Words of Wisdom from Preston Murphy..... please read. 

Winter is coming ???? [for the real estate market]. 

...by the way, it lasts for YEARS, typically. Longer than many of you have been practicing. 

As you see from the photo, from October 2006 to March 2012 our industry LOST almost 30% of the agent population. 

?? Are you prepared? 
?? Will your business survive the impending shift? 

In light of ‘4 million reasons’, most Realtors are currently relying on two things to prop up his/her business in our current market:

Want a better solution? TEXT RECAREER to 474747 and jump start a new path to a real career in Real Estate.

1?? the most robust market we’ve seen in a decade (not actually skill-based results). You happen-upon someone who wants to buy, sell, or invest in real estate because it’s the “thing to do” & you think your business is growing. It’s not. Don’t get caught in that trap. 

...and, btw, we’re actually on track to close fewer deals this year in the USA versus last year (in case you were thinking things are still on the way up nationally)

2?? many of you are also relying on your brokerage’s...

by: Stan Jones                                                                                                                National Real Estate Coach                                                                                         CEO The Stan Jones Team

Selling a home is stressful.  It's likely the biggest investment of a person's life.  Physically moving puts a toil on a person's mind, body, and soul.  Ripping up a person's 'nest' that is layered with memory after memory can be down right overwhelming.  Yet, with this selling a home can be incredibly rewarding as well. Moving to a different area, neighborhood, home style is a breath of fresh air.  New friends in the community.  New layout to decorate and make it yours.

Selling a home can be accomplished in multiple ways. Doing it along by FSBO and hiring a realtor are the most popular.  93% of homes were sold by a professional real estate agent in 2017.

Now there is a new player in town.  The so called iBuyer.  An iBuyer is a company who buys your home and allows a seller to close and move on their timing.  Wow! Now that is nice!  As a seller you get to control the timing.  In tradition real estate that is not probable.

The question is "At what cost does a seller pay for the convenience of choosing your own closing day/time?"

Take a look at the Forbes article about the iBuyer companies (90% choose not to go with the iBuyer... that's...

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     The Jones Realty Group is excited to serve you with your real estate needs! Our team is ready to serve you and we Guarantee your home to be sold or we will sell it for FREE!

     Schedule your FREE no obligation 30 minute consultation today!  This consultation will provide a true home's value along with a professional marketing plan to get top dollar for the sale of your home.

CLICK HERE and get started NOW with your Guaranteed Sale!

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How to Make a Competitive Offer in a Multiple Offer Situation

In today’s competitive market, homes can come and go in a matter of days. It’s likely that buyers will be caught in a multiple-offer situation while hunting for their dream home. If you’re looking to move, here are some tricks of the trade that will help make your offer strong and stand out from the rest.

If at all Possible, Pay in Cash

If you’re able to make an all-cash offer, do it. Making a cash offer gives you a competitive edge over other bidders. Sellers love cash offers because there are fewer hoops to jump through before closing. Home buyers who pay in cash can move through the closing process much faster than those who are financing.  Our preferred lenders have the ability to give you a fully underwritten Preapproval letter if you submit documents and start the loan process before you find a house.  This give you the ability to compete as a Cash buyer, thus, highly increasing your Competitive Advantage.

Personalize Your Offer

If a seller has multiple offers, make sure yours Stands Out! We have our clients write their family stories. You could send a handwritten note that tells the sellers all you love about the home and personal details – like how you can’t wait to make the guest bedroom your child’s new play space! If you want to get really personal, include a photo of your family; this will help the sellers put faces to your offer, too! Many sellers want to know...

Mortgage Interest Rates - How Much Do They Affect Buying A Home?

by Stan Jones, Keller Williams Realty 678.467.7554

The Federal Reserve has lifted interest rates, and Chairman Jerome Powell signaled that the U.S. economy wasn’t in danger of overheating. 

What do interest rates do to your monthly mortgage payment?

A $250,000 mortgage amount would look like this

If interest rates rise from 4.5% to 5.5% and the mortgage is for 30 years the total increase in payment for the life of the loan would be approx. $55,185.  

Call us today at 678.467.7554 to learn more how to get qualified for a mortgage and best practice to purchase a home today!

A little about Jerome Powell...

