Inside Georgia Real Estate | Clearly Georgia

Inside Georgia Real Estate | Clearly Georgia
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Inside Georgia Real Estate Saturdays · 1 pm to 2 pm · WSB Radio Inside Georgia Real Estate is your weekly guide to what is really happening in Georgia’s housing market. Host Deborah Morton from The Agency has managed hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate transactions and brings that real-world experience straight to you on air. This show is for you if you are: · Owning a home and trying to make smart equity decisions · Thinking about buying your first or next home · Planning to sell and want to time and price it right · Considering refinancing or leveraging your current property · Curious about where the Georgia market is heading next Each week, Deborah breaks down: · Interest rates and what they mean for your monthly payment · Market shifts in Atlanta and across Georgia · New laws, contracts, and lending updates that impact your bottom line · Strategies to win in a competitive market · Real stories and lessons from recent deals No hype. No guesswork. Just clear, practical insight so you can move with confidence in Georgia real estate.

  1. 1h ago

    Squatters, Property Taxes and Insurance: What Georgia Homeowners Need to Know

    On this episode of Inside Georgia Real Estate, Deborah Morton sits down with Georgia State Representative Devan Seabaugh of District 34 in Cobb County, her friend and fellow Rotarian. They cover the rising costs squeezing homeowners and the story behind his Squatter Reform Act. If you own a home, are selling one, or are responsible for a vacant property, this conversation affects you. Key Takeaways for Georgia Real Estate Rep. Seabaugh says removing a squatter should now take no more than ten days under Georgia law.He says a new cap holds property tax increases to 3% or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower.Seniors with paid-off homes are hit hardest as rising values push tax bills past what their mortgages once cost.Buyers’ insurers are requiring replacement of roofs as young as 12 to 15 years before closing.More insurance carriers are returning to the Georgia market after 2025 tort reform.What This Means for Homeowners Home values have climbed sharply since 2020, and tax bills follow reassessments even when millage rates stay the same. Rep. Seabaugh says some constituents in his district saw property taxes rise 120%, and people on fixed incomes get no matching raise. He expects property tax relief to be a major focus again in 2027, with local sales taxes like SPLOST helping shift some of the load off property owners. What Sellers Need to Know Deborah sees deals hit trouble when a buyer’s insurer will not accept a 12 to 15 year old roof, even one sold as a 30-year shingle. Rep. Seabaugh points to 2025 tort reform and this session’s insurance reform, carried by Rep. Matt Reeves, which aims to hold insurers accountable for paying valid claims on time. He says it will take a few years to see the full effect. Protecting Vacant Homes From Squatters The issue reached Rep. Seabaugh through a realtor who arrived to show a staged, foreclosed home and found someone living inside with the locks changed. Georgia law had treated squatters like tenants, sending owners through eviction backlogs that could last months or years, while some squatters used fake leases and utility bills to game the system. His bill, signed by Governor Kemp in 2024, changed that, and he plans to close the remaining loopholes next session with what he expects to be the strongest squatting legislation in the country. “My job was to show up, find the problem, and solve the problem.” Rep. Devan Seabaugh, on his 42 years as a paramedic “They’re criminals, and we’re going to treat them like criminals.” Rep. Devan Seabaugh The Bottom Line If you own a vacant property, post a no-trespassing sign and photograph it for your records. Listing agents should introduce themselves to the neighbors and ask them to report any activity at the home. Sellers with an older roof should ask their agent early whether it could become an insurance issue for buyers. Watch every episode of Inside Georgia Real Estate with Deborah Morton on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@insidegeorgiarealestate

