Impacting Lives Through Mentorship

By Malcolm Norris, EB&A Realtor

I’ve been mentoring young men in some capacity since I was in my mid-20s. Believe it or not, I actually remain in touch with a fair amount of those young men to this very day and I’m grateful to say that there have been some success stories. One is part owner of a restaurant, a couple of others are doing incredible work in the film industry, another is a Morehouse grad and just got married a month and a half ago. The list goes on!

Showing the youth that you care will always make a difference, especially when they know you’re being yourself. So when I was approached about working with the IHS interns I didn’t even have to think about it. The Internship is a partnership between Integrity Home Solutions and Becompell. It’s an 8-week program for youth who live in Atlanta’s Westside that focuses on, Job Skill⁠s, Financial literacy⁠, Social Awareness⁠, and Mental/Spiritual development⁠.⠀

Anyone that has a passion for youth will tell you that the life-receiving experience that takes place is a two-way street. Speaking personally, oftentimes I feel as though the youth inspire me more than I inspire them just by seeing their faces and the world that awaits them despite life’s inevitable challenges.

For nearly a month I spoke with these young men ranging in age from 12 to 18 about;

• Budgeting

• How to write checks

• The importance of good credit

All while repeatedly and very intentionally tying those things into a larger picture that consisted of;

• Community

• Entrepreneurship

• and Wealth Building.

They were intrigued, all of them. I didn’t want our time to be me talking and them listening, I desired dialogue and that’s exactly what they gave me. Through that dialogue, it was evident that a bond was being established.

With mentoring it never seems as though there’s enough time to share all that you desire to share. With that said, I do believe that if your words plant a seed or spark a fire in just one young man who may go on to plant a greater seed in the generation after him then that is a success.

What Myths Are You Believing About Real Estate Investing?

Every day I have conversations with people who are frustrated because they have a bad boss and they hate their job. They are tired of waking up every day fighting traffic and working in a career that doesn’t give them purpose or fulfillment. The other day I asked a question on Instagram -

“if earning money wasn’t a worry of yours what would you do? “

I was so inspired by all of the responses that I received. So many of people’s hopes and dreams were centered around exploring the world and helping others! It really encouraged me to continue to share the message that I believe God has put me here to do to help people become financially free so that they can be the people that God has truly called them to be too!

You need a lot of money to invest in Real Estate
I speak to clients who think the only way to become a Real estate investor is that you have to save up 20% to put down in order to invest. FALSE.
There are a number of strategies that allow you to put between 3%-5% down in order to become an investor

1. You need excellent credit to invest in Real Estate. FALSE.
   When I bought my first home I had a 589 credit score. We bought a house with a basement and began collecting rent from our tenant. This rent helped pay down debt, pay towards childcare, and any other extra things we had come up with when we were first getting started. You do not have to have excellent credit to become an investor.

2. You need to be debt-free in order to invest in Real Estate. FALSE!!!
   This is a big one. By investing in Real Estate you can use the money you earn towards paying down your debt with other people’s money.

3. I don’t have time to invest in Real Estate. FALSE.
   I love helping everyday people with 9-5 jobs become Real estate investors. With the right systems and plan, you can invest in real estate under 3 hours a month!

4. I have too many student loans to invest in Real Estate. FALSE.
   Recently this year the FHA just changed the rules to make it much easier for borrowers with student loans to now purchase a home. This new rule opens up the door for millions of Americans to begin building wealth through Real Estate!

Coming up in the next couple of weeks I’m launching something that I may never ever do again! I’m giving you the opportunity to chat with me live once a week for a few weeks to ask me all of the Real estate investing, juggling my time, and anything else that will help you to feel confident to move forward with buying your first Real Estate investment before the end of this year! If you’re interested in hearing more, and I may even throw in something extra for you if you sign up first. Join my waiting list below.

How To Choose The Right Real Estate Agent?

Your home is one of the biggest investments you will ever make! And although the home buying and selling process can be a ton of fun, it can also be very stressful! Choosing the right agent makes all of the difference.

