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THE CASTLEBERRY TEAM AT KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY PEACHTREE BATTLE, THE RAWLS GROUP LAUNCHES BICYCLE HOME TOURS

Top Atlanta Real Estate Team Respects Environment and Shows Homes by Bike

For Immediate Release, Atlanta, GA – In a movement to “Go Green” and give clients a better perspective of where they will live, The Castleberry Team of Keller Williams Realty launched the Bicycle Home Tour. With a focus on giving respect to the environment and getting exercise at the same time, this movement empowers the Team to work with clients who are in alignment with these priorities.

In the continued effort to better the environment, the Castleberry Team also gives $250.00 to the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition in honor of any client that buys or sells a home.

Ryan Castleberry, The Castleberry Team noted: “Like most in this economy, we began to notice more time at work trying to help others buy and sell real estate and much less time out doing the activities we love, especially cycling. After a lot of thought, the idea of combining the two became very attractive.”

Loree Castleberry said, “We realized it actually could be that easy and so Bicycle Home Tours was launched.  When buying a home, you are also buying a neighborhood and lifestyle. Now you can experience a perspective that might have been overlooked while looking at homes in the traditional car way.  Clients now get the chance to see parks, meet neighbors and experience the roads that their children may be playing very close to.

“The Peachtree Battle office has launched a massive Green movement.  It has taken wings and is flying us to places we couldn’t have dreamed of!  This month, many of our agents, along with me, earned our Ecco Broker Designation to better guide our clients in making cost cutting and environment friendly decisions” noted Managing Broker, Cynthia Lippert.

The Castleberry Team has over 11 years experience in the Atlanta Market. Specializing in anything from first time buyers to luxury homes, The Castleberry Team utilizes the latest technologies, market research and business strategies to exceed your expectations. Ryan and Loree Castleberry are a husband and wife team affiliated with Keller Williams Realty Peachtree Battle, A Rawls Group office.

Visit www.thecastleberryteam.com for details and to sign up!

In todays Real Estate there are two kinds of sellers on the market those who want to sell and those who MUST SELL. It becomes more evident as we take the time to go through many of the homes that are currently on the market. After viewing tons of homes we realized the Pareto Prinical (80/20 rule) is followed exactly. 8 out of every 10 homes are clearly not priced according to the current market conditions to sell. When interviewing sellers we often hear "My price is what I owe plus commissions" but sadly chances are they will not see an offer because the pricing is incorrect. Even worse most of these sellers are trying as hard as they can but every day they lose a little more ground and many are growing close to foreclosure.

Many people think their only options are foreclosure. But now more than ever there are so many more options. There are companies that can help you get a Loan Modification or if selling is a must there is also something called a "Short Sale". Short sales have gained popularity in the Metro Atlanta market because the market has declined and now good people who must sell their homes who owe more than they can sell for have options.

Use this link to get a full understanding of your options

http://www.thecastleberryteam.com/Short_Sales/page_2196378.html

Fairburn, Atlanta  -  Announcing a price reduction on 7864 Village Pass, a 3 bath, 4 bdrm single story. Now MLS® $184,900 - Discounted below market.

Property information

With the residential real estate market clearly at a low, real estate agents are turning to new strategies to help home sellers protect their investments and to sell homes quickly at the highest valuations. The biggest development in this in this area is Realtors advising sellers to schedule a home inspection prior to putting their homes on the market.

Realtors who require prelisting inspections--a home inspection that is paid for by the seller before a house is put on the market--not only reduce the possibility of last-minute surprises during negotiations, but also give their clients' homes a marketing edge. They give the more-educated buyer upfront information on the condition of the home, along with identifying hidden problem spots that could potentially push the home's price downward during the sale transaction.

Knowing the home's potential problem areas before sellers put the house on the market creates a trusting environment between the sellers and the buyers. The prelisting inspection reduces the stress that might be involved in a transaction if surprises (i.e., damages, hazards) were to be discovered during the time the house is in escrow.

For example, imagine that three weeks before a house was to close, the water heater broke down. The seller would need to rush to repair the problem, potentially costing far more than if the repair had been scheduled. If the faulty water heater has been discovered before the home went up for sale, the seller would have avoided the last-minute stress--and unforeseen expenditure--of replacing the water heater.

It's less expensive for home sellers to replace a faulty system or fix a problem than to negotiate the price down. It's been suggested that for every $1 of identified repairs, the buyer seeks double or triple that in a price reduction. Savvy home sellers who, for example, learn through home inspection that portions of the roof need repair may opt to repair that section immediately, rather than having the problem become a price negotiating tool. Paying $5,000 for the repair is far more enticing than losing $15,000 in the sales price.

Even a newer home with marble countertops and hardwood floors may have problem spots. Buyers who are looking to make a big investment may very much appreciate the added touch of a prelisting inspection, showing repair cost estimates and receipts for actual work done.

Furthermore, much of the increase in prelisting inspections has been driven by real estate practitioners. They have seen a definite effect on how quickly and easily they can sell a home with home inspection reports readily available for buyers to view. Having the reports re-emphasizes the fact that the seller has nothing to hide.

To ensure selling success, a prelisting inspection is a simple way to create a win-win scenario.

This article was found in the Dec. '08 RealEsate magazine. The Castleberry Team firmly believes in prelisting home inspections. We recently sold a home that the seller had a prelisting inspection done. The seller repaired about 75% of the repairs listed on the report prior to putting the home on the market. The seller was very happy to receive 2 offers in the first 2 days on the market and then went under contract for more than asking price. The inspection cost them around $400 but in return saved them valuable time and money.  Click Here to view our website with valuable information and a list of trusted home inspectors