You bet I do! Why would I give you free advice to sell your home without me? I'm nice to a fault. That, plus, if you give it your very best shot and you still can't sell it on your own, you should call the agent who tried to help you out, don't you think?
Okay, quickly,
1. Don't just put a sign in the yard, get online - craigslist, AJC, Creative Loafing, etc.
2. Be ready to work with a buyer's agent. Go ahead and put in your ad that you'll pay a buyer's agent's commission, that's the best way to get serious buyers in the door.
3. Keep your ad short and sweet - no one is going to read about your wall paper, how big each closet is, or how great the schools are. They already know about the schools, I assure you. And if the hard numbers look right - # of beds, # of baths, and price - then they will probably want to see your house. Don't waste time or money on lots of words.
4. Act quickly - the market is changing so fast that even full time professionals have to work to keep up with things. If you don't have any serious lookers in the first 35 days, you need to re-think either your price or your willingness to work with an agent.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Friday, August 1, 2008
Should I try to sell on my own?
Maybe. I get so many questions about whether or not people should try to sell their home themselves. The most honest answer is, maybe. Since home values are down a bit from last year, seller's are hoping to make up the difference by not paying a real estate commission. I can see the logic in that. But, the other side of that coin is that you can't save the money if you can't sell the house. Here's a great response to that question from John Adams, who writes a weekly column in the AJC.
Selling your home 'by owner' can make sense — if you have time
By John Adams
Inside Advice
Published on: 07/15/07
Two weeks ago, we talked about why most home sellers are best served by working with a real estate professional. That doesn't mean you have to pay a full traditional commission. But it is a recognition that there's a lot of work to be done between putting up a "for sale" sign and sitting down at the closing table.
The reality is this: most sellers are not willing to take on all the necessary tasks required to complete a successful sale. Nor are they able to attract qualified buyers and keep them interested long enough to encourage a satisfactory offer in the first place.
However, if your circumstances are different, you might want to consider selling your home yourself:
• If you have sold homes yourself in the past and know what it takes to get the job done. I once sold a home in Dunwoody to a relocating IBM executive. He told me he would be transferred again within five years. I stayed in touch, hoping to get the listing when his next move occurred. Instead, I was disappointed when I saw a "for sale by owner" sign.
He told me that he had six months' notice on his move, and that he had sold four of his previous five homes, with considerable dollar savings each time. He already had a real estate attorney standing by to assist if needed, and he had plenty of time to test the waters.
I had to admit he was an experienced seller who stood a reasonable chance of saving more than $20,000 in commission dollars.
• If you live in a hot neighborhood and are in no hurry to sell. Smart homeowners keep up with homes that are "on the market" and "sold" in their neighborhood. For all you know, you have a neighbor who drives by your house twice each day and says to himself, "If that house ever comes on the market, I'm going to buy it, no matter what it costs!"
• If you don't mind taking on some or all of the work of marketing the house yourself, and have plenty of time to sell. Thirty years ago, there were full-service real estate agencies, and nothing else. Everybody pretty much charged the same commission, which was most often 7 percent of the selling price.
Today, things have changed. Full-service agencies still have an important role to play, but they are under increasing pressure to justify their commissions. And those commissions are, as often as not, negotiated to reflect the arrangement between the seller and the broker involved.
In addition, there are dozens of so-called "discount brokers" who offer a variety of services, ranging from staging your home for maximum visual appeal to holding open houses, if you wish. Most offer to include your home in the local multiple listing service. Most also include the ministerial function of filling out the contract forms and answering basic questions during negotiations with the buyer.
You may have noticed that in the three scenarios I mention, I have included the qualifier that you have plenty of time to sell. That's because the business of selling real estate "by owner" can take a long time. And you probably aren't going to get a full exposure to the largest possible pool of prospects unless and until you find a way to get your home listed in the local multiple listing service.
My advice is to attempt the "by owner" approach only if you have at least six months before you need to have your home sold and closed. That way, if you are successful, you will likely have saved some commission dollars. Most important, your home will be sold and closed.
