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We are a broad listing broker for HUD properties through HOMETELOS, and each time we enter into a listing contract with a new HUD Marketing Group we learn more and more about how to best navigate the HUD waterways. Here are some TIPS to ensure a smooth transaction and make sure you get the best deal possible on your HUD HOME.

OWNER OCCUPANTS

Identify the property and research the comps.  If YOU aren’t represented by a Buyer’s Agent, let US do your homework.

First, identify if the property is Insured, Insured with Escrow, or Uninsured.

For Insured and Insured with Escrow listings, the first 10 days of each initial list period the property is open only to OWNER OCCUPANTS.

For Uninsured listings, the first 5 days of each initial list period is open to O/O only.

If you miss the chance to put an offer on the property first time around make sure you notify your agent and the listing agent of your intention to buy. Many of these properties go back on market quickly if we don’t get the required documentation in the required timelines.

Act quickly and decisively!

Fill out inspection form request for utilities early in the bid acceptance to be sure you will have utilities on in time.

Deliver your contract and earnest money ON TIME.

ALWAYS INSPECT.

Allow plenty of time for loan process and closing so set a realistic closing date.

Make sure your lender is timely with the loan process.  Loan delays and delays in closing are COSTLY.

Understand you will be asked to pay an extension fee even when the delay is on the part of the seller.  Don’t let this hold you up from continuing to closing. You can get these fees back with persistence and documentation at closing.  DON’T LET YOUR CONTRACT EXPIRE while you fight this process because the property will go back on market and available for other bids.

INVESTORS

Play the waiting game.  LIKE us on FACEBOOK and FOLLOW US on TWITTER.  This is the most important thing you can do in today’s market to increase your reaction time for capturing the best properties at the best prices.

We publish HUD aged property lists approximately once a month.  HUD notifies us when a property has become “AGED” in their definition and this means that they will not reject ANY reasonable offer.  Make offers on these properties!  These are the deals and the steals.  Know the surrounding market but bid with time on your side. Once under contract, follow the rules above.

DON’T forget to look at the assessed value of the property once you own it.  Chances are it needs an adjustment.  We can help you save money in taxes. Check out Real Property Tax Appeal Group at www.rptappealsgroup.com .

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Looking for a home in the following areas in Georgia?

Douglasville, Stone Mountain, Riverdale, Lithonia, Covington, Hampton, Rex, Jonesboro, Forest Park, Dawsonville, Powder Springs

Here some properties where all offers will be considered, so check it out, spread the word, and ACT NOW!

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Marietta is not only a great place to live, but it’s a great place for recreation and entertainment as well!  April 29, 2011  begins the Glover Park Concert Series in Marietta Square!  There will continue to be shows on the last Friday of the month throughout the summer. This free event accommodates everyone, whether it be a first date or a fun family outing. Join in the blanket and table decorating contest, listen to live music, walk around the historic Marietta Square, and enjoy dinner before the show at any of the restaurants within walking distance! For more information visit: http://www.eventsonthesquare.com/events.asp

When you’re done listening to music, you can take the Walking Ghosts of Marietta Tour, where you will walk along with guides and lanterns and listen to history of Marietta “from the eyes of the dearly departed.”  This tour is inexpensive and fun for the whole family! For more information visit: http://mariettatrolley.com/scary-etta.html

Even though Marietta is twenty minutes outside of the city, it maintains a fun and energetic entertainment lifestyle that accommodates to everyone from toddlers to newlyweds to  grandparents!

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If you read any of the previous blogs you would know how important Atlanta community service is to Rasmus Real Estate Group.  We have many service projects in the works, including the Atlanta Pet Parade. The pet parade is to help raise money for the Atlanta Humane Society (click here to read more about how you can help with this cause).  Yesterday, while the folks at Rasmus were trying to put a family back into a home, they found an abandoned puppy, and now they are trying to put the puppy back into a home as well.

When we got the call that a dog was abandoned in one of the homes, Josh Bolton, an employee of Rasmus Real Estate Group, hopped in his car to rescue this dog. When he returned, the dog was exposed to the rest of our employees, where he wagged his tail with relief. After a fun day in the office, Amanda Goyer, another employee of Rasmus Real Estate Group, took him to Town and Country Veterinary Clinic, where the puppy was treated with the upmost love and kindness. They gave a 30% discount for rescuing a puppy, a whole bag of food, and free medicine for the dog. After the vet, the new six month old puppy went home with Amanda to take a bath and play with a friend’s dog, Axton! The new puppy played very well with Axton, and was very calm the whole evening. The pup comes when he is called and is potty trained!

Now we are raising money to find a home for animals at the Atlanta Humane Society as well as our new office puppy dubbed “George Turner Rasmus.” Unfortunately, it is common for people whose homes have gone into foreclosure to leave their pets behind. Rasmus wants to make sure that none of the animals that have been left behind are neglected, which is why we have decided to make sure each one finds a home.  Make sure to ‘like’ us on Facebook and subscribe to our blog to stay up-to-date about animals that need a home as well as homes that need families!

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This past weekend, Jude and Sean Rasmus hosted Angel for a Day for the second year in a row. Over 220 children from inner-city Atlanta loaded up and headed out to the Rasmus’ farm for a day filled with community, games, laughter, and fun. Dogs were running around and kids were screaming with joy.  One of the young boys said it was the best day of his life!

Knowing that even just one boy had the best day of his life made the entire day worth it. Below is a letter from Tom Rosencrants, a huge participant of the cause:

“Jude and Sean:

Thanks so much for letting us all use your farm. It is PERFECT in every way. I know God has a special place in heaven reserved for you, and it looks probably similar to your farm and is full of smiling children running and playing and eating all day every day.

