Remag Fall2013 by R.E. Real Estate Magazine

METRO ATLANTA EDITION > FALL 2013

Mikel Muffley Creating the Dream also

Calendar of Events Realtor Resource Directory

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Peggy Vargo (Trade Show Chair); Pam Morris (FMLS), Nobu Hata (National Association of REALTORS®’ Director of Digital Engagement) and Nancy See (2013 Atlanta Board of REALTORS® President) pause for a photo at the trade show.

Publisher Lawrence A. Cohen publisher@remagazines.com Editorial Consultant TC McClenning editor@remagazines.com Photographer Sue Buxton phototyme@msn.com Database Administrator Seth Paul circulation@remagazines.com Graphic Design/Production Jon B. Bradie/Unit B Creative jb@unitbcreative.com Contributing Writers Mike Huber TC McClenning Board of Advisors Dan Forsman Kevin Levent Sandra McCrary Carol Morgan Jenny Pruitt Walter Sanford Tom Spurlin R.E. Magazine® is published quarterly by REM Publishing, LLC., 3036 Leafwood Drive SE., Marietta, GA 30067. Phone: 770-956-7100 FAX: 770-956-7105 www.remagazines.com R.E. Real Estate Magazine is printed by Executive Press, Richardson, TX, using earth-friendly printing techniques, including FSC-certified paper, and soy-based inks and biodegradable coatings. Subscriptions are free for Realtor® Board or Association members in Metro Atlanta. Allow 6-8 weeks for new subscriptions. www.remagazines.com/ atlantasubscribe POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: R.E. Magazine, 3036 Leafwood Drive SE., Marietta 30067

N E W S

The Atlanta Board of Realtors® and FMLS Host Annual Trade Show at Cobb Galleria More than 3,000 professionals from the real estate industry – one of the largest crowds ever – attended the Atlanta Board of Realtors® (ABR) and First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) Showcase 2013 Trade Show at Cobb Galleria on August 22nd. All proceeds from the one-day event help fund ABR’s 12th Habitat for Humanity house to be built this fall. “We were very pleased with this year’s turnout, though not surprised given the caliber of the seminars and keynoters,” said ABR President Nancy See. “In addition, 118 industry-associated vendors were on hand to share information on their products and services. The overwhelming majority of attendees providing feedback said that this was the best show to date.”

Harry Norman, Realtors® Launches Program of Millennial Agents Recognizing Atlanta’s rank as one and were born in the early 1960s of the top U.S. cities preferred by through the earliest 1980s. At a young professionals, the Buckhead company breakfast, Rob Owen North office of Harry Norman, welcomed Millennials Program Realtors® has expanded its focus to provide additional support to single professionals, young couples and families in choosing their next home. According to Rob Owen, Senior Vice President and Manager of the Buckhead North office, “We’ve launched an extraordinarily talented team of young professional Realtors, members of the From left to right, Millennial Group agent Ashley Lee Millennial Generation, to serve talked with Senior Vice President Rob Owen and her this increasingly important fellow Millennial agents Jackie Smith and Kyle Gilbert younger market, composed in during the Millennials Program. large part of Millennials themselves agents Michael Neill, Kyle Gilbert, and also members of Generation X.” Kristen Feldman, Clayton Howard, Millennials are defined as people Jackie Smith, Juan Carlos Carrion, born between 1982 and 2004, while Ashley Lee and Katie Brannen. Generation X members followed News continued on page 7 the post-World War II “baby boom” r.e.

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P E O P L E

Jon Shapiro

David Shapiro

The Jon Shapiro Group, based in RE/MAX Around Atlanta’s Sandy Springs office, is pleased to announce that Jon Shapiro’s son, David Shapiro, age 23, has joined the family real estate business as Director of New Business Development. He has been licensed since March and will help in all capacities of the business. Through the years, this family-oriented business has employed mothers, mother-in-laws, sisters, stepfathers and even friends, but this is the first fatherson venture.

The Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends has named the Mark Spain Team one of America’s top 250 real estate teams for 2013. Ranking No. 12 nationally for most transaction sides with 631 closings in 2012, the Mark Spain Team Mark Spain moved up another eight spots on the annual list from the previous year. The team had $110 million in gross sales and their transactions were up Wendy Bunch, the broker/owner of RE/MAX Pure and head of the Wendy Bunch Team, was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicle 2013 Top 100 “Who’s Who” of key people who are influencing the metro area’s rebounding residential real estate industr y. Bunch is also cur rently ser ving as 2013 president of the Cobb A ssociation of Realtors® (CAR). Her company, RE/ MAX Pure, was named a 2013 Cobb Chamber Top 25 Small Business of the Year. Bunch has been selling real estate more than 15 years and has been very active on committees and in leadership roles with both CAR and the Georgia Association of Realtors®.

