Georgia Real Estate Voice: Jen Bowman - Atlanta GA Realtor - Cobb County - Smyrna, Vinings, Marietta (Keller Williams Realty Cityside)

Open House - Smyrna, Georgia  - 2150 Whitestone Ct in Smyrna, GA will be open for viewing on Sunday April 29th, 2012 from 2 to 5 p.m. as part of the REALTOR National Open House weekend.

This gorgeous luxury home features 6 bedrooms and 5 full baths.  The terrace level has been professionally finished.  4 fireplaces create a cozy ambiance all over the house, in the master suite, in the bonus room on the terrace level, the family room and the outdoor fireplace on the patio.

Whitestone Subdivision is conveniently located off Atlanta Rd about 1 mile outside the I-285 perimeter in Smyrna, GA.   There are 5 homes currently built and 7 available lots for more luxury homes.  2150 Whitestone Court is exclusively listed for $559,000 by Jen Bowman with Keller Williams Realty 404-456-5024. 

Shredding Event - Smyrna & Marietta   As tax time approaches I'm always reminded that we have too much paper that needs to be shredded.  There's a great solution for Smyrna and Marietta GA area residents.   A free Document Shredding Day will be held on Saturday March 24th, 2012 from 9 a.m. until noon.  

Iron Mountain Document Services will provide the shredding free of charge. Shredding will be done on site and recycled.  There is a limit of 100 pounds of paper per vehicle (4 file boxes) Paper must be dry, and no electronics, cardboard, binders, or plastic will be accepted.

Locations include:  

• Wolfe Adult Recreation Center parking lot, 884 Church Street in Smyrna
• Piedmont Church, 570 Piedmont Road, Marietta
• Marietta City Limits, 591 N. Marietta Parkway, Marietta 

Call Keep Smyrna Beautiful at 770-431-2863 for more information. 

If you're planning a move, this is a great time to safely dispose of all the paper clutter.   You really don't want to take it with you, do you?  If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Smyrna or Marietta, contact Jen Bowman, Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.

Vinings Grove - Smyrna, GA is exactly what people are talking about when they say location, location, location! Less than a half a mile from the East-West Connector, and five minutes to I-285, wherever you need to go, you will get there quickly.  Vinings Grove is a quaint community of 26 homes built by Benchmark Homes 2000 to 2005. 

The traditional homes feature covered entry ways with brick, stone and cedar siding. These homes feature 2 and 3 car garages, some side entry with carriage style doors.

Homes at Vinings Grove have two to three fireplaces making it perfect for great ambiance and relaxation. Most of the homes here have either a master bedroom on the main level or a guest room on the main level.  Homes have 4 to 6 bedrooms and average around 4,500 square feet.  With a variety of floor-plans offered, there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

Students living in Vinings Grove attend Nickajack Elementary, Griffin Middle School and Campbell High School. The homes are also within a short drive to some of the most elite private schools in the area, including Whitefield Academy and St. Benedict’s School. 2000 Paces Ferry also has two public libraries within just a couple mile radius.

Vinings Grove in Smyrna also offers quick, easy access to a variety of outdoor running, biking and hiking locations.  There are several trail heads leading to the Silver Comet Trail within a short distance. Once on the Silver Comet Trail, outdoor lovers will enjoy over 60 miles of paved path extending all the way to the Alabama Border. Additionally, there are multiple access points to the Chattahoochee River, a great place to gather for picnics & weekend games of frisbee, hiking/jogging or a lazy inter-tube float through the water.

On the other side of the spectrum, for those enjoying fine dining and shopping, there is no shortage of places to visit near Vinings Grove. A quick drive will get to Ivy Walk, West Village, The Village Green, Cumberland Mall, as well as a variety of neighborhood pubs and boutiques.

To get there take I-285 to Exit 15 (S. Cobb Drive); turn outside 285; turn left on East/West Connector; turn right on Cooper Lake; Vinings Grove on your right.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Vinings Grove, call Jen Bowman, Broker Associate with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024. Our team is ready for you.

Related Posts:

2000 Paces Ferry

Woodland Gate

The Heritage at Vinings

2000 Paces Ferry in Smyrna Georgia - Judging by the quiet, secluded feeling you get while driving through 2000 Paces Ferry, you would never guess it was less than a few miles from two major interstates, 1-285 and I-75 in Atlanta. 2000 Paces Ferry is off Atlanta Rd across from Paces Ferry Rd.  Obtaining a quick easy commute, as well as a private neighborhood setting, has never been so easy. One of Smyrna’s best kept secrets, the 64 exclusive luxury homes in 2000 Paces Ferry were designed by architect Bill Baker and built by The Dubose Companies between 1997 and 1999.

