Georgia Real Estate Voice

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

The city of Decatur will test it's new Tornado Outdoor Warning Siren system for installation purposes on Friday, January 22, 2010 at 12 noon.   The test will last about two minutes. 

The first official monthly testing of the system will be held on Wednesday February 3, at 5 p.m.  If the weather is bad that day, the test will be postponed until Thursday February 4, at 5 p.m.

From now on the system will be tested on the first Wednesday of each month at 5 p.m.  The sirens will sound for about one minute during each testing.

While we don't have many tornados in Decatur and metro Atlanta, the one we had back in March 2008 was a big one. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. I took the photos shown here the day after the tornado hit as we drove down Dekalb Ave towards downtown Atlanta, GA.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact 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 

1113 McClelen Way Decatur GA 30033 for Sale at Tuxworth Springs

For Sale: 2 bedroom, 2 full bath end unit condo on ground level at quiet location in Tuxworth Springs Condos in Decatur, GA. $138,000 Listed exclusively by Success Realty, Jen Bowman 404-456-5024 

• Nice hardwood floors in dining, living room & kitchen.
• Galley kitchen with stainless steel appliances
• Kitchen has view to family room with masonry gas fireplace.
• Spacious bedrooms have walk in closets.
• Window coverings are 2" faux wood white blinds and they are included
• This condo has neutral paint and is move in ready
• Clean and neutral wall to wall carpet in bedrooms
• Tile floors in baths
• All appliances stay with unit, including refrigerator, washer and dryer.

There is a deck/balcony off the living room with space for relaxing with morning coffee or an evening drink. The storage closet is great for seasonal or extra items.

See the Virtual Tour.

Purchase this Tuxworth Springs condo by April 30, 2010 to be eligible for the $8000 first time home buyer tax credit. For people who have already purchased their first home, there is a $6500 tax credit available.

Tuxworth Springs has a swimming pool, hot tub, tennis courts plus separate boat and RV parking. It is convenient to Emory University, the CDC and Dekalb Medical Center.

Tuxworth Springs is an FHA Approved Condo. That means it can be purchased with just 3.5% down.

The other condo that I had listed for rent at Tuxworth Springs has been rented but will be available to purchase in January 2011.

From North Decatur Rd going east, make left on Scott Blvd, Tuxworth Springs is the gated community on the left across from the Old Ford Dealership. Unit is in back of complex on ground floor.

Looking for something else? Check out this penthouse loft in downtown Decatur for $399K.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact 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 

Train with Fleet Feet in Decatur GA - What are your New Year's resolutions? If you're like me every year, it's be fit, eat healthier, etc. Fleet Feet Decatur has 2 great training programs beginning in January.

They have a No Boundaries Learn to Run 5K Training Program which begins January 5th. The cost for the program is $75 and the goal is to help you cross the finish line in 11 weeks. The target is the Tour Decatur 5K on March 13, 2010. All levels of walkers and runners are encouraged to participate.  The group will meet to run or walk twice a week, on Tuesdays at 6:15 p.m. and Saturdays at 8 a.m.

The ING Georgia Half Marathon Training Program begins January 9 for the March 21 race day. The cost of that program is $75. This training is for intermediate runners.

$75 for the training session includes coaching, technical t-shirt and special surprise. It doesn't include race registration.

Fleet Feet has a great staff and is located at 431 W. Ponce de Leon Ave in downtown Decatur GA on the corner of Ponce de Leon and Northern Ave.

If you love the energy and small town feel of Decatur, you may want to check out this downtown Decatur Penthouse Loft for Sale.

For more information on the training program call 404-371-0208 or visit Fleet Feet on line.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact 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