Lisa End-Berg & Michael Berg

When looking for homes, consider what your housing needs are and how you will use the property. For example, do you need a 3 bed/2.5 bath in Alpharetta? It's not uncommon for buyers to struggle with their wants not being met by reality, so coming to terms is key before you start looking. A REALTOR® can help you through this process, and can then work with you to identify below market price properties for you beyond foreclosures such as estate sales. - Sun Nov 16 2008, 12:19

Thank you for being a prepared buyer. It is always best to know before looking at homes how much a lender will allow you to afford. While I am a REALTOR and not a mortgage loan officer, I believe one of the lenders we work with has a program you might be interested in. If you've been employed for 24 months in the same line of work, it allows up to 100% financing for credit scores of 620 and above. You have to pass through automated underwriting, have a maximum 45% debt-to-income ratio, have 3 or more lines of credit with 12 months of history, be the owner/occupant of the single family or townhome property (no condos), cannot own other real estate when closing, cannot have prior bankruptcy, tax liens, judgements, shorts sales, repossessions, or garnishments. If you want to see if you can pre-qualify, email me your contact information to put you in touch with the mortgage professional to see if your income and reserves meet the requirements. I also have some documentation which I can provide about the make-up of your credit score, and potential ways you can work on improving it while you're looking. Don't forget you'll probably have to pay mortgage insurance now no matter the financing, and you can consider the HUD/IRS $7,500 tax credit/loan if you are a first-time buyer. Have a great real estate shopping experience! - Sun Nov 16 2008, 11:42

If you really need 4 beds and 3.5 baths, you'll have to up your minimum price to $275K in Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, or Roswell. If you can live with 3 beds and 2.5 baths, there is one subdivision I can think of that will meet your needs in Alpharetta, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, or Roswell. It's not uncommon for buyers to struggle with their wants not being met by reality, so coming to terms with what you need and how you'll use the property is key before you start look. A REALTOR® can help you through this process, and can then work with you to identify below market price properties for you beyond foreclosures such as estate sales. - Fri Nov 14 2008, 09:18

If you were interested in making an offer on this property, I'm sorry to report that the foreclosure went under agreement on Tuesday, 10/21/08 and is scheduled to close mid-December (if all goes right). However, if you are interested in Edinburgh/Bear Best Estates, there are multiple properties active. For example, drive by 377 Aviemore Lane to look at another foreclosure opportunity. If you aren't already working with an agent, consider contacting us if you'd like to schedule a showing. Hope this helps. - Thu Oct 23 2008, 19:33

I agree that you should wait a week or two. There is a lot of activity that goes on behind the scenes when a home is newly listed. Depending on what your agent's marketing plan is beyond signs, flyers, and putting it in FMLS/GAMLS, more time will be needed (ex. arranging caravans, open houses, and targeted mailings) to complete the tasks. It takes a good marketing plan in place, your home to look like a model, and a price driven by a comparative/competitive market analysis (CMA) to drive interest. Your home will sell if all three are right. - Mon Oct 13 2008, 18:39