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Tag Archives: gwinnett

Is this the time to buy your first house?

Saturday, 12 September 2009 17:56
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The effective federal funds rate charted over ...
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Maybe…  Maybe not…

Make no mistake, there are some deals in the market.  And combined with the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit (FTHBTC), this can be a great time to buy a first home.  Interest rates have remained low… despite a LOT of predictions to the contrary.  In fact, with a projected deficit THIS year of $1.8T for the federal government, there is still an expectation that rates will have to rise because of the pressure on the available investors.

In fact, that would be the case laid out by those that say THIS is the time.  The FTHBTC is coming to a close on December 1st.  And while that is almost two months away, in the world of home search and financing, two months can go by pretty quickly.

On the other hand…

There are some points that would suggest that for some buyers, waiting a little longer might be just the ticket.  In fact, waiting until AFTER the FTHBTC expires could be a better move for many buyers.

Just as with the Cash for Clunkers program, the tax credit is pushing some buyers into the market that might not have jumped in otherwise.  And we have seen upward pressure on prices for entry level homes.  Buyers, in some cases, are bidding up the prices for some homes.

By waiting until many of the buyers have abandoned the market… after the tax credit expires… there is a belief that prices may drop.  Some think that the drops may be more significant than just the $8000.  They feel that sellers may become quite lonely by January, and may be willing to offer better deals on their homes.

Others have also speculated that there might be a new program from the government to replace the $8000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.  There are plans to offer a $15,000 tax credit, as well as to continue the current offering.  Nobody knows if these plans will come to fruition.

What does it all mean?

For “First Time Buyers” with solid cash resources, waiting may be a better plan.  For those that would be better off paying a little more, but getting the $8000 in a few months, getting on the ball and buying a home soon could be a better way to go.

Don’t forget, “First Time Buyers” are those that haven’t owned a house in the last 36 months.  The credit is for 10% of the purchase price, up to a credit up $8000.  In GA, there is an additional credit of up to $1800 that may be available… even for those that aren’t first time buyers.

If you are looking for a home around Lilburn, GA, give me a call and I can help guide you through the process.

from GwinnettGarageGuy.com

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Police Response Time… 15 Minutes…

Friday, 21 August 2009 23:53
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Police Lenco Bearcat CBRNE Armored Rescue Vehi...
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The listing said to call before visiting the home.  The listing sheet said that the alarm code was in the lockbox.  I called… the agent reiterated that the alarm code was in the lockbox.

The house had a keypad deadbolt.  The lockbox contained a code that accessed the deadbolt.

It was NOT the same code as the alarm… The alarm code was missing.  Of course, this was hard to communicate to the listing agent on the phone, as the blaring of the siren was drowning out everything else.  To top it off, she thought I was at a different house…

My buyer and I walked out to the front of the house.  He asked what we were going to do.  “Close the door and wait for the police… the agent says the system is monitored.”  We waited.

The listing agent was frantically trying to get the alarm code from the seller… the WRONG seller.  She was having ahard time understanding the address over the sound of the alarm.  So, when she called back with the alarm code, it wasn’t correct.  Alarm sounding again…

Still, no cops.

We sat down on the stoop.

My buyer asked if we should leave…  “Nope.  If the police are going to respond, I want to be sitting right here talking with you, not driving away.”  He thought it was a good point.

Here is our friendly neighborhood police officer…

He rolls up expecting a dog on premises… in addition to whomever set off the alarm.  I give him a card and tell him there isn’t a dog.  We chat for a few minutes.  And then I get a call from the listing agent.  She has the right code.  We get in and look around.

The conversation with the cop was quite friendly.  By waiting for him and not presenting a threat, he was comfortable when he got out of his cruiser.  Since we had all of the documentation he would need, in our hands… and our hands quite visible, we were all comfortable.

It could have been a lot different…

We could have tried to leave… that would be suspicious. We could have blamed the cop for showing up… that would be rude, he was just doing his job.  We could have just been angry… but there wasn’t anyone there to take the anger out on, and so it wouldn’t have been productive.  Even blaming the other agent wouldn’t have helped.  She had left the code in the box…

It would have been nice if she had the alarm code at her fingertips, but I don’t think it is fair to expect that…

The point is that by staying cool, and not developing an attitude, we sailed smoothly through something that could have gotten REALLY annoying.

As it is, the house is still on the “Possible” list…

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Total Power… would you expect anything else?

Monday, 17 August 2009 23:24
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Total PowerBack a few months ago, my neighbor had a large tree come down in his yard.  Several of us came out to give him a hand.

To start with, the tree needed to get out of the street.  And then it needed to get down to a managable size to deal with.  In all, I think there were four or five chainsaws running until things were cleaned up.

When I started, my chain was dull…  Like “I wish I could be sharp like a butter knife” dull.  DULL.  I needed to take care of that.

I dropped into Total Power, picked up a new chain and left the old one to be sharpened.  I got to say hello to more than one of my neighbors that was doing the same thing.  In fact, folks that had trees down all over the Lilburn, GA area were there getting chains sharpened, getting new saws or picking up other supplies.

I had been in a big box store a few days before to pick up a spare chain… I would have to order it, wait a few days…  When I walked into my neighborhood power equipment store, they turned around and grabbed it off the wall.

