So You're Thinking About Buying a Home...
Atlanta is now a buyer's market. Prices peaked in 2006 to early 2007, and the smell of sawdust and the sounds of construction were everywhere. Since then, prices have slid, (although nothing like California, Florida, and Nevada), and the contractors have mostly driven away with their toolboxes. New house subdivisions have seriously reduced prices, and foreclosures and lease-to-own houses have peppered the landscape. First time buyers have government tax incentives (www.hud.gov) . So, it is an exciting time for buyers, and an excellent time to find a great Buyer's Agent Realtor.
A Buyer's Agent is the Realtor obligated to protect the buyer's interest in getting the best possible price for a great house. The listing agent's obligation is to get the best market price for the seller. Although all Realtors have an obligation to disclose factors that they are aware of that bear on the livablility of a house, the listing agent is not obligated to tell you that there is a foreclosure close by at a much lower price, or that the neighborhood has many foreclosures and rentals. Both circumstances would reduce the reasonable price that a buyer should pay. Nor would a seller's agent be particularly concerned with informing the buyer about traffic issues, (big anywhere near Atlanta!) or amenities that a buyer might find better elsewhere.
A dedicated buyer's agent will be a major help in avoiding pitfalls, particularly for people new to an area. A good one will have intimate knowledge of the area, as well as access to realty organizations' collected data and analysis that is not readily available to the public. A great one will have extensive information on your needs as well as your "wants", and minimize the number of houses that you need to tramp through before finding one that you want to call home. He or she will suggest and negotiate a reasonable market price based on current information, and strongly suggest the inspections, warranties, and amendments to a contract that give you some protections in this most important purchase. Although a buyer's agent can help you sift through the houses available in your desired area, you can make your journey somewhat smoother by taking several steps before you see houses.
The first step is to assess your financial capabilities honestly. You can get an estimate of modest accuracy by "prequalifying", but you really want to get "preapproved" which means that the loan source will actually provide the money for you, up to your approved limit for a mortgage. This is roughly the difference between getting to smell the barbecue while you walk by Dreamland and actually getting to go inside and eat it. It is far better to look at only those dwellings that fit your price range, and find the best of them, than to be disappointed by yearning for one that turns out to be unaffordable, or "stretching" in a difficult economy.
Atlanta housing prices will be a pleasant surprise for most transplants. Even before recent price declines, housing costs were more in line with people's incomes. Think about what is most important to you. Start rather broadly with life and family and friends, and consider what general area and type of housing would work best for you. Make a list. The simple act of writing something down can add a lot of clarity. Also note the things in your current surroundings that most annoy you. Sometimes the right housing can decrease those irritations.
Location is the most important consideration if you don't require specialized housing, and still very important even then. A house can always be modified or even replaced. The red clay it sits on is really your home. Location influences how much time you spend getting to work and activities. In metro Atlanta, now sprawled about 60 miles out in northern areas, miles vs. time on the road is sometimes completely unrelated. Location influences the schools that children go to and the sports that they and their parents can indulge in, both as participants and spectators. It influences commute time dramatically to major business centers. Although Atlanta traffic may not impress Los Angelinos, almost everyone else will find it annoying at best. Minimizing road time requires a bit of thought here, lest you end up feeling like Roadrunner chasing "Wabbit".
Metro Atlanta has lots of choices. Although the most common housing types are square-ish Georgian brick styles or rectangular bungalows, also often brick or half bricked, it is fairly easy to find contemporary rustic styles, split levels, and Capes, although the latter are usually more elaborate than the New England version. Plantation style columns are still in vogue on some larger homes, although they have mostly evolved into Craftsman adaptations in new subdivisions. Mediterranean styles are rare except in very large abodes. Victorian is very hard to find outside of old town centers-- Historic Norcross for example. The vast influx of people into Georgia really dates from the mid 1980's, so homes of that vintage and newer abound . Prairie style or sleek Contemporary is next to impossible to find. Most newer and very old houses have rather high ceilings to allow for the ubiquitous southern fan. I'm not sure where people's heads were in the 1970's (quite literally), as some split levels had lower ceilings. Perhaps the advent of widespread air conditioning about that time temporarily convinced some that they no longer needed potentially head-lopping fans. Note, however, that air conditioning costs vastly exceed heating costs in all but the mountain slopes of North Georgia. So a house with good air circulation, usually including multiple fans, and lots of operable windows works best here. Be a little flexible in style seeking, as regional tastes often develop based on the local climate and lifestyle.
Townhouse communities offer additional choice in areas where the detached family home entry price point is high, and also for luxury without grounds care in some others. Cluster homes also exist, their less than quarter acre lot sizes being rather usual for many Californians and Texans. A newer detached house in the burbs often has about one third acre under it, while older homes often have half an acre or more.
Once you've narrowed the parameters of your dream a bit, and if you 'd like to live near the northeast bend of the Chattahoochee, I'd love to work for you, finding"home".
Sincerely,
Chris Indech
