Perrie & Associates

The new year is approaching and it's time to look ahead and start planning for 2018. Undoubtedly, after you get asked what your plans are for New Year's Eve, you'll probably get that dreaded follow up question: so what's your New Year's Resolution? Of course, there's a number of typical responses for such a question - "lose weight. Get fit. Be better with finances." But how easy are those to keep? It seems that many people let go of their resolutions after a month or two. None of those classic goals are wrong by any means, but if you're looking for a more unique and maybe more "exciting" resolution for 2018, we've got a few ideas for you. Unplug In these days of social media and constant connection, it's easy to get wrapped up in what everyone else is doing and lose a sense of what's happening in your own world. If you find yourself Instagramming every meal or constantly checking up on other friends to see if they a

With all the hustle and bustle that comes with the holidays, it can sometimes be hard to get into the spirit of the season. Running from one store to another and checking items of the list isn't much of a way to celebrate the meaning of the holidays. So to truly enjoy this season of giving and love, we've got 12 simple ideas to bring you some holiday cheer. Elf on the Shelf For children, Christmas is the most magical and special time of year. Spread the joy and wonder this season with an Elf on the Shelf. The popular toy acts as a "spy" for Santa in your home, and he will report back to the North Pole to let him know if the kids have been naughty or nice. Many elves get up to trouble and move around each night so they can keep an eye on everything going on. If you're worried about what your elf may get up to, never fear! There is plenty of evidence around, and you can check out hundreds of things that may attract your elf's interest. Hang Holiday

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving, a day to give thanks and appreciate those around us who offer support and love. The day is often celebrated with family gatherings and dinner tables filled to the brim with turkey, potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and pies. But before we head out to our families, we here at Perrie & Associates took a moment to think about what we are thankful for. We are like family here at P&A and we want to share that feeling with you. Here is what some of our employees are thankful for this year: Brandi Woody, Pre-Closer (Cumming) "I am so thankful to be part of the Perrie & Associates LLC Team here in Cumming, and I am so thankful to work with a great group of people. I am also so very thankful for my wonderful husband and two wonderful kids, and all of my friends and family."  Bobbie Massei, Closer  (Cumming) "I am so thankful for my wonderful coworkers at Perrie & Associates, LLC. Each one has a very specia

It's the season of giving, and for your clients, you want to give them the best! But with so many sales, it can be pricey to be giving all season long, so we've come up with a few, low-budget, do-it-yourself gifts for your clients! Plus, who doesn't love a handmade gift? Mason Jar Recipes  The holidays are the time for baking, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up, your clients are sure to be putting their new oven to good use. Give them a tasty treat to make in their new home with chocolate chip cookie mix in a mason jar! You can follow the recipe here , and you'll need all of the basic cookie ingredients including flour, white and brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and of course, chocolate chips. Mix all the dry ingredients together, and then layer the brown sugar, dry mix, and chocolate chips in the mason jar. All your clients will need to add is the butter, vanilla, and eggs! There are also a multitude of variations on this idea, including hot cocoa mi

'Twas the night before Halloween, and all through the house Every creature was stirring... As they tried to put together a last minute costume! Did you decide last minute to go to that Halloween party? Or did you just find out your office is having a costume contest? Well not to worry- we've got you covered!  Here are just a few fun and easy last minute Halloween costumes! Raining Men Break out the galoshes and a rain slicker for this one! A cute and creative take on the classic 80's song by The Weather Girls - this costume is sure to get some laughs and a high five for creativity. Plus it's pretty easy! Just take an umbrella, print out pictures of some hunky guys, and string them up from the frame of your umbrella! Jon Snow Winter is coming. TV themed costumes are always a hit, and there's no bigger hit than Game of Thrones costume. To be the show's favorite star is easy - just grab a black bath mat or rug to drape around

Do you need to transfer your property to a family member? Or have you just started a new business and want to move the property to your LLC? If so, you will most likely need a quit claim deed, or QCD. Life brings changes, and with it, the ownership of your property may need to change as well, and that's where a QCD comes in. A quit claim deed is simply the transfer of interest in a property from one party to another. The person transferring their interest is called the "grantor," while the person taking the interest in the property is called the "grantee." The grantor ends, or "quits," their claim to the property, allowing the grantee to take over. While a QCD is one of the easiest ways to transfer property, it is important to note that there are no warranties of title transferred with this deed. A quit claim deed does not normally occur when there is a buyer and seller and when money changes hands. These deeds also do not guarantee that t

