Decatur BBQ Blues and Bluegrass Fest The 9th Annual Decatur Barbeque Blues & Bluegrass Festival at Harmony Park in Decatur GA will be Saturday August 15, 2009.  The gates open at 4:00 p.m. and there will be live music until 10:00 p.m. 21 and older entrance fee is $10. Ages 10-20 entrance fee is $5. Kids 10 and under admitted free. Please note that no outside coolers will be permitted at the park. Harmony Park is in the Oakhurst Neighborhood of Decatur GA at the corner of Mead and Oakview Rd.        If you are thinking of buying or selling a home 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 for Decatur GA homes for Sale    08/14/2009

Real Estate Condo Market Report for the in town Decatur, GA zip code of 30030 for July 2009There are currently 149 active residential attached listings, which means townhomes and condos.  They range in price from $78,000 for a 1 bedroom/1 bath unit at Emory Gardens on Clairmont Ave to a 3 bedroom/3.5 bath at the Artisan on W. Ponce de Leon Ave for $779,900.  This is 10 less than were on the market in June 2009. 4 are in their contingency period for due diligence or financing. 22 are pending contracts, which means they are under contract but not yet closed, compared to 20 in June of 2009. 10 closed in July 2009 compared to 9 in June 2009.  12 closed in July 2008. What sold? 3 bedroom/2.5 bath condo sold at Towne Square on E. Ponce de Leon Ave for $380K 2 bedroom/2 bath condo sold at Town... 08/12/2009

Spotlight on Taj Ma Hound - Bakery for Dogs in the Oakhurst neighborhood in Decatur, GA  This afternoon I was in Oakhurst, a very cool neighborhood in Decatur, GA. A lime green building caught my eye. I just had to explore and see what it was. It's a bakery just for dogs with things like carrot cake muffins made with, of course shredded carrots, peanut butter, wheat flour, honey, eggs and vanilla. I was told they are OK for people to eat, but as much as I love carrot cake, I'll leave these special ones to the dogs.  Taj Ma Hound Bakery for Dogs has been open since October 2007 and is owned by Krista Aversano. They are located at 707D East Lake Drive in Decatur, GA 30030 across from Steinbeck's Ale House. It's near the corner of East Lake Drive and Oakview Drive.  Call 404-377-9220 for m... 08/10/2009

 Atlanta Home Search - Selling a home in Atlanta GA If you are thinking of putting your Atlanta home on the market this fall, please read this! From USA Today, October 2006... A review of over 2,800 properties in eight cities found that "staged homes, on average, sold in half the time that non-staged homes did. The sellers with staged homes ended up with 6.3 percent more than their asking price, on average." +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Research from RESA (Real Estate Staging Association)... VACANT HOMES - Marketed vacant homes that were previously unstaged were not sold after 120 days on market. Once staged, those homes only took 26 days to sell. OCCUPIED HOMES - Marketed occupied homes that were previously unstaged were not sold after 102 days on market. Once staged, those homes on... 08/10/2009

Parker's on Ponce, the Steakhouse in Decatur GA has made it to my list of restaurants worthy of regular visits.  In metro Atlanta, we have tons of restaurants to choose from.  Some are excellent and some are at the far other end of the scale.  Parker's on Ponce rates excellent with me and everyone I've talked to.  Parker's on Ponce opened in November 2008 in the former Mick's Restaurant on the Square in downtown Decatur.  It's been completely renovated and it's owned by brothers J-T and Christopher Scott. I think I've been there just about every month since it opened.  For me, that says a lot. Whether it's girl's night out with $4 Stoli Martinis and appetizers or Sunday Brunch with the family or a romantic candlelight dinner for 2, this place is awesome.  The staff is welcoming and prof... 08/05/2009

