Welcome to 2014

RESOLUTIONS:
Okay so the first two days of this new year have been cold and wet; perfect weather to stay inside and take down all those Christmas decorations, untrim the tree, and throw out all the leftover cakes, pies, cookies, and candy so you can keep your resolution to lose weight without temptations sitting on the kitchen counter.

One of my resolutions for 2014 is to write blogs more often since we now have almost 600 followers! Unbelievable…must have been the article about the whitewater rafting that gained us so many new followers. I will take a hint from that and promise to publish more videos and articles about things to do in our area that are exciting and fun for all ages. In fact, we are going to Stone Mountain’s “snow mountain” on Saturday for snow tubing with our family so I will post a video then. Watch for it!

ON THE MENU
Since I’m trying to eat healthier and lose some weight, I will be publishing my menu daily just in case any of you need some inspiration too.
January 1st we had the traditional collard greens (representing money) and blackeyed peas (representing luck) plus baked sweet potatoes and meatloaf. It was filling and nutritious and yummy.
Today, January 2nd, lunch is homemade vegetable soup and cornbread. Tonight is “date night” so Bob is taking me out. Will try to order healthy off the menu wherever we go.

ON THE PERSONAL “TO DO” LIST TODAY
1. Take down decorations in living room and stairwell
2. Bake some homemade bread (I grind my own wheat. See Breadbeckers.com for more info on this or read this article)
3. Start a Goodwill box for giveaway items
4. Clean out one closet today.

REAL ESTATE WISE
This is the time of year that homeowners are ready to put their homes on the market, buyers are ready to start looking for that perfect home, and Bob and I are getting our files organized and systems in place to help all those who contact us. Bob started the new year yesterday with showing appointments, an accepted contract (YAHOO!!) and several calls for appointments. We are updating some listings today with lower sales prices and added lock boxes for ease of showing. When you are ready to buy or sell, think of Bob and Gail.

FEATURED LISTING
7976 Westlake Drive, Midland, Georgia. Check out this virtual tour: http://tours.rothphotoservices.com/53422

Waterfront Home in Midland, Georgia, priced at only $209,900

The best form of advertising….FREE!

The Best form of FREE Advertising!

Nothing goes further than a personal recommendation or testimonial and here’s why:

1) It comes from experience. This customer has seen how we operate and likes what they saw. They can share firsthand knowledge about us and our reputation as a Realtor.

2) It is unsolicited. They are sharing this information with anyone interested in finding a Realtor in our area. Just like they would give out the name of their favorite restaurant, barber or doctor who has given them good service, they are recommending us as the best to work with in buying or selling a home.

3) Our prospective buyers/sellers can identify with them. They share something in common, whether they are relocating from another area of the country, employed with a large company or a member of the military, or just someone who needs to upgrade or downsize from their current home.

4) It adds a human aspect to our advertising. In other words, our ads aren’t just listing all our credentials and achievements, it is explaining why and how we achieved them and it is in the words of someone besides us!

So how do we get good testimonials?   We give great service and then we ask for them! Although now and then some really nice client will take the time to write  a thank you note, rarely do they write out a recommendation and mail it to us for publication.  Our clients mostly use the internet, not the snail mail.

Therefore, we have learned to ask them to comment on our website or facebook page or on Zillow.  Working with military families who have received orders to pcs to Fort Benning, Georgia, we know that they rely on the recommendations of other Military personnel when choosing a Realtor.  So we really want to send a Special Thank You to all our past clients who have taken the time to write a comment or review and who have recommended us to their friends and co-workers.  It means the world to us!

Columbus is HOT, HOT, HOT!!

100 Degrees of HOT today in Columbus, Georgia, and we were sweating BIG TIME!  But what a gorgeous day it was and what a great time to be in this HOT, HOT, HOT real estate market!   With rates still well below 5% on most loan types and plenty of homes available for sale, now is the PERFECT time to BUY!

Below is a simplified Step by Step explanation of the homebuying process for those who have never been down this path before:

Step 1) Call Bob or Gail McLain, 334-524-8200 or 706-888-4063 and tell us you are ready to get started with the process of buying a home.

Step 2) Contact a lender (we can recommend a few that have treated our clients great and provided fast and professional service) to get pre-approved.  This will let you know how much a lender is willing to lend you based on your income and debts and credit history & score.

Step 3) Once you know how much you can borrow, then simply add the amount you have available for a down payment to determine the maximum house price you can afford.   This will help you narrow your search.  Just think of it this way, when you are car shopping, you don’t want to look at Jaguars when you can only afford a Chevy….. or HUMMERs when you can only afford a Ford Truck.   The same is true of homes.    We will only show you the homes in your price range so we don’t waste your time or get you excited about a home you can’t afford.  On the other hand, we will do our best to help you find a home that meets or exceeds your expectations and stays within your budget!

Step 4) Have FUN!   Make a list of what you want in your new home…number of bedrooms?, baths?, style?, brand new home?  which rooms are most important?, what about the yards?, and location?….close to shopping?, schools?, Ft. Benning?, Columbus?, what about special needs?   Once you have made your wish list, now go back and prioritize the items…what is most important, least important?   Now let this be your guide when searching thru the homes listed for sale in your price range.   Bob & Gail can send you photos and details of homes that meet your criteria.    After looking at the homes online, try to narrow your search to 5 to 8 homes that most interest you and let Bob & Gail know when you will be available to preview these homes in person.

