How much is One Trillion Dollars?

Thanksgiving and One Trillion Dollars

Thank you to Gus Whalen and Johnny Isakson for opening our eyes to this number!

Gainesville GA Lake Lanier Home for Sale in Chattahoochee Country Club!

It is very difficult to find a lakefront home in the Chattahoochee Country Club with this much space and with a view like this every day.  Comparable homes that have sold in 2010 and 2011 sold for $1.35M and $1.5M.  Our price is $1.25M.  Call us for an appointment anytime.

For more information go to our Featured Listings Page at http://www.abernathycochran.com/.

Real estate picture is brighter here than elsewhere

Gainesville/Hall County Georgia.
Gainesville Times Letter to the Editor: Real estate picture is brighter here than elsewhere

Hall County Real Estate Still Leads Entire Region

Remember that Real Estate is local.  While national, state, or even some local news may sound challenging, people need to be plugged in to what is actually happening in your neighborhood.  We offer this valuable information to our clients and friends.  Seek out your local real estate expert.  They should offer it to you, too.

Hall County leads the nation, Georgia, and all of its county neighbors in one huge aspect of real estate recovery:  the increase in the number of homes sold year over year.  Through researching all metropolitan Atlanta counties with GAMLS and FMLS data, it is our conclusion that Hall County is the best real estate market in the entire region. 

The top 3 counties in the percentage increase in the number of homes sold in 2010 over the same time period in 2009 were:

1.                 Hall County had a 9.7% increase in 2010 sales.

2.                  Forsyth County had a 4.5% increase in 2010 sales.

3.                  Dawson County had a 3.9% increase in 2010 sales.

The top 3 counties in the percentage increase in the number of homes sold in 2011 (through September 1^st) over the same time period in 2010 are:

1.                 Hall County has a 23.4% increase in 2011 sales.

2.                  Gwinnett County has a 22.4% increase in 2011 sales.

3.                  Cobb County has a 16.3% increase in 2011 sales.



We have a multitude of reasons to love this area that we call home.  We are blessed that our local economy is doing so much better than others around us.  This data has been compiled and analyzed by Brad Abernathy and Regina Cochran of the Abernathy Cochran Group with The Norton Agency. For more information email us at babernathy@nortonnorthga.com.  Or visit us anytime at http://www.abernathycochran.com/. 

Lake Lanier Homes are SOLD by The Norton Agency!

If you have a Lake Lanier home for sale or are looking for a lake property to buy, call The Abernathy Cochran Group at The Norton Agency.
We look forward to your call!

Brad:  770-540-1548
Regina:  770-297-4813




To join our newsetter text ABERNATHYCOCHRAN to 22828.

Hall County's Gainesville, Flowery Branch, and Lake Lanier Still Leading Region in Real Estate Recovery!

Single Family Home Sales 2011 Year to Date (January 1 to July 15) versus the Same Time Period in 2010.

According to FMLS:
Gwinnett County INCREASED 19.3% IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES. (Avg $147,110)

Hall County INCREASED 18.2% IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $162.375)

Cobb County INCREASED 11.6% IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $198,530)

Forsyth County INCREASED 8.7 % IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $259,300)

Barrow County HAD NO CHANGE IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $94,560)

Fulton County DECREASED 2.2% IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $310,975)

Jackson County DECREASED 6.4% IN NUMBER OF HOME SALES.  (Avg $142,630)

Georgia (according to GA MLS) HAD LESS THAN A 1/2% INCREASE IN HOME SALES.


For the most part in our region of the state and on the north side of Atlanta there is an increase in home sales, but the average sales prices are still lower than 2010 (with the exception of Fulton County).  The main problem with the average sale price for each county is the amount of houses that continue to sell for less than $100,000.  Banks continue to under value many homes!  There are homes (stick built) in each of the above areas selling for less than $100,000.  The following are the percentage of homes that have sold to date in 2011 below $100,000 in each County.

Barrow - 70% of sales in 2011
Hall - 44% of sales in 2011
Gwinnett - 41% of sales in 2011
Fulton - 32% of sales in 2011
Cobb - 32% of sales in 2011
Jackson - 32% of sales in 2011
Forsyth - 11% of sales in 2011

Four Great City Homes For Sale, Gainesville GA

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Gainesville & Hall County Real Estate:  Our Community is Stronger!

The Abernathy Cochran Group of The Norton Agency has reported on the residential real estate market in Hall County several times over the last two years.  In 2010, Hall County homes sold better (as a percentage increase in number of sales year to year) than our neighboring counties, the counties of metro Atlanta, the State of Georgia, and the Nation.

The 2011 Market is showing strength for Hall County.  So far, as of the end of May, Hall continues to sell more homes (year over year) than those around us!

We researched several areas looking for the number of home sales from January 1^st to May 31^st, in 2009, 2010, and 2011, and the trends in number of sales year over year.  These areas saw the following percentage increase or decrease in number of home sales from 2009 to 2010; and from 2010 to 2011:

Area                Change ‘09 to ’10                               Change ’10 to ‘11

Barrow            +16.2%                                                -12.6%

Jackson            +13.8%                                                -20.9%

Dawson           +39.6%                                                -17.6%

Fulton              -17.4%                                                 -9.2%

Dekalb             -4.6%                                                   -14.4%

Hall                  +28.8%                                                +12.3%

Forsyth            +23.1%                                                +9.5%

Gwinnett         +7.9%                                                  +7.8%

Cobb                +15.2%                                                +1.8%

State of Georgia   +3.8%                                            -3.4%

(Data Source: GAMLS) 

http://www.abernathycochran.com/

The national media has reported stories over the last several months that have included our community.  One national publication praised Gainesville for a rise in the average home value.  Another national publication is now showing that this area is still losing value, and said the words “double dip”.  Our analysis shows that the studies are comparing quarters in different parts of the year.  Who knows what they are selling.  The national publications do not know much about what is actually happening on the street, in our local market.  We do.

The truth about the condition of our local real estate market is in the data.  While the average home sale price in Hall County is still falling, the trend is slowing considerably.  The average home sales price for the first 5 months of the year:

Rose    +7.8% from 2006 to 2007;

Fell      -7.3%   from 2007 to 2008;

Fell      -19.5% from 2008 to 2009;

Fell      -10.5% from 2009 to 2010;

Fell      -5.1%   from 2010 to 2011. (Data Source:  GAMLS)

One of the major reasons we are seeing lower average home sale prices in Hall County can be attributed to the actions of a handful of troubled banks.  Some banks have taken back small homes, many of which were owned by investors and used as rental properties.  These banks are selling these properties for very little to get rid of them.  In 2006, during the first five months of the year 12 houses sold for less than $50,000. In the first five months of 2011 there have been 125 houses sell for less than $50,000.  This is a jump of 941.7%!  This alone has an enormous impact on the average sales price.

Don’t pay much attention to those that say “double dip recession” and “ring of death”.  The truth is that our market is getting better.  The strongest real estate markets in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area, and quite possibly the entire state of Georgia, are Hall, Forsyth, Gwinnett, and Cobb.  Of these four counties, Hall County is leading in year over year sales increases.  We know why we love it here.  There is not a better place to call home. 

We know our local market.  Call us anytime when you need the services of a local expert in Real Estate.  Things are getting better!  Have a fantastic week!

R. Brad Abernathy  |  Regina Cochran

Abernathy Cochran Group Real Estate

The Norton Agency

770-718-5255