you for becoming a part of the “circle”....

Dear Prospective Client:

The successful sale and/or purchase of your home is a priority. This booklet contains guidelines and strategies for sellers, buyers, and investors and other information about me and Keller Williams Realty. So congratulations to you for becoming a part of the “Circle”. You’re on your way to success!

Sincerely,

Lamar Campbell Realtor

Your Circle of Success Real Estate Powered by Keller Williams Realty – Atlanta Classic

3800 Camp Creek Parkway Building 1800, Ste 100

Atlanta, GA 30331 Each office independently owned and operated

Office: 404-564-9500 Cell: 678-886-0874 Fax: 404-564-9501

Email: [email protected]

Y O U R C I R C L E O F S U C C E S S

R e a l E s t a t e G u i d e

About Keller Williams 2

Lamar Campbell’s Bio 4

Seller’s Guide 6

Buyer’s Guide 8

Investor’s Guide 12

Customer Testimonials 16

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t s

Often, we judge the caliber of people by the company they keep—this is why it is important for you to know a little bit about Keller Williams Realty and my office within the Keller Williams system.

Keller Williams Realty was founded in Austin, Texas in 1983 with the specific premise that buyers and sellers deserve the best service for their real estate needs. For more than 17 years that founding premise has been a major factor in the continued growth of Keller Williams across North America. Two visionaries lead Keller Williams Realty – Gary Keller, founder and Chairman of the Board, and Mo Anderson, Chief Executive Officer.

Because each Keller Williams Market Center has grown within its respective community, Keller Williams Real Estate Agents have intimate knowledge of each community’s character, mood, and growth potential. Due to the fact that the majority of Keller Williams Associates live in the communities and neighborhoods they serve, they are eager and capable of tackling unique challenges that families encounter when selecting new homes.

At Keller Williams Realty, we are Real Estate Consultants. We are not salespeople. What this means is that we build fiduciary relationships with our clients. A fiduciary is someone who represents your best interest.

Each Keller Williams office is independently owned and operated. We are a profit sharing company where associates are in partnership relationships with the owners. This means that everyone at Keller Williams Realty wants your home to sell because everyone benefits.

A B O U T K E L L E R W I L L I A M S R E A LT Y


S e l l e r A g e n c y ( S i n g l e A g e n c y )

Agent will represent the best interests of the seller Agent will owe the seller fiduciary duties Agent must give the buyer all material facts so that the buyer can make

an educated decision

U n d e r s t a n d i n g A g e n c y :

W h o W o r k s f o r W h o m ?

B u y e r A g e n c y ( S i n g l e A g e n c y )

Agent will represent the best interests of the buyer Agent will owe the buyer fiduciary duties Agent must give the seller all material facts so that the seller can make

an educated decision

T r a n s a c t i o n B r o k e r ( D u a l A g e n c y )

Agent represents both the buyer and the seller equally Agent’s objective is to get a mutually satisfactory agreement among all

parties Agent gives all options to the buyer and the seller Depending on the local market, all parties may be present at contract

presentation to negotiate on their own behalf All parties have confidentiality. Agent may do nothing to the detriment

of either the buyer or the seller Both the buyer and the seller have the right to counsel. Before making

any decisions, both parties have the right to seek family, religious, legal, or financial counsel.

“In all relationships, as your Agent, I have a duty to act honestly with both the buyer and the seller”

A b o u t K e l l e r W i l l i a m s

Buyer

Seller

Buyer

Seller

Buyer Seller

A b o u t yo u r R e a l t o r — L a M a r C a m p b e l L

Page 5

Keller Williams adheres to a Standard of Excellence that guides our customer service and is the criteria for all team members. LaMar Campbell’s real estate team will ensure every transaction of your experience is “hassle-free”.

A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, LaMar Campbell was raised in a blue collar city, and learned at a young age the benefits of being a tireless worker. Educated at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, LaMar attended school on an athletic scholarship in football and furthered his post-collegiate career on the gridirons of the National Football League. Today, he continues with this drive and dedication during his daily work as YOUR REALTOR!

