Town of Burton

Woodrow F Blalock was born in the Town of Burton in 1918 which now the town does not exists because it is "Under the Lake". The road that he was raised off of is now called Blalock Goldmine the house spot which is actually not under water there is an older home and boat house there.

He was 3 almost 4 when the lake was flooded. The effects on the family were traumatic. They had a large white house on a Knol and his oldest brother was 11. He remembers the school house floating by and his brothers jumping up and down saying No more school! No more school! No more school! His father and mother very sad because it was the beginning of share cropping for them.

Happy New Year if you would like to know more about the town of Burton I am sure that Woodrow would be glad to speak with you at 706-782-3336 or contact me and I will get him to call you back as well 76-490-1404.

There is a book written by Stuart Woods, title is "Under the Lake" I have been told its about Lake Burton however others in North Georgia say it could be Lake Lanier and I have also been told Lake Hartwell. I feel Lake Burton...excellent choice to read. There is many other books on the lake Burton as well.

Happy New Year! Real Estate will be stronger in 2009 will it matter to you in 100 years!

I have had computer issues so my blogging has been behind. Now I have lost all kinds of information that was very important. ok...

I feel the Real Estate market for 2009 will be stronger this year. We know for sure it will be a changing year. With all of us feeling some type of negative affects we will have no choice but to look up for positive affects for 2009.

Remember if are buying you are getting a deal and if you are selling because you have to then you are letting go of a burden and if you loose money that maybe in 5 years you will be able to gain that back with another home. I have been told that a lot of times people get turn upside down on there vehicles. Think of real estate as the same way you just make your payments and do what you have to do.

My fathers favorite quote....Will it matter to you in 100 years? That is the famous Rabun County man Woodrow F Blalock. He has been thru the depression and shared cropped and all. He learned thru that time of having nothing to start buying land in Rabun County, Georgia.

I will try to start adding some of his information to my blogs. He still has his Real Estate company Blalock and Associates and if you called him he would still want to sell you something today....

convenants

This weekend I was in a conversation about covenants and restrictions in neighborhoods. Please remember to always research your home owners association and asked your agent if they do not give those to you. Or go to the courthouse your self and pull the deed.

Sometimes you will be surprised at what it says and does not say.

Merry Christmas! Real Estate is moving here in our office today!

whats best for you?

When you choose your agent be sure they are all for you. Of course agents have to protect our-selves and their clients but be sure that your needs are being met.

Remember always tell your agent if they are not listening. Sometimes we think we know what you want just because of the way we heard you say it.

We also need to do better at communications our selves.

Let me know or Amber know if there is something that we miss-understood.

Christmas is only 1 week away...

I have had computer issues so I have not been blogging.

Today has been a messy day out side in Clayton, Georiga. Real Estate has been messy as well. Real Estate is still moving here we have had a few offers on our listings which makes us feel like we have been doing our job and of course the listers that have had offers are very excited. The postive is that means that are market is starting to turn around.

Snow in Clayton & tips on listing your Real Estate

A lot of people that want to buy in our area is because of days like too day. The snow comes just for a few days or a few hours then melts away. Today the Mountain Tops are White with Snow. The Duvall Ford and Cheverotle vehicles are covered with a pile of snow and some still are. The snow is blowing hard.

A few tips today about listing your Real Estate. Don't Sale unless you need too.

Homes: Price in today's market. Clean your home...I mean Q-TIP clean or where if you used a white glove it will still be white. Counter Tops need cleaned off. Personal photos stored. Rent a storage room if you need too. Fix the nicks and dings so that your walls look like a fresh coat of paint. Also paint in neutrals. Take down beautiful art. (for parents with small kids most people understand just keep toys neat)

Land: Price in Today's market. Clean up your land. Take off all trash or get a burn permit to burn. Clear out or burn old wood piles. Keep fields in top shape.

Commercial: Price in Today's market. Use combination on Land and Home TIPS

REMEMBER MOST CAN'T Visualize their dreams where your dream has already been made. SO clean up and maintain.

Thanks..... Amber Brady.....Jim Blalock's Assistant

Reverse Mortgage

What a Beautiful chilly day in the mountains today! I wanted you to think about Reverse Mortgages.

This week a mortgage lender came in the office and passed out a brochure on REVERSE MORTGAGES. This has been expressed as away for you to update your home by making it more up to codes or changing out tubs to showers or making wider doors or maybe insulating your home to save on the power bill or changing. You could also re-place your heating and cooling system to cut back on your power bill. Another way to use this money is to re-place your windows if they are real thin glass or have holes in them. Roofs ware and tear and floors do as well so maybe you need money for that reason HOWEVER you may need your money to drive back and forth to the doctors office or for other medical reasons. I AM NOT A MORTGAGE BROKER SO CONTACT ONE TO TELL YOU WAYS YOU CAN USE THIS. I am just repeating what I discussed with one this week. And I am sure it depends on age, and how much equity you have in your home. The Reverse mortgage pays you a monthly or lump sum amount of money and once you pass away who ever you leave your house too will have to pay the bank back what you have borrowed or sale the home for them to re-coop their money back. This is more about a loved one or your self being able to live comfortable not about what you can inherit.

