I really do have some good neighbors. Yesterday I received a call from my neighbor informing me that he had a lawn maintenance company coming to his home today to handle the shrub trimming and some general lawn maintenance. He asked if I wanted a quote on my shrub trimming also. I told him heck yes. Danny had previously used Herbert of H B Lawn Maintenance and highly recommended him for the professionalism and quickness with which he worked along with the appearance of everything once he is finished.

As luck would have it I was going to be working from home today and was able to meet with Herbert mid morning. He gave me a very competitive quote for the work that I needed done and said he would be able to get it done today as soon as he finished up with my neighbor. Periodically I looked out the window and liked what I saw being done across the street. Sure enough mid afternoon comes and Herbert and helper move their equipment to my yard and began working away. In what seemed to be only a very few moments, actually about an hour and a half, they were done. Everything was trimmed and looking good along with all the waste being picked up and loaded onto their truck and trailer for disposal.

When they were finished I asked Herbert where he primarily worked because as a REALTOR, periodically I or one of my clients needs some landscaping or lawn maintenance. He informed me that he is primarily concerned with lawn maintenance in Gwinnett County. So here you go Gwinnett County, if you need Residential or Commercial Landscaping or Lawn Maintenance get in touch with Herbert at H. B. Lawn Maintenance in Suwanee. His phone numbers are 678-764-5678 or 770-962-1071. I feel confident that you will not be disappointed.

This past week I heard for the first time that getting water turned on at a home has taken a twist in Gwinnett County. I can only imagine that this is due to the number of vacant foreclosure and short sale properties in Gwinnett County that have left the county with unpaid water bills. Let me describe to you what I found out this past week.

In order for a buyer in Gwinnett County to get water turned on the county wants to see a copy of the HUD-1 Settlement Statement from the closing. That would make sense for the county but with one large exception. Most buyers want to have a home inspection prior to closing on the property and having the water on constitutes a big portion of the inspection. After all wouldn’t it be nice for the buyer to know if there are plumbing leaks in a home prior to purchasing it? When I posed the inspection question to the county I was informed of an option. The listing agent needs to provide the buyer’s agent with a copy of the listing agreement signed by the seller and the listing agent. The buyer then takes this copy to the Gwinnett County Water Department and with a payment of $100.00 the water will be turned on for 2 weeks in order for the buyer to get the home inspection performed. After the 2 week period is over the water will be turned off and in order for the buyer to get it permanently put into the buyer’s name a copy of the settlement statement must be presented to the water department. I did question the water department as to whether the $100.00 fee would be credited towards the buyer’s account and was informed that it would not. This is just a fee to get the water turned on for an inspection.  A word of caution, if you want the water turned on the day of closing then you will need to have the settlement statement to the water department before 2:00PM.

Policy for getting the water account transferred into a buyer’s name when it has not been disconnected remains the same as far as I know. All the buyer needs to do is notify the Gwinnett County Water Department of the date to transfer the account and the county will be happy to accommodate.

Gwinnett County Water Department can be reached at 678-376-6800.

Statistics for single family detached homes in the Gwinnett County real estate market for the month of April 2009 are in. Gwinnett County is divided into six different areas and we will examine each area and then look at the county as a whole.

Area 61

Area 61 is that section of the county that is North of I-85 and West of Pleasant Hill Road. Area 61 includes Norcross, Berkeley Lake and part of Duluth. In the resale segment of the market there were 79 properties ranging in price from $14,700 to $575,000 that went under contract and 27 properties that closed ranging in price from $37,000 to $525,000. In the new construction segment of the market 4 homes priced from $199,900 to 41,149,900 went under contract and there were 2 properties closed ranging in price from $345,717 to $1,200,000.

Area 62

Area 62 is the section of the county that is North of Pleasant Hill Road and North of I-85. Area 62 includes Buford, Sugar Hill, part of Duluth and part of Suwanee. In the resale segment of the market there were 192 properties ranging in price from $26,900 to $5,635,000 that went under contract and 114 properties that closed ranging in price from $32,500 to $1,064,500. In the new construction segment of the market 56 properties went under contract ranging in price from $129,900 to $1,499,000 and 25 properties closed ranging in price from $183,900 to $1,340,000.

Area 63

Area 63 is the section of the county that is South of I-85, Northeast of Hwy. 120 and North of Hwy. 29. Area 63 includes parts of Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee and Dacula. In the resale segment of the market there were 206 properties ranging in price from $35,000 to $619,900 that went under contract and 88 properties that closed ranging in price from $70,000 to $373,000. In the new construction segment of the market 37 properties went under contract ranging in price from $149,000 to $679,000 and 11 properties closed ranging in price from $155,000 to $367,500.