LaMar developed his business and negotiating skills during high pressure situations. His resume includes experience in professional athletics, teaching, and in corporate America. He prides himself on understanding the national market as his business travels have connected him with numerous vendors throughout the country. He has established a forte in national relocations for his clients whether their goals are pursuing Real Estate business ventures or relocating to a new home. LaMar understands the intricacies of the home selling and buying process. Because of his background and superior training, Lamar finds that his production level exceeds that of other agents. Lamar is an accomplished realtor who cares about his clients and is always willing to go the extra mile.


In his spare time, LaMar has numerous hobbies. He enjoys reading, movies, exercising, traveling and dining. LaMar also participates in numerous community programs, including sports programs for youth and charities. Truly LaMar is a good neighbor and friend, and someone who cares about his business relationships.

For some, the sale or purchase of a new home can be very confusing. He cares about his clients, and will do everything in his control to ensure the best home selling or buying experience for each and every one of his clients. LaMar prides himself on supplying you with impeccable service and information regarding all of your Real Estate needs. He believes in educating his clients on the specifics of the real estate selling, buying and investing process, and unveiling the power that owning land and property can bring to their lives. Not only will this make transactions as smooth as possible, in many instances, it saves you thousands of dollars! LaMar is a strong negotiator and he puts all of his expertise, training and concern for you into negotiating your home. If you already know the home or neighborhood you want, LaMar takes every possible step in securing the home you choose. If you’re unsure, LaMar will personally have a comprehensive search done for you, give you the opportunity to pre-inspect and choose the property, and close your transaction. LaMar prides himself on being both a buyer and seller specialist, unlike some agents who only prefer to work on one side of the transaction. His goal is to make your real estate experience a success by providing you with professional expertise that will help you meet and exceed your own goals and expectations.

Your Circle Of Success Real Estate is affiliated with national lenders that specialize in numerous Down Payment Assistance (D.P.A.) programs as well as a variety of loan options that can help you maximize your power in the sell or purchase of your real estate.

LaMar’s focus will always be to give you impeccable service and information regarding all of your Real Estate needs as well as top of the line production. Together we will join with you and help to create YOUR CIRCLE OF SUCCESS! Come join Your Circle of Success Real Estate and Make your Real Estate

Experience a Success!!!!

We look forward to helping you, your family or your friends with any questions or transactions that may need our professional service. We are never to busy for your referrals!!!!!!

A b o u t Y o u r R e a l t o r

As your seller’s agent I pledge to:

Get your property fully exposed to the market as quickly as possible.

Help you net the most money possible.

Make every qualified buyer in your area aware of your property

Maintain good communication with you.

Make helpful suggestions that will get your property sold quickly.

Present all offers and help you obtain the best price.

Keep you advised on the progress of the closing.

Deliver your check to you upon close.

S e l l e r ’ s G u i d e

M y 3 0 - D a y M a r k e t i n g P l a n t o G e t Y o u r H o m e S o l d !

In addition to selling your home my team of professionals can help you with

the following services:

Rentals

Relocation Assistance

Lease-Purchase Agreements

Short Sales


25 Steps for Success

1. In depth consultation with the Seller about the facts (Marketing Plan)

2. Complete all paperwork accurately.

3. Install “For Sale” sign

4. Install “Lock Box”, if preferred

5. Submit to Company

6. Submit to personal website

7. E-Mail info to other top agents

8. Fax to other companies

9. Ask Seller to save all business cards

10. Review client-showing procedure

11. Design custom property flier

12.Talk enthusiastically about the property at office meeting

13.CONTACT OWNER

14. Review Sellers motivation and urgency to sell

15.Feedback on price and condition

16.CONTACT OWNER

17.Review Sellers motivation and urgency to sell

18.Discuss buyer comments

19. CONTACT OWNER

20. If no showings, seller may consider price reductions, or get listing back

21.Discuss agent comments and activity

22. Discuss market evaluation sales and competition

23Discuss price, terms and condition

24.Review Sellers motivation and urgency to sell

25.Discuss market position and price adjustment

S e l l e r ’ s G u i d e

B u y e r ’ s G u i d e

Page 9

1. Property taxes and qualified interest are deductible on an individual’s federal income tax return. 2. Often, a home is the largest asset an individual has and is considered one of the most valuable investments

available. 3. A portion of each amortized mortgage payment goes to principal which is an investment 4. A home is one of the few investments that you can enjoy by living in it. 5. A Realtor can usually show you any home whether it is listed with a company, a builder, or even a For Sale

