504 East Bay Street

You're Invited!

Please join us for an OPEN HOUSE TOUR.

This tour is coinciding with the 73rd Annual Savannah Tour of Homes & Gardens. Please feel free to peruse all of the homes on the OPEN HOUSE TOUR by clicking on the links below.

Friday, March 28 -- Southwest Quadrant
West of Bull Street and south of Liberty Street (Pulaski, Madison, Chatham, and Monterey Squares)

Saturday, March 29 -- Northeast Quadrant
Oldest neighborhoods of Savannah -areas that encompass Warren, Washington, Greene, Columbia, Oglethorpe, and Crawford Squares

These homes below will be open both Friday & Saturday from 2-4pm

347 Tattnall
616 Barnard
108 E Jones
112 E Jones
1 W Jones
316 E Jones
210 W Harris
201 E York
909 Whitaker

Sunday, March 30 -- Ardsley Park
623 East 52nd (2–4pm)
601 East 44th (3–5pm)
702 East 44th (3-5pm)

Curb Appeal: Stamped Concrete

Curb appeal is the first impression of a home or property as viewed from the street. And it can actually increase the value of your property for resale, or better yet, cause envy from nearby neighbors.


One of the hottest trends right now in curb appeal is the creation of distinctive driveways.

Options for driveways used to be pretty simple, asphalt or concrete. But these days the possibilities for concrete are practically limitless, allowing you to take your carport from blasé to beautiful.

Stamped concrete, often referred to as "patterned concrete" or "imprinted concrete," is concrete that has been designed to resemble other more expensive materials such as brick, slate, flagstone, tile or even wood. And the cost effectiveness, easy maintenance and endless design possibilities are making stamped concrete a must-have.

In stamped concrete you can incorporate decorative patterns, even using other elements such as bond brick, hexagonal tile, worn rock or stone. And the use of stains can make your home all the more elegant and inviting. Some of the color choices include Green Lawn, Cola, Aqua Blue, Venetian Pink and Sandstone Cream.

If you have an existing driveway, there are ways to get a lasting makeover without starting from scratch. For instance, you can resurface your concrete with overlay systems to eliminate cracks or blemishes, or you can choose to permanently engrave or sketch patterns for an enhanced appeal.

For more information about concrete stamping and sketching, and for help finding a local contractor in your area, visit www.concretenetwork.com.

Published: March 27, 2008 http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080327_curbappeal.htm

OPPORTUNITY IN ANY MARKET!

Whether the market is up or down (and particularly if it's down), buying a "fixer-upper" and updating it can prove to be a profitable venture. As with any real estate investment, however, it's wise to enter with eyes wide open. Knowledge and caution will help you avoid common pitfalls.

The ideal candidate for such a purchase would be priced roughly 30 percent below the value of nearby homes, and located in a community with low crime rates and good schools. The only thing you can't repair or improve is a poor location.

And just because you can improve almost anything doesn't mean that you should! Avoid homes in need of truly major (and unprofitable) repairs such as the foundation, structural plumbing, or complete kitchen and bath renovations. Because these features are simply expected by buyers, they won't necessarily add any value to your offering.

Another aspect that is often overlooked is your fixer-upper's proximity to where you live. Keep it within an hour's drive, because you'll want (and need) to check in regularly, probably daily, while your repairs and renovations are in progress. The cost of fuel is high enough these days that you don't want to blow your profits on your gas tank!

There are many fine homes being offered at lower prices by motivated sellers. Don't overlook the opportunity these properties present!

Realty Viewpoint: Watch The Dates Of Housing Reports

by Blanche Evans

It didn't take long for the bloom to leave the rose. The notoriously pessimistic backward-looking S&P Case-Shiller Index says housing prices fell a record 2.4 percent between December and January and 10.7 percent for the year. Following on the heels of the February report from the National Association of Realtors, the Case-Shiller report appears to contradict the NAR's findings that home sales went up 2.9 percent and home prices fell 8.2 percent over the past year.

Well, there's a reason for that. The two reports don't cover the same period, the same markets, or the same types of housing. The NAR's report covered February, not January, and it includes all market areas where there's a Realtor reporting sales, and it includes multifamily housing such as condos and coops.

So to say the NAR's report is a little more relevant is an understatement.

So you have to be careful what you read and what you pay attention to.

But that didn't stop the financial press from fueling more housing panic.

CBS Marketwatch used this headline - "Housing Prices Fall At Record Rate" to tell this story: "Home prices in 20 major U.S. metro areas have plunged a record 10.7 percent in the past year as prices continued to decelerate, Standard & Poor's said Tuesday."

CNNMoney.com used this headline: "Home prices: Down record 11 percent - The residential real estate market continues to deteriorate in 2008, with 20 key markets reporting steep drops."

Gee, is this happening right now? No, it happened two months ago, to only 20 markets, and to only same-sale homes.

The only comparable report to the Case-Shiller Index is OFHEO's ( the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight) and it showed only a 3 percent decline in prices for the past year.

There's a reason for that -- OFHEO doesn't include nonconforming mortgages. Just to recap, it's jumbo and subprime loans that have been the most volatile.

No wonder Consumer Confidence is in the dumpster. People don't know what to believe, so they believe the worst.

The Conference Board just reported the lowest consumer view of expectations in 35 years.

"Looking ahead, consumers' outlook for business conditions, the job market and their income prospects is quite pessimistic and suggests further weakening may be on the horizon," said Lynn Franco, director of consumer research.

While consumer confidence is tracked through March, it's still only a short-term forward-looking indicator, and not a credible one at that. Consumers in March were slammed by a plummeting stock market, and many watched their 401k's all but disappear. No wonder they're pessimistic.

They'll pull back on spending, and then prices will come down, and then they'll start spending again, and the whole cycle will start all over.


Published: March 26, 2008 http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20080326_realtyviewpoint.htm

START MOVING YESTERDAY!

Let's say you've just decided to list your home for sale. You know there's a lot to plan, but when do you start preparing to move? In a word, NOW! Stay focused and don't panic!

The main aspect guiding your planning will be whether you're moving a long distance or just locally. Either way, begin hoarding boxes, packing tape, moving blankets, packing peanuts - and big black markers to indicate contents and locations on every single box.

In many cases, you'll want to consider a professional mover, and your listing agent can make some excellent recommendations. However, be sure your choice is licensed and bonded, and that their employees have workman's comp insurance. Always get an estimate in writing, from more than one company, and inquire about their equipment, training and experience. References should always be available upon request.

Well in advance of The Big Day, hold a moving sale to reduce the amount you have to pay for your move. Items that don’t sell can often be donated to charitable organizations, or taken to the landfill as a last resort.

When you're finally "outta there," make sure you've brought enough cash for your travel, your medications and supplements, and your children's favorite toys, games and entertainment. It could be a few days before you have access to your belongings, so plan ahead and be prepared!

Tybee Island - Best Place to Retire

As seen on The Today Show -- Barbara Corcoran has selected Tybee Island as one of the best places to retire!