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Conversations about Atlanta Real Estate

A Second Look at East Cobb Homes

[ Add Comment ] 07/01/08 | Kathy Drewien | Filed under: Atlanta Real Estate, Marietta, Sellers

We talked about 3 East Cobb homes on April 14, 2008. Two of them were judged to be tough sales secondary to price and condition.

Let’s take a look at where they are now 80 days later.

MARIETTA FORECLOSURE STILL FOR SALE

13_weatherstone_parkway_marietta_ga

Located in the Wheeler school district, 13 Weatherstone Parkway is a foreclosure priced at $259,900. UPDATE: Price has dropped $30,000. Now listed for sale at $229,900. The house sits atop a hill on a corner lot and features an in-ground pool.

My client learned that foreclosures are a lot more, a lot less, not always what they seem. The in-ground pool is empty, the liner torn, and more closely resembles a terrarium.

The private backyard is certainly private with months of overgrown neglect.

What I learned: the bank foreclosed in November 2007 for $238,000 and listed the property for sale at $299,900 - market value for move-in condition. Huh?

PRICED TO SELL IN MARIETTA! RIGHT ON THE MONEY, SOLD AND CLOSED

451_springs_end_lane_marietta_ga

The next house on our list was 451 Springs End Lane. It is smaller than the foreclosure and has a “drive-under” garage. (A drive under garage is a garage in the basement level with additional room for storage or living space.)

One of the many features of this home is the exterior living space - a screened porch off the family room and adjoining deck. Every room was prepared for showing with lights on and no distracting clutter.

My client learned her emotional response to a well maintained house (set within the first 10 seconds of entering) prompted serious purchase consideration.

My experience was affirming. Listing agents who know how to get houses sold in a tough market counsel sellers on target pricing ($225,000) and staging. UPDATE: Purchase offer accepted just a week after this was posted. Sold for $215,000 on May 15, 2008.

STILL WAITING FOR A BUYER IN MARIETTA

4415_kings_way_marietta_ga

A candidate for Bad MLS Photo? Sure. But the listing agent for 4415 Kings Way deserves a great deal of credit for capturing a picture that doesn’t scream this house sits below street level.

Priced at $259,900, this seems like a good deal for a house in the Sope Creek, Dickerson, Walton school district. My buyer learned - even before we got out of the car - that preventive maintenance had been long deferred. UPDATE: After 6 months on the market, this listing expired May 14 - still priced at $259,900. The house is listed with a new price -$250,000 - and a new photo.

Is there a house in here somewhere? Why did the agent think this was a better photo?

Wood rot is evident at the door frame, fascia, siding and window trim. The interior is dated (1980). Every room demands updating, which is reflected in the price.

The space over the garage (which adjoins the master suite) has been finished out with a stairway down to the garage. It’s unclear what function this space would serve in the future.

SELLERS TAKE NOTE: Target pricing is the key to getting your house sold in a slow moving market.

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Saturday Stories - Play All Day in Atlanta

[ 1 Comment ] 05/31/08 | Kathy Drewien | Filed under: Atlanta Relocation, Marietta

Play. All day. Everyday. In Atlanta.

tennis racket and tennis balls

Atlanta has a moderate climate. And, we play tennis outdoors all year round.

I started playing tennis a few years after my daughter was born. At the time I was a member of an athletic club that offered lessons and organized league matches.

The only requirement to join a team was a nominal fee, a racket, and a pair of tennis shoes.

Photo Credit: aloshbennett

Tennis Leagues

The Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (ALTA) is unquestionably the largest grass-roots tennis league in the world. Their membership of social tennis players exceeds 100,000 players.

ALTA tennis leagues are organized for doubles matches. There are ALTA teams for women, men, junior girls, junior boys, senior men, senior women, and mixed doubles. There are wheelchair leagues and up/down leagues.

“When I moved here 10 years ago because my husband was transferred, I didn’t play tennis. But when I looked around I could not see any neighbors. Everybody who didn’t work during the day was off playing tennis. So I learned. Now I probably play eight to 12 hours a week; it keeps you young.”

The organization of all the teams and players is mind boggling - an enormous volunteer effort by captains, scorekeepers, and coordinators.

