So you are looking for a nice home to rent in Grayson, GA. Well you need not look any further. This brick front 2 story traditional home has unbelievable space. The tax records indicate that it is over 3500 square feet of living space and I just can’t argue with that. Based on the sizes of the rooms it appears as though it could even be more.

The main living level of the home features the adjoining formal Living Room and Dining Room, an office, the laundry room, a powder room, the den with its gas fireplace and the massive kitchen area. The kitchen has an island and a breakfast bar along with the following stainless steel appliances: double ovens, a built-in microwave and dishwasher. There is also the separate gas cook top and more than enough counter space for preparation. The cabinets are stained wood and there is a walk-in panty.

One of the features that you will be able to enjoy is the custom built over sized deck and grill area in the backyard. Entertaining large gatherings of family and friends or a small cookout for the family will be easily accomplished due to the built-in grill.

As you reach the top of the stairs to the second story you are greeted by a loft that is wired with cable and audio and is an ideal child’s media and gaming area. The Master Suite is not only a bedroom but is more of a retreat. The size lends itself to accommodate king size furniture while still providing space for a sitting area, a television and media area and should you desire, there is also room for exercise equipment. The Master Bath features a double vanity along with a separate tub and shower. The walk-in closet in the master, like the rest of the home, is over sized. There are 3 large secondary bedrooms on this upper level along with 2 additional full bathrooms.

All of this is available for $1850 per month. For complete details or to schedule a showing contact Mack Perry at 770-318-2572. Pets will be allowed however some restrictions do apply. To view additional photos please follow the Home for Rent in Grayson link.

It’s that magical time of the year. You guessed it; magically the sun will begin to come up an hour later and will set an hour later than in the last few days. Yes it only comes twice annually and the spring forward portion will be arriving this Saturday Evening. So here we go, it’s time for your friendly semi-annual time change announcement. However for this one I have decided to add a bit of a twist. How about the top ten list of things to do for the time change?

1.    Set your clock forward one hour prior to going to bed Saturday Evening
2.    Change the batteries in your Smoke detector
3.    Change the batteries in your Carbon Monoxide detector
4.    Change the filters in your HVAC System
5.    Vacuum the vents and returns on your HVAC system
6.    Check for the expiration date on your fire extinguisher
7.    Replace the baking soda box in your refrigerator
8.    Verify the time and date settings on your computer and fax machine
9.    Call 10 neighbors and remind them of items 1 – 8
10.     Visit one elderly neighbor and help them with items 1 – 8

So there you have it, this year’s “Spring Forward” top ten things to do list. Have fun with it and help your neighbors.

Could the new homes market in Grayson Georgia be taking a new direction? Hargrove Custom Homes has elected to explore the advantages of a massive internet marketing campaign verses the typical agent sitting the subdivision approach with one of their properties, 2635 Chestnut Walk Drive in the Heritage at Grayson subdivision.

Let’s examine the many attributes of this new home in Grayson Georgia. As you drive up to the home the first few things that you notice are that the exterior is four (4) sides’ brick, the front porch is very inviting and the home has a deep three (3) car garage. The entire lawn is professionally landscaped with Bermuda Sod and it has an in ground irrigation system.

Entering the main living level of this Grayson executive home from the garage you will pass by the oversized Laundry Room and the walk in Pantry as you enter the Breakfast Room and the Gourmet Kitchen. Granite counter tops are through out the kitchen including the integrated Breakfast Bar. Currently you can select your appliances which include built-in double ovens, dishwasher and microwave. Because the Kitchen is typically one of the primary gathering places when entertaining, a Keeping Room with a stone fireplace has been included for your convenience. Just a short step or two out from the Keeping Room and Breakfast Room the Screened Porch invites you to enjoy your morning coffee or a late afternoon beverage as you unwind from your day.

Continuing with the features of the main level we now enter the oversized Formal Dining Room and then cross through the foyer into what has to be considered the most versatile room in the home. It could be utilized as a Formal Living Room, a Home Office or and additional Bedroom on the main living level, after all it adjoins a full tiled bathroom. As with the Keeping Room, the Vaulted Den also features a Fireplace with a gas starter.

Last but not least on the main level is the Master Suite. As it has been pointed out in other features of this home the Master Suite is an elegant retreat for the owners. The Master Bath is appointed with Granite counter tops, a Jetted Tub, separate shower and an oversized walk-in closet.

The upstairs living area is ideal for the students in the family. One of the bedrooms has its own private bath while the other two bedrooms share a Jack-N-Jill bath. The Loft area has a built-in desk and study center that is set up for the technology center that all students need.

Should you desire future expansion, this Grayson Home also comes with a full basement that is stubbed for another bath.

Homes in Heritage at Grayson are service by some of Gwinnett Counties top performing schools:

Grayson Elementary School
McConnell Middle School
Grayson High School

For additional information on this home along with all the photos just follow the following link, Grayson New Home. Your can view a Virtual Tour also.

