Videos that highlight important things for buyers & sellers

Allowing sellers to remain in the home after closing for a bit can really make a buyer's offer appealing, but it's not without risk. Typically, there is a hold back of funds and once the home is cleared and inspected, the money is released. In this case, the sellers did exactly what was expected. They left the home on scheduled and squared away. The proverbial chit hit the fan the moment the City of Atlanta entered the picture.

The water was shut off at the meter on the day the sellers moved. The washer was removed, but the cold water supply line was inadvertently left open. Bad, but it's not uncommon for something like that to happen. The buyer requested the lock on the meter be removed, but the water NOT be turned on. They always turn on water with…

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If we subscribe to the "no substitute for experience" mantra, then a well seasoned agent is a home buyer's best asset. An experienced buyer's agent will actively look for signs of trouble in homes for sale. It's easy to follow "heart over head"; buyers tend to make an emotional commitment to a home. If it's strong enough, they can overlook issues that a sharp buyer's agent will note and bring up for discussion. Spotting signs of trouble in homes for sale is not learned watching videos and sitting behind a desk, it's learned in the field, getting dirty and educating the home buyers. Buying a home is a significant business transaction, treat it that way.

$1.5M Money Pit

A methodical approach to walking a home is always best. Over decades of…

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When building a home, roof and drywall completion tend to be significant milestones. Each signifies a turning point, the home has a "top"; something tangible that protects the inside. Interior walls now take shape, the rooms and floor plan come off the drawings. Much has changed with each system as the building industry becomes more efficient. "Old school" methods vs "new school" methods each have their supporters, but there's little doubt that building a home today is nothing like it was decades ago.

Installing Roof Trusses

Trusses have become common place, replacing rafters in most builds, even some custom built homes. It's safe to say that most of the roof truss installation crews have no idea what a rafter is or how use a rafter…

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damaged house framing

In this post, we look at new home problems with framing. Home builders excel as magicians; now you see it and now you don't as drywall hides all sins. Framing a home is literally building the skeleton, kind of important to get it done right. The majority of new builds are not "custom homes"; they are common plans that builders prefer. Typically, they have "framing packages" delivered to the site. From there, framing crews get to work. Builders always shop price (some might say always cheapest) for materials and labor. It's all about profit, never forget that.

Trashy Framing Lumber

When I'm stammering for words, it's not good. This builder shops the throw away bins at Home Depot and Lowes; wasn't just this one either. Framing lumber is…

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HGTV home flips are not the real world, so why do so many "investor wanna bees" swallow that hook? In just 22 minutes, you see homes transformed from disasters to diamonds, complete with upbeat hosts exchanging forced banter and crews magically working under budget. Sure, it’s entertaining, but many gullible viewers buy into the fantasy of “getting rich by flipping homes,” only to have it end badly. Trust me, I know. With over 35 years of experience as a full-time broker and appraiser, I’ve worked with both traditional clients and investors. Flipping homes can be a risky endeavor for those who aren’t well prepared — just ask Zillow, Redfin or Opendoor. Combined losses for those all-stars exceeds $1 billion.

Here’s an example, an investor client of…

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There's never a shortage of horror stories with home builders around Greater Atlanta. In this post, we look at new home problems with concrete. Problems here can be catastrophic; everything rides on the foundation being properly installed. Unfortunately, what should be done, sometimes isn't (some would say that's routine). While a company might strive to do things according to the "book", enforcing this at the build site while managing budget, time frames and labor often means things don't always happen as they should. The problem here is that a home is only as good as the foundation it sits on.     

Badly Cracked Basement Slab

That video was a spur of the moment thing born of pure anger. That was almost a $2M home, and as I walked around…

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brick wall drawing

Once a very common sight around Greater Atlanta, brick is rapidly disappearing from the scene. Homes built with brick enjoy better market appeal, it's a recognized advantage over just about any other exterior surface. The brick is not structural, rather it's an exterior cladding independently supported and tied to the framing with "brick ties".  Brick is virtually maintenance free - when properly installed. The most common issues tend to involve cracking and drainage, cracks above wide openings in particular.

Brick Cracks Above the Garage

This is a pretty common occurrence and is often due to either the lintel supporting the brick sagging or one of the support columns settling over time. Here we saw the support post settle a bit, this…

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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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File for the Georgia Homestead Tax Exemption

If you purchased a home in Georgia in 2023, be certain to apply for the Georgia Homestead Tax Exemption. This can significantly reduce property taxes, so even if you didn't buy in 2023, check with your county to ensure this is in place. Home owners need to follow these steps:

  1. Eligibility: You must own and occupy the property as your primary residence as of January 1st of the current year. Remember, the exemption doesn't apply to investment or vacation homes.

  2. Application Process: It's not automatic. You need to file for the exemption in the county where your property is located.

  3. Finding Information: For detailed instructions and requirements, click the image below. This will take…

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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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