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Buying a House? Hit the Internet First! - 2009-06-28
BUYING A HOUSE? HIT THE INTERNET FIRST!

According to statistics published in 2008 by the National Association of Realtors, 87 percent of all homebuyers used the Internet as an information source in their search for a home. Frankly, I am surprised it's not even higher than that.

There are so many useful things that a buyer can learn on the Internet, and most of it is free.  Here are three of the most worthwhile places you may want to visit, even before you see your first house in person:

1.  AnnualCreditReport.com is the federally mandated site where the three national credit repositories are required to give you one free copy of your credit report during each calendar year.

This site is a good place to start because much of the homebuying process revolves around financing. And your success at obtaining a loan is directly linked to the information contained in your credit history reports maintained by Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. Because the process is based on your name and address, and because many people have common names (like John Adams), mix-ups often occur. And if the misplaced information is "derogatory," you may be unable to qualify for the loan you need.

That's why I recommend you start with a copy of all three credit reports. It's free and you can easily spot info that does not apply to you. Now is the time to get it corrected or removed.  Know that your free report will not include your credit score, but will reveal the core data used to calculate it. Typically, the agencies will respond to reports of errors within 30 days.

2.  Bankrate.com is one of many sites that offers free loan prequalification tools to help you gain insight into how much loan you can afford and what your monthly payments will likely be. While at their site, my advice is to stick to their helpful mortgage calculators. I have found the lenders who advertise most heavily on Bankrate don't always have the best rates available.

In addition, I like their commentary on interest rate direction and how to save money in the borrowing process. That general information can be applied to most any borrowing situation, including yours.

3.  Finally, at Realtor.com, resist the temptation to enter your zip code in the search box to start looking at houses. We'll get to that part later.

Instead, look down the left side of the start page and click through to "Advice & Ideas" and then "Real Estate 101." Once there, click "Buying" and you will find a world of informative articles and strategies designed to help you find the right house in the shortest time possible.

In addition, their Ten Steps to Homeownership is a worthwhile read, even for veteran buyers.

Not all websites are as helpful as these. Next week, we'll look at some places to avoid on the world wide web.

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Upcoming Events

John Adams Presents


LANDLORD SURVIVAL TRAINING

with John Adams
Tuesday, February 28th

Being a landlord can be a rewarding experience. It can also be a difficult one if you don't have the knowledge and understanding of what the process requires.

Few schools offer degrees in property management, so most landlords learn "on-the-job" through acquired knowledge and on-the-job experience, essentially re-inventing the wheel. This is an expensive and depressing way to learn anything.

Whether you're a full-time landlord or just getting ready to purchase your first rental property, whether you are a licensed Georgia real estate professional or an accidental landlord, this seminar will help you improve your property's value, increase your cash flow and decrease your expenses, from attracting (and retaining) good tenants to maintaining your property to understanding your rights and obligations under the law.

For more details and to register click HERE

PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION WORKSHOP
with John Adams
Tuesday, March 27th

One of the significant annual expenses faced by any Georgia property owner is ad valorem property tax. Depending on where you live, it can be as high as three percent of the property's fair market value, and it must be paid year after year after year.

As a result, efforts to minimize this expense are not only worthwhile, they are encouraged by Georgia law. The phrase "ad valorem" means that each property is taxed based only on its value, and no one is required to pay a penny more than the minimum the law demands.

At the Property Tax Reduction Workshop, real estate expert John Adams will review the system he has used for over thirty years to reduce valuations and assessments in Georgia counties and municipalities, saving himself literally hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years.

In this 3 hour information packed seminar, John will teach you how to:

1. Understand the legal process of Property Tax Assessment
2. Meet the newly uniform Tax Deadlines
3. File your own Property Tax Return with a realistic valuation
4. Document your PT-50R with facts to support your case
5. Proactively meet with your Appraiser to reach an agreement
6. Protest your Notice of Assessment in an Intelligent manner
7. Give the Assessor an Opportunity to Save Face
8. Appeal to your Board of Equalization, in person or by mail
9. Make Your Case to the BOE
10. Take Your Case to Superior Court if necessary

If you are not doing all these steps now, you are likely costing yourself hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. If you own just one house, you could easily save over a thousand dollars over the next three years. If you own properties valued collectively over a million dollars, you are literally throwing away your profits year after year.

For more details and to register click HERE