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One of the perks our Real Estate Company provides is a Cruise each year for their top producing Realtors from Columbus and Phenix City.    Donna and I were benefactors of that trip this year.    We cruised from Fort Lauderdale to Key West and on to Cozumel.  

We had a great time to relax and experience new things.  In Cozumel we took an excursion where we zip lined, repelled off a 60 foot tower, and snorkeled.    In Key West we had a Cheeseburger in Paradise and a Margarita at Jimmy Buffet's Margarittaville .   

In Real Estate it is easy to work 7 days a week.  It was a nice break to get out of Columbus for a few days  and hang out with friends and co workers.  From Columbus Ga - it is only an 1 hour and 15 minutes to Atlanta International airport…

Callaway Gardens is only about 30 miles north of Columbus Ga.   It is one of the coolest things about living in Columbus.  We have a season pass to the gardens which includes entrance into events like this.   The family pass is only about $100 and is a bargain in my book.   Fantasy on lights at Christmas - Gardens in the Spring - Masters Ski on Memorial Day - July 4th on the beach with live beach music - Hot Air Balloon Festival in the Fall.   Memorial Day weekend is always  when the Masters is held and the top skiers in the world come to show off their slolam, trick, and wakeboard skills.

One of my favorite places to hang out in Columbus is the downtown area.   The city saw fit to do city scapes in the downtown area.   This along with the preservation of the old mills and foundries along the river make for a relaxing and beautiful area to eat outside or enjoy a beverage with friends.   Columbus has done a really good job of preserving the historic district as well! 

All kinds of special events are planned downtown as well like: outdoor concerts, art displays and family outings. 

There is even an internet "cloud" downtown so you can sit outside and work from you laptop if you don't have time to play! 

These are just some the Top 10 reasons to live and work in Columbus GA…

I recently visited Zillow to the much advertised home value website to put my Realtor profile on their site.  While I was there I tried out their system.  I really doesn't work at all in Columbus.  I have been told in some areas it is pretty close in estimating a neighborhood but that in other areas it is as much as 40% off.   It seems to me that you need a local expert to know the differences between houses and neighborhoods as well as local market conditions at the time.   Zillow has no way of seeing into houses or even knowing if they are brick or frame.   They certainly have no market feel.   It is going to be interesting to see where Zillow goes from here but for now I am very unimpressed.   Read Full Post

As a Realtor in Columbus Ga we have clients come to us and say “ I want to purchase a home – where do I start”.   
1) Get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan.  This will help us two ways.  First, we will know the maximum you qualify for and we can search using this as one of our criteria.   Second, you become a strong buyer.  You have cash available to purchase and the buyer is aware.   This puts you in a strong negotiating position. 
2) List the criteria important to you and prioritize these.   Eventually you will probably have to make some compromise between the criteria you select but don’t settle for a home that does not meet your most important objectives.
3) Begin to use the internet to look at homes that meet your criteria.   All websites are not…

     As Realtors we realize the importance of your credit score.  It along with your debt to income ratio are the two most important factors in determining your credit eligibility.   Your debt to income ratio shows the lender your ability to pay and your credit score gives the lender a picture of your credit repayment history.   The lender will be able to combine these two items along with some less important items and tell you how much you can borrow and what will be the best mortgage loan for you.   It is hard to improve your credit score overnight so it is important to start improving your FICO score now!  

1) Check your FICO score - You can request a free report, once a year, from the major credit reporting bureaus like Equifax.  You can also…

Columbus GA is attracting investors right now.   The home prices in Columbus have been on a steady increase for several years.  In 2005 they increased even more rapidly at about a 10% rate while the resort areas increased in many instances 30 – 50%.  In 2006 several of the resort areas had a decrease in prices as has been noted in the press but Columbus again had a year of price appreciation of around 2%.   

      We have a strong economy supported by several different sectors including technology (TSYS), insurance (AFLAC), banking (Synovus), manufacturing (KIA Plant), College (Columbus State University growth to about 7500 students) and the military (Fort Benning). 

     The announcement that Fort Benning would be one of the main beneficiaries of BRAC…

Lake Harding is a popular area just North of Columbus on the Georgia side and just North of Phenix City on the Alabama side.   Georgia Power operates the dam and owns most of the lots along the lake on the Chattachoochee River.  It is an awesome ski and fishing lake.  Homes and lots on the lake are bringing a tremendous price and offer a great value.   The proximity between the Growth of Columbus and the new KIA Plant to the north of the Lake make these homes and lots a great value. 

There are also some great values just off the lake in subdivisions like the Village at Halawaka just a mile from the marina.    Today is just the beginning of spring and the lake was full of boaters shaking off the winter blues on lake. 

Homes come in all shapes and sizes…