Some intelligent and otherwise very successful people do epically dumb things when it comes to buying and/or selling real estate. Failing to completely understand dual agency in Georgia and permitting it is at or near the top of the list. Simply put, dual agency is allowing the same agent to represent both buyer and seller in a real estate transaction. The agent or broker has a client relationship with all parties to the transaction without acting in a designated agency capacity. In these situations, neither party is exclusively represented by a designated real estate agent. Buyers want to pay as little as possible, sellers want the most possible. Consider the easy questions; how are appraisal and inspection issues resolved? How can one agent be an…

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The current Atlanta area real estate market is about as fluid as we’ve seen over the last thirty years. The need to dig deep into the data cannot be overemphasized; things look one way when viewed as a block but often look an entirely different way when boiled down into micro markets. When that’s done, buyers and sellers will see that looking at data broadly by county, city or zip code is often different when looking at it narrowed by price range, school district or physical characteristics.

1st QTR 2021 vs 2nd QTR 2021

“Shifting Markets” are routinely talked about, comparing the first and second quarters of the 2021 Atlanta area real estate market is a text book demonstration of that. The posts below were written as it happened; we saw it…

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The tax man cometh...If you haven’t already, Georgia homeowners will be receiving a “notice of assessment” from the county you reside in. This love letter advises you of the value that the county assessor will use to determine your property tax. Needless to say, the current real estate market is chaotic, it would be prudent to check your assessment and appeal if warranted.

Here’s what you need to know:

* Each year the county tax assessor states a property value for your home which they will use to calculate property taxes.

* Current values for properties in Georgia can be researched off the county assessor site. For convenience, here’s the aggregate site for Georgia - https://qpublic.net/ga/gaassessors/index.html#CCOUNTY

*You may obtain appeal…

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