By Owner home. 6. Working through a Realtor to purchase a For Sale By Owner home can be very advantageous because

someone is looking out for your best interest. 7. Your Real Estate professional can provide you with a list of items you’ll need to complete your loan

application so you’ll be prepared. 8. A homeowner can exclude up to $500,000 of capital gain tax if married and filing jointly or up to $250,000

if single or filing separately. The home must have been the taxpayer’s principal residence for the previous two years.

9. Beginning with May 7, 1997, there is no longer a requirement to purchase another home more expensive than the one sold. Homeowners are fee to buy up or down with no tax consequences assuming their gain is less than the allowable amounts.

10. Your Real Estate professional should be familiar with the neighborhoods where you want to live. 11. Your Real Estate professional must specify whom he/she is representing in the transaction 12. Your Real Estate professional should specify what he/she will do to keep you informed 13. Your Real Estate professional should provide you with the highest level of service and advice.

What Every Buyer Should Know Before Purchasing

Top Five Reasons to Buy a Home

1. Quality of Life

2. Tax Deductibility of Mortgage Interest

3. Tax Deductibility of Property Taxes

4. Appreciation Potential

5. The Real Cost of Renting—At $700 per month, with a 6% rental increase per year, you will pay $110,791 over a 10 year period!


Your interests are professionally represented

Enlisting the services of a professional Buyer’s Agent is similar to using an accountant to help you with your taxes, a doctor to help you with your health care, or a mechanic to help you with your car. If you had the time to devote to learning everything about accounting, medicine, and automotive mechanics, you could do these services yourself. But who has the time? This is why you allow other professionals to help you in their specific area of expertise.

My team will take care of the hassles of everyday real estate transactions for you. We let you concentrate on your full-time job, while we do our job. We will guide you through the home-buying process and exclusively represent your interests as we help you find a home, present your contract offer, negotiate, and close on your home!

You get a personal specialist who knows your needs

Just as your accountant, doctor and mechanic understand your specific needs, as your agent, I get to know your specific real estate needs and concerns. This type of relationship is built through open communication at all times. I will save you a lot of time by providing you all the details about any home before you see it. In addition, I will listen to your feedback and concerns about each home.

You will quickly and conveniently get a great home

The advantage to signing a Buyer’s Agency Agreement with me is that you will have a professional agent working to find and secure the ideal home for you. It is nearly impossible to find a home that meets your needs, get a contract negotiated, and close the transaction without an experienced agent. You won’t need to spend endless evenings and weekends driving around looking for homes or trying to search computer networks by yourself. When you tour homes with me, you will already know that the homes meet your criteria and are within your price range.

What is the Buyer’s Agency Agreement?

Entering into a Buyer’s Agency Agreement has countless advantages. When you sign the agreement you are simply agreeing to “hire” a personal representative who, by law, must represent your best interests to the best of his ability. All of this personal service is available at absolutely NO COST TO YOU! The Seller’s Agent is responsible for paying your Buyer’s Agent fee. With me, you get a professional agent devoted to protecting your needs and to helping you make one of the most important investment decisions of your life—and you don’t even have to pay the fee!

The Advantages of a Buyer Agency Agreement



Page 11

The Top Ten Reasons It’s a Great time to Buy Real Estate

1. Selection, Selection, Selection. Regardless of the price range a buyer desires, there are plenty of houses from which to choose. There is a great selection of attached homes, condos, and townhouses. You can find large lots, small lots, and a lot that will accommodate your boat or RV. There are a lot of options in the market.

2. No Bidding Wars. In 2005 there was a feeding frenzy and often clients who made offers often had other buyers bid the properties up substantially from the original listing price. In a buyer’s market, there is not much competitive bidding.

3. You can Make an Offer. A few years ago when you made an offer, the only question was how high above the list price could the buyer reach in hopes of being the best offer on the table. Today, the sell price list vs. the price ration is about 96%, A seller will not be insulted if you “make them an offer they can’t refuse”.

