Yesterday we were welcomed at an opening event for the modern, stylish boutique Hotel Indigo which has recently opened here in Athens, GA. We were impressed with the sleek yet comfortable design of the LEED certified hotel.   The Phi Bar & Loungs is a great place for people to meet and mingle.             The courtyard features a bandstand for entertainment.      Another attraction in the courtyard is a fireplace.  If the weather isn't suitable for being outdoors, there is also a club located on the ground floor.                 The king rooms have a luxurous feel.                     Living area in one of the suites at Hotel Indigo                   Guests can quickly print boarding passes at the business center.                 From the lobby, past the art galle... 09/24/2009

  In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Sep 20, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1579active listings of which 1321are residential, 18 are farm and land. This is an increase of 6 listings from the previous reporting. There are 161listings under contract. This number is up 8 from the previous period. There have been 9 closed sales duiring the period of Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2009, 7 of which were residential and 2 farm and land. This is up 4 closed transactions from the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All... 09/22/2009

This coming Saturday is "Free Day" at all Georgia State Parks and Historical sites. In celebration of National Public Lands Day, we can enjoy free parking, free fishing and free museum admission all day long. There will be plenty of ranger programs and volunteer projects, as well as some terrific scenery to behold. There are several Georgia State Parks within a short drive of Athens and the surrounding communities of Watkinsville, Bogart, Winterville, etc. The closest are: Watson Mill Bridge State Park 650 Watson Mill Road Comer, GA 30629 Fort Yargo State Park 210 S. Broad Street Winder, GA 30680 Hard Labor Creek State Park 5 Hard Labor Creek Road Rutledge, GA 30663 Victoria Bryant State Park 1105 Bryant Park Road Royston, GA 30662 For a list of Georgia State Parks and Historical Sites ... 09/22/2009

Trying to decide whether to purchase a home or not? If so, you might want to move quickly. The $8000 Federal Tax Credit, for first time home buyers, expires at midnight, Nov. 30, 2009. Likewise, the Georgia Tax Credit for Home Buyers, of up to $1800. The federal first time home buyers credit (for buyers who have not owned a home in 3 years) is 10% of the purchase price of a home, up to a maximum of $8000, whichever is less. That means, if  you purchase an $80,000 home, or higher, you will get the full credit. If you purchase a lower priced home, say $70,000, you will qualify for a $7000 credit. The Georgia home buyers tax credit is 1.2% of the home purchase price, up to a maximum of $1800, whichever is less. Purchasers of homes costing $150,000 or more will be eligible for the full cred... 09/17/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Sep 13 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1573 active listings of which 1323 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 4 listings from the previous reporting. There are 153 listings under contract. This number is up 10 from the previous period. There have been 5 closed sales duiring the period of Sep 6 - Sep 13, 2009, all of which were residential. This is down 3 closed transactions from the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is taken fr... 09/14/2009

Get yourself pampered this week with a treatment at Re'Vive Salon and Spa. In order to help the Athens Area Association of Realtors reach it's over $70,000 goal, Re'Vive has offerred to share 30% of the proceeds it receives from patrons this week. There are only two things you need to do in order to make this happen: Make an appointment at Re'Vive Salon and Spa for one of their spa treatments between today, Sep 14 and Friday, Sep. 19. Mention the AAAR 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk and voila! Re'Vive will pledge 30% to this goal. Details can be found in the flyer below: 09/14/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Sep 6, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1577 active listings of which 1333 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 6 listings from the previous reporting. There are 147 listings under contract. This number is up 4 from the previous period. There have been 9 closed sales duiring the period of Aug 31- Sep 6, 2009, all of which were residential. This is 8 more closed transactions than the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is taken from... 09/10/2009

A brand new music venue is opening in Athens, GA, the Rialto Room. It is named after the Rialto Ballroom, in Liverpool, where the Beatles got their start in 1962. Described as an expertly engineered and intentionally intimate space devoted to unforgettable musical performances it sounds like it will be a an excellent small venue theater for listening to an eclectic selection of musicians. I have not yet been inside to experience the accoustics and ambiance, the innaugural show is Friday, Sep. 11th.  My wife and I, while not being able to experience the opening night, will be attending at least one of the currently scheduled performances and I will reporting back and the experience and posting pictures of the club. Seating capacity appears to be about 200, so, all seats should be pretty ... 09/09/2009

Marty Winkler, along with her partner Michael C. Steele, will be giving a free concert at the Athens-Clarke County Library on Sunday, Sep. 6. Marty and Michael will be presenting their original work as well as their versions of other artists music. You can get a flavor of what to expect at the concert by visiting Marty's MySpace Music page. She will also be appearing in downtown Athens at the Melting Point, Saturday evening, Sep. 5. along with Jazz Enigma and Holly Belle. The concert will be in the auditorium of the library and is sponsored by the Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library.   09/04/2009