Area 64

Area 64 is the section of the county that is South of I-85, Southwest of Hwy. 120, West of Hwy. 124 and North of Hwy. 78. Area 64 includes Lilburn along with parts of Lawrenceville and Snellville. In the resale segment of the market there were 277 properties ranging in price from $18,900 to $550,000 that went under contract and 104 properties that closed ranging in price from $28,000 to $388,000. In the new construction segment of the market 19 properties went under contract ranging in price from $169,900 to $710,000 and 6 properties closed ranging in price from $141,000 to $536,000.

Area 65

Area 65 is the section of the county that is South and East of Hwy. 78 and Hwy. 124, and South and West of Hwy. 20. Area 65 includes Grayson along with parts of Snellville and Lawrenceville. In the resale segment of the market there were 221 properties ranging in price from $29,900 to $884,900 that went under contract and 87 properties that closed ranging in price from $61,500 to $623,333. In the new construction segment of the market 44 properties went under contract ranging in price from $139,900 to $539,000 and 18 properties closed ranging in price from $145,000 to $330,000.

Area 66

Area 66 is that section of the county that is East of Hwy. 20 and South of Hwy. 29. Area 66 includes parts of Dacula and Lawrenceville. In the resale segment of the market there were 166 properties ranging in price from $39,900 to $519,900 that went under contract and 44 properties that closed ranging in price from $50,000 to $265,000. In the new construction segment of the market 35 properties went under contract ranging in price from $135,000 to $450,000 and 15 properties closed ranging in price from $135,000 to $299,000.

Gwinnett County Summary

For the month of April 2009, real estate sales for single family detached homes in Gwinnett County looked like this:
•  1019 Resale Properties Went Under Contract
•    464 Resale Properties Closed
•    195 New Construction Properties Went Under Contract
•     77 New Construction Properties Closed.

April of 2009 appears to have taken a huge step towards recovery in the real estate market in Gwinnett County. Several national reports recently have stated that we may have reached the bottom of the market and a recovery, although it will probably be slower than many would like, is on the way.

Don’t ever let anyone say that RE/MAX Around Atlanta broker Sharon Dover doesn’t care about the agents in her office. She just recently announced a monthly fee decrease which will provide agents with one of the top commission payouts in Atlanta. There are 2 plans available for experienced agents and a separate new agent plan.

As is the case with fee structures, volume determines which plan is best for the agents. Let’s examine the plans in more depth. Each plan has a $226.00 per month charge that covers RE/MAX fees and FMLS fees are charged per transaction as usual. There is also an a la carte menu of additional items that are available as an add on for either plan:

•    Listing Input by Administration      20.00 per listing
•    Personal Website                         25.00 per month
•    Black and White Copies                    .08 each
•    Color Copies                                   .30 each
•    Voice Mail                                   15.00 per month
•    E Fax                                          10.00 per month
•    Desk Fee (In Office)                    250.00 per month
•    Homefeedback.com                       4.95 per month
•    Yard Signs from Sign’s Today        25.00 Each

The difference in the two plans is the per transaction fee and the monthly Administration fee:

•    Plan “A” Has a monthly fee of $50.00 and a per transaction fee of $300.00 per closed transaction except leases or referrals were the transaction fee is $100.00. For agents signing up for this plan prior to 5-1-2009 the annual transaction fee cap is $10,000 and after that the annual cap is $12,000.
•    Plan “B” Has a monthly fee of $350.00 and a per transaction fee of $50.00 per closed transaction except leases or referrals were the transaction fee is $100.00. For agents signing up for this plan prior to 5-1-2009 the annual transaction fee cap is $10,000 and after that the annual cap is $12,000. (This plan is probably best suited for teams with the team leader on this plan and the remaining team agents on Plan A)

To take advantage of either of these plans or to inquire about the new agent plan contact Sharon Dover at 770-495-3450 or by email dover2@aroundatlanta.com.

Statistics for single family detached homes in the Gwinnett County real estate market for the month of January 2009 are in. Gwinnett County is divided into six different areas and we will examine each area and then look at the county as a whole.

Area 61

Area 61 is that section of the county that is North of I-85 and West of Pleasant Hill Road. Area 61 includes Norcross, Berkeley Lake and part of Duluth. In the resale segment of the market there were 26 properties ranging in price from $59,900 to $524,000 that went under contract and 7 properties that closed ranging in price from $68,000 to $400,000. In the new construction segment of the market 1 home priced at $437,900 went under contract and there were no closings in the new construction category.

