Important info for home buyers in the Greater Atlanta area

About two years ago this month, Atlanta real estate and interest rates started a very complex relationship. The Fed slammed the brakes on low rates, and despite the initial wobble, the Atlanta real estate market found stability and firm ground. There was pain of course, many buyers were eliminated and the withdrawals from those low rates is still being felt. Two years in, we have enough data to evaluate the impact of the rate jump; the questions of “how much, how many, and how long” can be answered at this point. Comparing Feb '24 to Feb '23 and Feb '22 (six main metro counties); we see how hard those rate increases hit in '22 and how the market adjusted through '23.

Home Prices in Atlanta Continue to Rise

Median prices fluctuate as they do in every…

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As the early spring 2024 season opens around Greater Atlanta, some home buyers are still facing multiple offers. This is not the same universal craziness that we saw during the post pandemic days, but the current inventory of highly desirable homes remains fiercely competitive. Greater Atlanta saw a significant influx of post pandemic buyers coming to town with pockets full of cash. They were hungry to buy, and they did. Sellers could list pretty much anything at any price and it would go quickly at or over list. Those days are over...sorta.

Home Sellers are always last to adjust when markets shift. As rates rose and buyers froze in late '22-early '23, sellers continued on with aspirational pricing.  Their home was the "exception" to the market, an…

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Home buyers would do well to learn how to spot drainage issues. Water is not your friend; if it's not controlled it will bite in a number of different ways and every one will hurt. The first and most obvious tell is the position of the home; is it declined from the road? Gravity ensures that water takes the path of least resistance; will that be rushing down an expansive driveway that lets it blast into the house or garage? Will that be an area of yard that becomes a trench due to erosion?

Walk all areas of the yard to see where the water is coming from, where it goes and what damage it's doing and may have already done. Be aware of street drains; where do they lead, where do they dump the water? Remember; headwalls, culverts, swales and similar…

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What is the forecast for the Atlanta real estate market in 2024? Contrary to most every regional and national prognosticator, the only legitimate answer is "it depends". It's critical to understand prior markets, look for patterns, and temper that with current economic conditions. The idea that any "housing" or "economic expert" can authoritatively declare where this market is headed over the year is absurd. How can variables like local and national economic conditions, consumer debt, consumer confidence, the Fed, global supply chains, wars and conflict and a hundred other wild cards be corralled? They cannot.

We can however, develop supported opinions by combining recent data, extensive local experience and cautious interpretation of the variables…

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The multiple commission lawsuits impacting the real estate industry will change how home buyers, home sellers and real estate agents interact. If a home seller opts not to offer a co-op compensation, how will home buyers pay agents after the commission lawsuits? That’s a question rippling through the agent ranks and one that home buyers might also want to consider. While the legal wrangling over commission questions may take years to sort out, the impact will be felt regardless of how the appeals play out. There will be unintended consequences and the hit will likely be to those least able to afford it both financially and in terms of home buying experience.

Home Buyers Will Not Use an Agent

Affordability is the single biggest obstacle to…

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The pickleball noise problem. The popularity of pickleball has brought with it a unique challenge: the noise generated by the game. Pickleball is a paddle sport that combines the elements of tennis,pickleball courts ping pong and badminton. It’s played with a plastic ball with holes in it that resembles a wiffle ball. While the sport was created in the 1960s, it recently gained steam during the Covid-19 pandemic, as people looked for ways to get exercise outdoors and also be social. But not everyone is thrilled, especially home owners within ear shot of the courts.

Pickleball is typically played on a court similar to a tennis court, but with a smaller size. The paddles used in pickleball are solid, unlike the stringed rackets in tennis, and the ball is a hard plastic…

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Real estate contracts occasionally collapse due to Buyer problems, but what if the Seller bails out? Can a Buyer sue a Seller if they refuse to close? What used to be infrequent is becoming more common; Sellers backing out of contracts. They might have second thoughts about giving up a low rate or realize that maybe it’s better to keep the home they have. If that happens, what can a Buyer do?

If a Seller Refuses to Close a Real Estate Contract

In Georgia, Sellers play a less proactive role, most of the contract actions are initiated by the Buyers. If a Seller decides not to finalize the deal after all the conditions have been satisfied, the Georgia Association of Realtors contract (06/01/23) provides the following advice:

Remedies of Buyer: In…

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Well Q3 '23 is in the books and it's time for the latest Atlanta real estate market update. Here, we look back year over year and compare Q3 '23 to Q3 '22. The charts look back to Q3 '20 for a broader perspective, but the data results show changes year over year. The six major "greater Atlanta area" counties are considered; there are multiple versions of "Atlanta" but for continuity we keep it to these six (Cherokee, Cobb, Dekalb, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett). We'll answer the "how many, how long, and how much" questions.

How is the Housing Inventory in Atlanta?

housing inventory in atlanta


  • Like the nation, numbers are down for active listings, under contract and sold homes
  • The number of contracts and closings recovered from the low in Q4 '22
  • Fewer listings than a…

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Are home owners liable for injuries to home buyers? Depends - but first - I am not a lawyer, below is general information on this topic. This is not legal advice and every situation is different. Remember, a ham sandwich can be sued...

Under Georgia law, property owners have a duty to exercise ordinary care in maintaining their property in a safe condition for those who are lawfully on their premises. This includes taking reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable hazards that could cause injuries to visitors. Liability for slip and fall accidents can vary based on the jurisdiction and the specific circumstances of the incident. Generally, whether a home owner is liable for a slip and fall by a home buyer during a visit depends on several factors.

Are…

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It's not usually if, it's when trouble with polybutylene pipes occurs. Polybutylene pipe (AKA PB, Poly, gray pipe) is a type of plastic plumbing pipe that waspoly pipe leaking commonly used in residential water supply systems from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. Polybutylene pipe was popular due to its low cost and ease of installation. However, it eventually fell out of favor due to concerns about its long-term durability and potential for leaks and failures. The greater Atlanta area has a significant number of homes with poly pipes and

Polybutylene pipes are susceptible to premature degradation when exposed to certain water disinfectants, high chlorine levels, and other chemicals commonly found in water systems. This degradation leads to brittleness, cracking,…

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