R.E. Real Estate Magazine Spring 2010

M E T R O AT L A N TA E D I T I O N > S P R I N G 2 0 1 0

Page Plager Front Page News Partners’ Profiles

Plumbing Express and

Groundbreakers

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Atlanta Board of Realtors Celebrates Centennial Publisher Lawrence A. Cohen publisher@remagazines.com

Editorial Consultant Karon Warren editor@remagazines.com

Editorial Assistant

Photographer David Martinez www.davemphotography.com

Database Administrator Lynn Paul circulation@remagazines.com

Graphic Design/Production Felicia Kahn feliciakm@gmail.com

Contributing Writers Danny Coogle Sarah Anne Gleim Misty Milioto Reagin Jessica Arledge

Board of Advisors Jim Cochran Carol Flammer Dan Forsman Kevin Levent Sandra McCrary Jenny Pruitt Walter Sanford Tom Spurlin

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r.e. news

Phyllis Stanek phyllis@remagazines.com

On April 22, over 700 Atlanta real estate agents and friends turned out for a celebration in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Atlanta Real Estate Board at the Atlanta Realtors® Center. The highlight of the Atlanta Board of Realtors® Centennial evening was the opening of a Committee Chair Alice McDonough with pictorial and archival exhibition special guest of honor Tommie Jackson of the past century, chronicling the role of Realtors®, as well as Atlanta’s progress, development and expansion. Curated by the Atlanta History Center’s Dr. Catherine Lewis, the exhibition, which is open to the public, will be on view through Dec. 31.

Former Executive Vice President Tommie Jackson was the special guest of honor at the event. Jackson served with the organization for 53 years, and the Atlanta Realtors® Center is named in her honor.

Alan Joel, president of the Atlanta Board of Commercial Realtors®, Shea Zimmerman, president of the Atlanta Board of Realtors®, and Alice Wight McDonough, chairman of the Centennial Celebration Committee, hosted the affair with the help of Kristin Lamb, executive vice president of the Atlanta Board of Commercial Realtors®.

For more photos of the celebration, go to the R.E. Magazine fansite on Facebook at www.facebook.com/remagazine.

Prudential Georgia Realty has Major Growth Spurt April proved to be a big month for Prudential Georgia Realty. The company opened a new 5,000-plus-square-foot office in the heart of Buckhead on Peachtree Road. Led by Managing Broker Bill Murray, the office is home to more than 30 agents and staff. The company celebrated with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 20 with more than 300 people in attendance.

Also, Prudential Georgia Realty’s Midtown branch completed a merger with Bo Bridgeport Brokers, a 40-agent boutique real estate agency. Owned

by Benita Carswell and Janie Gray, Bo Bridgeport Brokers in Kirkwood will operate as a satellite office with support from the Prudential Midtown office staff and Managing Broker Dale Modica.

In West Georgia, Prudential Georgia Realty completed a merger with StoneCo Broker, a five-person boutique real estate agency owned by Cindy Denney in Douglasville. The 60-plus agent team specializes in residential real estate, relocating families, new home construction, foreclosures, short From left: Buckhead Managing Broker Bill Murray, his wife, Newbie, former Atlanta Mayor Sam Massell, sales, land and commercial real Prudential Georgia Realty President Dan Forsman, estate in West Georgia and Senior Vice President Toni McGowan, and Vice President eastern Alabama.

Charlie Louis 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.

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

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contents SPRING 2010

VOLUME 8

NUMBER 2

R.E. News

3

Hard work and creative marketing have helped this award-winning agent find opportunities to shine even in the most challenging markets.

R.E. People

5

Partners’ Profile

Inspection Section

20

R.E. Calendar

25

Realtor® Resource Directory

26

Cover Story

Page Plager

Groundbreakers

8

15

This “dream team” of specialists has put together an innovative program that combines top real estate experts to offer unique investor financing to help buyers attain home ownership.

Partners’ Profile

Plumbing Express

21

With a focus on customer service, this 22-year-old company has become the leading experts on fast, efficient polybutylene pipe replacement.

Connnectiing You to mer: Your Beest Custom Easier and Faster Thousands of home listings accross the country and around the world

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

Cover photo by Blaise Bugajski

Sandi Bonner

Sandi Bonner of Prudential Georgia Realty garnered three top real estate industry honors as a result of her 31 years of service. The Women’s Council of Realtors® Cobb Chapter selected Bonner, a past chapter and state president for WCR, as its Member of the Year. Next,

the Cobb Association of Realtors® named Bonner its Realtor® of the Year. And third, at a Georgia Association of Realtors® event, Bonner was chosen as the statewide WCR Member of the Year. Bonner is the first person to take home all three of these industry honors in a single year. Bonner specializes in residential real estate, firsttime buyers, and new construction in Cobb and Cherokee counties.

The Georgia Real Estate Educators Association bestowed its Appraiser Educator of the Year award upon John M. Bryant for 2009. A Georgia Certified Residential Appraiser, AQB John Bryant Certified USPAP Instructor and a Certified Distance Education Instructor who specializes in FHA, litigation and statistical analysis, Bryant graduated from the Realtor Institute in Charlottesville, VA, in 1973, and earned his MBA in business administration from Lynchburg College in Virginia in 1982.

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people

The Atlanta chapter of the Women’s Council of Realtors® chose Gloria Jean Hecking for the second time as its Member of the Year during its January luncheon at the Capitol City Grill in Buckhead. A 25year real estate veteran, Hecking served as Atlanta chapter president in 2000, and has Gloria Jean Hecking been the recipient of several honors and awards, including the Captain of Industry Award in 2001 and the Five Star Circle of Service Award in 2000 and 2004 for her service with the Atlanta Board of Realtors®.

