Advantages to closing before the end of the year

When you are buying a house around the end of the year, it's logical to ask "Are there advantages to closing prior to the end of the year or is it better to wait for the new year?"

Whether or not it is advantageous depends on your situation, but the factors to consider are listed below:

- Homestead Exemption: Local governments give a discount on property taxes for homes that are owner occupied on January 1st. For buyers purchasing a home that is not currently owner occupied, this can be a savings on their property tax bill.

- Prepaid Finance Charges: These charges are a portion of the closing costs associated with buying a home. Some closing costs can be deducted on your income taxes just like mortgage interest. For a breakdown of which costs are deductible, email me or call our closing attorney, Charlie Pollard, with Partnership Title - 404-207-1620. Depending on your tax situation, it may be better to have this write off in one tax year or the other. Ask your accountant!

- New Year's Day Moving Party: You may be able to sucker a few friends into helping you move since they have a day off work! Just don't tell them I suggested it!

It's too late to close on a house in 2010, but keep these items in mind if you are in this situation in the future!

Happy New Year!

Justin Landis
Keller Williams
Justin.Landis@kw.com

Know Anyone Looking for a Deal??

If you've ever asked me, "Do you know of any good deals out there?" then I want you to see my newest listing in Grant Park - a townhome short sale that is listed at $45,000!

If you know someone that wants to be intown, in a newer construction home, that's easy walking distance to Grant Park, and likes to keep living expenses WAY down, then check out more details below.

1066 Park Row - Pics and More Info

Flying Biscuit Cafe Owner to Open New Concept in East Atlanta

If you're like me, and you are tired of looking at the abandoned Supreme Fish Delight building everytime you ride down Moreland, then I've got some good news for you! The creator of Flying Biscuit Cafe and the owner of Porter Beer Bar are teaming up to bring a brand new restaurant to East Atlanta. It will be called Delia's Chicken Sausage Stand and will serve breakfast all day plus several variations of chicken sausage on hoagie rolls, if you're not in the mood for breakfast. For more info about the restaurant, check out the AJC food blog.

Set to open in late January, I'm hopeful it will be another great addition to the EAV restaurant lineup. Let me know if you plan on going, I'd love to join you.

829 Cherokee on the Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes

This Saturday and Sunday evening from 6 - 10 is the 30th Anniversary Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes.

My home at 829 Cherokee Ave has the honor of being on the Tour! My wife, Amaris, and I are excited about sharing our home this holiday season.

For 30 years, Grant Park has celebrated the December holidays with the Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes providing Atlanta and surrounding communities with a unique glimpse into the historic intown neighborhood. Held in the evening with the glow of holiday lights, the Candlelight Tour is a great way to see the neighborhood and at the same time, get into the holiday spirit.

Grant Park is Atlanta’s largest historic district with homes built in the Victorian, Craftsman, Italianate and various other styles from the turn of the 20th century. The Candlelight Tour features eight to ten homes each year, usually representing historic renovations as well as new homes built to reflect the historic district’s character.

You can read more about the tour and our house at http://www.candlelighttourofhomes.com/. We hope to see you this weekend!

Jarrod Thomas is a Certified Distressed Property Expert

Jarrod Thomas is coming up on his 4 year anniversary with Team Rich Richardson. He also just completed rigorous training to become a Certified Distressed Property Expert. Real estate professionals with the Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) Designation have trained extensively to understand the options, solutions, and effective methods for dealing with homeowners facing hardships. You can read more about his training at http://www.cdpe.com/.

Over the years, we have worked with dozens and dozens of home buyers to help them buy bank owned foreclosures. Often, those properties are great values for our clients, and we have in depth experience to guide our clients through the process. As it gets more difficult for many home owners to make their mortgage payments, short sales have become a larger segment of the real estate market. We are now prepared to provide the absolute best service on these complicated transactions.

A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the sale proceeds fall short of the balance owed on the property's loan. It often occurs when a borrower cannot pay the mortgage loan on their property, but the lender decides that selling the property at a moderate loss is better than pressing the borrower. Both parties consent to the short sale process, because it allows them to avoid foreclosure, which involves hefty fees for the bank and poorer credit report outcomes for the borrowers.

If you are facing a hardship or having a difficult time making your mortgage payment, give us a call to see if we can help you through this tough time.