Charlie Ragonesi Big Canoe Realestate's Blog: January 2010

One of the joys of higher elevations is a winter scene. Sock up on Wine and Cheese the day before. Make sure you have lights and fire wood just in case you lose power and settle in for a day . These are photos of our latest storm. We have been hit hard this year so far. While many to the North got considerable snow we were just on the line . A few miles south or even at lower elevations in our community it was a rain event. Enjoy the photos

This photo is off our front deck. As it is all icy could not walk too far to snap pictures !!!

As many of you know I do volunteer fire work. Last night we got a call out for a fire. I have posted safety tips in the past. I only post tips when a situation is odd and is something you could do with out thinking. Last night was one of those times.

OK you have a great roaring fire going in the fireplace. This is one of the joys of mountain living. Maybe you have a take out dinner with some wine and decide to throw the bag, paper, the dinner came in on the fire. So far so good. But here what happened. The fire was hot so the heat pushed the bag up the chimney and the burning bag was trapped at the chimney top. The chimney looked like it was on fire and the bag blocked the exit for the smoke so smoke poured into the home , again making the home owner think there was a fire. In the end we all arrived and made sure no embers went into the woods or caught the roof on fire.The home was fine.

So today's tip is if you have a roaring fire remember heat rises and when you add to a fire make sure what you add will not scoot up your chimney potentially causing a chimney or roof fire, as well as blocking the path for smoke to exit.

This week we have a show that might interest many on ActiveRain as well as consumers in general. We interview the current President of our local board of Realtors. Our board is very active in our mountains and gives back t our community. You may find some things we do that could be incorporated locally with you. Enjoy the show

Short sales, foreclosures,and specials are all words that make folks lose there reason and good sense. The only word that matters in a real estate transaction is value. If you are getting good value then the deal is good. If the value is not there then it does not matter if the home is a special, foreclosure, or short sale. So if you are out looking for a home the MAIN limiting factor you should have is value. 

When you call us at All Mountain Realty that's what you will find. Folks call us all the time and ask about foreclosures, HUD homes, Specials, and Short sales. We tell them we will work with them to find value. Part of being a Realtor is helping to educate your client.

A blog this morning talked about having your values and using them rather than making your clients values your values. Now you should ALWAYS work with your customers wants and desires. But unless you have a client that wants to spend more money than necessary for a property then it is important for you to educate them on value

No offense meant to those who market as short sale specialists and foreclosure specialists. But I would like to see more marketing as VALUE specialists

The Mountain Real Estate report is heard every Thursday on Wyyz Radio. In this weeks report we cover some of the sweeping changes that effect loans. These new regulations will impact all. While we hit some of the highlights of the changes in this report it is advised that you talk to your local boards or your real estate professional for additional information. Enjoy

The Mountain Real Estate Report is heard every Thursday through out the North Georgia Mountains. This weeks show focuses on preventing or dealing with foreclosure situations. We also have some great property to sell. We talk about the market in General and try to put some of the numbers that are coming out in perspective. Enjoy the show.

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about the coming winter and what you should do to be safe from a fire perspective. Since that post I have been out on 2 calls and listened to a third one. So I think since they all had the same cause it is time to update the blog.

You are in your mountain home in the winter. You have a great fire going. It is time to go to bed . What do you do? You could time your logs so you have them burn down. So far so good. But then you have the hot ashes. Some folks have decided to take them outside and dump them. Cold does not mean fire proof. . So with leaves etc I have been on two calls in the cold at night because of this. Your fire place is made to keep the ashes. Make sure you have good screens. Also if you are in the mountains for a weekend and figure you will dump the ashes outside next day don't. Those ashes set one of the 2 fires I have been to.

The third fire was also ashes dumped outside . This time there was snow on the ground. But unfortunately the ashes were dumped too close to the house. This was during our snow storm and many of us could not get to the scene and the fire department trucks almost slid off the road. So many were put in danger. In the end the home owner got it under control with some siding damage.

The point here is folks your fire place is the place for your fire. Just because it is cold does not mean you can dump ashes and not start a fire. Please be especially careful in this cold weather with your hearths and their ashes.

The following article will appear in the Feb Smoke Signals. This is a new column. I did post Last months article on chasing a market

 

Ask a Realtor

 

Buying a lot to build your dream home?

    By Charlie Ragonesi

________________________________________________________________________

 

We all have dreams of owning a beautiful lot and building our dream home. Many of us find a dream home already built. But for those who start “from the ground up” here are some facts aimed at helping you keep your dream from turning into a nightmare.

First of all make sure your lot is developed. Here in Big Canoe they all are. Developed means you have some services like electricity, for example, run to the lot. 

Second, once you have a developed lot the one thing that most folks do not get is a level 3 soil test. This test is CRITICAL.. The test determines the suitability of your lot to contain a septic system. Since most lots are not on public sewer here in the mountains having a septic system is a requirement.  Rock and water, whether visible or not from the ground are the 2 things that will “fail” a lot. Failure means your lot will be deemed unbuildable by the county. In other words kiss your investment good-bye. Have this test done BEFORE you buy.

Take the following additional step. Go to your local hardware store. Buy 4 wooden stakes, like the kind they use to kill vampires, and some landscaping ribbon. Place the stakes on your lot and measure out your footprint. You should have a rectangle that is about 1500-2000 square feet in total. .The folks that do the level 3 test can to it from the site you intend to build on. Always try to have the home at a point higher than the septic system so you can use gravity to flush wastes.

Third, if you have  a specific house plan in mind take it to your local county and have them approve it for the lot. This is called a lot evaluation. Also here in Big Canoe and other communities, there are controls and guidelines so you must have approval there too.

Remember that beautiful lot high up with a great view is going to add on to your building cost when you factor in the slope of the lot along with the distance trucks have to climb with materials to get to your lot..

In the end the soil test along with the lot evaluation will cost you about 500 dollars in total. You will have to spend this money no matter what. So if you are buying an 80,000 dollar lot the minimum investment is a level 3 soil test or around 350 dollars.

Careful planning and working with an experienced mountain Realtor will help you achieve your mountain dreams and keep them from becoming mountain nightmares.

 

 

We are all staying home today and working out of our home offices. We had some snow and I think we may be in for a couple of days. Glad I made the food and wine run yesterday

This is how thinks looked a little after day break from my back porch

This photo is looking up at Sanderlin Mountain  in Big Canoe. No matter what time of the year it is pretty in the mountains. This snow may last a day or 2 and nobody is go anywhere soon

Today is a great day to reach me as i am going to be in all day. Talk to us at All Mountain Realty about a great mountain get away

In our mountains we work with a good cross section of buyers and sellers. Many of the buyers are first time buyers. There is a reluctance on the part of many of the buyers to get financially qualified first. They may have issues on their credit. Let me say now that the mortgage folks and we have heard it all before.

The bottom line is from a financial aspect the banker is your priest. He, or she will work with you in confidence. We at All Mountain Realty will work with you in confidence also. The first step in the acquisition process is to know what you can qualify for. Do not be shy or embarrassed. You have made a decision to buy. It is a great one. Let our full service brokerage  work with you to make it happen. Along the way you may have to burn 3 credit cards and swear off borrowing as financial penance . You have heard the call. Let us work with you to make it happen