Steps to Buying a Home

I get trustworthy answers

Lynn is a most excellent real estate agent. She is extremely responsive when reached out to. Lynn is actually very caring and considers the client’s best interests. She is creative in finding solutions, whether it be structural or financial. Something extra special about Lynn is that she possesses expert knowledge of contracting and building as well as real estate, so when I ask her if I can add a bathroom or bedroom there or move a wall here….I get a trustworthy and instant answer! This is invaluable when viewing properties and evaluating the possibles of each one. I highly recommend using Lynn and ODAT for your next home sale or purchase.

Thanks to Lynn & Becky

Lynn goes above and beyond! Concierge service is what I received leading up to my purchase and even after. From the beginning, Lynn and Becky let me set my own pace for my search. As a first time buyer it was important to me to see my options and understand what I was getting into. They were ready to show me whatever I wanted to see on weekdays and weekends, they were always available. Condos were selling between the time we made appointments and the upcoming weekend! The day I made my decision, Lynn contacted Will Hornsby, Mortgage professional, as we stood in the unit I wanted. Within a few hours, I was ready to move ahead. Questions before Closing and after were answered promptly. I got the info I needed about the move and names for electric, heating and plumbing for when I needed help. Thanks to Lynn and Becky I am very happy with my purchase!

Makes herself available

Lynn represented me in my search from start to finish. She is knowledgeable of the Atlanta market and makes herself available to check out homes for sale. She handled the process of preparing purchase documents and connected me with the inspectors, lenders, and attorneys we needed to get the job done. Thank you Lynn for your wonderful work!

I will be using her

I met Lynn while she was showing her client the condo I had rented that the owner decided to sell. In the course of the time the unit was on the marker twenty plus brokers or agents viewed the property. Though I was an outside observer of the process, I found Lynn to be professional, informed, courteous and respectful. She was in my view the best of them, and there were many excellent agents. I would not hesitate to recommend Lynn and when I move to Atlanta permanently, I will be using her as my buyers agent.

We have used ODAT Realty three times

We stumbled onto Lynn Friedman by complete chance when we were looking online for a house. We were needing to move to Atlanta for my husband’s doctorate program at Georgia State. We saw her ad, a simple picture and a brief personal statement, beside the homes we were scrolling through. We didn’t know anyone in Atlanta and felt we might as well give her a try; she did have good ratings and reviews after all. We requested some info from her on some houses, and she emailed a personalized response within minutes! She asked what we liked about each one, and then sent additional houses that fit our tastes even more. This process is how Lynn works: it’s a careful, patient fine-tuning that only someone with varied real estate experience and genuine care for people could achieve. As first-time home buyers, it was comforting to have someone assisting us who didn’t just want to sell us a house, collect her commission, and be done with us. Lynn actually stayed awake most of that first night, emailing us listings that fit our budget and preferences. When we checked our email in the morning we were so impressed that she had done so much for us already. Lynn spent several days, for a few weeks, driving us around Atlanta. Then one morning, when we were meeting up with her for yet another morning of showings, she said, “The search is over: I have found your house!” The house had just become available that morning. We were skeptical because the photos were of a house that wasn’t as nice as what we were looking for. Lynn assured us that the location was perfect for us (close to a MARTA station for my husband’s commute to school, and a two minute drive to my work), and that we shouldn’t be too troubled about minor cosmetics defects in an older home because many of those can be updated easily and affordably. We had to trust her because we weren’t familiar with the area. Lynn immediately took us to that house, and we were the first people through it. To my husband and me, it looked pretty rough. We had spent three weeks looking at updated properties and Lynn took us to this home that needed a lot of cosmetic help. She pointed out all the qualities of the neighborhood and community amenities. She said that if we put some work into it, it could also be a good investment. The house was at the very, very top of our price range, and referred us to a specific mortgage lender, Rodney, saying that if he can’t make it happen then it couldn’t be done. Lynn helped us get a solid performance-approvable letter, and we put an offer in that day. It was accepted and we were officially homeowners! Over the next three years, we updated our home with small DIY projects that Lynn suggested, and when we were needing to sell our home after my husband finished his degree, we called Lynn. She suggested a selling price higher than we expected, but because we trusted her, we agreed. Lynn got our house sold for nearly $70,000 more than we paid for it only three years before! It was of course partly due to the rise of home prices, but so much of it was because of her advice for upgrades. We’re so grateful to her and so happy we gave her a chance. She helps make sure her clients buy real estate in such a way that they’re much more likely to make a profit when the time comes to sell. When my husband graduated, he got a job in Lawrenceville, GA, which is about 30 miles outside of Atlanta. We called Lynn once again. She and her assistant, Becky, showed us 25 homes in two days, because we were only in town for a weekend. Lynn helped us find another perfect house and we closed in less than 30 days from the weekend we flew into Atlanta. Lynn and those she chooses to work with are completely centered on their clients. They are great at finding the perfect home and selling homes. We have used ODAT Realty three times so far, and without reservation we recommend them to everyone we know. We’re confident you will have the same experience with Lynn and her team as we have had.

