A “warrior” is defined as ” a person engaged or experienced in warfare; a soldier; a person who shows or has shown great vigor and courage.” In other words, a Realtor!

Who among us agents has not shown courage and vigor by simply staying in Atlanta’s local market? In 2012, our market will be constantly changing, just as it was in 2011.

If you are looking for a “warrior” agent, I’m the one! Pick up the phone or send me an email or text. Let me show you that I’m ready! Set your goals and soar with me!!!

One of the new trends in real estate is not “big” (as in the mini-mansions of 2004), but more personal space (as in Owners’ Suite or Sun Porch). Anything that gives an Atlanta homeowner more bang for their buck, is hot right now.

People are always asking me what their home is “worth”.  Atlanta’s houses may not fetch the same price as they did 5-7 years ago, but what is making them hot and sell quickly, are the features that the owners have enjoyed, while living in their homes. Do you have outdated wallpaper or a master bath that feels like a spa? Do you have a living room no one enjoys or a sunporch that the kids use or one in which you like to curl up with a book?

I can help you modify your home to show off its assets and get it ready to sell. Call me, your Atlanta Realtor: Simply Done and always at your service!

Brookhaven Ashford Park Sun Porch

Many sellers think that agents have a secret listing strategy. However, the truth is, without a seller’s help, our strategies go out the window. Here are 6 easy steps to sell a house fast:

1. Price it right; price it competitively.
2. Interior and exterior condition is key. Make the repairs that your agent tells you to do; at a minimum, paint the outside trim and pressure wash the outside of the home.
3. Stage the house. Make sure it is clutter-free and clean at all times. When you have a showing, leave the lights on.
4. Make it easy on the agent. Allow the listing agent to put up a sign, a lockbox and please forget “Appointment Only”. If we can’t see it, we can’t sell it!
5. Internet and pictures will sell it. When the listing agent, or his/her photographer, is coming to take pictures, make sure that the house is sparkling. If the pictures are bad, or non-existant, buyers will skip over the house.
6. When in doubt, go back to items 1-5. If you are still in doubt, refer to #1.

Isn’t it time that our elected officials actually listen to the voters?

Georgia legislators heard residents at a public hearing held at Georgia Tech on June 30, preparing for the upcoming special session of the Georgia General Assembly. This session will be held to redraw the state’s legislative and congressional districts, to better reflect changes in Georgia’s population.

Many of the speakers expressed hope that “communities of interest” – areas which share common beliefs and lifestyles – would be kept in tact during the process. Sen. Fran Millar, a Republican from Dunwoody, said he would like to see the 6th Congressional District redrawn so that it takes in more of DeKalb, including areas now to its south such as Brookhaven and the Smoke Rise community (in Stone Mountain? – that’s not really to the “south” of Dunwoody, Mr. Miller). Dunwoody, is part of the 6th District, and is represented by Republican Rep. Tom Price of Roswell. Brookhaven, Ashford Park and Drew Valley are represented by Rep. Henry Johnson, a Democrat from Lithonia, in the 4th District.

The meeting was the last of 12 public hearings held around the state. On Aug. 15, The state legislature will hold a special session to redraw legislative and Congressional lines, based on the 2010 Census.

I’ve been saying for years, that I wanted to run against Rep. Johnson. Or, rather that someone, anyone, should run against him. If the citizens of Ashford Park, Drew Valley, Murphey Candler and Brookhaven don’t get better representation from Hank, maybe 2012 will be “the” year that I actually do run. Nancy for The House, or Nancy4TheHouse.com – I kind of like the sound of it!

Recently, I’ve blogged about this summer’s town hall meetings, trying to drum up interest in creating a new City of Brookhaven. What is driving me crazy, are the new “facts” that are coming out about this new city.

Apparently, the organizers need approximately $30,000 for the Vinson Institute’s study and are trying to raise $50,000 (no, I’m not sure why they need an additional $20K). What was presented in the first town hall meeting I attended, was that the Georgia legislature was paying for this study. But now, as I understand it, the organizers are asking citizens to donate money towards the study.

Does anyone think the idea of a City of Brookhaven will fly, when they don’t even have the money for a study? I don’t get it; am I the only who doesn’t?

Two weeks ago, on June 29, there was another town hall meeting, regarding the creation of the new city of Brookhaven, GA. This meeting seemed to be conducted by people who did not seem to be in favor of it. Rep. Mike Jacobs did not talk at the second meeting, although State Rep. Elena Parent and several organizers from Dunwoody and Sandy Springs spoke.

The areas being considered for a City of Brookhaven are currently in unicorporated Dekalb. These property owners pay their taxes to the county, in exchange for certain services. The organizers for a push to city-dom, it seems to me, are pushing an agenda of what is in it for them, rather than what is in it for the taxpayers.

To incorporate into a city, the city must provide a minimum of three services. These services cannot be overlapped (ie; one can’t have two police departments).  At the town hall meeting, Jim Grubiak, of the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia said, ‘is the perception the same as the reality?’. Grubiak said that what leads citizens to create a new city is:

1. Communication (or lack of communication);
2. Planning and Land Use;
3. Resource allocation;
4. Representation: are officials listening?

Are county officials listening to North Dekalb residents/taxpayers? Does the creation of a City of Brookhaven warrant the extra money and bonds that must be raised to substantiate  a new city?

