Athens Bend Track Layout - Railroad Days 2010

There will be a large N-Scale model railroad layout put together by the Athens Bend Track N-Scale Model Railroading Club. You can visit us at our website (www.AthensBendTrack.org) or also follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AthensBendTrack). The Atlanta Lego club will also have a great layout on display. There will be games, food, a magician and other activities for the whole family, but especially for kids.

So, if you grew up loving the sight of trains, the sound of the locomotives, the clacking of the wheels; if you enjoy being stopped at a crossing and watching the railroad cars go by; if you know what a 2-10-2 or an SD70 are, or even if you don’t, come down and enjoy a few hours reliving the past, the present and the future of hauling freight and passengers across the country, and maybe around the world, on two iron rails. Proceeds benefit the Athens Community Council on Aging.

See you there!

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For more information about what’s going on in and around Athens Ga. or about buying or selling property in the area call me at 706-207-5290 or you can email me at athensrealestate@earthlink.net with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at www.TheAthensRealEstatePage.com.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at www.LivingInAthensGa.com Blog

MANU - Who Let the Dawgs Out

Sciences is offering to provide income tax preparation assistance and electronic filing to low and middle income taxpayers who have no depreciable property or extensive stock or similar assets.

Assistance will be available, by appointment only, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5PM to 8 PM, Feb. through April 7 (except for Spring Break week of Mar. 13) and on Saturdays, 9 AM to Noon, through Apr 9, except for Spring Break Mar. 12 & 19.

While it is appointment only, if space is available, they will take walk ins.

This preparation assistance will be offered at the Old Gaines School Building Cafeteria, 280 Gaines School Road. You can make an appointment online at www.georgiaunitedcu.org or by calling reservation voice mail at 706-227-5400, ext. 6486.

Program is offered through VITA – Voluntary Tax Preparation Assistance – a program sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All volunteers are credentialed by the IRS.

So, if you live in Athens Ga, or the counties and communities around it, and you meet the listed qualifications, set up your appointment for you free tax preparation assistance.

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at The Athens Real Estate Page.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at Living In and Around Athens Blog

Athens Area Golf Course Home

2010 was a difficult year in real estate with a large rush of business in the first few months of the yeardue to federal tax credits that expired in April. It led to some increase in closings early in the year, through June, but then there was a larger than expected decrease in sales July through October. The following links connect you with information and charts of the individual residential real estate market performance in the Athens Ga are including Clarke County Ga, Watkinsville Ga, Oconee County Ga, Oglethorpe County Ga, Madison County Ga & Jackson County Ga.

All market reports are located on another of my blog sites and include charts and analysis for each of the areas. The reports include comparative data for 2009 and 2010 including sales volume,  REO or foreclosure sales, Days on Market, average and median sales prices.

The Athens Area ended the year 2010 with two consecutive months of sales volume increase.  The following link will provide the market data stats for December 2010 for Athens and the surrounding counties:

Greater Athens Area Residential Real Estate Sales Volume Rises in December for Second Month in a Row- Residential Real Estate Montly Statistics Charts, Nov 2009 – Dec 2010

In 2010 Athens – Clarke County Ga experienced about an 11% decrease in residential home sales volume from 2009. The following link provides the 2010 market data stats and a comparison to 2009 for Athens – Clarke County Ga:

Athens – Clarke County Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

In 2010 Watkinsville Ga experienced an increase in residential home sales volume over 2009. The following link provides the 2010 market data stats and a comparison to 2009 stats for Watkinsville, Ga.

Watkinsville Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

In 2010, even with the strong performance in Watkinsville, Oconee County Ga had a net decrease in sales volume from 2009. The following link provides access to the 2010 market data stats and a comparison to 2009 for Oconee County Ga.

Oconee County Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

In 2010, in Jackson County Ga REO (Real Estate Owned), also known as bank or lender owned homes after foreclosure, mad up almost 2/3 of home sales. The following link provides access to the 2010 market data stats and a comparison to 2009 for Jackson County Ga:

Jackson County Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

In 2010, Oglethorpe County Ga experienced a slight decline in average sales price but an increase in the median sales price. The following link provides access to the 2010 market data and comparison stats to 2009 for Oglethorpe County Ga.