This week on Meet the P&A Team we are excited to introduce our newest member and attorney, Lee Pruitt! Lee has extensive experience in the real estate closing business and we are so happy to have him on our team. He has been working as a closing attorney for many years and has experience clearing complex title issues. We feel that he will be a great asset to Perrie & Associates, and he has already been doing a great job with us these past few weeks! . . . Name: Lee Pruitt Role: Closing Attorney Fun Facts:  Favorite sports team is Liverpool FC  Favorite food is Indian, or anything in Buckhead Life Restaurant Group  Lee Pruitt is a Georgian through and through. Born in Rome, GA, he received his Bachelor of Science from Shorter College in 2003, and in 2011, he received his Juris Doctor from Georgia State.  After being sworn in to the Georgia Bar, he began practicing at a general practice law firm, handling all types of cases including federal whit

Last week, we had the official start to fall, but right now in Georgia, it still feels like we're in the middle of summer. But not to worry, as the days get shorter, the nights will get colder, and many activities synonymous with the fall season have already begun.There's plenty to do right here in the metro this fall, and just a few miles out from the perimeter, there is even more fall fun to be had! Check out our suggestions of ways to explore your neighborhood this fall: Step right up, it's fair season! Fall time means fair time, and there are plenty of local and statewide fairs and festivals happening all around the state. Right here in Marietta is the North Georgia State Fair. With carnival rides, daily performances, a petting zoo and a blue-ribbon contest, there is plenty to do for the whole family. The sea lion show and pig races return as fair-goer favorites, and new this year includes an alligator show and fireman high diving act. And don't forge

Heading on vacation during your closing? Have a medical procedure scheduled and know you won't make it in to sign? Work sending you out on a last-minute business trip? If you're in any of these scenarios, you're probably worried about what you're going to do about signing at closing.  We all have busy lives with work, family and travel - throw a home buying or selling process into that mix and it can get a little hectic! That's what the Power of Attorney, or POA, is for.  A power of attorney is a document between two parties in which one party grants the other broad power to act on their behalf. This power can be for a number of things, including signing during a real estate closing.  In a POA transaction, the person granting the power is called the principal, and the person receiving the power is called the agent or attorney in fact. The agent will act on behalf of the principal within the circumstances noted in the document. An attorney in fact doe

As the busy season of real estate begins to slow down, now is the time for those side projects to ramp up and be taken off the back burner. For real estate agents, one of those projects should be brand building. In the days of social media, everyone has a personal brand. The digital footprint you leave behind on a daily basis says a lot about you and your business or company. Real estate agents are quite often a one-man or one-woman show, so building your personal brand is important to stand out and draw business. According to Monster , "whether you like to think about it or not, right now there are people thinking about your very own brand of whatever you are and do, and they're deciding if they want to make it one of their favorites." Of course, you want to be the favorite real estate agent in town! So we've compiled a few tips to help you build your brand to new heights: Know and Be Yourself If you're going to spend your lifetime working in an i

It's August, and the stage is set for one of the biggest real estate events of the year - the FMLS Showcase! The Southeast Residential Real Estate Trade Show is August 24 from 9:30 to 4:30 at the Cobb Galleria, and we here at Perrie & Associates could not be more excited at this event! The even brings together realtors, real estate professionals, and other affiliated industries for a day of networking and learning. More than 3,000 industry professionals are expected to attend this year's event and over 140 industry vendors will be represented at the show. National and regional speakers will be in attendance to discuss timely issues facing the industry, making this a great opportunity for those working in real estate. For this year's 17th annual show, technology use in the industry will be a primary focus. "Technology is increasingly at the forefront of our daily business and lives. This year's trade show will highlight all areas of our industry,

You've signed the papers, exchanged the keys, and are all ready to move in - the deed is done, you've closed on your home!  But the work doesn't stop for us there just yet. Here's a synopsis of post-closing protocol, including what we handle after you've signed, and what you should do too!  Our job Disbursement - Many checks are often disbursed at the closing table, but any wires and checks not given out at closing will be distributed afterward. The closer will get the file back and review  it to ensure all documents have been properly executed in compliance with the bank's requirements, and checks will be mailed out to the appropriate location and wires will be sent out by the closing attorney.  Deeds and Recording - The warranty deed is signed at closing and shows that a clear title has passed from the seller to the buyer. A security deed is signed when a mortgage loan is taken out in Georgia, and shows the terms of the loan and places a lien