2000 Paces Ferry boasts a variety of versatile floor-plans, as well as high-quality extras, including charming wrought-iron mailboxes, lighting, street signs and exterior accents. Some of the homes have master suites on the main level.  This community is absolutely brimming with personality, down to it’s gas light lanterns, white columns, drive-way pavers and wide balconies, which give it an early colonial feel. With an average of 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, and over 4,000 square feet per home, there is plenty of room for dinner parties or casual get-togethers.  All of the landscaping is professionally maintained by the Home Owners Association.

Students living in 2000 Paces Ferry attend Nickajack Elementary, Campbell Middle School and Campbell High School. The homes are also within a short drive to some of the most elite private schools in the area, including Whitefield Academy and St. Benedict’s School. 2000 Paces Ferry also has two public libraries within just a couple mile radius.

Homeowners at 2000 Paces Ferry enjoy being just minutes away from some of the best restaurants and shopping West Cobb has to offer. From West Village and The Village Green, to Publix, Costco, Home Depot, Cumberland Mall, and a variety of neighborhood pubs, Smyrna/Vinings has a little bit of everything to offer.

Nearby recreatiion includes the Silver Comet Trail, a 60 mile paved bike and running path extending all the way to the Alabama border. Additionally, there are 8 other public parks within approximately a mile and a half.

It is rare to see a home come on the market in this community, but when they do they usually are in the $600k to $700k+ range.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Smyrna Vinings, contact Jen Bowman, Broker Associate at Keller Williams Realty 404-456-5024. Our team is ready to serve you.

Bank of America Short Sale - I've done quite a few short sales with Bank of America and I have to say, they are getting better. Practice makes perfect, or better at least. One thing they are doing is being more pro-active. Last week Bank of America sent an email telling real estate agents to educate our clients on short sale benefits. They are also recommending to start now and not wait until an offer is received. I've notice that Chase is doing the same and being very pro-active which makes the Short Sale process better.

Benefit 1 - Pause in the foreclosure process - Often when the bank is aware that we are actively marketing a home and working on a short sale, they will pause the foreclosure process. After all, they really don't want the house back. Although, that could be argued based on the actions of some of the bank personnel we have come across in the past.

Benefit 2 - Up to $3,000 in relocation assistance for the homeowner - Note that they say up to $3000 in relocation assistance for the homeowner. Just recently, Bank of America offered $2500 for one of my clients who hasn't lived in the house in years. That one was used as rental property.

Benefit 3 - Deficiency waivers that provide peace of mind - If you are given a deficiency waiver, the bank will not come after the homeowner for the difference in what is owed and what the house sells for. A foreclosure in Georgia still leaves that open.

Benefit 4 - An upfront agreed upon price - I was truly surprised when Bank of America contacted me and told me to reduce the list price on a home by $60,000! The price we had listed it was in line with the comparable sales in the neighborhood. The reduction was part of their upfront agreed upon list price with the investors. That price reduction generated 14 offers within days and a contract price substantially above the list price.

Homeowners can also begin the short sale process with Bank of America by calling 1.866.880.1232 to speak to a Bank of America short sale specialist. Remember when you sell your house as short sale, real estate fees are paid by the bank. There is no out of pocket expense to the home seller.

If you are considering a Smyrna GA short sale contact me, Jen Bowman, Keller Williams Realty Cityside at 404-456-5024. If you are selling a home outside of metro Atlanta and need a referral to a short sale specialist in your area, feel free to contact me.

Is that Condo FHA approved? In metro Atlanta we have lots of condos for sale.  Buyers who will be using FHA insured financing (3.5% down) need to know if the condo is on FHA's approved condo list.

Check out the official site for FHA Approved Condos.

Many Atlanta condos have restrictions limiting the number of rentals in a community.  One of the reasons is because FHA will not approve a condo if it has more than 20% rentals.  Some condos have wait lists of 2 or more years to be able to rent out your unit.   If you are considering renting out your place in the future, I would suggest getting on the list early. 

If you're thinking of buying or selling a condo in Atlanta or Smyrna, contact Jen Bowman, Keller Williams Realty Cityside at 404-456-5024.

