Lake Lanier Docks Permits Almost Gone

The deadline to seek a boat dock permit on Lake Lanier is Tuesday.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had set a request period, beginning July 15, for lake residents to file an application.
About one week after the submission period ends, a final list will be published online representing those requests confirmed for an Oct. 28 lottery drawing.
The drawing will be shown on the Web and shown by video feed to a site in the Lake Lanier area.
Final decisions will be provided in writing.
Applicants will be vying for one of 174 permits.
Lanier’s shoreline plan and the Environmental Impact Statement completed in 2004 limit the number of boat docks on the lake to 10,615. The lake now has 10,441 docks.
An outside firm is collecting the request letters, entering them into a database and reviewing the list for errors and duplicates, corps officials have said.
Only one request will be accepted for each piece of property.
"We believed (the lottery) was the fairest way (to issue permits)," Chief Ranger Ernest Noe has said.
Until earlier this year, the corps had imposed a two-year moratorium on new dock permits because extreme drought had drained the lake.
A wet spring pushed levels back up, prompting corps officials to reconsider the ban.
The corps’ Mobile District decided in June to restart the process, but only after Lanier’s elevation had remained at or above 1,064 feet above sea level for 30 consecutive days and the five-week forecast showed "the level or rise is sustainable."
Now, Lanier is closing in on full pool, or 1,071 feet, as it stood at 1,069.79 feet as of Sunday night.

Need to Know

Asbestos Exposure and Remodeling Older Homes Millions of U.S. citizens are under the impression that asbestos exposure is a concern of the past. Very few are actually aware that the remodeling of older homes has the potential to cause toxic exposure. Because of the current drop in the national housing market, homeowners across the country are opting to remodel homes rather than move to another residence, and this could lead to an increase of unnecessary asbestos exposures. The Environmental Working Group Action Fund estimates approximately 10,000 Americans are claimed each year from asbestos-related diseases, including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. The latter is an rare form of cancer that is extremely resistant to mesothelioma treatments, and as such, a cure has yet to be discovered. In order to protect yourself and your family from asbestos exposure, it is important to know what products to look for, how to avoid exposure, and where to find local abatement companies. All these resources and more are found at Asbestos.com the Web's leading resource for information on asbestos and the diseases caused by this hazardous material.
Get more information at http://www.asbestos.com/

If Your RENTING, You Need to BUY

We have seen a definite increase in activity these past months here in Georgia. If you are renting and sitting on the fence waiting for the right time to purchase your own home, don't wait much longer. You want to position yourself ahead of the curve when the market changes direction. If you wait to long you will fall behind. Take advantage of the different Mortgage packages being offered by various Mortgage Lenders and be sure to take advantage of the Down Payment Assistance program available until the end of September, 2008. Check out your options, talk to a Mortgage Lender and your REALTOR. This down turn in Real Estate is offering a great opportunity for new home owners. Get out there and talk to the RIGHT people and take advantage of the market. Don't look back at this opportunity and say "If I had only..."

Down Payment Assistance Program and FHA Update

If you are looking to take advantage of the Down Payment Assistance program when purchasing your home you must be under contract by Sept. 30, 2008.
Don't wait and miss out on using this valuable program. Consult with your REALTOR about the program and your options.

FHA minimum down payment will jump to 3.5%. You still have time for a lower down payment.
FHA loan limits will decrease, which means fewer people will be eligible to receive a jumbo loan at conventional loan rates.
The popular Down Payment Assistance programs will be eliminated on Oct. 1, 2008. To use DPA you must be under contract to purchase Real Estate by Sept. 30, 2008.
First-time home buyers may get a tax credit up to $7,500!

10 home-buying tips for uneasy times

10 home-buying tips for uneasy times
Check out these 10 home buying tips.
No matter if your a first time home buyer or have been through the process a number of times these tips make sense.
Really, these tips apply not only for "uneasy times", but in a booming economy as well. Find an professional agent you can not only work with, but one that wants to help you successfully purchase your home. Find a mortgage lender work for you in getting your loan at the best possible rate. Find time to research properties online and by driving around in different neighborhoods to find the house that is right for you. Foreclosures are a great way to buy properties under market value, but be sure to discuss all the aspects of buying a foreclosed property with your Real Estate Agent to make sure it is something you want to take on. Additionally, all buyers are looking for the "DEAL" and in this market there are a lot of aggressively priced homes that are great buys and that are not foreclosures. Shop around and make sure you have everything in place to allow you to make an offer when you find the right property. Chances are that if you found the perfect home for a great price someone else has found it as well.

Welcome IGNITE and STREAM ENERGY to GA.

