I have been a resident of Metro-Atlanta for over 20 years, and have witnessed this area go through some pretty amazing changes. Thankfully most have been for the better. I've seen Underground Atlanta come, go, and try to come back again. Big growh has brought big traffic and it just keeps piling on. It should be interesting to see how our culture will have to adapt in order to help resolve the awful congestion Atlantans deal with on a daily basis. The morning rush hour lasts from 6-10 and the evening isn't much better, lasting from about 4-7. I remember when I-85 was only two lanes through downtown. The Peachtree Street exit is actually the old I-85. I remember when a trip to the suburbs was considered a day trip, now it's just a daily commute.
My first passion is real estate. Buy, sell, residential, commercial, land, it doesn't matter. It's not the product I enjoy so much as the people I get a chance to meet on a daily basis. I love to meet to new people. I would sit on a corner all day and watch people walk by if it paid the bills. I started my real estate practice in 2002, right at the end of the booming 90's. Growing my business in a sluggish real estate market meant I had to learn quickly what works and what doesn't. The popularity of the internet and digital communications has almost completely changed how homes are marketed. In order to keep up, I have spent a great deal of time, money, and energy keeping my clients ahead of the pack. First impressions mean so much in this business. Staged properly, a home with a lousy floorplan in an "iffy" neighborhood will sell quicker than a poorly staged home with a great floorplan. Bringing my clients to this realization has meant higher offers in a shorter amount of time. If they do their part, I'll do mine to make sure as many people as possible will notice.
Outside of real estate, I enjoy spending time with my wife and two teenage children, our two Great Danes, and my son's Ball Pythons. My wife teaches Business and Computer Science for a local high school. She was just voted Teacher of the Year by her colleagues; an accomplishment I am very proud of! We all enjoy traveling, live music, and community theater productions.
My other passion is cooking. I think I would like to have a restaurant one day, but I honestly think that will take the fun out of cooking. For now, I enjoy cooking for my family, friends, and volunteer my culinary skills at the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House, which provides a place for families to stay while their loved ones are hospitalized for extended periods of time.
Just when I think I've seen it all, along comes a new challenge to conquer. During my real estate career, I've seen my share of difficult deals, and am proud to boast that every buyer's contract I have ever written has closed. It would be nice to say the same for all my listings, unfortunately the lending meltdown and dishonest buyers have taken their toll. Despite these rare pitfalls, I firmly believe everything happens for a reason and in most cases, my beliefs are often confirmed.
I've sold listings ranging in price from $25,000 to an excess of $1.5 million. No matter the price, my clients get the same level of expertise and first class level of service. Every listing I take gets a 24 hour 1-800 hotline, a virtual tour, high quality flyers, internet and magazine exposure, and much more.
I've handled HUD purchases, foreclosures, cash deals, commercial, residential, and land. Every client I've worked with increases my experience which better prepares me for the demands of my future clients and customers. No matter what my client is looking for, I go the extra step to make sure I can provide it.