By Patti Harris Ayers
2007 President of the Fayette County Board of REALTORS

Current conditions in the housing market is on everyone's mind today. David Lerah, Sr. VP for the National Association of Realtors , gave this recap of the home market: 2005- Home prices nationwide were inflated for the fourth straight year. In 2006- the sky never fell. There were no bursting bubbles, but the air did come out of some over inflated balloons. While Atlanta's economic and housing fundamentals remained strong, other cities with critical issues commanded the publics attention. Residential real estate is most impacted by the local economy no matter that national climate of "doom and demise". Understanding how to appropriately market and sell or buy a home requires expertise that is gained over time by professionals who value high ethical standards and superior service.

On behalf of RE/MAX Regional Services, Regional Owner Howard McPherson and Co-Regional Director of Georgia Saundra Gotfredson, accepted the Buyer’s Visionary award last Saturday night at the 2007 Christian City Gala held at the Georgia International Convention Center.

Barbara Pearson, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Around Atlanta All Stars is proud to announce that Gary Daniel has been name Agent of the Year for 2006. Gary has been an agent in the Fayette County area for 34 years of which 19have been with RE/MAX.

Barbara Pearson, Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Around Atlanta All Stars is proud to announce that Natalie Ward has received Metro South Association of Realtor’s Circle of Excellence award for 2006.

Local home owners now can avoid stress and have easier access to important information thanks to Mya Carden, a top-producing area agent who reveals in a new special report several ways consumers can get the most out of their home sales. Mya recently announced that she is offering her special report, 29 Essential Tips That Get Homes Sold Fast (And For Top Dollar), as a free community service to any consumer selling a home in Fayette County.

Melinda Belote of The Home Source Realtors General Brokerage office in Peachtree City has added Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) to her professional designations.

On Friday and Saturday, March 30-31, The Gaddy School will offer a cram course for anyone preparing to take the Georgia Real Estate Salesperson Licensing Examination. No matter what school you attended to complete your pre-license course work, this course will benefit you.

The Housing Institute, Inc. announces the winners of the first annual Certified Professional Home BuilderSM (CPHB) Professionalism Awards

Angi Sklar, Neighborhood Sales Manager, and Jeanie Gonzalez, Licensed Sales Assistant, recently joined the sales team at John Wieland’s Centennial.

The Georgia Association of Realtors Women’s Council recently honored Sandra McCrary as Member of the Year for the state of Georgia.

Of the more than 1 million agents who hold a real estate license in this country, Realtor Chandra Smith has just earned a real estate designation held by only one in 10,000 agents. Known as the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation, it’s offered by the Senior Advantage Real Estate Council (SAREC). Based in California, the SAREC helps Realtors do target marketing to this population group as well as providing Realtors with special reports geared toward seniors= concerns with buying and selling residential real estate.

Mike Glass, the regional owner of Exit Realty Georgia is proud to announce the opening of another Exit Realty Office in Fayette County, GA.

On Wednesday, April 11, The Gaddy School in Peachtree City will offer the mandatory 7-hour USPAP course for real estate appraisers. Appraisers are required to take a 15-hour course on the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) when they originally obtain their appraisal classification and a 7-hour “update” course every two years. According to the Georgia Real Estate Appraiser Board, approximately 4,000 real estate appraisers will have to complete the 7-hour USPAP course in 2007.

Laura Mehl, a real estate professional in Prudential Georgia Realty’s Fayetteville office, was named the winner of the company’s Rising Star Award. The announcement was made at Prudential Georgia Realty’s annual awards ceremony held February 27 at the Cobb Galleria. This award is annually given to a sales associate licensed no longer than 18 months who has shown outstanding sales performance.

The Prudential Georgia Realty Fayetteville office, located at 834 S. Glynn Street, recently honored its top sales associates for 2006.

Development progress has continued at a steady pace in The Villages of LaFayette Park in Fayetteville with several completed new homes coming on the market in the mixed-use community.

By Patti Harris Ayers
President of the Fayette County Board of REALTORS

Most prospective home buyers have heard the old adage that the three most important factors to consider when buying real estate are, "location, location, location." In reality, although location is important, there is much more to consider in any real estate transactions which is why most home buyers and sellers choose to work with real estate professionals.

Prudential Georgia Realty is pleased to announce Realtor Denise McLean has joined its sales team. She is based out of the Fayetteville office at 834 S. Glynn Street.

Prudential Georgia Realty real estate professionals Steven and Carol Rosen, known as The ‘R’ Team, recently earned their Fine Homes Specialist designations. This exclusive designation was created by and for Prudential Real Estate Affiliates’ (PREA) members and makes Steven and Carol part of a select number of Prudential associates in the country to hold this distinction.

Prudential Georgia Realty continues to expand its sales team with the addition of Realtor Gail Cofield. She is based out of the Fayetteville office at 834 S. Glynn Street.

In January, Keller Williams Southeast Region held their annual Awards Breakfast at the Cobb Galleria.

Keller Williams Realty South in Fayetteville was very pleased to take home an award for being one of the top three Market Centers for growth in 2006.

On January 16, 2007 at the Keller Williams Southeast Region Award’s Breakfast, Brigette Lowe was honored for being 2006 Rookie of the Year for the Keller Williams Realty South office in Fayetteville.

Lynn Stephens has just returned from Morrow where she completed a highly specialized course in residential real estate buyer sales strategies conducted by the Council of Residential Specialists of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

Troy Davidson who has been the Team Leader of the Fayetteville office since it opened in September of 2005, is pleased to announce that Sue Monson will be replacing him so he will be able to join his wife, Cindy Davidson in building their team of agents.

Susan Fitzgerald, Jane Young, Lynn Cook, and Julie and Chris Hunt were top agents for 2006 at The Home Source Realtors, who made the announcement recently at an awards dinner at Flat Creek Country Club in Peachtree City. Susan Fitzgerald was named the company’s 2006 Agent of the Year.

Leslie Jernigan is now a Realtor with The Home Source Realtors, where she specializes in residential real estate in Coweta, Fayette and surrounding counties.

How important is Listing Price when first listing a residential property? Recently I researched and analyzed sold and expired listings in the four Stonebriar subdivisions of Fayetteville, Georgia. My research proves empirically what we should intuitively know. “Priced-to-sell” listings sell after fewer Days-On-Market or “DOM” and for amounts nearer their Listing Price. Conversely, “over-market” priced listings languish on the market and then fail to sell or sell only after considerable price reductions and/or seller’s contributions are applied.

Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty Company, the oldest and largest real estate company headquartered in the Metro South area, has moved its Peachtree City office into a newly-renovated, two-story brick building inside the city limits.

Jerry Nesbitt, managing broker of Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty’s Peachtree City office since 1990, has been named as the first general manager of the company.

Barbara Pearson is pleased to announce that Monique Felton has joined RE/MAX Around Atlanta Results in Peachtree City.