4. Patience is tolerated. In the hot seller’s market that existed, everything was rushed. Today, a buyer can take their time. Look at several homes and think about your decision for a few hours.

5. Due diligence is welcomed. In this market, a buyer is encouraged to obtain a home inspection, termite inspection, and appraisal. In 2005 many buyers were forced to waive these important contingencies in order to gain an advantage with multiple offers.

6. There are plenty of specs. In the past, buyers had to play games to get new construction homes. There were lotteries and waiting lists in order to obtain them. Today, builders have thousands of specs ready for immediate occupancy.

7. Repair Requests Welcomed. After a buyer completes a home inspection, they are allowed to submit a repair request to the seller. In the past, a seller might insist the home was sold “As-Is”.

8. Few, if any investors. It is estimated that one-third of all sales in 2005 were to investors. This caused the market to inflate and affordability to decline. It’s a great time to buy without having to compete with hundreds of prospective landlords.

9. Location, Location, Location. Today’s buyers can find homes closer to work. In the past, buyers flocked to the outskirts in order to find affordable homes. In this market, reasonably priced homes are in close proximity to schools, rapid transit lines, and relatives.

10. Real Financing is Available. Fixed rates are back. FHA financing, first time homeowner bond programs, special loans for teachers and police officers are back in business.

Some people may try to convince you that now is not a good time to buy real estate. However, listed are some very good reason to consider purchasing a home.

Y O U R C I R C L E O F S U C C E S S M

There are three key factors to consider: 1. The down payment 2. Your ability to qualify for a mortgage 3. The closing costs associated with your transaction Down Payment Requirements: Most loans today require a down payment of between 3.5% and 5.0% depending on the type and terms of the loan. If you are able to come up with a 20-25% down payment, you may be eligible to take advantage of special fast-track programs and possibly eliminate mortgage insurance. Qualification for the mortgage: Most lenders require that your monthly payment range between 25-28% of your gross monthly income. Your mortgage payment to the lender includes the following items: The principal on the loan (P) The interest on the loan (I) Property taxes (T) The homeowner’s Insurance (I)

Your total monthly PITI and all debts (from installments to revolving charge accounts) should range between 33-38% of your gross monthly income. These key factors determine your ability to secure a home loan: credit report, assets, income, and property value. Closing Costs: You will be required to pay fees for loan processing and other closing costs. These fees must be paid in full at the final settlement, unless you are able to include them in your financing. Typically, total closing costs will range between 2-5% of your mortgage loan.

How Much Home Can You Afford?


Many buyers apply for a loan and obtain approval before they find the home they want to buy. Pre-qualifying will help you in the following ways: 1. Generally, interest rates are locked in for a set period of time. You will know in advance exactly what

your payments will be on offers you choose to make. 2. You won’t waste time considering homes you cannot afford. Pre-approval will help you in the following ways: 1. A seller may choose to make concessions if they know that your financing is secured. You are like a cash

buyer, and this may make your offer more competitive. 2. You can select the best loan package without being under pressure.

Before We Begin: Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval

I n v e s t o r ’ s G u i d e

Page 13

U n d e r s t a n d i n g A p p r e c i a t i o n : I n v e s t i n g R e a l E s t a t e O p p o r t u n i t i e s

For the last few years, most places in the country have been ex-periencing tremendous appreciation in the values of Real Estate. You often hear people talk about how their homes have appreci-ated in value.

Well, I have news for you, houses do not appreciate in value. Yes, you heard me correctly. Houses do not appreciate in value. You are probably confused so let me explain.

Despite the turmoil the real estate industry has been experiencing nation wide, Atlanta is still one of the most lucrative real estate markets in the entire country. Even in the down market Atlanta has still flourished with a rise scheduled to come in the first quar-ter on the 2008 season. While there are many people out there clamoring for deals, great investors are passing on deals. While others think the market is drying up, great investors are finding more investing real estate opportunities. How can this be, you ask?

