Homestead Exemption … come on down, you’re the next contestant on the Price is Right! But, is the price really right? For those of you who are a Georgia resident, purchased a primary residence in 2017 (or have made a prior owned property your primary residence as of December 31, 2017) and that property is located in Bryan, Effingham, Liberty, Bulloch, Glynn or Tattnall Counties, the price is right and you should file for the Homestead Exemption. By filing for the Homestead Exemption, you will receive a reduction of your home’s assessed value each year going forward as long as you reside in the home as your primary residence.

To file for the Homestead Exemption in these six counties you will need to bring your driver’s license (showing the new property address) and a January utility bill showing service in December 2017 to your respective county tax assessor’s office. The Homestead Exemption must be filed before April 1, 2018.

For those who are a Georgia resident, purchased a primary residence in 2017 (or have made a prior owned property your primary residence as of December 31, 2017) and that property is located in Chatham County, the price is not necessary always right and you will need to utilize the information below to determine whether it is the right time for you to file for the Homestead Exemption.

As we approach 2018, many of you will set new resolutions for yourself. Some are personal and some relate to your real estate business. As you know, a single real estate transaction has so many moving parts and no one closing is the same. One of the single most important attributes of a successful Realtor is organization. While many of you have certain procedures in place to ensure you are organized, I wanted to offer a new tool for the upcoming year.

I am pleased to present my Selling Agent Checklist. This checklist takes into account the most important issues that you will commonly encounter in connection with a closing. I have also included certain issues that may not come up that often, but when they do can create a multitude of issues if not addressed properly.

We all love cash transactions. Generally they are smooth and logistically easier than closings with lender financing. While there are a few issues that you as a Realtor do not have to address with a cash closing (i.e., lending), there are so many other issues that you need to make sure your client is aware of. Below are some points that you want to make sure you have addressed with your buyer (although the closing attorney should be addressing many of them at the closing).

Best Lawyer in Savannah – 2017 Connect Savannah

I am pleased and humbled to announce I was selected as Best Lawyer in the Connect Savannah 2017 Best of Savannah issue for the second consecutive year. As a closing attorney, I have the opportunity to work with the best and brightest Realtors in the area (including Chatham, Bryan, Effingham, Liberty and Bulloch Counties). Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to work with you and your incredible clients.

What Every Selling Agent Must Put In The Contract

Many of you have handled a transaction involving an investment property. And as you know there are a number of contract issues that you must address that are not involved with the closing of a primary residence. I wanted to use this post to put all of those issues into one article. Now every deal is different, but the issues below are fairly common for any occupied investment property.

The Lease

You should include a requirement in the contract that the seller will provide a full copy of the lease within three days of the Binding Agreement Date. Why is this so important? Your client needs to make sure he or she is comfortable with the terms of the lease (i.e., rental rate, lease term, etc.). At closing the lease will be assigned from the seller to the buyer effectively making the buyer the new landlord. If the lease terms are not favorable based on your client’s investment goals you will want to make this determination during due diligence so your client can terminate the contract.