Overview In a season built for nostalgia, Deborah Morton makes a sharper point. The holidays are not only for catching up. They are for taking stock. Around a crowded table, the real question is not “How was your year?” It is “What does the next chapter require of this family, and are our homes helping or hurting that plan?”

This episode of Inside Georgia Real Estate threads three realities into one message. First affordability has stretched the path to homeownership so far that many first-time buyers are now over 40, by Deborah’s account. Second, the stakes of “doing it yourself” have risen, because fraud is no longer clumsy. It is polished, persistent, and increasingly automated. Third, 2026 may loosen the market’s grip, but it will not replace preparation.

What lands hardest is the contrast. A home is where we gather to feel safe, yet the biggest threats described here arrive through ordinary channels: a convincing email, a perfect set of documents, a deed that changes hands quietly. Deborah’s point is simple. Trust is not a strategy. Verification is. And the clock is already ticking.

Key Takeaways • Homeownership is still the most common engine for household net worth, and delaying it delays compounding. • If you want to help a younger buyer, a documented down payment gift can be safer than co-signing, which ties up your credit. • Start the conversation with aging parents early, and lead with care, not urgency. • “Preparation” is a 6 to 12 month habit, not a weekend scramble. • Real estate fraud is expanding. Verify identities, documents, and wiring instructions with a phone call to a known number. • A flatter market can still be fair. Professional execution matters more when margins are tighter.

Caller Q&A • Lynn: Asked about selling a home to her daughter while buying another nearby using a legacy trust. Deborah invited Lynn to message her through the website so the team can address the details.

Looking Ahead • Deborah expects 2026 to feel more balanced, with more negotiating room and a healthier give and take. Plan for options, not predictions. • She cited NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun’s outlook of a 14 percent rise in transactions in 2026, after two unusually low-volume years. • More inventory and more ready buyers could unfreeze decisions for families who delayed moves. • Fewer part-time agents may remain in the business, which could elevate professionalism for consumers who choose full-time expertise.

Practical Tips • For families: Use holiday time to map life stages, caregiving needs, and who may need to live closer to whom. • For buyers: Lock down credit access, keep spending steady, reduce debt, and aim for six months of clean payments before a mortgage application year. • For sellers: Declutter early, donate what you do not need, and assess visible fixes like walkways, decks, and gutters well before listing. • For everyone: Treat any “new wiring instructions” as suspicious until confirmed by voice with the closing attorney or lender. • For owners: Check your county’s property records occasionally, and see if your county offers deed or tax record alerts.

Timestamps

• 00:01 Holiday topics, fraud, and 2026 expectations

• 01:03 The holiday table as a planning meeting

• 03:38 Down payment help vs co-signing risks

• 06:38 Gentle conversations about aging in place

• 09:14 What buyer preparation really looks like

• 13:35 Seller prep: declutter, donate, and repair early

• 17:22 Three fraud scenarios, and how wire scams work

• 23:53 Market outlook for 2026, plus the agent shakeout

• 29:30 Lynn’s legacy trust question

• 30:40 The “bad listing” cautionary tale

Overview

Deborah unpacks talk of 50-year mortgages and removing minimum credit scores for conventional loans, why these ideas aim at affordability yet carry real risks, and how amortization affects equity if you move in five to seven years. Taylor explains what home warranties do, when they help, and common misconceptions. Live calls cover subdividing acreage, foreclosure outreach, barndominium resale and financing, COVID deferments that became surprise second liens, and warranty value.

Key Takeaways

• Extending to 50 years trims payment only modestly while driving total cost up sharply.
• Dropping the conventional credit-score floor expands access but can raise pricing for risk.
• In early years most of the payment goes to interest, slowing equity build.
• Secondary market appetite matters; riskier products often cost more.
• On-time rent may now help mortgage qualification via updated tri-merge reporting.

Caller Q&A

• Charles, Thomaston: Wants to sell house with part of 18 acres and build on the rest. Yes, you can re-plat and record new boundaries with an attorney; local pros can help.
• Lewis, Rome: Behind on payments and contacted by an investor. Work the loss-mitigation path, be wary of lowball offers, and seek trusted local representation.
• James, Conyers: Barndominium resale and financing. Buyer pool and loan options are narrower; great if it is your long-term home, otherwise weigh exit risk.
• Steven, Locust Grove: Are home warranties worth it? They can be, especially for tight budgets and older systems; understand plan tiers, coverage, and claim process.

