Augusta GA Real Estate

Stacie Wells – Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners 706.868.3772

Can Your Bank Accept a Short Sale and Still Demand Payment?

In a word, YES. According to this article from Yahoo Finance and CNNMoney.com, if you’ve sold your home as a short sale, or you’ve been foreclosed on, your mortgage company may still be able to get a deficiency judgement against you. BB&T (my personal mortgage holder) has affirmed that they are seeking more and more deficiency judgements as many homes are no longer worth the amount of the mortgage.

Generally a mortgage has two parts: a pledge of collateral (the home) and a promise to repay the loan. If you are selling short, being foreclosed on, or giving your home back to the bank (deed in lieu of foreclosure), don’t just assume that your deficiency has been negotiated away.  Please seek legal advice to ensure that you are not only being released from the title but also from any debt.

Augusta residents, please (confidentially) contact me if you have any questions. I work with an amazing real estate attorney who can assist you with any issues you may be facing. You can reach me at stacie@staciewells.com or 706.447.3746.

Update On Augusta GA Parking Meters

If you’ve been following this story, you know that the Downtown Development Authority has been considering parking meters for an area on Broad Street in Downtown Augusta, GA. There has been heated debate as to whether this would help or hinder the businesses located there. Some felt that the increase in traffic turnover would improve the number of patrons. Others felt it would drive patrons away who weren’t willing to pay 50 cents to a dollar an hour to park.

Yesterday the Downtown Development Authority annouced that parking meters for downtown Augusta are no longer being considered, but stronger enforcement of current parking limits is now in the works.

Stay tuned for further updates!

Columbia County GA Nature Photos

Everyone who knows me knows that I LOVE nature – the trees, the animals, the wildflowers, and the WONDERFUL photo opportunities that abound there. I would probably be a nature photographer if it would pay my bills. Seriously.

Well imagine my surprise when I walked to my back door today, glanced out at the pond behind my house, and saw a strange looking duck diving into the water. He would dive under and dissappear for 10-15 seconds and then appear about 15 feet away. I RAN to my car to grab my camera, praying that he would still be there when I got back.

He was. And so was his mate. I quickly snapped a few shots as they were swimming away. Of COURSE I couldn’t find my bird book. I frantically called my husband (who has something different in mind when I say “shoot the duck”) and he calmly suggested that I Google for diving duck photos. So I did.

To my surprise, they turned out to be Hooded Mergansers. I was SO excited to have identified them. I rarely see ducks in the pond – occasionally a Mallard or a Canadian Goose or 2. This was a rare treat for this nature lover!!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Augusta GA Azaleas

Spring in Augusta GA will be here before we know it and so will the Masters Tournament. Both are famous for their azaleas. This pic was taken a couple of years ago on the campus of Augusta State University, located in downtown Augusta. Here’s to warmer temperatures and bright sunshiny days!

Shepeard Community Blood Drive – Grovetown, GA

The Shepeard Blood Center blood drive at the Grovetown Walmart was a HUGE success today. They were expecting 13 donors and had 27! Thanks to a local high school student who recruited donors as part of her student project. Definitely a community success story!

Featured Restaurant: Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar

No matter which city you go to, you can always count on big name chain restaurants being there. But did you really just travel to another city to eat what you can get at home? No!

My favorite piece of local flavor in Augusta is Rhinehart’s Oyster Bar. There are 2 locations – one in Evans and one in Augusta. It’s truly a hometown favorite. Your choice of seating: picnik tables inside or picnik tables outside, all with a big roll of paper towels. They have awesome shrimp, the best french fries in town, oysters, burgers on homemade buns, and (my favorite) crab leg specials on Tuesday and Saturday nights.

