SOLDbyNat.com Real Estate Services

There are many reasons for wanting to have a home of your own like a place to raise your family, share with friends and feel safe and secure.  While investment opportunities rank high for most people based on the fact that homeowners’ net worth is over forty times higher than that of renters, so do the tax benefits that reduce tax liability. Taxpayers who have owned and used a home for at least two out of the last five years, can exclude a maximum of $250,000 of gain as a single taxpayer and up to $500,000 of gain for married taxpayers filing jointly. If the gain on a principal residence exceeds the allowed exclusion, the balance is taxed at the lower long-term capital gains rate rather than the marginal tax rate of the homeowner. Homeowners can deduct the interest paid on up to $1,000,000 of acquisition debt used to buy, build or improve their first or second home.  They may also deduct the interest on up to $100,000 over acquisiti...

Congratulations to these SMART SELLERS !  See why selling their home during the winter paid off BIG... While most homeowners interested in selling don't want to be bothered during the winter/holidays and are going to wait until the Spring, these sellers made a brilliant decision to do the opposite and it paid off. They were under contract in under 2 weeks and received multiple offer! It may be cold out, but the market is still hot! If you are thinking about SELLING YOUR HOME, here are a few reasons you should not wait until it warms up. In the winter, inventory is lower by an average of 20% and so is competition. In the winter time, people who are searching for a home are   serious   buyers.  How many “tire kickers” do you know who are willing to get out there and search for a home in the cold, rain, wind or snow? In the winter time, the amount of traffic going through a client’s home is much less because there are less people in the marke...

Everyone knows that ice can make a drink cool or reduce swelling, but if you put it on your cell phone, it might just save your life. The concept is simple.  Make a contact record in your address book with the name “ICE”, which stands for In Case of Emergency.  In the note section of the record, you would list your name, blood type and medical conditions along with prescriptions and physicians.  You’d also list the people and their phone numbers that can be contacted in case of an emergency. Several years ago, a British first responder came up with the idea when his emergency unit responded to a call where the victim was unable to communicate due to illness or trauma.  The victim’s wallet didn’t indicate specific persons to be notified in an emergency.  The fireman went through his cell phone to try to identify a relative and wasn’t successful. That’s when he came up with the idea of a universal entry into ...

Appreciation and tax savings are legitimate contributors to an overall rate of return on rental real estate but what if you didn’t consider them at all.  If you only looked at one or two, very conservative measurements, you might decide to invest especially knowing that there are more benefits that will accrue to your investment. If we bought a property for cash, collected the rent and paid the expenses, the amount left would be called Net Operating Income.  In the example below, if would generate $7,200 a year which would be a 7.02% cash on cash rate of return which is considerably higher than the current 10 year treasury rate of around 2.3%. If we place a mortgage on that property, the rate of return actually increases due to leverage.  After the principal and interest are paid, the net operating income obviously decreases but the cash on cash rate of return increases to 9.10% because the borrowed funds means less cash invested. Another contribution to th...

I love my neighborhood of Loganville, Georgia . First of all, I think my subdivision has great curb appeal. Spacious lots, wide streets, homeowners keep up their properties, and the HOA is active. Not to mention I have/had great neighbors! I don't have to go far at all for stores, restaurants , or fresh produce. There are several small businesses, and there is still a mix of city and country. Plus, the city is often putting on events and hosting opportunities for neighbors to get out and mingle. Being that I'm a Realtor and have sold home in many different cities in Georgia, I know everyone doesn't feel as warm as I do about my neighborhood. Being a Realtor has actually given me a better appreciation for it! Prior to getting into real estate, I worked my 9-5, came home, pulled in my garage, and put the door down before I got out. I knew my neighbors to the left and right of me, but that was about it. Can you relate? Becoming a real estate agent gave me the push to bec...

Congratulations to my clients on relocating to Georgia and buying this 7 bedroom, 5 full bathroom, 3 story home! I pray their family enjoys this home for many, many years to come. _____________________________ Working with this family made it ever so clear why it is important for buyers to have their own representation when making any home purchase; new construction or otherwise. Here is why... QUESTION: Buying a new construction home - Do I need an agent? ANSWER: The simple answer is YES! WHY: When you are buying ANY home, whether a resale or new construction, you need your own representation. Builder sales reps represent the builder. Often builders have their own agents on site to answer questions, assist people who walk in, and ultimately help with a purchase. Builder reps provide a valuable service: They can explain differences between models and floor plans and share information about financing options, upgrades and specials. But it’s important to remember that b...

Natasha, It's hard to put in words how you have changed our lives for the better . It's not just about getting us to a new house - lots of realtors could have done that. But it was the WAY you got us to the PERFECT new house for us… The first time we met you was on Labor Day, a holiday, when most offices are closed. We weren't your clients yet, you didn't even know us, and yet you were willing to meet a family of strangers, on a cold and rainy holiday, to go look at a house. From that very first day, you listened to us, you answered thousands of questions, and you were so patient with us . And you pushed us, just enough, to really identify exactly what we wanted, and then to take the steps to get it. We knew we wanted to sell our house… but you helped us sell it over the asking price by advising us about how to de-clutter, what to do with our pets, when to show the home, etc. We had offers on the first day!!! And you understood that our lifestyle - both...

