There is a new blogging platform from the folks at ActiveRain  called Localism.com.  I have a lot more content over there so please feel free to check it out!

http://localism.com/neighbor/bobsouthard

****************************

Bob Southard, e-ProRealtor®, Solid Source Realty, Inc. Buy or sell a home in Powder Springs, Marietta, Kennesaw, Acworth, Dallas, Hiram,and Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, North Fulton, South Cherokee, County, Ga

Visit my website www.AgentBobSells.com

Search Powder Springs Homes For Sale

Search All Metro Atlanta MLS Home Listings

Copyright © 2008 By Bob Southard, All Rights Reserved

As of today there are 816 homes for sale in Powder Springs, Cobb County, Georgia.

From Jan1, 2008 through May 31,2008 there have 231 homes sold in the same area for an average of 46.2 hoes sold per month.

What this means is that at the current rate of absorbtion we have a 17.6 month supply of homes for sale. The realty is that many of the homes currently for sale will not sell. The homes that will sell are price at the midddle to lower price point for similar homes and they are in ready to move in condition.

The good news is that there are still buyers out there. The bad news is that “top dollar” today is not what it was last year. If you are selling your current home and moving to another home in the Atlanta area all of this really does not present much of a problem. Whatever theoretical loss or discount that you may take on your current home can be made up on the purchase of your next home. You may even come out ahead on the whole thing if you can adjust to the idea of a correct price on your current home.

View all Powder Springs homes for sale at www.PowderSpringsHomes.info

My dad is without a doubt one of the smartest people that I know. This isn’t a fathers day tribute or anything i am simply stating what I belive is a fact! He has spent over 50 years as an investmetn analyst and his area of expertise is as a technical analyst for the stock market. He does an email newsletter for his clients and sends me copies all the time. Very honestly, a lot of the stock market stuff i don’t understand. Hey, I’m just a simple minded real estate agent.

But when I got this email from him “Solving the oil crisis” Iwas anxious to see his take on it.

Below is his email. I have just a few comments to add. I’ll put those afterward.

************************************************************************

“JAN 13, 2008 MORNING MARKET COMMENT DOW 12,131 UP 47.23

HOW TO SOLVE THE OIL CRISIS

I WILL JUST SPEND A SHORT TIME ON THE MARKET TODAY THEN GET INTO THE MAJOR THEME. YESTERDAY THE MARKET HAD THE RALLY I EXPECTED. IT WAS A SHORT COVERING RALLY THAT THE DOW WAS UP 185. IN THE FIRST HALF HOUR AS OIL WAS DOWN $4.00. LATE IN THE DAY OIL WAS UP $.36 AND THE MARKET RALLY HAD FADED TO ALMOST NOTHING WITH ABOUT EVEN BREADTH.

THE OIL CRISIS: I BELIEVE THIS CAN BE SOLVED WITH A FEW SIMPLE STEPS. NOW EVERY ONE IN THE USA IS PAYING FOR THIS PROBLEM. WE SEND MONEY TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND ACT STUPID. WE ARE A DEBTOR NATION THAT NOW WATCH AS THE OIL TYCOONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST BUY OUR COMPANIES AND LEND US MONEY. WE FILL OUR TANKS AND SEND THEM MORE MONEY. YET I SEE NO LINES FOR OIL AT THE GAS STATIONS. WHY IS OIL HIGH?

SPECULATION. MARGIN REQUIREMENTS ON OIL IN THE PITS IS NOW 5%. THE HEDGE FUNDS , PENSION FUNDS, AND OTHER SPECULATORS MOVE THEIR MONEY OUT OF THE STOCK MARKET WHERE MARGIN IS 50% AND MOVE IT INTO OIL WHERE IT IS 5%. THE STOCK MARKET GOES DOWN AND OIL GOES UP. THE BIG BROKERAGE FIRMS MAKE HIGH PROJECTIONS ON OIL PRICE AND THEY COME TRUE. THE SPECULATORS RULE. THEY DO NOT INTEND TO TAKE DELIVERY ON THE OIL THEY BUY, THEY JUST BUY TO MAKE MONEY. BUY $100,000,000 MILLION IN OIL CONTRACTS, IT GOES UP 5% AND NOW THEY HAVE $200,000,000. SPECULATORS HAVE TAKEN CONTROL.