Don’t forget to bring your sharpie when you come – you’ll want to leave your autograph

Sorry Pauxatany Phil – You’ve Been Ousted

In spite of a recent week of colder than usual weather here in Augusta GA, we’ve been enjoying some great moderate temperatures and this one iris had to speak it’s mind. Normally, these irises don’t bloom until March, but here we are late January and this one was in full bloom. Hopefully this is a sign of Spring on its way!

How Parking Meters Might Affect Downtown Augusta GA

In December, the Downtown Development Authority introduced a plan that would charge for parking in 1,000 spaces along Broad Street (the main thoroughfare through Downtown Augusta GA). The section of Broad Street in question is home to some trendy cafes, art galleries, bars and antique shops. There are strong arguments both for and against the installation of parking meters.

Proponents say this will create better turnover of parking spaces so more patrons can park near stores and not give up shopping when they can’t find spaces. Currently many of the spaces are occupied by employees who aren’t provided alternate parking options.

Opposition includes concerns that the $1 per hour charge is too steep, fears that the meters would drive away patrons and questions about where some downtown residents and workers would find alternative parking spaces.

The downtown Augusta area has been going through quite a bit of revitalization over the past few years. I think in order to continue this trend, more thought needs to be put into the specifics before this plan is carved in stone. I’m very curious to see how many of you have dealt with a similar issue and how it was successfully resolved. What are your thoughts?

Augusta GA Real Estate Market – July Market Statistics

July Market numbers were just published by the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors MLS. I wanted to share a few of these numbers with you. I’ve plotted the absorption rate, the average days on market, and the average sales price to show you the trends since January 2005.

Remember with the absorption rate chart that anything about 6 month supply is considered a buyers market, and anything below 6 month supply is considered a sellers market. The absorption rate tells us how long it will take for all teh currently listed homes to sell at the current rate of sale.

Discover Downtown Augusta

Good information to pass along….

Discover Downtown – August 29th (10am-6pm)

Over forty businesses have banded together to offer Discover Downtown Augusta: a full day event spurring people to experience all that downtown has to offer – through a passport book stuffed with coupons for free stuff and special offers.

Some of the offers include:
A Free Book from Book Tavern
Free Green Tea Lip Balm from Cloud Nine
Free Hot Dog at 1102
Free Cup of Soup at White Elephant
Free Chocolate Bar at Blue Magnolia
and that’s just the beginning – there are 35 more!

Passports are $5 and are available at
blue magnolia
The Book Tavern
Vintage Ooollee
Metro Spirit Office
Health Central
Oasis Garden
Ninth St Wine Market
and the Augusta Visitors Information Center

all proceeds benefit
D(a)2: The Downtown Augusta Alliance

Evans GA Free Movie Matinees

Best Time to Buy Your Home in Augusta GA

The following comes from a post by Keller Williams Realty Intl. Great information for first time homebuyers….

An article ran in the New York Times stating that right now may be the opportunity of a lifetime for first time home buyers. Check out the article, titled “It May Be Time to Think About Buying a House” by Ron Lieber here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/business/yourmoney/06money.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink.

As always, if you have questions about any Augusta homes for sale, please give me a call at 706-447-3746.

Augusta GA Real Estate Market Statistics

I thought for sure that stats from the Augusta MLS would be published by now for May. Since they’re not, I wanted to cover January thru April and we can add May to the mix shortly.

I want to compare the last couple of months to the same time period from 2008, as month to month comparisons don’t account for seasonal trends.

Avg Sale Price          %Diff Sale/List     Avg Days on Market    Absorption Rate

Jan 08/09   $146,674/$145,761      97.6%/96.4%            98/133                 11.7/16.0
Feb 08/09   $145,846/$144,846      97.2%/96.9%            94/128                 10.9/13.5
Mar 08/09   $146,197/$150,457 98.0%/96.7%           102/119                10.1/10.9
Apr 08/09   $153,599/$152,755      98.0%/97.5%           108/114                10.6/10.6

What can we tell from these numbers?
1. Except for March, homes are still not selling (on average) for as much this year as they were in 2008.
2. Sellers are having to make more concessions (are they listing based on last year’s numbers?)
3. Homes are sitting on the market longer.
4. We have more inventory sitting on the market – except for the month of April. To have a more normalized market, this number needs to be between 6-7 months.

