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Athens, Georgia: A Great Place To Call Home

Posted by Rent Oconee Clarke

Yes, it’s true. Athens has four mild seasons. More often than not Athens has great weather. A couple months in the spring and fall we don’t need Heat or A/C, those are special times. Our grills are used 10-12 months of the year and you can garden year round if you pick the right crops. We have big city entertainment with a small town, kid friendly atmosphere. UGA keeps the sports enthusiast busy as well as a wide array of music venues for those that need more culture. Athens has always been a music magnet. The art community is well supported throughout Northeast Georgia. UGA has even added a Music Business Certificate Program to enhance the local music business.

Are you searching for a community that offers plenty of activities for you and your family? You have found it here in Athens, GA. Besides taking advantage of the abundance of UGA owned facilities; we have excellent recreation properties throughout Athens and the surrounding communities. Our neighbor to the Southwest, Oconee County has a wonderful 200+ acre park, which includes indoor and outdoor facilities. Most of the newer subdivisions are including green space for trails and a pool and/or tennis courts to keep the whole family active. In Athens bike lanes are available all around the town to support the growing biking population.

You can experience rock climbing, backpacking and hiking in the Northeast Georgia Mountains, all within two hours of Athens. Kayak and white water rafting are other weekend activities that are close to home. Although we are 4-6 hours from big sandy beaches, we have plenty of fresh water lakes to keep the water enthusiast happy.

Energy, Excitement & Experience of Living Near UGA!

Posted by Rent Oconee Clarke

If you have never been to a SEC College Football Game, put it on your bucket list! There is nothing quite like it and UGA has arguably the nicest venue to experience, with close to 100,000 other fans. Year round, covering every sport from the Gym Dogs to the Equestrian Team you will always find avid fans and family friendly events to attend.

You can take your dog for a walk at the trails by the intramural fields, watch a Rugby match or cheer on the Lady Dogs at the top notch Fast Pitch Soft Ball Stadium. For those that have achieved the “senior citizen” status, you have the ability to take college courses, most for free, expand your knowledge and interact with the youth of America, the future leaders of our great nation. The resources available at the University of Georgia are vast and can be overwhelming at first, but you will find southern hospitality at every turn.

In the downtown area we have some of the finest local restaurants and music venues in the southeast. The Classic Center continually brings in excellent shows and exhibitions for everyone to enjoy. For a truly unique experience and great food, stop by “The Grill” on College Ave. at 3-4 in the morning. Now that is entertainment! Another classic dining spot that has endured the test of time is “The Gyro Wrap”, excellent food and a great selection of your favorite beverages. There is a place for everyone no matter what your taste buds are yearning for.

After my UGA experience in the late 70’s and early 80’s I moved around the country, living in Tulsa, Denver and Bergen County, New Jersey. When it was time to settle down and raise a family it was an easy decision to move back to Athens, GA. My wife and I moved back in 1988 just before our son was born. Our daughter came along in 1990. We enjoyed raising our children here in the Athens area and have fond memories from the past 20+ years. Living near UGA has been a great experience for the whole family and we don’t regret our decision to move back one bit!

Investing In Athens Real Estate

Posted by Rent Oconee Clarke

Have you been considering investment property? Many people know that investing in rental property is a good way to diversify their portfolio, but very few actually act on that knowledge. As a rule, most individuals are not “risk takers”; they prefer a “safe option” when it comes to investments. As a matter of fact, I read recently that most Americans rarely change their investments or move funds from one fund or stock to another. If this describes you, you are not alone. A long term investment may be the answer for you. If you look at Real Estate over any 20 year term, you would be hard pressed to find a 20 year span of time that it has not had a good return on investment and in some cases great ROI.

In today’s real estate market you have so many variables pointing to it being one of the best long term investments you could make. We have excess inventory of homes available, prices equivalent to 10-15 years ago in many cases and interest rate at historical lows. Investment loans are commonly below 6% interest on a 30 year fixed mortgage. For baby boomers like me it is an opportunity to secure your retirement income through rental property. For the “X”, “Y” and “beyond” generations, you could not only secure your future, you have the opportunity to amass huge fortunes by getting started now as a real estate investor. Under most circumstances you will need 20-25% down on investment property. Although currently there are other options, like Fannie Mae’s offer for investors at just 10% down. What other investment allows you the chance to invest, say, 20% but reap the benefits of 100% of the appreciation?

On a $100,000 purchase you put in $20,000, but when the property appreciates to, say, $150,000 in 10 years and maybe some sweat equity you gain $50,000 from a $20,000 investment. This does not take into account the income you earned through the monthly cash flow during those ten years. If the monthly income is not needed then paying down the principle with the profits can gain more equity in a shorter period of time. By the way, lots of people don’t want to be landlords and some shouldn’t. There are qualified property management companies that will handle the “landlord” part for a very small fee. Another option would be land purchases–low maintenance, less hassles but normally a larger investment required. For those of you sitting on a pile of cash that is not earning anything to speak of, you have the greatest opportunity in the land and lot market that you are likely to see ever. Banks are not really excited to lend money on land right now so any seller that must sell must be motivated. Many of the land sellers are the banks, especially in developed and undeveloped lots.

So whether you have been considering investing or not, give us a call or e-mail and I will be glad to answer any questions you may have.

If you are wondering if you qualify for an investment loan, talk to your favorite lender. I will be glad to recommend loan officers if you need assistance.