Overview

Deborah unpacks talk of 50-year mortgages and removing minimum credit scores for conventional loans, why these ideas aim at affordability yet carry real risks, and how amortization affects equity if you move in five to seven years. Taylor explains what home warranties do, when they help, and common misconceptions. Live calls cover subdividing acreage, foreclosure outreach, barndominium resale and financing, COVID deferments that became surprise second liens, and warranty value.

Key Takeaways

• Extending to 50 years trims payment only modestly while driving total cost up sharply.
• Dropping the conventional credit-score floor expands access but can raise pricing for risk.
• In early years most of the payment goes to interest, slowing equity build.
• Secondary market appetite matters; riskier products often cost more.
• On-time rent may now help mortgage qualification via updated tri-merge reporting.

Caller Q&A

• Charles, Thomaston: Wants to sell house with part of 18 acres and build on the rest. Yes, you can re-plat and record new boundaries with an attorney; local pros can help.
• Lewis, Rome: Behind on payments and contacted by an investor. Work the loss-mitigation path, be wary of lowball offers, and seek trusted local representation.
• James, Conyers: Barndominium resale and financing. Buyer pool and loan options are narrower; great if it is your long-term home, otherwise weigh exit risk.
• Steven, Locust Grove: Are home warranties worth it? They can be, especially for tight budgets and older systems; understand plan tiers, coverage, and claim process.

Looking Ahead

• If standards loosen and data like rent history counts, more first-time buyers may qualify.
• Expect more title surprises from pandemic-era deferments; verify payoff figures early.
• Builders and sellers may negotiate credits to solve monthly payment hurdles.
• Thanksgiving week: more on 50-year mortgages with Deborah joining Shelly’s weekday show.

Practical Tips

For Owners

• Pull a preliminary title and confirm any forbearance or deferment add-ons before listing.
• If systems are aging, compare warranty cost to likely repair or replacement.
• Subdivide with a surveyor and attorney; record promptly and notify your lender if encumbered.

For Buyers

• Model the true monthly: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA.
• Ask lenders how rent history can help approval; compare loan types and pricing.
• Be cautious with very long terms; consider future equity and resale timing.

Timestamps

• 00:45 50-year mortgages and credit-score changes
• 03:40 Why small payment savings can hurt equity later
• 05:16 Secondary market risk and pricing reality
• 07:02 Guest intro: Taylor Rogowski, First American Home Warranty
• 11:26 What warranties do and how seller coverage can help
• 22:37 COVID deferments showing up as second liens
• 26:32 Barndominium financing and resale considerations

Resources & Contact

Website: insidegeorgiarealestate.com Email: IGRE@WSBradio.com Call: 404-872-0750 • 1-800-WSB-TALK Instagram: @theagency.atlanta • @insidegeorgiarealestate

Overview Deborah opens with a real world story about a flat tire, great service at Audi Marietta, and why “full service” matters in every industry. She connects that idea to real estate, outlining what true full-service brokerage looks like, from financing guidance and vendor coordination to negotiation, staging, contract management, and long term client care. The team also introduces the new Home Report Card, a one page self-evaluation to help sellers assess condition before listing. Callers weigh in with two fascinating cases, including acreage with a Native American solstice marker and a medieval-themed home that has struggled to sell. Deborah closes with how uncertainty, including potential government shutdowns, affects confidence, pricing, and timelines, plus practical advice for buyers and sellers right now.

Highlights

• What “full service” really means in real estate, beyond finding a house
• How client care, vendor teams, and negotiation skill change outcomes
• The Home Report Card and why condition drives days on market and price
• Price, condition, and marketing as the three levers for unique properties
• How uncertainty influences consumer behavior and deal flow
• Who benefits in this market, and why 2018 to 2019 is a better comparison than 2022
• Why many listings sit today, and what “outdated” really looks like in kitchens and baths

Caller Q&A

• Steve in Franklin: Pricing land with a rare Native American solstice marker. Deborah suggests historical research and targeted marketing to value a unique asset.
• Regular Dave in Hiram: A medieval-style home that has been on and off the market for years. Deborah recommends a deep review using the Home Report Card, zoning checks for alternate uses, and a strategy that finds the right buyer pool.

