Brian Vanderhoff's North Fulton Real Estate Blog: September 2011

For the 17th year, the Cumming Country Fair and Festival will descend on the city from Oct. 6 though Oct. 16.

Organizers have already made most of the preparations for the annual Cumming Country Fair, which will take place as usual at the Cumming Fairgrounds, 235 Castleberry Road in downtown.

"It's one of the best in the country," Cumming Mayor H. Ford Gravitt said.

Cumming Fairgrounds Administrator Dave Horton said each day the fair would have something special for attendees.

"Whether it's the free admission, ticket specials or concert or some type of show," Horton said.

Opening night, Northside Hospital-Forsyth has provided free admission, and $18 will get attendees unlimited rides that night. Oct. 12, Children's Healthcare of Forsyth County is sponsoring the free entrance to the fair. That same day, Marvel Comic heroes – Spiderman, Thor and Captain America – perform in the arena.

Oct. 13, Charlie Daniels' "Native Son" returns to the fair for another memorable performance, Horton said. Also new this year are the American BullRiders, performing Oct. 15 and Oct. 16.

"There are a lot of events happening at the fair and a lot of nights that are going to be free," Gravitt said. "Nobody can say they can't go to the fair because of money."

Horton said that he tried to accommodate everyone, especially with so many people experiencing financial difficulties.

"Even on a day that there is an admission fee, they can still come in, and we've got enough things going on – the Indian village, the ground acts, alligator wrestling, K-9's In Flight, OSCAR the Robot," Horton said. "They can come in and have a lot of entertainment for free."

Labels: 2011, Cumming, Cumming County Fair and Festival

The Providence Group has three move-in ready Garden homes with rear-entry garages and private courtyards available at Crabapple Crossroads in Milton. Boasting a low-maintenance lifestyle, the community features new homes priced from the mid-$300,000s.

“Crabapple Crossroads, with its low-maintenance living, is an ideal location for empty-nesters and busy professionals alike,” said Kelly Fink, vice president of sales and marketing for The Providence Group. “And, with access to Milton’s award-winning schools, families will also find that this community has something to offer them as well.”

The three move-in ready Garden homes feature the Belmont, Crabapple and Glenridge designs with private, fenced courtyards. Priced from the high-$300,000s, these floor plans boast four to five bedrooms and up to five bathrooms with spacious family rooms, computer areas or offices, 10-foot ceilings on the main, gourmet kitchens with stainless steel appliances, media rooms and teen suites per plan. Also, these homes feature a low-maintenance lifestyle with lawn maintenance included for front and backyards.

Additionally, five more Garden homes are currently under construction and are slated to be completed late September or early October. Crabapple Crossroads’ model home, showcasing the Glenridge plan with an upgraded private courtyard, is scheduled to open mid-October.

Known for its spacious floor plans, Crabapple Crossroads offers buyers nine plans to choose from with two different elevation options per plan. Homes range from 3,048 to 3,464 square feet, and some home designs include finished third-levels. In addition to the available Garden homes, the community features Manor-style homes with front-entry garages that feature carriage-style doors and a limited number of basement home sites.

Homeowners at Crabapple Crossroads enjoy a beautiful amenities package that includes a swimming pool, community clubhouse and park-like settings. In addition to the established amenities, the community will soon feature a new playground. Also residents are within walking distance to the shopping and dining of the downtown Crabapple historic district. The Homeowners Association provides landscape maintenance.

Children residing at Crabapple Crossroads attend Crabapple Crossing Elementary, Northwestern Middle and Milton High schools.

To visit the neighborhood, take 400 North to the Mansell Road exit; exit heading west. Cross over Hwy 9 and bear right on 140 towards Canton. Stay on 140 until the Crabapple Road intersection and turn right onto Crabapple Road. Crabapple Crossroads will be on the left, just south of Birmingham Hwy. Turn left into Crabapple Crossroads on Lecoma Trace.

