Jen's Intown Living Blog

Logan's Knoll at Betty's Garden is a small neighborhood of gorgeous luxury homes in Atlanta, GA. These fabulous Atlanta homes range in price from $900K to around $1.3 million.  There are 12 homes built 2005 through 2007. There are 3 additional lots ready to build on.  Homes at Logan's Knoll typically have 5 to 7 bedrooms, full basements, huge elegant master suites and amazing trim and detail throughout.

The community was built by one of my favorite home builders John Willis Homes. John Willis also built Medlock Commons and Emory Parc Manor.   Logan's Knoll is very convenient to Emory University, the CDC and the V.A. Hospital.

A home at Logan's Knoll just came on the market for $1,339,000. This luxury home on a cul de sac has 7 bedrooms and 7.5 baths. It features a heated pool and a 3 car garage. 

Logans Knoll at Betty's Garden is located off of Houston Mill Rd in Atlanta, GA 30329 in Dekalb County. To get there from I-85, go East on North Druid Hills Rd toward Decatur. Turn right on Lavista Rd. Turn left on Houston Mill. Pass through the intersection of Mason Mill and Houston Mill. Logan's Knoll at Betty's Garden will be on the left side. Turn left onto Logan's Knoll. 

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, 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 Atlanta GA homes for Sale 

Atlanta Condos

Cross Creek Condos on Golf Course in Atlanta GA

Lullwater Park Luxury Townhomes in Atlanta, GA

W Residences Downtown Atlanta Condos

Decatur Condos

Decatur Square Condos - Decatur, GA

Sycamore Station in Decatur GA

Tuxworth Springs in Decatur GA

Willow Park in Decatur GA

Neighborhoods

Emory Parc Manor in Decatur GA

Medlock Commons - Decatur, GA

Ridgeland Park - Decatur, GA

Adair Estate in Druid Hills - Atlanta, GA

Brickell in Atlanta, GA

Druid Hills Luxury Homes- Atlanta, GA

Edmund Park in Atlanta GA

Lake Claire - Atlanta, GA

Logan's Knoll at Betty's Garden - Atlanta, GA

Old Fourth Ward Atlanta GA 

Rivermont Golf and Country Club in Alpharetta Johns Creek

Village at Avondale - Avondale Estates. GA 

The Decatur Book Festival 2009 is coming up Labor Day weekend September 4 through 6.  The Book Festival will feature more than 150 authors.  There will live music and poetry, cooking demonstrations, wine, and activities for everyone.

The first Decatur Book Festival was in 2006. In a very short time, it has grown to be the 4th largest book festival in the nation! It's the country's largest independent book festival.

A sampling of the Events include:

• pickled okra contest
• Mariachi brunch Sunday morning at El Tesoro
• Cooking demonstrations by Chef Authors
• a dance about verbs and adverbs
• For sports fans: Karl Mecklenburg, former All-Pro Captain of the Denver Broncos for 3 Super Bowl appearances, will discuss the ideas in his new book, "Heart of a Student Athlete: All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families." That will be at First Baptist Decatur Sanctuary Stage on Saturday, 11:15 am - 12:00 pm
• international cuisine picnic
• An author will be wrestling one of Atlanta's most notorious professional wrestlers (This will be a family friendly event.)
• 5 time Grammy Award winner and three fellow singer/songwriters singing their tribute to a Pulitzer Prize winning author
• Otis the Tractor Children's parade(starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Fidelity Bank at the intersection of Clairmont Ave and Commerce.)
• Alice in Wonderland children's play
• Bird Imitation Contest Sunday at 2:30 pm at the center stage
• Writer's Workshop at Agnes Scott College Friday 3-6 p.m.
• Teen Activities include a Teen Poetry Slam

Chances are that parking will be limited, so I recommend taking the MARTA rail line to Decatur Station (E-6). Take east exit for Church Street and west exit for the bandstand. The event will be centered around downtown Decatur GA from the library to First Baptist Decatur Church to Agnes Scott College.

Check out the complete schedule of events for the 3 day Decatur Book Festival.

The Decatur Book Festival is just another reason why Decatur GA is a great place to live. If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate 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 Decatur GA homes for Sale

If you are looking to buy a gorgeous Buckhead Estate, then HGTV wants you! HGTV's House Hunters is coming to Atlanta and the casting producer is looking for a homebuyer for either a Buckhead Estate or a Lakefront property.

Would you like to be on HGTV's House Hunters? Call me and let's get started. I did the HGTV show My First Place and about 6 parts of that show were featured on HGTV's 20 Best Kept Secrets, Buying and Selling.

I can tell you that the camera doesn't stop rolling or wait for anything. It's fun, exciting and just a little nerve wracking. HGTV has already cast 3 episodes in Atlanta for House Hunters. They have 1 spot left. Homebuyers will also be give a $1000 compensation check from HGTV.

