was as knowledgeable about market conditions and real estate practices. Tim and I appreciate all the effort you took to market the house in multiple ways, via Internet, print, and through the use of realtor's luncheons. We believe that you were the reason our house in a short timeframe at a very fair price. I would also like to thank you for being so generally helpful, supportive and a non-anxious presence in a really difficult time.
Thanks again.
All best."
Tim and Beth Howe --Alpharetta Home Sellers! Wellington Subdivision
"First of all, I want to thank you for all of your hard work and willingness to handle listing the property following a long term rental situation. After a few weeks in a very saturated Southeast US market, it sold with a very good profit.
For any of your future clients, this could not have been an easier sale. Your web site is the main reason we chose to list with "Jim and Ellen". We searched the internet and their web site came up on many different search engines time and time again and when out of town buyers are looking at homes this is often how they find one.
Ellen was my main contact and I must say she was always accessible. I always had an easy time reaching her by phone or e-mail. She also helped me get carpenters and professionals to work on my list required for the sale of the home and allowed them access to the home and was always available when they were ready to install something or finish the job.
I have owned five houses and this was by far the easiest listing and sale process I have ever experienced. I would refer friends and relatives to Jim and Ellen and I would use their services again."
Belinda -- Alpharetta Homeseller Avensong
"...just a brief note to thank you for your help in finding, negotiating and closing on my new home. From the moment I first spoke with your wife, Ellen, and then met you, I was impressed by both of you for your candor, competence and professionalism. I had a most abbreviated timeframe with my relo and had stringent constraints on my home requirements. In response, you quickly scoped out the products available in the market, picked out the homes that fit my needs, and helped me settle quickly to successful closure. Your insights and advice on the home market, Roswell area, lenders, and negotiating tips were fantastic and most useful. It has truly been a pleasure working with you, I hope you are still in the Atlanta area and the real estate business the next time I need a home, and I would gladly refer you to my family and best friends. Best of luck in your future and also give my best to Ellen."
Best regards, Dennis --Roswell GA Hombuyer Crabapple Creek
"Thank you for all your help and staying up on the whole process for us, and watching out for our interests. We appreciated your professionalism and tenacity in selling our house. We would definitely recommend you to anyone seeking to buy or sell house."
Julie Boels - Buford Georgia Home Seller 3/2008
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