If, on the other hand, you try it "by owner" and the house doesn't sell in two months, you will still have at least 120 days for a real estate professional to give it everything they've got, with all the marketing tools money can buy.
Selling your home 'by owner' can make sense — if you have time
By John Adams
Inside Advice
Published on: 07/15/07
Two weeks ago, we talked about why most home sellers are best served by working with a real estate professional. That doesn't mean you have to pay a full traditional commission. But it is a recognition that there's a lot of work to be done between putting up a "for sale" sign and sitting down at the closing table.
The reality is this: most sellers are not willing to take on all the necessary tasks required to complete a successful sale. Nor are they able to attract qualified buyers and keep them interested long enough to encourage a satisfactory offer in the first place.
However, if your circumstances are different, you might want to consider selling your home yourself:
• If you have sold homes yourself in the past and know what it takes to get the job done. I once sold a home in Dunwoody to a relocating IBM executive. He told me he would be transferred again within five years. I stayed in touch, hoping to get the listing when his next move occurred. Instead, I was disappointed when I saw a "for sale by owner" sign.
He told me that he had six months' notice on his move, and that he had sold four of his previous five homes, with considerable dollar savings each time. He already had a real estate attorney standing by to assist if needed, and he had plenty of time to test the waters.
I had to admit he was an experienced seller who stood a reasonable chance of saving more than $20,000 in commission dollars.
• If you live in a hot neighborhood and are in no hurry to sell. Smart homeowners keep up with homes that are "on the market" and "sold" in their neighborhood. For all you know, you have a neighbor who drives by your house twice each day and says to himself, "If that house ever comes on the market, I'm going to buy it, no matter what it costs!"
• If you don't mind taking on some or all of the work of marketing the house yourself, and have plenty of time to sell. Thirty years ago, there were full-service real estate agencies, and nothing else. Everybody pretty much charged the same commission, which was most often 7 percent of the selling price.
Today, things have changed. Full-service agencies still have an important role to play, but they are under increasing pressure to justify their commissions. And those commissions are, as often as not, negotiated to reflect the arrangement between the seller and the broker involved.
In addition, there are dozens of so-called "discount brokers" who offer a variety of services, ranging from staging your home for maximum visual appeal to holding open houses, if you wish. Most offer to include your home in the local multiple listing service. Most also include the ministerial function of filling out the contract forms and answering basic questions during negotiations with the buyer.
You may have noticed that in the three scenarios I mention, I have included the qualifier that you have plenty of time to sell. That's because the business of selling real estate "by owner" can take a long time. And you probably aren't going to get a full exposure to the largest possible pool of prospects unless and until you find a way to get your home listed in the local multiple listing service.
My advice is to attempt the "by owner" approach only if you have at least six months before you need to have your home sold and closed. That way, if you are successful, you will likely have saved some commission dollars. Most important, your home will be sold and closed.
If, on the other hand, you try it "by owner" and the house doesn't sell in two months, you will still have at least 120 days for a real estate professional to give it everything they've got, with all the marketing tools money can buy.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Where should I search for my new home?
There are a lot of search engines out there. Some are better than others. My new favorite for non-agents is www.frontdoor.com. It's part of the HGTV empire, but that's not why I like. It is fast, easy to navigate, uploads most of the available pictures, has maps of all the properties that you search for, and looks clean and streamlined. I recommend it.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
How should I update my kitchen?
Cabinets Unhinged
By Marni Jameson
If I had to do it over (that line could open half my columns), I'd rethink my cabinet hardware. Until this past week, I hadn't given this hardware much thought. I liked my kitchen cabinets, which are only four years old. The drawers glide smoothly like Michelle Kwan, and the door hinges feel sturdy as firemen. But recently two events conspired to change my affections.
One, I visited my friend's new home, which she and her husband spent three years designing and building. A kitchen diva, Laurie cooks and entertains like an Oscar-party caterer, so I knew her kitchen would be, err, top drawer (sorry). Two, I received a preview of The New Yankee Workshop's nine-week kitchen makeover special, where the plaid-shirted Norm Abram, that carpenter who can build a log cabin out of an abandoned beaver dam, outfits a tired old kitchen with smart new cabinetry. Suddenly, my hardware seemed out of date, second rate and wholly inadequate, the way parents of college graduates feel.