  2. Oct 17 ·  Bonus

    Spooky Real Estate Stories, Round Two

    Episode Summary Halloween is almost here, so Inside Georgia Real Estate is bringing back haunted house stories for a second year. Host Deborah Morton, Managing Partner of The Agency Atlanta, welcomes back Rich Zeglovitch, Partner at The Agency Atlanta and head of its Midtown office. Rich tells a two-part story from his hometown near Niagara Falls, and Deborah closes with a family memory of a historic New Jersey home that came with its own resident ghost. In This Episode A Quaint Town With a Haunted Past Rich’s best friend since second grade bought a 1940s home just off the main street of their hometown near Niagara Falls, a village full of 1800s houses, pubs, bakeries and small-town charm. On a visit home, an old classmate at the local pub told Rich she had rented that house before his friend bought it, and that it was haunted. His friend confirmed it: just a little bit, at the top of the stairs. The Dream That Wasn’t a Dream Some signs were easy to explain away, like the sound of the dog’s ball bouncing down the stairs in the middle of the night. Then, soon after moving in, his friend dreamt something was pulling her out of bed while she held onto the sheets. She woke standing at the foot of the bed, gripping the bedding, with two fingernails pulled back. For years afterward she kept the TV running in that room. Part Two: The Orb on Camera Rich’s friend fosters pets and keeps a camera on a downstairs room. One night she spotted a light orb moving around the room with no light source to explain it, and watched it for about 45 minutes. When she went down and sat in a chair, the orb came over and moved deliberately around her body, all captured on video. She still lives in the house today. Deborah’s Story: Uncle Harry’s Historic Home Deborah grew up in northern New Jersey, where her Uncle Harry served as city manager. Part of his compensation was an apartment above a township-owned historic home built in the mid-1700s, while the ground floor operated as a museum with a self-guided tour. Framed on the walls were photos taken by different photographers over the years, each showing the same white, female apparition in a nightgown near the home’s massive cooking hearth. Uncle Harry had his own stories too, like a cold sensation passing by him on the stairs. Notable Quotes “That doesn’t sound like a dream.” Rich Zeglovitch “I would have burned the house down and ran away.” Rich Zeglovitch “As a kid I was always hoping, but never got to bump into the ghost myself.” Deborah Morton People and Places Mentioned Deborah Morton, Managing Partner, The Agency Atlanta Rich Zeglovitch, Partner, The Agency Atlanta (Midtown office) A small village near Niagara Falls Northern New Jersey Uncle Harry’s township-owned historic home, built in the mid-1700s Got a Haunted House Story? We want to hear it. Like, follow, subscribe and share this episode with your friends. Happy Halloween!

  3. Sep 26

    Cash Offers vs. Selling With an Agent: What Sellers Leave on the Table

    Cash Offers vs. Selling With an Agent: What Sellers Leave on the Table Host Deborah Morton sits down with Renee Stutz of The Agency Atlanta to break down the real difference between an investor cash offer and a traditional sale. They cover where cash offers actually land today, who they genuinely serve, and what sellers should weigh before choosing one. Chapters 00:00 Cash offer or traditional sale 00:24 The mindset that no longer matches the market 02:02 When a cash offer is the right move 02:56 What investor offers are paying today 04:21 What you're hiring an agent for 05:51 A slower selling pace 09:05 Deferred maintenance and what buyers notice 11:52 New construction and builder incentives 13:44 Buyer's remorse from the bidding war years 15:35 Short sales and sellers locked in by low rates 17:24 Renee's path from accounting to real estate 19:42 Under contract in a week What We Covered Where cash offers land: Renee is seeing investor offers come in between 68% and 78% of market value. Deborah's longtime rule of thumb was 75%. That gap is the price of convenience, and it only works if the seller has the equity to absorb it. When it makes sense: Homes needing significant work, estate situations, and sellers who need a fast exit and are not focused on capturing equity. Cutting out the middleman: A cash buyer is purchasing to flip or to rent. Renee asks why not take the home to the market directly, handle the smaller repairs, and keep that margin. What an agent brings: Renee compares it to seeing a physician instead of searching symptoms online. A homeowner who sells once a decade doesn't know what to ask. A skilled agent assesses the situation, lays out the options, and builds the strategy with the seller. A slower pace: Deborah cites Zillow data showing roughly 145 days from first online look to closing, still climbing, against the 30-day turns of 2020. Deferred maintenance: Renee's fastest answer for the most damaging issue is stains on the ceiling. Even with the leak repaired, the evidence tells a buyer the problem is still there. On flooring, a carpet allowance no longer works. Buyers want the work done. New construction: Builders are buying rates down and packaging that into the offer, which lets buyers stretch into a higher price than a comparable resale. Many traditional sellers can't match that. Thin equity: Buyers who competed from 2020 to 2022 often skipped due diligence to win. Some now want to sell and find they bought at inflated values. Renee is seeing more short sales and an uptick in foreclosures. Locked in by a low rate: Renee's argument is to look at the entire financial picture, including higher-interest debt, rather than fixating on a single asset. Renee's background: A biology degree, one week of physical therapy school, a master's in accounting, and a career in public and private accounting before moving to Georgia and finding real estate. She describes the work as an opportunity to serve. The story: A seller whose home had sat for months with another brokerage. Renee rebuilt the marketing strategy, repositioned how the home presented, and revisited pricing. Under contract within a week. Notable Quotes "That's a lot of equity you're leaving on the table in exchange for convenience." "You don't know what you don't know." "Buyers today don't want to do the work." "You allow me to do my job, and for that I'm grateful." Renee Stutz Guest: Renee Stutz, The Agency Atlanta Follow, like and subscribe to Inside Georgia Real Estate. Hosted by Deborah Morton.