In an effort to stay at the cutting-edge of the real estate industry, Hecking earned the Certified Residential Specialist, the Accredited Buyer Representative and Prudential’s Fine Home Specialist designations, and is a Leadership Training Graduate with the Atlanta Board. She is based out of Prudential Georgia Realty’s Perimeter North office.

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

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The association also awarded “The Robert R. (Bob) Jones Distinguished Career Award” to Jewell G. Wright, a real estate education veteran of over 20 years. Wright started in the industry in 1967, working as an agent for Northside Realty. She managed their Cobb office Jewell Wright for 25 years, and directed the Northside Institute of Real Estate. In 1998, she was given the Cobb Association of Realtors® Lifetime Achievement Award, and earned her Realtor Emeritus status in 2009. She has taught real estate at several real estate schools, including Kennesaw State University.

The Rawls Group announced Jeromy Trask joined the company and will serve as managing broker of the Keller Williams Realty Buckhead market center. A licensed Realtor® in Georgia since 1996, he is one of the first 150 Buffini Certified Mentors in the country, is a Graduate, Jeromy Trask Realtor® Institute, Certified Residential Broker candidate, Atlanta Board of Realtors® Leadership Development Graduate, former assistant director of the Harry Norman, Realtors Leadership Institute, the 2010

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

Atlanta Board of Realtors® Young Professionals Network chairman and is a Georgia Association of Realtors® Certified Continuing Education Facilitator.

While specializing in personalized activity-based coaching, mentoring, target marketing and strategic Internet positioning, Trask also stays active in his community, where he is an active Marietta Metro Rotarian and is heavily involved in numerous charities, including Must Ministries and Habitat for Humanity.

ERA Sunrise Realty promoted David Johnson to director of Internet business development. Previously managing broker of the company’s Cherokee County and Ellijay offices, Johnson will generate Internet leads as well as design and apply viral marketing, social media and other breaking technologies to increase income for ERA’s nearly 200 agents operating out of seven offices across metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Johnson has more than 15 years of experience in real estate sales, management and marketing, combined with seven years in computer David Johnson networking and sales.

Licensed mortgage broker Shun Haynes, founder of The Executive Realty Group, joined The Vawter Group, which is led by agent Wes Vawter of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Real Estate. A Northside resident, Haynes is a member of the Shun Haynes philanthropic organization 100 Black Men of Atlanta, an elected member of the Vestry Board of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and past president of Regency Homeowners Association.

Prudential Georgia Realty announced Bill Murray will lead the company’s new Buckhead ofďŹ ce, bringing more than 25 years of experience with him – most recently as associate managing broker with Harry Norman, Realtors, Murray earned his Bachelor of Science Bill Murray from Georgia State University. He stays active in his community through a wide array of community service organizations including the Midtown Atlanta Rotary, Paul Harris Fellow, past chairman of the Board of Education for Christ the King School, past president of the Contract Furnishings Council, past

president of the Marist School Alumni Association, patron for the High Museum, past member of the Board of Trustees for Marist School, Board of Trustees for Georgia Shakespeare, Ashley ErbesďŹ eld member of City of Atlanta Battleson NPU-B, past president of Brookhaven Club Neighborhood Association, and past board of directors member for the Brookhaven Park Place Homeowners’ Association.

Tenley Robinson

Joining Murray at the new Buckhead ofďŹ ce are Ashley Erbesfield Battleson, Linda Bonilla, Bill Carter, Catherine Humann, Martha Massey, Richard Peterson, Nestor Rivera, Tenley Robinson, Harrison Rogers, Julia Russo, Lisa Sutton, Susan Tanner and Ryan Thompson.

Nestor Rivera

Harrison Rogers

Susan Tanner

continued on page 14

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Page Plager

Photo by Dave Martinez

cover story

Hard work and creative marketing have award-winning agent find opportunities to in the most challenging markets.

The best thing about being in real estate is that it allows me the exibility to spend time with my family,� Page says. From L to R: Jett, 6; Page; Eva; Bla 8

r.e. REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

T helped this shine even

By Sarah Gleim

here are many characteristics that contribute to a successful real estate agent: dogged tenacity, unwavering focus, the ability to multi-task, and a genuine love of people are certainly among the most important. Add to that the ability to see outside the box, and a masters degree in marketing, and you have the true makings of a real estate superstar. Page Plager has all of those elements and more!

It is, however, her strong focus on marketing that has perhaps contributed the most to Plager’s success. Applying her expertise to real estate has helped give her a leg up on the competition because she understands how important it is in today’s challenging real estate market. “You have to spend money to make money,” she explains matter-of-factly, pointing out the various tools she uses to find buyers for her listings. “We put a lot of effort into customized photo tours, mailings and target marketing with incentives to buyers trying to move up to higher priced neighborhoods.”

Clearly her attention to marketing is working. Today she leads one of the most successful real estate teams in Georgia, taking the No. 2 spot in the Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors®, and was named the No. 4 RE/MAX team in the state. Last year Plager and her team closed on more than 200 homes, despite the slow down in the housing market.

While Plager is certainly proud of her accomplishments, she is clearly not resting on her laurels. After 15 years in the real estate business, Page says she’ll still go the extra mile to close a deal for her clients. And she means it.

“I’ve done everything right down to purchasing clients’ houses myself to save deals from falling through,” she says.

“But now I’m lucky that I know what marketing techniques work, and I have the right team in place, so most of our transactions are pretty smooth.”

Ironically, real estate was never in Page Plager’s plans. Having grown up in the idyllic seaside community of St. Simons, Georgia, her early focus was on her education, and she earned her Masters Degree in marketing from the University of Georgia. Plager began her professional career with State Farm back in the early ’90s and worked for the insurance giant for five years. It was there that she met her husband Blaise Bugajski, and the two of them shared a common new interest. “In our spare time we were always scoping out real estate,” she explains. “Finally I decided to leave State Farm to get my real estate license and this was back when nobody left State Farm.”