When I get to Laurie's house, she's cooking dinner for her 16-year-old son and 24 of his friends. I pitch in to assemble five pans of vegetarian lasagna, two vats of Caesar salad, and three trays of garlic bread. As she dredges eggplant and stirs a gallon pot of bichamel (a word that in my recipe book means turn the page or order pizza), I snoop.
Her kitchen is enormous, but my obsession isn't with size, but with drawers. I pull one open, swoosh. It's fastidiously organized with compartments like a tackle box. I look it over.
"Where is it?" I ask.
"Where's what?" She must wonder why my head is under her drawer.
"The hardware." There's no drawer orthodontia cluttering the sides, waiting to catch crumbs and grease.
She shrugs. "Does the lasagna need more cheese?"
Then I meet the invisible hand. With a tap, the drawer slides to an inch of closing, then stops as if it hit a cotton ball. Just as I'm ready to push it again, a vacuum-like force sucks the drawer silently, firmly shut. I scream and jump back.
I holler to Laurie as if I'm the one who's discovered it: "Watch this!" I open a drawer and shut it, harder. It slows to a controlled stop, then swoosh, sucks closed. I need to tie a strap under my jaw to keep it from falling in the lasagna. "How does it know?"
"Uhh, when you're done, could you toss salad?"
When dinner's ready, the teenagers come through like locusts. Once they've gone, and we've cleaned up, Laurie offers coffee. "What kind do you want?" she asks.
"Whatever you're having."
"No, seriously, you can have whatever you want." She shows me her built-in Miele espresso machine. The appliance has cartridge slots for five kinds of coffee, ranging in octane levels from hair-on-your-chest strong to why-bother decaf. Pick your strength, and it brews espresso, latte or drip by the cup.
I shake my head. "Is this Jane Jetson's kitchen or yours?"
Laurie slides open a drawer built under the coffee maker. In it are not just mugs, warm mugs, because this isn't just a drawer; it's a mug warming drawer.
The longer I stay, the more unfaithful I feel toward my own comparatively modest kitchen. I was falling in love. That's the inevitable risk of home improvement. However up to date you make your kitchen, advancing technology sits on the verge making it as outdated as the wood-burning stove. Still, knowing that, if I had to do it over, I'd rethink the hardware, and I'd add that warming drawer.
I became even more smitten with high-tech kitchen gadgetry when I returned home and previewed The New Yankee Workshop kitchen series, airing this month and next on PBS. After watching it, I called Abram to uncover a few more secrets and trends:
- Design with your stuff in mind. Kitchen designers use several methods to customize kitchens. Using a string test, they tie a string to someone and trace her steps as she cooks. Then they design a cabinet plan that saves footsteps. The heap method involves putting all your kitchen stuff in a pile, and then designing cabinets to accommodate it, which beats making what you have fit given cabinets. Laurie took pictures of her kitchen supplies while they were in the cabinets of her former home, then made sure her new kitchen had a place for everything and more. The owner of the kitchen Abram was remodeling had 14-inch plates; standard upper cabinets are 12-inches deep. "Simple," Abram said. "We made the cabinet deeper."
- Don't skimp on the hardware. Typically, hardware comes rated for two kinds of loads: carrying ability and shock capacity. (Can your kid jump on it?) The higher the load the better. Both Laurie and Norm used hardware from Blum.
- Trade doors for drawers. Thanks to better hardware, cabinets with fixed shelves are giving way to cabinets with pullout shelves or drawers. Laurie's kitchen has upper cabinets, but for lower storage she has primarily drawers. She will never again rummage in the back of a cabinet for a pot.
- Bring dead corners to life. Corner cabinets often become black holes; things go in but never return. New cabinet designs fix that. Drawers have fronts built at a 90-degree angle that pull open to reveal full drawers. Doors open on elbow hinges, revealing shelves that turn like Lazy Susans.