Finders Keepers Furnishings in Decatur GA is a designer's dream. Finders Keepers Furnishings is a furniture and home accessories consignment store.  It's located at 2753 East College Ave in Decatur GA.  Do you love to decorate? Do you stage homes for selling? Are you ready to change your home décor?  Then this is the place for you. Finder's Keepers Furnishings has linens, artwork, glassware, furniture and accessories.  Items range from antique to contemporary.  I like to change out my home décor seasonally. It would get really expensive if I always went to traditional stores. I can bring in the items I want to change out and switch to something else, at a fraction of the cost. Consignors can consign their good unwanted items and receive 50% of the selling price. Consignments are accepte... 08/03/2009

There are lots of Nail Salons in Decatur, GA. One of my favorites is Miss Nails Salon located at 618 Church Street in Decatur. It's near the intersection of Commerce Drive, just a block from Decatur Square. Why do I like Miss Nails so much? Its family owned and operated and the pride of ownership shows. Tina, the owner and the staff are always friendly and professional. It's clean and prices are reasonable. The service is great too. I always feel like my business is appreciated. What's not to like?  Miss Nails Salon has been in business since 1999.  I've been going there since it opened.  Yes, I've tried other Nail Salons, but keep going back to Miss Nails. Over the years the businesses next door to the left of Miss Nails have changed from various sandwich shops to now a Chinese restaur... 07/30/2009

Medlock Commons in Decatur, GA is an in town neighborhood of distinction. The homes were built 2003-2004 by Award Winning Builder John Willis. He was awarded Builder of the Year in 2004. As a Certified Professional Home Builder, he stands behind his work. It is quality and top notch.  Medlock Commons is a small community of 12 homes.  It's a private paved road maintained by the Homeowners Association. It often doesn't come up on a GPS, but it's off of Medlock Rd between North Decatur Rd and Church Street in Decatur, GA.  It's next to Medlock Place, the gated community on Medlock Rd at the top of Greylock Place.  Medlock Commons sits right outside the city limits of Decatur in unincorporated DeKalb County. This community has a strong Homeowners Association. HOA dues of $350 a year cover ... 07/29/2009

Ridgeland Park in Decatur GA is a mix of older and newer homes. This neighborhood is unique in that part of it lies within the City Limits of Decatur and some of it is outside in unincorporated DeKalb County. The streets include Willow Lane, Pensdale Road, Eastland Drive, Greylock Place, part of Scott Blvd and part of Medlock Rd.  Some of the older homes in Ridgeland Park were built in the late 1940's. One of the neighbors is an original owner who initially bought his home for $13,000 in 1949.  If you were to go into the older homes, you might recognize some similarities from the original floor plans, many of which have been changed and added on to over the years.  This friendly Decatur, GA neighborhood has many of the original brick bungalows with hardwood floors and the living room pi... 07/27/2009

For the record, I'm not use to saying NO. Having staged hundreds of homes and millions of dollars in real estate throughout the Atlanta area, I know how beneficial staging can be.  The truth of the matter is that I've only said NO to two; both happened this year. The first time was via the phone when the seller had informed me that he only needed the staging for a day. He explained that he was attempting to trick the potential lender in believing that he lived in the home.  The conversation ended quickly.   The second time happened recently with an investment property I was asked to see. The investors live in California and had purchased three investment properties here in Atlanta. Having passed the phone interview, I was on my way to see the first of the three properties. NOTE:  The ho... 07/27/2009

Sycamore Station is a quaint townhome community in Decatur, GA. For the first half of 2009, list prices range from $225,000 - $249,000. Average days on market are an astonishing 13 days for the 3 that have sold this year. This is a hot community in the City of Decatur!  Sycamore Station's close proximity to DeKalb Medical Center, downtown Decatur, Emory and the CDC add to the benefit of living there.  It's off of Sycamore Rd which runs off of Church Street and Ponce de Leon Ave in Decatur.  Sycamore Station has a total of 63 homes with firewalls in between each. As you drive through the community, you almost immediately relax with the soothing soft colors of blue, green, yellow and tan, actually kind of a sand color.  These homes all have 1 car garages. They are 3 to 4 bedrooms and rang... 07/26/2009

