Blog - Jerald Zwak - Gemstone Realty

Affordability in the housing market. Do you wonder what the truth is? Lately, there have been many headlines circulating about whether or not there is an “affordability issue forming in the housing market.” We have all seen the headlines that report that buying a home is less affordable today than it was at any other time in

Tips for Winterizing Your Home

November 23, 2018

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I ran across this article on Tips for winterizing your home. Most of us have heard many of these and forgotten them over time. It’s the old learning what you know plan mixed in with some new ideas. Inman News put this out and thought it would be helpful. In Georgia we don’t suffer the

Amazon Headquarters 2

November 13, 2018

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It looks like Atlanta is out of the running for the Amazon Headquarters 2. I don’t know if that is such a bad thing. Here in the Northeast Georgia area we already have a housing shortage. We have tons of construction and job growth going on. Zeroing in on HQ2 Amazon is closing in on

text thank you veterans in a chalkboard and the flag of the US

How Important Is It To Address Needs of Veterans

November 6, 2018

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Addressing the needs of our Veterans is something that is extremely important. Not only is it that Veteran who is giving to our country, it is their entire family. This is something that I feel should never be forgotten. I ran across an article in The MReport that addressed this and I wanted to share.

Excited kids running holding boxes, family moving in new house

Gift list for those buying a home for the first time

October 31, 2018

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I am always trying to find the perfect gift for new homeowners. Is there one that is perfect? If there is that ONE then I haven’t found it. Just as all people are unique, so is that perfect gift! Gift List for the First Time Homebuyer! There are so many checklists of what new home

The Continued Fight Against Zombie Homes in Georgia

October 30, 2018

Real Esate Advocacy

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Some heavier reading here, but very valuable information we thought consumers might like access to: The Fight Against Zombie Homes by David Wharton Even as the housing market booms, vacant and abandoned “zombie properties” continue to plague many municipalities, lingering reminders of the housing crisis. Here’s how the real estate industry, communities around Georgia and

6 Trusted sources say values will continue to increase over next few years, but slower.

October 26, 2018

Blog, Real Estate Financing

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The sources cited in this projection table are the following: The Home Price Expectation Survey – A survey of over 100 market analysts, real estate experts, and economists conducted by Pulsenomics each quarter. Zelman & Associates – The firm leverages unparalleled housing market expertise, extensive surveys of industry executives, and rigorous financial analysis to deliver proprietary research and advice

Receiving keys after purchasing a new home.

Are Millennial Buyers Different?

October 10, 2018

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Are Millennial buyers different? I fail to understand why I keep reading studies/articles about Millennial buyers being so different from any other buyer. The fact is we all want, what we all want. It doesn’t matter what age we are, or what year we were born. Finally someone has written a report on this subject. I thought I

Atlanta Georgia Night Skyline Inside Peach Illustration

10 Best and Worst Places to Raise a Family in Georgia

October 8, 2018

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Where are the best and worst places to raise a family in Georgia? I ran across this article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution and wanted to share it. I was surprised at the results! Report: These are the 10 best and worst places to raise a family in Georgia When it comes to raising a

Housing Shortages – What’s The Cause?

October 6, 2018

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Why do we have a Housing Shortage? Housing shortages are caused not only for the obvious reasons,(there hasn’t been enough construction). They are also a byproduct of our times. Market values are at an all -time high. That is great if you are selling a home. The kicker is you also have to buy a

Does Your Mortgage Rate Matter?

September 30, 2018

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Does the mortgage rate matter? This is a question we get quite often from First Time Home Buyers. There only answer is YES! Quite simply put, the higher the rate the higher the payment. I don’t know about anyone else, but I personally don’t like paying anymore for anything than I have to. I read a short,

Georgia’s September 2018 Recap

September 28, 2018

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The Prep Process in North Georgia to Welcome Thousands of Evacuees Fleeing Hurricane Florence Begun Almost Immediately. Hurricane Florence was a Category 4 hurricane that hit the Carolinas earlier this month. Georgia was ready to accept evacuees as soon as it was predicted. We’ve all got to stick together and Georgia knows that better than