Labels: Crabapple, Crabapple Crossroads

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. – The water level at Lake Lanier continues to decline as drought conditions persists throughout the southeast.



As of Thursday, Sept. 22, the lake was at about 1062 feet above mean sea level (msl).

That is 8 feet below full pool of 1,071.

As the weekend approaches, the National Weather Service did predict showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm for the Forsyth County area, but the rainfall amounts will be between a quarter and half of an inch, nearly not enough to significantly affect levels at Lake Lanier.

Lower lake levels have caused the Corps to curtail some of its operations.

Permit requests for new private docks and upgrades to existing private docks will not be accepted until the lake level rises above 1064 (msl).

"This is in accordance with the Lake Lanier Low Water Action Plan and is an action we have had to take several times in the past under similar drought conditions.We regret any inconvenience this may cause, but it is important to be able to properly address requests with adequate water to make informed decisions," said Lisa Coghlan, deputy public affairs officer.

The Corps advises boaters to take extra precaution due to lower lake levels.

Boaters should be especially observant for underwater obstructions such as shallow areas, rocks, stumps and trees.

For additional information contact the Corps at 770-945-9531. For daily lake level information call 770-945-1467. Thirty-day lake level forecasts and historical lake level information can be viewed on the Corps water management website http://water.sam.usace.army.mil.

Labels: Lake Lanier, water levels, Water Restrictions

The North Fulton Community Improvement District (CID) has approved more than $800,000 in improvements at two Ga. 400 interchanges – Old Milton Parkway and Mansell Road.

Ann Hanlon, North Fulton CID Chief operating officer, said these are last two projects in the CID's first tier.

"So we are making progress," she said.

At Mansell Road and Ga. 400, the CID is providing traffic relief for northbound cars exiting the expressway.

"It is a question of cars stacking at the bottom of the exit because so many want to get into the left lanes on Mansell to go up North Point Parkway," Hanlon said. "We are giving them a third left-turn lane at Mansell and North Point."

The construction of a triple-left-turn lane at the intersection of Mansell Road and North Point Parkway will replace the existing double-left-turn lane on Mansell Road east-bound, reducing traffic bottlenecks that affect Ga. 400 daily.

What is even sweeter is the State Road and Tollway Authority (SRTA) is funding the nearly $350,000 construction cost. Butch Thompson Enterprises of Kennesaw, Ga., will break ground on the project this fall.

"The one thing we have promised our North Point Mall members is that the job will be done by Thanksgiving. It will not interfere with the holiday shopping," Hanlon said.

At Old Milton Parkway, the CID is upgrading the entrance at Ga. 400 to upgrade it as it is one of the four gateways to the community off Ga. 400.

The CID selected Russell Landscape Group to install more than $400,000 in trees, shrubs and other landscaping improvements 400 Old Milton. The landscaping will match previous CID projects completed throughout the commercial district.

"Response to the CID's new landscaping projects at Windward Parkway, Haynes Bridge and Mansell Road has been very positive," said North Fulton CID Ann Hanlon. "These interchanges are a greeting card to anyone coming into the District. Once Old Milton Parkway is complete, all four interchanges will create gateway entrances to this vibrant commercial area."

Both projects are part the CID's Blueprint North Fulton master plan. Blueprint North Fulton creates a cohesive vision to guide transportation and development initiatives throughout the commercial areas that make the up the CID in Alpharetta, Milton and Roswell.

The North Fulton CID is made up of commercial properties stretching along Ga. 400 from Mansell Road north to McFarland Road. These business leaders are committed to maintaining and enhancing North Fulton by accelerating infrastructure and quality of life projects.

For more information on the North Fulton CID, contact Ann Hanlon at (678) 397-0566, or visit www.NorthFultonCID.com.