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

nearly 25 percent over the team’s 512 sales in 2011. They were also No. 2 in the U.S. (out of more than 80,000 Keller Williams agents) and No. 2 in the world for Keller Williams Realty for 2012 sales. The Mark Spain Team was recently endorsed by both Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, two news industry icons. For Hannity and Beck to consider endorsing an agent or team, the agent must be in the top 1 percent of all Realtors® and many are No. 1 in their marketplace. To keep up with the growing building demand, Windsong Properties recently added another new team member. Brandon Teeters, a resident of Canton, knew at a young age that he would work in the construction industry. Now, with more than 10 years under his belt, he has been hired as the newest active adult home builder by Windsong Properties. Teeters enjoys giving back to the community by being involved in his Brandon Teeters HOA and assisting with several Habitat for Humanity homes. As one of the company’s builders, Brandon will use his expertise to produce quality homes and help Windsong continue to grow. Barbara Glore, previously sales and marketing manager with Brock Built Homes, is pleased to announce she is now associated with Fischer Homes as a Sales Counselor. Fischer has more than 30 years’ home building experience, is the number one builder in the Indianapolis/Cincinnati area, and already has a dozen new home communities started in metro Atlanta. Glore has spent 35 years in real estate, with the majority of her career working Barbara Glore with new home builders. Active in the Atlanta Board of Realtors®, Glore is serving her second term as a director on the Sales and Marketing Council of the Atlanta Homebuilders Association. StrucSure Home Warranty recently presented Dan O’Dwyer, President of O’Dwyer Homes, with their Platinum Builder Award. This award represents a mark of excellence and designates O’Dwyer Homes among the top builder members in the country. Obtaining a Platinum Builder designation with StrucSure Home Warranty is an accolade presented to builders who have maintained a high Dan O’Dwyer level of customer satisfaction and have shown exemplary building practices and strong industry involvement. Over the past 20+ years, O’Dwyer Homes has built more than 1,000 homes in metro Atlanta.

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FA L L 2 0 1 3 V O L U M E 1 1 N U M B E R 3

Cover Story

Inside

Mikel Muffley

His unique spin on the real estate business has made his team the premiere boutique brokerage in Atlanta.

R.E. News

R.E. People

Calendar of Events

Realtor® Resource Directory

Inspector’s Report

Now That Was Shocking! 16 What every real estate agent should know about EMFs.

Visit our Facebook fan page at: www.facebook.com/remagazine Cover: Photo by Sue Buxton

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The Erin Yabroudy Team has joined the Dorsey Alston Realtors Buckhead Office. Led by Ansley Park resident Erin Yabroudy, the team has closed in excess of $75 million in residential properties in the past three years. Members of the Erin Yabroudy Team Erin Yabroudy include Kevin McGlynn, Donna Gardner, Ashley Czeschin, Ashley Meggitt, Wendy Leebern and Laura Law. Thomas and Brown, LLC is proud to announce that closing attorney Justin Pacific has joined the firm. Justin earned his Master of Arts in Cognitive Psychology from Florida Atlantic University and graduated with honors from the University of Florida Levin College of Law. He was previously with Justin Pacific O’Kelley & Sorohan and has several years of real estate law experience.

Deane Johnson has joined Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. Working from the firm’s Buckhead office on Northside Parkway, Deane Johnson specializes in the luxury market and landmark homes. He is also the founder and owner of Deane Johnson M. Deane Johnson Homes, an Atlantabased custom home building company. Johnson’s accolades include the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Restoration and the Philip Trammell Shutze Award from the Institute of Classical Architecture, Southeast chapter. A fourth generation Atlantan, Deane’s history is steeped in real estate, dating back to the 1911 establishment of Harper Realty Co. by his great-grandfather, John L. Harper.

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Metro Brokers Bank Asset Team Reaches 3,000th Sale Milestone

News continued from page 3

FrontDoor Communities Makes Largest Residential Land Acquisition in Metro Atlanta in 7 Years FrontDoor Communities has closed on 158 acres in south Forsyth County, with plans to develop its first Georgia project: a community known as Traditions with more than 400 homes. The property is located 1.7 miles from Georgia 400. An adjacent parcel will be developed into a 184,000 square-foot neighborhood shopping center anchored by a grocery store. The transaction marks the largest residential community land acquisition in metro Atlanta in seven years. “After developing and building successful communities in Charleston, Naples and Orlando, we are thrilled to have purchased the land for our first project in our hometown,” said Terry Russell, CEO and partner of FrontDoor.