When she says she is a full service realtor she means it!

We had to relocate because of work in less than 6 weeks. Mrs. Friedman took the time to really help us look and locate the right home. She was able to understand our family’s needs and help us to narrow down our choices. She was responsive and available and helped make our buying experience a great one! Her knowledge of real estate and the area(Chamblee-Tucker) where we bought our home helped us immensely. Her choice of our home inspector saved us from making a bad purchase and to feel confident, when we found our home, that we were making a good choice. Lynn was also very helpful in helping us to use a local lender that helped us to close on time for our move and have a smooth closing. When we buy or sell a home again, we would definitely use Lynn. When she says she is a full service realtor she means it! I would highly recommend her and ODAT to anyone in the market for a new home.

I always felt included

My daughter moved to Atlanta and wanted to buy a Midtown condo. Buying a first home is a big step. I wanted to know that she had an accomplished real estate agent to give her good advice and full support through the process. My daughter wanted to include me in the process. Since we live in a different state, we communicate frequently and Lynn agreed to follow that pattern for us. Lynn answered all my questions whenever I called or emailed. She copied me on all the emails. I always felt included. Soon I stopped calling and just followed the emails as my daughter was in good hands. I felt confident that my daughter chose the right person to work for her. Lynn not only helped with the purchase of my daughter’s first home from the start until the day she moved, but she also gave her great feedbacks and advice on the neighborhood and the city. I had peace of mind to have Lynn taking care of my daughter. I would recommend Lynn as a detail-conscious real estate agent. She cares about her clients and also respects and understands family dynamics!

I felt like I was Lynn’s priority

I can’t say enough good things about Lynn. When I decided to look for my own home, I didn’t really know what buying a home entailed or the processes involved. I went online and sent a couple of inquiries. Lynn responded quickly. I was actually a bit surprised by how quickly she responded. We traded emails and set a time to see property. I was very pleased with the first Midtown condo we saw. It was in a period building and had been renovated to include every detail I wanted – even off-street parking! Before we submitted the contract, Lynn requested that I look at another Midtown condo as a comparison. Seeing another choice was beneficial. After going there, I was surer of my own Midtown choice! After the first time we met and saw condos, Lynn asked for a Buyer Agreement and a $540 Research and Education Fee. She explained that it was about each of us making a commitment to forming a team. It made sense. As a first time Buyer, I needed the Education part for sure. While it is exciting, there are so many small details and processes that can make it completely overwhelming. With Lynn, I was explained each step and process in detail. When I asked for information, she responded rapidly with the results of her Research. Throughout the entire process, I felt like I was Lynn’s priority. I have an incredibly busy schedule and when buying a house, there are many moving parts that require a lot of work. I always felt that Lynn was on top of things and I avoided many roadblocks and stress through her help and guidance. Lynn is incredibly responsive and patient. I never felt rushed, or confused. This allowed me to immediately build trust, which is important in this process. My Midtown condo choice was in Foreclosure. Not only did Lynn know how to deal with Freddie Mac but she even got a repair done on the “as is” condo! Lynn also helped me acquire the bylaws from the Condo, and the mailbox key (more than a week after closing!). After the Contract was approved by the Seller, her group of support people stepped up to meet the Contract deadlines. Lynn arranged a tentative appointment with a home inspector so if our contract was successful we could move into the Contingency Period quickly. She also recommended four local mortgage lenders and one of them started the next day for me! I’ve learned so much from Lynn throughout this entire process and am now a happy homeowner. Contact her for excellent service. Lynn will help you get your new home efficiently. She is conscientious during the process and has continued to be there for me after the purchase. Thank you Lynn for helping my dreams come true! :)

