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August 31st is National Blog Day

August 31, 2008 By Leave a Comment
blogday-badge

Everyday, I read certain blogs and so do you, right? I would not know that we have a National Blog Day unless I read Chris Brogan's daily posts - Chris is a "Social Media Business Strategist." I think I read about Chris at Guy Kawasaki's blog, and ever since I've found his insights on today's marketing to be on point and ahead of the curve. If Guy is reading Chris everyday then that is example enough for me. Chris celebrated National Blog Day 4 (yes, it's newish..) by encouraging his readers to do what Nir Ofir encouraged him to do - "to reach out and identify five blogs that you might not yet be reading. It’s his way of showing how wide a world it is and how interesting things can be out there in the blogosphere." Nir Ofir? This dude founded Blog TV and is developing I Am News. If he's not a web heavy then I don't know who is. Getting back to Chris' challenge - and you can read his 5 blog recommendations here - I wrote a short list of 10 websites that can all be found … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ATL Culture and Events, Fun Facts Tagged With:

Bringin’ Up Buckhead at Sovereign

August 31, 2008 By 2 Comments
Ivanka...again

I love modern architecture. I love luxury. I am thrilled that Buckhead is transforming into a more remarkable, more densely populated luxury address. This is good for Atlanta. People have been talking about Sovereign for 2 or 3 years now. I've been talking about how the absolutely delicious Ivanka Trump is a bellwether for Atlanta, ever since I started the Intown Insider... Sovereign is a bellwether too. A major bellwether. I would appreciate the opportunity to help you purchase one of the 82 residences located at Sovereign - we can go look at the $1 Million units, but I'm encouraging you to be your own bellwether and be the $11 Million purchaser of the mega-luxurious penthouse... Sovereign is a super cool looking building - I saw it getting poured and framed in early 2007 when my client Michael Matassa purchased a condo at Realm that faced in the direction of Sovereign - looking northward to Lenox. Sovereign's tagline is "At the intersection of art, architecture … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ATL Culture and Events, Buckhead, Fun Facts, Northside Tagged With: ,

Fannie, Freddie and the Looming Risk

August 30, 2008 By Leave a Comment
John Mauldin

John Mauldin gets cited here at Intown Insider quite often. I read his Thoughts From The Frontline weekly newsletter. If you are reading this then click on the link and sign up for his insightful advice. His recent letter from last week includes some cogent, immediate and disturbing analysis - it begins with the following: "We also (sadly) re-visit Freddie and Fannie and examine the risks that they put into the markets. Risks, by the way, that were sanctioned by regulators and encouraged by a Congress that took in hundreds of millions in campaign contributions and lobbying fees. We (the US taxpayer) have taken on a huge risk and potential loss for that paltry few hundred million. Sadly, those who encouraged that risk will by and large be voted back into office rather than ridden out of town on a rail (an old US custom, rather barbaric, but one which should maybe be revived for this purpose)." I am very concerned about this intricate problem. As John says, it's all about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Market Analysis Tagged With: ,

Fanny versus Freddy

August 29, 2008 By 1 Comment
The Godmothers of Chick Rock

OK, I shall setlle the argument right here and right now. I'm attracted to the legendary ladies of Fanny, but Freddy's legacy is beyond compare. I'm not talkin' mortgage crisis stuff here, I'm talkin' rock and roll. Fanny are the Godmothers of Chick Rock. That's right - read about 'em here...   Here's a really fun video performance of their 1971 hit "Charity Ball" - lip-synced on the Sonny and Cher Show!   OK - you know Freddy. Freddy Mercury. His band Queen were the top performing live act worldwide in the 1970's. They kept it going in the '80's too, until that Flash Gordon soundtrack came along. Personally, that's when I quit listening, then I returned to their classics...I still love this band - I saw the redux version with Paul Rodgers 3 years ago and they certainly rocked.   In the current mortgage controversy, neither Freddie nor Fannie is a winner. However, today - you win because you are watching obscure rock videos on a real estate website … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cool videos Tagged With: ,

Percentage Amount of Seller Paid Closing Costs Remains Steady for Intown Closings

August 28, 2008 By Leave a Comment
Seller Paid Closing Costs

Sellers in Intown Atlanta and Decatur paid some, or all, of their Buyer’s closing costs in 71% of the transactions through June, 2008, which is nearly the same as in the last two years... Greg the Pricemaster studied the following submarkets with our micro-numbers guru, Chartmaster Chuck to come up with our conclusions: 1. Ansley Park and Morningside southward to Inman Park and Reynoldstown - that includes Midtown and VAHI 2. Eastside Atlanta Dekalb - the neighborhoods East of Moreland and Briarcliff, plus Johnson Estates and southward to Edgewood and Kirkwood - all North of I20 3. Southside Atlanta Fulton - Grant Park, Summerhill, Boulevard Heights, Ormewood Park, EAV 4. Greater Decatur - South of Mercer U, down to I20 at South Dekalb Mall Based on my experience, these numbers seem even higher  - like 90% of the time or more. That being said, I've also experienced two transactions this Summer where appraisal almost caused the deal to fall apart and the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Downtown Atlanta, Druid Hills and Emory Area, East Atlanta Village, East Lake, Eastside, Edgewood, Grant Park, Greater Decatur, Inman Park, Kirkwood, Lake Claire, Market Analysis, Midtown, Northside, Oak Grove, Oakhurst, Old Fourth Ward, Ormewood Park, Peoplestown, Poncey Highland, Really Bad Real Estate Marketing, Really Great Real Estate Marketing, Reynoldstown, South Dekalb, Southside, Virginia Highland Tagged With:

Median Sales Price Differences in Intown Atlanta

August 27, 2008 By 1 Comment
Median Sales Price as a %age of Original List Price

Here's another eye opener...we've seen this trend for a long, long time - at least since The Rootdown Group got started in April 2004...but...in Intown Atlanta, which we define thusly: 1. Ansley Park and Morningside southward to Inman Park and Reynoldstown - that includes Midtown and VAHI 2. Eastside Atlanta Dekalb - the neighborhoods East of Moreland and Briarcliff, plus Johnson Estates and southward to Edgewood and Kirkwood - all North of I20 3. Southside Atlanta Fulton - Grant Park, Summerhill, Boulevard Heights, Ormewood Park, EAV 4. Greater Decatur - South of Mercer U, down to I20 at South Dekalb Mall ...We see, that for the first half of 2008: 1. The median of the sales price as a percentage of the original list price dropped to its lowest level in three years during 1Q 2008 and, although higher than in 1Q, remained historically low through 2Q 2008   2. The 2Q 2008 percentage is nearly the same as in the greater metro Atlanta area   So, at 92.6% of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cabbagetown, Candler Park, Downtown Atlanta, Druid Hills and Emory Area, East Atlanta Village, East Lake, Eastside, Edgewood, Grant Park, Greater Decatur, Inman Park, Kirkwood, Lake Claire, Market Analysis, Midtown, Northside, Oak Grove, Oakhurst, Old Fourth Ward, Ormewood Park, Poncey Highland, Really Bad Real Estate Marketing, Really Great Real Estate Marketing, Reynoldstown, Southside, Virginia Highland Tagged With:
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