After three and a half years of operation, the Metro Brokers Bank Asset Team has sold its 3,000th bankowned property. The Bank Asset Team is a special division of Metro Brokers that handles assets for banks, lenders, asset managers and equity funds, but specializes in Federal Deposition Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Loss Share institutions. The 3,000th listing sold was located at 410 East Church Street in Monroe, Ga. This commercial listing – which sold for $305,000 – is a three-story antebellum house built in 1890 that is now being used as a special event space for weddings, parties and more. The selling agent for the property was Paula Byrd of Metro Brokers’ Buckhead office. Since its inception in February 2010, the Bank Asset Team has managed more than 4,000 properties in a variety of categories: land, retail, homes, apartments, lots, subdivisions, office space and more. News continued on page 13

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C O V E R

His unique spin on the real estate business has made his team the premiere boutique brokerage in Atlanta by TC McClenning

ecessity, as the saying goes, is the mother of invention. Real estate agent extraordinaire Mikel Muffley seems to understand this adage well. He has learned to adapt to the ever-changing metro Atlanta real estate market by finding, and then filling, its voids. The strategy is working. His team at Muffley & Associates – now 25 people strong – has experienced unprecedented growth during one of the worst half-decades in Atlanta real estate history. Since the start of the “Great Recession” in 2008, Mikel and his group have doubled their gross sales volume every year. During the period

when real estate agents were getting out of the business by the hundreds, Muffley & Associates was putting their unique spin on customer service and adapting to the prevailing market conditions. At the time, they were working with a number of builders who found themselves with inventory they couldn’t sell. Muffley created a short sale division to help builders and banks get out from under their burdens. “More importantly, we were able to help a lot of people who were in a really bad financial situation, through no fault of their own, and help them get a fresh start,” explains Muffley. “I truly believe we were able to make a positive impact of many people’s lives.”

Photo by Sue Buxton

S T O R Y

Mikel Muffley

Muffley & Associates does professional sales training as a group every single week. “This is why our agents’ average incomes are higher than most other companies,” Muffley explains. “If you want to be successful, be accountable!”

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More recently, as the Atlanta real estate market began to improve, Muffley saw yet another unfilled niche. As the number of decent, high-end resales was almost nonexistent, and very little in-town new home construction wa s happen ing, Muffley pioneered the innovative Dream Home Program. He hand-selected several of Atlanta’s top custom high-end lu x u r y bu i lder s , each averaging more than 25 years’ experience, two of the South’s premiere Photo by Sue Buxton architectural firms in Harrison Design “There’s not one day that goes by that there’s not something fun and exciting going on in our business” says Mikel, shown here Associates and Pak going over their new homes construction division with agent Jamie Simpson and Heritage Bank loan office Adrienne Holmes. Heyt & Associates, “We’re always trying to offer new opportunities for our clients and our agents.” and renown interior designer Stanley Ellis with 30 years’ experience. matching the client with the right builder to create their Together they began offering a unique custom design Dream Home. and building experience to Muffley’s clients, at a volume art of Muffley’s success strategy may seem price comparable to buying a resale home. In addition, a counter-intuitive – to stay small. Muffley’s goal portion of the Muffley & Associates 10,000 sq. ft. Virginia has always been to create a “boutique” agency, Highlands office was transformed into a custom design keeping his offices at around 20-25 agents, center for these clients. A select group of dedicated team members now focus strictly on lot acquisition to find prime with just a handful of key locations in select Intown neighborhoods, he explains. He does not want to be all Intown properties. “The Dream Home Program has helped many of things to all people, but prefers to focus on the top inour clients get out of their current home and into their town neighborhoods inside Atlanta’s perimeter. Their new dream home of choice, in their neighborhood of coverage area includes 15-20 neighborhoods inside the choice, at costs much less than they expected,” explains 285 loop. “Our goal is to provide a higher level of service and Muffley. “In fact, our system is so tight that the majority of our Dream Home clients actually walk into equity integrity than anyone could ever expect from us,” he says. “We strive to be the number one sales team inside the day they close!” The philosophy behind the program is, like most the perimeter every year.” Muffley & Associates has certainly achieved their of Mikel Muffley’s approaches to real estate, a little different. Instead of finding the land first, he arranges aim, being honored as the No. 1 Intown Large Team for for clients to meet with an architect to design their 2011 and 2012 sales, and No. 2 metro-wide. The team dream home. Only then does his team find the lot to has also been in the top 1 percent for sales in metro fit the home. Muffley then takes it a step further by Atlanta since 2004.