I HAVE BEEN IN STUDYING THE MARKET FOR OVER 50 YEARS AND HAVE A GOOD MEMORY. MARGIN USED TO BE FLEXIBLE. WHEN THE STOCK MARKET PLUNGED MARGIN USED TO BE DROPPED. WHEN IT GOT OVER HEATED MARGIN WAS INCREASED. THE HELPED SMOOTH THE MARKET OUT. AND WOW. DID IT REACT WHEN MARGIN WAS CHANGED. DID IT REACT WHEN THERE WAS FEAR OF MARGIN CHANGE

NOW RAISE OIL MARGIN TO 50% I BELIEVE YOU WOULD SEE $70-80 OIL. THAT IS ALMOST IN HALF. JUST THE FEAR OF THIS HAPPENING WOULD MAKE OIL FALL AS THIS WILL WIPE OUT MANY SPECULATORS.

GIVE INCENTIVES TO DRILL FOR OIL IN THE USA. TAKE THE RESTRICTIONS OFF. DRILL OFF THE COAST, DRILL IN THE MOUNTAINS, DRILL IN ALASKA.. I LIVED IN FLA DURING KATRINA. NO OIL WAS SPILLED IN THE GULF FROM THE RIGS THERE. MANY OF MY FRIENDS LOVED TO FISH NEAR THESE RIGS AS THAT IS WHERE THE FISH WERE. THE CARIBOU WILL SLEEP NEAR THE PIPE LINES. THEY DO NOT CARE. IF THE POLITICIANS ARE WORRIED, MOVE THE CARIBOU.

OBAMA IS YELLING EXCESS PROFITS TAX. I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN OVER THE YEARS. IN PLAIN TERMS IT IS STUPID. IT GIVES THE POLITICIANS PORK BARREL MONEY AND TAKES AWAY THE INCENTIVE TO DRILL. WILD IDEA….GIVE THE OIL COMPANIES MORE TAX BREAKS AND INCENTIVE TO DRILL. I REMEMBER THE 27.5% OIL DEPLETION ALLOWANCE IN THE 1950′S. THIS WAS THE LAW THAT GAVE THE OIL COMPANIES A TAX BREAK TO DRILL. TAKE AWAY INCENTIVE AND RAISE TAXES ON THEM AND THEY DRILL LESS, GIVE THEM TAX INCENTIVES AND THEY DRILL MORE WOW. IT WORKED. IS NAY ONE IN WASHINGTON BOLD ENOUGH TO SUGGEST AND EXPLAIN THIS?

FLEX FUEL CARS: IN BRAZIL OVER 80 PER CENT OF ALL NEW CARS ARE FLEX FUEL. GIVE THE CAR COMPANIES TAX INCENTIVE TO BUILD THESE IMMEDIATELY. IF I WAS MCCAIN OR OBAMA I WOULD DO NOTHING BUT PUSH THIS PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY SAYING “I AM THE MAN OF THE PEOPLE, LETS SOLVE THIS PROBLEM TOGETHER.” I BELIVE THIS CAN GET EITHER ELECTED PRESIDENT.

THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM ON AMERICAN’S MINDS. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT A STRONG PRESIDENT ,A STRONG CANDIDATE AND CONGRESS CAN SOLVE.

JUST THE FEAR OF ADOPTING A PROGRAM LIKE THIS WILL DRIVE OIL DOWN AND I BELIEVE THE STOCK MARKET WOULD GO UP 1000 TO 2000 DOW POINTS.”

************************************************************************

So what does this mean? Here is my take from it. The people that are fueling the speculation on oil prices are the same people who fueled the specuation on mortgage backed securities and the dotcoms before that! These specualtors are driving up the prices!

The only other additional comment that I had is regarding Brazils energy independance. Their cars are fueled with ethanol produced from sugar. In the US the gov’t is subsidizing CORN to increase crop production. Production has increased and its all going into our gas tanks instead into the world food market. Corn is a very inefficient source for ethanal. It is NOT answer. Aroung the world there are countries having food riots over shortages. The policy to promote corn as an ethanol source needs to end. Corn is food … not fuel.

Write to your congressman and get them to intervene on the issues of 5% oil futures margins!

I just listed this great home in Powder Springs.

