Happy Wednesday Guys!

I came across this article in my local newspaper and decided to share with you….Of course staying on top of good real estate comps is important but so is keeping tabs on the pulse of the market.  So with that being said,  enjoy!

–A widely watched indicator of home prices shows values in metro Atlanta held steady during the second quarter, just above the decade-long bottom they hit last winter.

Though prices have increased three months in a row, they remain lower than they were this time last year.

“This month’s report showed mixed signals for a recovery in home prices,” said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the index committee at S&P Indices. “No cities made new lows in June 2011, and the majority of cities are seeing improved annual rates.”

That reflects what local experts see.

“There are bright spots, but overall the market remains bad,” Steve Palm of Marietta’s SmartNumbers said.

“Year-over-year closings will be up but prices down,” he said.

His numbers show closing prices in July, which will be the first month of the third quarter, averaged $181,975, which is 13.7 percent below the average price in July 2010.

Daniel Forsman, the CEO of Prudential Georgia Realty, one of metro Atlanta’s largest real estate firms, said it had 4,364 closings by this time last year. The firm had 4,788 as of Monday.

“That is a 9.7 percent increase, so our sales are up,” he said.

“I think that has to do with lower prices and low interest rates,” Forsman said.

But sales prices are flat, he said.

He thinks low interest rates and prices will drive Atlanta’s resurgence beginning in 12 to 18 months.

“I think we are going to see a lot of activity in the entry levels, and I think we are going to see a substantial increase in higher price points driven by two things, low interest rates and a higher level of consumer confidence,” he said.

It will take a while to get the foreclosures absorbed, he said. A large number of foreclosures is one reason metro Atlanta has become an investment hot spot.–

Using your InvestorCompsOnline account to value properties,  receive expert support during your deal, and to advice you on future deals gets you ready to take advantage of real estate markets such as these!

Happy Investing!

Learning to use real estate comps wisely can be hard or relatively simple.  As investors it’s up to us to decide which way we will learn them.  It is important to run comps on each property that you are researching to verify that each one is worth your time.

Personally,  I use social media outlets such as my blog and facebook to market myself and let my clients and potential investors know what I have to give.  InvestorCompsOnline offers expert advice and a full support system to investors that desire to take their business to the next level.  Choice which locations buyers are interested in by considering where you, yourself would want to live.   Thinking along those lines when property scouting is the best way to ensure a profit when you sell.

Remember you can always depend on InvestorComspOnline to give you support and expert advice on each deal.  That of course makes sure to PROFIT on EVERY deal!!

When dealing with real estate comps, Investors quickly learn what the single most important factor in property valuation  is.  We all know it is location, location, location every time!!  If you have been involved in any decision regarding purchase or sale of real estate, then you know the importance that location and neighborhood has in investment decisions. In all types of properties including residential properties, shops, land or farmhouses, every single party is concerned about its surroundings.

How can you zero in on that prime location?  Well,  relying on InvestorCompsOnline to give you the comps will point you in the right direction.  Residential properties should ideally be located in some urban areas with availability of all basic necessities like electricity, clean water, gas, etc.  Amenities like schools, hospitals or shopping malls in the vicinity are a plus.  And while it’s good to have a residential property in the inner-city, buying a house at an overly crowded road or congested shopping mall can backfire because of noise and all the hustle.

Another important factor is the crime rate for both residential and commercial properties. Investors who are looking for long term investment can earn huge profits by investing in some area going through major development works or infrastructure programs. Buying a piece of property in this area when the work has just begun will be comparatively inexpensive, hence offering huge profit margins.

Along with these basic rules, you should also consider your personal likes and dislikes about the neighborhood when finalizing a deal for long term investment purchases.