When she joined RE/MAX Center in 1995, Plager put her marketing skills to good use almost instantly and became a leader in creative listing tools, earning over six figures her first year. She began networking and creating relationships with large homebuilders like Winmark Homes and Bowen Family Homes and at times helped list their homes in newly built subdivisions using unique incentives she developed, including down payment and closing costs assistance, and guaranteed sale and lease programs.

“We have always tried to stand out and offer options that others didn’t,” Plager says. “Do we need to lease the house if it won’t sell? Do we have to do some type of creative financing? We try to make it work no matter what.”

Plager’s husband joined her real estate company in 1999 and now handles the buyer’s side for the team. He says that Plager’s creative marketing ideas are definitely what put her on the map when she first launched the company. “From the beginning, she came up with so many creative ideas,” he says. “She has a knack for understanding what attracts buyers to listings.”

Long-time client Ed Wylie agrees Plager has what it takes to attract buyers and has used her to list every one of his homes since she started her business in

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1995. He believes one of her best traits is knowing how to price a house to sell, and her ability to effectively market it to buyers. But even more importantly, Plager tells clients up front what to expect from the sale. “She has a way of being brutally honest and telling you the situation,” Wylie says. “There are no surprises with Page.”

One of those opportunities was working with Gary Chamblee, an investment consultant with KJS Holdings, part of a charitable trust. KJS Holdings buys multiple vacant homes in subdivisions that have gone bankrupt and then hires Plager to do a market analysis, and list and sell the homes. It’s turned into a lucrative partnership for her team – they’ve sold more than 150 houses all

“One thing I’ve found is that even in the worst of markets, there are great opportunities.” over metro Atlanta for KJS Holdings in the last year

alone. Many of those were part of a grouping in Clayton County where Plager actually worked with and convinced Clayton County to provide buyers with down payment assistance. “The county loved the idea because it helped reduce vacant housing in Clayton County, it restored the vacant subdivisions and helped generate tax revenue,” Chamblee explains.

Photo by Dave Martinez

When the real estate market hit the wall a few years ago, several large homebuilders filed for bankruptcy, and many homeowners were forced into foreclosure, but that didn’t discourage Plager in the least. In fact it motivated her to think outside the box. “One thing I’ve found is that even in the worst of markets, there are great opportunities,” she says. “Working with the builders to get people into their communities actually led me to a lot of other great opportunities.”

Office Manager Veanne Davis, has worked with Page for over 6 years. “Everything runs smoothly in our office because of Veanne,” boast Page.

She makes sure our whole operation runs like a well-oiled machine! Of course, it doesn’t hurt that all of our clients love her as well!”

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Photo by Dave Martinez

Chamblee actually met Plager several years ago when he and his wife hired her to sell their own house in Suwanee that had been on the market for two years without a single offer. He’d seen one of Page’s billboards advertising that she’d buy her client’s house if she couldn’t sell it. “I was skeptical but the contract was very valid, and within 90 days she sold our house within 2 percent of the asking price,” Chamblee says. “She’s an expert at what she does.”

Being an expert in today’s real estate market is critical, especially when you’re trying to sell a home that could be valued at half what the homeowner paid for it just five years ago. In fact, Plager says discussing a home’s depreciation The Page Plager Team (from L to R): Page, office manager Veanne Davis, buyer specialist Blaise with the owner’s is the toughest Bugajski, and buyers agent Dawn Hummel. “All our team members have their own individual part of her job these days. “It’s strengths that they bring to the table,” Page explains about their success. “We all work together really well, and have a lot of fun doing it!” shocking for some people,” she Hard work and knowledge of the market are certainly says. “It used to be about how much money they were keys to her success as well. At any given time, Plager and going to make. A lot of times now it’s about how much they’re going to lose.” That’s when Plager’s marketing her team typically have an inventory of between 50 to expertise becomes so invaluable to her clients. She’s 100 listings for sale all over metro Atlanta, with prices that spent countless hours researching what days are the can range anywhere from $69,900 up to $1 million, many best days to send e-blasts, what types of ads work of which are part of the bulk buys from KJS Holdings. and what ads don’t. But Bugajski says it’s often her The team sells on average more than 200 homes a year. “unmatched patience” that helps her deal with And despite the slow market, home sales so far this year difficult situations such as assisting homeowners in for Plager and her team have been great. “The tax credit understanding how the current market has impacted that expired in April created a huge boom for us,” she says. “It’s starting to level out, and buyers are in the the price value of their home. eanne Davis, Plager’s right hand woman and market. I think they realize that the bottom is here and office manager at RE/MAX Center couldn’t it’s now or never.”

She says she believes financing terms will also begin agree more. “She has a very positive attitude and you never see her get negative about anything,” Davis to relax in the near term, which will allow more potential says. “She’s a very warm, outgoing person, and people homeowners the opportunity to buy again, and that banks will also likely shorten the time people who’ve suffered love her.”

Plager’s positive attitude and successful relationships a short sale or foreclosure have to wait before they can have been keys to her success, as was the case with qualify to buy their next home.

Happily, life isn’t all work and no play for Plager and Gary Chamblee and Ed Wylie. Both men consider Plager a true professional to work with, and have also her husband. The couple has two sons, Blake, 11, and Jett, 6, and the boys are involved in just about every recommended her to numerous clients.

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Photo by Dave Martinez

“Our clients love working with Blaise,” Page boasts of her husband, a former pro basketball player who now plays with a powerful home-court advantage with an ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative) designation, as well as CDPE (Certified Distressed Property Expert), and SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure certification). “On top of all that, he has a great sense of humor!