Oglethorpe County Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

In 2010, Madison County Ga had a decline in the number of REO sales from 2009, although those sales were still 1/2 of the volume. The following link provides access to the 2010 market data and comparison stats to 2009 for Madison County Ga.

Madison County Ga 2010 Residential Real Estate Year in Review

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at The Athens Real Estate Page.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at Living In and Around Athens Blog

This event will have something for all ages. There will be exhibit booths, seminars, activities for kids, and recycling of products that should not be placed in your trash, such as batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, electronics and more. Seminars will include topics such as home composting, green building, container gardening and many more.

More information about the event can be found at the Green Life Expo website, http://www.greenlifeathens.com/. I will be there, hope to meet you there also.

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at The Athens Real Estate Page.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at Living In and Around Athens Blog

A Winter Snow Storm in Athens Ga

next week they are expected to be even lower. Just as with your home, there are some things that you can do to save money and help your vehicle(s) make it through the winter in tip top shape and to make winter driving more pleasant.

For your car:

• Change your oil – You may want to use a lower viscosity oil in winter. Cold temperatures thicken the oil and it does not lubricate as well. Your owners manual may have information of what type of oil to use in winter, especially if you are going to spend much time in the mountains or other colder areas
• Check your battery – if your battery is more than a few years old, have it tested to make sure that it will hold a charge. Also, clean your battery posts and make sure your cables are tightly connected. Cold weather makes it harder for batteries to start your vehicles engine.
• Check you windshield wipers – if more than a year old, replace them. Also make sure the washer fluid reservoir is filled with windshield washer fluid instead of water. Water will freeze in the overnight (and some daytime) temperatures around here, especially in the rural areas.
• Monitor your tire pressure – cold weather will decrease the air pressure in your tires. Keep tabs and keep your tire pressure at the recommended inflation. You can usually find this information on a sticker on the body when you open your driver’s side door.
• Check your belts and hoses – cold weather can stress belts and hoses more than the hot summer temperatures resulting in increases cracking and breaking

For you and your passengers:

• Make sure you can see out your windows – coat your windshield wipers with rubbing alchohol or ammonia. This will prevent sticking, squeaking and reduce streaks
• Make sure you can see out your windows (part 2)  – use shaving cream on the inside of your windows, spread and wipe off with a clean towel. This will help prevent window fogging.
• Make sure you can see at night – keep your headlamps clean and clear. Putting on car wax will help  keep road muck from building up on the headlamp lenses
• Keep your door locks working – you can spray the keys, locks and mechanisms with hand sanitizer. This will help prevent them from freezing up and get you into the car quicker. Spray the door seals with a cooking spray, such as Pam. This will help prevent the doors from freezing shut.

Carry an emergency kit that includes:

• blanket
• flashlight
• flares
• jumper cables
• tire gauge
• tools
• first aid kit
• paper towels
• change of socks
• gloves
• ice scraper

Drive carefully and prepare both your vehicle and yourself. Even if you park outside you might save some time and discomfort by preparing ahead of time. But most of all, enjoy! Its a great time of the year.

If you would like more information on Short Sales, whether in Athens – Clarke County Ga, Oconee County, Oglethorpe County, Madison County or Jackson County, or for information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can email me at mailto:athensrealestate@earthlink.net with any questions.

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at http://www.The Athens Real Estate Page.com.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at http://Living In and Around Athens.com Blog

In Danger of Being Foreclosed Upon?

Unfortunately, its not all just media sensationalism, too many homes are being foreclosed upon and too many homeowners just don’t know what to do, how to prevent it and what their alternatives to foreclosure might be, if any.

Well, this will provide some information that might help some people in that regard.