Fellow Georgians, Stream Energy is now approved in Georgia as a Natural Gas provider.
Are you looking for an alternative to lowering your monthly Natural Gas Bill? Stream Energy is could be the answer. Stream Energy is going to be very competitive with the Therm rate and will ultimately save you money on your Natural Gas Bill each month. Atlanta Gas & Light controls the Natural Gas infrastructure and the distribution of the Natural Gas.
Stream Energy is competing with the other Natural Gas providers for servicing the customer.
* Competitive Therm Rate.
* Great Customer Service.
* No cost for switching to Stream Energy.
* Third party verification of your desire to switch to Stream Energy.
* April 21, 2008 is the first day customers can transfer their Natural Gas Service to Stream Energy.

Should you wait for the market bottom?

Buyers: Should you wait for the market bottom? - Buy a House: MLS Listings & Home Buying Tips - MSN Real Estate

5 REASONS TO BUY

1. Prices in the neighborhood you are interested in are relatively stable.
Either they are holding their own or increasing, or the pace of decline is slowing significantly. If you are ready to move or don't like living in your apartment, the small penalty you pay for missing the bottom of the market may not mean much.

2. You plan to stay in the home for more than five years.
If you can stick it out that long before selling, economists say you’ll probably ride out any downturn and come out ahead on price.

3. Your rent rivals a mortgage payment.
If you can qualify with a mortgage lender to buy a house, you can build equity in your house and you can deduct the mortgage-interest on your taxes.

4. You've found the right house in the right area for you.
The schools are great. You love the area and know it would be hard to find another house like the one you have your eye on. In a better market, you would most likely have much more competition for that house and possibly end up paying more money.

5. You've built equity in your house and are moving to a place where homes are cheaper.
In the market you’re moving to your money will go a lot further.

5 REASONS TO WAIT

1. You've lived in your house less than two years.
Chances are you haven't had enough time to accumulate equity in your home. In fact, you may have negative equity, if you live in many areas such as California, Florida, Arizona or Nevada. Also, to take advantage of the Capital Gains tax you will need to live in your home for two years.

2. Your job security is uncertain.
If your company or business is in distress, it's probably better to stay put until the atmosphere improves.

3. You don't plan to stay in your next house at least five years.
While it's not important to buy at the exact bottom of the market, it is important to stay long enough to ride it out completely.

4. You don't have good credit or a decent down payment.
Do you have a job and income you can document? As a result of the sub-prime lending crisis, lenders are much more careful about whom they're making loans to. Be sure to talk to a few mortgage lenders about the different programs they currently have that could work for your situation.

5. You have an existing home to sell in a neighborhood where prices are dropping or where the number of foreclosures is spiking.
In this climate, you're probably better off waiting for your market to improve.

Click on the link for additional information.

Mortgage Basics: Avoiding foreclosure

Mortgage Basics: Avoiding foreclosure

With so many foreclosed properties already on the market and a number of people walking that fine line, I thought I should post a little helpful information about avoiding a pending foreclosure.
If you are about to start missing mortgage payments CALL YOUR LENDER. Communicating with your mortgage lender is your best resource to working out a solution to the problem. The lender will have a number of suggestions for you to consider. The sooner you start working with your lender the better.
Talk to a REALTOR. A REALTOR can provide valuable information on ways to get out of the situation or at least put you in contact with the right people. A REALTOR can also help you greatly by selling your home in time to avoid the foreclosure.
Everyone understands that this is not the best of times for the people looming under the shadow of foreclosure. It's not a pleasant process and it is not a generally brought up in conversation with friends and co-workers. DO NOT ignore the situation in hopes it will go away. FIGHT FOR YOUR HOME! FIGHT FOR YOUR CREDIT! Talk to the people that can help you correct the situation and if they can't help you look into other alternatives. Consider a lease purchase option for buyers, or rent out a room to generate additional income, or rent out the home. You still own the property and anything you can do to avoid the foreclosure process is in your best interest.
Check out the link for more information and be sure to research the subject on-line.

Staging your home to sell

10 tips on staging your home to sell - Selling Your House - MSN Real Estate

Staging your home could be the difference between selling your home or not selling your home.
Checkout these staging tips to help make your home more presentable and attractive to potential buyers.
Additionally, if you are trying to sell a home which is currently vacant talk to a few staging companies about furnishing the home during the period it's for sale. Typically, homes can be staged for a minimal fee, but the service can pay for itself if you can sell the property quickly and avoid holding cost.

Selling in a buyer's market

How to sell in a buyer's market - Selling Your House - MSN Real Estate

Looking to sell your home in a buyers market? Checkout these tips to help you find a buyer.
You need to make sure the home is clean and clear of clutter, make it presentable to prospective buyers.
Also, think long and hard on the listing price. Is your goal to make top dollar for your property or is your goal to sell your home and move into your next home. either way, make sure you price the property right or the buyers will purchase the house down the street.