Jen's Intown Living Blog

This situation seems unreal to me, but metro Atlanta is having a serious gas shortage problem.  We are going into week 3 of the shortage. It could be more than a week or 2 before we are back to normal.  The refineries in the Gulf are not pumping to full capacity and that has a major effect on metro Atlanta. The other day, I passed 6 gas stations before I found 1 with gas.  It had lines wrapping around the corner.   Early Saturday evening, the Quik Trip on Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur was out of gas, but cars were lined up, camping out, waiting for the fuel truck to arrive.  There was a sign on the door that said No Gas. My husband went inside and asked when the gas would be coming.  The clerk said he had no idea. People are getting desperate.  We are hearing that some people are topping off their tanks, just hoarding the gas and that is not helping the problem. 

As I drove by the gas stations I took some photos.  As a real estate agent, I am scheduled to go show homes tomorrow to a Buyer Client that needs to close by the end of October.  I obviously can't put it off, because the clock is ticking. I am just nervous about driving with the uncertainty of not knowing if or when I can get gas again.  Hopefully, this will get resolved, sooner than later.

What can we do? We are combining trips and not driving unless it's absolutely necessary.  I am walking to the grocery store for small items. We are driving the speed limit, to reduce gas consumption.  Yes, I know we should anyway. I'm not even using the air conditioning in the car because it burns more gas. I put the car in neutral at stop lights, I've been told it uses less gas than having it in drive.  We have made sure the tires are fully inflated.  What are you doing to conserve gas?

Ahhh, Atlanta home of the Beerfest.  Here is another one intown in the hot new neighborhood of Glenwood Park.  Glenwood Park is a really cool live, work, play community with condos, townhomes with street front office space on the ground floor and single family homes. Retail space is also available for lease.  Some of the homes have rooftop decks with skyline views of downtown Atlanta.  It is especially amazing at night. 

Glenwood Park is an entire community built around green building principles. Each residence adheres to the Earthcraft House construction standard developed by the Southface Energy Institute and the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.

Hotober Fest (haa-toe-ber-Fest) : a one day event promoting the Preservation of our precious Earth, Appreciation of Craft Beers and Celebration of Live Music.  It is Saturday October 4th, 2008 from noon to 7 p.m.

Hotoberfest is an environmental fundraiser with craft beers and will feature some of the areas favorite bands and local DJs. celebration of live music, featuring Beer Tasting in an OctoberFest-style Beer Garten with over 100 Craft Beers from around the world. A portion of the ticket will be donated to local, environmentally focused organizations

An advanced web-ticket price of $30 ($35 at the gate), gets you in to the Beer Tasting.

A limited number of VIP Green Tickets are available ($50 in advance, $55 at the gate). VIP Green tickets allow access to specialty beers that are not included in the Beer Garten, as well as "all access" admission to the VIP Green Ticket Tent for the entire event.

• Samples of Beers that are NOT available in the general beer tasting area
  
• Complimentary hors d'oeuvres
• Complimentary t-shirt
  

This one day festival will be held on the grounds of Glenwood Park neighborhood, located at exit 59B off I-20E, between the Boulevard and Moreland Avenue exits, two miles from downtown Atlanta.

For more information: go to the Hotoberfest website.

Food and beverages will be available to everyone and the Live Music is Free!

TRANSPORTATION & PARKING

Please support efforts toward sustainability and try to be conscious of our neighborhoods, try to: Car Pool Bicycle Take MARTA, Route #9 ($5 walk-up admission discount with Bus Transfer ticket dated 10/04/08)

Follow signs to Parking Lots located at:

• Maynard Jackson High School (Southside High) at 801 Glenwood Ave.
• LaFarge Concrete Plant Parking at 864 Glenwood Ave.
• Electric Supply located at Glenwood Ave. & Bill Kennedy Way
• Beulah Heights Bible College on 892 Berne Street

There is NO PARKING on the old sections of Faith Ave. & Sanders Ave. or in the commercial district parking lot of Glenwood Park. Violators will be towed at the owners expense.

