Category Archives: Uncategorized

New Construction Home Builder and Contractor Disputes

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New Construction Home Builder Disputes

Just this morning I saw a homeowner plea for help in our neighborhoods online newsletter regarding a contractor dispute, and for the benefit of our readers wanted to offer the following basic advice which I offered my neighbor (minus the names of the experienced construction attorneys I referred).

1 Always make sure your contractor is insured and for large jobs ask for a performance bond.

2 Make sure a detailed scope of work is drawn up, and bid prices are based off that document, and incorporate that document into the contract agreement – and yes there should always be a written contract agreement for any work over a few hundred dollars.

3 For work that involves more than cosmetic changes, such as structural changes and major system repairs and installations – hire an ICC Certified Building Inspector or GA Engineer to review the work, and even do multi-step inspections for larger projects such as when doing a room addition, whole house remodel, or certainly if you are buying a new home to be built or that is still under construction.

4 Buying a new construction home? Never assume everything will be fine just because you are buying a new home that has just been built, or is under construction. As someone with expertise in both the Atlanta real estate industry and who also has deep experience with new construction homes and GA builders, and the qualifications to evaluate and review the new home building process, construction codes, and home builders, I speak from over 35 years of combined experience.  I can assure you that the county municipal inspectors are not holding the builders hand and will not protect you, and their inspections will not assure the builder and his/her contractors will perform proper construction workmanship and do what is right.

Finally, this is not legal advice, but if you do need legal advice regarding construction and contractor disputes, claims of breach etc, you want an attorney experienced in those kinds of cases.

Because I perform free pre-purchase building evaluations of all homes for all of my clients, and free periodic monitoring of new homes under construction for my new home buyer clients, they don’t have to worry about these kinds of disputes, and have a greatly reduced if not nonexistent exposure to the unexpected costs and hassles related to buying homes with serious defects and improper construction work.

However, should the need ever arise, I maintain an extensive Concierge List of Trusted Real Estate Vendors of every type including two attorneys that have extensive experience addressing construction and design/build related issues and litigation – one is both an architect and attorney.

If you are looking to buy or build a new construction home in the Lassiter High School District, or anywhere in East Cobb, North Fulton, or Greater North Atlanta area, contact me to discuss how I can make that a more pleasant experience and how my process helps to assure you get the well built home you deserve, at the best price possible.

Robert Whitfield, Broker/Owner, Realtor
ICC Certified Building Inspector
New Home Construction Expert
678-585-9691

East Cobb New Construction Home – Save $50K

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East Cobb New Construction Home

Rare New Construction Opportunity in East Cobb – up to $50K off on a Lassiter High School New Construction Home!

Brick and stone exterior, 6 Bdrm , 3 Bath,  3 Car Garage , over 3600 square feet. The is the best opportunity left on a new construction home with a decent lot in any of East Cobb’s top school systems! If you want new construction in East Cobb and don’t need a basement – call me fast!

Excellent East Cobb schools:

Davis Elementary School
Mabry Middle School
Lassiter High School

If you want new construction in East Cobb – call North Atlanta’s most qualified new construction home expert:

Robert Whitfield
Broker/Owner
Professional Buyers Broker
ICC Certified Building Inspection Expert
New Home Construction Expert
Advantage Realtors
678-585-9691

Lassiter New Construction Homes – Coming Soon!

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East Cobb Custom Builder Lots

This is an attractive site being developed by a private developer that will contain an enclave of three 3/4 acre lots available for purchase by builders or those who want to build new and use a custom builder. Prices of finished homes will range $800K to over $1 million. We have several trusted builders we can refer to our buyer clients who want to build new East Cobb homes and East Cobb custom luxury homes.

There are other unadvertised new construction home and new construction lot opportunities in the Walton and Pope High districts as well.

Contact me for more details about these or other lot opportunities while they are still available!

Robert Whitfield
Broker/Owner
ICC Certified Building Inspector
New Home Construction Expert
678-585-9691

East Cobb Single Family Inventory October 2013

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East Cobb Single Family Inventory Oct 2013

As the chart shows, inventory is mostly low – by historical standards (except for the 75 homes in the Walton District) there should be two to three times as many homes in each price range. The Lassiter High and Pope High School Districts have very low home inventory in the $700K- $999K ranges, with only 13 and 10 homes respectively. The interesting stat is the composition of the 75 homes in the Walton High District in the $300-$500K range – a big jump in supply over the last few months – there is not one new construction home in the group, and only 16 of the 75 homes are under $350K.

For more information about homes and markets in any East Cobb school district or neighborhood, contact Robert Whitfield: 678-585-9691.

*Disclaimer: “Information is derived directly from FMLS data which is believed to be very accurate but not guaranteed – which is way more than I can say for all the third party online and consumer data sites – Trulia, Zillow, and so many others.”

 

Lassiter New Concert Hall Opens

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Lassiter Concert Hall

After watching the construction of the beautiful new Lassiter Concert Hall drag on since last year, it is great to see it finally finished! I took this shot with my phone a few nights ago. Last week at the grand opening the band and orchestra played to over 1000 people in attendance. This is a wonderful asset to this great school.

Lassiter Highschool New Subdivisions

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A sure sign the real estate market is on the mend is that nationally, 2012 has seen the most new home building activity since the market highs of 2005 – 2006. Here in East Cobb builder activity, driven by East Cobb’s top three public high schools Walton, Lassiter, and Pope, has been just as brisk.

