Atanta's Future is Bright

I love the Atlanta area and have for many years. I moved to Atlanta in my youth because I thought it was centrally located for my adventurous side that loves road trips. I also thought Atlanta offered a lot of opportunity for a young person looking to make my mark on the world. I still believe my decision was a good one. Following are just a few reasons why.

Our cost of doing business is near the bottom of any metro area, with low lease rates and labor costs. Many corporations are looking at or already have relocated to our area to take advantage of these factors as well as the many tax break provided by the state.
We are perfectly situated for transportation, with the Port of Savannah being the 4th largest port in the United States, the second largest on the east coast. According to the Savannah Live Well and Prosper, the port of Savannah is the fastest growing port in the nation and an economic engine for Georgia in General. If the republicans get their way, the port will be dredged even deeper in the next few years to accommodate the world’s largest cargo ships.

We are the #2 most wired city in the US according to Forbes Magazine, and making doing business here a huge convenience.

Atlanta is drawing young talent from all across our nation with 22 universities and technical schools the best and the brightest students will be graduating in this local market place, making recruiting for corporations economical with a local pool of top graduates from which to choose.

Overall we are situated in a great position for growth over the next 20 years and I am ecstatic to be in Real Estate in the path of such great economic growth. The future is extremely bright.

To see current listings in the Forsyth County and surrounding areas go to http://www.tinastown.com/

New EPA Lead Based Rule for Pre-1978 Housing

"Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) is set to take over enforcement of the EPA Lead Based Paint Rules that were implemented in April of this year. State enforcement means an end to the seemingly weak enforcement efforts applied so far. Once Georgia officials take reins from the EPA, we can expect a far higher level of awareness and a heightened enforcement level.

The Environmental Protection Agency encourages the states to apply for authority to enforce its regulations by supplying cash incentives and access to licensing fees and fines. The EPA believes that, in general, it is better for individual states to buy in to EPA directives than to have their own requirements.

If you work with pre-1978 real estate, you must become Lead Safe Certified to avoid fines and penalties from the EPA." Read More

Watch Video



source: John Adams - Money99

Fall Cleanup - It's not Just for Spring Anymore

Spring Cleaning - Ah! The joys! Well, it may come a little early this year because this tradition is not just for Spring anymore. There are some things that should be done in the Fall as well:

In the House

• Clean carpets, doormats, and rugs.

• Clean and store spring and summer clothing; bring out your fall and winter items.

• Flip and rotate mattresses. Launder all bedding.

• Clean out kitchen cupboards and the pantry.

• Clean behind your refrigerator, washer, and dryer.

• Replace batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors - this is usually done when it's time to return to Standard Time in late October or early November.

• Wash your windows.

• Hire someone to inspect your fireplace and chimney and get them ready for winter use.

• Clean out the garage. In my household, this is a weekly thing - with sports equipment and toys all around.

Outdoors

• Clean and store outdoor patio furniture and gardening supplies. Bleach works well for cleaning mildew off the cushions.

• Drain and store garden hoses.

• Install weatherstripping around outside doors.

• Protect pipes by wrapping them with electric heat tape, fiberglass insulation, or ready-made pipe jackets.

• Replace missing roof shingles or re-caulk as needed.

• Clear debris from gutters and downspouts. Make sure the leaves have all fallen or you will be doing this again in a few weeks.

ENJOY!

Habitat's 200th Home

The North Central Georgia chapter of Habitat for Humanity recently completed its 200th home, 16 of which have been in Forsyth county over the past five years.

The ultimate goal of Habitat for Humanity is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the face of the earth by constructing and building adequate and basic housing.

Habitat homeowners purchase their homes from the organization. Owners must have an income in order to be able to afford the mortgage. Habitat homeowners are vital members of the community. They are teaching assistants, grocery store employees, police officers, administrative assistants, carpenters, janitors, hospital workers, bus drivers, etc. Their mortgage payments help pay for more Habitat homes.

Refer to the Habitat North Central GA chapter website for more details.

GA400 Tolls Extension

In order to finance $50 million in improvements to GA400, the tolls will remain until at least 2020.

Some Georgians are upset that the tolls have been extended since originally, they promised when the highway was built to lift the tolls next summer . Governor Perdue has asked them to lift the toll for a brief time between July, 2011 and Jan 2012 when the new lease agreement would begin. Nothing has been finalized on that yet.

About $40 million will go to completing the interchange between the highway and I85 southbound in Buckhead.

The other improvements to the highway include widening from McFarland Road to Ga. 20 in Forsyth County, building a triple left-turn lane on Mansell Road and improving three intersections that tie into the Northridge Road exit.

