Georgia Real Estate Voice

2451 Ivey Crest Circle Tucker, GA for Sale- Ivey Crest Townhomes

This Ivey Crest Townhome is listed exclusively by Success Realty, Jen Bowman 404-456-5024 for $155,000. It's priced to sell and is one of the best prices in the community.

It's an end unit townhome at Ivey Crest featuring 4 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. It's just 5 years old.

Enter on the ground floor, where there is a 1 car garage and a guest suite, bedroom and full bathroom. Go upstairs to the main level with large kitchen and family room. The main level is open and spacious with a kitchen view to the family room with marble fireplace.

There is a deck off the kitchen, perfect for outside dining. The kitchen features hardwood floors, stained cabinetry, a pantry, built in microwave, dishwasher, electric oven/stove and refrigerator. All appliances stay. There is a powder room conveniently located on the main level.

Go upstairs to the 3rd level and you will find the master suite, a sunny room with a private bath featuring a jetted tub. The laundry is located in the hall. Washer and Dryer stay with the new home owner. Down the hall are 2 additional smaller bedrooms and another full bathroom.  The square footage on this Ivey Crest townhome is 1360.

 See the Virtual Tour.   In addition to the 1 car garage, parking is available in the level driveway.

Ivey Crest is a newer gated community built by Certified Home Builder Centex Homes next to Cofer Crossing Shopping Center (Walmart and Kroger) in Tucker. Shopping and dining is within walking distance. Five Guys Burgers, Firehouse Subs, Applebees, Sushi and Starbucks are all within walking distance. Ivey Crest has a community gazebo and park like area in the center of the townhomes.  The Tucker Nature Preserve is also across the street on Lawrenceville Hwy.

Students at Ivey Crest attend Dekalb County's Smokerise Elementary, Tucker Middle and Tucker High School.

To get to Ivey Crest Townhomes take Hwy 29 (Lawrenceville Hwy) North from Decatur, GA. Just past Hugh Howell Rd, on Lawrenceville Hwy, there's a Walmart Shopping Center and the Tucker Police Precinct. There is an un-named road at the stop light that runs in between Walmart and the Police Station. Follow that to the gated entrance of Ivey Crest Townhomes.

1st Time Home Buyer Assistance Programs are available in Dekalb County.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Tucker, GA contact Dekalb County GA Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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1504 Stonegate Lane SE Atlanta GA for Rent - Kirkwood

Stonegate Cottages - This end unit condo cottage in the Kirkwood neighborhood of Atlanta GA really feels like home.  It has a vaulted ceiling in the living room. It's been freshly painted and is ready for you to move in.

It has 2 bedrooms and 1 full bath. The second bedroom could easily be used as a den/office because it has french doors that open to the living room. There are hardwood floors throughout except for wall to wall carpet in one of the bedrooms. 702 square feet feels open and airy here, maybe because it has great natural light coming in from 3 sides.

See the Virtual Tour of this Stonegate Cottages Condo.

For outdoor enjoyment there is a private back deck.  Or if you'd rather, enjoy the crystal clear water in the swimming pool at Stonegate Cottages. Summer is coming!

Rental available now for $800 a month. Exclusively Listed by Success Realty, Jen Bowman 404-456-5024

Stonegate Cottages is a quaint gated community in the Kirkwood neighborhood of Atlanta. From Ponce de Leon Ave in Atlanta, go south on Moreland Ave. Turn left on Memorial Dr. Turn left on Wyman Ave. Turn left onto Stonegate Lane.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, GA contact Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Sold Princeton Crossing Home in Tucker GA -

My buyer client just closed yesterday on a beautiful new construction home in Princeton Crossing.  Princeton Crossing is in Tucker GA just over the Dekalb County Line in Gwinnett County. It's right off of Lawrenceville Hwy past Pike's Nursery.  Ryland Homes is one of the metro Atlanta builders that is still actively building new homes.

6 months ago my client found exactly what she wanted at an amazing price. The best part for her was that she got to pick all the finishes, including exterior brick color.  We went to the Ryland Homes design center where we met with a designer to put it all together. We looked at exterior brick, exterior paint colors, interior paint, flooring options, cabinets, granite counters, tile, grout colors, carpet, etc. This was also where the decisions were made for wiring upgrades for surround sound, security systems and lighting options.  I let her know what options were worth putting in now and which could wait.  It was a fun process.

