A & B Buffington Realty

05/06/2026

04/24/2026

PRICE REDUCTION in North Oconee!

😍Now $685,000 for 5 Bedrooms, 3 Baths, a finsihed basement, AND a detached garage on 1 acre. 🏡

https://www.georgiamls.com/1120-liberty-lane-bogart-ga-30622/10714334

Call/text Angie 706-461-4944 for more info or to schedule a showing.

04/20/2026

PRICE REDUCTION!
Now $685,000

Move In Ready, because "it has potential" is getting OLD. 😉

03/30/2026

There has been a lot of discussion about the requirements for short-term rentals in the Athens area. Based on the most current information if you are interested in purchasing them you need to stay just outside of the Clarke county borders. In fact, a lot of owners will need to sell them in the next year as they get sunsetted, or convert to longer rentals.

This updated factsheet is designed for quick reference by buyers, including the essential links and contacts to verify a property's potential for short-term rental (STR) use.
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Buying for Short-Term Rentals in Athens-Clarke County: The Facts
If you are buying property in Athens to list on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo, the rules changed in March 2025. Use this guide to determine if your investment is legal.
1. The "Owner-Occupied" Advantage (Home Occupation STR)

* The Rule: If the property is your primary residence (you live there >183 days/year), you can generally rent it out.
* Where: Allowed in almost every residential and commercial zone.
* The Catch: You must be the resident. You can rent a room, basement suite, or the entire house while on vacation. [Apply for a Home Occupation Permit here](https://www.accgov.com/793/Applications-Fees). [1, 2]

2. Buying an "Investment Property" (Commercial STR)

* The Rule: If you do not plan to live in the house and want a full-time business rental, your options are limited.
* Prohibited Zones: You cannot start a new commercial STR in single-family residential zones (e.g., RS-5, RS-8, RS-15, RS-25, RS-40).
* Allowed Zones: You can buy investment STRs in most Commercial (C), Employment (E), and some Agricultural (A) zones. [3]

3. Verify Before You Buy: The Zoning Map [4]
Do not take a seller's word for it. Use the official tools to see the exact zoning code of any address:

* [Interactive ACC Planning Viewer](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/4ff11e146bac4516afe4571d3162ba10): This live map allows you to search by address and see the specific zoning layer for any parcel.
* [Zoning Legend & Definitions](https://www.accgov.com/DocumentView.aspx?DID=2968): Use this guide to understand what codes like "RS-8" or "C-G" mean for your property. [3, 5, 6]

4. The "Grandfathered" Sunset Warning [4]

* The Expiration: Most non-conforming rentals on the "Sunset List" must stop operations by March 1, 2027.
* Transfer of Ownership: Grandfathered status typically does not transfer to a new buyer. If you buy a property that was a legal STR under the old rules, you must still meet current zoning requirements to continue. [7]

5. Official Contacts for Buyers [4]
For a definitive answer on whether a property can be used as an STR, contact the Planning Department directly:

* Office: [[Athens-Clarke County Planning Department](https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/g/1tdhfvt5&q=yes,+include+that+on+this+list+and+include+the+zoning+map)](https://www.accgov.com/planning)
* Address: 120 W. Dougherty St., Athens, GA 30601
* Phone: 706-613-3515
* Email: [email protected] [1, 2, 8, 9, 10]

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Pro Tip: Request a Zoning Verification Letter ($25 fee) from the Planning Department during your due diligence period. This is an official document that confirms a property's current zoning and allowable uses. [2, 11]

03/30/2026

This One Checks Boxes You Didn’t Even Know You Had😍

1120 Liberty Lane Bogart GA 30622
Five Bedrooms, Three Baths, FINISHED Basement, Detached Garage, North Oconee Schools!!

$700,000

Call For More Info:
Angie 706-461-4944
Brian 706-461-4844

https://www.georgiamls.com/1120-liberty-lane-bogart-ga-30622/10714334

03/03/2026

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GJ54ZWYR

02/18/2026

Buying or selling a home is too important to rely on outdated strategies or yesterday’s advice.

This week, Angie and I are attending Keller Williams Family Reunion, one of the largest and most influential real estate conferences in the world. Family Reunion brings together top agents, market center leaders, legal experts, economists, technologists, and industry innovators from across the country—all in one place, focused on what’s next in real estate.

We’re not attending simply as participants.

We’re going as representatives of our market center and our local community. I currently serve on the Agent Leadership Council (ALC), Angie has served in that role previously, and we both serve as Productivity Coaches. Part of that responsibility is not just learning—but bringing back leadership, insight, and clarity that raises the standard of how real estate is done here at home.

Our goals while we’re there are very intentional:

• Staying ahead of current and emerging market trends
• Learning how new technology and AI are changing the way homes are marketed—so our sellers’ homes are seen faster, by more qualified buyers, and positioned to sell for more money
• Keeping up with evolving legal requirements around representation and consumer protection
• Learning proven systems from top-performing agents across the country and bringing those strategies back to better serve buyers and sellers locally
• Building relationships with national leadership to ensure our clients benefit from the best thinking in the industry

We also plan to introduce Buy the House—a book written to help buyers better understand the process and to raise the standard of client care in real estate—to Keller Williams leadership, with the hope of expanding its reach to a national audience through KW Publishing. Better-informed clients make better decisions, and better decisions lead to better outcomes.

Real estate is changing quickly.
Markets shift. Technology evolves. Laws change.

Our commitment is to stay ahead of those changes so the people who trust us are protected, informed, and positioned for success.

When we invest in learning, leadership, and growth, the return is better guidance for our clients—and that’s the whole point.

02/18/2026

This data from the National Association of Realtors is interesting. The percentage of First-Time buyers is a higher piece of the market for the first time in a while.
This is a good sign. Folks that own homes have equity. So when they want to move, or need to move they can simply sell their home, take the existing equity and use it for the next one. There is a massive amount of equity in homes right now, the most ever.
First-Time buyers have to scrimp and save for the down payment and closing costs, although a good buyers agent can negotiate that for them in this market, so having more in the market is a sign that income is up compared to prices. I am not just guessing at that, other reports show that is factually accurate compared to last year and 2024.
It is interesting that the number of buyers getting inspections is also up, that tracks with more first time buyers. They typically listen to their agents that recommend them.
This means the market is healthier in the new year than the last couple of years. We are looking forward to helping more families than ever before and we love helping new buyers accomplish their goal of buying a home!