Timestamps

00:00 Ad break

00:29 Welcome, why full service matters

01:28 From flat tire to full-service analogy

02:00 What true client care includes

07:17 Services, fees, and industry expectations after recent lawsuits

09:13 Introducing the Home Report Card

12:14 Caller Steve, land with solstice marker

18:21 Caller Regular Dave, medieval-style home

23:11 Market confidence, uncertainty, and activity levels

24:59 Who has the edge, buyers or sellers

31:51 What makes a home feel outdated today

33:16 Costs after closing and buyer tolerance

33:47 Community challenge and closing

Resources mentioned

• InsideGeorgiaRealEstate.com — request the Home Report Card and contact Deborah
• Vendor love: staging partners, contract management, specialty trades, and septic pros are part of the team approach at The Agency Atlanta

Takeaways

• Sellers who prepare, price correctly, and present well still sell quickly.
• Buyers can win value in this climate, but should target condition that fits budget.
• Unique properties require research, creative marketing, and the right audience.
• Confidence fuels decisions, which shortens timelines and smooths negotiations.

Connect Questions or a copy of the Home Report Card → InsideGeorgiaRealEstate.com | The Agency Atlanta | Ask for Deborah Morton

A federal shutdown slows certain mortgage steps—mainly FHA/VA/USDA and IRS transcript checks, but it doesn’t stop Atlanta real estate. Here’s what’s actually impacted and how buyers/sellers can keep momentum.

KEY IMPACTS

• Government-backed loans: expect delays where human review is needed.

• Conventional loans: mostly continue with fewer bottlenecks.

• Rates: recently eased, but affordability is still ruled by prices, debt, and living costs.

• ATL wrinkle: near creeks/Chattahoochee tributaries, handle flood certs/insurance early.

BUYER MOVES (METRO ATL)

• Get fully underwritten and lock your rate; keep your lender updated on job/assets/gifts.

• Ask if your file needs IRS transcripts; add buffer days.

• Using FHA/VA/USDA? Request a shutdown-specific timeline with Plan B steps.

• Price the monthly (PITI), not just the rate; taxes/insurance hit budgets here.

• Tour midweek for cleaner reads on the house and less competition.

SELLER PLAYBOOK

1. Evaluation: Get a realistic price range, net sheet, and demand read early; skip data-harvesting “free value” widgets.
2. Preparation: One folder with warranties/permits/receipts; service HVAC, fix slow drains, touch-up paint, replace fogged panes; verify deeded owners/POAs/trusts; consider pre-list inspections for older intown homes/estates.
3. Action: Price for today’s pace; pair with full documentation, clean disclosures, strong photos, and tight timelines.

CURB APPEAL (ATL)

• Prep lawn now for spring: overseed, edge beds, mulch, trim trees off the roof.

• Manage water: regrade low spots, clean gutters, add splash blocks—storms test everything.

• Under heavy pines, favor hardscape/groundcovers/pine-straw geometry over struggling sod.

AFFORDABILITY REALITY

• Lower rates help, but affordability = prices + debt + living costs; expect more negotiation on credits, buydowns, and targeted price cuts when condition/pricing miss.

• Move-up owners with ~3% loans: consider buy-then-refi with a clear break-even; if staying 2–3 years, focused renos may beat a move.

60–120 DAY CHECKLIST

Buyers: fully underwritten; lender with a published shutdown plan; midweek tours; confirm flood/insurance early; verify the full monthly.

Sellers: yard work now; service systems and save receipts; pre-clear title issues (estates/divorces/trusts); list with ages, warranties, and improvement docs.

BOTTOM LINE

Shutdowns slow pieces of the mortgage machine—most notably FHA/VA/USDA—but deals still get done. Plan early, document thoroughly, and keep timelines realistic to win closings this season.