If you’re selling, what can you do to avoid some of the pitfalls of the market? Price AHEAD of the market. If you know that houses are selling for less this year, and that sellers are making more concessions this year, price your home accordingly from the start. What will this do for you? Your house won’t sit on the market for as long, and you’re not as likely to be asked for as many concessions if your house is competitively priced.

Finally, I think the hardest thing for a seller to understand is that if you overprice your house at the beginning, it won’t sell for as much in the end. This and proper staginf are the most important things for a seller to accomplish.

As always, if you have questions about any Augusta homes for sale, or homes in Martinez GA, Evans Georgia, Grovetown GA or North Augusta SC, please give us a call at 706-447-3746.

Drag Boat Races at Lake Thurmond

The Southern Nationals aren’t the only drag boat races in Augusta GA. The East Coast Drag Boat Association will be holding drag boat races at Wildwood Park at Lake Thurmond this weekend.

I missed out on the event today (which was supposed to include a high speed shootout in which boats reached speeds of 150 mph), but I’m looking forward to watching and photographing the event tomorrow and seeing who wins the prize money!

About 50 boats are expected to participate. Other activities include inflatables for the kids, food vendors and a boat expo.
The event will be held between 10am and 6pm tomorrow (Sunday), and admission is $5 per car. See you there!

Columbia County Exchange Club’s Concert for Kids

The Columbia County Exchange Club is presenting the 3rd annual Concert for Kids celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Beatles album “Abbey Road” featuring the band Ed Turner and #9.

The concert will be held on August 14th and 15th from 6pm till at the Imperial Theatre on Broad Street. Proceeds go towards the prevention of child abuse.

For more information, call 706-855-7336.

Grovetown GA Homes for Sale

4903 Selkirk Way is our featured home of the day. In previewing homes for our clients, we often come across homes that we think are a great buy, a diamond in the rough, or simply a fabulous home. This particular home is definitely a must see. There are so many great features that make this home a dream at $134,900. Take a look at the photos, and let us know if you want to set up an appointment to view the home for yourself!

Per the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors MLS: Wonderful family home with beautiful stained concrete floors down*new carpet upstairs*great interior colors*owners suite with trey ceiling*alarm system owned*double garage*maintenance free exterior of brick and vinyl*3 bedrooms + large bonus over garage*convenient to Ft. Gordon*listed by Sherri Melton with Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners.

Sacred Heart Cultural Center

Don’t miss the art exhibit and opening reception for David Mascaro at Sacred Heart Cultural Center in downtown Augusta, GA on July 9. The exhibit runs through August 28, 2009. There is currently an art exhibit of works by Jill Gunn and Gail Smith that runs through June 30th. If you’ve never been to Sacred Heart in Augusta, make sure to stop by and take a tour – it’s beautiful!

As always, if you have questions about houses in Augusta, or any real estate questions on Grovetown, Martinez, Evans or North Augusta SC, please give me a call at 706-447-3746.

Augusta Area Farmers Markets

Do you love organic produce? Places like EarthFare are great, but there’s nothing like being able to shop for freshly picked produce at a local farmers market. Make sure not to miss the following hot spots in the Augusta/North Augusta area!

Saturday Market on Broad, open from 8am-noon at the 8th Street plaza on Broad Street.

Augusta Farmers Market, open Monday-Friday 5am-9pm and  7am-9pm on Saturday off of Fourth Street near the Augusta Fairgrounds.

 

Aiken County Farmers Market, open 7:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday in downtown Aiken SC on Williamsburg Street, between Park and Richland Avenues.

What is Your Augusta GA Listing Agent Doing For You?

