Halloween is just around the corner, but if you’re looking at the homes for sale in Thomasville, it’s probably the first-time buyer fears that have your knees shaking. Hey, buying a house seems like such a final thing, so that’s understandable. It could be the biggest change in your life – EVER!

Now that I’ve thrown some scary thoughts your way, let’s take a turn at facing those first-time buyer fears.

• Am I crazy? No, you’re a first-time buyer. You may alternate between periods of paranoia, confidence, nervousness and calm, but you aren’t crazy to want to buy one of the homes for sale in Thomasville.

• Is this really the right time to buy a house? The best way to answer this question is with a few questions. Do you have good credit? Do you have a decent job? If the answers to these questions are “yes,” then there’s never a bad time to buy the right house. Especially now, with tons of inventory, record low interest rates and the $8000 tax credit.

• What if I don’t pick the right neighborhood? What if I buy, move in, hate it, and then can’t turn around and sell the house? An understandable fear; one of the most common horror stories is moving into the perfect house, right next to the neighbor from the Black Lagoon. This is why it’s imperative to do your research (or, at the very least, tell your real estate agent exactly what kind of neighborhood you want). With the Internet, you can find out everything from the crime rate of an area to the quality of the schools.

• What if I lose my job? I won’t say that’s not a possibility. However, keep in mind that you have the same question when you’re renting. The difference is that if you can’t pay the rent, you can be evicted within days, depending on where you currently live. While some lenders may do the same, most lenders don’t want to foreclose and are willing to work with you to keep you in the home and making your payments. In addition, many are willing to wait for at least two months of nonpayment before starting the foreclosure process.

If you’ve been a renter all your life and are looking at the homes for sale in Thomasville, take a deep breath. Yes, it’s scary and yes, the worries can give you worse nightmares than the freakiest Halloween you’ve ever experienced. However, remember what made you decide to start looking in the first place. If those reasons still exist, go for it!

If you’re looking for that perfect, affordable home, we can make the whole process less scary and fear free. Call First Thomasville Realty at 229-226-6515 or email us at info@FTRealty.com for more information.

At their Annual Conference the Georgia Downtown Association and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs-Office of Downtown Development, named the Mitchell House Lofts and Condominiums, a Community Development Partners, Inc. (CDP) development in Thomasville, Georgia the Best Commercial Redevelopment Project in Georgia for 2009. This adaptive reuse of an historic hotel and adjoining property consists of 24 upscale condominiums and 6 urban loft condos, ranging in price from $200,000 to $499,000, and approximately 18,000 square feet of retail space. All but one of the retail bays are sold or leased and all but three of the lofts and fifteen of the condominiums were sold prior to the completion of construction.

This project was a collaborative effort between CDP and the local community. The Thomasville Downtown Development Authority had over the years acquired a portion of the property and CDP was able to successfully negotiate the assemblage of the remaining parcels. Development financing was provided by a consortium of three local banks, while the City of Thomasville provided infrastructure improvements and streetscapes. Not only does the project add over $9 million in additional tax base to the downtown area, but provides downtown living space that had previously been missing.

"To be nominated by the community was an honor," said Kirby Glaze, President of CDP, "to receive such recognition for our first downtown residential project is really amazing."

Additional information can be obtained by contacting Trent McNaull at 770.712.7125.

The Mitchell House is represented locally by Sharlene Celaya with First Thomasville Realty. Contact her at 229-224-4095 or 229-226-6515.