I am happy to recommend Lynn

Since we don’t live in Atlanta, we were concerned about who would be the real estate agent to help our daughter find her first home. Lynn exceeded our expectations. Our daughter had recently started a new job but she wanted to buy the condo on her own. We offered to co-sign with her in case it was necessary. Lynn supplied mortgage contacts for our daughter’s Midtown condo purchase. One of her mortgage lender suggestions found a type of loan that she could get on her own. Unfortunately, only a couple of weeks before the Closing date, our daughter’s loan hit a loan documentation roadblock. Lynn jumped into the search to find an answer. With her help, we got around the roadblock and our daughter achieved her goal. She got a home of her own based on her own resources. I am happy to recommend Lynn. She certainly met all our family’s needs.

Lynn always made herself available to meet my schedule

I could write a novel about working with Lynn, but I’l try to make the review quick and useful, so here it goes: -I was a first time home buyer, and I had no idea what I was doing before working with Lynn -I found Lynn on Zillow, and was impressed by the other reviews, so I emailed her. She called me within 2 hours, and we got the ball rolling. -Lynn charges new clients a “research and education fee” that seemed odd at first, but was well worth the value of her experience and attention to detail. (her “thinking outside the box” saved me 7-8 times the research and education fee without impacting the seller negotiations). -I initially was “just looking” with a 5-6 month time horizon, and Lynn was 100% on board with a long, slow search for the perfect house after I was ready. After I began to see houses that I really liked being snapped up by other buyers, I kicked the search into high hear, and Lynn was lock-step, never being pushy or making me feel pressured to make a decision -Throughout the whole process, Lynn always made herself available to meet my schedule, and worked on my behalf when I couldn’t. -Lynn is full of experiences and opinions and is not afraid to share them; however, I came to view her as a navigator–while she may have told me what I needed to do, all of the decisions were ultimately mine, and she always respected that. -Throughout the process, I felt like I was Lynn’s only client, and the attention I received made a challenging life event a pleasurable experience. -Lastly, I am writing this a week after the closing, and I think that I have spoken with Lynn each day since the closing as I work through the process of getting my new home ready for move in. Although her commission has been paid, she is still giving me the same great attention and service that I got before the sale–that alone speaks to Lynn’s style. Give Lynn a call, you will be happy you did!

I paid the price I wanted to pay

Lynn could not have done a better job assisting me and my boyfriend in finding and buying our first home! Attention and knowledgeable service – that’s what we received from Lynn at ODAT reality. As a first-time Buyer, this was very important to me. She answered all of my questions and followed through on the details every time. She was always there when I needed something. The Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty team offered me top-level choices – several mortgage lenders, home inspectors and even the structural engineer. Lynn negotiated with our Seller to use her preferred high level contractor for the changes. Her support allowed me to feel comfortable throughout the process from my first offer to buy through the repair completion and on to Closing. For the contract itself, Lynn’s negotiation skills were excellent. I paid the price I wanted to pay for my new home and the Seller agreed to do all the repairs I wanted. I moved in with the house just the way I wanted it to be. It was great. Be prepared for her to insist that you do things in a certain way – having a mortgage approval before looking for example. We butted heads a few times yet the best results usually came when I followed her suggestions and she always listened to my opinion when I would put my foot down. I am glad to recommend Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty and Lynn B. Friedman to anyone wanting a successful real estate experience.

She was always there

Lynn could not have done a better job assisting me and my boyfriend in finding and buying our first home! Attention and knowledgeable service – that’s what we received from Lynn at ODAT reality. As a first-time Buyer, this was very important to me. She answered all of my questions and followed through on the details every time. She was always there when I needed something.

The Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty team offered me top-level choices – several mortgage lenders, home inspectors and even the structural engineer. Lynn negotiated with our Seller to use her preferred high level contractor for the changes. Her support allowed me to feel comfortable throughout the process from my first offer to buy through the repair completion and on to Closing.

For the contract itself, Lynn’s negotiation skills were excellent. I paid the price I wanted to pay for my new home and the Seller agreed to do all the repairs I wanted. I moved in with the house just the way I wanted it to be. It was great.

Be prepared for her to insist that you do things in a certain way – having a mortgage approval before looking for example. We butted heads a few times yet the best results usually came when I followed her suggestions and she always listened to my opinion when I would put my foot down.

I am glad to recommend Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty and Lynn B. Friedman to anyone wanting a successful real estate experience.

I look forward to the opportunity to refer you to others

Lynn, I wanted to thank you for your focus and outstanding help on my housing needs. From our first phone call until you negotiated the lease for my wonderful loft space, you provided me with terrific customer service. The way you listened to what I wanted to achieve and then thought of ways to help me reach my goals was very much appreciated! You even requested the small changes I wanted to make in the loft with the Landlord and gave me the names of professionals to do the work for me. I’m also glad I paid the Research & Education Fee you requested without any reservations. I received value for that investment in you and your company. Your creative methods succeeded – I live exactly where I wanted to live and am paying less than the rental amount listed for the unit. In fact, the reduction you worked out in the rent meant that your fee was paid off in two and a half months leaving me with nine months of savings! Thanks again very much for your outstanding service. I look forward to the opportunity to refer you to others.

No wasted time

I wanted to thank you for your continued attention to my search from the beginning until we found my wonderful condo. Before we even started, you gave me access to a personalized search engine and left me alone to research for myself at my own rate. I appreciated that chance to set the pace for myself. When I was ready to buy, I paid the Research & Education Fee you requested – I already had enjoyed months of benefits from your added services! When I said I was ready to begin searching, you and your office really focused on me constantly until we succeeded. Given my student loans, it was an uphill battle but you never gave up. You only showed properties to me that met my geographic conditions. No wasted time. You helped me find a Mortgage Lender who stuck with me time after time until we found the right place. I selected the right Broker for my home search – that’s for sure.

Truly works to accommodate the buyer’s schedule

very easy to talk to. responds to texts quickly. truly works to accommodate the buyer’s schedule – lynn only showed me houses that fit my interest criteria. no “time waster” listings – i was impressed by ms. friedman’s respectful, attentive demeanor. lynn was a strong advocate on my behalf because she listened to and understood my specific housing needs.

We would certainly recommend using Lynn

Moving to Atlanta after graduating from college was a very daunting task. Thankfully, we were able to meet Lynn and she showed us around several units in the area. The unit we picked was perfect for us, and was actually one of Lynn’s renovations, it is cozy, inviting, and makes us feel right at home. We have certainly enjoyed our time here and wouldn’t have been happier anywhere else. Lynn has been there as a landlord and a friend when we needed her, something we have never experienced with previous landlords. We would certainly recommend using Lynn if you are given the opportunity (as a realtor and a renovator)

Lynn is thorough and detail conscious

Looking back, I see that I have over 25 years with Lynn as my real estate agent. My positive recommendation for Lynn stretches back to the 1980’s when she managed rental property for me in Atlanta after I moved to a different state. In 1994, her task was to find a home for me to buy a home for my daughter. Lynn searched and researched finding the perfect home for me to purchase in the north part of Fulton County. The in-law suite in the home continues to be a good fit for me when I am visiting in Atlanta. Now, again, I am reaching out – this time to move back to Atlanta. Lynn researched several communities for me to see when I came to town in the Spring. We narrowed the search to two communities, “semi-finalists”, for November when I will return to make a final decision. Lynn is thorough and detail conscious. She is a real estate professional who does a great deal of research ahead of the appointment so that no time is wasted when looking with a client. I am certain you will enjoy having her work with you to find your new home or condo. I am happy to recommend her services.