The difference between great investors and many other investors is understanding appreciation. Homes do not go up in value. It is the land that the home is sitting on that appreciates, not the house itself. It will maintain value if you keep it up and can exceed value with certain improvements, but otherwise it goes down in value and it costs money to maintain.

So in a hot market, look for land. It doesn’t matter if there is a house on it or not. Land in good areas is like gold in real estate investing opportunities. A home will have a piece of land that someone will want. That person may or may not keep the house, but the real estate it sits on is the desired asset. Because land ap-preciates, it is a desired commodity in a hot market.

Here is an example of how appreciation of lands far outpaces the appreciation of a home:

A home in a $400,000 neighborhood that is appreciating at 10% per year goes up in value $40,000 per year. The lot next door

may be worth $120,000, but in a year it also goes up $40,000, or 33% appreciation. Hence, the increase in value is due to the land, not the house which doesn’t go up in value. It costs the same to build a home whether you pay $120,000 or $160,000 for the lot. Of course there may be some changes in the cost of lumber and materials, but this doesn’t have much of an effect on the value of the home.

The bottom line - the house on the property is always worth the same. You can replace it for essentially the same amount as you can two years from now. It’s the land that goes up in value.

Once you understand this you will begin to look at investing real estate opportunities differently. You’ll see the small unattractive two bedroom rancher in a great neighborhood for the land that it sits on. You’ll see the home with an extra lot beside it as two deals. You’ll see vacant lots as gold mines and, yes, people go after land in hot markets like the gold rush of 1949.

Why does land appreciate? It’s a matter of supply and demand. The areas of the country which are experiencing the highest rates of appreciation are for the most part saturated. There is very little land left to be developed and the populations are growing. In some cases there is no land left and smaller cheaper homes carry a premium because of the land they’re sitting on. If you can pay market value for the “home,” you may actually be getting a “land” bargain.

So when you pursue homes in very hot markets, sometimes you just have to look at the small home for what it can become. Don’t pull comps for the home as it is, but for what it could be. A 2 BR rancher may be worth $350,000 on its best day, but a new 4BR 2.5 bath, colonial may be worth $700,000. If you could buy the two bedroom ranch for $300,000 or full market value, the land beneath may be worth more when you consider the new home that could be built on it.


A d v i c e F o r N e w I n v e s t o r s

Tip Number One: Quality Over Quantity

Sit back and cherry-pick, waiting for the “home runs” to come along. That’s not to say that beginning investors should wait for the big deals. Most inexperienced investors have the resources to compete with the experienced investors who don’t need the smaller deals to survive but can afford to be patient. What I am saying is that beginning investors should do what they need to do to survive, keeping in mind that it is better to do one quality deal than a multitude of average deals. As a beginner, you must get into the game, but do it carefully with good deals. Then go from first to second to third to home, taking it one step at a time. Crawl before you walk and walk before you run.

Tip Number Two: Set Goals And Put Them On Paper

I advise my investors to put together a plan sooner rather than later, preferably before they even start investing. Anyone who drafts a realistic plan and sticks to it can achieve as much in one year as someone who does not in three.

Not that creating a plan is easy, especially when you don’t know what to expect. Accurate goal setting is actually very difficult, and not many people teach you what you need to set REAL goals. Most teach goals that get people excited, good in the sense that it usually prompts people to take action, but bad in that it develops unrealistic expectations and sets people up for disappointment.

To set realistic goals, speak with other experienced investors, myself, or in your chosen field (wholesaling, rehabbing, lease-options, “subject to”) and get their honest opinions regarding profits per deal and the average time required to complete a deal. Then, based on this and your current resources of cash and credit, set your long-term cash, cash flow, and equity goals for one year, three years and five years. Once you have these long-term goals, fill in your short-term goals of three, six and nine months by outlining the steps you need to take to accomplish your long-term goals. Unless you draft a plan similar to this and truly commit to it, you are going nowhere.



Page 15

Tip Number Three: Control your debt.

You need to control your debt (i.e. pay it off). If you have debt, it will absolutely be your master. It will cause you to lose sleep at night, and keep you doing things that you don’t want to do. Paying your debt may require you to make temporary “lifestyle sacrifices”. However, if you come up with a plan to pay off your debt and are effective in managing your debt, you are more likely to meet your investing goals and be in a better position to afford the lifestyle without the stress.