Contact me if you would like to be on the show and are not already working with a real estate agent.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, 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 Atlanta GA homes for Sale 

This should be the outrage of the day - The City of Atlanta, GA has decided that Real Estate Agents should be fined for not maintaining properties if they cannot locate the Owner. That is ridiculous.  As Real Estate Agents, we are marketing the property, not the owners or operators of it. Thankfully, the Georgia Association of Realtors is backing their members. They advise Realtors to not pay any fines or penalties for code enforcement violations, as this could be setting a dangerous legal precedent for the real estate industry.

If you are a GA Realtor and are fined by Code Enforcement for the condition of a listed property, contact Georgia Association of Realtors Senior Director of Public Policy Keith Hatcher at 678-491-6585 to discuss your options.

See the letter from the Georgia Association of Realtors.

  If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, 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 Atlanta GA homes for Sale

Getting Your Decatur GA Home Ready to Sell - Part 7 in the Series

Clutter, it's what makes real estate agents and home buyers shudder... Clutter is distracting to home buyers and they tend to notice that more than the house itself. 

Closet Clutter

Closets are great for accumulating clutter, though you may not think of it as clutter. If you have a lot of clothes, try thinning out your closet by removing your winter stuff in summer and summer stuff in winter. If the season has passed and you didn't wear something, try getting rid of it. (This rule applies except for formal occasion clothes.) Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look crammed full.

Furniture Clutter

Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms - not too much for your own personal living needs - but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. Look at model homes to see how the furniture is placed. Put the extra furniture in storage or move it out.

Storage Area Clutter

Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to the storage area.

Do not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet. Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter," and that is the next step in preparing your house for sale.

Paper Clutter

If you don't already have a paper shredder, get one. Start going through and shredding unneeded paperwork. If you must keep it, box it up and store it. For your financial security, checkbooks and financial documents should always be put away when your home is being shown.

Bathroom Clutter

If you are one of those people that has multiple shampoo bottles, conditioners, bath toys, bubbles, scrubbing sea salts etc in your bath, please thin that out. Keep out what you use daily, but put the extra stuff away. Start using it up too. You'll want less stuff to move.  Prescription drugs like financial documents should be safeguarded when your home is being shown too.

Uncluttering is the hardest thing for most people to do because they are emotionally attached to everything in the house. After years of living in the same home, clutter collects in such a way that may not be evident to the homeowner. However, it does affect the way home buyers see the home, even if you don"t realize it. 

If it overwhelms you, start in one room and commit to just 15 minutes a day. If you do that everyday, soon you will control your clutter, instead of it controlling you!

Clutter collects on shelves, counter tops, drawers, closets, garages, attics, and basements.  You want as much open clear space as possible, so every extra little thing needs to be cleared away.

Take a step back and pretend you are a home buyer. Let a trusted friend help point out areas of clutter, as long as you can accept their views without getting defensive. You can also try taking digital pictures. Sometimes pictures help us to see the things we don't normally see. Let your real estate agent help you, too.  

By reducing the clutter in your home you will have less to clean, dust and maintain. When your Decatur GA home is on the market, it needs to look pristine. Less clutter can help with that. 

I hope this 7 post series has been helpful in Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur, GA.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate 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 Decatur GA homes for Sale

See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens

See Part 2 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA-  Garage 

See Part 3 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decautur GA- Curb Appeal

See Part 4 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Floors and Walls

See Part 5 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- De-Personalizing  

See Part 6 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Lighting

I took this picture the other day as we saw 9 deer coming out of the woods to graze in a field at a National Park. It reminded me of the Home Buyers that seem to be coming out of the woods now and are realizing that now is a great time to buy  GA real estate with low prices and the available tax credits.

The deadline is fast approaching, it's December 1, 2009 for the Federal Tax Credit and November 30, 2009 for the State of GA's tax credit. If you are a 1st time Home Buyer you can take advantage of the $8000 tax credit.

Home Buyers in GA, not just 1st Time Buyers, including investors can take advantage of the $1800 tax credit.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in or around Atlanta, 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 Decatur and Atlanta GA homes for Sale

Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Part 6 in the Series - Lighting - Part 6 of the series Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA covers lighting which is a really important aspect of a home.

Natural Light

• Trim the bushes around windows to let in as much natural light as possible.
• If using blinds, 2" blinds let in more light than mini blinds.
• If there are windows that you don't open, remove the screens and put them in storage.
• Wash the windows inside and out.
  

 Exterior Lights

• Uplights at the base of trees add elegance to a home. They also provide lighting for extra security.
• Be sure that exterior lights have working bulbs.
• Clean the glass on the fixtures. If the fixtures are looking faded either replace them or take them down, use some spray paint to freshen them and reinstall them.
• Use solar lighting or low voltage lighting along paths or along flower beds.
  

Interior Lights

• LED Lights under cabinets in the kitchen are easy to install and add a lot to the looks of the kitchen
• Above the kitchen cabinets, you can add white Christmas lights or rope lights for a soft glow above the cabinets. (Be sure to hide the light strand so that it's not visible from below.) We use an X-10 remote control system to turn them on and off.
• Replace any and all burned out light bulbs even in the garage.
• Make sure that visible Vanity light bulbs in the bathroom all match.
• Add table lamps to create softer light than overhead lights which can create harsh lighting.
• Add uplights to large potted plants. They are available at Lowes and Home Depot for around $20.
• If you have a plant ledge, add soft lights to add visual interest.
  