We pride ourselves on being a TRUE representation of our city. We are a Black owned and female led Real Estate team AND Brokerage. We are sensitive to the challenges that marginalized communities face during the home buying and selling process and having that sensitivity can enhance your experience.

Not only do we work with first time buyers everyday we often work with first generation buyers! The emotions of being the first home owner in your entire family can be extremely nerve racking and we acknowledge you and can relate to that experience so much more than alot of our Atlanta Real Estate agent counterparts.

Not only do we have a diverse Real Estate team that is reflective of our city but we are really good at what we do. Because we live, work and also play in Atlanta and specifically the West side of Atlanta we are experts at marketing, negotiating, and getting your home sold fast while beating other offers to get your offer chosen.
(You don’t have to just take our word for this - check out our reviews on our IG page or just google us to see what others are saying)

Last but not least we have an awesome customer experience process that takes the stress off of you and helps you to focus on the important things like moving. Whether you are selling or buying we have a team of support staff to assist you with all of the details of the home buying and selling process to help things flow smoothly from start to finish.
If you are in the market to buy or sell Real estate

How To Serve Your Clients Better?

Written By Malcolm Norris, EB&A Realtor

Over the past month or so I’ve been fortunate to hear some strong words about how the majority of us as Americans are simply doing life all wrong, far too much work and far too little play!

My Pastor recently shared some statistics that I found shocking in regards to the work culture in the US - Americans work 130 more hours a year than Japanese and spend 2,200 hours annually at work. Ultimately his premise was, when God’s work ended, He took Sunday to rest and marvel at His work.

Why then do we seem to believe our work has no ending or provides no room for rest?

When I think of this sermon in relation to our team, I think of how dedicated our team is to taking care of our clients. We recently went to Arabia Mountain for a team outing and it was just what we needed. We all had a blast.

Lots of laughter was shared, which always does my heart good and makes me so grateful to each of them.

We truly can say that when we are refreshed, we serve you, our clients, better! When we have fun together or just an enlightening conversation around a good meal we become a better team. We know each other, we trust each other, we share resources and information.

This type of camaraderie gives you the confidence that when you work with one of us, you have a whole team behind you helping you to buy or sell your home!

What To Do On The Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail?

Temp Outside: 69 degrees and sunshine
Time of Day: 2:15-3:30pm
Day of Week: Wednesday

Wednesdays are usually the most flexible day of virtual learning for my girls(14 and 9), so I decided to get them out of the house and head to the Atlanta Beltline Westside Trail. The Westside trail connects some of Atlanta's oldest and historic neighborhoods (Adair Park, Washington Park, West End, Mozley Park, and Westview). 

We came prepared with our water bottles and masks, as there are constant reminders on the Atlanta beltline to stay masked up and social distance.

On today's walk there weren't very many people out. We passed the occasional biker, runner and leisure walker. The girls would have much rather to ride bikes but I decided we would walk and just take in the sights and be one with nature. This was a hard choice because I love cycling! There are plenty of scooter and bike rentals along the trail should you decide to use a different mode of transportation or don't have your own.

We entered the Beltline Westside trail near Lee and White St, where there are plenty of stops to grab a bite to eat and drink, such as the Wild Heaven Beer Brewery, Boxcar at Hop City West End, Monday Night Garage, and Best End Brewing Company to name a few. There is also outdoor seating in this area to safely social distance.

If you come out on a colder day, there are even fire pits available to light up to keep you and your company warm. As we strolled we took a little time to stop and read about the info boards by the Atlanta Beltline Arboretum and  Trees Atlanta and to admire the beautiful graffiti art along the way.

We made our way to Lawton St and circle back to White St. and ended our walk going through Rose Circle Park before heading back to our car. There is plenty to do on the Beltline Westside Trail whether you are looking to exercise, explore, grab a bite to eat, or just learn a little history about the neighborhoods.

See you on the trails!

Why You Should Buy A Pre-Inspection before Selling Your Home.

