I’ve noticed an alarming trend lately in the Alpharetta and Johns Creek areas involving roofing companies and “hail damage” claims against homeowner policies.

There are roofing companies out there that appear to be “drumming” up business by soliciting unnecessary roof replacements that are paid for by homeowner’s insurance. The sales tools include area maps marked up with big red circles around areas that have experienced “hail activity” and yard signs.

It also tends to happen more with some insurance carriers than with others. I asked about it with one of these roofing companies recently and their first question was “Who is your carrier?” the second comment was “They are tough, you probably won’t get it.” Read the rest of this entry »

Download the July-August 2008 Newsletter (in PDF)

Enjoy the all new layout for Johns Creek and Alpharetta Living Local Newsletter.

Check out the “before” and “after” kitchen photos this month, learn more about the current trends in the local real estate market, catch a glimpse of summer fun in the photo of the month and visit Webb Bridge Park in this issue.

The market has been fairly unchanged in the past 30-60 days, but there are a few hopeful signs that an improvement may be on the horizon.

June 2007 vs. June 2008 figures:

• Under $275K, there was a 14% decrease in sales as compared to June 2007 and the current inventory reflects a 46.1% increase in the supply of homes over the figures for this same time last year.
• $275-600K, we have experienced a 26% drop in sales as compared to last year, with the inventory up 40%.
• $600K+ price range has experienced a 50% drop with a 108% increase in inventory which represents a 21-month supply of homes now.

Although comparisons to last year seem rather dismal, June 2008 figures (for mid-range homes from $275K-600K) show an increase of 7.5% over last month and the total inventory dropped by 5.2%. This is a trend we hope will continue. The lower and higher ranges did not fare as well.

It feels like the market was a bit more vibrant at the end of June, and I hope that will continue into this new month. Personally, I’m happy to report an increase in activity with my own listings and showings.

Please note: When I report data, I’m giving you information on what’s gone under contract within the past month — so my figures for this area are more up-to-date than the national data you see reported in the news. Why? National figures for existing home sales data typically lag the market by 30-60 days because they report only closed sales, not those under contract.

Visit my sales trends section to learn more about local home sales.