Labels: Alpharetta, Community Improvement District, Ga 400, mansell road, North Point Mall

'Best College' ranking among public universities in the South

September 18, 2011

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – North Georgia College and State University is ranked 18th among the South's public regional universities in the 2012 edition of Best Colleges by U.S. News Media Group.

Additionally, North Georgia was the second-ranked regional university in the South for the least amount of debt load for the class of 2010.

"This highlights the incredible educational value that North Georgia provides its students and the region," said President Bonita C. Jacobs. "Our comparatively low tuition, our low student/faculty ratio and our academic rigor combine to create an exceptional academic environment and experience."

In addition to its 120-acre campus in Dahlonega, the university offers courses online, through the University Center at Gainesville State College and at various sites in Forsyth County.

North Georgia is currently collaborating with Gainesville State College to open a new University Center in Cumming in fall 2012.

The rankings also are available at www.usnews.com/colleges.

Labels: College, North Georgia, State University

Looking for Atlanta real estate? Well you may just be in luck. Not only are home prices low, but fixed mortgage rates continue to fall. Last week Freddie Mac reported that the average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages fell to 4.12; the lowest level in three decades. The average rate on 15-year mortgages fell to 3.33, the lowest level on records and probably the lowest level ever, according to experts.

Unfortunately, experts also aren’t expecting these all-time low rates to get Americans to purchase new homes and revive the real estate market, and the overall economy. Even with mortgage rates below 5% over the past year, it is predicted that this year’s new home sales will be the worst in close to 50 years and resales will be the worst in 14 years.

With unemployment and apprehension about the economy high, many Americans are not in the position to take advantage of this rare opportunity. Many first-time buyers can’t meet lenders’ credit score guidelines and many repeat buyers do not have adequate equity invested in their homes to meet loan requirement. Many Americans also say that with rising living costs and no raises in their paychecks, they are unable to save enough money for a down payment.

However, if you look on the bright side, homebuyers who purchase this year are literally getting the home deals of a lifetime! So, if you are one of those in the market for a new home in Atlanta or are interested in Atlanta real estate, now is a noteworthy time.

Labels: freddie mac, mortgage market, Mortgage Rates

The 32,000-square-foot facility on Mansell Road in Alpharetta will allow Atlanta's oldest private charity to adopt twice as many animals and hire about 50 people to staff it.

Funding for the $8 million-plus campus, which opens Dec. 2, has come from low-interest loans and a $2.5 million gift from Anne Cox Chambers, a principal owner of Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, which owns The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"The gift is really enabling in terms of making this adoption center a reality," said William Shaheen, who will take over as AHS president in December and is currently chairman of its board. "Our board, of which Mrs. Chambers is a member, has been very supportive of the Mansell Campus in spirit as well as financially." The AHS plans to name the adoption center in Mrs. Chambers' honor.

"I am so happy to be associated with this new center," said Mrs. Chambers, who has adopted three pets from the AHS. "Anything that encourages other Atlantans to discover the joys of pet adoption is very welcome indeed."

Located on the former site of the Cherokee Ford dealership at 1565 Mansell Road, the new facility will have four cat colony rooms, 32 puppy kennels and 78 large dog kennels. The 7.3 acres will provide more green space than the AHS' location at 981 Howell Mill Road, enabling animals and potential families to comfortably interact outdoors.

Shaheen said the new location will allow the AHS to double the up to 6,000 adoptions and 8,000 spay and neuter procedures performed each year. The organization, which seeks to prevent abuse, cruelty and exploitation of animals, will also use the new campus to deploy its animal rescue teams and surgical utility vehicle, a mobile spay/neuter unit.

The decision to locate the new facility in north Fulton County was driven in part by the area's low level of adoptions -- less than 5 percent of the AHS total -- Shaheen said. In addition, residents in the area tend to have large yards, enabling them to adopt bigger dogs that may be harder to place.

Labels: Alpharetta, atlanta humane society

Georgia Department of Transportation crews will close single lanes of Ga. 400 under the Peachtree Parkway overpass in Cumming next week to complete work on the bridge's concrete overhang.

