Appen Media Group
Real Estate Report January Special Section
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North Atlanta’s
Sponsored Section • real estate report
January 2015
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News and advertising for new homes, realtors, developers, commercial properties and more.
Good schools equate to a more vibrant community By: Carroll Cunningham Strong public schools are an important facet of any housing market. The difference between a good elementary and a great elementary school can translate into thousands of dollars. Home buyers will stretch their budgets $10,000 to $15,000 more to get into an area where the schools have been ranked high academically. Good schools equate to a more vibrant community. If the real estate market is hot in a particular area… so is the local economy. It has been shown that there is a definite correlation between the school system and the real estate market. The Rand Corporation did a study for the city of Santa Monica, CA and found 4 major impacts made by the school system on the community. They were: Housing values, crime rate, tax revenues and civic participation. There was also strong evidence that the quality of education impacted the physical and mental health
in the community. A one year increase in the average education levels showed a substantial reduction that same year in major crimes Cunningham – 27% fewer murders; 30% fewer assaults and 20% fewer motor vehicle thefts. The study noted that a 1% increase in the average school district reading or math scores equated to a .5% to 1% increase in property tax revenue. The higher housing values, the higher the property tax revenues are for the community. Schools definitely impact our community. Another impact comes from our community leaders. They must be made aware of a very dangerous term, “Student Mobility.” This refers to the phenomenon of students changing schools for reasons other than grade promotion. Frequent movement of students from
school to school puts those students at greater risk for academic and behavioral problems. Many drop-out students have been victims of frequent school change. Housing is the most important issue that must be addressed with this critical problem. Often times a family moves due housing being cheaper for the family. When this movement occurs, and schools end up with a 40 to 60% mobility rate, the quality of the education for all students in the system are impacted. Being a Principal and teacher for 30 years, I know how important schools are to the community. It is so essential for the community leaders, the school system and the real estate companies that
operate in that community to work together to preserve high academic standards for our clients. We all must remember that students are clients; the citizens who live in our area are clients; and new buy-
ers and sellers of homes are clients. They definitely deserve our cooperation in working together to give them an outstanding community in which to live, work and grow.
ryland.com
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In the Atlanta division, on accepted purchase agreements signed between November 1, 2014 and November 30, 2014 are eligible to receive $15,000 in Flex Cash; can be used towards MyStyle® Design Center Options and/or closing costs when using RMC Mortgage® and/or lot premiums, finished basement, etc. Incentive offer does not apply to contracts written prior to November 1, 2014. The following communities are excluded from the $15,000 incentive, Bethany Crossing, Bridleton, ManorView and Marketplace Commons. Individual promotions may vary by community. Certain included features may not be available on all plans. Value of package, and products, may vary by community and plan. Homes already under contract prior to this offer are not eligible. Plus for New to-be built homes, buyer eligible to receive up to $5,000 toward closing costs. Individual incentives may vary by community. Closing cost assistance available from Ryland Homes to those financing through RMC Mortgage® Corporation and closing with a closing attorney selected by Ryland. Amount of closing cost assistance may vary by product and community, and is subject to applicable contribution limitations. For all financing promotions, see a RMC Mortgage® Corporation Loan Officer for details. RMC Mortgage® Corporation is located at 1000 Mansell Exchange West, Suite 200, Alpharetta, GA 30022 and is a Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, license number 24225 and NMLS number 203897. Buyers also eligible to receive Waived 1% Origination Fee through RMC Mortgage®; average value of $4,000 which is based on a $400,000 loan amount. The waived origination fee through RMC Mortgage® Corporation is subject to cancellation or change without notice. Buyers must make a loan application by November 30, 2014 with RMC Mortgage® Corporation (NMLS# 203897) a Georgia Residential Mortgage Lender Licensee #24225. *Buyers must also close with RMC Mortgage® Corporation. Please contact your RMC Mortgage® Corporation Representative for exact quotes. Prices, plans and specifications are subject to change without notice. Ryland reserves the right to modify or cancel these offers at any time. Photographs are for illustrative purposes only. Offer may not be combined with any other promotion or incentives. Information shown believed to be accurate but not warranted. See a Sales Counselor for details on available promotions, restrictions and offer limitations. © 2014 The Ryland Group, Inc.
January 2015
real estate report • Sponsored Section
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Sponsored Section • real estate report
January 2015
Understanding Escheatment And How To Keep Your Property Safe By Cynthia Nisley (NAPSI)—If you have a bank account, are holding uncashed checks, own stock, are heir to an insurance policy or have property in a safe-deposit box, there are steps you can take to help protect your property from escheatment. “Escheatment� is the term that describes how “abandoned,� “unclaimed� or “lost� property is turned over to the state. If the property owner cannot be found or hasn’t demonstrated an interest in the asset, the U.S. state where the holder lives can take custody of those belongings. If the owner or heir comes forward, he or she can claim it back from the state but early withdrawal penalties or market
losses may significantly affect the asset’s value and the funds may not be immediately available. You may say, “But I haven’t abandoned my property. I don’t have anything to worry about.� That’s not necessarily so. Consider the case of an employee of a fast-growing technology company who held stock certificates with a face value of nearly $500,000. He kept the certificates in a safe and intended to use the funds for his kids’ college education. Unknown to him, his stock had been escheated due to returned mail and lack of contact. His nest egg was ruined and he was able to claim just under $20,000, the amount the state sold his stock for at the time of escheatment.