He makes the whole buying process fun!”

sport imaginable, including basketball, baseball, soccer and lacrosse. The couple also travels to the beach and mountains as often as they can, but Plager admits most

do, you’re going to be a success no matter what,” Plager

of their free time revolves around their sons’ sporting

best possible price, that brings me a lot of satisfaction.”

events and games. “The boys are my other full-time job,” she says.

Running a full-time business and having a family is demanding, but the flexibility and rewarding

“If you focus on helping people and you love what you says. “If I can sell my clients’ homes quickly, and for the Sarah Gleim is an Atlanta-based freelance writer who specializes in lifestyle, home and garden, and food writing. She is a regular contributor to Jezebel, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, and AirTran GO! among others.

relationships the real estate industry have given her – and the fact that she gets to work with her husband – are returns she wouldn’t give up for anything. “I love what we do,” Plager says. “This was our hobby when we were younger and now it’s a dream come true for us.”

Davis, who has worked with Plager for more than six years, believes Page’s success hinges on both hard work and creativity. “She works 24/7. She’ll tell me she’s going on vacation, but she’s still working, and a lot of her clients like that. And she knows how to market properties. She’ll come up with something totally out of the ordinary that nobody has ever done and run with it.”

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770-639-7653 www.pageplager.com

continued from page 7

Patty Kendrick

Bringing 37 years of real estate experience with her, Patty Kendrick joined the Keller Williams Realty Cityside Market Center. A past Cobb Board president, Kendrick will be the director of the luxury homes division at Cityside, specializing in all real estate sales.

Crye-Leike welcomes associate broker Ron Cochran to the Crye-Leike Cobb/Cherokee branch office. With more than 40 years of experience, Cochran began his real estate career with Barnes Realty before launching Choice Properties Inc. in Ron Cochran Marietta, which he co-owned from 1975 to 2010. One of the original members of the Kennesaw Business Association, he has also served with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce board of directors, which recently named its Spirit Award Scholarship in his honor.

Robert Rogers recently joined the Keller Williams Realty Premier Atlanta, The Rawls Group in Buckhead.

An Atlanta native, Rogers earned his real estate license in 2004 and went on to earn his GRI and broker’s license. In

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2008, the I-85 North Board of Realtors® selected him as its Realtor of the Year.

Rogers is a graduate of the Marist School and the University of Georgia.

Designations Bobby Morrison of the Perimeter office of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers earned his Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification from the National Association of Realtors®.

This special certification teaches sales associates the ins and outs of the short sales and foreclosure process.

Robert Rogers

Bobby Morrison

Crye-Leike agent Paul Raiti earned his Real Estate Owned Specialist Designation in short sales and foreclosure procedures from the American Real Estate University. Less than 1 percent of all real estate licensees have earned this designation.

Have a piece of people-related news? Send information to Editor, R.E. Magazine, 3036 Leafwood Drive S.E., Marietta, GA 30067, or e-mail to editor@remagazines.com.

GROUNDBREAKERS

™

partners’ profile

Groundbreakers partner Ron Fouts conducts a seminar for prospective program investors showing how the business model creates a win-win scenario for all of the participants.

Photo by Lawrence Cohen

Photo by David Martinez

The Tonia Mann & Associates team (from L to R): Cassidy Dierdorf, Katherine Coreas, Carla Teagarden, Tonia, Don Cavin, and Groundbreakers Project Manager Casey Powell.

The First Option Mortgage management team (From L to R): Managing Partner Tim Burford, Managing Partner Kurt Nikolai, Regional Vice President Josh Fitzwater, and Regional Vice President Kim Winslow.

Meeting the Financing Challenge

Groundbreakers

™

This “dream team” of specialists has put together an innovative program that combines top real estate experts to offer unique investor financing to help buyers attain home ownership.

By Misty Milioto Reagin

E

the business model. According to Peleg, the best homes are: relatively new and in excellent condition; in a good, family-oriented neighborhood; and close to schools and shopping. “Since our investors’ security is the equity in the houses, we use bulk buying and the negotiating power of cash to make sure our investors have significant security in the homes we purchase for them.”

The next step involves marketing the property for “challenged” borrowers – although they will happily sell a home to anyone! These borrowers may even be well-qualified, high-income individuals who have compromised credit scores due to a variety of reasons.

“There are a large number of people wanting to get into a home. Sometimes they are first-time homebuyers, but a lot of people have also lost their homes in foreclosure in past years,” Fouts explains. However, even with compromised credit, GroundBreakers is able

Photo by Lawrence Cohen

ven though it’s currently a buyer’s market in real estate, with some great homes for sale at unbelievable prices, a large number of potential buyers are still having a difficult time finding mortgage financing. Banks aren’t lending as much as in years past and, to make matters worse, many buyers have experienced unexpected life changes such as divorce, loss of job or even a home foreclosure. Necessity, however, is often the mother of invention, and top real estate agent Tonia Mann, together with an expert support team, has developed a unique investor-financing program called GroundBreakers™ to help buyers get through this rough patch.

According to Mann, who leads Tonia Mann and Associates at Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners, the unique GroundBreakers program has several stages.

First, Mann works with GroundBreakers partners Ron Fouts and Amir Peleg in identifying a house that fits

First Option Mortgage VP of Business Development Brad Lynn (right) works with first time home buyers to help get them prequalified for a mortgage.

“We have a distinct advantage over other lenders, not only because of our 8-day closings and in-house underwriting and processing, but just as and importantly, our free credit recovery department can help potential buyers obtain the American Dream!”

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Photo by Lior Tzalik

to get buyers into a home where they pay the mortgage while working to repair their credit score. During that time, the buyer aims to qualify for regular financing and is then able to refinance the seller-financed mortgage into a conventional bank mortgage.