At no time in my life has it been more apparent that in giving we receive. Angel for a Day is exactly that kind of event. 2010 was my first event. Last year, as I watched the many young, precious children sitting on the grass impatiently waiting for the Padre to finish mass so they could get on with the fun part of the day, I saw God in each of their faces, all with huge smiles of anticipation.

This year, I took my three King Charles Spaniel Dogs to participate. Several of the children descended on the dogs as soon as they escaped my car. The children took turns walking them, holding them, petting them, kissing them and giving them water. One of my dogs is named Angel, so the kids paid special attention to her. I know the children loved being with my dogs and they thought they were part of the farm experience. Many of the children, ages 6 to 9, would not stand in line for lunch because they did not want to leave the three dogs. Talk about sacrifice.

At the end of the day, Angel, Lexie and Nicholas were dirty, full of burrs and utterly exhausted ….. barely wagging their tails as we left. But it clearly had been one of the best days of their four-legged lives also. As it was for me. As a family, we cannot wait to return next year. The gifts from the children for us were smiles, love and entertainment. We were the beneficiaries of their priceless gifts.

God bless and thanks again for your extraordinary generosity of time, energy, money and love!

tgr”

All in all, it seems as it was a successful day filled with joy, love, laughter, and fun for everyone participating! As an employee of Rasmus Real Estate, I can say that it is truly amazing to be a part of a company that puts so much emphasis on service and philanthropy.

 

Rasmus continues to participate in community service, including the Atlanta Pet Parade! If you would like to help us raise money for the homeless animals of Atlanta please read the previous blog post on how you can help: Learn More Now! 

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Rasmus Real Estate believes in equal housing opportunity for both humans and animals. Along with our community service project of finding a house to rehabilitate and give back to the community, we are raising money to participate in the Atlanta Pet Parade, put on by the Atlanta Humane Society. This year will be the twenty-first annual Pet Parade, and we are excited to be a part of it! On May 7th, eighteen of our co-workers and friends are going to head down to Piedmont Park to walk with our pets and raise money for the Atlanta Humane Society.

Finding a home for these pets costs the Atlanta Humane Society about $300 per pet. Rasmus Real Estate has set a goal of raising $3000, but we need your help. We are grateful for any donations! We are also open to any ideas of other community service projects in which we could participate. Do you have your own philanthropy? Let us know about it. Thanks again for your donations!

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Marietta, Georgia has a lot of character, great shopping, restaurants, schools, and amazing properties! Marietta is an old town just outside of Atlanta where houses are just as nice as in town, but much less expensive. Established in 1834 Marietta continues to maintain the small-town feel. This town is perfect for the growing family, and is only 15-20 minutes from Atlanta, giving you the best of both worlds. Take a stroll in Marietta square as you find charming restaurants, shops, and theaters.

-No way to get there? Don’t worry! Marietta offers a transportation system.

- Strolling the square solo? No problem! Marietta offers a safe environment!

-Want to meet new people? Community participation is common amongst the locals.

Rasmus Real Estate has many wonderful properties in Marietta, like 2150 Heritage Trace Lane for only $200,000!

Or this amazing 5 bedroom 4 bathroom property at 1936 Enchanted Woods Trail for only $223,500!

We provide amazing opportunities to live in this charming area close to the lights of Atlanta. Contact us today to find out more about Marietta and our properties!

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Foreclosures are taken for granted. Many people generalize and assume that all foreclosure properties are in a bad part of town or in bad shape, but the truth is, foreclosures can range from being a small $7,000 investment opportunity to million dollar luxury homes.  At Rasmus Real Estate, we list a variety of properties to feed the needs of all different types of people and their budgets.

We recently listed this luxury home on over 37 acres of land at the amazing price of $549,000:

The same day we listed a charming home perfect for the growing family at only $95,000:

Rasmus Real Estate makes it convenient for you to find your perfect home. We have created a Facebook page strictly dedicated to our luxury homes: http://on.fb.me/hcX2ZT. If you are not in the market for a luxury home, then simply visit our website, type in your search criteria, and voila! All of our listings within that criterion will appear before your eyes, including pre-listed properties (something most real estate companies do not do)! So, before you jump to any conclusions about foreclosures visit our website and explore a little. Type in different types of criteria into the search box and see what you can find. I promise you’ll end up being very surprised!

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Someone once told me to do one thing that scares me every day. That doesn’t mean I should repel off the Golden Gate Bridge or dash across the highway, it means I should break away from my comfort zone enough to learn, grow, and optimize my chances for better opportunities. In this economy, people are afraid to purchase homes, they are scared that the economy will never improve, and renting a home allows them to remain in their comfort zones. I am here to help weigh the pros and cons of renting versus buying, and prove that renting is actually scarier than buying a home:

1. Equity: Purchasing a home provides the opportunity for home equity. Home equity basically represents the amount of ownership the buyer has over the property.  The buyer gains ownership every time the mortgage is paid, and home equity is reached once the entire mortgage is paid off. 
2. Investing: When owning a home, the monthly payments go toward paying off the mortgage, which leads to personal home equity. When renting a home, the monthly payments go toward paying off the landlord, which leads to the landlord’s home equity.
3. Tax Write Offs: It’s simple: Buying leads to tax write offs; renting leads to nothing.
4. Personalizing Your Home:  Home ownership presents the opportunity for home improvement, which in turn increases the value of the property. It also allows the buyer to customize the home to their personal standard of living.
5. Damages/fees: There are no required fees or damage costs when owning a home. The buyer/owner can choose what to invest in, whereas a renter must leave the home in move-in condition.
6. Home Appreciation: Overtime, the home will increase in worth, leading to a higher return.
7. Sense of Ownership: Buying a home gives you a sense of security and comfort.