The Isakson/Lieberman Amendment

News out of our nation’s capital is providing perspective buyers with reason to celebrate and look ahead in the housing market. We have all heard of the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” that President Obama wants enacted immediately. An amendment to benefit buyers of primary residences was introduced by Senator Isakson (R-GA) and Senator Lieberman (ID-CT).

Comments from Senator Lieberman, “The rapid decline in housing prices lies at the heart of the economic crisis.”  “Real economic growth will not resume until housing values stabilize and American families once again have faith and confidence that the most valuable asset they own – their home – is safe and secure. This kind of credit could repay dividends many times over by increasing housing values, creating construction jobs, and generating state and federal tax revenue.”

The amendment was met with bipartisan support and was approved. The important provision in the amendment was the establishment of up to a $15,000 tax credit for buyer’s purchasing their primary residence.

How Does It Work?

The calculation for how to determine how much your tax credit would be is performed in this manner. Your will get a tax credit for 10% of the purchase price of the residence up to a maximum of $15,000. One of the nice provisions of the amendment is that the tax payer may choose to take the credit all in the first year or it can be split between two (2) years. One very positive feature, as opposed to the First Time Buyer Tax Credit of last year, is that this tax credit does not have to be repaid.

What Is The Timeframe?

Upon enactment of the legislation a buyer will have one year in which to complete their purchase. This sounds like a long time but in reality now is the time to start looking. The housing inventory is at a peak and your best selection for that home that meets your exact requirements may be right now.

What Are The Drawbacks?

The only drawback or downside to this amendment is that if the residence is sold or is not utilized as the primary residence in the first two years, the tax credit must be repaid. There are of course circumstances where this repayment would not apply.

Builder Short Sales

A builder doing a short sale on a new construction property is just plain scary. What you as a buyer are being told, in a not so subtle way, is that the builder is probably not going to be able to cover any warranty work that needs to be performed on your new home. Having that builder backed warranty for the first year is a huge financial advantage. Getting a home warranty can rectify some of your exposure however many of the items that need to be corrected in that first year are cosmetic items that a home warranty does not cover. After all, the appliances are covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. I have yet to see a new construction home that does not have settling cracks and nail pops during that builder warranty period. Now, I don’t want you to think that I’m saying not to buy a Builder Short Sale. I’m just saying that you need to buy it at a price that makes it worthwhile to take on the additional financial risk.

Is It A Tough Market?

Sure the market is tough for the new home builders right now. It’s tough for everyone. Everything involved in our economy is tough. These tough times require that you, as an educated buyer, demand certain things from your agent. Possibly the most important thing that an agent can do for a buyer in today’s market is share the knowledge about builders and construction techniques that has been obtained through years of hard work. Not only the sharing of knowledge, but also the ability to obtain current information about the prospective builder’s financial status and prospects for the future. No one wants to be in a situation where they purchase a home today and the builder is gone tomorrow.

Educated Buyers Work With Business People

In the past the thought was that “If you build it they will come”. To some degree that was accurate. In today’s market educated buyers are working with builders and agents that treat their business as a business. The builders and agents that will survive in this market are businesspeople that operate and act like businesspeople.

Don’t Scare Me

The thought of one of my buyers purchasing a home from a builder via a short sale scares the mess out of me. I take pride in protecting my buyer’s best interest. I just don’t think this type transaction is a good fit for buyers who don’t understand the additional financial risks involved.

For everyone who hasn’t heard, the time change will occur this Sunday morning. I was in a meeting this morning with Ginny Staib, a fellow REALTOR in my office. In our conversation, we thought — what are the top five things that home owners need to do that would coincide with the time change? We came up with these:

Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Winterize hose bibs.

Re-program your thermostats.

Shut down your irrigation system for the winter.

Re-check windows and doors for caulking and weatherstripping.

Please feel free to add any you can think of!

So you are tired of paying some one else’s mortgage and you want to buy a home but you have been told your credit just won’t allow you to. Let me see if I can guess the way the conversation went. You filled out a mortgage application and the person electronically accessed your credit report. They then told you that the report showed you with a middle credit score of whatever it is and they are not going to be able to help you. Or you were informed that they would talk to their investor or a senior loan officer to see what can be done to help. That is so typical of the way most transactions like this play out.

So What’s The Problem

Let’s look at what the problem is. It is actually very simple, your credit score is too low for you to qualify for a mortgage. With the current conditions in the real estate and financial markets credit has become more difficult to obtain and is being some what reserved for higher credit score customers who may be less of a risk to the lender. So what do we do to help you. First of all we need to know exactly where we stand in the credit score department. We then need to know what items on your credit report are driving your score down.

Credit Reports Are Not Totally Accurate

Are there some items on your report that do not belong to you? One thing we have learned is that the credit reporting agencies data is not always totally correct. In fact 79% of all credit reports contain mistakes, 54% of all credit reports contain personal information that is outdated or belongs to a stranger, 30% of all credit reports contain accounts that are closed by consumers but continue to be reported as open and 25% of all credit reports contain errors serious enough to result in outright credit denial.

