Valerie Howard

Valerie offers a one-two punch of computer savviness and investment experience that give her clients an edge in the constantly changing world
of real estate.

A Georgia Tech graduate with a degree in Information and Computers, she not only understands the importance of using the Internet to find, analyze and evaluate the housing market, she can also use the technology proficiently to obtain the best exposure for selling your home. Valerie's Georgia Tech education taught her to "think outside the box" in finding solutions to problems. This helps her create a win-win situation for all her clients — whether buying, selling, renting, or investing.
Valerie owned and operated a small business for 12 years that specialized in computer-based presentation materials. Her business was also a nationwide service bureau that provided rapid turnaround for computer-generated slides
prior to the laptop presentation era. She also provided large-scale 35mm slide duplicating services and a variety of custom presentation services.

When Valerie sold her business in 2000, she invested her money into the local
housing market, purchasing foreclosures, pre-foreclosures and distressed
properties. She actually renovated many of these properties herself to a
"like new" condition. This hands-on experience is a valuable asset when it
comes to older homes. Valerie has the know-how to assist buyers in determining
which cosmetic and functional repairs are needed to modernize a home. Since she has done this type of work herself, she can offer expert advice on what is involved to repair or renovate these properties.

As an investor for six years before becoming a licensed real estate agent, Valerie purchased numerous homes for investment purposes and subdivided tracts of land into lots for resale. She is very familiar with buying homes for investment and rental purposes. She has used her expertise to develop a financial model for analyzing return on investment for development projects and rental properties. She has also been involved with 1031 exchanges and is very knowledgeable about self-directed IRAs.

On a personal note, Valerie is a veteran of more than 70 marathons as well as an Ironman triathlon in 2005. The same determination and perseverance that pulled her through these grueling athletic events plays out in every aspect of her life — including selling your home, finding that "right" home for you to buy, or selecting a profitable investment property.