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While the core business model for the company is rather unique, it’s clear he runs his team much differently as well. He is emphatic about the company not existing just to make money for the brokerage. Muffley cares about the success of each agent and the satisfaction of each client. He dedicates a good deal of his time acting as a professional “accountability coach,” and assures new agents to the team they will have a closing within 60-90 days if they follow the plan. The

background (he holds a marketing and advertising degree as well as an MBA), he runs his team as a business. Not wanting to be bogged down with the duties of a managing broker, he hired Niona Morris, a 30-year real estate veteran, to take on those responsibilities. This frees Muffley up to do the vast majority of training. He also believes in leading by example, as he would not ask an agent to do anything he has not done himself. While leading this large team, Mikel maintains his builder

“Our goal is to provide a higher level of service and integrity than anyone could ever expect from us. We strive to be the number one sales team inside the perimeter every year.” results are agents who have been with him for years and an average agent income over $250,000. Builder/developer Steve Ficarra, with Betancourt Communities, has worked on a number of projects with Muffley over the years and recommends him highly. “Mikel is a salesman, but he’s also a practical business man. His good business practices have saved me many times. Mikel is aggressive and driven. That’s what makes him a success.” With Muffley’s strong business and marketing

connections, has regular contact with his clients, and typically carries 50 listings himself. “You have to have the right work ethic and mentality to work here,” explains Muffley. “We have a lot of accountability, goal setting, and target sales numbers. I require my agents to work in the office, wear professional attire and monthly sales meetings are mandatory.” Agents who have not hit their quarterly or annual goals are required to attend mandatory guerilla sales training every Friday with Muffley. Listings have a 30-60-90 day marketing plan, and agents are required to communicate by phone with their sellers at least once a week. Muffley believes that relying strictly on email updates is too impersonal and is taking the easy way out. In return for their hard work, dedication and accountability, Muffley rewards agents with a very competitive commission split program that was put together from an agent’s eyes – Muffley’s – because he comes from an agent background. In addition, he supplies everything needed to succeed – lock boxes, hiend multi-color brochures, a Photo by Sue Buxton highly professional working environment with no desk Mikel goes over building plans with Dan Dehart. As part of the Dream Home Program, the company makes sure that each client is ecstatic with their custom-designed home before construction begins. fees, extensive sales training,

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Photo by Sue Buxton Mikel and his wife Melinda enjoy weekend walks in Piedmont Park with their 7-month-old daughter Maddison, near their own home. “This is one of our favorite areas in Atlanta,” he says of this Intown location. “We have some of our most popular Dream Homes in the Virginia Highlands, Morningside and Ansley Park neighborhoods.”

high-level 7-days-a-week office support staff and an inhouse marketing company called Fresh Creative, which is owned and run by Mikel’s wife Melinda Chandler. Muffley’s detailed marketing program is clearly working. The team sells more than 60 percent of its own listing inventory – an unheard of success rate in the real estate industry. Muffley & Associates is on track to have another record breaking year in 2013. “An agent is only as good as the people behind him,” he explains of his organizational philosophy. “My staff receives incentives based upon the success of the agents they serve. And we have the best support staff in the business – they are experienced, well trained… and not cheap!

uffley is adamant about not allowing an agent to sell new construction unless he or she understands it. He requires them to learn everything about it – how the foundation is poured, the construction process, etc. Those who list properties must preview the inventory in the area prior to giving the listing presentation (rather than just relying on the paper comps pulled off the Internet). He also pushes his

agents to understand that, to do volume, they have to have inventory. Daily prospecting for 2-3 hours is not uncommon at the company. “I run a professional sales environment. Real estate just happens to be what we sell. I require them to be experts in their neighborhoods and regions. I tell them to use their lockbox key and go see as many listings as possible,” says Muffley. “How can you be a professional agent if you don’t know the inventory?”

ony Teixeira, the agent who has been with him the longest, says Mikel has incredible drive and ambition. “He pushes you and takes you under his wing. He helps mold people, gives them drive and a reason to do better. Mikel gives you all the tools and resources you’ll need. He doesn’t leave you to flounder.” In return for their hard work and dedication to their fellow team members, a variety of fun group activities are planned, such as an annual overnight fall retreat in the North Georgia Mountains, out-of-state seminars and conferences, and charity events, which are often held in some of the team’s listings and new construction projects as an added marketing bonus for the sellers. It r.e. REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

