NEW LISTING IN MOUNTAIN PARK AREA!



FABULOUS updated kitchen with granite countertops!

 I'm so excited about this new listing in the popular Parkview High School district of Gwinnett County!  It is beautifully maintained, freshly painted inside and out, and with new carpet and wood floors.  It offers a stunning kitchen with granite counter tops, hardwood floors, cherry cabinets, and newer appliances. 

840 Rocky Ridge Court, Stone Mountain, GA

The Mountain Park area of south Gwinnett offers the Mountain Park Aquatic Center, Mountain Park Park, and is minutes from Stone Mountain Park, Yellow River Park, and historic Lilburn. 840 Rocky Ridge Ct is situated in a quiet cul-de-sac in Mountainbrooke subdivision. The expansive back yard is fully fenced and include a large out-building with natural light and electricity. 

If you know anyone who is looking for a great house in an excellent school district for under $140,000, please share this link to the home tour.
 http://www.propertypanorama.com/tour.asp?id=206189

LILBURN SQUARE

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I've enjoyed all the Autumn harvest decorations in "Old Town" Lilburn.

OCTOBER REAL ESTATE NEWS

WELCOME AUTUMN!

There's nothing like autumn and winter sunsets!  I got lucky with the photo above.  It was taken from  Lilburn City Park, and just as a pushed the shutter button, a group of geese flew across the sky.   It was my Facebook cover photo for about two days, until another wonderful view took its place!

HOUSING MARKET UPDATE

I try to concentrate and condense information primarily for our local Atlanta market. The most recent information is from August, and we're hopeful that we'll begin to see month-to-month improvements through the end of the year.  Many experts believe that metro Atlanta finally has  hit bottom, which, believe it or not, is GOOD news!  You may have heard on the news that closings in July were up by about 5% over July of 2011, and  inventory was down, and the average sale price of Single Family Detached homes was up from July of 2011.

August showed a slight increase in number of closings for August 2012 over August 2011.  The only bad news is that the average sale price year to date was lower than the same period in 2011.  Clearly, we have a long way to go.  However, I am still seeing quite a number of new homes, and new construction stimulates the local economy in many ways.

 

RENOVATIONS AND FINISHING UNFINISHED SPACES

Since many of you may be choosing to stay in your homes for awhile and make improvements, or purchasing homes which need immediate repairs, I want to post a few reminders about permits and special inspections.

As of 2008, all general contractors, as well as plumbers, electricians, and HVAC contractors, must be licensed.  Before hiring a contractor to handle a renovation or finishing, be sure to check his/her credentials. Permits are not needed for many jobs, but something as large as a basement finishing require building permits.

Ironically, the property owner does not have to be a licensed contractor to supervise a renovation.  However, the owner must know and abide by current building codes and county ordinances.  Upon resale, the most common inspection issues involve unskilled work involving electrical, plumbing,  HVAC, and decks, porches, and steps.  Most of these items are safety related. 

Another fairly recent issue is the requirement of any home built prior to 1978 be tested for lead based paint by a certified inspector.  If the house tests positive for unacceptable levels of lead, any renovations which significantly disturb an existing wall or window must be completed by  a certified lead paint contractor.  If you need resources, please let me know.

HISTORIC LILBURN

So much has changed in the City of Lilburn, I thought it was time to rerun this article. Main Street now offers brick pavers and sidewalks, with a plaza in front of City Hall. The park is bustling with activity, with soccer and concerts on the green, and the newly opened Lilburn Greenway along the creek.

Lilburn, located in the western part of the county on the Southern Rail Line, was established around 1891 when the railroad was completed, although it was not chartered until 1910, and officially incorporated in 1955.

However, there were early settlers in the area, including Thomas Wynne, who built his family home here in approximately 1838. It was restored in 1975, and is now owned and maintained by the City of Lilburn. Several old plantation homes still exist on Five Forks Trickum Road between Lilburn and Lawrenceville.

Early settlers of the area included the families of: Carroll, Nash, Jordan, Brownlee, Harmon, Kennerly, McDaniel, Young, Dickens, Pickens, Mathews, Kelley, and Garner. Many early family members are buried in the Lilburn Baptist Church Cemetery (originally called Liberty Baptist).

Camp Creek Primitive Baptist Church and cemetery is located just east of the town of Lilburn on Main Street-Camp Creek Road at the corner of Arcado Road. The first conference of this church was held in May, 1823.

Friendship Primitive Baptist Church was organized on May 25, 1833. It is located on Dogwood Road, just off Five Forks Trickum Road between Lilburn and Lawrenceville.

Yellow River Baptist Church, located on Five Forks-Trickum Road, was organized in 1871. The first building was erected in 1871, and was replaced by a stone building in 1947. A large brick complex has since been added to the stone building.

Lilburn today is still a quaint little village, called "Old Town Lilburn" on the railroad. It has its own city government and police department, and newly renovated Lilburn Park. It holds annual festivals and summer concerts in the park.

The old stores are now antique and gift shops. In town are many lovely Victorian homes. Just outside the town itself are residential and commercial areas, and Lilburn schools are considered some of the best in metro Atlanta, including Parkview High School, Providence School, and Berkmar High. Many Lilburn residents are in the Brookwood High School cluster.

Newly expanded and renovated public parks include Mountain Park Park, Mountain Park Aquatic Center (opened 2004), and Lilburn City Park. The newly opened BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir is one of the largest Hindu Vedic temples outside India (if you have an opportunity to tour it, do. It's amazing.)