Area 62

Area 62 is the section of the county that is North of Pleasant Hill Road and North of I-85. Area 62 includes Buford, Sugar Hill, part of Duluth and part of Suwanee. In the resale segment of the market there were 78 properties ranging in price from $35,900 to $772,900 that went under contract and 8 properties that closed ranging in price from $140,000 to $471,000. In the new construction segment of the market 19 properties went under contract ranging in price from $165,900 to $1,399,900 and 9 properties closed ranging in price from $179,900 to $1,300,000.

Area 63

Area 63 is the section of the county that is South of I-85, Northeast of Hwy. 120 and North of Hwy. 29. Area 63 includes parts of Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee and Dacula. In the resale segment of the market there were 68 properties ranging in price from $58,900 to $383,900 that went under contract and 13 properties that closed ranging in price from $83,000 to $329,000. In the new construction segment of the market 18 properties went under contract ranging in price from $184,300 to $484,900 and 6 properties closed ranging in price from $195,000 to $350,000.

Area 64

Area 64 is the section of the county that is South of I-85, Southwest of Hwy. 120, West of Hwy. 124 and North of Hwy. 78. Area 64 includes Lilburn along with parts of Lawrenceville and Snellville. In the resale segment of the market there were 107 properties ranging in price from $48,900 to $529,000 that went under contract and 15 properties that closed ranging in price from $40,000 to $515,000. In the new construction segment of the market 6 properties went under contract ranging in price from $150,000 to $619,900 and there were no closings.

Area 65

Area 65 is the section of the county that is South and East of Hwy. 78 and Hwy. 124, and South and West of Hwy. 20. Area 65 includes Grayson along with parts of Snellville and Lawrenceville. In the resale segment of the market there were 75 properties ranging in price from $33,900 to $350,000 that went under contract and 11 properties that closed ranging in price from $52,000 to $328,000. In the new construction segment of the market 11 properties went under contract ranging in price from $163,900 to $474,900 and 2 properties closed ranging in price from $176,240 to $195,000.

Area 66

Area 66 is that section of the county that is East of Hwy. 20 and South of Hwy. 29. Area 66 includes parts of Dacula and Lawrenceville. In the resale segment of the market there were 52 properties ranging in price from $65,000 to $449,900 that went under contract and 8 properties that closed ranging in price from $95,000 to $430,000. In the new construction segment of the market 14 properties went under contract ranging in price from $164,510 to $399,824 and 1 properties closed at a price of $360,000.

Gwinnett County Summary

For the month of January 2009, real estate sales for single family detached homes in Gwinnett County looked like this:
•    406 Resale Properties Went Under Contract
•     62 Resale Properties Closed
•     69 New Construction Properties Went Under Contract
•     18 New Construction Properties Closed.

Gwinnett County may well be on it’s way toward recovery in the real estate sector. Recenty several clients have asked when we would hit the bottom in the real estate market in Gwinnett County. My responce was that we probably would not know we have hit bottom until we had 2 to 3 months of positive data to enlighten us. Compared to December of 2008 in January 2009 properties that went under contract in Gwinnett County increased by 41.79 percent. Couple that with December 2008 showing an increase over November 2008 and a very positive trend is imerging. It is difficult to predict whether or not this trend will continue but with interest rates being at historically low levels it would seem to make sense.

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.

The Stimulus Package

The city of Lilburn Georgia has announce an annexation strategy that will more than double the land mass of the city and basically double the residents of the city. The current approximately 6.5 square miles would increase to approximately 14.5 square miles and the population would grow from approximately 12,000 to approximately 24,000. I guess you could say this is City Government proposing its own stimulus package.

How Does It Happen?

The City of Lilburn is holding an informational meeting this Saturday, Jan 31 at 10 a.m. at Lilburn City Hall.  This will also be discussed at the Monday, Feb. 9 at the 7:30 p.m. Lilburn City Council meeting. Legislation will be introduced in the Georgia General Assembly by the end of February 2009 and the effective date of the annexation will be December 1, 2009. Prior to the introduction of the legislation for annexation being introduced there is to be a public information meeting that will be held. The date and time of this meeting are yet to be determined.

Why is it Needed?