Photo by Sue Buxton Mikel enjoys some down time with Ava, the latest of four Weimaraners he has owned over the years.

all circles back to a true team-building environment and is not just a catch-phrase that looks good on paper in the hopes of attracting more agents. Muffley is, in fact, extremely particular about the agents he recruits to the team. He does not want the agent who is just in it for the quick commission. “It’s not about the quantity of the transactions, but the quality of these transactions,” he states. Muffley understands that a client who feels valued and who is told the truth no matter what, will be a repeat client in the future, will speak highly of the company and will happily send referrals. It’s not uncommon for Mikel to recruit people with little real estate sales experience – as was the case with Tony Teixeira – or to bring them into real estate from a completely different sales industry. Operations Manager Suzanne Bowen knows how careful Muffley is with his recruiting. In the five years she has been with the team, Bowen has witnessed several instances of Mikel taking an agent from near poverty to earning six figures. “He is very much into the ‘you-get-out-of-it-what-you-

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put-into-it’ approach!” Muffley continues to look for agents who desire to take their business to the next level, as well as industry leaders who desire a more exciting and challenging environment where the sky is the limit. TC McClenning is a marketing consultant and writer who has helped hundreds of Realtors®, companies, builders and Realtor ® associations with their marketing efforts, media coverage, websites, blogs and social media. Author of the award-winning book, All In a Day’s Work for Real Estate Agents, contact TC at 404-8190643, tc@topcatcreative.com or follow @RealtorPR.

404-273-3186 404-848-0996 www.MuffleyHomes.com

News continued from page 7

Harry Norman, Realtors’® Raises Over $10,000 for Charity Harry Norman, Realtors® Forsyth/Lake Lanier office raised over $10,000 for local battered women’s shelters with their Ticket to Ride Benefit Horse Show. From July 19 – July 21, 2013, the Forsyth/Lake Lanier office worked with Black Horse Productions to put on the largest horse show Ticket to Ride has ever seen. The show brought in over $10,000 that will now be donated to Hall County’s Gateway Domestic Violence Center, Forsyth County’s Family Haven, and Dawson and Lumpkin County’s No One Alone Shelter. More than 70 local businesses donated items for the silent auction, which raised over $5,000. The event also featured several vendors, concessions, a 50/50 raffle, and an Exhibitors Party where Nashville artist, Penny Dale, and Atlanta artist, Jay Memory performed.

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta makes excellent use of its new sign! The office is based in East Cobb along a busy, four lane section of Roswell Road, so the sign, with its changing messages, will be seen by thousands of drivers each day. News continued on page 14

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> Browser Independent > Search by Map Functions > PC & Mac Compatible > CMA Functionality > Contact Management System www.gamls.com

Phone: 770.493.9000

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Georgia MLS Nominated for Inman News Innovator Award Georgia MLS has been nominated as one of the finalists for the Inman News Innovator Awards 2013. Since 1998, the Innovator Awards have honored companies, individuals and tools that make the most of new technologies to increase the productivity, efficiency and transparency of the real estate industry. Georgia MLS was nominated in the Most Innovative MLS or Real Estate Trade Association category. Georgia MLS strives to stay ahead of the technology curve by providing our members the tools and resources that are demanded by today’s consumers. As the nation’s first Internet based Multiple Listing Service in 1998, to the recent development and implementation of the new on-line system reInsight, Georgia MLS continues to push the boundaries of technology for the betterment of our members. Have a piece of real estate-related news? Send information to Editor, R.E. Magazine, 3036 Leafwood Drive S.E., Marietta, GA 30067, or e-mail to editor@remagazines.com.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers Celebrates Blue Ridge Grand Opening On August 15, 2013, the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce joined Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers for the ribbon cutting of their brand new office located in downtown Blue Ridge. The office was recently relocated to a new location at 801-A East Main Street between Rexall Drugs and Multitudes Art Gallery. “This is a beautiful location where our sales associates can meet with clients in the busy downtown scene,” said President and CEO Kevin Levent. “We have free wi-fi, coffee and other refreshments available for visitors to stop by, check their email or just enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend.”