   August 2009 residential real estate sales volume in Athens - Clarke County, GA showed another large decline of almost 4% in the 12 month sliding sales volume from July.  The average Days on Market (D.O.M.) remained flat. The median sales price remained flat while the average price, while it rose slightly is the second lowest average in the last year. This is probably driven by two factors: 1) the number of foreclosures and short sales on the market; 2) first time homebuyers taking advantage of the $8000 tax credit. At the end of August there were 143 pending sales of residential property in Athens - Clarke County, down 19 from the July figures. Residential properties include single family homes, duplexes, triplexes, condos, townhouses, mobile and manufactured homes. The following tab... 09/03/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Aug 30, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1583active listings of which 1323 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 16 listings from the previous reporting. There are 143 listings under contract. This number is down 4 from the previous period. There have been 17 closed sales duiring the period of Aug 24- Aug 30, 2009, all of which were residential. This is 8 more closed transactions than the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is taken... 09/01/2009

  Only four more days until the first football game of the 2009 season!! In the South, SEC football is king.  Brides plan their weddings around it and even the hosts of the opening day dove hunts consider the time of the game of their favored team!  Here in Athens, GA, as a household divided,  I'll be anxiously watching the Georgia Bulldawgs play Oklahoma State in the afternoon while Paul will be chewing his fingernails over Alabama and Virginia Tech in the evening.      Paul & Hairy Dawg share a special moment in anticipation of SEC football kickoff this Saturday.   Please let us know if we can help you with any real estate needs in the Athens, GA area. 09/01/2009

Athens, Georgia is best known for "The Dogs" (Georgia Bulldogs, that is) but this weekend, August 29th, Athens will host an exciting art event. Two wonderfully creative and very diverse artists from Venezuela will be exhibiting their work at the Lyndon House Arts Center. Carlos Solis, a native of Venezuela, specializes in surreal oil paintings.  His vision and use of textured media is something you just have to see for yourself.  Please visit Carlos's web site and you'll see what I mean.  Carlos has been selling his paintings here in Atlanta and also painting wall murals for upscale clients.  He has been featured in several art magazines. Stanley Bermudez was born in New Orleans, but grew up in Venezuela.  His wonderful use of color and shapes is something that I have never seen before.... 08/25/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Aug 23, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1599 active listings of which 1333 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 27 listings from the previous reporting. There are 147 listings under contract. This number is up 4 from the previous period. There have been 9 closed sales duiring the period of Aug 17- Aug 23, 2009, all of which were residential. This is 10 fewer closed transactions than the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is taken ... 08/25/2009

If you are a runner, mark your calander for Monday, September 7. It will be the 7th running of the (k)larity Group Race for the Dream. The proceeds from the race benefit the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity. You can register either by mailing your registration fee directly to the Athens Area Habitat for Humanity or you can register online at Active.com. For more information, you can contact Will Chamberlain at Classic Race Services: 706-769-6593 or email to gwillc@bellsouth.net. Runners on your mark....... For more information about what is going on in the Athens, GA area, or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in in and around Athens, please visit my websit... 08/25/2009

For the third year in a row, the Athens Area Association of Realtors will be hosting a Family Fun Day. This year, Fun Day is set for Saturday, September 19 from 10am - 2pm.  There will be lots of fun, kid-friendly activities like bounce houses, pony rides, dunk tank, and many more activities, such as a Fire Safety House that teaches children how to escape a house fire. The Athens-Clarke County and the Oconee County fire departments will have personnel and vehicles at the event the kids and families can check out. So, set aside a few hours and bring your family to the Athens Area Assication of Realtors parking lot, 1720 Meriweather Drive, Bogart.   08/24/2009

  While riding at Scull Shoals the other day on my friend Linda's Spotted Saddle Horse, Jake, I remembered that I never posted the pictures that I took there back in the spring. Scull Shoals is an abandoned town located on the Oconee River in Greene Co, GA,  only minutes south of Athens, GA.  More on the town another time. We rode the horse trail in the Oconee National Forest.  Part of the trail leads to the Indian mounds and the whole trail is also great for hiking.               "Jake"             Fallen Horse Creek                 Our favorite spot to stop for lunch                         wildflower                   Jake taking a lunch break                 08/23/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Aug 16, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1626 active listings of which 1346 are residential, 20 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 51 listings from the previous reporting. There are 143 listings under contract. This number is down 19 from the previous period. There have been 19 closed sales duiring the period of Aug 10- Aug 16, 2009, 16 of which were residential. This is 3 fewer closed transactions than the previous period. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is take... 08/19/2009

The Athens Area Association of Realtors has set itself a goal this year to raise $71,300 to support research for a cure for breast cancer. Several Athens area restaurants have partnered with us and agreed to donate a percentage of their proceeds from specific days and meals. This week, the Hilltop Grille, 2310 W. Broad St, in Athens is donating a portion of it's take from the lunch service. This runs through Aug. 9th. So, if you are in Athens this week, and want some lunch. Try the Hilltop Grille. They have a great menu with some wonderful selections. And, you will help them contribute to a worthy cause. 08/05/2009

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Aug 2, 2009 the real estate market looks like this: There are 1677 active listings of which 1383 are residential, 22 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 63 listings from the previous week. There are 162 listings under contract. This number is up 2 from last week. There have been 16 closed sales duiring the period of July 27- Aug 2, 2009, all of which were residential. This is six more closed transactions than the previous week. For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. Note: All data is taken from the Athens A... 08/05/2009