  4. Sep 19

    Inside Georgia Real Estate: Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell, Part 2

    Host Deborah Morton continues her conversation with Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell, who calls himself the city's "chief storyteller." They talk about how Woodstock approaches placemaking, how the city is managing growth, and what's coming next. The episode was recorded at The Nest, a downtown community creating a new path to homeownership. Chapters 00:00 Welcome back: beer, art, dogs and golf carts 00:34 Placemaking and the Woodstock brand 03:15 Growth after 2020 04:30 The free parking program 07:13 Golf carts in Woodstock 08:07 City Center 08:51 The Nest: rental to homeownership 12:45 Parks, trails and Little River Park 15:20 What the future holds 18:34 Canton, Ball Ground, Holly Springs and a rising tide What We Covered Building a city, not a highway: Woodstock has made the largest infrastructure investment in its history over the past five years. A comprehensive transportation plan guides the work so traffic flow improves without harming downtown. Parking with a purpose: A 633-space downtown deck is free to use. Street parking in front of shops is free for the first hour, and the most anyone pays is $4. A free space is never more than 350 steps away. Visitation is up by double digits since the program began. Golf carts: Woodstock has the second most registered golf carts in Georgia, behind Peachtree City. Every street at 25 mph and under is golf cart accessible. City Center: The project includes the parking deck, a multi-story office building with restaurant and retail on the ground level, and a 120-room boutique hotel. The Nest: This former 40-unit apartment community has been converted to fee simple homeownership. Residents had the first opportunity to buy, and homes are now open to the public. A three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home is priced at $335,000, a three-minute walk from downtown. Little River Park: This 110-acre park will double Woodstock's parks and green space. It will also connect the east side of the city to downtown by trail. A voter-approved parks bond allowed a decade-long plan to be delivered in 18 months, and a ribbon cutting is expected around January or February. Woodstock is also home to the Rope Mill and Blankets Creek mountain bike trails. A balanced county: Woodstock is about 4% of Cherokee County's land and 16% of its population, but it produces roughly 40% of the county's GDP. That helps keep taxes among the lowest in the state while preserving the county's rural character. Notable Quotes "We are not building a highway, we're building a city." "I would rather have problems that come with being a place people want to be than being a place people are trying to get out." "It's a great place to live, work and play. Just pick two." "If you're going to live in Metro Atlanta, it does not get better than Woodstock." Mayor Michael Caldwell Mentioned: Reformation Brewery, Canyons Burger Company, The Nest, City Center, Little River Park, Rope Mill, Blankets Creek, Arnold Mill, Canton, Ball Ground, Holly Springs Like, follow and subscribe to Inside Georgia Real Estate, and follow the City of Woodstock on social media.

  5. Sep 12

    Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell on Homeownership, Growth and the American Dream

    Episode Summary Woodstock Mayor Michael Caldwell calls homeownership the most important issue facing the country, and he believes it will be solved city by city, not in Washington. Host Deborah Morton talks with the mayor, who also serves as Vice Chairman of the Atlanta Regional Commission, about how homeownership built the American middle class, why today's young adults are being locked out, and how Woodstock has grown its economy while cutting property taxes and protecting seniors. In This Episode Homeownership as a National Security Issue Caldwell traces the middle class back to the largest public-private partnership in American history: the GI Bill, subsidized mortgage rates, state tax law that rewarded ownership and local zoning that favored owned inventory. Today's young adults earn more than their parents did yet are poorer, and National Association of Realtors data shows the typical first-time buyer reached age 40 in 2025, a record. Caldwell says that reflects necessity, not preference. Metro Atlanta's Housing Math The region expects roughly 2 million new residents by 2050. The core five counties face a deficit of about 350,000 housing units, and the roughly 15,000 units added last year were all apartments, which does nothing to expand fee simple homeownership. Meet the Mayor Caldwell has called Cherokee County home since first grade and earned his finance degree from Kennesaw State University. He was part of the founding team of a safety equipment company acquired by 3M, co-owns a software company, served eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives and is now in his fifth year as mayor. Woodstock's Growth Story Woodstock has grown about tenfold within the same footprint to roughly 43,000 residents. Business revenues nearly doubled in five years to $5.1 billion, and the city made the largest investment in its history in infrastructure, police, fire and parks while cutting property taxes by 15%. Downtown has more than 40 bars and restaurants within walking distance, and the Greenprints trail network is connecting to the Silver Comet Trail and to cities across the region. Planning, Partnership and Protecting Seniors Caldwell credits the ARC's Livable Centers Initiative and a city that sticks to its plan. A growth boundary agreement with Cherokee County Commission Chairman Harry Johnston keeps growth in the cities so the county can stay rural. Woodstock also offers a 100% exemption from city property taxes for homeowners 62 and older who have been homesteaded in the city for five years.

