Posts made by author 'Jess Barron'

We are seeing a significant shift in the local real estate market in Coweta County. Listing supply is up and demand has decreased from the intense peak of just a few years ago. Prices are even cooling, some. On the day that I am writing this article, there are 803 residential properties for sale in Coweta County per the Georgia Multiple Listing System (GAMLS). This is a significant increase from just a few years ago when there were about 200 homes for sale on average. New listings have increased at least 27 percent, or more, each month in the first quarter of 2025 from the first quarter of 2024. Many homeowners are hoping to catch the hot sellers' market of the last few years. Other sellers are tired of waiting for interest rates to cool down and are ready to list their property and purchase a new one. More on this later.

Pending sales and closed sales have decreased year over year in the first quarter of 2025. We are seeing less showings, traffic and activity with our listi...

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From Deciding to Sell to Sold

I have the pleasure of speaking to the residents at Wesley Woods of Newnan this week regarding the listing process. I thought I would share a condensed version here. My presentation was entitled "From Deciding to Sell to Sold."

The first step in deciding to sell is to think about where you are in life. Maybe you own your first home, and you need a bigger house for a growing family. Maybe you have a large home, and your children are grown. It may be time to downsize and purchase a smaller house. Wherever you are in life, it is important to really think about what you need moving forward. Often, though, sellers don't have a choice in selling, as they may be moving for a job, due to a foreclosure, or divorce, or even death.

What is the local market like where your property is located? Is it a buyer's market or a seller's market? Maybe it is not the...

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Mortgage Assumption? What's That?

Maybe you have heard of a mortgage assumption in real estate or maybe you have not. With the mortgage rates being higher today than they have been in the last few years, we are seeing mortgage assumptions again in the local real estate market. I am currently handling a mortgage assumption transaction right now for the first time in a very long time.

An assumable mortgage allows the prospective buyer to purchase the home by allowing the buyer to take over the seller's current mortgage. For an assumption to work, the homeowner's mortgage must be assumable. Most conventional mortgages are not assumable. Loans that are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and United States of Agriculture (USDA) are typically assumable. The seller must agree to the buyer assuming their mortgage.

At the time that I am writing this, mortgage rates are around 6.5%. If you are looking to purcha...

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You may have asked yourself this question before or you might be asking yourself right now. The answer to this question all depends on your current situation in life, finances, where you live and your future plans.

Let's start with your current situation. Are you single? Are you married and expecting children? A home may be the right choice if you are expecting children and need more living space or yard space. Maybe you are single but are looking to build some equity in your home and not just write a check to your landlord every month.

Another question to ask yourself is do you have the cash on hand needed for a down payment to purchase? Depending on your financial situation, you can expect to put down a minimum of three to five percent of the purchase price. There are 100% financing plans like a VA loan, if you are a veteran, and USDA, if you are purchasing a home in a qualified rural area. Contacting a local mortgage lender is a great first step. The lender can qu...

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The local real estate market is cooling off. Properties are still being listed and sold, but the activity and sales numbers have dropped dramatically. I have noticed the decline in showing activity with new listings this summer. We are not seeing the number of showings that we saw earlier in the year and the years preceding that. In fact, sales in Coweta County from June 2022 to June 2023 were down over 18 percent per Georgia Multiple Listing Service (GAMLS). A seasonal and summer lull in real estate is common as people often go on vacations, but the lull seems more pronounced this summer.

Listing inventory is still a problem as well. There are not many options for buyers as they go looking for a home. A low supply of listings has kept real estate prices steady even though buyer demand has tailed off. New listings were down over 20 percent, from June 2022 to June 2023 per GAMLS. At the time that I am writing this, there are only 416 homes for sale in Coweta County per GAMLS....

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