Welcome!

I am an Atlanta native and made the decision in 2007 to leave my job as an architect/urban planner to get my real estate license. This was a difficult decision but has been great since my very first day in my new career and I am really enjoying it! It is so rewarding helping people find that perfect home, and it allows me to continue to satiate my love of good architecture and great neighborhoods!

I attended Georgia Tech (GO JACKETS!!!!) which is where I met my husband. For almost a decade we lived in one of Atlanta's fabulous in-town neighborhoods in a great 1920's Craftsman bungalow with our two dogs and two cats. Following the birth of our first child, we bought a foreclosure in the west Buckhead area and fully renovated it using an FHA 203k loan, which was a fun and sometimes daunting process. And just prior to the birth of our second child, we purchased and renovated a home in downtown Historic Roswell, completing our personal tour of some of Atlanta's best neighborhoods to live in!

I decided to create this blog in order to share useful information and resources about the real estate market and home buying process, as well as hopefully bring some humor and levity to what is often a complex and intimidating process. Enjoy!!!

Monday, June 7, 2010

Important Lending Changes!

Beginning June 1, 2010, just before settlement, Fannie Mae will be running last minute credit report checks to ensure borrower's credit has not changed since loan application. The purpose is to find out whether the borrower has accrued or shopped for new debt.

Many homebuyers get excited once they have an accepted contract on a home, and realize they will need new furniture and decorations for the house. What some do not realize is that they should not open an account at a store or make these large purchases because they effect their debt-to-income ratios for their loan.

With these new regulations, if a Fannie Mae homebuyer does this, they risk a delay in settlement as the lender does more research and reviews the file further, creating problems for themselves and the sellers of the house they are buying.

The Washington Post reported on this new policy, and made a few notable points:

"Fannie's 'loan quality initiative' will require lenders not only to pull two credit reports for each mortgage transaction but to perform additional verifications of borrower occupancy plans for the property, Social Security numbers and Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers."

Essentially, to ensure you get their dream home and are able to close on the house, make sure you DO NOT open or apply for ANY lines of credit from the time you make loan application to closing, or make any large purchases which deplete your savings or increase your credit card balance. That is the only safe route!

- Owen Jennings, Covenant Mortgage

Read more!

Friday, June 4, 2010

I took these 3 homes from Just Listed to Under Contract in under 30 days!

Tough market? Says who! I took all three of these homes from listing to under contract in less than 30 days! Thinking of selling your home? Let me show you how I did it!


Lovely mid-century modern ranch on a huge lot in an amazing Decatur location steps from the square!

Offered at $485,000

Under Contract in 23 days with a second full-price backup offer!


Beautiful townhome in hot Old Fourth Ward!

Offered at $240,000

Under Contract in 16 days!



Large newer construction home in Lithonia!

Offered at $67,000

Under Contract in 17 days with a full price offer!



Read more!

Proud to be a RE/MAX Agent!

RE/MAX agents once again outperformed the competition in the 2010 U.S. REAL Trends 500survey. RE/MAX had 122 brokerages listed compared with Keller Williams (103), Coldwell Banker (91), Century 21 (58), Prudential (38) and ERA (20). RE/MAX agents averaged 14.4 transaction sides, far more than our competitors. We're doing more to help buyers and sellers!

RE/MAX brokerages held 122 spots, or 24%, on the list of 500 positions, more than any other national brand. RE/MAX also led the rankings in total transaction sides and sales volume, according to the report's top 500 rankings based on transaction sides.

In the participating offices, RE/MAX agents averaged 14.36 transaction sides, higher than the next closest competitor.

Individual RE/MAX agents averaged $2.98 million in sales volume – far more than any other competitor.

  • RE/MAX leads the competition by all measures: number of brokerages, transaction sides, agent productivity and sales volume.
  • Based on transaction sides, RE/MAX brokerages hold 24% of all positions or 122 of the top 500 brokerages.
  • RE/MAX brokerages had half as many agents as Keller Williams but closed 20% more transaction sides.
  • RE/MAX Sales Associates averaged 14.4 transaction sides, 151% greater than Keller Williams agents.
  • On the list ranked by closed transaction sides, RE/MAX Sales Associates averaged $2.9 million in sales volume, 157% greater than Keller Williams agents.
  • RE/MAX Sales Associates averaged 45% more transaction sides than agents with Coldwell Banker.
  • On the list ranked by closed transaction sides, RE/MAX brokerages’ total sales volume was 36% higher than Coldwell Banker brokerages.
  • RE/MAX Sales Associates averaged more than twice as many transaction sides as Century 21 agents.
  • Among all brokerages reporting agent counts on the Top 500 transaction‐sides list, RE/MAX had the highest sales volume – 149% greater than Century 21.
The REAL Trends 500 Report identifies the largest residential real estate firms in the U.S. based on closed transaction sides. The 2010 report looks at 2009. Participation is voluntary. REAL Trends requires verification of all data. The survey’s agent‐count data were used to compute averages per agent, but that breakdown was not in the final REAL Trends 500 Report.
Read more!