Closures will occur one lane at a time from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Work will begin on Ga. 400 northbound, then switch to the southbound lanes.

Labels: Ga 400, Road Closure, Road Closures

Lake Lanier, already low due to lack of rain, will get even lower, say officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The lake, which provides drinking water to much of the Atlanta area, is currently at 1063.9 feet above sea level, about 7 feet below full pool.

For the next few weeks, engineers will be opening the gates at Buford Dam to send more water downstream, which will further drop the lake level.

"Due to the declining inflows and increased lake evaporation, augmentation from the lakes will be required to maintain minimum flows in the Chattahoochee and Apalachicola Rivers unless weather conditions change," said the Corps' E. Patrick Robbins in a press release.

“We expect, if there are no changes in weather patterns, to see a decline in reservoir levels at Lake Lanier, West Point Lake and Lake Walter F. George over the next [few] weeks,” said Lisa Coghlan, Deputy Public Affairs Officer. “There just isn’t enough inflow into the system to maintain required downstream flow levels,” said Robbins.

Robbins warned swimmers and boaters to be extra cautious when using the lake as lower water levels bring potential hazards closer to the surface.

Some boat ramps are closed or partially closed due to low water -- Bald Ridge Marine right lane, Lanier Point, Long Hollow left lane, and River Forks.

Labels: Lake Lanier, lake lanier water, water levels

Alpharetta authorities closed Kimball Bridge Road from Westside Parkway to Northwinds Parkway late Monday afternoon after Fulton County crews working on a water main in the area struck and ruptured a gas line.

Utility crews have been notified, but city officials could not estimate how long the road will have to remain closed. They are advising motorists to avoid the area.

Labels: gas line break, kimball Bridge Road Closing

Labels: Alpharetta, Forclosures, Foreclosed, foreclosed homes, foreclosed homes for sale, foreclosed land, foreclosed properties, foreclosure, Foreclosures, foreclosures for sale

September 08, 2011
MILTON, Ga. - Tammi Kimsey has thrown down the gauntlet and issued a challenge to the residents of Milton – fly your flag on Sept. 11.

Initially, Kimsey wanted her neighbors in the Avensong subdivision to take part. But that wasn't enough.

"After thinking about it more, I decided that I didn't want to just see Avensong accept this challenge, I wanted to see the entire city of Milton accept it," Kimsey said.

"Ten years ago, in the days after Sept. 11 happened, I remember how almost every home had their American flag flying proudly to show their patriotism and the solidarity our country had," said Kimsey. " I remember the feeling of pride I had seeing so many flags. And I want to honor the almost 3,000 who lost their lives on Sept. 11 in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania."

Now, 10 years later, Kimsey's son-in-law, Lt. Paul Christian Ritter, is serving overseas in the Navy, and his deployment has caused him to be largely absent for his newborn daughter's life.

"He has missed out on all of her 'firsts,'" Kimsey said. "The first time she rolled over, first time she started crawling, first tooth and she's very close to her first steps."

For all that time, his wife – Kimsey's daughter, Nicole, a Milton High School graduate -- has had to raise the child alone at their home in Washington state.

"I want to honor Christian's service to our country, and the service of the millions of men and women who voluntarily agree to put their lives and the lives of their families on hold, and are willing to go into harm's way in some of the most hostile environments, to keep a 9/11 from ever happening again," Kimsey said.

"On the anniversary of that horrible day, let's honor those that lost their lives, as well as all the military men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice, their lives, during the fight against al-Qaeda in both Iraq and Afghanistan so that we can all feel safe here in the U.S," she said. "Let's have every home fly their American flag with the same pride they did 10 years ago."

Labels: 9/11, 911, 911 command and control center, city of milton, City of MIlton Property Taxes, milton, Milton City, milton county, Milton Georgia