New Home Developement In Lassiter High District  East Cobb New Home Development

In the Lassiter High School District, local speciality developer, Brooks Chadwick developed a large wooded tract of land for a new subdivision known as Mountain Creek where homebuilder Lennar is building 48 new homes priced from $500K. In the Pope High District Lennar added a final phase of about 20 new homes (on smaller lots) to the existing Waldon Subdivision built in the 1990′s. Lennars new addition is named “The Estates of Waldon” also priced from $500K.

For information on new home developements, help finding a “buildable” lot, and available builder bonuses in the Lassiter High School District or anywhere in East Cobb or North Atlanta, contact Robert Whitfield at 678-585-9691. Check out all the highly specialized new construction services to protect your sanity and assure a smooth process if you are planing to buy or build a new home.

Invaluable Experience with New Homes – Homes Under Construction

Unlike ordinary agents, Robert has advanced experience and qualifications to assist buyers with every facet of the new home construction process and has successfully dealt with architects, engineers, custom builders, volume builders, and site superintendants on behalf of clients desiring to make a new home purchase and/or build a new home. Robert can assist clients in all matters ranging from lot selection assistance, builder meetings, upgrade and component package selection, ongoing construction monitoring from the ground up, or at any stage, to attendance at walk through, pre-drywall inspection, advice and consulting on construction alterations and repairs that are sometimes required, final walk through and release, to closing and beyond.

Roberts works in a collaborative way and assists clients with many other matters that are a necessary part of real estate transactions. In addition to a background in home building and building structural analysis, new construction monitoring, and environmental testing, Robert also offers his clients great services like impactful HDR photography and video services.

Contact me with any question you may have about East Cobb or Atlanta real estate. I stand ready to proved unmatched assistance with your home buying, selling, or building needs.

Best,

Robert A Whitifeld
Broker/Owner/Founder
Relocation Consultant
Professional Buyers/Sellers Broker
ICC Certified Building Inspector
New Home Construction
Expert Advantage Realtors
Office: 678-585-9691
24hr efax: 678-826-0754
ebbroker@bellsouth.com
Unmatched Representation & Results For Clients

 

Million-Dollar Homes Continue to Get Zoning Nod

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East Cobb’s real estate market is getting another luxury priced subdivision.

 

East Cobb Luxury Estate 1.5 Million

This home in the Heathermoor subdivision was listed for just over $1.5 million dollar and covers around 6,000 square feet of space.

A recent zoning decision by the Cobb Board of Commissioners in early October should leave little doubt about the strong health of the East Cobb luxury real estate market.

By a 4-0 vote on October 2, 2012 (with chairman Tim Lee absent) the commissioners approved a request by Brooks Chadwick Capital, LLC, to rezone 6.6 acres on Woodlawn Road, just south of Lower Roswell Road, for 21 homes that will cost an average of $1 million.

Each home will contain between 4,000 and 6,000 square feet of space. The development will be located in the heart of the Walton High School district, and a short walk from Dickerson Middle School.

As The Marietta Daily Journal reported when the request was before the Cobb Planning Commission in October, East Cobb’s top public high schools, are helping to feed the growing demand for new luxury homes. Brooks Chadwick Capital attorney John Moore told the newspaper:

“What we’ve found is that homes located in Walton, Pope and Lassiter school districts are moving as fast as you can put them up. People realize that there’s no more land left, so we expect these to go very quickly because of the school districts.”

(Reprinted from the Marietta Daily Journal, written by Jon Gillooly October 03, 2012. Read more: The Marietta Daily Journal)

No. 1 Lassiter High Upset – Walton Also Stumbles

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In the first round of the Georgia High School football playoffs Friday, Wheeler was routed by Grayson but Kell pulled out a win in the final seconds.

Lassiter High School - Marietta, GA

Lassiter’s enjoyment of its first No. 1 state ranking ever was brief, and it will hold some bitter memories.

After leading 21-0 in the second quarter, the Trojans could get nothing going offensively in the second half of their Class AAAAAA first round state playoff game.

Brookwood rallied late in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime, then kicked a field goal in the extra session to shock previously unbeaten Lassiter 24-21.

The Trojans finished one of their best seasons prematurely, with a 10-1 record. But quarterback Eddie Printz and a Lassiter powerful offense were stymied when it mattered the most.

In another part of East Cobb, another visiting team from Gwinnett also forced a game into overtime, and with similar results.

Parkview and Walton were tied 7-7 after regulation. Walton went ahead 17-14 in overtime, but Parkview got a 15-yard game-winning touchdown to advance in the Class AAAAAA playoffs with a 20-17 win.

The Raiders, who were plagued with injuries to key players all season, were playing without all-state running back Tyren Jones, who had a sprained knee.

After reaching the state championship game a year ago, Walton finishes with a 7-4 record.

Wheeler was making its first playoff appearance in six years, and the Wildcats had an unenviable task in playing at Grayson, the defending state champions. The Rams led 35-6 at halftime and cruised to a 49-9 win, also in Class AAAAAA.

Kell for the winning touchdown with 33 seconds to play to beat Southwest DeKalb 19-14 in Class AAAAA. The Longhorns will play host to Gainesville in a second-round game next weekend.

Also in Class AAAAA, Pope plays Saturday at Stephenson.

Game coverage from The Marietta Daily Journal:

·         Brookwood 24, Lassiter 21, OT

·         Parkview 20, Walton 17, 2OT

·         Grayson 49, Wheeler 9

·         Kell 19, Southwest DeKalb 14