Tip Number Four: Be crystal clear about what you want out of life.

Not everyone really knows what he or she wants out of life. When I talk to others about their goals, most will say something along the lines of, “I want to make $250,000 per year” or “I want to have $5 million in the bank.” But when I ask them why, they can’t answer the question. Then that dream dies the moment they want something else. However, real estate investing requires clear goals and a precise plan. To be successful, you have to know why you want to invest in real estate and what you hope to achieve as a result of your investment.

Tip Number Five: Be able to focus

In order to be successful at anything, you need to become good at it. The mindset of a real estate investor is to be successful quickly. The good news is that two to three years can change your life if you have a plan and direction. Without these tools, these years could ruin your life. Investors who focus normally find a niche in real estate investing and go after it. They are not pursuing all different types of investing.

Some of the concepts of real estate investing seem so simple and, in actuality, they really are. Many people believe they are already doing this. But the likelihood is that their “plan” is really not a plan. They don’t know where they are going, how they are going to get there, what method they are going to use to get there, how long it is going to take to get there, or what to do along the way if they get lost. Usually they just run in circles until they get tired and then bow out along with many of the others who have bowed out of the real estate investing game over the years. Very few make it, because very few plan. As I have come to understand throughout my career, people don’t achieve their dreams by accident. You shouldn’t either.

Y O U R C I R C L E O F S U C C E S S I n v e s t o r ’ s G u i d e

Let me clarify for you what I consider to be a "successful" real estate investor.

My successful friends all love to talk about their war stories - “What life used to be like.” After attentively listening to them, I have observed a common theme they all share - and most of them don't even realize it.

You may be inclined to think the common thread is education. Wrong answer. While I can’t stress the importance of your education in real estate investing enough, that’s not it. However, there are many educated investors, but few successful investors. Real estate education is relatively cheap and easy to find. In fact, there are some many who are so educated about "nuts and bolts" real estate investing techniques, they skip real estate investing altogether and decide to write courses and teach classes about the subject. So what's the key? The key to getting started in real estate investing and in being successful as a real estate investor is PLANNING. Successful investors always have a game plan.

Educated real estate investing is knowing how to do deals. Some investors do not know why they are doing deals or where they are going. They just aimlessly pursue opportunities.

Being "reactionary" like this, with no solid plan, is sort of like playing pinball. Some times you hit a "payday" spot and sometimes you don't. And while skill is helpful, you're still largely at the mercy of whatever is going on around you at that very moment - bouncing around here and there, based on whatever the day happens to be tossing your way.

No, Not More Deals

Understand this: The success that investors will experience is not because they have done more deals, but because they have done fewer, better deals.

Often the mindset of the investor is, “If I could only do more deals, I’d get ahead.” However, more deals does not always equal more success. The simple answer is planning. You have to take responsibility for your life, your finances, your spending, and your actions.

M e a s u r i n g S u c c e s s

C u s t o m e r T e s t i m o n i a l s

Page 17

H e r e i s w h a t L a M a r ’ s C l i e n t s H av e t o S ay :

“Before becoming my agent, finding a new home

was very frustrating for me. I appreciate how

thorough and patient you were. Thank you, for

making the experience enjoyable. I LOVE MY NEW

HOME!!!!

~Tracy

“When me and my wife bought our first home, LaMar came very highly recommended. He was there for us throughout the entire process and made it stress free. I never would have thought buying a home would be this easy!”

~Harold

“We LOVE LaMar! We are so glad we chose him to sell our house. He not only got our house sold quickly, but helped us with our out of state relocation.”

~Jim and Donna

Visit me on the web at www.yourcircleofsuccess.com for more real estate tips and resources.

A s s o c i a t i o n M e m b e r s h i p s

H o m e b u y e r p r o g r a m s

Did you know that you may qualify for down payment assistance based on your

profession? Call me today to see if you qualify.

www.YourCircleOfSuccess.com LAMar@YourCircleOf Success.com

Office: 404-564-9500

Cell: 678-886-0874

Fax: 404-564-9501

you for becoming a part of the “circle”....

Documents