This Halloween as our princesses and super heroes go house-to-house gathering tricks and treats, there are a few easy steps we can take that will keep them safe and smiling. Some are the same ones we hear every fall, but others might surprise you…
1.) Trick-or-treat in a group and stay with your group. It helps to know your route ahead of time, too. The more adults accompany children, the better.
2.) Glow in the dark! Reflective materials and flashlights let drivers more easily see kids who accidentally wander into the street. The Center for Disease Control reports that children are four times more likely to be hit by a car on Halloween than any other night of the year.
3.) While it’s important to be seen, glow sticks should be handed
You read that right! EMC Homes is now offering a buyer incentive of $6,000 “Anyway You Want It*” in two gorgeous Gwinnett communities. Fall is a great time to buy, so take time this week to visit Ivey Springs in Bethlehem and The Park at Barrington Estates in Sugar Hill. Let EMC Homes open the door to your new home just in time for the holiday season!
Ivey Springs
Located in Gwinnett County, prices in Ivey Springs start in just the $230’s. Homes are 4-bed/2.5-bath with granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances, and Craftsman-style exteriors. This well-established Bethlehem community is inside the Archer High School District, close to Tribble Mill Park and just a short drive to Athens. Homes in this charming community, with its great
Southern Orchard Group and Peggy Slappey Properties invite you to tour The Orchard at Mill Creek in Auburn, where high-end, luxurious finishes come standard.
These innovative new homes start in the $300’s and feature real brick and stone exteriors, granite counter tops in the kitchens and baths, stainless steel appliances, gas ovens and cook tops, hardwood floors, and beautiful deluxe trim packages. Other builders would call them “upgrades,” but in The Orchard at Mill Creek, these amazing finishes are all standard.
Homes are well appointed with spacious secondary bedrooms allowing space for the entire family. Master suites include a sitting room, walk-in closets, and a spa-like bathroom. The generous lot sizes give ample space for
Village at Hoschton is a well-established community showcasing open ranch and master-on-the-main floor plans starting in just the $290’s. New construction that offers easy, main-level living can be hard to find, but Village at Hoschton has several completed homes available NOW as well as others in various stages of construction. This community is an amazing combination of convenient location, affordability, and elegant design.
Homes feature high-end finishes that include hardwoods, granite, stainless steel appliances, custom tile work, and deluxe trim. Exteriors include craftsman-style details and covered back porches, great for enjoying the outdoors on these cool fall evenings.
Metro Atlanta has a thriving rental property market. Renters across the area will tell you that good rentals are hard to find and the great ones are hard to afford. Owning one or more of these properties might be the key to financial freedom, but there are important considerations to make before jumping into the rental business.
How much can you spend?
As with any home purchase, rental or otherwise, determining your price point is the first step in your search. Be aware that the down payment requirement will be higher (usually 20%) because mortgage insurance is unavailable on investment properties. Interest rates will generally be higher on rental properties, too. Carefully consider repair costs now and in the future; if you own a home already,
We found a few unique events to liven up your week! There’s always something fun happening in Metro Atlanta if you just know where to look. Check these out:
Good Taste Atlanta
Running out of ideas in the kitchen? Good Taste Atlanta is a cooking showcase that happens this Thursday, October 19th at Duluth’s Infinite Energy Forum from 5pm to 9pm. Not only can you sample delicious food and drinks, but you can also watch cooking demonstrations by area chefs.
Hosted by Emmy-award winning journalist and long-time Fox5 I-Team reporter, Dana Fowle, Good Taste Atlanta will feature a vendor show and tons of giveaways throughout the night. Admission is $20 ahead of time or $25 on the day of the event and includes 3 tasting tickets and a goody bag. Need a
Ever wonder what the building process looks like from the ground, up?
Buying new construction brings some excellent advantages to home owners. New homes need far less maintenance, are move-in ready, and are more energy efficient than older houses. But where does the process begin, how long does it take, and how involved is the buyer throughout it?
Presales
A “presale” is a term of art used to describe the sale of an empty lot with the intention of building a house upon it. The buyer will physically walk the lots available in a community, choose the one best suited to her needs, then choose from available floor plans that fit the lot’s dimensions. The buyer will then sit with a highly qualified sales agent to craft the Purchase and Sales
The Peggy Slappey Properties website (www.psponline.com) is loaded with tools to help you sell your home for top dollar. Maybe the most important tool at your fingertips is the CMA, or Comparative Market Analysis, performed by a qualified PSP REALTOR® and just a few clicks away.
The real estate market is constantly changing, so getting an expert opinion of what your home is worth has never been more important. Year to year, sometimes even month to month, home values in your neighborhood can change.
A CMA determines your home’s selling price by comparing it with similar homes recently sold in your area – preferably within the last 2-3 months. It includes factors like the number of bedrooms and bathrooms,
It’s officially fall in Metro Atlanta! Temperatures are still warm enough for us to think of summer vacation, but the shelves are stocked with everything pumpkin spice. Take advantage of our extended summer and clean up your curb appeal for a timely fall listing. Fall is a great time to sell, since there are less homes on the market, which means less competition. But it’s important for your curb appeal to keep up with the seasons. Here is our checklist for making your home’s first impression a good one this fall:
___ Autumn colors are beautiful, but not on your lawn. Keep your grass free from leaves and other debris that gathers this time of year by raking and bagging regularly.
___ Spiders and other creepy-crawlies move their homes closer to