Clients Who Inspire

Its the season of gratefulness! We are so grateful for all of our clients, it’s an honor to serve you, helping you find a place to call home, a place to invest or sell your current home as you move on to the next season of life.

This week leading up to Thanksgiving we’re highlighting a few of our clients that are a inspiration to us for the way that they make bold choices, use their voice for change, and impact neighborhoods by providing affordable housing.

Today we want introduce you to a recent clients of ours, Marcus & Ansara. They’re an engaged couple who just purchased their first home that they’ll move into together after their wedding. This couple inspires us because they took a bold step hoping not to let a great opportunity pass and that step of faith paid off. You see, they were not planning to buy nor were they looking. But when we recently posted a home on social media for a price they didn’t think they could get in a desired neighborhood, they didn’t hesitate to pursue.
In their own words, they commented . . .

“In some ways, we did the process backwards because this house came under our radar as a surprise. Therefore, we didn’t have everything organized because we weren’t really looking to purchase a home until we came across this home. However, we worked through it. We did what we could with what we had at any given time. And we were able to get the house!”

They took a risk and it paid off. They never even thought it was possible for them to own a home so now this home signifies a new beginning for them and all the seemingly impossible things ahead that really are just in arms reach if you take a chance. They took that chance and now they have a home to build a family and create lasting traditions within.

Their advice to others is . . .

“If anyone is in the process of buying a home, I would tell them to not give up or get stressed out. The process is not as hard as it seems, especially if you have a good realtor!”

Check out our social media as we share two other clients who inspire!

Benefits of Buying Now

If you’re ready to buy a home but hesitant due the time of year, let me, Omid Zanjanchian - Buyer Specialist with Erika Brown & Associates, suggest to you a couple reasons why now could be the time to jump in!

Here are 2 primary reasons it’s a good idea to buy in the current market.
1.) Mortgage rates have steadily increased throughout 2018 and we anticipate that this trend will continue into 2019. By getting prequalified now and purchasing a home you can lock into a fixed rate and avoid potentially paying more interest down the line.
2.) There has been a trend in Atlanta where neighborhoods within the perimeter have been steadily increasing in price. If you buy now you can avoid potentially paying more down the line for the same home or being forced to buy further away from the city.

There are other reasons that we consider on a case by case basis, so If you have been intimidated by this market or even your ability to buy we would love to talk to you. We are local agents with expertise in navigating the market, work with a neighbor you can trust!

Realtor Highlight Q/A

We'd like for you to get to know another one of our Realtors: Omid Zanjanchian.
Check out our first Q/A with Realtor Erika Brown here.

1. What’s your favorite thing about Atlanta?

Atlanta is very social and there is a variety of fun things to do, never a dull moment! I think it’s a beautiful thing to see how minorities can rise into higher positions both politically and in the marketplace, this benefits all people in the city. Atlanta is a celebration of diversity, where people from all walks of life are welcome.  

2. Tell us about your introduction into real estate.

I first got interested in real estate back in Texas where I bought my first home at 22. During that time, I was able to lease rooms, rent the whole house out, and then sold for a profit that I used to pay off the remainder of my college debt. Through my experience I realized how impactful it can be to own real estate and wanted to empower others to do the same. This led me to incorporate real estate as part of my major in school and ultimately to becoming a Realtor. 

3. Your name is Omid, and those who know you well called you Oz. Tell us a little bit about your name and where it comes from?

Good question… my name is Persian, it means hope in Farsi. My dad immigrated to the US from Iran back in the 70s for school and met my mom here.

4. What is the number #1 advice you would give someone wanting to buy their first home?

Have a long-term vision in mind, you are likely not buying your forever home but the home you buy can be a good investment over time. If your situation changes or family grows you can always sell or lease the place out.  

5. What advice would you give to people wanting to go into real estate and be successful?

It’s not as easy as you think, have the right expectations going in. Choose a target market and become an expert there, this doesn’t mean you are restricted to that area but will help you build long term business. Networking is key, get plugged into some events in the community, meet people organically and talk to them about what you do.

Have You Considered Purchasing an Income Property?

An income property is property bought or developed to earn income through renting, leasing or price appreciation. For many this property is even right on their current property and is rented out through one of the popular companies now like AIrbnb. The picture above is of a suite in the back of a recent listing of ours that is now Under Contract. The suite has a living room, full bath and kitchenette that the new owners could use for additional income by leasing it or renting it out occasionally through Airbnb.

In your home search have you considered putting the possibility for a income property on your wish list? 

Or, investing in a home for that specific purpose?

If so, contact us today and let's begin the conversation of what that could look like for you and your desired area. Many homeowners make enough to significantly subsidize their mortgage and for some, cover it completely - wouldn't that be nice :).
If you need more convincing, check out this recent article in Curbed.com on the profit of some Airbinbs in Atlanta.

Q&A W/Erika Brown on Work, Family & Community

Since it’s the month that we celebrate Moms, and you being the Mom of 3 boys share with us what you aim to model to them through your work?
My husband and I don’t take it for granted that we’ve been giving the privileged and responsibility to raise 3 men of faith and good character.  When they witness the work I do, and how I do it, my hope is that they see  the good work ethic I try demonstrate. That things we want to accomplish don’t just get handed to us - we have to work hard for them.  I also want them to see how to treat people with integrity, care about the community they live in and be conscious about the issues going in our society. It’s also very important that they see that even though the work I do can be time consuming, that they are my priority.
It’s not lost on me either that I set an example for them for black womanhood and that affects how they will treat women in general.

Do you have advice for other working Moms out there?
Yes, 3 things  .  .  
Give yourself some grace. There will be days when you are killing it at work but not so much at home and vice versa, but don’t beat up on yourself - reevaluate your priorities and move ahead in the right direction.
Recognize that you need help. It’s important to build a village. People who will help you out when you need advice, a babysitter, or an encouraging word.  And be sure to be that for other people.
Get Personal time for yourself. Your spouse and kids are important but if you aren’t rested well and cared for, you won’t be able to truly care for them.  I do this by scheduling time to connect with life giving friends, spa time and vacation.

Your slogan is “a neighbor you can trust”, why?
I understand how important this process is of buying a home because i’ve been there myself. When we bought our first home we wanted an agent that was trustworthy, knowledgeable. So when I became a Realtor I wanted to be everything that I wanted when I was in the process. 

What do you enjoy most about being a real estate agent?
I love how I get to help people achieve a goal. Its so rewarding when I get to see our clients enjoying their homes, life and community and knowing that we played a role in that.