Just last week, peter Berk from Sunshine Mortgage contacted me about a great new loan program for 1st time home buyers. This program will give a 5 to 1 match to the buyers contribution. The buyer comes up with $800 and the grant fund contributes $4000! If the buyer comes up with $2000 then the fund will contribute $10000! What a great way for new home buyers to build some equity and come up with the required down payment. this should prove to be a great marketing and sales tool for this home.

What’s the catch? There really isn’t one. The buyer is required to take a homebuyers education class and there are some maximum income restrictions. So if the buyer makes too much money they wouldn’t be able to use the program.

Whether you are thinking aobut buying or selling a home, I think this is a great program to use. Call me if you have any questions!

_______________________________________________

First Time Buyers – Only $800 Down or possible Lease Purchase

Location: Sorrells Ridge

Be The Proud Owner – Of your first home. Check out the deal on this traditional home in Sorrells Ridge. Has 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, comfortable living room with fireplace, large master suite, separate shower, walk-in closet for your wardrobe, sunny kitchen with walk-in pantry for quick access to everything, vinyl floors, breakfast area, dishwasher and fridge are included. Ask about our $800 down First Time Buyer Program!

Information

Contact Information

Bob Southard

770-656-9134

Contact Reply Form

Forward to a Friend

View Other Flyers

Pricing

Asking Price: $159,900

Flexibility: Firm

Additional Pricing Information: Special Down Payment Grant for First Time buyers! For every $1 you put down the grant program will match 5 TIMES! For this home $800 is required from the buyer for a $4000 match. Buyer may put down as much as $2000 for a $10,000 matching grant!!!

Property Location

4212 Sorrells Blvd.
Powder Springs, Ga 30127
View Map

Links

SEE THE VIRTUAL TOUR

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 3

Parking: 2 car garage

Year Built: 1999

Subdivision: Sorrells Ridge

Lot Size: about 1/2 acre

School District: Cobb County

Agent Name: Bob Southard

Broker: Solid Source Realty, Inc

MLS #: 3721947

Schools: Powder Srprings, Cooper, McEachern

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Full Refrigerator

Dishwasher

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Vaulted Ceilings

Basement

Exterior Amenities

Tool Shed

Deck

Large Level yard

Photo Gallery

View as SlideshowView Photo Gallery (10 Photos)

Powered by vFlyer.com

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 1690085

FIRST TIME BUYERS
$800 Down
+
$4000 GRANT $$$$

Here in Metro Atlanta we have a huge metro area. The downtown Atlanta area is circled by a perimiter hwy I285. I-75 is Runs from Miami to Canada. The northern intersection of the 2 is major interchange in a highly populated area of southeast Cobb County. This is only about 15 miles form downtown Atlanta.

Since this is such ahighly poplated and traveled area it makes this story very unusual. Apparently a black bear was hit by a car on the ramp leading from I-75 to I-285!

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/16434593/detail.html

For the last four years on the Saturday before Memorial Day, my son and I have gone with the scouts to decorate the graves at the National Cemetary in Marietta. This is a truly amazing experience. There are over 18,000 graves on about 23 acres and the scouts put flags on every one of them.

Like I said, it’s a very moving experience.  We had the honor of paying tribute to people like Lt Colonel Nick Karl Stanislo who I don’t know but he served in WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam. 

But also honored the unknown soldiers like unknown 4503

Remember that Memorial day is about more than potato salad and bbq.  Take a few minutes this weekend to give thanks for Lt Col Stanislo, unknown 4503, and the hundres of thousands of others who have served so that we may live free.

One of the things about blogging is that we are supposed to write about things to help people get to know us.  I thought of this fun fact about myself the other night and had to share.

I believe that Elvis is alive.  There, I said it. Now, let me say that I am not a huge Elvis fan.  I don’t memorialize his birthday or the date of his alleged death.  I don’t think that I even own an Elvis record.

After looking at the Elvis is alive conspircies I just think that the chances are better than 50/50 that he faked his own death.  Know doubt that many of you have heard the theories and all of the long list of “facts” that support them.  There are 2 items that rally make me think:

     1. The name on his grave is mis-spelled.  Just a small clue that he might not be in there. C’mon, don’t you think that if it was a mistake that somebody would have fixed the spelling?

     2.  This is the big one for me. $1,000,000 life insurance policy was never cashed in!  Of course the reason is that if was cashed it would be fraud since he is still alive!

