Jennifer's News | Atlanta Real Estate

If spring and summer had you losing bidding wars, September looks different. Fewer buyers are out shopping, but the homes that didn't sell over the summer are still sitting — and those sellers are starting to feel it. Is September a Good Time to Buy a House in Atlanta? What the Data Says Per FMLS, Atlanta's own MLS, detached homes had a 4.4-month supply of inventory in July, selling in a median of 38 days at 98.5% of list price. That's still technically seller-favored territory (6 months is the balanced-market line) — this isn't a crash. But price reductions are more common than they were earlier this year, and a home still listed after 30, 60, or 90 days is a seller who's already realizing their number was too high. That's your opening, even in a market that hasn't fully flipped. (If you read my June post on Atlanta's buyer leverage, this is the next chapter of that story.) Spotting a stale listing. Check the days-on-market and price history, not j...

  A buyer rebate means your agent gives part of their commission back to you at closing. It's legal in Georgia. I credit my buyers up to 1% of the purchase price. On a $650,000 home in Alpharetta, that's up to $6,500 at the closing table, subject to lender approval. That's the short answer. The rest of this post covers the questions buyers ask me once they hear it, including the limits most agents don't mention. Is a buyer rebate legal in Georgia? Yes. The Georgia Real Estate Commission allows it under Rule 520-1-.10, as long as the rebate is disclosed on the closing statement. It shows up on your Closing Disclosure, the official document that lists every dollar in your transaction, and your lender sees it and approves it. Georgia is an attorney-closing state, so the closing attorney applies the credit at the table along with everything else. Nothing about it is hidden. Where does the money come from? Since August 2024, buyers sign a written agreement with their agent b...

When people call me about moving to Atlanta, the BeltLine comes up almost every time now. Sometimes they know exactly what it is. More often they've just heard the word tossed around and want to know whether they're supposed to care. So let me explain it the way I would over coffee — no brochure language, no hype. It started as a pretty simple idea: take the old, abandoned railroad tracks that circle the middle of the city and turn them into a 22-mile loop of walking and biking trails, parks, and eventually transit. On paper that sounds modest. In person, it's changed how a whole generation of Atlantans wants to live. On a good Saturday, the Eastside Trail is packed — people walking dogs, grabbing a beer on a patio, biking to dinner instead of fighting for parking. It links something like 45 neighborhoods, and it's still being built, with the full loop expected to come together around 2030. If you've been hearing more about it lately, there's a reason. Atlanta...

  Everyone's waiting for mortgage rates to drop before they buy. That wait might be costing them the best buyer's window Atlanta has seen in six years. Here's what most buyers don't realize is happening in Metro Atlanta right now. Inventory is the highest it's been since 2019 As of June 2026, Metro Atlanta has more homes on the market than it has in over six years. Active listings have climbed for a third straight year. After a decade of bidding wars, low supply, and waiving every contingency just to compete, the math has quietly flipped. More homes for sale mean one thing for buyers: choices, and the room to negotiate. Sales are down — and that's your advantage Closed sales across the metro are down roughly 10% compared to a year ago. A big part of that is buyer hesitation — stubborn mortgage rates and broader economic uncertainty have a lot of people sitting on the sidelines, waiting for a "perfect" moment. But here's the contrarian truth:...

  By Jennifer Orly Lazarian, Realtor® | Virtual Properties Realty | Atlanta, GA If you've been watching the Atlanta market and wondering whether now is the right time to buy or sell, here's my honest take — as someone who's been in the Atlanta real estate trenches for over 23 years. No national headline will tell you what I'm about to tell you. Because in Atlanta, everything is hyperlocal. What the Numbers Are Telling Us The Atlanta market heading into summer 2026 is best described as strategic and stable — not hot, not cold, but full of opportunity if you know how to read it. Here's what's happening right now: Median home price: around $422,000–$440,000 depending on the data source and area. Zillow's home value index sits around $380K for the city proper, while Metro Atlanta median listing prices hit $422,400 in April 2026 (Realtor.com). The sale-to-list ratio is at 96.7% — meaning homes are selling slightly below asking price. That's a healt...

  This Ain’t a Backyard — It’s a Patch of Grass With Dreams Atlanta listings love to act like every home comes with a botanical garden. Then you step outside and realize the “outdoor oasis” is really just a 6x8 patch of grass fighting for its life . Realtors will swear it’s: “Perfect for entertaining” — if your guests are two squirrels and a folding chair “Low‑maintenance” — because there’s literally nothing to maintain “Private” — unless your neighbor sneezes and you end up saying “bless you” through the fence And don’t get me started on the “fenced yard.” Sweetie, that’s not a fence. That’s three panels of wood leaning on each other like they’re in group therapy . But here’s the thing: In Atlanta, we’ll still throw a grill out there, hang up some lights, and call it a vibe. Because if there’s one thing this city knows how to do, it’s make the most out of a situation that probably needs prayer . And honestly? That tiny patch of grass might not be a backyard… ...