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Conveniently save listings for review later, or share it with text, e-mail, Facebook or Twitter

Phone: 770.493.9000

Toll Free: 800.289.1214

Calendar of Events October and November 2013 October 10 11:30 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Atlanta Women’s Council of Realtors® How to Brand Yourself (includes a makeover of a local real estate agent) Location: Watershed Restaurant, 1820 Peachtree Road NW, Atlanta Cost: $25 WCR members; $35 nonmembers (only 50 seats available) Information: info@wcratlanta.com

October 10 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

October 17 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Cobb Women’s Council of Realtors® Social Hour and New Member Orientation Location: California Dreaming, 745 Chastain Rd, Kennesaw Cost: Open to new Cobb Women’s Council members and anyone interested in learning more about Cobb WCR. Free admission – hors d’oeuvres provided; cash bar Information: Gail Sartain 404-317-3171

November 14 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Gwinnett Women’s Council of Realtors® Business Resource Meeting Location: 1818 Club, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth Cost: $15 for members / $25 non-members Information: Paige Powers, paigepowers@kw.com

November 14 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Cobb Women’s Council of Realtors® Gwinnett Women’s Council of Realtors® October 19 Registration – 7:00 ; Texas Hold’em/Trivia Night Race – 8:30 a.m. Business Resource Meeting Location: United Community Bank Gwinnett Women’s Council of Realtors® Meeting Room, 3rd Floor, Corner of Guest speaker: Sloan Roach WCR Hoofin’ for Habitat – 4th Anniversary Burnt Hickory and Whitlock Road, Gwinnett County School Board Growth & Run/Walk to Benefit Gwinnett Habitat for New Initiatives Marietta Humanity Location: 1818 Club, 6500 Sugarloaf Cost: Free admission; open to all Grand Marshall will be John Adams Parkway, Duluth Information: Gail Sartain 404-317-3171 Cost: $15 for members / $25 non-members Location: 4225 River Green Pkwy., Duluth Cost: $30, if register by October 18; November 18 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Information: Paige Powers, Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of $35 registration day of event paigepowers@kw.com Realtors® Information: 678-427-1999 October 16 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Installation of 2014 Officers and Cobb Association of Realtors® November 7 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Holiday Brunch October Membership Meeting Real Estate Connections ATL Location: 1818 Club, 6500 Sugarloaf Location: Mansour Center, Networking Event Parkway, Duluth 995 Roswell St. NE, Marietta Team up with R.E. professionals to Cost: $25 for members; Cost: $5 Members; $10 Non-Members network and share ideas, strategies and $40 for non-members Information: Sandy Ziglar, 404-250-0051 real estate news. Information: Janet Creel, 770-670-6411 Location: The Ivy Buckhead, October 16 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. November 20 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. 3717 Roswell Road, Atlanta Cobb Women’s Council of Realtors® Cobb Women’s Council of Realtors® Cost: $20 General Business Meeting Register online at realestateconnections- General Business Meeting Location: Pine Tree Country Club, Location: Pine Tree Country Club, 3400 atl.eventbrite.com Information: Peter & Brian 1-800-645-7249 McCollum Pkwy., Kennesaw 3400 McCollum Pkwy., Kennesaw Cost $15 WCR members; $20 non-members Peter@foundationsllc.com Cost: $15 WCR members, Information: Gail Sartain, 404-317-3171 $20 non-members November 8 – 11 Information: Gail Sartain 404-317-3171 October 16 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. National Association of Realtors® Atlanta Board of Realtors® NAR Convention & Trade Expo November 21 11:30 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. 2013 ABR Chili Cook Off Atlanta Board of Realtors® Location: San Francisco Installation of 2014 Officers and Awards Location: Atlanta Realtors® Center, Information: Visit www.realtor.org for Location: 103 West: 103 West Paces 5784 Lake Forrest Drive, Atlanta complete details and event registration. Ferry Rd, Atlanta Cost: $5 Members; $10 Non-Members Information: Nicole or Debbie, admin@ November 9 5:00 p.m. doors open; silent Cost: $25 WCR members; auction; 6:00 p.m. talent show begins $35 non-members cobbrealtor.com Cherokee Association of Realtors® Information: info@wcratlanta.com October 17 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Cherokee’s Got Talent Cherokee Women’s Council of Realtors® Location: Elm Street Cultural Arts VilSocial/Networking Monthly lage, 8534 Main Street, Woodstock Meeting & Breakfast Cost: $10 in advance; $15 at the door Location: Woodstock Knoll Clubhouse Funds will benefit CAR, Habitat for Cost: $10 for members; Humanity and the Elm Street Cultural $15 for non-members Arts Village Visit our Facebook fan page at: Information: Sandy Pluris 770-378-0502 Information: cherokeerealtors.org, www.facebook.com/remagazine sandy@soldbysandy.com 770-591-0004