Looking Ahead

• If standards loosen and data like rent history counts, more first-time buyers may qualify.
• Expect more title surprises from pandemic-era deferments; verify payoff figures early.
• Builders and sellers may negotiate credits to solve monthly payment hurdles.
• Thanksgiving week: more on 50-year mortgages with Deborah joining Shelly’s weekday show.

Practical Tips

For Owners

• Pull a preliminary title and confirm any forbearance or deferment add-ons before listing.
• If systems are aging, compare warranty cost to likely repair or replacement.
• Subdivide with a surveyor and attorney; record promptly and notify your lender if encumbered.

For Buyers

• Model the true monthly: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA.
• Ask lenders how rent history can help approval; compare loan types and pricing.
• Be cautious with very long terms; consider future equity and resale timing.

Timestamps

• 00:45 50-year mortgages and credit-score changes
• 03:40 Why small payment savings can hurt equity later
• 05:16 Secondary market risk and pricing reality
• 07:02 Guest intro: Taylor Rogowski, First American Home Warranty
• 11:26 What warranties do and how seller coverage can help
• 22:37 COVID deferments showing up as second liens
• 26:32 Barndominium financing and resale considerations

Resources & Contact

Website: insidegeorgiarealestate.com Email: IGRE@WSBradio.com Call: 404-872-0750 • 1-800-WSB-TALK Instagram: @theagency.atlanta • @insidegeorgiarealestate

Overview Deborah opens with a real world story about a flat tire, great service at Audi Marietta, and why “full service” matters in every industry. She connects that idea to real estate, outlining what true full-service brokerage looks like, from financing guidance and vendor coordination to negotiation, staging, contract management, and long term client care. The team also introduces the new Home Report Card, a one page self-evaluation to help sellers assess condition before listing. Callers weigh in with two fascinating cases, including acreage with a Native American solstice marker and a medieval-themed home that has struggled to sell. Deborah closes with how uncertainty, including potential government shutdowns, affects confidence, pricing, and timelines, plus practical advice for buyers and sellers right now.

Highlights

• What “full service” really means in real estate, beyond finding a house
• How client care, vendor teams, and negotiation skill change outcomes
• The Home Report Card and why condition drives days on market and price
• Price, condition, and marketing as the three levers for unique properties
• How uncertainty influences consumer behavior and deal flow
• Who benefits in this market, and why 2018 to 2019 is a better comparison than 2022
• Why many listings sit today, and what “outdated” really looks like in kitchens and baths

Caller Q&A

• Steve in Franklin: Pricing land with a rare Native American solstice marker. Deborah suggests historical research and targeted marketing to value a unique asset.
• Regular Dave in Hiram: A medieval-style home that has been on and off the market for years. Deborah recommends a deep review using the Home Report Card, zoning checks for alternate uses, and a strategy that finds the right buyer pool.

Timestamps

00:00 Ad break

00:29 Welcome, why full service matters

01:28 From flat tire to full-service analogy

02:00 What true client care includes

07:17 Services, fees, and industry expectations after recent lawsuits

09:13 Introducing the Home Report Card

12:14 Caller Steve, land with solstice marker

18:21 Caller Regular Dave, medieval-style home

23:11 Market confidence, uncertainty, and activity levels

24:59 Who has the edge, buyers or sellers

31:51 What makes a home feel outdated today

33:16 Costs after closing and buyer tolerance

33:47 Community challenge and closing

Resources mentioned

• InsideGeorgiaRealEstate.com — request the Home Report Card and contact Deborah
• Vendor love: staging partners, contract management, specialty trades, and septic pros are part of the team approach at The Agency Atlanta

Takeaways

• Sellers who prepare, price correctly, and present well still sell quickly.
• Buyers can win value in this climate, but should target condition that fits budget.
• Unique properties require research, creative marketing, and the right audience.
• Confidence fuels decisions, which shortens timelines and smooths negotiations.

Connect Questions or a copy of the Home Report Card → InsideGeorgiaRealEstate.com | The Agency Atlanta | Ask for Deborah Morton