  6. Aug 29

    Growth, Gentrification & Why Community Is the Real Property Value

    Episode Summary Deborah sits down with radio host and community advocate Shelly Winter for a wide-ranging conversation about how Atlanta has changed since he moved here from Harlem in the late '90s. They dig into who actually gets blamed for gentrification, why he regrets never buying, what the 2008 crash really taught us, and why local block parties and festivals may matter more to your home's value than square footage ever will. Topics Covered Arriving in Atlanta (post-Olympics, around 1998) Shelly landed at WCLK before Y2K and watched the city transform from the insideHe saw the same pattern Harlem had gone through a decade earlier — and still didn't buyWho gets blamed for gentrification The complaint tends to land on the young couple fixing up a house in the West End, not on the policy decisions behind themPublic housing near Centennial Park coming down, replaced by $2,000/month one-bedrooms owned by out-of-market developersA remembered exchange with then-councilman Kwanza Hall, who suggested that Black families who could have bought in the West End chose Johns Creek insteadShelly's pushback: Johns Creek meant better schools, a safer neighborhood, and police who show up. In a gentrifying neighborhood, the police response time changes only after the demographics do.The development/community teeter-totter Mercedes-Benz Stadium, FIFA, the Braves move to Cobb, and the Aquarium — all wins that don't happen without growthDowntown Atlanta as a cautionary tale: all business, almost no homesGrowth is going to knock some people out; government's job is to make sure it knocks out as few as possiblePathways to ownership Rent-to-own and condo-conversion programs for long-term renters with perfect payment historiesKiller Mike's work in this spaceOn-time rent, electric, and gas payments should build creditEducation matters as much as the programs themselvesLessons from the crash No-doc loans and a banker whose pitch was "you're qualified — what do you want?"The moment Shelly knew it was a house of cards: a friend home from incarceration calling him as a newly minted mortgage brokerHis read on the real failure — not that money was lent, but that people took far more than they could carry. A friend in Roswell who borrowed only what she could afford on her own income came out fine.Where he lands now: guardrails are good, but they could ease up for younger first-time buyersThe generational gap The meme that says it all: Dad's $36,000 house needed $1,000 down. The son needs $74,000 and saves $500 a month — 14 years.The "just rent and invest the difference" trend online, and the fact that the difference often doesn't get investedBoomers sitting on equity who won't move, tightening supply from the other endEveryone expected some loosening in 2026. It hasn't come.

  7. Aug 22

    Georgia's New Transfer-on-Death Deed Could Save Your Family Thousands

    Georgia's New Transfer-on-Death Deed Could Save Your Family Thousands Selling a home is only half the story when a loved one passes away. On this episode of Inside Georgia Real Estate, host Deborah Morton sits down with elder law attorney Josh Nelson of Nelson Elder Care to break down Georgia's new transfer on death deed, probate, and the hard family conversations most people put off. If you own property in Georgia, this one affects how your home passes to the people you love. Key Takeaways for Georgia Real Estate Georgia's improved transfer on death deed took effect July 1, 2026, and lets you pass your home outside of probate without a costly trust.Probate runs about 3 percent of value. A $400,000 home can cost roughly $12,000, versus under $1,000 for a transfer on death deed.Putting your adult child's name on your deed now can create a big tax bill later because they lose the step-up in basis.If several heirs inherit one property, any single one of them can file a partition action and force a sale.A surviving spouse keeps only the higher of two Social Security checks, often cutting household income by more than $1,000 a month.Creditors get paid before heirs, and unpaid medical or credit card debt can force the sale of a home.What Homeowners Need to Know Georgia's first version of the transfer on death deed had real flaws. Property often landed back in probate anyway, and title insurance companies would not touch it, which made those homes nearly unsellable. The updated law fixes that. You stay in full control while you are alive, and the home transfers directly to a named adult beneficiary when you pass. The deed is prepared like any other deed and usually costs less than $1,000 through an attorney. Beneficiaries must be 18 or older. It works cleanly when one adult child inherits one home. It gets more complicated with three or four heirs who may each want something different. What Sellers Need to Know Deborah pointed out a practical roadblock she runs into constantly. If three siblings are on the deed, all three must agree to the price and terms before she can even sign a listing agreement. One holdout stalls the whole sale. Probate also takes at least six months in Georgia because creditors must be given about 120 days to make a claim after a notice is published. During that window, somebody still has to pay the power bill and keep the air conditioning running so the house does not suffer damage over a Georgia summer. Impact on Aging Parents and Their Adult Kids Many families discover too late that mom or dad never mapped out the numbers. Pension survivor options, expired term life policies, and property tax exemption rules that changed last year can all shift a widow's monthly budget dramatically. Josh also urged adult children to stay involved if a parent starts talking about pulling equity out through a reverse mortgage. Some products are ethical and useful, but fear about cash flow can drive rushed decisions. What To Do Next Ask your attorney if a transfer on death deed, a trust, or both fit your family situation, and ask specifically about step-up in basis and the primary residence tax exclusion. If you have multiple heirs, get the plan in writing while everyone is healthy, because a document costs far less than a court fight. And if you are helping a parent, start the money conversation now rather than during a health crisis. Hear the full conversation and every past episode of Inside Georgia Real Estate with Deborah Morton, Saturdays from 1 pm to 2 pm. Listen to all episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@insidegeorgiarealestate