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

Now That Was Shocking! I N S P E C T O R’ S

What every real estate agent should know about EMFs

By Michael Huber, guest columnist

ecently, I had an unpleasant surprise waves reached clear across the street. Next I went while high up on an aluminum ladder inside the house to see if I could determine how far the doing siding repairs on a chimney waves penetrated the walls and windows. They were chase. It was a warm, sunny morning and I measured as far as 15 feet in to the home. Wanting to learn more, I called the power company was 35 feet off the ground near the top of the chimney. I reached out to steady myself and that owns the lines to tell them about my shocking my hand landed in a small puddle of water experience. The representative offered advice on how the house could be grounded. The suggestion was to on the chimney cap. To my disbelief, a very noticeable tingle use something similar to a lightning rod. Of course and minor shock wave ran through my hand that may de-energize the chimney cap, but how will and arm. The best analogy I can use for the it prevent the EMFs from entering the house through R feeling is the tingle you get if testing a 9-volt the walls and windows? The answer is, it won’t. In battery by touching the terminals with your fact, EMFs are produced IN your house by common E tongue. I immediately removed my hand from household items like refrigerators, computers, cordless P the water to dry metal and the tingle stopped. and cell phones, microwave ovens and even electric O I immediately believed the cause of the shock toothbrushes, to name but a few. Outside the home, R was the high voltage transmission lines located EMFs are also generated by buried power lines, 50 yards from the home. Because the metal transformers, electrical substations, cell phone towers, T chimney cap and chimney were combined, and even from your neighbors’ electronic equipment. As a real estate agent who will probably come across they acted like an antenna collecting the energized waves coming from those lines and, this issue many times in your career, you might want along with the water (which by now had dissolved minerals to read some studies about EMFs so that you could offer a well-educated opinion to questions that could throughout), made an excellent conductor. The combined action of electricity and magnetism come up while selling a home. I would also have a list created the fundamental force of electromagnetism. of companies that specialize in testing and remediation of EMFs. It is also a Wherever there is good idea to engage a ele ct romag netism, home inspector who there is an electrohas experience with magnetic field or EMF. these types of homes. Stray electricity is There are comconstantly searching panies for hire that for a way to the ground specialize in reducing and will always choose EMFs in your house the path of least and workplace. You resistance. My body can contact me for inadvertently offered more information or that path, combined go online where you’ll with the help of the find dozens of articles aluminum ladder I was written on the effects standing on. of electromagnetic After I got down radiation. Educate from the ladder, I High voltage lines that are pictured here can exceed 765,000 volts. yourself today. pulled out my voltage The receptacle in your kitchen carries around 120 volts. tester/detector. It’s used to identify “hot” wires in house circuits. I turned Michael Huber is an inspector of Buyers Protection Group it on to the most sensitive setting and it lit up and was (BPG). In addition, he is a licensed real estate agent, and chirping like a canary. owner/president of Make-It-Ready Home Improvements, I walked all around the house to see if I could pick an independent full service home improvement and small up the signal in the area. The signal was picked up business maintenance company. He can be reached by email at only when I was in plain sight of the power lines. The mhuber@bpgwi.com or 770-345-0451. 16 r.e. REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

r.e. inspection section

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r.e.

REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

resource directory

Realtor® resource directory advertising

Atlanta Property Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . . 770-932-8634

R.E. Real Estate Magazine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-956-7100

McCurdy & Candler, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-373-1612 Your REO and Foreclosure Specialists www.mccurdycandler.com

alarm systems

McMichael & Gray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-373-0521

Ackerman Security. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-552-1111 residential, small business, commercial www.ackermansecurity.com

Murphy & Shank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-517-9300 Morris|Hardwick|Schneider. . . . . . . . . . . 678-298-2100 Exceeding Expectations. One Closing at a Time www.closingsource.net

DRC Inspections and Consulting. . . . . . . . 770-794-1494

associations

O’Kelley & Sorohan, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-497-1880 18 offices across Georgia for your convenience www.okelleyandsorohan.com

IHI Home Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-788-2581

Shafritz & Dean, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-255-8183 Now 7 offices for your clients’ convenience www.shafritz-dean.com

National Property Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . 770-656-2209 (see banner ad page 17)

Atlanta Board of Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-250-0051 ®

Cherokee Association of Realtors . . . . . . . 770-591-0004 ®

Cobb Association of Realtors®. . . . . . . . . . 770-422-3900

Empire Board of Realtists®. . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-755-5575

