So I just got a really sweet letter from a client this week. Her sister passed away and I helped sell her sister's home in Normaltown. Here is the note I received. I love being able to help people!

My first full year of real estate comes to a close.

As I closed up my first full year of real estate I reflected over the crazy great business I was so fortunate to have come my way. I helped over 17 families find or sell their home in the area in 2013. I loved every minute of it. I will be honest and say that there were moments that were not easy, and I did wonder what the heck I had gotten into, but over all I ADORE what I am doing. Helping people in this way is the best reward. Here is one client's letter that was written to my boss and Sales Manager this year about her experience finding a home with my help. 

Dear Charlie and Jennifer,

We recently moved to Athens and worked with Eric Vaughn to help us purchase a house.  We wanted to send a note to let you know that Eric was incredibly effective as our realtor and how much we appreciated working with him.  Moving from so far away was stressful, and having Eric as an advocate and supporter made the process less stressful than it otherwise might have been.  We ran into some typical real estate snags, but Eric was patient and walked us through each and every step carefully and thoughtfully. He was the perfect balance of counselor, advocate, and advisor.  

We purchased new construction and were 1500 miles away for most of the construction process.  Eric kept us posted on the progress of the home and kept us in the loop with any questions or concerns.  He was (and still is!) very clear and quick in his communication with us and has gone above and beyond by helping us through some post-closing issues with the new house.  Overall, Eric was fun to work with and we enjoyed the opportunity to get to know him.  He helped to make our transition to Athens a smooth one and gave an excellent impression of the city.  

While we know the best way to support Eric is to tell our friends looking to buy houses about our experience with him, we also thought it would be nice for you to have confirmation that you have an excellent team member in Eric.

Sincerely,

Dora and Chris

So it's 2014 already.

So it's already 2014 and I just realized that this sad blog has been ignored by me for way too long. I have made several new year's resolutions ( drink more water, visit my folks more,  answer my phone more, work out more, bla bla bla ) and I guess one resolution I need to add to the growing list is I need to blog more! Many people have told me I should tell my stories as I navigate through the world of real estate. My first full year was pretty action packed and I learned a lot. I plan on posting some comical stories, some informative tid bits and a few pics too. Hope you enjoy my entries and feel free to comment and share. I will try to entertain, teach and not offend. Happy New Year!

I am so excited to be listing this fantastic home in the heart of Cobbham here is Athens. This neo-classic, Queen Anne style home built in the later 1890s and just has a whole host of wonderful attributes. Many people migrate to historic properties because they love the history and solid build of older homes and Cobbham is full of gems like this one. This elegant home has gone under contract and I am pleased that it will change hands next month.  It boasts five bedrooms and a ball room sized third floor attic space that could be turned into a fabulous living space as well. The lot is complete with a fully equipped two bedroom cottage and a full acre of land in the heart of the city. This is truly a rare find! I've been so proud to represent this listing and find it a great new caretaker for the future.

What is "Due Diligence"?

I work with a lot of first time home buyers or buyers who haven't purchased a home in a while. The first thing that comes up is what if there is something wrong with the home? How does the buyer know and how do they get out of the contract if there is a serious issue? This is what "due diligence" is all about. I always negotiate at least a a two week due diligence period where we can have the new home inspected by a licensed inspector, and anyone else that the buyer might want to bring in for a professional opinion regarding the condition of the home, or how much work may be needed to satisfy the new ower, or even the lender. This time is also used for the buyer to really make sure they want to buy the home they have made an offer on. I encourage my buyers to visit the home as much as possible to ensure they really want to move forward with the process. Buying a home is stressful and full of risk. I always tell my clients to go with their gut. Usually, you know if it is the right thing to do or not, and a two week due diligence period is the perfect time to soul search and figure it out.

Welcome to my blog!

 I very recently dove head first into the world of residential real estate. I was told that it would be a slow start and it would take some time to get traction, but I have to say that I have been insanely busy so far. I LOVE my job! I plan on sharing funny stories, personal views, real estate tidbits, and even answer a question or two if I can.

Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty is my new home. I feel the power and and strenght of working for the number one real estate firm here in Athens. They have given me a great training foundation and set me on the path to great success in helping others as well as myself .

Please check in from time to time and I promise to try and keep you informed and entertained. The real estate market is ceratinly on the move forward and things are looking up!

Eric