She had several inspections along the way. Yes, even on new construction, inspections are important.  On the pre-drywall inspection at Princeton Crossing we were able to see everything before the drywall went up. That's important so that you can make sure that duct lines aren't kinked and air flows easily. It also helps to see where the outlets will be and make sure you have them in the right places.  I used to work on site for new construction homes and learned a lot doing that. Ryland Homes did a really great job with smart planning and clean work.

The finished product is a beautiful 5 bedroom, 3 full bath home on a slab for just over $296,000. The open floor plan is perfect for entertaining.  There's a formal dining room with graceful arched doorways and great trim work.  A guest room and full bath are conveniently located on the main floor.  

The master suite upstairs has a built in window seat along an entire wall, adding a special touch.  The master closet is the size of many small bedrooms.  A frameless glass shower door and separate jetted tub complete the spa like master bath.

Princeton Crossing is a swim tennis community with $600 a year Homeowner Association dues. There is a junior Olympic pool, two lighted tennis courts, a tot lot, and a bath house/cabana. Princeton Crossing is just minutes from I-85, I-285, & Hwy 78. It's convenient to shopping, dining, and recreational parks, including Stone Mountain Park. Students at Princeton Crossing attend the schools in award-winning Parkview School district. Current new construction prices range from the mid to upper $200's.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, GA contact Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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3206 Mathieson Dr. Atlanta GA Short Sale - Buckhead Condo

This Buckhead condo is perfect for the busy person who doesn't want to deal with lots of maintenance.  This cozy condo has 2 bedrooms, 1 full bath, a living room and a kitchen.  It has beautiful hardwoods throughout, neutral paint and great natural light.

Listed exclusively by Success Realty, Jen Bowman. 404-456-5024.  See the Virtual Tour.

It has been used as a corporate apartment for an out of town client who was my buyer 4 years ago. Spending lots of time in hotels in Atlanta? This is far more comfortable and less expensive!

To get to Mathieson Court Condos, go South on Peachtree Rd from Lenox Mall -Turn Right on Mathieson Drive by the Wendy's. At the first stop sign, turn left into complex-unit is in the right building, 1st floor end unit. 

Mathieson Court is in the heart of Buckhead, around the corner from the Peachtree Rd United Methodist Church. It's so convenient to fabulous Trader Joe's Buckhead, shopping, bars and restaurants.

There are just 16 condo units in this small Buckhead Condo community.  Low monthly HOA dues of $130 a month cover exterior liability and fire insurance, exterior maintenance, trash pickup, pest control, water/sewer and the reserve fund.

3206 Mathieson Drive Unit 1, Atlanta, GA 30305 is listed at just $103,000. This is a short sale pending bank approval.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, GA contact Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Appealing property tax in Dekalb County GA - This week I've been busy contacting all of my clients that bought a home with me in 2009. The purpose of my call is to make sure everyone has filed for their homestead exemptions. The deadline is March 1. It only needs to be done once and then it stays in force until the status changes.

A full 50% of the homes I sold in 2009 were foreclosures. My clients got great deals. What does that mean as far as their property taxes go? It means that they could be seriously overpaying!

One of my client's homes is assessed by Dekalb County at more than 30% over what she paid for it. So she was asking me how she can get that re-assessed. I pulled some info together and sent it to her.

Here's the same information for people who want to appeal their property tax bill. The following is from the Dekalb County Tax Assessor's office:

"How do I appeal?
If you wish to appeal the value of your property, you may file a tax return with the Property Appraisal Department between January 2nd and March 1st, at which time you may declare what you consider to be the fair market value of the property. This will generate a review of the value by the Property Appraisal Department; a notice of assessment change will be sent to you in late March or early April if the Board disagrees with your value. You will then have thirty (30) days to file an appeal if you continue to disagree with the assessment as set by the Property Appraisal Department. "

Here's a link to the forms for the real estate property tax return form.
For more information check out the Dekalb County GA Tax Commissioner's Site.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Decatur Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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9th Annual Oakhurst Wine Crawl - Tickets are now available for the 9th annual Oakhurst Wine Crawl in Decatur GA. Buy a commemorative tasting glass for $20 and sample 20 different wines from around the world at participating Oakhurst businesses. You must be 21-years-old or older to participate.  This event is coming up on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 from 4 to 7 p.m.