First Time Award for Forsyth County Youth

Cumming/Forsyth County was named on the 2010 list of 100 Best Communities for Young People. America's Promise Alliance developed the list for communities most dedicated to helping local youth graduate from high school. The winners come from 37 states and 30 are first-time recipients. They were chosen by a distinguished panel of judges that included some of the nation’s most well-known civic, business and nonprofit leaders.

You can read more about why Cumming/Forsyth was named at Winners/Cumming/Forsyth/2010.

Oprah to Visit Forsyth County

Oprah has announced her final season of her daytime talk show and apparently she has decided it's time for another trip down south. In 1987, she visited Forsyth County and was none too pleased with what she saw. At the time, the county was actually on the tail end of it's racism days.

Since then our county has drastically changed. I doubt she will recognize us. Our schools are very diverse, we have many many more citizens and we have way more traffic! Not only that, but the county is filled with citizens that have relocated from all over the country due to job changes and decided that Forsyth county was where they wanted to be. From the beauty of the lake, proximity to the north GA mountains as well as the city itself, and the numerous activities for families, it is such a wonderful place to live.

It should be interesting how the show portrays us this time. I know I will be very interested in seeing that part of the show. I can only hope that we have overcome the former ugly reputation and finally see redemption.

Megamansion takes 17 years to sell in Johns Creek

What took 4 years and $25 million to complete, has finally sold after 17 years on the market. Larry Dean and his first wife Lynda (who divorced shortly after completion) moved into the mansion in Johns Creek in 1992. Their dream was to raise their four children in an atmosphere like “Dynasty,” and then leave the 58-acre estate, with its 18-hole golf course, wedding chapel, band shell and formal gardens to a foundation that would open it to the public for charity events. But after the divorce in 1993, the mansion went on the market - and stayed there.

Mr Dean has confirmed that Michael Jackson wanted the place in 1994 as a surprise for his fiancée, Lisa Marie Presley. But when the media reported his plan and ruined the surprise, he did not sign the contract. Mr. Dean would not say how much Mr. Jackson was going to pay, but the home was on the market for $40 million.

The state has finally sold — for $7.6 million. The buyer, entertainment mogul Tyler Perry, said he plans to demolish it and build his own home, one that is environmentally friendly. I guess the land is probably worth more than the building at this point.

The sales price is the highest in Atlanta this year but well below the $11 million high of last year.

The tale is so sad since the entire family was affected by the circumstances and leads me to think that more is SO not more in some cases.

All About Credit

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) made it possible for you to get a free copy of your credit report. You can order a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion – each year. You should take advantage of this privilege by ordering your credit report and using it to monitor your credit history.

You can order a free credit report online, by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com or by phone by calling 877-322-8228.

Below are a few things that can negatively affect your credit score:

• Paying late - thirty-five percent of your credit score is your payment history.
• Not paying at all
• An account sent to collections - a collection status shows that the creditor gave up trying to get payment from you and hired someone else to do it.
• Defaulting on a loan
• Filing bankruptcy
• Foreclosure
• Credit judgement - the court had to get involved to make you pay the debt.
• High credit card balances - (relative to your credit limit) increases your credit utilization and decreases your credit score.
• Maxed out credit cards - this make your credit utilization 100%

But WAIT! Here are some things that DON'T affect your credit score:

• Bank Overdrafts - as long as they are settled before going into collections
• Your income (salary)
• Insurance payments - Even though they use your credit score to make decisions about you, they don’t report your timely or untimely payments to the credit bureaus. Insurance payments won’t affect your credit score.
• Child support and alimony
• Utility and cell phone payments
• Rent payments
• Checking your own credit
• Your interest rate
• Obtaining credit counseling
• Your age

You can improve your credit score by improving your payment history and keeping debt to a minimum.

Mini Makeovers for Your Kitchen

Here are a few ideas that will freshen your kitchen space without breaking the bank:

1. Update your small appliances such as your mixer, coffeemaker etc. There are lots of colorful small appliances out there to add a punch of personality.
2. Add crown molding to your kitchen’s ceiling. Paint the ceiling.
3. Update or add tile back-splash - get colorful.
4. Add some drawer organizers like a cutlery tray insert.
5. Freshen up the sink area with a new shiny faucet.
6. Add a pot rack above the island to save space.
7. Paint! This seems to be a no-brainer but if you make the island a contrasting color from the walls it adds a focal point to the room.
8. Change your cabinet hardware. This one can add a lot especially if you are updating from original hardware that has been there for a while. There are also many options and price ranges to choose from.
9. Add task lighting above the island to brighten up the surface for food prep and entertaining.