Once Mann has a “challenged” borrower interested in a home, she then refers them to Vice President of Business Development Brad Lynn at First Option Mortgage, to complete a detailed underwriting analysis. Once the home is sold, they begin to work with the buyer through a credit repair process. “We get the buyer in the house, they start the homeownership process and, usually within three months to one year, they refinance out of Groundbreakers Partner Amir Peleg is the financial guru behind the program, shown here our mortgage into an FHA or conforming loan in his Tel Aviv office. “This program is so strong, we’ve been able to attract investors from program,” Mann says. “We’re providing short- all over the world,” points out Mann. “Amir has made that happen!” term owner financing that’s a true closing. It’s not like a This creative approach to mortgage financing has lease-purchase or rent-to-own. They own the property!” several advantages, both for borrowers, as well as According to Lynn, his main concern is getting investors. “From the homebuyer perspective, there is an potential homebuyers pre-qualified and underwriter- overcorrection in the market for people to get financing,” ready. “We aren’t going to put people in a place that Mann says. “Buyers used to be able to get a mortgage they can’t afford,” he says. “We try to eliminate the risk loan with a 580 to a 600 credit score. Now you have to of foreclosures. We educate our buyers and make sure have a score of 660 to 680 to get the same loan. We are they qualify. If they are paying $800 per month on an filling a niche.” According to O’Kelley, there are some

“We’re providing short-term owner financing that’s a true closing.

It’s not like a lease-purchase or rent-to-own. They own the property!” apartment, we try to stay in that same realm. With price reductions being where they are, it’s a phenomenal time to get into a home, and that’s why I think the program will stand out.”

I

n addition to working with Fouts, Peleg and Lynn, Mann also has a strategic partnership with Joe O’Kelley and Diedra Sorohan, principals at O’Kelley and Sorohan, a law firm that handles all of the closings. “They are involved every step of the way, from the acquisition closing, the owner-financed closing and the refinance closing,” she says.

The main role that O’Kelley and Sorohan play in the process is structuring documents that are used in each phase of the business model. “The basic operating documents for the entities are part of that process, but the real fun comes when we handle situations such as the closing of the purchases, sales, refinances and other settlement-type activities,” O’Kelley says.

good credit risks out there who, with owner-financing and credit recovery, can increase their FICO score and get into a prime loan. “I think this program will assist in that process,” he says.

The approach is simple – Mann and her team require a down payment from the buyer, proof of steady income, and the buyer must adhere to the credit program. “They get to own a home, they get to be where they want to be, they get to have a tax deduction and all the benefits of home ownership immediately, and they get their credit repaired,” Mann says. “I almost don’t see a disadvantage from their side.”

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Photo by David Martinez

Joe O’Kelley and Diedre Sorohan, of O’Kelley & Sorohan law firm, work closely with the Groundbreakers team members in every step of the program to make sure all of the legal documents are perfect and each closing runs smoothly. (Photo by David Martinez)

The advantage from the investor viewpoint is that there are people who want to buy and own a home, and the GroundBreakers program allows them to do just that. “Atlanta is showing a solid rebound because it’s the hub of the Southeast, and that’s not going to change,” Fouts says. “The population is only growing. There is inventory that can be purchased at a good price, and people can more easily afford today’s home prices.”

However, buyers and investors aren’t the only ones who benefit from this program. Realtors® also can reap the rewards of referring challenged buyers to Tonia Mann and Associates. “A lot of agents have people who come to them and want to buy a home and don’t qualify,” Fouts says. “They can bring their challenged buyers to us, and still earn a generous referral fee.”

According to Lynn, this is one of the best times in recent history to buy a home. “People who previously wanted to buy in East Cobb couldn’t afford it because the homes were selling for $300,000 to $400,000,” he says. “Now that same property is selling from between $150,000 and $250,000, and with the rates being so low, now they can afford to be in that school district they always dreamed to be in.”

Thus far, the real estate community has been very enthusiastic about this program, and what it can do for the industry as a whole. “It’s really powerful,” Mann says.

“It’s great to be able to provide a solution. I anticipate a strong need for this, and I think the challenge for us 18

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will be in determining the people that will be valuable to work with, and being really careful in our own due diligence.”

With the current real estate market, it’s best to change strategies and stand out from the crowd. That’s exactly what Mann and her team has done. “I would call it the perfect storm,” Mann says. “There is high inventory, a demand for owner-financing and the integration of First Option Mortgage’s credit recovery program. We are breaking new ground in the way that investors invest in property and breaking new ground in the way that buyers buy property.” Groundbreaking indeed!

Misty Milioto Reagin graduated from the University of Georgia in 2000 with a B.A. in English and is a licensed real estate agent in Georgia. She has worked as an editor for real estate magazines including Shopping Center World, Heartland Real Estate Business and COMMUNITIES Magazine.

She can be reached at mjmilioto@gmail.com.

678-268-3330 www.groundbreakersatlanta.com

No Such Thing as a Little Leak!

By Danny Coogle, Guest Columnist

and leaks as the well-known EIFS and stucco buildings have. Poor assembly of walls, windows, and roofing systems are all causes of moisture intrusion with any exterior siding system. Poor grading of the property also presents its own unique set of problems and should not be overlooked as a possible cause of water intrusion.

When we speak of the building envelope we are referring to things such as the exterior cladding, building sealants at window and door perimeters, wall penetrations, and other breaches in the cladding, as well as roofline flashings, diverter flashings, deck flashings, column flashings, expansion and control joints.

We are also referring to good construction practices. Rain water most commonly gets behind the cladding through construction details and other components of construction and accumulates in the substrate and other building materials.

Typical water intrusion problems are associated with building components and their transition to the exterior siding system.