Let’s Come Up With A Plan

Once we have reviewed your situation and credit report we can collectively come up with a financial plan to get you on track and set up a timetable for you to get into your new home. We can actually tie this all together with the “No Down Payment Mortgage” discussed yesterday.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act

Fortunately there are several laws that have been inacted to protect you the consumer. The most signifacant of these is the Fair Credit Reporting Act. This law protects your credit rights. You have the right to contest inaccurate information in the report and if a creditor cannot verify any inaccurate information within 30 days the inaccurate information must be removed from your credit report. The credit reporting agencies actually receive thousands of these disputes from consumers every day.

How Long Will It Take?

I know you have several questions about how this process works, with the main one being how long will it take? It is impossible and would be unethical for any individual or company to to guarantee an outcome or timeframe. However, based on experience and expertise you will be given an estimate.

If you would like more information concerning credit repair in the Greater Atlanta Area please Contact Me and we can set up a confidential conference.

Situated on a wooded Cul-de-Sac lot in Bay Creek Manor subdivision in the Grayson High School District of Gwinnett County is 280 Chloe Dianne Drive. This upscale “Craftsman Style” home is a ranch home with a full unfinished basement. The home features a gourmet kitchen that is appointed with granite counter tops, an island, double ovens, a built-in microwave and a separate gas cook top. The kitchen opens into the breakfast area and keeping/sun room.

Arched architectural openings join the over sized dining room and the keeping/sun room to the den. This den is designed for relaxation and entertaining. Built-in shelving on both sides of the floor to ceiling stone fireplace gives the room that look of rustic elegance. The room is also wired for surround sound for you to enjoy the game or movie night with the family.

Some of the other features you will enjoy in this home are tiled bathes and laundry room, walk-in closets, extensive trim and hardwood floor packages along with the huge rear deck and wooded backyard.

Just click on the address 280 Chloe Dianne Drive to view addition information or to schedule a private showing of this wonderful home.

Located on Ozora Road just across from Bay Creek Park, Bay Creek Manor is a collection of Craftsman Style homes in Grayson Georgia. These unique ranch and two story homes feature stone, brick, siding and shake details throughout. Sidewalks, streetlights and underground utilities accent the professionally landscaped common areas and home sites.

It’s hard to believe the interior detailing of these homes at such an affordable price. With the kitchen being one of the primary focus rooms in any home, particular attention to detail has been incorporated. The gourmet kitchens feature granite counter tops,custom tile back splash, can lighting, keeping rooms and islands(per plan), along with a GE Appliance package that includes Microwave, Gas Cook top, Dishwasher and Double Ovens. Both main floor and upper levels have 9 foot smooth ceilings along with upgraded trim packages consisting of Sante Fe doors, distinctive arch details, 5-1/2 inch base boards, two piece chair rails and shadow boxes in the dining room and foyer. Hardwood floors are standard in the foyer, kitchen, breakfast area and powder room while tile is featured in the master bath, hall bath and laundry room. Of course, plush wall to wall carpeting with upgraded pad completes the flooring in these affordable upscale Gwinnett County homes.

No home today would be complete without it’s energy saving and technology packages and these Barry Built Homes are no exception. Energy saving features include a complete house wrap and air infiltration package along with separate heat and air systems for each floor. It goes with out saying that digital thermostats and insulated exterior doors are also included. To help all homeowners stay connected centralized voice, data, and video/cable management enabled CAT5 and RG6 cabling runs to a central household network center. Phone and cable outlet are installed in all bedrooms along with the kitchen, keeping room and great room. 3 high speed data/internet outlets are also included. What home today would be complete without surround sound prewiring, not these.

Bay Creek Manor is fortunate to be serviced by some of Gwinnett Counties finest schools. The subdivision is located in the Grayson High School Cluster and is also serviced by McConnell Middle School and Grayson Elementary. For more information check out Gwinnett County Schools.

Click on the link to see available homes in Bay Creek Manor.

As of July first of this year all builders and remodelers in the state of Georgia are to be licensed by the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors. There are three types of contractors that must obtain a license by July 1, 2008.

*  Residential-Basic Contractor (Contractor work relative to detached one-family and two-family residences and one-family townhouses not over three stories in height).
* Residential-Light Commercial Contractor (Contractor work or activity related to multifamily and multiuse light commercial buildings and structures).
* General Contractor (Contractor work or activity that is unlimited in scope regarding any residential or commercial projects).

A fourth classification of contractor is the specialty contractor who is not required to be licensensed. This classification would include painters and roofers for example and they are not allowed to hire subcontractors.

I would think that the purpose of this law would be to help protect innocent homeowners and home buyers from unscrupulous contractors. We have all heard horror stories about homes and projects that have not worked out as originally planned. One big advantage of this law is the requirement for contractors to meet minimum standards for education, financial stability and workers compensation.

So what will the down side of this law be? Since Atlanta is so close to Florida, some of what happens there makes its way to our news programs. When a major event such as a hurricane hits Florida, it can sometimes take additional time to even get bids on getting work done much less getting the work itself performed.