You will be glad to hire her

Lynn and her thorough work style played a big role in making my first homebuying experience a pleasant one. I came to her with simply a price range and the location of my work and asked her to show me affordable choices around this area. She carefully examined what I needed and counseled me with options outside the box. She found a duplex for me with a lot of parking in the Spring of 2009. I have the option to rent one side for income if I choose to do so. The nicely paved, big parking makes everything convenient. She then helped me with financing strategies and referred an equally attentive attorney. Working with someone who thinks proactively and whom you can trust makes a world of difference. You will be glad to hire her for your real estate needs

Lynn had found exactly the right unit in a fantastic location

I am pleased to have the opportunity to write a recommendation for my Realtor, Lynn Friedman. I live in another State and wanted a second home, a condo in Atlanta. Lynn carefully questioned me about my requirements and the lifestyle I wanted in this city. She understood that as a retired person, I was interested in a unit I could comfortably share with my adult daughter, should the need arise. Lynn researched and culled through available properties. She showed several options to my daughter and then I came to Atlanta to see the results. My daughter and I agreed, Lynn had found exactly the right unit in a fantastic location. As soon as I gave my OK, Lynn sat with us to plan the “offer strategy”. She not only demonstrated excellent negotiating skills, once our contract was accepted, she had an inspector lined up, a wonderful mortgage referral and reasonably priced closing attorneys to use. I am very please with the purchase and my daughter is confortabe and delighted living in our shared ownership condominium. Lynn is very organized and extremely knowledgeable. She has a wealth of resourses for referral to complete the purchasing process. I am sure you will be well served if Lynn is your Agent because she listens, understands/respects her client’s wishes and works well with people of all ages.

Call Lynn

I recommend Lynn as an agent because she listened to me about what I wanted in a home. We only looked in the neighborhood where I wanted to live. We looked several times until we found the right house for me. Then she helped me find financing. Another thing is that Lynn recommended I do a survey before purchase. Turned out to be a good idea since the next-door neighbor had fenced in a large area 9 feet into my property. After I moved in, Lynn came by to help me stake out the actual property line so the situation was easy for the neighbor to see. Then she assisted me with contacting the neighbor and we resolved everything very pleasantly. If you want an agent that listens to her clients, knows how to negotiate and has many contacts in all parts of the housing industry, call Lynn

With your help, we were able to do it

Lynn, You are on of the most detailed and highly professional real estate agent and well organized. Your detailed approach helped us through the process so our transaction went smoothly. You explained all the steps and answered all our questions on a timely basis. Your deep understanding and knowledge of the market and the business makes you very successful. Buying a house is not something that we do that often so it is easy to forget the process and steps. With your help, we were able to do it and we were very satisfied. Best of all you estabish a friendship with your clients and follow up with them after the deal is closed in case they need help or advice. We will recommend you to all our friends and people that we know in the future and thanks for your hard work and dedication.

She kept focus on our exact needs

I recommend Lynn Friedman as real estate agent because she work very hard for clients. My wife and I wanted move to certain school district for our daughter education. Lynn never waste our time and show us homes in other school district. She organize for our search so all information ready before we meet. She always bring a book or toy for sit and play with our daughter while we examine houses. We go out six or eight times Sunday mornings and seeing 3-6 houses each time. Sometimes we want to look at houses that not match what we ask at first. No matter she always patient with us. She answer my wife questions by telephone and email even if my wife call more times every day. When she look for houses she remember things my wife want to have like big rooms for entertain guests and kitchen with sunshine and many windows around the home and a basement that have outside door and windows. We find short sale property in October 2010 and close by January 2011. Lynn understand the rules about short sales. Many times she check-up for sure attention to all details for new house buying. Also she encourage us be patient over and over many times. The short sale process take so long. Lynn remind us oh what good deal we get on house. And she correct about that – appraisal comes 114% of price we pay for dream house. I am so happy there. I living in quiet safe place and so close to school we want for daughter. I recommend you get Lynn Friedman at ODAT Realty for you agent for buy a new house. She keep focus on exactly our needs. She have many contacts all over Atlanta in real estate and house business. Every step of buying process, Lynn guide us in right direction. You trust her and she do what she saying she do for you. She keep our best interest close to her heart.