Remember, the exterior is your first line of defense against moisture-related problems. It is important to keep in mind that moisture in the building envelope can cause numerous problems affecting the interior air quality of a building and the longevity of building components. If elevated moisture levels persist on or inside a wall or roof assembly, these can lead to the growth of microorganisms such as mold and bacteria, as well as infestation by insects. The metabolism of mold and bacteria can create microbiological volatile organic compounds that adversely affect air quality inside the building. Be educated, be informed, be vigilant, and most importantly, know your building.

i n s p e c t o r ’s r e p o r t

I

nterior leaks can be difficult to diagnose, but you know they are there. They often present themselves as stains on drywall ceilings, warping hardwood floors, or bubbling paint on walls. Interior leaks can be caused by plumbing or construction defects and are a sign of something more serious that can affect the building’s framing and structural integrity. Not all construction defects are easily noticed and interior leaks can fool you as to their origin. To understand leaks, it is important to understand water.

Water is lazy. It will always take the path of least resistance. Therefore, problems that arise from construction defects are not always obvious and can be difficult to track. For that reason, if you notice a problem, contacting an expert in the field of building envelope moisture intrusion investigation should be your first step in solving the problem.

Water intrusion is commonly a sign of a much more serious problem with the construction of a building.

Any type of leak should be inspected. Whether it is plumbing or construction-related, it is important to determine why it is occurring. Regardless of the cause, any water existing where it shouldn’t should be given immediate attention. Interior indications of leaks are clear signs of possible construction defects and should be addressed immediately to protect your most valuable asset. Internal moisture degradation is a leading cause of premature failure of building envelopes. Persistent moisture can lead to rot, corrosion and other forms of deterioration which ultimately leads to very costly repairs. Any noticeable leak should be confronted with urgency to prevent this from happening. Remember, a leak left unattended will eventually lead to serious damage.

All types of siding material are capable of having water intrusion problems. No siding material is immune to water intrusion or damage. Why? Because it is not just about the cladding or lamina (siding material) that makes a building water-tight, it is also the presence of properly installed system components and good construction or renovation practices. More often than not, we find that brick veneer and lap siding exteriors have just as many problems with moisture

Danny Coogle has been in the repair, restoration, and inspection industry for over 28 years, and holds 10 national certifications. He is a certified Level I & II Moisture Analyst for Building Envelopes through the Exterior Design Institute. Danny is currently the Inspector & Moisture Intrusion Consultant for DRC Inspections & Consulting, LLC. For more information, please contact him at drc@drcinspect.com or 770-794-1494.

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r.e. inspection section

r.e. inspection section

r.e. inspection section

Skyline Home Inspections, Inc. “The New Horizon of Service”

FREE Termite Letter Inspection with each Certified Home Inspection Performed by Skyline Pest Solutions’ State Registered Inspectors

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Residential and Commercial Inspections Pre-closing & Pre-listing Inspections FHA/HUD 203k Inspector/Consultant 5DGRQ *DV Testing Have your clients mention R.E. Magazine and receive FREE Termite Inspection and Letter through August 2010!

Bob McDonough npi.bob@gmail.com

770-656-2209 www. n p i w e b . c o m / b m c d

E/O Insurance + Umbrella Protection Onsite Computer-Generated Reports E-Mail Reports Available Lockbox Keyholder

Serving All of Metro Atlanta & Surrounding Counties www.skylinehomeservices.com

• Residential & Commerial Inspections • Stucco Inspections • Thermal camera inspections for leak detection • ASHI, ICC, GAHI & Moisture Free-Certified Inspectors • Spanish-speaking inspectors and office personnel • Termite Letters at the same time as the inspection

formerly Residential Inspector of America

770.476.4963

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REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

The Polybutylene Solution

partners’ profile

PLUMBING EXPRESS

Plumbing Express With a focus on customer service, this 22-year-old company has become the leading experts on fast, efficient Polybutylene pipe replacement.

By Jessica Arledge

L

et’s face it – pipes are not very sexy. No one ever says, “What lovely pipes! I think I’ll put an offer on this house!” In fact, potential buyers rarely give a second thought to the plumbing of a home until they discover something is wrong. And while plumbing may not sell a home, bad plumbing can certainly make a house nearly impossible to sell. When buyers discover that the home of their dreams has been fitted with a defective product such as polybutylene plumbing, that home quickly loses its charm.

Fortunately for thousands of real estate professionals and their clients, there is a practical and affordable solution – Plumbing Express.

Plumbing Express was founded in Virginia by Peter Page and John Ellis in 1988. Straight out of college, the duo began the company with a living room computer, sweat equity, and a strong belief that integrity and ethics are the keys to business success. The company now has a multi-family and commercial division, SageWater, and a residential division, Plumbing Express. They employ over 250 people nationwide and have installed over 22 million linear feet of pipe in over 63,000 occupied homes, multi-family, and commercial buildings. Plumbing Express has served the metro-Atlanta area for over 14 years, and completed thousands of pipe replacements.

Cascading water ruptured the ceiling in several places on the main level, and poured down onto kitchen cabinets, newly decorated walls, and the oak floor.

Polybutylene plumbing failure typically causes millions of dollars in damages each year across the country. “Being proactive by replacing defective pipes before this happens can save people from this kind of heartache,” explains Director of Advertising Amy Obermyer.

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“Many of our residential customers are dealing with polybutylene, which was subject to a major class action lawsuit in the mid-nineties,” explains Page. “With polybutylene, it is not a question of if it is going to fail, it is a matter of when. Only about six-hundred thousand of the six to ten million homes in which the product was installed were re-piped by the class action, which has now expired.

There are still an awful lot of homes out there where people are going to have to deal with this issue, and that’s where we come in.”

With over 20 years of experience, Plumbing Express has the expertise to make re-piping a home as efficient as possible for their clients. Not only can they finish most jobs in three to five days, homeowners are guaranteed to have running water available every day so they never have to move out of their homes.