Whether we play tennis in our subdivisions, county parks, tennis clubs, or sports facilities, ALTA coordinates weekly competition with other teams of comparable ability within the Atlanta metro area, and keeps track of everyone’s results.

Let’s Win a Bag Tag

The home team provides two courts, refreshments that range from beer-and-doughnut feasts among the men’s leagues to sumptuous cook-offs during mixed and ladies doubles, and a fresh can of tennis balls. The goal of each team is to make it to the playoffs, which happen at the end of each seven-week season; and receive the coveted embossed bag tags, which accumulate like so many scalps on the equipment bags of frequent winners.

“You can walk onto the court and be intimidated when you hear your opponent’s bag tags jangling; bag tags are what you’re working for, they carry a lot of clout, but in the meantime everybody’s having a lot of fun out there, plus meeting people you’d not otherwise meet.”

Over the years I have played on several different teams. I left the athletic club to play tennis in my subdivision. I moved from that team to play with my friends from work. Today, I play tennis here.

I have served as Captain for more seasons than I can count. Scorekeeper is the easiest volunteer position.

Something I enjoyed most was being Team Mom for my daughter’s junior team.

Maybe we can get Jessica to tell the story about me making her play with a broken wrist. Well, we were in first place for the bag tag; every point was critical!

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Saturday Stories - Marietta’s Big Chicken

[ 6 Comments ] 05/24/08 | Kathy Drewien | Filed under: Atlanta Relocation, Marietta

Many of our readers are relocating to Atlanta. Looking at houses and researching school statistics is such a small piece of deciding where to live.

Today we introduce a series - Saturday Stories - to share what makes Atlanta unique. We want you to see Atlanta the way we see Atlanta - with our hearts, memories, and stories.

The Big Chicken

I moved to the Atlanta area in 1981. My job was in Cobb County, so Marietta seemed the most convenient location to live.

The Big Chicken

Very quickly I learned the Big Chicken was critical for driving directions. “We’re above the Big Chicken.” “If you get to the chicken, you’ve gone too far.”

My husband loves telling a story about his trip to the Big Chicken with our daughter in 1993.

Over the years, the structure had deteriorated. Public outcry forced Kentucky Fried Chicken to rethink their decision to tear down the infamous landmark.

During final stages of construction, the chicken was shrouded from view.

Rick and Jessica planned for weeks to be on site for the much acclaimed unveiling - and free fried chicken.

Imagine the delight of an 8 year old when yards of canvas fell away to reveal bright yellow beaks, and a black round eye that moved.

What are your stories?

Do you have a favorite story about the Big Chicken? Add a Comment here.

We want to share your stories.

Tell us what you like - or don’t like - about living in Atlanta.

h/t Engage Your Readers by Ines at Agent Genius

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MLS Moments

[ 5 Comments ] 05/19/08 | Kathy Drewien | Filed under: Alpharetta, Buyers, MLS Moments, Marietta, Roswell, Sellers

Tonight’s review of mls activity - homes for sale in North Atlanta, pending contracts, closed sales - is reported in the table below. Do you like the new display?

The numbers are compiled by me (not the multiple listing service) using the same geographical area we started tracking in 2005 - marking the beginning of the downward trend in the real estate market.

This week I included data from the same period in 2006 and 2007. You can see the significant drop in the number of houses sold since May 18, 2006. And yet, the average sold price has dropped only a slight margin since 2007, and is higher than 2006.

I included information for subsets of the larger market area:

The average price for current listings has a wide spread between East Cobb and Alpharetta. My colleague in Johns Creek offers insight on the variation.

Sellers take note: homes are selling at 2006 prices.

MLS Market Report - May 19, 2008
2008 2007 2006 East Cobb Roswell Alpharetta
Current Listings For Sale 8146 1699 821 2122
Average List Price 591,701 499,161 602,640 738,014
Under Contract - Pending Close 1030 227 106 249
Avg List Price 392,321 399,064 364,455 504,212
Time on Market 82 Days 71 82 81
Closed Sales - Year to Date 2053 3629 3979 501 233 506
Average List Price 386,576 383,268 360,205 369,221 383,782 483,157
Average Sold Price 367,979 372,014 350,672 350.603 367,750 462,189
Time on Market 92 Days 73 Days 64 Days 82 Days 81 Days 95 Days

Related Posts: MLS Moments

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