Archive for the ‘Atlanta Movers’ Category

While the foreclosure rates in Atlanta haven’t changed much into the month of May, optimists are assured it’s much better than a second wave of an increase in foreclosure filings. However, there isn’t much decrease in rates either, leaving the foreclosure industry in a stagnant and awkward place. In the Atlanta metro area, foreclosures slowed down around Christmas of last year and the disastrous robo-signing epidemic was finally resolved early this year.

The Atlanta movers are glad that there hasn’t been an increase in foreclosure filings, but also hopeful that the latter part of 2012 can bring a significant diminish in filings and break the negative real estate trends for good. Home sales are up in comparison to early quarters of 2010 and 2011, so it’s very possible that 2012 could bring about a level of recovery for the realty industry.

While solar panels have been a popular idea among various energy-conservation groups, there is apparently a backlash by residents in neighborhoods where panels are moving in. Homeowners associations are actually banning them over fears that they make neighborhoods look less desirable and therefore lessen the value of all of the homes surrounding the solar panels.

In Atlanta, there were recent incidents of real estate agents and developers blatantly opposing the idea of adding solar panels. It’s a quandary for homeowners who want to do their part in reducing their carbon footprint, not to mention the desire to alter the home that they pay a mortgage on. The Atlanta movers have found associations aren’t really willing to budge, saying they are free to buy homes elsewhere if the panels are that important.

According to recent reports, the 20-county metro Atlanta area has had a tremendous drop in terms of real estate pricing. S&P Case-Shillernumbers has confirmed that from February 2011-February 2012 there was a 3.5 percent drop in prices–but that the year to year decline in its entirety is upwards of 17 percent. The Atlanta movers have also learned this is the largest drop in real estate valuation throughout the entire country.

While homes are continuing to sell, the Atlanta movers hope that this drop is simply a price adjustment to true value of homes versus an inflated market. We’ll follow the trends as the come over the next few weeks.

An Atlanta man, George Daylin Houser, has been convicted for conspiring to defraud the Medicare and Medicaid programs with his wife by billing them for “worthless services” in three nursing homes throughout July 2004-September 2007. For that period of time, Medicare and Medicaid paid Houser $32.9 million for food, medical care and other services that Houser did not provide to residents of his homes.The case is being investigated by the FBI.

Houser was also convicted for eight counts of failing to pay employees payroll taxes–over $800,000. He also failed to pay his own taxes in 2004 and 2005. The Atlanta movers are appalled at the actions that have taken place and at the attempts to take advantage of government programs that seek to help citizens who need financial aid and medical care.

Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and it’s about to get even busier. The amount of travelers expected to pass through the airport is ballparked at another 120 million passengers each year. Thankfully, a new terminal is underway that will facilitate the added travelers. The terminal, known as the Maynard H. Jackson Jr, International Terminal and will cost $1.5 billion.

Concourse F is the new terminal, and it will consist of 12 international gates as well as a new entry-exit for travelers. There will also be eight new security lanes to quicken the departure process for passengers traveling on international flights. The facility is named in honor of the first African-American lawyer. The Atlanta movers are excited for the new developments that will be coming to the airport.

For the seventh month in a row, January’s figures saw residential property sales rise, according to a RE/MAX housing report. In comparison to early 2010, real estate sales are now 3.4% higher.

Along with the sales rising, there is noticeably less inventory, as new construction has remained stalled in places like Atlanta. If the trends continue with sales picking back up, it’s quite possible that we could see home prices begin to rise again. The Atlanta movers are excited to share that Atlanta was among the areas that saw the highest jump in sales, with sales up 26.3%.

Hopefully soon we will see new construction pick up, so that not only will there be more housing available to balance supply & demand, but to also offer work to contractors, builders, architects and other careers that were negatively impacted by the collapse of the real estate market.

Back in 2007, the Atlanta residential real estate market was over-saturated with 110,000 homes for sale. Now, five years later, the tides may be turning on the real estate industry in the Atlanta area–to the point where it may be dubbed a seller’s market. If you’re serious about moving here, the Atlanta movers want to encourage you to get a jump on the market before it’s too late.

At current press time, the Atlanta residential real estate market is offering 60% less homes in the metro Atlanta market. That’s roughly 46,000 homes listed in the MLS. A place like Atlanta has seen few new construction projects, and is home to roughly 5 million people. Figuring in those factors, its understandable that under 50k in homes won’t go very far.

Here at the Atlanta movers, we love keeping our readers informed of local events and happenings. This March, the 24th Annual Hunter Hotel Conference will be coming to the Atlanta, Georgia Marriott Marquis Hotel. The Hunter conference is one of four major annual hotel industry conferences.

The Hunter conference focuses on hotel owners, real estate and finance. Keynote speakers include Tom Corocran, chairman of FelCor Lodging Trust, which currently owns 76 hotels. There will be a total of 100 conference speakers throughout the entirety of the event.

If you’re interested in attending the conference, visit www.HunterConference.com.

The real estate market keeps taking blows, and the most recent is from the mortgage industry. The new record low for 30 year fixed mortgages, 3.87 percent, is the ninth “lowest” rate in the past year. Basically, the numbers keep dropping. And for a 15-year fixed mortgage? Another record low, at 3.14 percent.

Here in Atlanta, we are no exception to the trend. With loan qualifications increasingly difficult, job loss increasingly common and an abundance of foreclosed homes permeating the market, it seems the condition of the real estate industry is steadily getting worse. The whole industry is suffering in terms of value. So what to the Atlanta movers feel about it? We need a way to inject faith into homeowners, buyers and builders. Who knows how long it could take to re-instill hope in the industry, but we feel 2012 just may be the year that everything falls back in to place.

The Atlanta movers hear that there has been a new sale of commercial property in downtown Atlanta. The Imperial Hotel has long been inhabited by the homeless and low income families of the Atlanta metropolitan area. The last 15 years have seen the hotel house homeless and advocates at low costs–a far cry from the hot spot that it used to be back when it was one of Atlanta’s leading hotels.

Recently, the building was purchased by Columbia Residential and National Church Residences, and will remain a safe haven for the needy. Initial fears were apparent that the property might be remodeled and flipped as luxury condos, however, the goal is to provide high quality affordable housing for the needy. The current residents will be displaced while renovations are underway, however.