Before you sign a listing agreement with a REALTOR, do you really know how your home will be marketed? After all, that’s the primary job of a listing agent. To market your home to as many buyers as possible. With close to 90% of homebuyers starting their home search on the internet, online marketing can make or break the sale of your home.

According to a National Survey of Homebuyers in 2008, the most important characteristics that buyers look for in a home are location (69%), curb appeal (12%), a “homey” feel (10%), and size (9%). It used to be that “curb appeal” was that first impression that a buyer got when they drove up to see your property. Now when buyers “drive” up to see your property, it’s online and the interior pictures are just as important as the sight from the curb.

In that same survey, what are the most important features that homebuyers are looking for online? Photos and property details were the most important things with over 80% of the people surveyed. With that in mind, I pulled some listing data today from the Greater Augusta Board of Realtors MLS. REALTORS are able to upload a maximum of 12 photos to each listing. If photos are so important to homebuyers, it would make sense that all of the listings represented in the photo to the left would have 12 photos. Even new construction.

Before you sign a listing agreement with a REALTOR to sell your home, please give me a call. You owe it to yourself to explore your options. Your home is quite possibly the largest investment you will have in your lifetime. Don’t leave that investment to chance.

As always, if you have questions about any homes for sale in Augusta, Evans,   Martinez, Grovetown or North Augusta, please give me a call. If you need more photos, or would like to see video, I’ll be happy to preview the home for you to provide all the information that you need! You can reach me at 706-447-3746.

Moving to Augusta – Fort Gordon Service Members

If Fort Gordon is bringing you to Augusta GA and you’re planning to buy a home while you’re here, I can offer you the same discounts that you’ll receive through a USAA preferred agent. You’ll also get my full commitment to client service because I depend on your referrals. Whether you’d prefer a discount in commission, a free home warranty or a free home inspection, you’ll get those from me in an effort to earn your business and your referrals.

How can I best help you? Let me put my passion for the real estate business to work for you! Please give me a call with any questions about the Augusta Real Estate Market, or homes for sale in Evans, Grovetown, Martinez, Augusta or North Augusta. I would love to represent you!

Possible Changes to First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

This week, Johnny Isakson (GA-R) introduced stand-alone legislation to boost housing demand and to restore the economy by expanding the first-time homebuyer tax credit passed by Congress earlier this year.

The legislation would increase the maximum amount of the credit from $8,000 to $15,000 and expand the current tax credit so that it applies to any buyer of any home, not just first-time buyers. The legislation also would eliminate the income caps of $75,000 for an individual and $150,000 for a couple under the current tax credit. Finally, the legislation would extend the tax credit for one year from date of enactment and would allow homebuyers to claim the credit on their 2009 tax return for purchases made in 2010.

More information is available here for the push to stimulate the housing market.

As always, if you have questions about the Augusta housing market, or homes for sale in Augusta, Grovetown GA, Martinez GA, Evans GA or North Augusta SC, please give me a call at 706-447-3746.

Grovetown GA Featured Home – $149,900

I had the privelege of previewing this Grovetown GA home today and loved it! Great condition and great price. Plus, if there’s a little girl in your life, there is a bedroom already perfectly decorated for her. Take a look and let me know if you’d like to see it in person. I’ll be glad to make the arrangements to show it to you!

According to the description in the Greater Augusta Assn. of Realtors MLS, “Beautiful home in Ivy Falls, with nice floor plan. Great room has vaulted ceiling and fireplace, Large kitchen open to breakfast area, spacious Master with double vanities, separate tub and shower, large back yard for entertaining with covered deck and privacy fence. HOA includes front yard maintenance.”  Listing courtesy of Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners.

As always, if you have questions about the Augusta housing market, or homes for sale in Augusta, Grovetown GA, Martinez GA, Evans GA or North Augusta SC, please give me a call at 706-447-3746.

