February Vinings/Smyrna Real Estate Update

What Can $350,000 Buy in Vinings/Smyrna?

Are you curious about what $350,000 can buy in Vinings/Smyrna? Three properties below were sold between November, 2011 and January 20, 2012.  They all have 4 bedrooms, a basement and 2-car garages.  Other houses were sold that met these requirements,  but these were the closest to downtown. 

     
     4092 Oberon, Paces Ferry Park
     (near 285 and Paces Ferry Road), Smyrna
     $350,000

 

    
     2655 Grady Street, Grady Manor
     (behind Smyrna Market Village) Smyrna
     $330,000

 

    

                                       
     1538 Walker Street, Williams Park
     (across from Smyrna Market Village), Smyrna
     $320,800

Two Sales This Week in Vinings

Two Houses Sold This Week in Vinings

3225 Teton sold for $1.2 million, and  the short sale at 3869 Brandy Station Court sold for $800,000.

What Sold in Vinings/Smyrna in 2011-Market Update

January Vinings Smyrna Real Estate Update

 Abbreviated January Vinings Smyrna Real Estate Update

Please see the full year end summary in the January Vinings Smyrna Real Estate Update.
Here are the changes that have occured since the December update:
Vinings
New Listing: the familiar foreclosure at 4297 Woodland Brook has been listed for $399,900
Sales: 3642 Cochise $600,000

No changes in any of the other neighborhoods covered regularly except Vinings Chase where there is a new listing at 245 Cumberland for $400,000.

The regular monthly update resumes in February.  As always contact me with questions about any specific property.

How to Embrace Your’s Home’s Bare Look After the Christmas Decorations Are Gone

Now that the Christmas decorations are taken down things look a little sparse don’t they? Embrace your new sleek look, and use it as a launching point to simplify your living space.  Simple is serene and inviting. This is especially true if your house is on the market.

Here are some easy ideas to freshen and update for winter.

Clean under big pieces of furniture; have carpets cleaned and polish wood furniture.

Wipe down all lighting fixtures so that they sparkle.

Update any old bell-shaped lamp shades with pleated, drum or hourglass shapes from Lamp Arts on Howell Mill or the Lamp Shoppe on Miami Circle.

The Christmas greenery is gone. Now what? Buy a white orchid in a plastic container, insert into a pretty pottery planter or deep bowl and cover with chartreuse moss. Orchids and moss can be purchased at Pike’s. Orchids remain beautiful for months, even in my house. Trust me, they’re foolproof!

Do you have a corner where your nativity set or collection of angels once sat and it now empty and sad? Put a reliable, low light fern such as Austral Gem. This has survived under my abusive neglect for several months now and is available at Pike’s.  Place the fern in its plastic container directly in a planter and cover with a little chartreuse moss.

Other ideas for table tops are pottery bowls (McCarty’s, Peter’s and R Wood are good sources)  filled with pine cones, green apples, figs or pomegranates.

Add a West Elm throw to brighten and soften a chair or sofa. These are a steal at $29.oo.

For a simple structural look add branches such as willow, tallow berry, cotton bolls (http://www.cottonman.com/cotton.htm ).

January is white sale month. Take the opportunity to update your towels.

Family, friends and clients call me “the culling witch” for good reason. Can you look around your house and see small keepsakes or framed photographs (yes, I’m heartless) that look a little tired? Remove them to a Rubbermaid container and store.  If you don’t miss them after several months, consider them permanently edited from your new simple and serene space.

Enjoy the process of cleaning and freshening in January. Spring will be here before you know it!

Sources:

www.lampartsinc.com
www.lampshoppeatlanta.com
http://www.rwoodstudio.com/

http://www.peters-pottery.net/

http://www.mccartyspottery.com/

http://www.westelm.com/products/favorite-throw-t087/?pkey=call-sale
http://www.theletteredcottage.net

First House is Sold on Cochise Since the September, 2009 Flood

3642 Cochise Drive is Sold

The first house to sell on lower Cochise since the September, 2009 flood is 3642 Cochise with a sales price of $600,000. The entire lot is in the 100-year flood plain that travels all the way down Cochise until it turns up the hill.  Currently there are 4 houses listed on lower Cochise; all are priced well over $1 million.

December Vinings/Smyrna update featuring new giving opportunities close to home

Two Giving Opportunities in Vinings/Smyrna

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The Garden
The Garden is a homeless shelter assisting 50 women and children 7 nights a week. Currently, they are in need of your used athletic shoes of all sizes.  This a great opportunity to clean out your closets before the new year and help this thriving ministry. Contact me to arrange a pick up.
Click for more information on The Garden .

Kindred Spirit
Kindred Spirit is a small residential home for  pregnant teens in Smyrna.  Volunteers can help by tutoring, providing a dinner, and many other ways.  For more information go to the Kindred Spirit website at  http://kindredspiritfamily.org

Atlanta Leads the Nation in Cities in Which It’s Cheaper to Own Than Rent

Monthly mortgage payments on the median priced home—including taxes and insurance—are lower than the average rent levels in Atlanta and 12 other cities, according to data compiled for The Wall Street Journal by Marcus & Millichap, a real-estate brokerage that tracked 27 metro areas.

Home prices and mortgage rates have fallen so far that the monthly cost of owning a home is more affordable than at any point in the past 15 years and is less expensive than renting in a growing number of cities. In Atlanta, which had the most favorable values for owning versus renting, the monthly payment on the average home was $539 assuming a 20% down payment during the third quarter. By contrast, the average asking rent stood at $840, according to the Marcus & Millichap data.

Read the full article in the Wall Street Journal: //online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203764804577060502694077494.html?mod=WSJ_RealEstate_LEADTopNews#articleTabs%3Darticle%26project%3DHOUSINGAFFORD1111