- Replace don't retrofit. Putting new hardware on old cabinets is expensive, difficult and usually not worth it. "If you're ready to replace the hardware, you're getting close to the idea of new cabinets," said Abram.
Marni Jameson is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of "The House Always Wins" (Da Capo). You can learn more about her and her book - which can be a nice housewarming gift or a tool to show buyers some great ideas on turning a house that isn't quite right into perfect, at www.marnijameson.com.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
How can I have less clutter in my life?
This is an article from REAL SIMPLE, one of my favorite magazines. I'm not suggesting that all of these ideas should be used by everyone. I won't be trying the last one, I'm happy with both my husband and my involvement in the Junior League of Dekalb County. But, there are some nuggets of wisdom here that you might find helpful.
Clear the Clutter from Your Life
Real Simple readers share inspired ideas for streamlining your day
Always Be Ready to Go
I installed a small key cabinet behind the front door. Keys are hung there when we come in and picked up when we go out. I also check the weather reports on Sunday, then set out and iron my entire week's wardrobe. Finally, I get everything ready for the next day the night before and place my briefcase or bag near the front door, ready to go.
Amy O’Donnell, Houston, Texas
Follow the Five-Minute Rule
No one can really save time, since we all get the same amount every day. However, I have found a way to reduce clutter on my desk at work. I call it the five-minute rule. If I can get it done in five minutes or less, I tend to take care of it then rather than place it in my in-basket to do later. This includes mailing that letter, marking a date, opening a room for someone, answering questions, filing one piece of paper, etc. By getting rid of the little things immediately, I can focus on the bigger projects, and the minute details of my job don't bog me down.
Rebecca San, San Gabriel, California
Amy O’Donnell, Houston, Texas
Follow the Five-Minute Rule
No one can really save time, since we all get the same amount every day. However, I have found a way to reduce clutter on my desk at work. I call it the five-minute rule. If I can get it done in five minutes or less, I tend to take care of it then rather than place it in my in-basket to do later. This includes mailing that letter, marking a date, opening a room for someone, answering questions, filing one piece of paper, etc. By getting rid of the little things immediately, I can focus on the bigger projects, and the minute details of my job don't bog me down.
Rebecca San, San Gabriel, California
At least once a week I find 10 things I can donate, give to friends, or throw away. I think better when I am not surrounded by clutter. Our whole family relaxes more when we are not in a pile of toys, newspapers, and magazines. It has taught us all to value a few good things rather than acquiring masses of objects that don't enhance our life.
Megan Shachat, Seattle
Systemize Your Closet
I reorganized my clothes closet so that all outfits are grouped together. I am not a morning person, and I do not like standing around, naked and cold, trying to decide what to wear. I just grab the first outfit on the right side and put it on. At the end of the day, I hang the clothes up on the left side. This way, all my clothes are rotated, so I wear them all and never overwear my favorites.
Susan Shellberg, Tampa
Megan Shachat, Seattle
Systemize Your Closet
I reorganized my clothes closet so that all outfits are grouped together. I am not a morning person, and I do not like standing around, naked and cold, trying to decide what to wear. I just grab the first outfit on the right side and put it on. At the end of the day, I hang the clothes up on the left side. This way, all my clothes are rotated, so I wear them all and never overwear my favorites.
Susan Shellberg, Tampa
Streamline Wherever Possible
1. I have subscribed to a grocery-delivery service.
2. I have hired a cleaning service.
3. I go from the mailbox to the recycling bin and sort my mail right there — junk goes away immediately.
4. I give each family member a mesh laundry bag for his or her socks. The socks get washed, dried, and returned in the bag.
5. I set my coffeemaker on automatic so that it is ready when I get up.
6. I listen to books on tape while I drive.
7. I have a two-way pager so I can answer work questions on the fly.
8. I pay all bills once a month.
9. I go into the office by 7:00 A.M., so I can leave by 3:30 P.M.
I get through a huge number of books that I otherwise would not have the time to read, and the two-way pager may sound like a leash, but it has given me greater freedom to be out of the office.