Again I hope this will help you or a loved one out.

Today has been a busy day so far. I was thinking of how a lot of people think about moonshine being linked to the Mountain Men here. The Christmas Tour of Homes has a shuttle from Hillside Orchard Farms which has a moon shine steal. It is really neat. I was told that the government has used Hill Side Orchard Farms too train their new employees of the government on what a liquor steal looks like.

If you would love tour other homes and a moonshine steal for our culture and get a real feel of the life of a Rabun County and our sounding counties. Come on Sunday December 7, 2008.

Christmas Tour of Homes

Christmas Tour of Homes ..... Rabun County Board of Realtors..... Fund Raiser ...........United Christmas Fund......Sunday, December 7, 2008 from 11:00 AM-4:30 PM.............. TICKETS $20..........

This is such a fun festive time to view others homes and work together with our board. Our board is made up of a lot of other members as well such as Banks, Builders, Inspections, Lawyers, Exterminators and other mortgaged company's.

The homes are in the South end of the County. RE/MAX of Rabun is working at the "Ma Clyde" home or Wesley and Karen Taylor homes. If you have ever read the magazine called the Laurel Janie P Taylor tells a wonderful story about Rabun County or Tiger mountain every month. She also just completed a book that tells the neatest stories. She will be selling her books at the Ma Clyde home. This home would still be on the historical society if it did not have in-door plumbing. There are peep wholes so you can view the enemy coming over the mountain and shoot if needed years ago. This home is very neat Mrs. Janie has their deed referenced back but they say this home was of the first 2 homes in Rabun County.

If you would like to see how the Rual lives and come for a Fun view of homes in the mountains this tour of homes is just for you. Hey Meet Mrs. Janie P.

Inventory is High in Real Estate

I feel in our area that Real Estate is starting to move around again. A few of the leaves are still on Black Rock Mountain. I feel that our office this week has been the busiest that it has been in the past few week.

Again I have said it over and over..... It's a Great time to BUY. A customer walked in that was speaking with another Realtor and said "Man I am so over whelmed with the choices I have to choose from."

So Make your choice with all of the inventory and BUY some REAL ESTATE TODAY.

Y U NEED an Agent

I was just challenge with why you need a real estate agent. I was just told that they do not do anything and don't know anything. I can remember my first sell in real estate I felt guilty for taking my commission. Now I understand that I am so important being an real estate agent that my job is worth every penny of commission I earn.

I have listened to other Realtors that say I feel so bad I just put in on the market yesterday and the right person came and bought it...or.....we just looked at one house the clients did all of the work and I am making money.

These comments in some way are of course true if you just look at it literally. Yes, you decided to market it and allow a broker a professional too represent your property for a small fee. Or. Yes, you may have done some of the home work, and decided to buy the only house you showed them. The real estate agents can help guide you through questions you may have had. Did they guide you thru each step explaining detail to detail of what you need to do for instance. What;s the norm why the contract states this or that and what they suggest about surveys, inspections, appraisals and so forth.

I should look this up before typing because there will be things I leave out or just plain forget but here is a list of some of the things a Realtor does for a BUYER:

Buyers Side: searches for the real estate-after finding it shows comparable or at least tells them comparables-decides what to offer this is still the buyers choice- who pays for closing costs- who is the lawyer-when will it close- getting plat information- getting topo information-getting tax information-pulling deeds-home owners associations- who is your mortgaged company- getting you approved- then speaking with each one of these colabors more than once to be sure that we hand over all the information- liability of being your real estate agent- liability of having you as a client- liability of working with the people that you choose us to work with- making sure you understand- if you do not understand trying to explain why- if you still don't understand-understating that know one understands but its not because I am not doing my job its because its the way it is-Getting everyone signatures- Add up the time it takes- to advertise as a Realtor-the time it takes just to ask another Realtor a question- time-

Most unimportant being sure you the client or customer is treated with respect and that me or my daughters Amber is treating you on your level you need. Some are old pros at buying others may need more help with more explaining on contracts or just more questions.

I am proud to be a Real Estate Agent and like my father which is the oldest Real Estate Agent in our MLS and my last comment...Thank you Dad for serving our country in WWII and Happy Veterans Day to the other Veterans!!!!

Offers Y?