Thomas & Brown. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-591-5200 East Cobb Office 678-337-3223 www.proclosers.com

Metro South Assoc. of Realtors®. . . . . . . . . 770-477-7579

Weissman, Nowack, Curry and Wilco, PC. . . . 404-926-4500

Northeast Atlanta Metro Assoc. of Realtors® . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-495-7300

basements and waterproofing

DeKalb Association of Realtors®. . . . . . . . . 770-493-6100

Aquaguard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-419-9111

Building Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-661-4531 Buyers Protection Group. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-285-3001 (see banner ad page 17) Champia Real Estate Inspections. . . . . . . . 770-953-0767 (see banner ad page 17)

Home and Stucco Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . 770-246-9448

Lighthouse Home Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . 404-379-6061

Pillar to Post. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-372-8100 (see banner ad page 17) ProTech Home & Property Inspections . . 770-277-5655 Peace of Mind…One Home at a Time! www.protech-inspect.com RIA Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-476-4963 Skyline Home Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-432-5464 (see banner ad page 17)

attorneys Carol Clark Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-250-3300 Campbell and Brannon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-521-1180 Dickenson Gilroy, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-518-5515 experience. service. excellence. www.dickensongilroy.com (see display ad page 20)

insurance

builders Carrera Homes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-422-1200 www.carrerahomesatl.com (see display ad page 2)

Your Real Estate Insurance Partner for 30 Years! AUTO • LIFE • HEALTH • HOME • BUSINESS

graphic design

Law Office of Kirsten Miller, PC. . . . . . . . . . 404-207-1620 (see display ad page 7)

Unit B Creative. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-351-3125

Law Offices of Sam Maguire Jr., PC. . . . 404-257-8885 Where Real Estate Meets Real People www.sammaguire.com

home inspection services ALLVIEW Home Inspections. . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-525-2194

Lefkoff, Rubin, Gleason & Russo, P.C.. . . . . 404-869-6900

Alpha Home Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-751-0737

For advertising information, call Lawrence Cohen at 770-956-7100.

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

Don Johnson

www.d o n j o h n s o n i n s u r a n c e .com

770-973-8545 1230 Old Canton Road Marietta, GA 30062

resource directory

Realtor® resource directory kitchen & baths

multiple listing services

roof repairs

Atlanta Kithcen & Bath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-419-1259 (see display ad page 6)

Georgia MLS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-493-9000 “More Prices, More Places, More Possibilities” www.gamls.com (see display ads pages 13 & 14)

The Yankee Tradesman……….770-294-9156 Replacement, repairs, chimney pans, gutters www.TheYankeeTradesman.com

management companies PEMCO Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-995-7111

painting & drywall

mortgage companies

Brushmasters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-315-2857

Homestar Financial Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-713-0882 Brand Mortgage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 855-754-4339 PNC Mortgage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-531-5900

M & M Painting and Drywall. . . . . . . . . . . . 770-527-7335 Southern Styles Painting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-457-8534

pest control

Primary Capital. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-505-4171 Shelter Mortgage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-277-6044

All Exterminating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-887-2571 Prevention Pest Control. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-978-5839 Termite Treatment & Letters, Pest & Rodent www.PreventionPest.com

moving and storage Around the Town Professional Movers. . . . 678-979-6163 Let the stress end, and the peace begin. Let’s move! www.aroundthetownmoving.com Atlanta Peach Movers………... . . . . . . . . 770-270-5586

Skyline Pest Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-432-5464 Trademark Pest Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-614-6534

security systems Ackerman Security……….770-552-1111 residential, small business, commercial www.ackermansecurity.com

photography David M Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-432-1517 Portraits, headshots, family & yearbook www.davemphotography.com

virtual tours Glide Tour. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-560-9658 HomeScenes Virtual Tours. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-594-1193

Heather Fritz Photographer. . . . . . . . . . . 770-256-7073 Marketing, Architectural, Real Estate, Events www.PhotosbyHeatherFritz.com

restaurant delivery

window services Sunshine Window Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-422-8105

GoWaiter.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-819-4982 Let us Cater Your Next Office Meeting! www.GoWaiter.com (see display ad page 5)

For advertising information, call Lawrence Cohen at 770-956-7100.

r.e.

REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > FALL 2013

Specializing in Residential and Commercial Real Estate and Litigation

experience. service. excellence.

Dickenson Gilroy LLC Phone: 770.518.5515 Fax: 770.518.5516