Want to Save Money??

In today's economy we are all trying to find a few extra dollars, right? Have you thought about your property taxes? The last time your property was assessed values were probably higher than they are right now. Because of this you might be able to see hundreds of dollars in savings on your property tax bill if you file for a reevaluation with the county tax assessor. Here is what you need to do...

1. Pull out last year's tax bill and find your current assessed value.

2. Check your neighborhood for comparable properties values. To get these numbers, contact a Realtor (that would be me ;-) or go online and search some of the real estate websites such as zillow.com or realtor.com for some recent listings/sales in your area.

3. Compare these values to your current assessment. If the current listing/sold prices seem to be less than your assessed values then BINGO - it is time to file for a reevaluation.

4. To file for a property reevaluation: Contact your county tax assessors office for exact instructions as each county is a little different. As for Bartow County, Georgia, fill out for PT50R which can be found at here and take it to the tax assessor's office located in the basement of the Frank Moore Administration Building before April 1. The county will then review their files and make their determination. This doesn't cost anything but a little time and effort but could save you hundreds!

Good Luck and Happy Savings!!

March 2011 - Market Update

Here is a quick summary from Keller Williams on the national housing market. Sounds like things are slowly moving toward the positive!

March 2011 Market Update:

Gradual progress in the housing market continues at a steady pace without government support. The market has shown remarkable improvement from the initial drop after the expiration of the home buyer tax credit this past July. Although higher-than-normal distressed sales skew the overall picture of home prices downward, inventory continues to shrink and sales continue to rise. The rock-bottom interest rates of 2010 are likely to trend upward. As economists anticipate rates at or above 6% by the end of 2012, buyers are moving off the sidelines and into the market.

A good sign for long-term market stability is that the median down payment on conventional mortgages has risen to 22%, up from 4% in 2006 and slightly above the 20% standard in the 1990s. This may keep buyers looking in slightly lower price ranges, but it is a good sign of future sustainability for homeowners and banks alike. There are still ample opportunities for those who would like down payments below 20%, including some conventional mortgages and those backed by the Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Affairs, and the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development loans.

As the economy improves, stimulus efforts by the government and the Federal Reserve Board will gradually wind down, which typically means rising interest rates. Meanwhile, buyers continue to benefit from historically favorable buying conditions and sellers are encouraged by increased market stability.

I'm BACK!!

Dear Friends,

If you haven't noticed from my lack of blogging, I took a break from real estate to focus on my family. I had a little girl during the summer of 2009 and needed a bit of time to adjust to being a mother of two. It has been a big but wonderful change!!

Now, my baby will be 2 this summer and my older baby (shh...don't tell him I called him "baby" ;-) will be 6 this fall - they are growing SO fast. They are also a bit less demanding since school (and pre-school) takes up 9 months out of the year. So it is time for me to return to real estate again. I am currently reacquainting myself with today's market and showing properties to buyers. Things have changed so much in the past couple of years that there are a few things I am having to relearn. I will keep you all updated my progress as well as the changes in the market.
Please send me any of your real estate questions and test my knowledge ;-)

LA