Fresh holiday trees are beautiful, smell great and really add to the spirit of the season.  Following some proven safety tips might help you avoid a disaster and keep the Grinch away. Select a tree with fresh green needles that don’t fall off when touched or when the trunk is tapped on the ground. When trees are cut too early, they have a greater risk of drying out and can become more dangerous especially with electrical lights. Cut 1” to 2” off the base of the tree before placing it in the stand to facilitate it drawing water to the limbs and quills. Trees require water similar to cut flowers or they’ll dry out. Tree stands should hold at least one gallon of water and it should be checked every day.  A six foot tree could use up to a gallon of water every two days. Position the tree a minimum of three feet or further from heat source like fireplaces, space heaters, heat vents or candles.  ...

If you have a mortgage with an escrow account to pay your property taxes and insurance, you expect the company servicing your loan to pay this year’s taxes this year so that you can deduct them on your 2014 income tax return.  After all, your monthly payment includes 1/12 the annual amount so there will be money available for them to be paid on time. IRS requires that expenses must actually be paid in the year that a deduction is to be taken. The predicament occurs when you’ve made your payments but the mortgage company didn’t pay the taxing authority in the tax year they were due.  If they paid your 2014 taxes in January of 2015, they wouldn’t be deductible for you until you file your 2015 income tax return. Verify with your lender after you make the December payment that they did indeed pay your property taxes.  The question for your lender’s customer service is: "Have you or will you pay the 2014 property taxes this year so I...

With fixed rate mortgages as low as they are, most purchasers or owners wanting to refinance might not even consider an adjustable rate loan.   The determining factor should be how long the person plans to be in the home and which mortgage will provide the cheapest cost of housing. For instance, if you compare a $300,000, 30 year term mortgage with a 4.125% rate on the fixed and a 3.25% on the 5/1 adjustable, the breakeven point would be almost seven years assuming the rates adjusted the maximum that they could in each year.   Therefore, if a person is going to stay in the house less than 7 years, the ARM would provide the cheapest cost of housing.  This example shows that at the end of five years, the ARM would generate almost $13,000 savings over the fixed-rate.  On the other hand, this could be a good time for homeowners with an existing adjustable rate mortgage to consider refinancing into a fixed-rate mortgage.   The longer that they int...

FYI - This information is subject to change and may vary amongst lenders. Please consult your lender. There are many complexities to the mortgage process. These mistakes can cost prospective homeowners to be turned down, even after receiving an initial pre-approval letter. Many of the things that make this process complex is completely out of the buyers control. BUT NOT ALL! There are steps you can take as a consumer to make sure your mortgage application stays approved after you've been issued that pre-approval letter. So let's jump right in, here are 12 things that can cause a buyer to be denied after receiving their pre-approval letter! This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I want to help my buyers be able to achieve their dream of home ownership. 1.      Failing to disclose past bankruptcy, foreclosure, or short sale.   There are credit repair companies out there who claim they can remove these items from your credit report. Or i...

CONGRATULATIONS to my darling clients on the purchase of their 1st home! Isn't this the cutest house?! The red door had me at HELLO :-) I first met with this couple a few months before we actively started working together. They had been though a not-so-pleasant experience with another real estate agent and they were a bit weary about moving forward. I totally understood, but didn't want them to miss out on a tremendous opportunity for their young family. We kept in touch and when they were ready, we found this adorable house. Watch the videos below to hear more about their experience.... *LIFE LESSON - We all experience bumps in the road and hiccups in our plans. Once you are confident you are on the right track, stay the course. Regroup and refocus when necessary, but don't give up! If you risk nothing, you gain nothing. *MY TAKEAWAY - We are not always in control of what happens to us, however, we can control how we respond. When closing had to be...

A homeowner’s tax saving benefit is generally realized when they file their federal income tax return after the money has been spent for the interest and property taxes.  Some people look forward to the refund as a means of forced savings but some people need to realize the savings during the year. It is possible to adjust the deductions being withheld from the homeowner’s salary so they realize the benefit of the savings prior to filing their tax returns in the form of more money in their pay checks.  Employees would talk to their employers about increasing their deductions stated on their W-4 form. By increasing the exemptions or deductions, less is taken out of the check and the employee will receive more in each pay check.  If a person over-estimates their exemptions and therefore, underpays their income tax, they might incur interest and would have additional tax to pay when they filed their tax return. Buyers considering this strategy should s...

LARGEST split foyer you’ll ever find! $168,500  This UPDATED & SPACIOUS home boasts of 5 BEDROOMS, 3 FULL BATHROOMS ON A GIGANTIC CORNER LOT!     Interior features include... IN-LAW SUITE in FULLY FINISHED BASEMENT, HUGE UPSTAIRS TEEN SUITE (can be an office, play/game room, etc.), and LARGE WORKSHOP off ROOMY GARAGE. Exterior features include... BRAND NEW ROOF (lifetime warranty, architectural shingles), 2 DECKS (one pre-wired for a pool), HUGE FENCED YARD with CYPRESS TREES that will mature for added privacy, NO HOA, and GREAT COMMUNITY in sought after GRAYSON SCHOOL DISTRICT. Hurry, this gem won’t last long!   Watch the Video Tour See more pictures -  MLS listing Hurry, this gem won't last long.  Contact me to today to schedule a showing (404) 857-2508! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Natasha Liburd Bazile ...