A few weeks ago someone asked me why do people not buy a home at listed price? Why do people like to negotiate. This person was aggravated at Realtors for offering an offer. This is not uncommon for Lister's to wonder why people offer lower prices on their homes.

This has been an issue forever some houses are listed at what the home is valued at that time, however, other homes are listed way over price...and today with the market having so much inventory some are listed at lower prices because they are just doing what they need to do to sale. Don't you always think your house should be worth more. Just a thought its the place with your memories that's worth a value.

However do know that if you do not present an offer to your listing agent no matter how ridiculous the offer is you could loose your real estate licence's that is serious repercussion if you are just worried about a person getting mad or loosing a listing. Even if its oral who knows how well that would hold up in court because its a he said she said thing but still its law.

I feel I have been fired before because I have told someone oral offers and the Lister gets excited about it and then the buyer changes his or her mind. That is besides law reasons why in writing is so much better.

Discussing this with another Realtor they said they see it as when you buy a car you just don't offer the listing price you negotiate your you go some where else. Or when you are the buyer of real estate don't you want a deal..I said yes that is a great way of explaining. The question why do people asked you for less than the listed price. Just to start a negotiating.

When making an offer really look at the area of what has sold or in our area sometimes it has been a while for a certain area to sell but you can still do comps to get a great idea of what something is worth or pay up front for an appraisal like a client has done before and say this is my offer. (of course markets where real estate sells once on the market this might not work) But this way you know for sure what the correct price is and most people will take that with out a question.

red mountains in rabun county

The color of the mountains today is red. Black Rock State Park is so beautiful today. Maybe its the bright blue sky and the red and orange colors of leaves or how they contrast.

Today has been a busy day with calls on questions of different types of real estate.

I feel that today being election day will be a new day for people to start buying and getting this economy back on its feet.

do you understand your listing agreement

Be sure if you are signing anything to read it and asked questions if you do not understand it especially listing agreements. Who cares if you need to asked a question.

I had a client call yesterday saying they had found a buyer for their home but that they did not want to continue it on the market with me it was their friend. I have had other friends that list their real estate and have called me asking questions about the listing. Its was expired but they know its still being marketed because its on their listing agents web page. They need to sale really bad and I have always said did you read the listing agreement. Once it is expired it may remain on a web page by accident or still be in a magazine but its off your multiple listing service because its expired and all. Once its expried you need to re-list with your agent or find a new agent. Or not sale keep it for renatl purposes.

I am concerned that when Lister's just sign and do not read or just want their homes sold they do not follow through on what their responsibilities are. Sometimes common sense is not common sense once you have read it. Once you have read what you signed you may say oh I agreed to this the Real Estate Agent is not being mean just doing what I had already agreed to do. I have had clients feel that I am thinking they were trying to break law or that they did it on purpose or that I was being mean because common sense says this is the correct way. However once you read your listing agreement you can say oh that makes sense why my realtor said that they were just dong what I agreed on with the listing agreement.

I have done this in other issues as well my self with contracts on technologies that i have bought or just taking something back to Wal*Mart what their policy's are.

Please understand that if you are helpful enough to find a buyer a commission is still going to have to be paid that is why you hired your Realtor and they should be willing to help you out. Just read what you are signing and allow us or your Realtor too explain more on the agreement if have questions.

investments how to make them that way

This is just a reminder again of how important I feel buying now for investments. If you are young buy something that is real low in price maybe some land under $50,000 or a house if that is possible. Make improvements house do little by little as you can. Start with the outside and work to the inside. My opinion is if you clean it up and make small improvements it will appreciate your value. hope this makes you think about why you should buy today.

money means commiment

Remember there are deals out to help make you money as well. If you have any extra money place it in real estate. Rabun County has been busy yes slower than normal but our office has been busy which means that others are busy. We do have some lookers that are willing to make a commiment so place your money where it will benefit you.

market and leaves are similar

market is kinda like the leaves the fact is it is changing. Its funny we do not know about our future besides we know that the market has changed. Depending on how you view change. Change is a positive. But the saying that my mom has always said is..." Every bad situation always has something good out of it if you look hard enough you will find something positive."

This changing market will make us grow.

land investments

Land Investment is such a great way to hold your money if you are scared of stocks and other different types of savings. I would recommend if you need to cash out quick it is something that can take years to sell that is part of investment property. Make a decision to invest in real estate.

long creek sc has been buzzin

Long Creek, SC has been a lot of people calling about different acreage in the last few days. seems like people are wanting land, land, land/ of course a great deal.

I know that land has not been selling in our area like the lake homes but it does receive many calls. The most popular listing I have is a little cabin that has 5 acres.