Info courtesy of Jen Bowman, Realtor serving Decatur and Intown Atlanta, Success Realty,  404-456-5024

Everyone who has moved know the costs can quickly add up, which can add to the stress of moving.  One of the best ways to save money is to get your moving boxes FREE.   Yes, it can be done.  I just looked on U-Hauls website and to get 100 boxes and supplies it was over $500! That's not chump change in my book.  So, if you're moving or have clients moving check out these resources.

Craigslist - Post a free Wanted ad, people are always moving and needing to get rid of their boxes.

Once again, on Craigslist, look under the Free section for people giving away moving boxes.

Yahoo has FreeCycle groups all over the country, actually 4,604 groups.  The point of FreeCycle is to keep things out of the landfills by recycling.  Post a free Wanted request. While you're there post a free Offer request to give other people a chance to get the things you don't want to move.  On FreeCycle, no money changes hands. It's FREE.  It's a great way to recycle.

Go to your local recycle center and get the boxes there that others are getting rid of. 

Go to your local liquor stores, drug and grocery stores. They always have boxes.  Ask the store manager what day they get deliveries and if you can have the boxes.

Ask friends that have recently moved to pass on their moving boxes to you.

Once you have used your boxes, pass them on to someone else.  It's good for the environment and everyone's wallet!

Where do you get your moving boxes from?

I recently listed a home in Dekalb County, GA where we have 143 schools and centers, that's not including colleges and universities. I wasn't sure of the particular school that new young residents of the home would go to. So, I did what most real estate agents do.

I went to the Local Multiple Listing Service and looked at other listings in the subdivision. I was quite surprised that I found 5 different elementary schools listed for the subdivision. I knew that couldn't be right. So I went to the Dekalb County Schools website and looked it up by address of the home I was listing. The home owner didn't have children in school, so I didn't even ask if she knew the schools.

When you are purchasing a home, you need to know what school your children will attend. You'll need to go to: Dekalb County Schools

 Do not just rely on what the Listing tells you in regard to the school. 90% of the listings showed incorrect schools in the particular subdivision I was looking at. Yes, 18 out of 20 listings had inaccurate info. As a professional Realtor, I found this shocking. I realize that many homebuyers buy a home in a particular place because of the school.

If one of the reasons you are buying a home is based on the school your child will attend, go the extra mile. Verify the school through the School District's website. Due diligence is critical and it is the responsibility of the Home Buyer. That is just another reason why a Home Buyer should have representation with a Buyers Agent who can watch out for these things.

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Dekalb County, GA contact local expert Jen Bowman, Realtor and Broker Associate with Success Realty at 404-456-5024.

Read more of the Georgia Real Estate Voice.  Search the MLS for homes in Dekalb County, GA.

When was the last time you went to the Dekalb County Public Library?  If you are not familiar with it, you'll want to check it out.   There are 22 branches of the library, so there is probably one near you.  One of the best features I like is being able to search the library database from the comfort of my own home. I can go online and choose what I want, which is usually a different fitness DVD. The library will then email me to let me know that my selection has arrived at the branch I choose.  I go pick it up, it's quick and easy. 

 So while I was there today, returning another DVD, I happened to see a poster that really piqued my interest.  The library actually has Georgia State Park Passes to lend out.  I just mentioned this to my husband, and he said "what's the catch?" No catch, you can borrow a Park Pass Kit. It consists of a park pass hanging tag for your vehicle, 1 library loan pass for Historic sites in GA, along with the 2008 Guide to Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites pamphlet and Get Outdoors Georgia pamphlet in one folder.  You can get into the State Parks free for 7 days.  There are 63 Parks and Historic sites.  If you were to buy the annual passes it would cost $30 for the State Parks and $35 for a family pass to the Historic sites. The pass will save you on the parking fees for all the parks and save you the fees for the historic sites. To see all the parks, check out www.gastateparks.org.  I thought this was pretty great, considering autumn is coming and it's time to get outdoors and play. 