So why would he fake his own death?  I have always believed that it was simply to escape the life that he had created for himself. Elvis was just a simple southern boy and no longer could stand the trappings of his own stardom.  The other theory is that he is in witness protection because of some sort of testimony that he was going to give against the mob.  Of course that would explain alot about how he was actually able to pull the whole thing off.  The feds were helping.

I don’t lose any sleep over any of this.  Honestly I am not real concerned whether it is true or not. But like I said, it hink it is better than 50/50 that he is still out there somewhere.

Remember, when the big news breaks, that I am the one who told you so!

p.s. Since Elvis is alive, that makes him the first living person to have a memorial postage stamp made … Hey, why not if the Feds were in on the whole thing anyway

 ******************************************************

If you want to buy or sell a home in the Atlanta area please give me a call.

Bob Southard     Solid Source Realty 

Home Listing and Sales        Foreclosure Prevention Services

Real Estate Consulting and BPO Services    Foreclosure and Asset Management

770 -656-9134

Email: Bob@AgentBobSells.com 

1995 Jaguar XJ-6 Sedan           Ride in style and on a budget!

Price $3,400 Mileage 158,000 Year 1995 Make Jaguar Model XJ-6 Body Style Sedan Transmission Automatic Drive Rear-wheel drive Engine 6 cyl Exterior Color Black Interior Color Tan VIN SAJHX1746SC720919 Location Powder Springs, GA Features/Options:   - Air conditioning   - AM/FM stereo   - Cruise control   - Power steering   - Power windows   - Power door locks   - Power seats   - Leather seats   - Dual front airbags   - Alloy wheels Other Special Features:   - Only 3 owners.

Photo 1 Additional Info:   I bought the car from my wifs boss who owned the car for 10 years. She had purchased it when it was about 1 year old.Contrary to what some folks say about Jags, this car has been very reliable both for her and for me. The only unscheduled item that I had was a fuel pump which was replaced about 6 months ago.The car is all in all in good but not great condition. It has been parked outside so the paint is not perfect, but it does look good from a distance.The leather on the front seats was cracked and torn so I put on some seat covers. Like I said the car is not perfect but is very reliable. The AC is ICE COLD!See more photos at  http://1995Jag.industryaccess.com

770-656-9134

Real Estate services include home buying, selling, agency, foreclosure prevention in most areas of Metro Atlanta.  We buy houses. We sell houses. Ugly houses, pretty houses,

Cobb,Douglas,Fulton,Paulding,Bartow,Forsyth,Gwinnett,Dekalb,Cherokee County.  Douglasville ,Hiram, Dallas, Powder Springs,Marietta,Mableton,Austell,Smyrna,Kennesaw,Acworth,Roswell,SandySprings,

Cumming, Woodstock, Canton, Norcross, Atlanta, Dunwoody, Doraville, Lawrenceville

Don’t Monkey Around!

If you must sell your home fast, don’t call some joker that just saw the infomercial last weekend.

Call Bob Right Now

*Real Estate investments since 1980

*Close in 7-10 days or in a time frame that works for you

*Stop foreclosure without bankruptcy

*Need repairs—no problem

*Not much equity? Call Bob

*Estate sales, 2 house payments?, Job loss, Divorce, Life Happens to all of us–No Problem

*Foreclosure prevention counseling – No Charge

If you are facing foreclosure you have multiple options other than selling the home, bankrupty, or foreclosure.

You may be able to keep your home!

Click Here for foreclosure prevention Blog 

Ga. R.E. #266576— Being licensed means that the transaction is monitored by a broker and also subject to review by the Georgia Real Estate commission. If you deal with an unlicensed individual there are no rules (laws) for your protection.

Call Now

770 –656-9134

Real Estate services include home buying, selling, agency, foreclosure prevention in most areas of Metro Atlanta.  We buy houses. We sell houses. Ugly houses, pretty houses,

Cobb,Douglas,Fulton,Paulding,Bartow,Forsyth,Gwinnett,Dekalb,Cherokee County.  Douglasville ,Hiram, Dallas, Powder Springs, Marietta, Mableton, Austell, Smyrna, Kennesaw, Acworth, Roswell, SandySprings, Cumming, Woodstock, Canton, Norcross, Atlanta, Dunwoody, Doraville, Lawrenceville