“This is all that our plumbers do so they have gotten very efficient.” Page explains, “Our plumbers, our dry-wall guys, our painters – they are all full-time employees. We don’t use any subcontractors so they all work together as a seamless team to get the job done. We also spend about a third of our time in dust mitigation, cleaning and protecting the property. We not only make sure that our client’s homes are not a mess during construction, we try to minimize any inconvenience for them while we work on their homes.

None of our clients move out of their homes during the construction process.”

In today’s economy, most people are watching every penny and may not have funds available for re-piping a home. With this in mind, Plumbing Express offers clients convenient payment options, and the option to pay at closing. This gives homeowners and potential buyers the ability to negotiate payment and have the work completed prior to closing without coming out of pocket.

Plumbing Express usually completes a job in 3-5 days, with a guaranteed completion time. Here, one of their expert craftsmen seamlessly patches the drywall before applying computer color-matched paints to make the wall look as good as new.

re-pipe the house, and when they finally find a buyer, they may still want the home re-piped. It’s in the seller’s best interest to replace the pipe upfront and to sell the home with a 25-year warranty on the plumbing. Our average price for an entire house is between four and five thousand dollars,” Mowe explains.

In fact, it is that exclusive 25-year warranty on both labor and materials that differentiates Plumbing Express from many of their competitors.

“With polybutylene, it is not a question of if it is going to fail, it is a matter of when.”

A

ccording to Blake Mowe, Division Manager of Plumbing Express’s Atlanta office, many intelligent home sellers replace polybutylene prior to listing their home.

“This is a buyer’s market and they have so many choices that when they see poly they walk because they don’t want to go through the construction process. Most sellers wind up dropping their price to more than it would cost to

“If we install something wrong, of course it’s covered by our company warranty,” Page says. “Typically a manufacturer’s warranty only covers the product. We said, ‘That’s not good enough. We want you to cover our clients so that you are not just sending them a piece of pipe if they have a problem but covering the cost to do the repairs as well.’ We are the only company in the country with this warranty and it’s fully transferable with the home.” r.e. REAL ESTATE MAGAZINE > SPRING 2010

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Plumbing Express uses over 1 million square feet of plastic sheeting each month to protect their clients’ property, including sealing off each room they work in to make sure that dust doesn’t spread throughout the house.

With all of the tasks that must be completed before a home sale, chasing down contractors is the last thing that agents or clients want to do. Plumbing Express takes great pride in both beginning and completing their jobs on time.

“We just finished this 250 unit condominium complex and we finished it on time exactly as scheduled,” Page recalls. “Every unit was started and completed precisely on schedule and we did the entire job with no change orders. We try to do that for all of our customers, whether it is a single family home, town house, condominium building or apartment building.”

S

andra Suits, a top-producing agent with RE/MAX Around Atlanta Partners, counts on Plumbing Express for all of her clients’ re-pipe needs.

“They do what they say they are going to do when they say they are going to do it and my clients have always been satisfied with them. Whenever I have a house with polybutylene, they are always my first call,” Suits remarks.

Plumbing Express is very diligent in helping their clients understand the repairs that need to be completed on their homes. Surprisingly, they also let them know when nothing needs to be done. That’s exactly what happened to Joe Tuma, a successful agent with Atlanta Communities.

“One time we were going to re-pipe the yard, but when Plumbing Express dug down they told us the pipe had already been replaced,” Tuma relates. “They could have made another $650 off of us and we never would have known, but that’s not who they are. These are the kind of 24

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people you can trust. They are just a really professional group of guys.”

With all of this going for them, it shouldn’t be surprising that the company has a very high retention rate for employees.

“Most of our employees have been with us ten plus years and our division managers have all been with us for over ten years,” states Page. “When people use Plumbing Express, they are getting the most experienced crews, the most experienced management and the most experienced company in the country.”

There are so many things to worry about when closing on a home, it’s nice to know that defective plumbing doesn’t have to be one of them. With exceptional turnkey services, convenient payment options, and an unmatched 25-year warranty, Plumbing Express is the first and only call you need to make for all of your re-pipe needs.

Jessica Arledge is a freelance writer based in Savannah, GA. Her work has been published in newspapers, magazines and literary journals. She can be reached at (912) 247-6449 or jesstomarledge@earthlink.net.

770-452-8636 www.plumbing911.com

Calendar of Events June – August 2010 June 18 9:30a.m. – 1:45p.m.

Women’s Council of Realtors® Gwinnett Chapter “Thriving in a tough market” Guest speaker: Cleve Gaddis Cost: $15 Member $25 Non-member Location: N.A.M.A.R. 2145 Duluth Highway, Duluth Phone Reservation: 770-495-7300

June 19 6:30p.m. – 9:00p.m.

DeKalb Association of Realtors® Jazz Under the Stars Concert Derwin Daniels performing live Chastain Style!

Cost: $100 per table (seats 6), $25 per chair, $15 lawn seats Location: DeKalb Association of Realtors® 1414 Montreal Road, Tucker Call Vickie for tickets at 770-493-6100

June 24 7p.m. – 10p.m.

Cherokee Association of Realtors® Braves Night Gwinnett Braves VS. Buffalo Bisons.

Shuttle Bus leaves Association Office at 5:00 p.m.

1600 River Park Blvd. Ste. 104 Woodstock Cost: Tickets $10 per person, Shuttle Bus $10 Location: Coolray Field Phone registration and ticket purchases: 770-591-0004

June 25 9:30a.m. – 12:30p.m.

Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors® Turn Tax Dollars Back Into Your Dollars Cost: Free Location: N.A.M.A.R. Website registration: www.namar.org

July 30 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Cobb Women’s Council of Realtors® Family and Friends Bowling Social Cost: $25.00 per person (limit 4 per team) includes games, shoes, pizza & sodas Location: Stars & Stripes, 2400 Hiram Acworth Hwy, Dallas Mail registration: Send check before July 23 to 444 Manget St, Marietta For more info: call 678.522.4969 or www.cobbwcr.org

August 2 8:30a.m. – 9:30a.m.

Northeast Atlanta Metro Association of Realtors® FREE Networking Breakfast Guest Speaker: John Slappey Cost: Free Location: N.A.M.A.R. Website registration: www.namar.org

August 17 8:30a.m. – 10a.m.

Cherokee Association of Realtors® Breakfast Meeting – Open to All Cost: $10 per person Location: Laurel Canyon Tavern 400 Laurel Canyon Parkway Canton Phone registration: 770-591-0004

August 18 10:00a.m. – 11:30a.m.

July 21 11a.m. – 3p.m.

Atlanta Board of Realtors® Tour of Midtown Green House This house is the site of the 2010 Southern Building Show showcase house. Designed by Joel Kelly Design, built by The Hoots Group, it showcases modern design and green building.

Cost: Free Location: Atlanta Realtors® Center 5784 Lake Forrest Drive, Atlanta Website registration: www.abr.org

July 22 10 a.m. – 12:30p.m.

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers Hosted by Michael McFadden “Be The One” Symposium; Take your personal and professional life to the next level and start living your Dream!”

Cost: Free to agents and the public Location: Metro Brokers Corporate 5775-D Glenridge Drive Suite 200, Atlanta Website registration: www.metrobrokersevents.com

Atlanta Board of Realtors® Seminar: Understanding Earthcraft Building Cost: Free Location: Atlanta Realtors® Center Website registration: www.abr.org

August 24 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Atlanta Board of Realtors® FMLS 10th Annual Showcase – the Southeast Residential Real Estate Trade Show Showcase brings together Realtors®, real estate professionals and fringe industries on a single day, presenting a wide variety of business products and services.

Cost: $10 online through August 15, $15 thereafter Location: Cobb Galleria Centre Information: www.abr.org

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resource directory

resource directory

Realtor® resource directory associations

advertising

home inspection services

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

The Real Estate Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-910-0347 www.realestatebook.com (see display ad page 4)

Atlanta Property Inspections . . . . . . . . . 770-932-8634 Working with Real Estate Agents for 18 Years! www.inspect-atlanta.com (see display ad page 6)

basements/waterproofing

DRC Inspections and Consulting. . . . . . . . 770-794-1494 (see banner ad page 20)

Cherokee Association of Realtors® . . . . . . 770-591-0004 Cobb Association of Realtors®. . . . . . . . . . 770-422-3900 DeKalb Association of Realtors® . . . . . . . . 770-493-6100 Empire Board of Realtists® . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-755-5575 Metro South Assoc. of Realtors® . . . . . . . . 770-477-7579

Aquaguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-419-9111 IHI Home Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-788-2581 (see banner ad page 20)

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

financial services attorneys Carol Clark Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-250-3300 Dickenson Gilroy, LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-518-5515 www.dgllclaw.com (see display ad page 28)

Groundbreakers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-268-3330 Breaking new ground in home financing www.groundbreakersatlanta.com (see partners’ profile page 15)

National Property Inspections . . . . . . . . . . 770-656-2209 (see banner ad page 20)

RIA Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-476-4963 (see banner ad page 20)

Skyline Home Inspections . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-432-5464 (see banner ad page 20)

graphic design

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

Felicia Kahn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-436-3583

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

moving and storage

home staging Duda Designs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-434-7503 Atlanta Peach Movers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-270-5586

Meredith Shearer and Associates . . . . . . . 678-560-5050 Meyer Closings, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-257-0330

insurance

Morris|Hardwick|Schneider . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-298-2100 O’Kelley & Sorohan, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-497-1880 18 offices across Georgia for your convenience www.okelleyandsorohan.com

Don Johnson State Farm Insurance . . . 770-973-8455 E Cobb Good Neighbor Insurance & Financial Svc www.donjohnsoninsurance.com

Parkway Title and Closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-656-9933 Shafritz & Dean, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 404-255-8183 5 offices for your clients’ convenience www.shafritz-dean.com Weissman, Nowack, Curry & Wilco, PC . . . 404-926-4500

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

resource directory

resource directory

Realtor® resource directory mortgage companies

roof repairs

utility protection

First Option Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-423-8291 “8-day closings” www.thepeopleyoucallfirst.com (see display ad page 14)

Peachtree Roofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-579-7663

Utilities Protection Center, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 811 Know before you dig – Call 811 www.georgia811.com (see display ad page 13)

Loan South Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-551-7120 (see display ad page 6)

video productions Reel Productions TV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-571-5728

multiple listing services Georgia MLS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-493-9000 “More Prices, More Places, More Possibilities” www.gamls.com (see display ad page 5 & 7)

virtual tours Glide Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-560-9658

real estate companies pest control All Exterminating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-887-2571 For ALL your exterminating needs www.allexterminatingga.com

window services

Weichert Realtors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-872-7653 Marietta, Buford, Decatur and Woodstock www.weichert.com (see display ad page 2)

renovation and new construction photography

Glazer Design & Construction . . . . . . . 404-683-9848 Design – Remodeling – New Additions www.glazerconstruction.com

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

security John Clemmer Photography . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-428-1658

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

plumbing wireless solutions technology services Plumbing Express . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770-452-8636 Your Solution to Polybutylene Plumbing www.plumbing911.com (see partners’ profile page 21)

H & H Tek, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 678-637-6018 Computer Repair, Consulting & Web Design www.supportforrealtors.com

Verizon Wireless Blair Marshall blair.marshall@verizonwireless.com

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

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