Great Date Night Restaurant

If you are looking for a great place to take a date or a business dinner I would highly recommend checking out 4th & Swift. The restaurant is located in the old Southern Dairies building. It has exposed brick, high ceilings and great woodwork. Very eye pleasing and sexy. The food is amazing.The service is outstanding. The restaurants runs seasonal specials with organic locally grown produce. Great wine list. Check out the menu at http://www.4thandswift.com. You will not be disappointed.

Interesting Info on the Areas With Highest Foreclosure Rates

In todays USA TODAY there is an article that states "half of the foreclosures in 2008 took place in only 35 counties". Wow...that kind of put things in perspective. The article goes on to say "the 35 counties are located in just 12 states" and that these counties were the epi-center of the banking/mortgage crisis. Even more fascinating is that 25% of all foreclosures occurred in only eight counties in Arizona, California, Florida and Nevada.

What was the most important piece of information in the article: " In more than 650 other counties-about a fifth of the nation-the number of foreclosure actions actually dropped since 2006".

If you look at the map, you'll see that Fulton County was one of the counties with the highest number of foreclosures. This resulted from another problem...the fact that South Fulton County, and more specifically Southwest Atlanta, was the mortgage fraud CAPITAL of the country. Obviously, the tidal wave of mortgage fraud resulted in a surge of foreclosures, giving Fulton County that dubious distinction.

All in all, the USA Today article is a glimpse at where the real problem areas are and what was the source. As side from the mortgage fraud issue, Atlanta has been plugging along and is a great investment that will reap huge benefits in the future.

SOURCE OF INFO and MAP: USA TODAY 3/6/09

Another Pending Sale !!!

The news would have us all believe that the real estate market is dead. Well Michelle and I can tell you that there is activity going on. If the home/condo is in good condition and priced right it WILL SELL.

Buyers are out looking and are still getting financing( the news would tell you otherwise).

This buyer went under contract after we lost out to multiple offers on two different condos.

A Lesson From Warren Buffet

Last night I just finished reading Warren Buffett's latest book, "The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life". It's basically a biography about his life (from birth to present) that includes many of his business philosophies as themes throughout the book.

One theme or motto that was reiterated time and again was this: Be greedy when everyone else is fearful and be fearful when everyone else is greedy. Okay...I know that the term greed definitely has a negative connotation. What Buffett was speaking to is this...when everyone else is fearful there are a multitude of opportunities that are available to those who will jump on them.

How does this relate to real estate? Simply, that now everyone is running scared from the real estate market. All the news is just perpetuating fear, fear, fear!!! But take a look around...there are a multitude of great options and deals, for those willing to capitalize on them, you can bet that when the market turns around (WHICH IT WILL!!!) those who jumped in when everyone else was fearful will reap the rewards!!!