What will the new city of Brookhaven bring to its residents? Some negative considerations to consider are:

1. The probability of higher taxes *;
2. Needed government buildings;
3. Employees, equipment (this could be as small as copiers and as large as police cars).

Dekalb County’s police has Swat & Riot Units, a Detectives Unit, a Gang Unit, Narcotics unit, Vice Unit, two police helicopters: would these services go away with the creation of a Brookhaven police force?

Obviously, the positive considerations are:

1. Local control, which would mean empowerment and self-control;
2. Additional representation;
3. Efficiency and responsiveness;
4. The opportunity for enhanced services (two examples would be more police and upgraded parks);
5. Better code enforcement;
6. More local control over planning and zning decisions.

*Higher taxes? You bet there will be higher taxes! The areas being considered for a City of Brookhaven, are primarily residential, with a small portion of it, commercial businesses. Without taxes for commercial interests, where will the money come from, for government/city buildings, squad cars and equipment, employee salaries, park enhancements and on and on? Can you say higher taxes?

Recently, there have been two town hall meetings to discuss creating a new city in North Georgia. This new city would be the City of Brookhaven.

The first meeting was held on May 24 to introduce the concept of this new city to the area’s homeowners.  GA Representative Mike Jacobs has introduced House Bill 636 to pay for a study by The Vinson Institute of the University of Georgia.

Between now and late October, the Vinson Institute will study:

1. The cost aspects of a City of Brookhaven;
2. The range of services that would be provided by the City of Brookhaven;
3. What would be the capital expenditures for the new city’s assets (parks, town hall, etc);
4. What would be the potential sources of revenue from the new city (wine, liquor, beer; property taxes);
5. What would be the potential revenue sources from franchises serving the City of Brookhaven (cable, gas, telephone);
6. What would the facility and salary costs be for a new city.

The portion of the meeting that I didn’t understand, were the areas to which the study will apply. The areas being considered are: Historic Brookhaven, Murphy Candler, Brittany, Linwood Park, Silver Lake, Brookhaven Heights, Lenox Park and Brookhaven Fields. Another broader section of the study will include Ashford Park and Drew Valley. The latter two, in my opinion, are closer to being a part of a City of Brookhaven, than Murphy Candler, Silver Lake and Brittany. But then, Rep. Jacobs, one of the key proponents, lives in the Murphy Candler area.

One of the points that the organizers made, was that taxes would probably (???) not go up. The residents of Brookhaven would pay less to the county and the balance of the taxes would be made to the new city. In other words, if the City of Brookhaven opts to create its own police and fire departments, tax payers would pay that portion of taxes to the city and deduct it from their county-paid taxes. It is like a basket of services: pick which ones you want, deduct them from the county’s revenue basket and then put them into the City’s basket.

The town-hall leaders asked the city organizers of the newly-created cities of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs  to speak at the May meeting. One of them said that there has not been a tax increase in the 3 years that they have operated the city of Dunwoody and that Dunwoody is operating with a surplus of revenue. It was also said that Dekalb County’s property tax millage rate of 2.5 mils will go up to replenish the county’s reserves, perhaps as high as 4 mils. Dekalb CEO Burrell Ellis recently said that taxes must go up to pay for the county’s services (A “mil” is equal to $1.00 for every $1,000. of the assessed value; in Georgia, the assessment is set at 40% of the market value).

Like many of the town hall attendees, I am not sold on cityhood. I will have to hear what the benefits of a City of Brookhaven would be. Is it just more money out of our pockets?

Chamblee Charter High School now has the funds to rebuild its aging facility, after the DeKalb County Board of Education agreed to use federal funding to replace it, rather than renovate it.

The board unanimously voted to accept $58 million in federal bonds to be sold and then added to the $11 million-plus, Chamblee High has already banked from an ongoing Special Local Option Sales Tax. The facility’s problems led the school to bank more than an $11-million chunk of an ongoing local option sales tax instead of spending the money on repairs. The rationale was that the sales tax revenue would not provide enough to renovate a facility that needed to be replaced.

The aging, high-performing school was established in 1917 and has been rebuilt before. Chamblee Charter High School serves a mix of resident students from the Brookhaven and Chamblee areas, as well as transfer students and high-performing students from across the district who attend the school’s high-achiever magnet program.

The financing will come from a federal bond program designed to make capital improvements at schools. The financing can be either no-interest or low-interest. An interest rate is established based on the rate the bonds are sold. Once the school district sells the bonds, the district will be reimbursed by the federal government for the interest owed on the bonds – up to a certain point – or a tax credit could be issued to investors.

The 2010 Brookhaven Arts Festival takes place Saturday, Oct. 16, and Sunday, Oct. 17. It’s open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. Exhibitors will set up booths along Apple Valley Road between Dresden Drive and North Druid Hills Road, which is behind the Brookhaven-Oglethorpe MARTA station. More than 125 artists have signed up to participate in the show. Admission is free.

Tickets are now available for the 5th annual Taste of Brookhaven. The event will take place on Saturday, September 18, 6-10pm; tickets are $40 per person. Billed as a neighborhood dinner party, the evening will also feature a silent auction.

The Taste of Brookhaven is sponsored by The Brookhaven Arts Alliance and Fifth Third Bank. The Alliance is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, formed to enrich Brookhaven communities, by providing arts education and cultural events for residents and visitors. For more information, visit www.BrookhavenArtsAlliance.org or call 404-266-3426.