An Introduction to Your Home…

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Jill Abernathy with the Abernathy Cochran Group http://abernathycochran.com/blog/index.php/an-introduction-to-your-home/    

“An entryway is an introduction.

Like the opening pages of a book, it leads us in and welcomes us to the world inside.”

~Rose Tarlow~

This quote was found on my favorite blog, for the love of a house.  An entryway or a foyer is an introduction to your home, I honestly believe that to be true.  When the front door opens, you only get one chance at a first impression.  Make it good!  Naturally, the entryway varies in size and design from house to house.  Keep it neat and inviting!  You can use a table or a chair, use art or mirrors, and use lamps or eye catching entryway/foyer lights to make your introduction.  I’ve added some great entryway photos below.  For more ideas, use helpful sites like Pinterest and Houzz.

PAINT..........

Let’s paint…

Posted on November 19, 2013 by Jill Abernathy with The Abernathy Cochran Group http://abernathycochran.com/blog/index.php/lets-paint/

  

Today I was going to write about choosing paint colors…  However, when I sat down to start I just kept thinking about this blog I read not so long ago.  I decided to share it with you.  Kristin at http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/ often has great suggestions and offers inspiration.  You should take a look at her site, she uses photos from real bloggers and their finished product.
As for my advice, if you are a seller, you should choose a neutral wall color.  Light neutral tones make a space look larger.  The light also gives your home a crisp, clean feel.  Now how can larger and clean be bad?  Well, it can’t…

White, cream, taupe, gray, and biege tones are great options to update your look.  There are many added benefits to repainting the interior before putting your home on the market.  It is part of my advice when “neutralizing” a house for buyers.  You have tons of neutrals to choose from:



And now for, the new IT colors – Greige!  Yes, the gray/beige combo is the hottest decorator choice.











Bleeker Beige is one of Benjamin Moore’s most popular neutrals!







You have so many options!  Be sure you are careful with creams, beiges, and taupes.  They can go on the wall pink.





Shades of Gray…

 




This kitchen is white, bright, crisp, and clean!





 




Paint color can transform a house into a home.
The problem is that there are thousands of colors to choose from, and the picking the perfect color can be the hardest part of the process. Do you go neutral or bold, dark or light, cool or warm? Here are a few tips for choosing the best color for you:
Where are we?  Ask yourself some questions. What is the purpose of the room you are painting? Is it a dining room that will entertain guests and gather your family in each evening for dinner? A master bedroom that you want to make your “sanctuary”, or a laundry room that you want to be bright and colorful to make the time you spend there more pleasant?
Gather your favorites.  Once you’ve decided your purpose and how you want yourself and others to feel in your room, pick a color palette. Look at your room. Are you picking a color that’s going to go with everything in your room (more of a neutral), or are you picking the color first and then working around that? Are you going to add color to your room by accessorizing (curtains, painted furniture, décor, etc.) or do you want the paint to be the main accessory?
Start small and inexpensive: Go to your favorite paint store, pick a few colors you like and have sample sizes mixed. Most paint stores sell them for around $3. This is the best way to find the right color without having a whole gallon of paint mixed up and then deciding when you get it home that you hate the color.
Seeing is believing: Paint the colors you’re considering onto white poster boards. Put it next to your cabinets, trim, carpet or furniture. Paint can look a totally different color in various lighting, so make sure you look at it for a good 24 hours. Move your poster boards to different places in the room. Look for any color undertones it might have during bright daylight hours, rainy days and at night in artificial lighting.

Go for it! If you love the way the color you’ve chosen looks in all conditions, then go for the kill. You have just completed the hardest part of the process.
Happy painting!
Full article available on:
http://www.favoritepaintcolorsblog.com/2013/04/how-to-pick-out-perfect-paint-color.html

Remember, sellers should choose neutrals! (Had to add the reminder…)

Lake Lanier over full pool for 6 months!

Great news for Lake Lanier Real Estate and Home Sales!

Real Estate Sales in Hall County Georgia

The real estate market in Hall County (including Gainesville GA, Flowery Branch GA, Oakwood GA, Lake Lanier, and parts of Braselton GA and Buford GA) is doing much better and continuing to get stronger through the summer of 2013.

There is a huge difference in the amount of sales over $200,000 that is great in some ranges and puzzling in other ranges.  Properties in the higher price ranges have been slower to respond for various reasons.

[Time periods:  May 1, 2013 through September 18, 2013 versus the same period in 2012.]

