Residential Real Estate

Consumer Stories

Real Talk Real Estate: The Ripple Effect: School choice, ratings and real estate

When someone decides to purchase a home, there are generally specific needs and principal requirements that narrow down the selection. One often underestimated element that holds the power to significantly impact property values and selection is school zoning. School choice and school ratings launch a profound influence on the lifestyle choice, purchase location and happiness of homeowners. In the ever changing real estate market, the concept of school choice has developed into a compelling force. Homebuyers are no longer merely checking off the wish list, they’re making choices that reflect

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Consumer Stories

Local real estate and estate planning attorney to celebrate grand opening of new office

Markus Russell loves real estate and worked in the industry as both an agent and paralegal before earning a law degree and opening his own office in downtown Augusta. On Tuesday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Russell, who specializes in real estate closings and estate planning, will celebrate the grand opening of the Law Offices of Markus L. Russell, LLC located on the first floor of Enterprise Mill at 1450 Greene St., Suite 145. The drop-in event will include food, drinks, goodie bags, and an iPad giveaway. The office

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B2B Stories

Simon Says: The best places to live

U.S. News and World Report recently announced the best places to live for 2023-2024. According to their list, Green Bay, Wis. is the best, followed by Huntsville Ala., and Raleigh & Durham, N.C. Augusta, GA. made the list at #74. Other Georgia places included Savannah at #37 and Atlanta (#64). In South Carolina, Myrtle Beach (#18), Greenville (#31), Spartanburg (#43), Charleston, (#53), and Columbia (#92) made the top 100. Two colleagues and I have just published a paper measuring whether these kinds of rankings matter to people when deciding where

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Consumer Stories

Are your home and business secure?

Summer is the prime time for vacations and for break-ins. In the next 25 seconds or the time it takes you to read the next two paragraphs of this story, there has been a home or business burglary. The number of burglaries overall has dropped in the past few years, but southern states including Georgia and South Carolina are still at the top of the heap for property crimes. 25% of home burglaries take place during the day, assuming homeowners will be out of the house during working hours. 10:00

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B2B Podcasting

Panel discussion: Real Estate power with Nancy Powell

Join us as we take a look back at the real estate panel discussion from ABD’s Conference and Expo in May. Nancy Powell, CEO and Broker of Powell & Associates, Inc., provides some numbers about the housing market in today’s day and age. She says that because people won’t see extremely low-interest rates in this economy, it will take innovation and new ideas to address the housing shortage.

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Consumer Stories

CSRA lakefront home prices are not plunging

A new report published by Lake Homes Realty stated demand for lakefront property has surged this year, and at least one CSRA realtor told ABD she’s not surprised. The report is quoted as saying that lake lot listings have gone up by nearly $6 billion since February. “Lake home buyers know the market, trends and transactions, plus they detest inappropriately overpriced listings,” said Glenn S. Phillips, CEO and Chief Economic Analyst at Lake Homes Realty. “I still expect the 2023 transaction count to exceed 2022 by 10% to 15%. Increasing

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B2B Stories

Lakefront living on nearby Clarks Hill is on the rise once again

Life is but a dream, if you are living on the lake and Georgia’s lakefront properties are a hot commodity including Clarks Hill Lake, otherwise known as Georgia’s Freshwater Coast. When our summers can be hotter than Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen, a cool lakefront breeze is sought after by many potential investors from across the country. You might be surprised to learn that more than 60% of the buyers for Georgia’s lakefront properties aren’t from here. They hail from Washington, D.C., New York, Greenville, S.C., Tampa, and Chicago. According to

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Consumer Stories

“Lending” a hand? A look at new mortgage rules

New mortgage lending rules have stirred up a heated debate, with some critics arguing these regulations unfairly target homebuyers with good credit. According to Fox News, under the new rules which took effect May 1, “borrowers with lower credit ratings and less money for a down payment will qualify for better mortgage rates than they otherwise would have, while those with higher ratings will pay increased fees.” Critics of the new rules claim they disproportionately affect, for example, Asian homebuyers, who have the highest credit scores of any demographic group,

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Consumer Stories

Tale of a Rental Home Nightmare: Why Hiring a Property Manager is a Game-Changer!

Imagine this: you’ve just decided to buy an investment home. It’s in the perfect location, is in excellent condition, and fits your budget. Little did you know that your endeavors could quickly turn into a living nightmare. From unresponsive tenants to maintenance disasters, owning a rental home can sometimes be a harrowing experience. That’s where the value of hiring a property manager truly shines. Let’s talk through a real-life rental home nightmare and explore how a property manager can save the day. The Tale of the Rental Home Nightmare: You

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Consumer Stories

Local development company to open CSRA luxury apartment complex

Shelly Martin is excited about bringing the CSRA’s only housing development with its own rooftop lounge to downtown Augusta. Martin, Vice President of Operations for ATC Development, said phase 1 of construction on The Augustan, a four-story, 136-unit luxury apartment complex located at the corner of 12th and Greene Streets, is expected to be finished by mid-November. Phase 2 should be finished by Jan. 2024. Pre-leasing for phase 1 is expected to begin in early September. She said one-bedroom units will start in the $1,500 range, and two-bedroom units will

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