Step 5) Meet with Bob & Gail to preview homes in person and narrow your search by comparing each home to the next one and eliminating those that don’t appeal to you.   Soon you will have 2 or 3 top choices.   From these you can choose which one is your first choice and the one that you would like to make an offer to purchase.

Step 6) Bob and Gail will assist you in writing the offer to purchase and presenting it to the seller’s agent along with your earnest money (usually $500 to $1,000).   Once the offer has been accepted and a closing date has been established in the contract, then you will need to proceed with your loan application with the lender who pre-approved you.

Step 7) Once your loan has been approved and the home has been appraised and any repairs/inspections have taken place, the closing attorney will prepare all documents and set the date/time of the closing.   This is usually within 30 to 45 days from the date of the contract. 

Step 8 ) Attend the closing, sign all the necessary documents, pay all the monies due at closing, and become the new owner of a home!

Step 8) Move in and celebrate!

This is a very simple explanation in a nutshell, but just know that we will walk you thru it step by step and be there for guidance and advice along the way.   Our goal is to have more than satisfied happy customers, we want to have RAVING FANS!!   In order to do that, we have to WOW you with our service and commitment to your goals!   Please give us the chance!

Now go get a TALL DRINK OF WATER and STAY COOL!!

Bob & Gail McLain, Realtors

Solid Source Premier Realty

Let’s talk FOOD!

Gail:  It is a Holiday Weekend and time to enjoy some great food, family and fun!  In the Columbus/Fort Benning, Georgia area, there is nothing better than BARBEQUE!  And I’m talking RIBS, CHICKEN, BEEF and good old Chopped, Chipped or Sliced PORK.   I have two favorite places … Country’s Barbeque is my local favorite and Smokey Bones is a franchise place that has great Pulled Pork and Ribs.   However, Bob’s Boston Butts cooked on the smoker in our own backyard can’t be beat!  Mostly because I get to smell them cooking all day and anticipate the meal.   I will say that he cheats a little bit because he uses barbeque sauce purchased from Country’s….but that just makes it even better.

Bob and I had a very busy day today showing homes in the Fort Mitchell, Alabama, area near the back gate to Fort Benning, Georgia, and he is meeting with the couple now to write an offer on a beautiful new home we found for them.  Four bedrooms, 3 baths, huge backyard, woodburning fireplace, and a gorgeous kitchen with black and tan granite countertops with an island workstation in the center.  They are so excited and so are we!   We helped them get in touch with a local lender and they are pre-approved already for their home loan with payments less than what they have been paying in rent!   This is what makes our job fun! 

Anyhow, I say all of this to let you know why Bob is not speaking on this post tonight.   So I am also going to give you some other good ideas of where to get some Good Food…

If you like catfish, you’ve got to go to Ezell’s Catfish Cabin.

Mexican?  Head to The Cantina on Broadway in UpTown

Casual American with a wide variety of choices?  Go to the Cannon Brew Pub on Broadway in UpTown  (gotta try their Sun Spots – sweet potato chips with raspberry sauce!  yummy!)

Fancy lunch on the River?  Head to the River Mill Cafe…. great view of the river if you request a window seat and a real gourmet chef here!  Gotta try the Warm Chocolate Cake dessert!  Order it when you order your entree’…it takes 20 minutes to prepare.

Best Chicken Salad Sandwich in town?  The Yogurt Shoppe in St. Francis Shopping Center… lots of other great food including daily specials of homecooked veggies and meats.   Gotta try their banana pudding!

Well now that I have made myself totally starving, I’m going to text Bob and see if he can meet me at one of these places for dinner!    Catch you later!   Enjoy your Holiday weekend!

Amazing times we live in!

G:   Bob, isn’t it truly amazing that you are able to help customers all over the world purchase and build new homes before they ever arrive in Columbus, Fort Benning, Georgia, area?  If anyone had told me 10 years ago that we would be able to sign a contract over the internet with a customer in the State of Washington or the country of Argentina, I would have said “no way!”  But you do this all the time now.

B:  Yep, and how exciting it is!  Both for the customer and for me!  With the help of You Tube videos and Skype teleconferencing, the customer gets to see and do everything as if they were actually here on a househunting trip.   If they want to build a new home, my videos on You Tube help them decide on a neighborhood, then they can view houseplans and make changes they need or want.  Once we get under contract, they are an integral part of the homebuilding process, choosing everything from bricks to appliances, flooring to wall colors…and all online!   And the really cool thing is that I get to film the construction progress and send it to them on a regular basis…so they can literally see their home come up out of the ground!

G:  And then the most fun comes when they actually arrive here and get to see their masterpiece in person for the first time.  I know that gives you as much a thrill as it does the customer, right?

B: You’ve got it!  That’s why I love this business.  It feels so good to make folks happy!    Speaking of making folks happy, what’s for dinner?  You know I’m always starving!