  8. Jul 25

    Shelley Winter Opens Up: From Harlem Rooftops to Atlanta Airwaves

    Deborah Morton sat down with Shelley Winter, host of the Shelley Winter Show, for a rare role reversal on Inside Georgia Real Estate, turning the microphone on the man who once co-hosted her podcast himself. Key Takeaways Shelley grew up in Harlem's first African American co-op building and calls it the foundation of his belief in community.He funded his first baseball glove by selling greeting cards door to door in his own apartment building.A detour into TV sales with Fox brought him to Atlanta, where he stayed because he found the work more creative in radio.He accidentally launched his broadcasting career after pitching public radio station WCLK on how to sell airtime, then landed a sports talk slot that became his true calling.Both of his parents passed away exactly one year apart on the same calendar date, despite being separated for most of his life.He credits Atlanta's diversity and slower pace, plus lower cost of living compared with New York, for why he never left.From Sales to the Airwaves Shelley traces his path from Syracuse advertising student to Ebony and Emerge magazine ad sales, then to a Fox television sales training program that eventually relocated him to Atlanta. He found TV sales uncreative, but fell for the city and pivoted into radio advertising at WCLK, a public station tied to a local college. That pivot led to an unplanned on air debut. When the Atlanta Hawks needed a weekly community affairs show to use up leftover budget, Shelley and broadcaster Rose Scott filled the slot, which grew into a full sports talk show and eventually his own program. Why He Stayed in Atlanta Shelley describes his first Atlanta apartment near Chastain Park as a culture shock in the best way, saying the sound of birds in the morning replaced the honking horns of his New York upbringing. He points to Atlanta's lower rents, growing entertainment districts in cities like Woodstock, Kennesaw and Mableton, and a steady wave of transplants from the Northeast drawn by the value. A Personal Note From Shelley Reflecting on his late parents, Shelley shared a wry take on their unusual timing: "My mom is furious up in heaven that he showed up a year later on the same day. She is cursing every single day." What Listeners Can Expect Shelley remains a fixture on the Georgia speaking circuit, from Rotary Club lunches in Conyers to community festivals, driven by what he calls a genuine love of meeting new people. He hinted he might consider a run for local office in 2028 if his radio career ever changes course, though he says it would be more about testing his ideas than seeking influence. Catch more conversations like this one on Inside Georgia Real Estate with Deborah Morton, airing as a podcast every Saturday, and watch full episodes anytime at youtube.com/@insidegeorgiarealestate.

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About

Inside Georgia Real Estate Saturdays · 1 pm to 2 pm · WSB Radio Inside Georgia Real Estate is your weekly guide to what is really happening in Georgia’s housing market. Host Deborah Morton from The Agency has managed hundreds of millions of dollars in real estate transactions and brings that real-world experience straight to you on air. This show is for you if you are: · Owning a home and trying to make smart equity decisions · Thinking about buying your first or next home · Planning to sell and want to time and price it right · Considering refinancing or leveraging your current property · Curious about where the Georgia market is heading next Each week, Deborah breaks down: · Interest rates and what they mean for your monthly payment · Market shifts in Atlanta and across Georgia · New laws, contracts, and lending updates that impact your bottom line · Strategies to win in a competitive market · Real stories and lessons from recent deals No hype. No guesswork. Just clear, practical insight so you can move with confidence in Georgia real estate.

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