Leaves are still turning and Real estate too

Today I was away from the office and my Assistant my daughter Amber showed property in Long Creek, SC. The real estate industry is moving slow and but its moving. People are involved into wanting to know about buying for investments and some are thinking about going in with a family since they are all in an economic delay trying to sale things. The leaves in Long Creek, South Carolina and Clayton, Georgia are really starting turn. If you want to visit our area and you have any questions please speak with me or my daughter Amber.

Busy Day in Real Estate

Today was a busy day for me. Commercial property was on my mind and I was on a search. There was an auction up in Sky Valley, Georgia. Today that was pretty much my day besides personal issues. Trying to help someone find specifics desires and regulations and fast is always an exciting challenge for a commercial piece of real estate.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog.

REALATORS fight 4 property rights

Tonight was the last debate on television before election of President. Today at work.. well on the way to view a couple of homes. I had a very thorough discussion with someone on who to choose for our President. We discussed their very own view while I was asking them which President would get us out the quickest economical jam. Of course not stating who I was voting for. They stated to me that it all depends on what your main priority is in life. What drives you the most would it be Family, Religion, or Money. They asked what my top concern was. I have been thinking about that. And tonight when the ABC mediator said I will say to you what my mama always said to me GO VOTE because it will make you fill BIG AND STRONG. I did agree with that statement. It is a way to be subjective on your values, beliefs and strength. What a honor that we have been given. My father was in WWII I have always admired his courage of being a soldier; that has always made me be so proud to have the right to vote. He is a die hard Democrat he does not even care if you are George Bush he does not care about anything but democrats. Realtors really work hard for our rights as citizens buy trying to protect individuals from loosing their property and fight for the people. (werid because the national and state levels of Realtors are of course mixed democrats and republicans) I ask today that you go and vote early or go out and make a stand today and when you walk away from your poll booth Know that you are Big and Strong. I would never state who I am voting for I would never want to do that on my blog or my buisness. I just want you to know that I am a Realtor that believes in working hard for my clients and customers and treating them fairly. I want to make you a part of our area. I will be glad to work for you.

Positive Real Estate and Media feelings

Today seemed to be a positive day. Last night people seen that the stock market had increased. I feel the media is such powerful source of information that sometimes it can create peoples moods to go up or down just like a great movie can but most can stop the feelings once the movie goes off, however, our worries are hard to shut off. For instance last night when information was on the media and the stocks had increased. People were happy today. A few people said they rested well because they did not wake up worrying about all of their retirement being flushed down the drain. They could rest well because of viewing on television or a news channel on the web showing another day of a decrease and a loss of money it was a gain. It is sad that we allow others around us including our most valuable source of information to be such an important role in our lives. Be a positive role model. Yes, I am scared to but I am focusing on being a positive remodel and statistics that shows how this economy has went low, low, low and then rebounded each time. Keep your head up we will get thru this and if you have extra money take the risk you know that the economy has always bounced back maybe the longest is 10 years maybe the shortest time will be 1 month.

Rental Property equals Income and Deducations

Today I wanted to think of a new way you can make money. Rental property is a way that you can have a sturdy income flow as well as income tax deductions. Remember the government likes for us to use what we earn for tax deductions. The government is set up for our benefits right. Just a tip.. remember if you alrady have rentals to do some research and see if you are receiving all of the tax benefits that you can receive. Maybe today is the day since the inventory is high and prices are lower to buy there is many ways you can receive extra money if you already own your own home or other propeorties. Ask me how?

cool air and picking apples

Today was Sunday. There was cool chill in the air this late afternoon I felt like a jacket was defiantly needed. I did not have customers today just a few emails and that was it. No specific questions just wanting topos and plats. I am still getting used to journals on this blog I look forward to having visitors and being able to communicate back and forth with people. I have been picking apples in Long Creek there are still some to pick in the apple orchids. The negative is the ant beds that have gathered around some of the trees. What a fun family activity or a nice gift to give to a neighbor or just as a thank you.

Fall is the Best Time to Buy

This is the Best time to Buy. Fall in our area has always been our busiest season for traffic. Yesterday the people from the South direction were traveling to visit and staying in their weekend home or were traveling thru on North. Highway 441N was busy.

Learning how to blog?

I am trying to learn how to blog so welcome and I would like to offer any questions about real estate and rabun county. I am trying because I want to make this friendly so I can give input on the real estate time. Its a buyers market. People that need to sale are selling People that dont dont. I feel that if anyone has extra money to buy and even

Rabun County's Leaves are starting to turn. FALL is here:)

Real Estate its a buyers world

Today is a Buyers Dream. People with extra money should be contacting me or your Real Estate agent to buy, buy, buy. The inventory is the best inventory that I have seen in all of my 37 years of business.