Jerome Powell was confirmed by the Senate in January to become the 16th chair of the Federal Reserve, and occupied his new post on Feb. 3, replacing the successful and widely admired Janet Yellen. The March FOMC meeting will be his first as Fed chair.

The former ...

Real Estate Careers with the Stan Jones Team

The Stan Jones Team is expanding. Full time positions in our organization include benefits, a fun atmosphere, and a strong compensation plan. Our company has great culture and is committed to your success through accountability and training. We are goal oriented professionals who are committed to our clients needs and will do what it takes to achieve the highest customer service for our valued clients and exceed our goals for success

Visit the link below and complete a brief application and then follow instructions below

GENERAL APPLICATION QUESTIONS

Buyer Specialist

We are seeking a driven, achiever with a track record of success to join our growing sales team. If you are persuasive, enjoy meeting new people and have real estate experience - let's talk! Our Exclusive Buyer’s agents earn well over $100,000 and there is no ceiling on how much you can earn. We offer a unique, unmatched opportunity for you to be mentored & learn from some of the best in the real estate industry. Our ideal candidate is conscientious, articulate, committed, results-oriented, loves to learn & is teachable.

Interested candidates send resume to [email protected]

Listing Agent

We are seeking a driven, high performer with a track record of success to join our growing sales team. The right candidate will desire to be a leader and earn the right to be the Lead Listing Agent. The right person is ready to...

Moving your family from one city to another can be a great way to change things up and get a fresh perspective on life. You may be tempted to start organizing all of your things and packing up boxes right away, but you should first do a little research. Knowing which area that you plan to move to and the potential benefits for your family is a critical part of making a successful relocation. For example, would a move to Monroe, Georgia be in your best interest? 

Your life will be completely changed by a potential move, including your children’s schools, the recreational activities nearby, and possibly even your finances. It’s only wise to take the time to thoroughly research these changes so you can anticipate the potential outcome.

Take a short break from your weekend frenzy of cleaning out closets and preparing for your upcoming move to find out what you can really expect from a move to Monroe, Georgia.

About Monroe Schools

Remember: In rural communities where there is a wide diversity of affluence as well as relatively small sample size, it's increasingly difficult to score well on online portal information.  

One of the first things that parents consider before making a major move is the quality of the local public-school district. Every child is entitled to a free and appropriate public-school education, so it makes sense to consider what each area has to offer in advance. Your child’s basic education could be the gateway directly to their future.

Georgia doesn’t exactly rank as one of the best states in the nation for education. It comes in solidly in the middle of the pack, so it’s imperative that parents find a school district that has good ratings to make the most of what they do offer....

Just Listed Homes

  For more information about the newest listed homes for sale in Atlanta, or to get a qualified Realtor with local knowledge of Atlanta working for you, contact Stan Jones Team @ 678.467.7554 or send us an email at [email protected]

1092 Pathview Court, Dacula                                          3960 Triton Ives Drive, Auburn

2629 White Aster Lane, Dacula                                     85 Benson Street, Lawrenceville

...

Have you been considering making a move to Dacula, Georgia? Many families are drawn to the southern way of life in 30019. The south tends to represent days that are long and slow with summers that never end. You can enjoy the warm weather, clear sunshine, and a friendlier way of life by moving to the southern parts of the United States. 

Unfortunately, deciding to relocate to Dacula, GA does require a lot of research before making a final decision. You wouldn’t want to uproot your family from their beloved hometown without knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that your new town is the perfect place for everyone. The school system, recreational activities available, and the projected cost of living are all incredibly important factors to think about before you make a move. 

You can hold off on taping those boxes shut just yet. First, you need to find all of the information you should know about moving to Dacula, GA.

DACULA School Information

Academics should be one of your top priorities if you have children and plan to make a major move with your family in the upcoming years. There is no substitute for an excellent education, regardless of what extracurricular activities or parks and recreation departments may be available in the area. The public-school system can be a clear indicator of your child’s future academic success in higher education through college and potentially even grad school. 

How do the schools in Dacula, Georgia compare to others around the country? 

Fortunately, the...

ATLANTA RELOCATION GUIDE

If you're relocating to Atlanta from Florida, California or the North East you are not alone!   Atlanta is a very transient city and many large corporations like IBM and Publix will fly families into Atlanta to be trained and then send them back out to their other locations.

