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One of my best-kept secrets is finding a cost-effective way to build value. Behind the scenes, I'll check with my chosen roofer to see if one of my upcoming listings has experienced recent storms. If so, I'll approach the seller and find out who they are insured with and the cost of their deductible. Then, I'll suggest we contact Northpoint Roofing Systems to inspect their roof. They do this by flying the roof with a drone and they use software to identify damage. If we can put a new roof on prior to listing the house, I can raise the value - especially if I can find recent comparable sales in the area that don't have new roofs. I check both the listings and the disclosures of those properties. In many cases, my clients have been able to replace the roof prior to the sale. The effect has been a higher closing price, but we have a coveted new roof!! This can range from $12k and up depending on the size and cost of the roof. Often in these situations, it is one of the few upgrades that has been done to the property - not to mention, the most recent. It is one of the most expensive and least inspected systems as well. Additionally, if the claim does not go through. There is still value. We have a written report on the condition of the roof. It memorializes the condition for future consideration. For example, let's say I represent the buyer, in this case, and the claim is not successful. My client has a written report that states the condition of the roof when the home was purchased. Any future damage done, would be done under the policy of the new homeowner (a.k.a. my buyer). So, in a year to two down the road, if they were to experience a storm - then, they would inspect again and re-file the claim. In another example, if I am representing the seller and the claim isn’t successful, the written report and photographic evidence can also be used to defend against roof repairs requested by the buyer. So, either way - it is a useful tool to be used in my cache of real estate expertise. If you have specific questions about your real estate, feel free to give me a call UPDATE 11/2/2021 Through Northpoint Roofing, I have been monitoring the condition of my own roof at my primary residence. Through that, they've informed me, unbeknownst to me, that there was a significant storm in my area July 2021. I was not aware of that... and certainly did not believe it could cause enough damage to my roof because I just had the roof scanned through them in March 2021 - with no avail, so I was not particularly enthusiastic. However, there was over 130+ new hits from hail with that recent storm. And, low and behold my roof claim was successfully approved November 2, 2021.

4062 Christacy Way Marietta, Georgia 30066 / Thornbrook Subdivision We listed this house a 1-week after the renovated neighboring house at 4064 Christacy Way hit the market. Both homes were traditional homes, very similar in size, and in configuration. The house at 4064 listed at $360k with very little data (and comparable sales to support it.) They had several immediate offers and took one that looked good. With it being off the market rather quickly, it helped refine my marketing strategy for 4062. We did some of what I'd call pre-gaming this listing by having the roof checked for storm damage. I use Northpoint Roofing Systems in Woodstock to inspect the roof of properties for my clients. In this case, they identified a recent history of storms and actual storm damage, which enabled a successful claim to be filed for a new roof. This only cost my client $1k in her deductible. 4062 listed at $370k with some justification with the list price of the neighboring house plus the new roof. The listing went live on a Wednesday along with back-to-back open houses on Saturday and Sunday. By Sunday, 50+ buyers had toured the home with either their agent or at one of the open house. By the following Monday, we had 6 offers in hand. Some sellers do not like an agent doing open houses because they believe it won't sell the house. I disagree. Many times buyers who made an offer on the home (or are really interested in the home) return to the home during the open house. This can help because when they see the other potential buyers who are interested, they may be apt to change and/or increase their offer. It also helps because those buyers talk. No, I don't ask questions of buyers who have agents... but, that doesn't mean they don't offer me information on their own regard. My experience has been this is a very good strategy. By Wednesday, we vetted the 6-offers and chose one to work with. I am not a personal fan of "highest and best", but I do prefer the highest quality offer especially in this very tight market. On 9/9/21, we closed at $405k, which was $35k over our asking price of $370k. There was zero ($0) in repairs to be made and zero in concessions. PS The house at 4064 closed on 8/31/21 at $9k above the list price.