Marietta Georgia Real Estate Market - 2011, let's wrap it up.  I've analyzed the Marietta GA real estate data for the last 7 years.   This is for single family residential and does not include condos or townhomes.

In 2005, 3015 homes sold with an average of 94 days on the market , 97.8% of list price to sales price and we had 4.4 months of inventory.  That tells us that if nothing new came on the market, we would be completely sold out in 4.4 months.  Homes were selling fast and furious and there was a lot going on in Marietta Real Estate.   That's what we call a seller's market.

In 2006, 2,846 Marietta homes sold with an average days on market on 95.  Homes were still selling at 97.5% of the asking price.  We had 4.7 months of inventory.

In 2007, less homes were sold, 2,513 with an average days on market of 98 days, selling at 96.9% of list price and then we had 5.3 months of inventory.

In 2008, 2034 homes in Marietta were sold, now taking a little longer to sell with 109 days on the market and selling at 95.6% of asking price. Then we really start to see the inventory rise with 6.6 months supply of Marietta homes for sale.

In 2009, the number of Marietta homes sold drops to 1982, that's a 35% drop in the number of homes sold.  The average days on market increased to 122 for the Marietta homes that sold.  Homes were still selling at 95.2% of list price.  Less homes selling meant we had 6.8 months supply of homes for sale.

In 2010, we saw an increase in the number of homes sold, with 2067.  The average days on market decreased to 116.  Of the Marietta homes that sold, they did so at 94.9% of list price.  Inventory shrunk slightly to 6.5 months supply.

In 2011, we saw an even better increase with 2326 Marietta homes sold. The average days on market increased slightly to 120.  Marietta homes sold at 94.9% of list price.  The housing inventory in Marietta has decreased to 5.8 months, the lowest since 2007.  As the chart below illustrates, 2011 also showed us the most Marietta homes sold since 2007.

What does the chart below mean? In one sentence, the housing inventory in Marietta has decreased to 5.8 months, the lowest since 2007!  That means we have less homes to sell, which can be a great reason to put your home on the market now.  We need good homes to sell. The buyers are still out and loans are still available for as little as 3.5% down. 

If you're thinking of buying or selling a home in Marietta Georgia, call local Realtor Jen Bowman  with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.

Selling an Atlanta home? It can be an overwhelming feeling, but it doesn't need to be.  See what one of my most recent home sellers in Atlanta had to say.

I just sold his Atlanta midtown condo in 43 days and for $15,000 higher than any 1 bedroom unit has sold in Park Central in the past year! If you're selling your home, there are things you can do to make it stand out from the rest. Home staging, proper pricing, being a cooperative seller (as in being flexible with showings) and a strong marketing plan all make a difference. If you're thinking of buying or selling a metro Atlanta home, call Jen Bowman with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.

Home Buyer Seminar Smyrna - Are you thinking of buying a home but don't know where to begin?  I often get calls from Smyrna home buyers who have lots of questions and they tell me they don't even know where to start.  We have a free Home Buyer Seminar for you!

When: Tuesday January 10, 2012 from 6 to 8 p.m. at our Smyrna, GA office.

Where: 3350 Atlanta Rd Smyrna, GA 30080

Please RSVP to me, Jen Bowman at 404-456-5024 or visit me online at  BuyAndSellCobbHomes.com.

If you can't make it in January, we do these classes on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.  If that time doesn't work for you, call me for your confidential home buyer consultation.  

Decatur Wine Fest - The 10th Annual Decatur Wine Festival will be in Decatur GA on Saturday November 5, 2011.

Come taste over 350 domestic and imported wines and enjoy live music from the community bandstand during the 10th annual Decatur Wine Festival. The weather should be great for this event with high temps in the mid 60's.

• Saturday, November 5, 2011 1pm -  4pm
• Old Courthouse Square in Downtown Decatur, GA
• Tickets are $35 per person
• Admission includes a commemorative wine glass
• No one under 21 allowed
• No animals allowed

The Decatur Wine Fest is sponsored by the Decatur Arts Alliance.

Tickets are available from Ticket Alternative or from the Decatur Package Store on Clairmont Rd in Decatur, GA next to the YMCA. Tickets are limited to 1,500 people.

This event is just one of the many events in Decatur GA and is one of the reasons why Decatur is a great place to live, work and play.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.  Homes currently on the market intown Decatur range in price from $160,000 to $975,000. There really is something for everyone.

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