Let’s examine why the annexation is needed. Some of the best schools in the state are located in the Lilburn area of Gwinnett County. That’s probably not it. The Gwinnett County Parks were just named best in the nation. That’s probably not it. The public services would remain the same with the exception of police and Gwinnett County has one of the best police departments in the entire Atlanta area. That’s probably not it. Oh wait a minute this may be the reason, Lilburn want to build a new 30,000 + square foot city hall and they would like to have the additional tax revenue. Yep that’s it. That has to be it. Nothing else makes sense.

Join The Real World

With the current economic situation in this country, is this the right time to build an $8,500,000.00 building that probably is not needed? What are your thoughts? To contact your local representatives:
Your GA State House Representative is Clay Cox.  clay.cox@house.ga.gov 
Your GA State Senator is Don Balfour. don.balfour@senate.ga.gov
Your County Commissioner is Bert Nasuti. Bert.Nasuti@gwinnettcounty.com
Your County Board of Commissioners Chairman is Charles Bannister. Charles.Bannister@gwinnettcounty.com

Let your feelings be known. Don’t wait until after it’s done. Get involved now!

View the Annexation Area Map.

Last week, while attending a continuing education class, I along with the other attendees saw on a listing the classification for a HERS Index. One student in the class asked, what is a HERS Index? No one was able to answer the question. As is usually, when a question like this arises there will be research done and a blog post to follow that answers the question. This is no exception.

After doing a Google search, the first site that I visited in my quest for information on a HERS Index/Rating was the Energy Star site. What I found was that a HERS rating is a scoring system that involves an analysis of a homes construction plans along with on site inspections and testing. Upon review of the plans the “Energy Rater” uses an energy efficiency software package to analyze the design of the home. The Rater will then make recommendations to the builder that will identify energy efficiency improvements that will ensure that the home will meet Energy Star performance guidelines.

Onsite inspections are made by the “Energy Rater” along with the input from the original plan review are used to generate the HERS Index. The on site inspections typically include a blower door test that tests for leaks in the house and a duct test that test for leaks in the duct work.

So now we know what HERS stands for: Home Energy Rating System.

But What Do The Numbers Mean?

Based on the 2006 International Energy Conservation Code, a home built to these standards will have a Hers Index of 100. The lower the Hers Index the more energy efficient the home is. A 1 point decrease in the HERS Index equals a 1% saving in energy consumption compared to the standard. A home with a HERS Index of 85 would be 15% more efficient than the standard.

Who Does The Testing?

The second site that I went to while searching for information was the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) site. From their site we get the RESNET Mission Statement:
•    The Residential Energy Services Network’s (RESNET®) mission is to ensure the success of the building energy performance certification industry, set the standards of quality, and increase the opportunity for ownership of high performance buildings.

Certified Rater’s must complete training by a RESNET Accredited Training provider and pass a test to be certified. After certification, the Raters then begin their work of examining plans and helping builders construct more energy efficient homes.

So you are searching for a large traditional executive home with a full basement in a great school district on a level cul-de-sac lot. Well look no further, it’s right here at 5099 Browning Way in Lilburn, GA. This five bedroom four full bath home is ideal for a large or growing family.

I hardly know where to start with all the features found in this home. I guess the best place to start would be in the main gathering room of every home, the kitchen. This kitchen while being built for a large family remains cozy. The adjacent breakfast area has a bay window and opens to the screened porch and deck area. The island also serves as a breakfast bar and like the rest of the kitchen has solid surface counter tops. The oak cabinets are beautiful and plentiful and provide this kitchen with real warmth. Also included in this kitchen are separate cook top, oven, microwave and desk/planning area.

Also located on the main floor are the formal living and dining rooms, the guest bedroom and full bath, the laundry room with wash tub and the separate den. The den deserves a few additional comments. It’s not very often that we get to see full masonry fireplaces anymore but you can see one here. This one also has a gas starter. The skylights while providing natural light are equipped with sliding shades to prevent glare and help with energy efficiency.

As we move upstairs we get to the sleeping area. The master suite will accommodate king size furniture and has a triple trey ceiling with a ceiling fan. The over sized walk-in closet provides ample space. The master bath features a huge shower, separate jetted tub, and an angular double vanity. The three remaining bedrooms and bath on this level are all large.

The finished basement is a continuation of the upper two levels. While maintaining a storage area and a workshop there remained plenty of space for a full bath, office, media area, exercise area, and a wet bar.

The private wooded backyard is fenced and ready for children, pets or a get together with family and friends.

This home is serviced by some of Gwinnett Counties finest schools:
Arcado Elementary School
Trickum Middle School
Parkview high School

Just follow the link for additional pictures and information on this Executive Home in the Parkview District.