Step 1:  Determine The "general" Location.

Based On Work

The best first step is to narrow down where you want to live.  You might think to yourself that Atlanta traffic can't be that bad, but you have no idea.  What looks like a 20-minute commute is an hour, it's always an hour.   Proximity to your employer is huge.  If you get to telecommute and you want to stretch out to the suburbs then you can move to refine this a bit. 

Typically there's options in Atlanta proper, but also in Duluth, Marietta and Alpharetta (which incidentally is where many of the best schools are).

Based On Schools

If you want to search by the best schools you're looking at the top half of metro Atlanta.  Luckily, there are a few good schools in every county, but Cobb and Gwinnett County boast the top schools and Gwinnett is the largest school system in the state.  If you would like to search by schools, just look below. 

Based On Play

Whether you were sent...

When preparing this blog to answer the question, "Is Winter The Worst Time To Sell My Home?" I googled and found a variety of answer.  One national brokerage suggests that summer is the worst time to sell and that winter is the best.  Everyone's favorite real estate miss-information site suggest that Spring is the best time to sell.   With all these different opinions how is one to know when is the best time to actually sell your Dacula home?   

Note:  Many times these national outlets use national numbers vs local numbers, so it could be like comparing Detroit real estate to say Snellville real estate.  They are likely to behave completely differently. 

Before we answer this question (don't peak), it's worth noting that we believe the best time to sell is when your family needs to move.  Trying to time the sale of your home can be a scary ordeal.  The reason is that the information we have regarding the market is usually 90 days behind.  By the time we notice the market shifting it's already shifted. 

In addition, (if you didn't read ahead) when you look below you'll see what has actually closed.  Real Estate closings do not happen overnight or within 30 days.  Rather, they can take 60 to 90 days.  So a closing in December likely started in November or October.  

The first thing you'll notice here is that the worst time to expect a closing is actually in January. So if we use...

This question comes up from time to time in various forms, from, "how much money should I save before buying a house" to "how much money do I need to put down?" or "How Much Money Do You Need To Buy A Home In Atlanta, GA?"  While there are financial entertainers out there that will give you a different opinion there is a "facts-based" answer to this.   One such entertainer, Dave Ramsey, suggests 20% down.  He's so popular that even popular websites like credit.com and forbes.com recommend this same amount.  If you put 20% you'll be way ahead of the game and that's outstanding, however, with a median price of $330,000 in Atlanta, GA, that's $66,000 cash that most don't have.

So, How Much Money Do You Need To Buy A Home In Atlanta, GA?

Fortunately for you, the answer is far less than 20%.  If you're looking for what is required to buy a home for the average American, it's about 4% of the purchase price.   On a $330,000 median price point home, that's roughly $11,550.   This amount includes a 3.5% down payment as well as money for incidentals, appraisals, and inspections while using an FHA mortgage. 

Keep in mind we're talking about Atlanta real estate here which includes areas like Buckhead.  So there's more affordable homes all over the city as well as the suburbs.  Take Loganville real estate for example, with a median price point of $194,000, you have a better example that matches the infographic below.

 So what are we missing? ...

Top 10 Reasons to List Your Home During the Holidays...

It's getting close to the end of the year and we thought it would be an excellent time to look back on the last 6 months and see what are the Best Selling Neighborhoods In Dacula GA For 2017. You might remember that we looked at the Dacula GA Real Estate market earlier.   As a courtesy to you we include more than a top 10 because Hamilton Mill and Apalachee Farms will likely also lead the pack due to the number of homes for sale that they have at any given time in Dacula, GA.

Best Selling Neighborhoods In Dacula GA For 2017

Hamilton Mill - This the perennial leader in home sales of course.  With 77 homes sold in Hamilton Mill in the past 6 months, it's the clear winner.  The average price of homes for sale in Hamilton Mill that sold was $386K.  Which also tops this list. 

Apalachee Farms - Seemingly playing second fiddle to Hamilton Mill in terms of sales and quantity and frankly publiciity, Apalachee Farms sold 25 in 6 months with an average price of homes for sale in Apalachee Farms coming to $347

Best Selling Neighborhoods In Dacula GA For 2017 NOT Named Hamilton Mill

1. Daniel Park - We often refer to Daniel Park as Dacula's best kept secret but after reviewing the numbers, it's clearly not a secret to anyone.  With 18 homes sales in 6 months and an average price of homes for sale in Daniel Park at $305K... the cat is out of the bag.
2. ...