The most important thing to realize is that the risk of foreclosure is something that can be foreseen, often long before the homeowner starts missing payments on the mortgage.  For whatever reason people start finding it hard to meet their monthly obligations. Sometimes, it is from spending too much on “wants” instead of needs. Sometimes it is from loss of job, sickness or other misfortune. They may be able to simply change their life/spending styles and make their payments. But often, especially for reasons of job loss, etc. they spend down their savings, start maxing credit cards out, use one card to pay another, borrow from friends and family, but still find themselves getting deeper into a hole.

And, once in that hole, they see no way out and often end up being foreclosed upon. Well, while this is not going to be an article that tells you how to get out of that hole, or to keep from getting into it, it will provide some ideas that may prevent a foreclosure. Some may not help you keep your home, most of them, in fact. But, they will keep a foreclosure off of your record and may allow you to purchase another home in the future in a shorter period of years than having a foreclosure on the record will.

Here are some options:

1. Refinance: in some cases the homeowner might be able to refinance at a lower mortgage rate cutting $100′s off of their monthly payment. This can sometimes be done directly with the finance company or possible under the Making  Home Affordable initiative. Information about Home Affordable Refinance can be found at http://www.MakingHomeAffordable.gov.
2. Lender Workout:  Sometimes you can work things out with your lender if you are having troubles. There are two ways this can work: Forbearance: when you have missed payments, have late fees, penalties, etc. the lender may work with you to schedule a fixed amount of payments to catch up rather than demanding them all at once. Loan Modification: this is similar to a refinance but often after missed payments. Sometimes the loan amount may be reduced, interest rates lowered (sometimes temporarily), length of term changed, etc. all to reduce the payment amount in order to get the loan paid off.
3. Sell and Bring Cash to Closing: You may be able to sell your home and bring cash, if you have enough, to cover what might still be owed after selling for less than what you owe. The seller will be responsible for any fees and commissions. You should consult with your finance and tax professionals before doing this.
4. Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure: in this case the homeowner offers the lender the property in exchange for the cancellation of the note on the loan. This will work most often in states that have a long foreclosure process. In Georgia, which can take as little as 30 days, this is often not a viable option. You might benefit by the assistance of an attorney if you elect to attempt this process
5. Request a Short Sale: This is selling your home for less than what is owed before the home goes into foreclosure. The lender will have to agree to accept the price before you can complete the sale. It is more difficult if there are more than one mortgage on the property but can still be successfully completed. The homeowner should use the assistance of a knowledgeable real estate agent in this process. The different banks and other mortgage holders all have different criteria for initiating a short sale, but for each of them, the homeowner requesting the short sale will be required to submit the same type of paperwork justifying their request. There are some companies that will charge an upfront fee to help the  homeowner with this process, whether successful or not. However, using the right real estate agent will get the homeowner this service with no out of pocket costs. In a short sale, as opposed to bringing cash to closing, any commissions would be covered by the lender.

In Georgia, once you receive Notice of Default, which is the first step in foreclosure, it is often too late to attempt any of these steps, however, working with an attorney or real estate agent. They may be successful in help the homeowner delay foreclosure.

However, it is best to start pursuing any of these alternatives with as much time in advance of foreclosure as possible. If you are having difficulties making payments and see yourself getting deeper and deeper into trouble, consult professional help. You may be tempted to try to sell your home one your own but remember, most FSBO homes end up selling through a real estate agent anyway. You run the best possibility of success by using an agent.

If you are “underwater”, you owe more than the home is worth, it is almost an imperative to use a knowledgeable agent to get the home sold with a “short sale” process. The agent will be working for you to get your home sold before foreclosure, often with a team that might include financing professionals and attorneys to help in the negotiation with the lender. And remember, the lender will cover those commissions and fees, not you.

If you would like more information on Short Sales, whether in Athens – Clarke County Ga, Oconee County, Oglethorpe County, Madison County or Jackson County, or for information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can email me at mailto:athensrealestate@earthlink.net with any questions.