The library has 45 copies of the pass.  So how do you reserve yours? Go to www.dekalblibrary.org.  At the top right of the page under Find Books, Movies and Film, type in Parks Pass, hit go. Look for Georgia State Parks and Historic sites Park Pass.  Click on the Request Item button. Put your barcode from your library card in and your pin.  If you don't know your pin, contact the library.  They'll email you when your request comes in.  You can also reserve your Pass by just going up to the Check Out desk and asking for it.  Visit your local library and take advantage of these money saving deals. 

Success Realty

404-456-5024

www.JenBowman.com

As a Realtor, when showing a home with granite counters, many people will ask me “How do I take care of them?”

Yes, granite is durable, but it is not bullet proof and will chip. I saw someone try opening a bottle on the edge of a granite countertop once, that is a really bad idea. I chipped my countertop on the edge of my sink, with the handle of a pot. So, what I’m trying to say treat your countertops like family, with love and respect or at least treat them as well as your pets. Always use a cutting board when cutting, chopping, etc. Protect the counter from extremely hot pans (anything over 250 degrees). Use a hot pad or trivet with rubber feet to protect the surface. Avoid abrasive cleaners that will damage the luster of the surface. Also be sure to avoid exposure to strong chemicals such as paint removers, ammonia, metal cleaners, oven cleaners, drain cleaners and nail polish remover. If any of these come in contact with your countertop, quickly flush the surface with lots of soapy water. 

Granite should be sealed every year to protect it from stains. I finally did mine after 3 and a half years. It’s better to do it more often. It’s a 3 step process, clean, polish and seal. I went to the hardware store and bought the 3 piece kit. It was around $25. First step is to clean the counters really well. Make sure it is dry. Then spray it with a thin coat of polish, let it dry to a haze, about 30 minutes, maybe less. Don’t less it dry too long, it will be really difficult to rub off. Get a clean dry cloth, I used a terry cloth towel, to start wiping off the polish. You will begin to see a shine. Get it really shiny, it’s kind of like waxing a car. After I used the terry cloth towel, I went over it with a microfiber cloth. Once it’s perfectly shiny with no polish residue and no lint from your towel, you are ready to apply the sealer. Remember, anything that’s on the counter will be sealed in, so be aware. Spray a fine mist of sealer on the counter, a few minutes later you spray again, without saturating the countertop. Let that dry and wipe it down again. This was the way I did it, but you should follow the manufacturer’s directions on the polish and sealer. Protect your investment and you can enjoy it for years to come.

Decatur, GA is full of great things to do.  Have you checked out Jazz Nights in Oakhurst Village yet? Every Thursday night in April and September from 7-9 p.m. there are free Candlelit Concerts on the lawn.  Even if it's raining, it's moved indoors to the Solarium. 

Concerts are at 321 West Hill St, Decatur, GA in Oakhurst Village which is between downtown Decatur and the Atlanta neighborhood of Kirkwood.

Bring your blankets and some picnic food and come enjoy the beautiful evening weather we're having.  Come early and enjoy a drink or get some takeout from one of the restaurants around the Village.  You have your choice of great places to eat. The Universal Joint is across the street, it was a gas station, now it's a bar.  Wahoo Grill is around the corner on College Ave, it's a place to eat when you want to take a little more time.  Palate is a dessert and wine bar next door to the Seen Art Gallery.  Don't forget pizza at MoJo Pizza and Pub for a quick bite. They have video games there too.  Oakhurst Grill features specialty beer, eclectic wines and a full bar along with American Regional cuisine.  Now that I've named just a few of the places in quaint Oakhurst Village, come on out and experience the atmosphere of a small town village minutes to downtown Atlanta. I think you'll like it here. 

If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in or around Decatur, GA contact local 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 for Decatur GA homes for Sale