2. I have hired a cleaning service.
3. I go from the mailbox to the recycling bin and sort my mail right there — junk goes away immediately.
4. I give each family member a mesh laundry bag for his or her socks. The socks get washed, dried, and returned in the bag.
5. I set my coffeemaker on automatic so that it is ready when I get up.
6. I listen to books on tape while I drive.
7. I have a two-way pager so I can answer work questions on the fly.
8. I pay all bills once a month.
9. I go into the office by 7:00 A.M., so I can leave by 3:30 P.M.
I get through a huge number of books that I otherwise would not have the time to read, and the two-way pager may sound like a leash, but it has given me greater freedom to be out of the office.
Brenda Brassard, Scituate, Massachusetts
Do Less After Work
Just Do LessI have three children, a husband, a dog, and a full-time job, and I was volunteering to help out with every activity that came forth. I finally realized that my children were happier to have me at home than out doing things that I thought were for their own good. I gave up everything except the once-a-month PTA meeting. My children are much happier knowing that I will kiss them good night while they are still awake, instead of while they are asleep.
Michelle Corbett, Mississauga, Ontario
Do Less at Work
Being self-employed as a hairstylist, I decided not to accept any new clients. I found myself taking just one more cut and working until 8:00 or 9:00 P.M. I am now able to go to the kids' practices and make dinner for my husband for a change, and I am able to relax a little more. My family definitely comes first, and it's about time I realized this.
Andrea Arnold, Willows, CA
Michelle Corbett, Mississauga, Ontario
Do Less at Work
Being self-employed as a hairstylist, I decided not to accept any new clients. I found myself taking just one more cut and working until 8:00 or 9:00 P.M. I am now able to go to the kids' practices and make dinner for my husband for a change, and I am able to relax a little more. My family definitely comes first, and it's about time I realized this.
Andrea Arnold, Willows, CA
I got rid of my husband, hired a fabulous nanny and let her run my house, began buying in bulk, got to know my daughter's teachers, did not join the Junior League, got a personal trainer, and found a contractor and landscaper who were very good and trustworthy. I let go of a lot of stuff, and I realized I didn't have to do everything, just a couple of key things really well.
M. Gary Ryan, Pelham, New York
M. Gary Ryan, Pelham, New York
Monday, June 2, 2008
What's happening with toilets in Dekalb County?
Too-thirsty toilets won't get water in DeKalb
By TY TAGAMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/01/08
Wary shoppers know all about kicking the tires on used cars and squeezing the fruit at grocery stores.
But are they ready to lift the lids on toilet tanks?
Home buyers in DeKalb County should get used to the idea, now that a new measure to cope with the historic drought is in effect.
Any house built before 1993 and sold beginning Sunday has to have "low-flow" toilets that swallow 1.6 gallons of water or less per flush. The volume is usually stamped on the underside of the lid that caps the water tank.
Older toilets? No water service.
Some prospective buyers are worried about the mandate.
"This low-flow thing has been a very, very hot-button issue for all my clients in DeKalb County," said real estate agent Ryan Graham.
Graham, who is with 9 Mile Trolley, said at least one client expedited closing a sale to avoid dealing with it. Other buyers want assurances they can obtain water service if they purchase an older house, he said.
The "inefficient plumbing fixtures replacement plan" requires sellers to disclose when their toilets, faucets and shower heads are not up to today's water-sipping standards.
County officials picked 1993 because low-flow toilets became mandatory in new construction around that time.
DeKalb still has as many as 165,000 pre-1993 houses, but no one knows how many have been retrofitted with low-flow devices.
The crackdown is part of the county's new water-conservation plan. Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered water providers to reduce consumption by 10 percent from a year earlier.
Starting in January, nearly all buildings sold in DeKalb — not only houses — will have to comply with the low-flow mandate.
The county law says new owners of old homes who apply for water service must attach a certificate confirming the house is outfitted with water-saving toilets and fixtures. A licensed plumber, home inspector or an inspector from the DeKalb Department of Watershed Management can provide the certificate.