Lawn mowers, chainsaws, blowers, pole trimmers (those are really cool…) and so many other tools, their accessories, parts and services are what they are about.  The prices are good, and the service is excellent.

When you need a chainsaw… you NEED a chainsaw.  Knowing that there is someone nearby that can get you fired up and cutting if there is a problem is priceless…

Millenium Cycle Works… Lilburn, GA

Saturday, 15 August 2009 23:33
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Vulcan CruiserI have been visiting Millenium Cycle Works since before they moved to their current location. They always seem to have a lot of cool cycles in stock.

Cruisers, Sport Bikes, Dirt Bikes, ATVs, UTVs, Scooters and even Personal Water Craft.

They carry Kawasaki and Yamaha motorcycles and other vehicles, as well as accessories and parts… and service. With a wide variety of each.

Best of all, they are a friendly bunch. I’ve stopped in several times, asking questions or letting one of my boys “drive” a Rhino, Mule or ATV.

This was the first time I had the opportunity to introduce myself to the owner, Ken Shiver, although we had actually talked about one of my favorite bikes a few years ago, the Kawasaki Vulcan Drifter. He told me that even though they were out of production, he would likely be able to find one for me, get it shipped in, and make sure it was ready to go. He also let me know that they could set me up with rider classes (I have ridden dirt bikes… but it has been a LONG time).

Millenium Cycle Works also keeps abreat of the many charity rides and events around the Atlanta area. Stop by, pick up a new toy or some new accessories for the old toy, and say hello. They are on US78, near the Yellow River Game Ranch.

BTW, Ken didn’t get a heads up. He knows his product, so despite the time from me walking in asking if he wanted to do this to him coming up with the “script” was about 3 minutes. The audio is a little rough, and that owuld be all my fault…

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Come And Get It… some Hockey Camp, that is…

Wednesday, 12 August 2009 23:07
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Team meetingIn hockey, among the tough guys, there is a common call. When they are getting ready to throw down, they often say “Come and Get it”… Dan Sullivan is a tough guy. As he jokingly says, he earns his money in the penalty box. But that is only the Dan Sullivan that the fans see on the ice.

There is another side to Dan… When he was a kid, he couldn’t afford to go to formal hockey camps. And he wanted to do something about that for youngsters that were coming up now. So, five years ago he started the Come And Get It Hockey Camp.

Dan wonders if his path would be the same if he had been able to go to a lot of camps as a youngster. Maybe he would be known for his skating and shooting prowess rather than as the guy that makes sure nobody takes a cheap shot at his teammates.

Hockey camps aren’t anything new. The Duluth Ice Forum, in Duluth, GA, hosts several each summer. Off-ice trainingBut Dan’s camp is a little different. He takes kids of all ages and skill levels. He also doesn’t care if kids can’t afford it… he finds ways to help them come to camp. There are sponsors that give away scholarships and options for reduced fees. As long as the ice fees and food are covered, he is happy with it.

And there is something else different. He knows that most parents have to work, so he structures the camp differently. Kids can be dropped off at 7:30 in the morning and picked up as late as 5:00 in the afternoon. Many camps are only half a day.

And the kids are busy during that time… The camp officially starts around 9:00 with an hour of power skating. The kids then take off the gear and grab a snack. They have off-ice activities (classroom for the older kids, games for the youger ones) until they dress in for the 11:30 to 12:30 stick handling session. After theat, they grab lunch and then work on off-ice physical conditioning… and the little kids watch a movie for part of the time. Finally, there is a scrimmage each day from 3:00 to 4:00. That is three hours of ice time, two hours of off-ice training and some down-time.Doing the circles

At the last camp, the number of skaters had swelled so much that they had to be split into two groups. Dan bought some more ice time and adjusted the schedule so that all of the kids got more ice time. The coaches worked double shifts on the ice to make sure the kids got a great experience.

But there is something else cool about the camp… the other instructors. It isn’t about the money for the the other coaches, either. In fact, these guys fly to Atlanta from all over North America to help with the camp. And they basically volunteer their time. Some play in the ECHL (East Coast Hockey League), some on the NHL. Others are upcomong players that are under contract to NHL teams. A couple have retired from professional hockey. Aside from the Gwinnett Gladiators, Dan’s team, the Atlanta Thrashers, Chicago Blackhawks and Buffalo Sabres were all represented. There were also a couple of Ontario Hockey League (OHL) teams represented as well. Sully giving a little hockey love

Coach Dan, Coach Turtle, Coach Josh and the others love working and playing with the kids. It really shows. The kids are worn out every day and ready to go back the next day.

But there is one last thing… There is a code of conduct. Aside from being required to listen to the coaches and act respectably, there is another layer. The big kids are expected to help the smaller kids. they help get them dressed out, they encourage them on the ice and off. They also are expected to act as good examples. And while the word “dude” is over-used in the locker room, other words and concepts that the little guys don’t need in their heads are not. And when the 5 year olds refer to the 16 years olds as “teammates”, we know that the philosophy is successful.

The Come And Get It Hockey Camp has been on the front page of the Gwinnett Daily Post. There are multiple mentions of the camp on the Gwinnett Gladiators’ website as well. When Dan began the camp in Augusta, the NBC affiliate there did a story about it.

Planning will begin shortly for next year’s camp schedule. If you would like to bring the Come And Get It Hockey Camp to a rink near you, or sponsor the camp, let me know and I will pass word to Dan and his staff wife.

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