McCorkle’s Nursery

For those of you in the Augusta area who are gardeners, you won’t want to miss McCorkle’s Nurseries annual sale. They’re open to the public for 3 days only starting tomorrow – June 18, 19, and 20. If you’re not familiar with McCorkle’s, they’re a large commercial nursery in Dearing GA that supplies retail nurseries such as Lowe’s Garden Center. Their prices are phenomenal! Make sure to bring water (or change to buy a gatorade), a wagon, and a truck!

Tractors will pull trailers full of plants in from the fields all day. You can usually find trees, ornamental grasses, azaleas, Japanese maples, daylilies, hydrangeas, and various landscaping shrubs – all at great prices! If you’d like more information, (or if you’d like to follow me out there!), give me a call at 706-447-3746.

As always, if you have questions about the Augusta housing market, or homes for sale in Augusta, Grovetown GA, Martinez GA, Evans GA or North Augusta SC, please give me a call!

7.5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Buying

Electronics Recycling in North Augusta and Columbia County

UPDATE: For recycling locations in Columbia County GA,  visit http://www.columbiacountyga.gov/index.aspx?page=3767

Why not just throw an old computer, cell phone or calculator in the trash? Because discarded electronics contain hazardous materials. Improper disposal of these items pollutes the environment and poses a danger to human health.

The city of North Augusta SC is doing its part to help. North Augusta’s e-waste recycling program is a service available to all city residents free of charge. North Augusta commercial businesses and non-city residents are encouraged to recycle their unwanted electronic items by participating in the City’s semi-annual electronic recycling collection events. The next collection day event will be on Saturday, September 12, from 9:00 am until noon at the Kroger parking lot on Knox Avenue.

Concerned about personal information on your devices? North Augusta’s recycling vendor cleans all recycled hard drives with software approved by the U.S. Department of Defense. Damaged hard drives that do not respond to the software are wiped clean with a magnet and shredded for recycling.

For more information on the program, contact the Sanitation Services Department at 803-441-4245 or 803-441-4331 for assistance.

As always, if you have questions about Augusta Real Estate or homes for sale in North Augusta SC, please give me a call at 706-447-3746. Thanks!

Free Kids Meals in Augusta GA

Our kids enjoyed free enchiladas tonight at Monterrey Mexican Restaurant in Martinez GA. It was a nice surprise for Father’s Day! I thought it would be great for everyone to add their favorite restaurant here in the Augusta area that has free or cheap Kid Meals. Comment away and I’ll add to the post as we collect restaurant names!

1. Monterrey Mexican Restaurant – Martinez and Evans, GA – Kids eat free after 4pm on Sundays.

2.

How Much Columbia County Home will 100K Buy You?

I sold my first home in Columbia County in 2001 for around 85K. Just out of curiosity, I wanted to see what similar opportunities might still be there for first time home buyers today. According to the MLS of the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors (GAAR), the following homes are currently being marketed in Columbia County:

• $99,500 will buy you a 2Bedroom, 2 Bath end unit townhouse in the Villages of Greenbrier in Evans GA
• $94,900 will buy you a 3 Bedroom 2 Bath brick ranch with 2 car garage in Wynngate in Martinez GA
• $85,000 will buy you a 2 Bedroom 2 Bath townhome in Cammaron in Martinez GA
• $99,900 will buy you a 3 Bedroom 1 Bath home with single carport in Sweetbriar in Martinez GA
• $86,000 will buy you a 2 Bedroom 1.5 Bath townhome in Brittany Place in Martinez GA

As always, if you have questions or would like to see these homes or any other Augusta GA homes, including Grovetown GA, Evans Georgia, Martinez GA or North Augusta SC, please give us a call at 706-447-3746. Thanks!

How Much Home Can You Buy for 125K in Columbia County?

As a follow-up to my last post “How Much Home Can You Afford for 100K in Columbia County”, let’s add $25,000 to see just how much difference that makes.