Thinking of listing your property soon? Have you considered having your home pre-inspected before you do? If not I strongly encourage you to do so. 

First things first, what is a pre-inspection or pre-listing inspection? A pre-inspection is an inspection performed by a certified inspector, paid for by the seller that provides a written report of the condition of the property. Like an inspection paid for by a potential buyer, a pre-inspection checks all major systems, windows, doors, signs of water damage, mold, and cracks. If you so choose you can also pay for radon testing, & lead-paint testing.

According to the National Association of Home Inspectors, only 10% of sellers have their homes pre-inspected before listing, citing money as a likely reason as pre-inspection ranges between $200 and $500. While a pre-inspection is not required, it certainly can give you an overall scope of the current condition of your home and eliminate any potential surprises. It can also give you time to address any issues before you officially list your home.

Some of you may be asking, “So how does this play out in real life?”. My wife, Erin, and I had our Loft pre-inspected before we listed toward the end of September 2020. Working as a Realtor it’s easy to see how certain items as a Seller can catch you off guard when seeing them for the first time after a potential buyer’s inspection. Despite virtually every inspector having a different lens, we wanted to avoid those aforementioned potential surprises and list our home with as much confidence as possible. 

In summary, having your home pre-inspected before you list it is a pro-active step that will likely provide you something that money cannot buy which is peace of mind.

10 Things You Should Do Before Listing Your Home

It’s been four months since my wife Erin and I began our journey of home renovations in preparation for placing it on the market to be sold. When asked to describe the journey to family or friends, the first words that seem to enter my mind are “it’s been a grind” and it certainly has been. With that said it’s also been extremely gratifying to see a vision take a tangible form. We learned so much during the process and want to pass on that knowledge to you. 

1. Consider The Profit - When taking on renovations before selling your home you always want to consider if it's financially worth it. Figure out what the best return on investment areas are in your home. You may have a large list of things that you would like to be done but are they the things that should be done. Weighing what areas people are most attracted to - that they will appeal most to them when they walk in. This is why number 2 is also important.

2. Utilize your Agent - Your agent is the one who can help you with figuring out the best areas, timeline, etc. Being a Realtor myself I knew these things and have access to information that informed our decisions. Don’t rely on google or HGTV for Real Estate advice - they can give you aesthetic ideas but they are not experts when it comes to the market where you live. If you’re thinking of waiting to get a Realtor, don’t.

3. Budget & Keep Track of Spending - Our budget also impacted the things we could do vs what we wanted to do. We wanted to make sure the quality was good - it was not an option to skimp on important things in order to do more. We put our money and time into good work and qualified people to do the things we could not, which leads to the next point.

4. Discern which projects you can do and the ones that are best to hire out. - There were small projects that we knew we could do ourselves and do them well. There were others that we knew needed to be done by a professional because a wrong move could be more expensive and if done poorly it would show up on the inspection and possibly lose us a potential buyer.

5. Get Ready to Learn a lot - You’ll learn about hiring quality workers. You’ll learn project management. And, you’ll possibly learn how to do simple home DIY projects. This was the piece of silver lining for me. Once you complete a DIY project- like installing a new kitchen sink or bathroom light fixture, you’ll likely never forget how to do it again.

6. Get Friendly with your Hardware stores - From the DIY projects that seemed to take forever, the constant trips back and forth to Lowe’s, all of it tested our mettle greatly! Our advice. Just expect it. Be nice to the people who help you and learn their names. Also, sign up for emails and follow them on social media so you’ll know if they have any deals coming up on something you may need.

7. Take advantage of time in quarantine to get it done - Doing all of this in the midst of Covid believe it or not has been a true blessing in disguise. As I overheard my wife say on the phone to someone she was speaking to while we were in the middle of our renovations, we likely would not have begun to work on the house as soon as we did if not for Covid because we had travel plans galore heading into 2020. 