The toilet mandate should mean work for plumbers. So far, demand hasn't surged, said Ted Zurn, the president of the Plumbing and Mechanical Association of Georgia.
A friend selling a house asked for a deal on three toilets, the Chamblee plumber said, adding that he would have forgotten about the mandate otherwise. "I haven't noticed any bump in our business yet because of it."
The DeKalb Association of Realtors opposed the requirement, concerned about the effect it would have on clients. Graham, the real estate agent, said he's been warning his clients about it — and recommending to sellers that they get the installation.
Graham said there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty. For instance, one of his clients made a purchase contingent on the seller completing installation. But when Graham sought assurance from the county that the work was adequate and water service would be provided after the property changed hands, he said he got no clear response.
"We're not getting the warm and fuzzy reassurances from the county at this point," he said.
The county has a copy of the new law on its Web site, at www.dekalbwatershed.com
By TY TAGAMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/01/08
Wary shoppers know all about kicking the tires on used cars and squeezing the fruit at grocery stores.
But are they ready to lift the lids on toilet tanks?
Home buyers in DeKalb County should get used to the idea, now that a new measure to cope with the historic drought is in effect.
Any house built before 1993 and sold beginning Sunday has to have "low-flow" toilets that swallow 1.6 gallons of water or less per flush. The volume is usually stamped on the underside of the lid that caps the water tank.
Older toilets? No water service.
Some prospective buyers are worried about the mandate.
"This low-flow thing has been a very, very hot-button issue for all my clients in DeKalb County," said real estate agent Ryan Graham.
Graham, who is with 9 Mile Trolley, said at least one client expedited closing a sale to avoid dealing with it. Other buyers want assurances they can obtain water service if they purchase an older house, he said.
The "inefficient plumbing fixtures replacement plan" requires sellers to disclose when their toilets, faucets and shower heads are not up to today's water-sipping standards.
County officials picked 1993 because low-flow toilets became mandatory in new construction around that time.
DeKalb still has as many as 165,000 pre-1993 houses, but no one knows how many have been retrofitted with low-flow devices.
The crackdown is part of the county's new water-conservation plan. Gov. Sonny Perdue ordered water providers to reduce consumption by 10 percent from a year earlier.
Starting in January, nearly all buildings sold in DeKalb — not only houses — will have to comply with the low-flow mandate.
The county law says new owners of old homes who apply for water service must attach a certificate confirming the house is outfitted with water-saving toilets and fixtures. A licensed plumber, home inspector or an inspector from the DeKalb Department of Watershed Management can provide the certificate.
The toilet mandate should mean work for plumbers. So far, demand hasn't surged, said Ted Zurn, the president of the Plumbing and Mechanical Association of Georgia.
A friend selling a house asked for a deal on three toilets, the Chamblee plumber said, adding that he would have forgotten about the mandate otherwise. "I haven't noticed any bump in our business yet because of it."
The DeKalb Association of Realtors opposed the requirement, concerned about the effect it would have on clients. Graham, the real estate agent, said he's been warning his clients about it — and recommending to sellers that they get the installation.
Graham said there is a lot of confusion and uncertainty. For instance, one of his clients made a purchase contingent on the seller completing installation. But when Graham sought assurance from the county that the work was adequate and water service would be provided after the property changed hands, he said he got no clear response.
"We're not getting the warm and fuzzy reassurances from the county at this point," he said.
The county has a copy of the new law on its Web site, at www.dekalbwatershed.com
Sunday, June 1, 2008
What? What? I have to replace my toilets to sell my house?
Yes, maybe.
The Dekalb County toilet retrofit/inefficient plumbing ordinance goes into effect today. For now, this only applies to homes built prior to 1993 in unincorporated Dekalb. So, if you live in Decatur or Incorporated Avondale Estates, or if your home is newer that 1992, you are exempt. But, it's looking like we're all going to be subject to this eventually, so don't ignore it all together.