The main thing I noticed was that the home size grew to an average of 1350-1650 square feet. Most are still 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath ranch style homes.

Of the 92 Columbia County homes for sale in the 100-125K range in the GAAR MLS, here are a few that caught my eye…

• $109,900 3Bedroom 2 Bath in Petersburg Station in Martinez GA
• $124,900 and almost 1700 square feet in Merrymont in Martinez GA
• $103,900 and almost 1900 square feet in Ridge Pointe in Martinez GA
• $125,000 in St. Andrews in Evans Georgia
• $123,000 in Pamir Place in Grovetown GA

If you have questions about any Augusta homes for sale or the Augusta Real Estate Market in general, please give me a call at 706.447.3746.  I love to help and answer your questions!

Are You New to Columbia County Schools?

If you’re new to the area and will have children attending school in Columbia County, you’ll need to make sure they’re registered. Only new students are required to go through registration, and most schools are open to enroll new students starting July 20. You’ll want to make sure to call ahead to schedule an appointment.

The following documents will be required for all new students registering in any Columbia County School:

• A certified copy of your child’s birth certificate
• A Georgia Certificate of Immunization (GA Form 3231)*
• A Georgia Certificate of Eye, Ear and Dental Examination (GA Form 3300) – also called “3-Point Screening”*
• Proof of residency (a current gas, water or electric bill)
• A copy of your child’s most recent report card or grade report

*The required health forms may be obtained from private physicians, Fort Gordon medical personnel, or the Columbia County Health Department. Appointments may be scheduled by calling the Columbia County Health Department in one of these locations: Martinez-Evans,  706-868-3330; Harlem-Grovetown, 706-556-3727; or Appling, 706-541-1318.

As always, if you have questions about the Augusta housing market, or homes for sale in Augusta, Grovetown GA, Martinez GA, Evans GA or North Augusta SC, please give me a call at 706.447.3746

4th of July Celebration at Patriots Park

Don’t miss Columbia County’s 15th Annual Fourth of July Celebration at Patriots Park, July 4th from 4 pm until dark. It’s the largest fireworks display in Columbia County! In addition, there will be

• inflatables and rides
• live entertainment
• food vendors
• children’s entertainment
• much more!!

Admission is FREE! Parking is very limited, although last year there were shuttles running back and forth from the Columbia County Fairgrounds. They’ll probably have similar accomodations this year. Hope to see you there!!

The Seven Don’ts of Mortgage Funding – Your Augusta GA Home

It is SO important that you remember these guidelines after you make application for your mortgage and have been approved. I’m not trying to single out first time homebuyers. Everyone needs these reminders.

1. Don’t change your employment status.
2. Don’t make any major purchases (cars, furniture, home theater, vacations, etc.)
3. Don’t increase your credit card debt or miss any payments.
4. Don’t change bank accounts or make undisclosed large deposits.
5. Don’t apply for a credit card, co-sign a loan or make a credit inquiry.
6. Don’t spend money you have set aside for closing.
7. Don’t delay in providing all paperwork asked for by your mortgage company.

As always, if you have any questions about Augusta homes for sale, please give me a call! We also cover the Evans Georgia, Grovetown GA, Martinez GA, and North Augusta SC areas.

Providence Ferry at Clarks Hill Lake

If you’re looking for an incredible deal on lakefront property, one of my clients has just reduced their .75 acre waterfront lot with dock from $134,900 to $114,900: Exclusive Providence Ferry at Clark’s Hill/ Lake Thurmond. Homesite is located lakefront near the community Pavillion with grills, picnic tables and fireplace. Providence Ferry amenities also include: Community docks for non-dockable properties, Murray Creek equestrian center (horse rentals,etc.), Secured boat storage, Nature trails, and public water.

Does Your Grovetown Neighborhood Have Cable?