Forsyth County Market - Average Days on the Market Measure	Month	2010	2009	% Change
Average Days on Market	January	152	138	10.1%
	February	140	142	- 1.4%
	March	120	145	- 17.2%
	April	131	134	- 2.2%
	May	125	137	- 8.8%
	June	130	137	- 5.1%
	July	132	146	- 9.6%

Millage Rate Increase in Forsyth County

Everyone is watching their spending lately and that includes cities and local governments as well. In order to make ends meet, Forsyth County has raised it's millage rate on property owners. During the final public hearing on the proposed tax hike, the commission approved a net increase in the 2011 millage rate of .785 mills.

The increase will equal about $62.80 more in taxes on a $200,000 home or about $94.20 on a $300,000 home, according to county figures.

The board voted 3-2, with commissioners Jim Harrell (thought too high) and Brian Tam (thought too low) opposed, to increase the maintenance and operations millage rate by .9 mills. The increase is expected to generate about $7.5 million in 2011, which could cover mandates, restore some paid holidays to employees and open Fowler Park.

In summary, commission Patrick Bell says, "We must fund core services such as police protection, judicial services and increased costs to provide for public health, safety and welfare, At the same time, it is important we maintain a reasonably attractive quality of life to remain competitive in the economic development arena."

As a highly Republican county, a lot of people have issues with a tax hike but the county would be operating under a very large deficit if they didn't do something. Is that what we want?

How Much To Share?

I have been reading so many articles and hearing so much in the media about social networking lately that I am getting very anxious about making sure I am being "social" enough. To "get ahead" you MUST be on all the online social networks, etc and it is a little intimidating. However, in order to stay in step with society and meet all my clients needs, I am moving right along with the social network ride. So please join my real estate based Facebook page.

Here are a few other Facebook pages to check out in the Forsyth County and Alpharetta areas:

Forsyth County Schools
Smart Growth Forsyth
Forsyth County Businesses
The Avenues Forsyth
Alpharetta, GA
Johns Creek, GA
Johns Creek Business Association
Hampton Golf Village

While searching for pages on Facebook I also found a humorous page about Cumming. No spoilers - just search on Cumming GA and you will find it!

Do I need a buyer's agent for new home construction?

Did you know that they are still building new homes in Vickery? The latest phase is near the swim/tennis club. When this phase is complete, the community will have added 36 new single-family detached homes and 14 townhomes. All of the homes will be built to EarthCraft House™ standards. The homes will range in price from $200,000s - $600,000. Townhomes will be start at $235,000.

Vickery is a 236-acre master-planned community and was one of the first to ever be certified an EarthCraft community. The community has over 75 acres of parkland, two private lakes, a swimming pool, eight tennis courts, basketball courts, playgrounds.

If you are interested in this or any other new home subdivision, make sure you call me to serve as your buyer's agent. Some people think that since they are looking at new homes, that they don't need a buyer's agent. That is not the case. A buyer's agent protects your interest in the sale. The agent working at the subdivision works for the seller, not you. Believe me, during the closing process, once the home goes under contract, you will appreciate having someone working for you. It takes a lot of the pressure off you (when handling the small, ultra-important details) and it is nice to have someone you can vent to if need be! Our closing process is very streamlined and we follow a strict timeline to ensure all parties stay on track - including your lender and the closing attorney. It will not cost you a dime and you will gain so much so do yourself a favor and call me when you need a buyer's agent.

Looking for a Great Night Out With the Kids?

Top Five Family Friendly Restaurants in Cumming

Chepe's Mexican Grill: I've been to their location on Mathis Airport Rd. with almost 1/2 of a 9 year old football team so we had tons of kids plus adults. It was a long wait with that many people but the wait staff was great, tolerating a bunch of hungry, adrenalin pumped boys, while the rest of the patrons politely ignored us.



Pacific Spice: This restaurant also has a location next door to Chepe's on Mathis Airport Rd. Prices are mid-range and sometimes they have $1 sushi night. Click here for a kids coupon: http://www.pacificspiceonline.com/3.99KidsHibachi.pdf


Normans Landing: This restaurant has been here for as long as I can remember. Back before the growth surge in Cumming. The owners really care about the town, donating back to Forsyth citizens $933,000!





Sidney's Pizza Parlor: Located in Vickery Village, this restaurant tries very hard to be a corwd pleaser. On Saturday nights they host a Guitar Hero contest that brings out hysterical laughter and fun. They also offer a new $5.00 lunch menu or you can get a "take-n-bake" pizza that they make up for you and you cook it when you want it. I hear the BLT pizza is "delish"!