During a stand-up comedy routine (my first ever), I closed my set by stating, “back when I first tried online dating… it was back during dial-up” while holding my pinky and my thumb to my ear like you did with a telephone back in the olden days. It was during that time, the brief stint in online dating that is, where I met someone who changed my life and it all revolved around the size of a candy bar. Although my online dating experience was not quite during the days of dial-up, it wasn’t too far from it. I met a woman named, Gianna (a.k.a. "Johnnie"), whose occupation was one of a professional speaker and presenter. She'd present corporate keynote speeches and demonstrate the latest products at tradeshows and conferences. I’d soon come to find out that Johnnie had the “wow” factor not just in her presentations, but also in her presence. She was an expert at getting one's full attention and making a great, first impression, which she did. When I first met her, Halloween was on the horizon. As she and I talked one day, I told her I was on my way to buy candy for the kids in my neighborhood. When she asked what I was buying for them, I told her the typical marketed and major brands of “bite-sized” candies. “Wrong”, she told me. “What do you mean?”, I asked. “Buy the KING-SIZED candy bars,” she quipped. “Why do that?”, I asked. That is not what’s marketed in the aisles of every major store. “Because you’ll WOW those young, impressionable, trick-or-treaters so much they’ll NEVER, EVER forget you. And, they’ll talk about it for the rest of their lives”, she said. The practical side of me found that hard to believe and/or conceive and I resisted her suggestion; however, she eventually talked me into agreeing to, at least, testing out her theory. So, I settled on a blended candy purchase, buying both multiple bags of the bite-size and a dozen of the king-size candy bars for my trick-or-treaters. I wasn't convinced yet, but I was curious to see what would happen. As the costumed kids slowly trudged through my neighborhood and climbed the steps to my front door, my Halloween experiment started to unfold. I answered the door with an unusual eagerness not only interested in the costumes, but also the results of my social experiment.. I tried giving the costumed doorknockers a few bite-size candies, and then a bit later, I’d try giving others a whole handful (or two) of bite-size candy bars, and later on, at some point,… I tried dumping the entire bowl of multiple bite-sized candy bars into some of the kid’s bags in an effort to impress and overwhelm them. All of their response I’d categorize in the normal or typical: it's Halloween and I am getting free candy... range. Then late in the night, I pulled out the KING-SIZED Hershey Milk Chocolate candy bar for the half dozen select kids. When those kids saw the over-the-top Halloween currency I wielded, their expressions were absolutely priceless!! Not just happy, but cheering, fist-pumping, ecstatic faces… with huge smiles beyond what I experienced with any of the various combinations or numbers of the bite-sized candy bars I provided. All of those gifting experiences, from a modest one bar to a whole bowl, yielded generally the same facial expression. When giving the KING-SIZED candy bars many of the kids could not contain themselves, or even keep still, as they jumped up and down and made up an improvisational celebratory dance, the only kind that overly excited children can do. From my perspective, the additional expense was nominal for the type of reactions and the joy I received. It was completely worth the investment. I also had to admit that I had been shortsighted. I also began to understand the value of making not only a lasting impression but also a significant one. There is an opportunity cost of delivering a product or service within the expected or average range – especially when you have the opportunity to blow them out of the water. Now, in case you were wondering back to where we started, Johnnie and I never made it together as an official couple; however, she did teach me a few valuable lessons, one of which I try to pay homage to in both my personal and my professional life: “You really do never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Good companies might be aware of this, but great companies know it - and deliver both! BIO Tom Andre is a REALTOR© in the Atlanta metro area. He represents the 3rd generation of REALTORS© in his family. Tom holds a B.S. in Organizational & Interpersonal Communication, an MA in Counseling, and is licensed as an Associate Broker, and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Georgia. He utilizes his people, counseling, negotiation skills making home sales smooth and stress-free. Get to know Tom by calling470-486-7851. © Thomas Andre

Update 8/9/21 After six days on the market - only to allow many showings (25 to be exact) and two open houses (with 20 people showing up to each open house) resulting in (6) offers. This morning my client accepted an offer and now we'll work on which other offer will back it up. Next, we manage the due diligence time period and the backup contract will help pressure the buyer as well as keep the seller feeling comfortable with the process.

Come join us for an open house on Saturday 8/7 and Sunday 8/8 from 2 to 4 PM.

If I answered this question 12-months ago, my answer would be different. Back in early 2020, I'd tell people who are in the market to buy, that other buyers may not look like you. There might be others looking to reside in the property, but they are also likely to include private and institutional investors during that time. This could be a retired UPS executive investing retirement money or it could be a Hedge Fund that is under pressure to purchase investment properties. In 2021, the playing field has continued to change but for different reasons. Due to the Pandemic, the Atlanta metro area is experiencing a surge of out-of-state buyers. Many of these buyers are leaving higher-priced cities, which gives me a lot more buying power in the Atlanta market. People are fleeing states such as California, Illinois, and New York are heading south to Georgia, Florida, Texas, and others. In a recent transaction in the metro area, a relocating Californian was able to outbid 14 other local buyers to secure her next home. In another transaction, two out-of-state investors started their bidding at an over-asking price offer to raise the bar for other buyers, but also to win the option to move forward with the seller. This is making the metro area market super competitive and very hot! Some markets are down to a 1/2 of a month of inventory when this time last year may have had 1 to 3-months of inventory. For those of you who may not know, a balanced market is 6-months of inventory. If you have a need to relocate and/or invest in metro Atlanta real estate, feel free to reach out by giving me a call or send me an email. Tom Andre Associate Broker, REALTOR®, & Licensed Professional Counselor (GA-LPC) ATLANTA COMMUNITIES (c) 470-786-7851 Tom@ConsultingAndre.com