 2013 Sold Single Family Homes in Hall County:

Under 200K –     Same as 2012

200K to 300K –   Increase of 35% over 2012
300K to 400K –   Increase of 107% over 2012
400K to 500K –   Increase of 92% over 2012
500K to 600K –   Decrease of 22% over 2012
600K to 1M –      Decrease of 25% over 2012

Condensed:

Under 200K –     SAME NUMBER OF SALES

200K to 500K –   INCREASE of 57%
500K to 1M –      DECREASE of 23.5%

Are You in Love...

Are You In Love with Two Houses?

As you find yourself in the house-hunting mode, you may encounter a situation in which you're torn between two houses. Perhaps you and your significant other each have a favorite, or perhaps you both like two houses equally - or think you do.

Making a final decision and determining which house to make an offer on shouldn't be taken lightly. The decision should be made rationally and not guided by emotion. Of course, you may not have the luxury of taking your time on deciding which house you'd like to pursue. You may be in a market in which homes in your price range get snatched up as quickly as they go on the market, perhaps even attracting multiple offers.  But in some situations, you may find yourself torn between two houses. Sometimes the easiest thing to do is take pen to paper and outline your family's needs, your budget, and the pros and cons of each house.

Some things you'll want to compare include:

• The neighborhoods
• The schools
• Crime
• The houses compared to others in the neighborhood
• Appreciation
• The sellers' situations
• The houses themselves
• Drawbacks

As you carefully weigh all the factors, it might become clear that one house is more enticing than the other. Or, you may find the houses are still equally appealing. If that is the case, be sure you look at the homes more than once. You may notice something you didn't the first time around - something that could sway you one way or the other. In fact, you should probably visit each home at least two more times, at different times of the day to get a feeling for how the house and neighborhood look and feel in the morning versus late afternoon or evening. Once you make a decision and an offer, you can take comfort in knowing you may still have a back-up if the deal falls apart.

Source - Realtor friend, Carolyn Ezelle.

To find great homes in Gainesville, Flowery Branch, or anywhere in NE Georgia visit us at http://www.abernathycochran.com

Video Tour 340 Dixon Drive

A great way to preview a home.  We have some amazing marketing platforms for our clients.  Visit us anytime at abernathycochran.com

NewLeaf Landscape Services, an Abernathy Cochran Group Marketing Partner

An Abernathy Cochran Group Preferred Partner - New Leaf Landscape Services.
Curb appeal is vital in selling homes and selling them for great prices.  Your landscape, your future landscape plans, and the maintenance of you landscape sometimes needs professional assistance.  If you are in northeast Georgia, call NewLeaf Landscape Services.

Watch the video to be introduced to Steve Murray.

http://www.abernathycochran.com/partners

5 Reasons to Sell Now...

Thinking of Selling Your House? 5 Reasons to Do it Now Posted: 10 Sep 2013 04:00 AM PDT Many now realize that it is a great time to buy a home. Today, we want to look at why it might also be an opportune time to sell your house. Here are the Top 5 Reasons we believe now may be a perfect time to put your house on the market. 1.) Demand Is High The most recent Existing Home Sales Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed a 17.2 percent increase in sales over July 2012; sales have remained above year-ago levels for 25 months. There are buyers out there right now and they are serious about purchasing. 2.) Supply Is Beginning to Increase Total housing inventory last month rose 5.6% to 2.28 million homes for sale. This represents a 5.1-month supply at the current sales pace, compared with 4.3 months in January. Many expect inventory to continue to rise as 3.2 million homeowners escaped the shackles of negative equity in the last 12 months and an additional 1.9 million are expected to enter positive equity in the next 12 months. Selling now while demand is high and before supply increases may garner you your best price. 3.) New Construction Is Coming Back Over the last several years, most homeowners selling their home did not have to compete with a new construction project around the block. As the market is recovering, more and more builders are jumping back in. These ‘shiny’ new homes will again become competition as they are an attractive alternative for many purchasers. 4.) Interest Rates Are Rising According to Freddie Mac’s Primary Mortgage Market Survey, interest rates for a 30-year mortgage have shot up to 4.57% which represents a jump of more than a full point since the beginning of the year. The Mortgage Bankers Association, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the National Association of Realtors are in unison projecting that rates will continue to climb. Whether you are moving up or moving down, your housing expense will be more a year from now if a mortgage is necessary to purchase your next home. 5.) It’s Time to Move On with Your Life Look at the reason you are thinking about selling and decide whether it is worth waiting. Is the possibility of a few extra dollars more important than being with family; more important than your health; more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should? You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of your situation by putting the house on the market today. The time may have come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what is truly important. Source: KCM BLOG

Visit http://www.abernathycochran.com to find out more information about listing your home sor sale in and around northeast Georgia.

Pricing Your House to Sell Can Be Tricky

Pricing Your House to Sell Can Be Tricky

Don't be afraid to be bold! A punch of color adds a modern twist to a traditional facade.