Hello,

I want the good, bad and ugly. I also do BPO's. Looking for opinions from ATL area agents/brokers...

Thanks!!!

Real estate is good. Different parameters for different niches of real estate depending on areas.

Atlanta makes up over 10 counties nad has 50,000 plus agents with many others on inactive status.

If you are an agent I offer a 299.00 per transaction plan with no monthly costs with yearly e and o included.

Even if you are a broker I have brokers who get associate licenses with my company so they can have access to mls without paying the multiple thousands of dollars it cost to join.

PM me for more info.

RealtyPro,

There's always a market. It's either a seller's market or a buyer's market, but there is a market. Successful metro Atlanta agents, like any other market, simply know how to navigate and prosper in the market of the moment. I'm having a record year here because of the niche that I've targeted, first time buyers, and have referred out two buyers this week to agents in my own downline because I couldn't respond to them in a timely manner. I think it is a great market for those who are willing to learn!

The market is the market here... good, bad, ugly...

Here are the stats... property values have declined on average of 1.2% per month for the past 19 months (per Smart Numbers)... Over 80% of the transactions right now are distressed sales (REO or Short Sales)... average home prices have declined over 25% in the past two years (per NAR)... The Board of Realtors that I am associated with has dropped from a high of over 1200 members to under 400...

There are pockets where real estate prices have not been hit too hard... but then you have larger pockets where the hit has been huge... my personal home that I could have sold for around $250,000 two years ago is now worth about $135,000 which is less than what I purchased it for in 1998... this was my home before marriage and we decided to stay and not move until my daughter was out of school... we made the mistake of not knowing where to move 2 years ago and now we are stuck here for now...

Homes in Decatur that were selling for $185,000+++ are now on the market for $40,000 (or less)... I just sold a condo in Park Towers (which is the Perimeter Mall area- Northeast Atlanta) went for $47,000... it was originally purchased in 2006 for $169,000.... of course I just sold a home in the North Druid Hills area for $45,000 more than what they bought it for 19 months ago.... that is one of the small pockets...

We have gone from an inventory high of over 115,000 homes for sale in the metro atlanta area down to about 79,000... which is good... although there is rumors of another large drop of REO's coming soon...

All that being said... you can still be a profitable real estate agent... be willing to work... it wont land in your lap... you have to motivate yourself everyday to do what you are supposed to do... come here and learn the area like the back of your hand immediately! You can make a living here... We are blessed... both my husband and I are full time real estate agents and we have survived and thrived...

Good Luck with anything you decide!

WOW, some REALLY great info here! Much more than I expected so thanks to everyone that responded!!! Anyone here do BPOS? If so, please PM me...