If you’re looking at homes in Grovetown GA, you may be interested in the following list of neighborhoods (provided by Grovetown Planning and Zoning) that don’t have cable service available:

• Euchee Creek (approx. 326 homes)*
• Main Street (approx. 145 homes)*
• Senators Ridge (approx. 106 homes)*
• Northlake (approx. 186 homes)
• Pamir Place (approx. 295 homes)
• Pepper Hill (approx. 227 homes) Sections I & II only
• Arbor Springs/Arbor Landing (approx. 93 townhomes and 94 single family homes)*
• Grove Landing (approx. 100 townhomes and 414 single family homes
• Reynolds Pond (approx. 272 single family homes)
• Berzelia Commons (27 homes)

*some sections of development have cable service and some sections do not. There is also a handful of homes along Harlem Grovetown Road that are inside the City Limits of Grovetown that may not have cable service available to them.

Augusta GA Real Estate Market – June Absorption Rates

As a follow up to the Augusta June Market Statistics Report, I wanted to take a look at the absorption rates. Again, I’m breaking these down by county – Aiken, Columbia and Richmond.

Aiken County – currently has 629 homes for sale, 49 homes sold in June, giving us an absorption rate for Aiken County of 12.8 months of inventory.

Columbia County – currently has 1615 homes for sale, 233 homes sold in June, giving us an absorption rate for Columbia County of 6.9 months of inventory.

Richmond County – currently has 1545 homes for sale, 150 homes sold in June, giving us an absorption rate for Richmond County of 10.3 months of inventory.

Based on these numbers, is Columbia County nearing a Balanced Market while Aiken and Richmond Counties remain in a Buyers Market? It certainly appears so. Stay tuned next month to see!

Volunteering in Augusta GA

There are so many great opportunities to volunteer in the Augusta GA area. Why not take a look at the list below to see if you’re interested in one of the causes, and take the time to contribute to our great community! For additional info or contact information, see Volunteer Augusta.

• Alzheimer’s Association
• Augusta Canal
• Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Augusta Museum of History
• Augusta Safe Homes
• Columbia County Library
• Columbia Middle School
• CSRA Humane Society
• Feathered Friends Forever Rescue
• Girl Scout Council of the CSRA
• Graystone Ranch Wildlife Education Center
• Golden Harvest Foodbank
• Habitat for Humanity
• Heartland Hospice
• Junior Achievement
• The Lydia Project
• Make-A-Wish Foundation
• Morris Museum of Art
• National Science Center, Ft. Discovery
• Phinizy Swamp Nature Park
• Ronald McDonald House
• Shepeard Community Blood Service
• Spooky to be Hungry

As always, if you’re looking for information on Augusta Real Estate, or if you have questions about Augusta homes for sale, give me a call at 706-373-4663. Thanks!

Be Ready For Closing Costs When Buying Your Augusta GA Home

Lender’s fees and other closing costs can add 3 to 5 percent to your home’s purchase price. When looking for the best deal on fees, though, realize that some lenders show third-party fees on their good faith estimates, while others show only their own fees.

LIKELY LENDER FEES:

1. Origination fee (“points”)
2. Administration fee
3. Application fee
4. Broker or lender fee
5. Commitment fee
6. Document preparation
7. Underwriting fee

LIKELY THIRD-PARTY FEES:

1. Credit report
2. House appraisal
3. Pest inspections
4. Recording fees
5. Settlement fees
6. Survey
7. Tax and insurance prepayment
8. Title search
9. Title insurance
10. Courier Services

AND ALWAYS ASK: “What other costs will I be responsible for to get our home closed?”

As always, if you have questions about Augusta homes for sale or the Augusta real estate market, please give me a call!