8. Think through alternative housing possibilities - This isn’t the case for all renovations but consider if you had to stay somewhere else during renovations where would that be. Friends, family, or budget for an Airbnb. We ended up having to stay in an Airbnb because we had no shower.

9. Remember: It's worth it! For the Profit - Start with the end in mind and remember the end in the midst of the renovation. 

10. Remember: It’s worth it! For the Look - Even if your profit isn’t grand your property is still more likely to sell quickly when it looks good. The photos look better and potential buyers see that it’s move-in ready and they don’t have to put extra work into it.

Getting there was the grind. I’m so grateful to any and everyone that helped us reach the finish line of our home renovations. There’s no possible way we got this done without you. To my wife, thank you. There is no way in the world I could have gotten this done without you.

Buyers and potential buyers, this home is on the market now. To the future owner of this home, I hope it brings you as much joy as it has brought me over the last 13 years.

Should I Sell My Home During COVID?

As we’ve watched the Real Estate market over the past months during COVID-19 we’ve noticed what makes a house stand out and sell quickly compared to the ones that just sit. So today we’re sharing it with you to help you prepare to sell your home fast

1. Price your home at it’s true market value.

Now is not the time to push the market. With so much uncertainty in the world people are still buying homes but are being very cautious about their purchases. Pricing your home at true market value based on sales from the last 60-90 days will help you sell your home fast.

2. Hire a professional photographer

You want the images taken to be done well, good lighting and the right angles are a must when taking photos or they won’t look good. If your photos don’t look good, you’re less likely to get a potential buyer to take a second look while they’re home scrolling, much less schedule a private showing.

3. Provide a virtual tour for your listing

A virtual tour is the thing that can truly tip the scale in your favor. It takes a lot for a buyer to come see a house, even more now with our current circumstance. Having a virtual tour of your home online lets them see the flow and feel of your home without actually stepping a foot inside, but it's the thing that will motivate them to do so sooner than later.

4. Hire an agent that markets really well social media

The New York Times reported that since the quarantine Facebook engagement has increased almost 30%. Since more and more people are at home and on social media, marketing your home on social media gives even more exposure by getting people excited about your home whether they are in the process of looking for a home or not.

5. Get Professional Staging

You will want your home to put its best foot forward in the photos, video, and social media. You want people to be able to see how the space can be used and imagine themselves in it. This is where a professional stager can help.

5 Tips On Working From Home With Kids

Like me, I know a lot of you out there are trying to balance working from home with kids while sheltering in due to Covid-19. In the past couple of weeks, I’ve learned some things and we’ve adopted some new routines that I know will be helpful for you because they have been game-changers for us.

1. Make The Most of Your Weekend. You probably thought I’d start with Monday but no, in order to have a productive week now more than ever - weekends matter. I don’t know about you but I can’t work in a home that has stuff everywhere. I can’t wake up on Monday mornings and try to figure out the week. So utilizing my weekend to clean the house (it will probably get messy during the week but it will be clean) and schedule the week for work, chores, meals etc. This way you’re going into the week knowing what needs to be done and ready to face it. 
    

2. Block Scheduling. We began to encourage this with our team earlier this year and I’m so glad we did because it’s even more helpful now when high-structure is not possible. A block schedule simply means that you create several smaller to-do lists each day instead of one really long one… and then you tackle each of those smaller to-do lists during different “big blocks” of time throughout the day. 
   
   So breaking your day up like this for example
   Morning, Noon, Evening
   OR
   Early Morning (before kids wake), After breakfast, Naptime, etc
   
   I’ll schedule tasks that I need high concentration for during the early morning when my kids are asleep. I’ll schedule to do things that take less focus when they are doing school work cause I know they will interrupt me with questions. I schedule calls during TV time cause lets face it - they don’t move from the TV so I know there’s a high probability that I won’t be disturbed.
    

3. The Morning Brief. It’s probably no surprise to those who know me that we have a morning meeting lol. But let me just say its soooo needed regardless of what your personality type is. Even though the plan was made over the weekend - we all need reminders (especially my kids) of what the day will hold.  So during or while we’re making breakfast we discuss the day, any changes and write it on our whiteboard so that we can all be on the same page.
    

