The Wild West Of Real Estate

Credit Union of Georgia and its new partner help buyers and sellers in this hot market.

By Cory Sekine-Pettite

You likely are aware that the real estate market in Georgia has been robust for the past few years, and it is expected to keep growing due to the number of jobs in Atlanta. Around 1.2 million jobs are expected to be added to the Atlanta metro area by 2050, according to the Atlanta Regional Commission. The low housing inventory also will keep it a seller’s market for the foreseeable future. Despite that fact and the fact that interest rates are rising because of inflation, demand for housing remains strong.

According to industry data, in Cobb County, housing prices are up more than 10 percent year-over-year with the average home being sold after about 30 days on the market — and for 3 percent above asking price, on average. Buyers are attracted to our schools, employers, and plentiful amenities. So, if you’re “in the market” and you’re a member of the Credit Union of Georgia — or are considering joining — then continue reading about a new program they’re offering for home buyers and sellers.

Credit Union of Georgia is partnering with a local company, Relocal Real Estate (Relocal Move) to allow special mortgage incentives for both buyers and sellers. They are providing a 20-percent cash back program when financing with the Mortgage Department at Credit Union of Georgia. The Credit Union’s Senior Mortgage Originator, Joe Menna, calls it a full, one-stop mortgage shopping experience.

“Our mission is to help our members in every stage of their life,” Menna said. “We want to be a resource for our members to not only finance their home, but also assist them with the home buying process by pairing them with a trusted realtor with Relocal Move. We are essentially one call away to assist in partnering with a realtor, listing their home, selling their home, finding a new home and securing financing — we’ll handle the entire process for them from start to finish.”

Credit Union of Georgia has fully vetted Relocal Move and considers the company a trusted advisor for its members. Bacari Nelson, Mortgage Originator with Credit Union of Georgia, said, “Oftentimes, members don’t know where to start when they want to sell their home or buy a new home. The Credit Union wants to help remove guesswork.”

“Credit Union of Georgia has been the premier Credit Union in Cobb County for years as determined by the residents. That is why we sought them out as a partner for our company,” says David Griffith, Relocal Move President & CEO.

Relocal Move provides home sellers and buyers with access to relocation-like benefits when they are making any real estate decision. According to Griffith, the company’s motto is: Across the street or across the nation, every move is a relocation. “We introduce our members to relocation agent professionals in all 50 states who will help them sell their home, buy their home, or both,” he says.

Relocal Move returns 20 percent of the commission earned back as a rebate after they close. That rebate amount is averaging more than $2,300 per transaction side as of May 2022, Griffith reports. “When a partner’s member both sells and buys, they are receiving over $4,600 in commission rebates just for being a member of the Credit Union of Georgia,” he says.

Credit Union of Georgia and Relocal Move launched their partnership in early June of this year. In addition to the rebate incentives, Credit Union of Georgia is offering members $1,000 off their closing costs as an added benefit. “We’re hoping our members and the Community will think of us first for purchase, not just refinance,” says Menna.

Griffith is sure the program will be a success. “We have no doubt that the message will resonate with Credit Union of Georgia members and the Community as it has with over 4 million association members nationally that are currently in our system,” he says.

According to Griffith, the benefits to those who work with Credit Union of Georgia and Relocal Move include the following:

1. Access to the most professional realtors in the Northwest Atlanta market, and throughout the nation. According to the National Association of Realtors, 87 percent of homeowners or buyers do not have a Realtor they trust. Relocal Move provides clients with that trusted advisor.
2. Access to the most lucrative real estate commission rebate in the country.
3. No Intangible Tax – saving Members on average $3 per $1,000 financed
4. No Cost Pre-Approvals
5. Availability to speak with an experienced mortgage professional day or night, at your convenience.
6. The combination of Credit Union of Georgia’s mortgage pricing, closing cost incentives and Relocal Moves rebate is unbeatable in today’s competitive market.

“We at Relocal Move are very excited that the Credit Union of Georgia is our first Credit Union partner in the Southeastern United States, and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship,” Griffith says. “[Their team] are fantastic at what they do and are even better people. That combination of professionalism and humanity is what makes our partnership gel so well.”

Credit Union of Georgia was founded in 1960 to serve local teachers and school employees and later expanded their membership to those who live or work in Cobb County and an additional 12 counties in Northwest Georgia. It is a not-for-profit institution, which means that earnings go right back into member programs and services. The Credit Union offers seven branch locations, with four right here in Cobb County as well as multiple shared branches and shared ATMs.

The institution offers online educational programs on topics such as Credit Reports and Scores, Budgeting Basics, Home Buying and Auto Buying. Plus, there is a wealth of blog posts, webinars, and other resources for anyone looking to further their financial education. Anyone interested in taking advantage of these educational tools can do so. One does not need to be a member of the credit union. The free resources are available at CUofGA.org.

Real Estate Rewards in Four Easy Steps

1. Schedule a 10-minute phone call with Relocal by going to CUofGA.RelocalMove.com.
2. Relocal Move will connect the member to a terrific agent in their area for an interview.
3. The member gets to interview the agent before deciding to move forward.
4. If the member moves forward and closes on a purchase or sale, or both, they will receive 20 percent of the commission earned back as a rebate after they close. The average rebate in 2021 was $2,100 per transaction!