Cheeky's Taqueria: Not your typical Mexican restaurant. First of all, the booths are enormous - yippee! The fajitas are incredible with loads of menu choices, and lastly, they have several tables in the bar with built in taps, the PYOB (pour your own beer). They also have a draft wall to sample many more of their beers, and also at the draft tables are hand-held internet devices to play on the internet.

Metro Atlanta Schools Place High on Top List

As we all know Georgia is not really known for it's great schools. At least outside of the Metro Atlanta area that is. Inside the Metro Atlanta area, we have some EXCELLENT schools and Fulton and Forsyth top the list.

Newsweek put out an article last week showing a few schools in our area that are in the top 6% (1600 total schools on the list) of all schools nationwide for advanced placement. The schools are ranked according to the number of Advanced Placement, Intl. Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at a school and divided by the number of graduating seniors.

South Forsyth HS - 199
Milton HS - 313
Alpharetta HS - 345
Roswell HS - 399
Northview HS - 410

While test taking does not make or break a school, and I am sure there are some other great schools out there that do not have the IB programs, etc. but what this list shows is these schools offer students a more challenging curriculum in order to prepare them for college.

The entire report is online at www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/americas-best-high-schools.html.

Traffic...

Forsyth County is one of the fastest growing counties in the nation, yes. And therefore, also one of the most congested. But not to worry, the county is working (slowly) on a solution. Hwy 141/Peachtree Parkway is being widened as I type. I am serious, I actually drove to one of the three Publix's within 3 miles of my house today and saw not just one worker but actually about 4 workers out on the road today. I think that is a project record! But seriously, the lines on one side are started to be painted and hopefully they will be opening up another section before school starts again in August.

Also today, I read that the construction from a 2-lane to 4-lane road of Hwy 20 in Cumming has taken the next step by receiving Environmental Assessment approval. This project will include a 44-foot grassed median from Samples Road in Forsyth County to Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Gwinnett County. They say it will take 2 1/2 to 3 years to complete (translation - 5 years minimum) and is not expected to begin for several years.

Other road projects include Union Hill Rd, McGinnis Ferry Rd, Old Atlanta Rd, and Kelly Mill. Check out the Forsyth County Transportation Website for more details.

Tax Credit - Old News?

If you've ever been involved in a short sale transaction, you are no stranger to the frustration and anxiety that such a proceeding can cause. It can take a very long time to the contract to be approved by the bank and often times, the deal falls through for what seems like "no reason". Well, these transactions are messing up the tax credit's time limit to close by June 30, 2010.

The NAR (National Assciation of Realtors) is asking Congress to be flexible with this deadline for those purchasing short sale and foreclosed properties. The NAR is not asking for more money to be available - just more time to get these deals closed. There are 2 schools of thought about this: No extension - the buyers should have had the foresight to know if their transaction would close by the deadline; and Extension - some transactions take a long time and it's only fair that they be granted the same tax credit as others even if they require time beyond the limit.

What do you think?

FHA FAQ's

FHA Loan - Is that actually a real entity? Not really. The fact is, the FHA does not make loans, they GUARANTEE them - and only for first time home buyers or those that meet certain criteria.

What makes these types of loans attractive to lenders and to home sellers is the fact that the government is willing to back them up on their loan purchase.

As of January 2010, the highest home loan amount that the Fair Housing Administration will guarantee is $729,750. But again, only in certain high income areas of the country with higher land values.

There are many facts about FHA loans so if you are in the market for your first home, check out this page - http://www.fha.com/faq.cfm for lots of good information.

Forsyth County on Top Again!

I have been seeing so much news about Forsyth County being the TOP or near the top of the list for Georgia "this" or Georgia "that" lately. I am feeling very proud that I live and work in this community. Purely by accident many years ago but feel blessed all the same.

So what's up? Well, based on the HAPLR Index, the Forsyth County Public Library system is ranked #2 in the state behind Newton County. As an avid reader, I knew Forsyth had a nice library here but am pleased to see it is above the norm for our state. Recently, a new branch was built right outside of my neighborhood - talk about convenient! This library, The Hampton Park Library, located at 5345 Settingdown Road, features 60,000 items for checkout, computer stations, children's programs, and more. You can get more information about the library, and it's branches and programs at www.forsyth.public.lib.ga.us.

The ranking identifies how well the library system is serving the community with the funding it receives. With a ranking well below the highest of 1,000, we have room for improvement but overall, our library system is great and should be enjoyed by everyone. Check it out!

What Should We Do This Summer?

If you don't have your activities planned by now, it is possibly too late but here are a few ideas for keeping everyone busy this summer:

Summer Story Time at the Library - They have 2 sessions, for 2-6 yr olds and another for 4-8 yr olds. Just stop in the library or check out their website for details.