Finding a Home Inspector in Augusta GA

The information your home inspector provides will be critical to your making a well-informed home-buying decision. In other words, this is no time to scan the Yellow Pages. As always when you’re hiring a professional, start by collecting referrals from people you trust. If you want to interview a few candidates, the following questions are a great place to start:

• Are you licensed, or a member of a professional inspector’s organization?
• What is your professional background?
• What kind of ongoing training do you receive?
• Do you have errors and omission insurance?
• Can I see a sample inspection report?
• Do you specialize in a certain kind of instruction?
• What does it cost?
• How soon are you available?

Any questions about Augusta homes for sale or the Augusta real estate market? Give me a call at 706-373-4663!

Augusta GA – Tax Free Holiday

Don’t forget that tomorrow – August 2 – is the last day of the tax free holiday in Georgia! Take advantage of it and get all those back to school supplies and school clothes!

My kids are in Columbia County schools, and their Back to School Open House is this Thursday night, August 6. Can’t believe school starts so soon!

As always, if you have any questions about the Augusta GA real estate market or any homes for sale in Augusta, please give me a call at 706-373-4663. Thanks!

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_-yXOLd1Xk]

Columbia County Schools – Permissive Transfer

Under a new GA law, effective July 1, parents may request a transfer to eligible schools for the 2009-2010 school year. Per the Columbia County Board of Education website (www.ccboe.net), …

Residents may elect to send their children to any county public school having classroom space available after the school’s assigned students have been enrolled. Classroom space is defined as the FTE enrollment number provided by the Facilities Services Unit of the Georgia Department of Education, less ten percent to accommodate new students, and State individual maximum class sizes by grade and subject. Using this guideline, the following
schools have space available for the 2009-2010 School Year:

• Euchee Creek Elementary
• North Columbia Elementary
• Westmont Elementary
• Greenbrier Middle
• Harlem High

It should be noted that the law requires that parents or guardians electing to sendtheir children to an eligible school must assume responsibility and cost of transporting their children to and from the school. Also, once enrolled, studentsmay continue to attend such school until they complete all grades of the school.Following completion of all grades, these students will be expected to return totheir regular attendance zone.
Parents or guardians interested in requesting a permissive transfer should readBoard Policy JBCC and complete a Permissive Transfer Request Form attachedto this document. Forms are also available at the Board of Education located at4781 Hereford Farm Road. Completed forms must be submitted to the eligible school(s) of choice beginningJuly 28 but no later than August 4. Following the August 4 deadline, requests willbe considered and approved as space availability permits. If a school receives more permissive transfer requests than space available, lots will be drawn forenrollment from all submitted applications. Affected parties will be notified andinvited to witness the public drawing which will be held within three business days of the application deadline.

Any questions related to this announcement may be directed to Kendra Sheldonat 706-541-0650.

Changes to the Columbia County School Calendar

Great news! The Columbia County Board of Education has recently made a change to the school calendar. The October Fall Break has been eliminated for the 2009-2010 school year.
Schools will be closed the entire week of Thanksgiving. Mark your calendars now!

As always, if you have any questions about Augusta homes for sale or the Augusta real estate market, please give me a call at 706-373-4663. Thanks!

Augusta GA Real Estate Market – July Absorption Rates

I’ve just calculated the absorption rates for July. According to the Greater Augusta Association of Realtors MLS, there are currently:

• 1622 active single family homes in Columbia County (Martinez, Evans, Grovetown, Harlem, Appling
• 635 active single family homes in Aiken County (North Augusta, Aiken and Edgefield)
• 1570 active single family homes in Richmond County (Augusta and Hephzibah)

In July, 222 single family homes sold in Columbia County giving us a 7.3 month supply, 74 single family homes sold in Aiken County giving us a 8.6 month supply, and 174 single family homes sold in Richmond County giving us a 9.0 month supply of homes.

Remember that, on average, a 6 month supply of homes is considered a Balanced Market, less than 6 months is considered a Sellers Market, and greater than 6 months is considered a Buyers Market.

As always, if you have questions about any Augusta homes for sale or the Augusta housing market, please give me a call at 706-447-3746. Thanks!

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