4. Get Out The House. If you follow me on social media you know that I go on social distancing walks by myself and with my family. This is helpful for multiple reasons. It helps me get some exercise, it helps my kids get energy out, and it helps my husband and I connect. Whenever we return, the fog of being at our computers and tv is lifted and we’re ready to transition to the next thing.
    

5. Phone A Friend. During such crazy times I need those closest to me. I need to feel connected. I need to make sure they are ok. I need to share the ways that I am not. All of these things are important for my mental health - for our mental health. I love to work and I can stay in that mode so it’s important that I take breaks throughout the day to call my people and be flexible to answer the phone when they call me or call back during a different block.

We’re still learning and adjusting during this time. Flexibility is the name of the game. I encourage you to take the time to think through how you can implement some of these routines into your own. 

Click the link below to subscribe to our Transformed Homes Newsletter so that you won’t miss great content like this!

Rent vs. Buy: Tips On How To Decide

There is always that underlying question when the time comes to decide if you want to buy or rent a home. There are both benefits and risks to both so here are some tips and facts to help you get through that.

Benefits of Renting
- Mobility/freedom to move around
- No fluctuation in monthly housing expenses
- Your landlord pays for maintenance

Risks of Renting
- You don’t build any equity
- Rent could go up over time
- Limited sense of home stability/permanence.

If you're a college student or someone who moves around a lot renting a home could be the best bet for your bucks.

Benefits of Owning
- being able to own assets and bring in equity is best for creating wealth for your family and community
- You build equity over time
- Certain tax Benefits,
- Freedom to customize your living space

Risks of Owning
- Responsibility for maintenance and repairs which requires time and effort
- Home value may decrease
- Tax laws could hamper tax benefits.

Many consumers when going through this decision work through the renting and buying five-step process which is . . .
1. Decide how long you plan to live in the same place
2. Estimate the cost of renting Vs. buying,
3. Figuring out the points of parity and difference when looking at mobility Vs. putting down roots and deciding which is more important to you,
4. Weighing the risks of renting and buying (mentioned above)
5. Lastly, assess your financial situation.

It always helps to talk to a professional when making this decision. Contact us today so that we can walk through the process with you and answer any questions you may have.

10 Things Atlanta House Hunters Are Looking For

When deciding should I love my home or list my home I often sit down with clients and help them come to the decision on which renovations matter to help increase your home value when you’re thinking about potentially selling your home in the future.

There are several things to consider when determining which renovations will really help your home increase in value.

The biggest thing I help my clients consider is this - What are buyers looking for in your market?

Who determines home values? Well it’s more simple than you think - BUYERS.

Yes, of course, appraisers will come out and provide an appraisal report to help the bank determine your value but this process is driven by a buyer falling in love with your home, then placing an offer and from there deciding to move forward with the home purchase.

Keeping in mind what buyers are looking for in your area when considering your next home renovation is crucial!

Here in Atlanta here is a list of what most buyers are looking for:

• Fresh neutral wall colors 

• Open floor plan

• Newly Renovated kitchen with SS appliances, Stone counters (Quartz is my fav) and a nice big island!

• Newly Renovated Baths

• Modern lighting

• Restored Old Home character

• 2nd living spaces

• Off-street parking

• Large Master ensuite

• Outdoor entertainment space

In conclusion, yes maybe paying $10,000 for solar panels is super energy efficient and adding shiplap to your living room is cool but be sure that the large investments that you are putting into your home are really helping you move the needle in value. 

What renovations are you considering to help improve the value of your home?

A Taste of our new Transformed Homes Newsletter

We’ve started a new weekly letter for all things Home + Real Estate! This weekly update will keep you inspired in home care, current on the Real Estate climate and trends, and connected to the city we Love - Atlanta!

Here are a couple of highlights from the letter last week. To make sure you get all the information click here to subscribe to The Transformed Homes Newsletter.