Hillbilly Willie's Summer Camps - As an alternative to day care this summer for children ages 6 to 12, and Hillbilly Willies's Summer Sizzle Camps are for children ages 3 to 5. Activities include horseback riding, swimming, arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, farm animals, games, summer bridge power hour, hayrides and more. Visit the website for more information. This sounds fun!

Forsyth County Parks and Rec Camps - check out the website for a variety of day camps and classes.

Sawnee School of Ballet - Offering a variety of summer dance camps. Visit the website for more information.

North Georgia College and State University - Offering Girl's Summer Basketball camps for girls 7-18. June 14-17 & July 19-22. The camps feature skill instruction by collegiate coaches & players, games, swimming, T-shirt & basketball.

Cumming Recreation Dept - check out the website for a variety of day camps and classes.

Lanier Tech Forsyth - Offering a variety of camps such as Lego robotics, CSI, video game design, cosmetology, aviation, and more. Visit the website for more details.

Just a few ideas but good ones at that! Have fun!

MADD

Want to drink and drive in Forsyth County? Better think again. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office was recognized for the second year (previously in 2007) as the 2009 Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Georgia Statewide Agency of the Year. This award is based on the number of DUI's awarded in that year. A few deputies were recognized for making an abundance of DUI arrests during the year. Good going!

I am happy about this award and feel safer knowing our roads are being patrolled so diligently but my goodness! If we win a state award, that means there are plenty of drivers out there driving under the influence to be arrested. That does not sit well with me in this "second most conservative county in the US" that has a ton of kids and families on the roads.

Home Sales Increase in February - Why?

The 8.2% increase on home sales in February is most likely due to the tax credit ($8,000 - first time homebuyer and $6,500 previous buyer) which expires April 30, even though after spiking in the Fall (original deadline) it has not really spawned the increase they would have like this spring.

Another reason for home sales increases is also due to a huge amount of foreclosures at rock-bottom prices in the marketplace.

What is particularly interesting is that sales contracts in the Northeastern region and Southern region rose 9% in February - which were both plagued with severe winter weather. Makes you wonder what could have been if we had a mild winter huh?

Love a Beautful Forsyth?

Well if you do, then come on out to the Great American Clean Up effort on April 24. The kick-off is at The Avenue Forsyth shops on Peachtree Pkwy at 9am. From there, everyone will go to areas of the county to clean up along the roads for two hours. A lunch will then be served back at the Avenue afterwards. They are expecting Scouts, families, civic groups and many other groups to attend.

Register to help out at www.handsonforsyth.org by Friday April 16.

Did You Know?

This month marks the 40th year of the passage of the Fair Housing Law - which was in fact passed just 1 week after the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was lingering for over 2 years in Congress and only passed at this time due to the recent events. Passing of this law was something that Dr. King focused heavily on and was a fitting tribute to his memory.

Hampton Golf Village Sponsoring Golf Tournament

Gorgeous Hampton Golf Village is sponsoring a golf tournament on July 27, 2010. The course is just off GA400 in beautiful North Forsyth and has challenging par fours.

6310 Hampton Golf Club Dr.
Cumming, GA 30041

Entry Fee: $72.00

Course web site: www.hamptongolfvillage.net

Check Out Shady Grove Campground

Beginning April 2, Shady Grove Campground on Lake Lanier in Cumming, GA will be open for campers thru the season until November 7, 2010.

Shady Grove Campground has more than 110 campsites including tent and RV camping areas, group campsites and campsites with water power hookups. The campground amenities include restrooms with showers, a beach with swimming area, playground and pavilions.

Campsites may be reserved up to 30 days in advance with full payment made in person at the campground. Accepted forms of payment are cash, check, credit card or money order.

Daily fees for use of the campground

30 amp electric site with water: $26

Tent camping site with no hookups: $18

Group camping (north): $155

Group camping (south): $135

Dump station: $15

Visitor fee: $2

Shady Grove Campground

7800 Shadburn Ferry Road

Cumming, GA

770-205-6849

Good News for Forsyth County Small Businesses

In order to spawn growth and revitalize the area of Hwy 369 between Hwy 9 and Mashburn, which is a prime location for nonresidential redevelopment in northern Forsyth County the Opportunity Zone by the GA Department of Community Affairs is offering qualifying businesses a state tax credit of as much as $3,500 per new job created. This incentive which is available for new or existing businesses that create two or more jobs, can be taken against the business's income tax liability and state payroll withholding.

You can find more information about this a www.forsythco.com.