Here are a few similar scenarios that can happen to anyone: • If you don’t cash dividend checks, those checks and associated stock may be escheated unless you have made contact with the transfer agent. Since most states sell shares immediately, you will lose out on any market gains, dividends or stock splits that occur after the shares are sold. • If you move and do not update your address with your financial institution (such as a bank), it will mark your account as “lostâ€? once it receives two pieces of undeliverable mail from the post office. After three to five years, depending on the state, your assets will be escheated unless you make contact with the institution.
• If you have a safe-deposit box and never access it or make contact with your bank, the contents of the box may be turned over to the state and sold at auction. You could claim back the cash value— but not the valuables themselves. So how can you protect your assets? Staying in contact with your financial institutions is the key to protecting your property. To actively show interest in all your assets: 1. Keep a list of all the financial institutions you deal with, such as a bank or transfer agent, and contact them at least once per year. This can be as simple as accessing your account online, calling in to the customer service center, cashing a check, updating your address, changing a beneficiary or voting a proxy. 2. Keep your address updated with all your financial institutions if you move. 3. Consolidate accounts, to make it easier to maintain contact and keep track of your assets. 4. If you receive a notice alerting you to the fact that
your account is considered “inactive� or “abandoned,� respond immediately. Note that service providers such as Georgeson may contact you, offering to provide assistance in helping prevent escheatment of an inactive or abandoned account. You have the option to use the service or handle it yourself directly with your financial institution—the service provider should disclose all options. 5. Make sure that your heirs know which stocks you own and where you have financial accounts. To find out if any of your property has been escheated, visit www.missingmoney. com and search participating states’ records by the property owner’s name, or for contact information for nonparticipating states. Ms. Nisley is Senior Vice President, Georgeson Inc.
Cumming. 7880 Brands Hatch Boulevard 5BR/3.5BA FMLS: 5356747 Jay Christopher 404.731.1125
Cumming. 1585 Hidden Creek Point 4BR/2.5BA FMLS: 5366030 Sarah Wilkins 770.598.2388
Suwanee. 4862 Ipswich Glen 4BR/4.5BA FMLS: 5336871 Kathy Rice 678.697.4984 Anne Stone 404.307.6416
Wilmington, North Carolina. $5,500,000 Property ID: 8L934N Landmark Sotheby’s International Realty
Hardcoat Stucco in Gated Community with Master on Main!
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January 2015
real estate report • Sponsored Section
Resolutions for Success >>
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5 Tips for selling your home in 2015 By: BILL RAWLINGS Vice President/Managing Broker Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's international Realty If you are considering selling your home in 2015, you should know that a lot has probably changed in the real estate market since you last sold. Knowing what works today — and resolving to put the tips and advice of the past to rest — will position your home for a quick and profitable sale. Appeal to mobile buyers. Nearly all home searches now begin on a smartphone or tablet — not on the web, and not using the newspaper. Failing to optimize your listing and your photos for mobile devices can result in missed opportunities with today’s generation of buyers. Separate your home from your investment. Selling a home can be an emotional time, but not letting emotions
get the best of you is crucial to your sale. If you are too sentimentally attached to your home, you may reject a good price or fail to negotirawlings ate with a serious buyer. Be ready to change your homeowner hat to your investor hat. Only list your home once you are serious about selling. Do you have a place to go if you sell? Have you fully cleaned and de-cluttered your home? Have you taken your agent’s advice on staging and pricing? These are necessary steps that guarantee that you present your home in its best possible light. Hire the best agent for the job. The agent you used to purchase the home 15 years ago may seem like the logical
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Alpharetta. 'ULIĂ€HOG :D\ %5 %$ FMLS: 5335684 Tracy McCusker 770.653.0060
Buckhead. 4736 Harris Trail %5 %$ FMLS: 5364406 Sandra Storrar 404.310.3558 Betsy Akers 404.372.8144
Cumming. :RRGORQJ /DQH %5 %$ FMLS: 5340362 Donna Murphy 770.312.5776 Ann Sander 678.234.9855
Milton. &RRSHU 6DQG\ &RYH %5 %$ FMLS: 5351364 Becky Danyo 678.873.0842 Eleanor Nadal 678.524.8379
Milton. 3URYLGHQFH /DNH 'ULYH %5 %$ FMLS: 5373260 Robin Henderson 770.331.7438
Roswell. 7203 Lowery Oak Drive %5 %$ FMLS: 5368598 Ann Sander 678.234.9855 Donna Murphy 770.312.5776
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choice for listing your home this time around. But are they really the best option? Research different agents and shop around. If you have any doubt about an agents abilities, hold off on establishing a relationship. Make the best impression online. Today, buyer first impressions are on the Internet. Listing your home without complete information — including photos, description and accurate data — can be detrimental to your sale.
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Sponsored Section • real estate report
January 2015