Lilburn is convenient to I-85, Highway 78, Stone Mountain Park, and the Yellow River Biking Trails.

Sources:
History of Gwinnett County, 1818-1960, Volume II, by James C. Flanigan, copyright 1959
Dynamic Gwinnett, text by Bill Kirby, copyright 1993.

Spiny Orb Spider Web

I know that not everyone loves spiders, but I  really have enjoyed watching this Spiny Orb Weaver build her elaborate web.  She's quite a hardworking and artistic little lady. I discovered two more webs today, and so far, they've survived the weather and the landscaper. This web is almost invisible to the naked eye, and I'm pleased that my little Panasonic Lumix camera is up to the job.

Lilburn, Georgia Sunset September 12, 2012

AUGUST 2012 REAL ESTATE NEWS

The Housing Market in Atlanta and Georgia.  The July numbers have been crunched, and there is modest good news across the board for the Atlanta and Georgia housing markets. The Georgia Association of REALTORS(R) describes the housing market as having been the "headwind" of the economy prior to 2008, now being the "tailwind".   For the state, inventory is down, with a 30.9 decrease in July.  Statewide pending sales were up  30.9. The median sales price increased 2.3% to $116,500. 

A year to date increase in closings in Metro Atlanta has been reported, with a small decrease in the average sale price from the year to date average in 2011.  Across the board in Metro Atlanta, the average sale price of single family detached homes in July indicates a decrease 33.27% since April of 2007.

There is reason for some optimism for a slow recovery, depending on an improvement in the unemployment number which was 9.3% for metro Atlanta and the State of Georgia in July.  Builders are beginning to build again.  Interest rates are ridiculously low, and any qualified buyer should take advantage of this perfect storm!  Resale homes are selling, too, especially if they are clean and have updated kitchens and baths.  Supply is down.  We just need to get Demand up!

Please don't hesitate to call or email if you'd like an update on what's been selling in your neighborhood, or if you just want to say hello!  I'd love to hear from you!

Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation - Yellow River Park

I'm a walker and a nature lover, and plan to feature a different Gwinnett park each month.  The photographs above are from the Yellow River Park in Snellville.  If you live in the area, you may have visited. It offers a wonderful walking/biking path to stunning views of the river shoals. It is located off Juhan Road, just south of Stone Mountain Highway.

 

JULY REAL ESTATE NEWS

 

HOW'S THE ATLANTA MARKET?

The good news is that qualified buyers are buying,  showings have increased since the first of the year.  Our most recent listing and closing reports for metro Atlanta are for May 2012. They showed a modest  increase  in number of closings and average sale price over May 2011.  Inman News reported that Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta were in the Top 10 markets in the country in 2011 for first time home buyers obtaining FHA loans. 

The average sale price of detached single family homes in metro Atlanta in May was about $191,000.  As a comparison, in April 2007, it was about $269,000.  We just need a steady upward trend in the number of closings AND the average sale price, and I'll keep you posted!

Areas which were thriving before the recession are still doing better than most. The highest average sale price for single family detached homes in May was reported in Area 61 (Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Berkeley Lakes), with Area 62 (Duluth, Suwanee, Sugar Hill, Buford) right behind. It must be said that while schools influence demand, the amount of newer inventory can tilt the statistics for any area.  

INSPIRATION FOR JULY:   LOVE OF COUNTRY

May the sun in his course visit no land more free, more happy, more lovely, than this our own country! ~Daniel Webster

 

 

RECYCLING, REORGANIZING, AND STORING YOUR STUFF

I was talking to someone the other day, and joked that we all should pretend that we're moving once a year,  just to clear out the clutter to create breathing space. 

Ebay.   Particularly, if you have an item of value which is easy to package and mail, you may want to consider selling on Ebay.  I recommend taking the time to review similar items for sale, to get an idea of market value.  Pay attention to what items and prices are getting bids.

Garage Sale.  If you can predict your next good weather weekend, there's nothing quite as invigorating, and at the same time, exhausting, as a Garage Sale!  I try to do this about every two years, and it takes a lot of planning, including what will happen if you have a rain day.  Again, Craigslist offers a great free add with up to four photographs, and I've found it worthwhile to pay for an AJC ad.  Warning:  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ad must be placed well in advance of the sale!

Most Garage Sales are held on Friday and Saturday, but you may make your own signs for any weekend day(s).

 

For display I recommend several long tables with white plastic or cloth covers to make them more uniform.  Usually, I create a theme for each table, with a centerpiece, and rearrange and put out "new" merchandise during slow times. 

Craigslist. If you are not ready to brave the heat to hold a garage sale, you can list items for sale on Craigslist with plenty of space for description and up to four photographs for FREE.  Good quality clothing (especially kid's clothes) may be ideal for a local consignment shop.

Donation or FreeShare. If the value of your item  is not worth the trouble of selling, consider donating to Salvation Army or Goodwill, or offering it on the Yahoo!Group FreeShare for your area. I belong to the Northeast Atlanta group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/North_Atlanta_FreeShare/ and  recently recycled four solid oak legs from an antique table. You never know!

Storage.  If you are looking for quick, cheap, hidden storage, try rolling under-bed storage bins (usually priced at under $20).  They are perfect for kid's toys, out of season clothing, wrapping paper, and long term storage.  For long term or moving storage, shredded paper makes great packing material!