A wealth of Erika's Real Estate Knowledge

Working as Marketing Coordinator for EB&A, my family and I have benefited greatly - not only from it being a job that I love but from what we've learned about investing in Real Estate from Erika. We've taken that knowledge, applied it and are preparing to launch our first Airbnb in 2020! This is why I'm excited that her wealth of knowledge and experience will soon be available to you regardless of where you live! Big things are coming in 2020!

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Your out of town guests need a place to stay during the holidays?

Let us suggest a few Airbnbs managed by Integrity Home Solutions that still have availability!

Beautiful Bungalow 5 mins from Downtown!
more info >>

1 mile from Downtown in Prime location
more info >>

Large Farmhouse 3 miles from Downtown Atlanta
more info >>

Large Home 15 mins from Downtown Atlanta!
more info >>

Should I Sell My Home or Turn It Into A Rental Property?

We’ve compiled a couple of things for you to weigh as you consider if you should love the home(s) you have OR start prepping now to list it. We’ve separated these into 2 parts, to consider options for your primary residence and/or your investment property.

REASONS TO LIST MY PRIMARY RESIDENCE

Not Enough Space. If your family is growing or you just want more space to entertain family and guests, branching out now to see what your house is worth and what you can get for your budget in this Fall market.

Location Location Location. Are you far from work, friends and where you spend most of your time or want to spend most of your time?  It could be time to consider moving to the location you really desire. During this Fall market, you may be able to find something more in your budget if you consider buying now.

Equity. It’s not your dream home but it has served its purpose in more ways than one, giving you shelter and growing in equity. Now you can sell with profit and buy the home of your dreams - that’s a really good reason to LIST IT!

REASONS TO LOVE IT

Equity. You have some, but not enough. If you’re in an up and coming neighborhood with the potential that the worth of your home will increase over the next few years - that’s a great reason to continue to love it - make improvements over time to improve your value even more. So when and if the time comes, you would have loved your house so well, it will love you back by bringing in lots of profit to go toward your dream home.

You love it. This is pretty obvious but it’s worth stating.  If you love your home, the location, your neighborhood, school and your family have put down roots there. Stay. Love and be a good steward of a home that you hope to have for many years to come.

You’re living the dream!

REASONS TO LIST YOUR INVESTMENT PROPERTY

Not Enough Space. The property is small and selling the home could bring money to invest in a bigger property that could hold more Airbnb guests or tenants - both attracting families or larger groups, thus more income.

Location Location Location. Could you make more money if your property were in a different location, one closer to downtown or a popular city attraction? 

Equity. You have it and you need it. Investment properties serve a financial purpose - to make you profit. To sell at the most optimal time to get your best profit in order to pocket, based on need, or to redistribute toward other properties and double your profits. 

REASONS TO LOVE IT

Equity. You have some, but not enough. If you’re in an up and coming neighborhood with the potential that the worth of your home will increase over the next few years - that’s a great reason to continue to love it - make improvements over time to improve your value even more. So when and if the time comes, you would have loved your property so well, it will love you back by bringing in lots of profit to go toward whatever your dreams are.

So will you LOVE IT or LIST IT? Contact Us Today either way .  . .

If you’re thinking of LISTING - we can help you prepare! Not only can we list your home for you but, our sister company,  Integrity Home Solutions, can assist you with small to moderate improvements/renovations and staging.

OR

If you’re going to LOVE IT but curious about what your home is worth contact our Agents today and we can give you an estimate.  Integrity Home Solutions can also help you love your home well with our lawn care services and project consulting for home improvements/renovations.

Should I buy a home now?

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

Here are a few reasons it’s a good idea to buy in the current market.

1.)  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.

2.) The fall/winter market is slower than other seasons so you’re less likely to encounter a bidding war.

3.) You could be in a home by the holidays! Dreaming of entertaining your family or friends around a table in your home instead of crammed in a small apartment? This dream could become a reality if you start today.

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!