 When your Decatur GA home is for sale and being shown, turn on all the lights, even in closets so that potential home buyers aren't looking for switches. Lights create a "homier" atmosphere. If the home is being shown in the evening, be sure to put on the exterior lights, especially at the front door. Like the motel commercial says "We'll leave the Light on for You!"

Stay tuned for the next post in this series of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur, GA.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate 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 Decatur GA homes for Sale

See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens

See Part 2 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA-  Garage 

See Part 3 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decautur GA- Curb Appeal

See Part 4 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Floors and Walls

See Part 5 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- De-Personalizing  

Looking for an easy $20 credit on your Georgia Power bill? GA Power has a program called Power Credit.  It's a program designed to control the amount of power used by your home's air conditioner.  GA Power installs a switch on the outside of your home that is connected to your air conditioner. When the demand for electricity peaks in the summer (weekdays between noon and 7 p.m.), they send a signal to the switch to reduce the length of time your air conditioner runs. The change to your home's temperature is minimal and there's no cost. Sign up and get a $20 credit. You'll even get an additional credit every time the service is used.  I've had this for at least 6 years and I've never noticed any difference in my AC. 

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate 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 Decatur GA homes for Sale

Getting your Home Ready to Sell your home in Decatur GA- Part 5 in a series. This post covers de-personalizing.

When you are selling your home, you want to de-personalize it. What does that mean? It means take your personality out of your home. Living in our homes is much different than when we are selling our homes. 

*Remove the family photos from the walls. - We love our families and we enjoy their photos, But...they are a huge distraction for home buyers looking at your home. Do you want them stopping to look at your photos or stopping to look at the amazing floor plan you have?

*Remove things that show your political viewpoints - I have seen home buyers go into homes and create an opinion based on someone else's political views. What if they are a member of "X" political party and you are a member of "Y" political party? You may have alienated a buyer because they may think subconsciously that they wouldn't "fit in", in the neighborhood.

*Remove things that are of a religious nature. It's for the same reasons as the political viewpoints. You can keep your faith without turning off a homebuyer of a different faith.

*Remove the magnets, your social calendar and the children's artwork from the refrigerator. Home buyers will actuallystop to read your social commitments and see if they can figure out who lives in the house.

*Remove things that can offend. I was selling a home for a single guy once and he had posters of scantily clad women hanging up. I let him know that while he enjoyed it, he sure would turn off some buyers.

*Reduce clutter- Your personal collection of vacation memorabilia, porcelain dolls, ceramic cats may be fabulous to you, but don't let it detract from the great details of your home.

I remember when my parents came to visit and we were selling our Decatur GA home, to move up the street to another Decatur home. I had taken down all of my personal photos and anything that identified me. My mom asked "Where are all your photos?" I told her that I had de-personalized my home. That way, no matter who came to look at it, they could picture themselves living there instead of wondering who lived there.

When selling your home, you want to try to appeal to everyone. That's the point of de-personalizing your home. Stay tuned for the next post in this series of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell.

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If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate 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 Decatur GA homes for Sale

See Part 1 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA - Kitchens

See Part 2 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA-  Garage 

See Part 3 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decautur GA- Curb Appeal

See Part 4 of Getting Your Home Ready to Sell in Decatur GA- Floors and Walls

Pulte Homes and Centex Merge  - The following is an excerpt of an email I just received from Pulte Homes:

"...We are taking this opportunity to let you know that on Tuesday, August 18, the merger between Pulte Homes and Centex was completed. This merger has brought together two industry leaders with a combined 100+ years of experience and long-standing reputations for construction quality. With the merger completed, our company now includes many of the top brands in the industry -- Pulte Homes, Centex, Del Webb and DiVosta Homes -- offering a wide range of choices for you and your clients. ..." end of quote

Pulte is building the Overlook at Clairmont on Clairmont Rd in Decatur, GA next the to V.A. Hospital. The Overlook at Clairmont is a townhome community that is selling fast, even in this market. I was there a few weeks ago and am very impressed with their quality construction and attention to detail. They are brick townhomes with 2 car garages currently listed at $280K.

Centex Homes built Ivey Crest Townhomes in Tucker, GAnext to the Wal-Mart Shopping Center.  They are 1 car garage homes with 3 and 4 bedrooms. They were built around 2005 and resales usually sell around $175K.  (I'll have a new listing there again in March 2010, when the current tenants' lease is up for one of my clients.)

Del Webb is well known for their master planned Active Adult neighborhoods, for ages 55+.  Sun City Peachtree is just south of Atlanta GA.

I'm not familiar with DiVosta homes because they don't build homes in GA. They are primarily a home builder in FL.

I think the merger of these quality home builders is a good thing.  I've worked on site in new construction home sales at several different communities and am very familiar with the process and what to look for as a home buyer.

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