Amy Caldwell Realty

02/02/2023

What is going on with interest rates these days? This is the question that I am getting every day! I recently spoke with Robbie Crozier of Shelter Mortgage. Robbie is a local lender with over twenty years experience. Listen to what he has to say.

Interested in buying or selling a home? Amy Caldwell, a local Realtor with The Marshall Berch Group, speaks with Robbie Crozier of Shelter Mortgage. Learn...

01/23/2023

I love having the opportunity to fantastic people and great resources in our area. This week I met Deena Brogdon of Extra Mile Tutoring. Extra Mile Tutoring currently has 14 tutors. and works with kids from pre-k through high school. Check out this interview and see how they can go the extra mile for your child.

Amy Caldwell, A Realtor with the Marshall Berch Team of PalmerHouse Properties talks to Deena Brogdon and learns how Extra Mile Tutoring goes the "extra mi...

01/11/2023

Vickie Bracewell, the owner of Queenies, shares how Queenies started and what makes this boutique such a special place and its not just all the beautiful clothes and accessories. Come see for yourself why this is the Cheers of Consignment shopping.

Amy Caldwell, a Realtor with PalmerHouse Properties, speaks with Vickie Bracewell, the owner and founder of Queenie's Consignment. Vickie shares how Queeni...

12/08/2022

Did you know the Camp Sunshine House is just down the street from the Toco Hills? My friend, Bob Chambless, has been volunteering there for 13 years and in this interview he shares a bit about why he is passionate about this organization1https://parkbench.com/blog/camp-sunshine-house-charity-toco-hills-atlanta-bob-chambless

Amy Caldwell, a real estate agent in the Toco Hills area is interviews Camp Sunshine volunteer Bob Chambless. Camp Sunshine enriches the lives of Georgia's...

11/30/2022

https://parkbench.com/blog/midtown-psychotherapy-associates-therapeutic-counseling-toco-hills-atlanta-angela-schaffner

You recently moved to Practice with Midtown Psychotherapy, what drew you here. Several of my colleagues here worked with me previously at the Ea...

11/19/2022

Kristen Meredith is my neighbor, friend and is also a very smart and gifted entrepreneur. It was a rainy cold day when I interviewed her, but stepping into her home/office full of beautiful clothing and accessories, plus hearing her story was a warm distraction from the cold day.

I'm Amy Caldwell, a Realtor with PalmerHouse Properties and I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristen Mayfield of KMM Collective. Kristen is an artist, cl...

02/19/2021

Always love discovering new paths to nature in Atlanta, even after living here on and off for 30+ years . Today Stephen and I hiked by Rottenwood Creek by the Powers Ferry Boat landing. Its a mix as the trail goes under the interstate and by office buildings - but really beautiful! Thanks Atlanta Outdoor Club for allowing us to have new experiences during a time when we are so limited with our activities!

02/11/2021

Why use and agent?
• Your home search is your agents’ job so you can get on with your life. They know the market and have access to additional resources in finding your home.
• Clever staging can sometimes blind you to a home’s real problems. Your agent will be on the lookout for problems and can help you remain objective.
• A good agent is a master negotiator and knows which strategies are most effective for the situation and how to tweak your offer if you need to counter or if you are faced with a multiple offer situation.
• Inspections are long and full of faults regarding the home you are about to purchase. Agents are skilled at deciphering these reports to negotiating for the most critical repairs.
• Digital resources don’t address the emotional side of buying a home. A good agent is experienced in coaching clients through all the anxiety, stress, worry and exhaustion!
• The final transaction paperwork is not for the faint at heart. Agents have been through this many times before and are adept at catching costly oversites like missing repair credits or home warranty coverage from the seller.

01/25/2021

Before you begin searching for a new home it is important to contact a lender to help determine how much house you can afford and to provide a pre-approval or pre-qualification letter. The pre-approval is a step beyond the pre-qualification letter as it shows you are approved to buy a home up to the amount specified on the letter.

01/11/2021

If you are planning to buy a home, you most likely will be taking out a loan. In preparation for this step, it is important to know what your credit score is. Ignorance is not bliss and knowledge is power!

Three major credit bureaus determine your credit score (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), and you can access a free report by using AnnualCreditReport.com. This gives you a detailed report of your credit history but does not give your actual credit score. You can access your credit score by going to freecreditscore.com or you may be able to get this information from your bank or credit card company.

To qualify for an FHA loan which only requires a 3.5% down payment, your credit score needs to be at least 580, while many major lenders require a score of 620 or more.

If your credit score is low, don’t be dismayed! I’m going to share some tips on how to improve your credit score. Some are quick and easy, and some may take some time.

· Request one-time mistakes be removed your record: If you just made one or two late payments it may help to call the company that registered the payment and ask for their assistance in removing it from your credit report.
· Increase your limits: If you don’t have the ability to pay off your debt, improve your debt to credit ratio by increasing your credit limit on your credit card.
· Pay on time: This is not a quick fix, but you do have the power to improve your credit score if you will commit to paying your bill on time. You may want to consider signing up for automatic payments to guarantee success.
· Give yourself time: Items such as late or non-existent payments can stay on your report for up to seven years but changing your habits makes a big difference in your credit history. Of course the most important thing is to talk to an expert. I have some incredible lenders to that I work with so please reach out if you would like a recommendation.