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at http://www.The Athens Real Estate Page.com.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at http://Living In and Around Athens.com Blog

Of course, it now enables everyone who installs this plug-in to now not only know what apps like Facebook others are running but allows them to log into those accounts and use them just as if they were the owner.

So what can we do about it. Well, the obvious answer is to not log into certain accounts when using public wireless networks such as libraries, MacDonald’s, Starbucks, etc. These accounts include Facebook, Gmail and other similar accounts. Also, when using your wireless phone, don’t connect to the public wireless network, use the 3G or 4G connection.

For a more in depth look at this and for tips on how to protect yourself, you can go to this article from CNN Tech.

Its getting really scary out there!

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

For information about buying or selling property in and around Athens call me at 706-207-5290 or you can click here to email me with any questions.

Find out more about what I can do for you or search for property at The Athens Real Estate Page.

Get buying and selling pointers, as well as area information at Living In and Around Athens Blog

If you don’t know where your polling location is you can find out quickly at google maps Google Voter Info page.

Once at the page, just enter your address into the box and click the search button.

And remember, if you don’t vote, your really shouldn’t complain at the outcome.

It Does Snow in Athens Ga

Here it is, the end of October and its time to start preparing your home for winter. Luckily, in this are of Northeast Georgia, our winters tend to be comparably mild, at least when you consider the northeast or upper mid-west. Still, there are some things that can be done now to make sure that our homes remain comfortable, safe and cozy for the next few months.

Here are a few simple steps that can be taken now to make sure that winter is no big deal in your home:

• Clean your gutters – remove leaves and debris from your gutters. Make sure that the downspouts are clear and draining freely and that any water from the downspouts are directed away from the house.
• Replace worn weatherstripping – doors and windows are a major source of heat loss from you home. Replacing any missing or worn weatherstripping will help keep that loss at a minimum.
• Have your furnace or heat pump inspected and serviced – you don’t want it breaking down on a night when temperatures are below freezing
• Change your furnace filters regularly during the course of the season – it reduces the work your heating unit has to do helping you save money.
• Add insulation where needed – take a look in your attic space and if your can see your ceiling joists add insulation.
• Have your fireplace cleaned and inspected – make sure that the damper opens and closes and that the cap and screen are in place and in good condition.
• Disconnect hoses from your outside faucets – during freezing weather ice can back up and damage your faucet
• Insulate your exposed water pipes – you can wrap with insulating tape or slotted insulating tubes
• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan – this will cause the warm air to circulate through the room better and keep the cooling air from blowing directly onto you
• Insulate your light switch and outlet on exterior on exterior walls – a lot of heat is lost through outlets and switch plate covers, you can purchase pre-fitted insulating kits for these from most stores with a hardware department.
• Empty the fuel tanks of any gas operated outdoor equipment – clean you lawnmowers, leaf blowers, etc. Clean up your rakes and hoes. Store it all in a clean place.
• Get your winter tools ready – test and service your snow blower (if you have one), check your snow shovels. Have some sand ready to spread over snowy and icy patches.

You can perform many of these tasks yourself, although you may want to hire a professional to check your heating system and fireplace. You and your family will spend a much warmer and cozier season regardless of how frightful the weather is outside.

For information about the Athens Ga area real estate market, which also includes Winterville,  Watkinsville, Oconee County, Madison County, Jackson County and Oglethorpe County, or, if you are looking to buy or sell real estate in those areas please call me at 706-207-5290. You can also click here to email me with any questions you may have.  To search for homes in the Athens, Ga area please visit my website, The Athens Real Estate Page.

Mike Saunders

Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens

Mobile: 706-207-5290

Office: 706-316-2900 ext. 3517

For a $10 donation you can sample a chili from each of the 10 charities.

The cook off goes starts at 12:00 noon and goes until 3:00 PM.  At 3:30  all votes will have been counted and awards given out.

The Athens Canine Rescue group will be holding an “Adoption Day” preceding the cook off.

For more information about the event you can access the cook off face book page.

Have a great time for a great cause. See you there!