Tickets are limited to the first 750 people.  They are available at local Decatur businesses including:

• Kavarna in Oakhurst
• One Step At A Time in downtown Decatur in the CVS shopping center
• Steinbecks in Oakhurst
• Universal Joint in Oakhurst
• Wahoo

Tickets are $20 in adavance and $25 at the event. If you really want to go, I suggest getting your tickets in advance.

Oakhurst is a neighborhood in the city of Decatur. Currently there are 35 homes for sale in Oakhurst ranging in price from $137,900 for a home built in 1925 to $599,900 for a home built in 2008.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Decatur Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Decatur for Haiti - Catherine with the Decatur Minute asked that we help to spread the word. Many of our Decatur GA businesses are stepping up to help the Haiti Earthquake victims. The following businesses in downtown Decatur and Oakhurst have agreed to donate a portion of their proceeds from Monday, February 1, 2010 to the American Red Cross.

• Brick Store Pub
• Cakes and Ale will be closed for a private party, but is still donating a portion of its proceeds.
• Chick-Fil-A from 5-8 p.m.
• Fleet Feet
• Fresche, 12-6 p.m., $25 haircuts with all proceeds going towards the cause.
• The Grange donating proceeds from their Saturday renaming party and on Monday.
• Heliotrope
• HairWerks is offering $25 haircuts and $10 brow waxings which will all be donated.
• Iberian Pig
• Little Shop of Stories will hold a special storytime at 7 p.m. about the importance of helping others.
• Matador Cantina
• Mingei
• Nectar
• Palate Cafe and Bar
• Pambili African Artworks
• Peggy's Boutique
• Saba during lunch and dinner.
• Steinbeck's
• Twain's
• UJoint

Come on out and support our local businesses. After all, they are a big part of what makes Decatur a great place to live, work and play. At the same time you'll be making a difference for the Earthquake victims.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Decatur Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Wide Angle Magnetic Camera Lens Review - I'll start off by saying, I'm no expert when it comes to cameras and lenses. I just knew that I wanted to be able to take wide angles of rooms and real estate. I also knew that I didn't want to buy another camera.

My camera is a Canon Powershot SD1100 IS Digital Elph. I like that it's little and can easily fit in my pocket. I also like that it's easy to use.

Late Friday afternoon I started doing a google search for wide angle magnetic lenses. I found a company called Adorama that sold them online. For those that don't know what a magnetic lens is, it's a lens that attaches with a magnetic ring to the metal lens on your camera. No fancy equipment required.

I took a chance and ordered the large lens. It was $29.95 and shipping was $5.00. It's Tuesday and it arrived this morning by UPS. I thought that was pretty quick considering it was the weekend.

I tried it out today and these are the results. I am standing in the exact same spot with both of the following pictures.

Here is the picture with the wide angle magnetic lens attached.

There is some fuzziness on the bottom right. If needed that could be cropped out and it would still give a wider shot that what I could get without the wide angle magnetic lens. I also tested it inside and was able to get a whole room in the picture. That is going to make real estate photos so much better. Overall, I'm pretty happy with my purchase.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Decatur Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

View more of the Georgia Real Estate Voice.  Search Decatur GA homes for Sale

Medlock Park in Decatur GA 30033 is comprised mainly of brick and frame ranch style homes built in the 1950’s and 1960’s. There are a few larger infill homes in the mix. Currently there are 3 homes on the market ranging in price from $218,000 to $249,000. Most of the homes are 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths. Some of the homeowners have found additional space in their homes by finishing out the attic space.

Recap of 2009 in Medlock Park

• 9 homes sold in Medlock Park
• low price of $189,500 to a high of $290,000
• Average days on market was 98 days
• Average list price of $236K
• Average sales price of $229K

The Medlock Park neighborhood is on the north side of Decatur with Scott Blvd/Lawrenceville Hwy as its eastern boundary, North Decatur Rd as its southern boundary, Willivee Dr. as its western boundary and the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is its Northern boundary.

The Medlock Park community connects to University Heights and North Decatur Heights. The actual lines seem to be a little blurred because tax records show a different picture than the signs within the neighborhood.