Whether you're thinking of selling now or later, it's worth while to know What's The Real Estate Market Like In Dacula, GA.

Today's real estate market is still going strong!  Homes for sale in 30019 are still selling strong!  Even with all the positve news it's worth looking at a couple of real estate statistics though.  Let's dive into Dacula Real Estate.

Dacula Market Report

Dacula Sales Volume

Sales in September 2016 compared to Sales in September 2017 show a few changes.  Sales Volume September 2016 was $20,292,373 and September 2017 was $21,901,391.  That's increase in sales volume. With this, however, number of homes for sale in Dacula went down from 80 sales in 2016 to 77 sales in 2017. This is the first decline in number of sales in September in the past five years.  

For a list of the sales for the last 6 months you can check out our blog post titled:  Best Selling Neighborhoods In Dacula GA For 2017

Dacula GA Days On Market

Total days of market also increased from 43 days on market September 2016 to 50 days on market September 2017.  Although 50 days on market shows a very healthy market and sales turnaround it is something to take note that number of days on market has increased.

Dacula GA Absorption Rate

Another...

The Stan Jones Team has gained some momentum in the month of June. The team is projected to close 16 homes this month. The members worked extremely hard to reach their personal goals. This number wouldn’t be possible without their hard work each and everyday.  According to Homesnap, the Gwinnett County Real Estate market, the overall sales numbers in the last 30 days have remained above the monthly average (2,098.9) with 2,329 homes sold. Prices have begun to increase from price medians $225,900 to $227,000 in the Greater Atlanta Area. If you are on the search for a new home, or looking to sell your current home, our team would love to connect with you. Interest rates will begin to rise as we approach July and August. If you have any questions about the real estate market, our current listings, or how buying or selling right now could best benefit you rather than waiting, call us at 678-542-1380. We look forward to connecting with you soon!

The Stan Jones Team has listed a handful of homes already for the month of June!

Our team has listed some great homes & outstanding pieces of land over the last two months. Potential buyers should note that prices on inventory planned to to increase as time moves forward into the months of July and August. If you are considering to buy or sell your home, right now would be the best time! Interest rates are low, but will begin to rise.  Don’t lose out on the opportunity to be a part of this market. To view all of our listings, visit our home page at www.AtlantaHomesToday.com

We have a team of agents that are ready to help serve you into your dream home.

If you have any questions or want to connect with one of our agents to begin your search for a new home or to get your home sold, we would love to help you! Call us today at 678-249-9635.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We want to keep you in the know!

www.facebook.com/stanjonesteam & www.instagram.com/stanjones_team

Keller Williams Realty - Stan Jones & Associates Realty Team Invites you to apply!

< Experience Required >

Do you enjoy helping the team run smoothly, and that everything is done “right”? Stan Jones & Associates Realty Team - a division of Keller Williams Realty is seeking an executive level Administrator who is passionate about providing world-class customer service and ensuring a successful and enjoyable transaction for our valued home buyers and sellers. This is your opportunity to join a hyper-successful team where you won’t just earn a living, but be part of a growing family that invests as much in each other as we do our clients. We are fully engaged in your professional and personal growth in a way that few others offer. We would love to have you join the family! Responsibilities

• Supports the sales agents in the maintenance, documentation and follow-up of all their escrow related paperwork.
• Managing all aspects of real estate transactions process from processing sales in our database to auditing and maintain the related transactions file.
• Responsible for verifying all properties have been entered into the closing system
• Creating Clients for life
• Work closely with escrow and the selling agent to retrieve any and all documents needed to close the files
• Verify and sign off on all documents received for correct signatures and dates
• Follow up with agents for missing documents.
• Contact buyer's agent to request disclosures to be returned
• Support Listing Team in getting listings live.
• Communicate with clients to ensure a smooth process until close.
• Run errands for team lead
• Monitor Social media and post closings and listings
• Manager leads calendar, maintain leads schedule and event calendar
• Open, read, route and...