In essence, this is about replacing high-flow toilets and faucets with low-flow fixtures. If you are selling your home you must disclose whether your fixtures are high or low flow. If you are buying a home you must have low-flow fixtures installed and inspected before you can get water service
Here's a summary from the Dekalb Association of Realtors. I'll post updates as I have them...
Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan Summary
1) On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, the Board of Commissioners approved the inefficient
Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan Ordinance.
2) This ordinance requires that structures constructed in DeKalb County before January 1,
1993 be retrofitted with water conserving plumbing fixtures upon resale.
3) This ordinance advances DeKalb County’s long term water conservation efforts and long
term sustainability of limited water resources.
4) Effective dates:
a. June 1, 2008 for residential properties.
b. January 1, 2009 for commercial properties.
5) Requirements:
• Seller shall disclose the requirements of the ordinance to potential purchaser
prior to execution of a contract.
• Buyer shall not be allowed to obtain water service until he/she has attached a
Certificate of Compliance to the application for water service. The Certificate
of Compliance must be signed by:
i. Home Inspector,
ii. Department of Watershed Management Inspector, or
iii. Licensed Plumber.
6) Exemptions:
• Any real property that is being advertised for foreclosure.
• Properties that will not be inhabited but will be demolished.
• Properties that are sold or conveyed between spouses or between parents
and their children.
• Properties being conveyed during the administration of the estate of a
spouse, parent, or child.
• Properties that because of architectural or historic restrictions, plumbing
configuration, and/or drainage system configuration, would cause the
owner to suffer extreme economic hardship ($1,000.00 per toilet for
residential or $2,000.00 per toilet for commercial).
7) Criminal Penalties:
• Violators will be subject to penalties in accordance with Section 1-10 of
the DeKalb County Code.
• Second conviction within 12 months from the date of first conviction -
$250.00.
• Third conviction within 12 months of the first conviction - $500.00.
The Dekalb County toilet retrofit/inefficient plumbing ordinance goes into effect today. For now, this only applies to homes built prior to 1993 in unincorporated Dekalb. So, if you live in Decatur or Incorporated Avondale Estates, or if your home is newer that 1992, you are exempt. But, it's looking like we're all going to be subject to this eventually, so don't ignore it all together.
In essence, this is about replacing high-flow toilets and faucets with low-flow fixtures. If you are selling your home you must disclose whether your fixtures are high or low flow. If you are buying a home you must have low-flow fixtures installed and inspected before you can get water service
Here's a summary from the Dekalb Association of Realtors. I'll post updates as I have them...
Inefficient Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan Summary
1) On Tuesday, February 26, 2008, the Board of Commissioners approved the inefficient
Plumbing Fixtures Replacement Plan Ordinance.
2) This ordinance requires that structures constructed in DeKalb County before January 1,
1993 be retrofitted with water conserving plumbing fixtures upon resale.
3) This ordinance advances DeKalb County’s long term water conservation efforts and long
term sustainability of limited water resources.
4) Effective dates:
a. June 1, 2008 for residential properties.
b. January 1, 2009 for commercial properties.
5) Requirements:
• Seller shall disclose the requirements of the ordinance to potential purchaser
prior to execution of a contract.
• Buyer shall not be allowed to obtain water service until he/she has attached a
Certificate of Compliance to the application for water service. The Certificate
of Compliance must be signed by:
i. Home Inspector,
ii. Department of Watershed Management Inspector, or
iii. Licensed Plumber.
6) Exemptions:
• Any real property that is being advertised for foreclosure.
• Properties that will not be inhabited but will be demolished.
• Properties that are sold or conveyed between spouses or between parents
and their children.
• Properties being conveyed during the administration of the estate of a
spouse, parent, or child.
• Properties that because of architectural or historic restrictions, plumbing
configuration, and/or drainage system configuration, would cause the
owner to suffer extreme economic hardship ($1,000.00 per toilet for
residential or $2,000.00 per toilet for commercial).
7) Criminal Penalties:
• Violators will be subject to penalties in accordance with Section 1-10 of
the DeKalb County Code.
• Second conviction within 12 months from the date of first conviction -
$250.00.
• Third conviction within 12 months of the first conviction - $500.00.
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