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.
l