The hidden gem in Medlock Park is a 28 acre Nature Preserve. The Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve has interactive walking trails. You can find it on Pinebluff Trail at the end of Woodtrail Lane. (2580 Pinebluff Trail, Decatur, GA 30033). Take time to enjoy it on the next beautiful day we have.

DeKalb County’s Medlock Park is also tucked in the neighborhood by the same name. The park has 39 acres with ball fields, multi use courts, playground, picnic area and swimming pool.

Medlock Park students attend DeKalb County’s Medlock Elementary,Shamrock Middle and Druid Hills High School. Medlock Elementary is within easy walking distance as it’s in the neighborhood at the end of Medlock Rd next to the park.

Close by, at the top of Medlock Rd off of North Decatur Rd, you’ll find:

• Melton’s App and Tap bar and restaurant with outdoor seating
• Pet Supermarket
• Natural Buzz, an Aveda Hair Salon
• Retreat Nails Studio
• Laundromat with giant size washers (think comforters and sleeping bags)
• Maddy’s BBQ is just across the 6 way intersection (live music nightly)

For homeowners at Medlock Park medical care couldn’t be more convenient with DeKalb Medical Center less than ½ a mile and Emory University Hospital about 1 mile away. Need Milk? Publix and Kroger Grocery stores are also just about a mile away.

View Map of Medlock Park in Decatur, GA.  

For in town living, Medlock Park offers quite a bit. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Decatur GA call me, Jen Bowman, Realtor & Broker Associate with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Getting Ready to Move? Get Organized First

If you are selling your Decatur GA home or plan to move within a year, get organized. It matters because the less you have to move, the better. Most of us have more stuff than we'll ever need.

First things first, if you haven't finished unpacking from the last time you moved, you really need to think about why you're taking that box with you again. Clear it out, sell it, donate it, just don't move it to your new home if you never use it or even bothered to unpack it. I was talking to a client who bought a home with me almost a year ago. She said that she was still unpacking! I figure that if I haven't needed it or bothered to unpack it in a year, I probably don't need it. (I'm excluding things like tax returns here.)

Some tips: 

Linen closets: If yours are overflowing, clear it out. It will make your home show better too. I have a dear great aunt, she told me years ago that she only had 1 set of bed sheets, which was completely opposite of my mom, who had a ton of sheets. Aunt Dot said that way, she never had to fold them or store them. Wash them and put them back on the bed. I love that idea and have summer sheets and my winter flannel sheets. It doesn't take up much space.

Bedroom closets: A friend of mine just moved. She was feeling overwhelmed and I went over to her new house to see what we could do. We went through every item in her closet and cleared out 3 big bags of clothes that she doesn't wear. It's my own version of the TV show "what not to wear". That stuff should have never been moved to the new house to begin with. Go through your closets, If you don't love it, don't move it.

Kitchen: If you haven't used it in 18 months, you probably won't use it. I went through one of my kitchen drawers the other day and found a bunch of utensils and tools that I have never used and probably never will. The same went for that bread machine that took up so much room in my pantry. Thanks to Craigslist, it was gone in 2 days and I had a little extra cash in my pocket.

Home Office: Use your shredder, if you don't have one yet. It's time to invest in a good cross cut shredder. That's the kind that makes little confetti pieces as opposed to just long strips. Start with one drawer at a time. Paper clutter seems to overwhelm a lot of people. Pick up that piece of paper and ask yourself why you have it. Make a decision, shred,  file, or to do. 15 minutes a day conquering paper clutter can go a long way.

Bathrooms:  Start to use up those lotions and hair products before buying more. Someone told me recently that she moved 5 boxes of hair products to her new place. What??? It's a lot cheaper and easier to go through and organize your products so you don't keep buying what you already have. Get rid of the stuff you will never use. Don't move it to your new home, clear it out first.

Whether you are moving now or in the future or just want to live an organized life, these tips will hopefully help. Plan for just 15 minutes a day and see what a difference it makes.

 If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact local Decatur expert and Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

View more of the Georgia Real Estate Voice.  Search Decatur GA homes for Sale

See My Series of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell: 

See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens

See Part 2 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA-  Garage 

See Part 3 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decautur GA- Curb Appeal

See Part 4 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Floors and Walls

See Part 5 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- De-Personalizing  

See Part 6 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Lighting

See Part 7 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Clutter

Getting Ready to List Your Home for Sale 

Get Ready to Move  Moving Tips