 Emory Parc Manor in Decatur GA is a wonderful community of 81 single family homes, each different from the next, yet carefully blended. The homes have brick, stone, hardi-plank siding and some have cedar shake. It’s an elegant community with flowering trees in medians and roundabouts. The community green space is park like with a pavilion and benches for meeting friends and neighbors. Emory Parc Manor was built by Certified Professional Home Builders John Willis and Monte Hewett 2002-2004. If you are not familiar with these Award-Winning builders, then you are in for a treat. They stand behind their work and the craftsmanship and attention to detail are second to none. Homes in Emory Parc Manor range in price from the high 500’s to the high 600’s. They have 3 to 5 bedrooms. All of the ... 07/25/2009

Decatur Square Condos are located on Church Street in Decatur, GA. They are located next to Decatur’s Glenn Lake Park with pool, tennis courts and playground. The park is 17 acres and backs up to Decatur Square Condos. The Tudor style condos were built in 1968 and 1969.  It's in a great neighborhood and walking distance to downtown Decatur.   Building 1175 has 2 story townhomes that overlook the courtyard and the pool. They are 1064 square feet. Building 1177 and 1227 have 4 units each of level living with 3 bedrooms. They are 1215 square feet. Buildings 1179, 1181, 1227, 1229 and 1231 are 2 bedroom 1 level units with 936 square feet. Building 1225 has 1 bedroom units that are 648 square feet. As of July 2009, condos at Decatur Square range in price from $109,000 to $159,000. Affordable... 07/24/2009

EASY COMMUTE TO EMORY UNIVERSITY AND CDC OAK GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD in the 30033 and 30345 zip codes of DeKalb County has some amazing bargains in the luxury home category.   Recently constructed "infill" homes in the $500,000 to $1,500,000 price range have all the whistles and bells luxury home buyers want.  In addition these homes are an  EASY COMMUTE TO EMORY UNIVERSITY AND CDC as they are just minutes away from the Clifton Corridor and Emory University campus. OAK GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR LUXURY HOME BARGAINS BUILDERS and DEVELOPERS got too far out in front of the market in this area and far too much inventory was built just as the national real estate market hit the wall.  As a result, builders were left with inventory they really needed to sell at a time when potential home ... 07/21/2009

Located at Harmony Park in Oakhurst, the 9th Annual Decatur Barbecue Blues & Bluegrass Festival happens on August 15, 2009. The Decatur Harmony Park is only about 1 1/2 miles from Talley Street Atlanta lofts for sale, and attendees can listen to the best of Blues and Bluegrass music around while feasting on delicious BBQ from local vendors. Five Star Barbecue will be serving delicious pulled pork and chicken, O.B.'s will be back with featuring ribs and sweet tea and Black Tie Barbecue is serving up even more choices for every choice you could possibly want in BBQ. For music, this year's music headliner is Michelle Malone who is a national tour for her bluesy rockster tunes. The festival starts at 4 pm and last until 10 pm for 6 hours of music, BBQ and Decatur fun! Tickets are $10 for 21... 07/16/2009

Real Estate Market Report Decatur Condos People are always asking, what's going on in Real Estate? This report covers the intown Decatur, GA zip code of 30030 condo market. There are currently 159 active residential attached listings, which means townhomes and condos.  They range in price from $85,500 for a 1 bedroom/1 bath unit at Emory Gardens on Clairmont Ave to a 3 bedroom/3.5 bath at the Artisan on W. Ponce de Leon Ave for $779,900.   3 are in their contingency period for due diligence or financing. 20 are pending contracts, which means they are under contract but not yet closed. 9 closed in June 2009.  What sold? 3 bedroom/2.5 bath townhome sold at Innsbruck on Ponce de Leon for $107K. 2 bedroom/1.5 bath townhome sold at Decatur Square on Church Street next to Glen Lake Park for $... 07/11/2009

We know the threat of foreclosure can be emotionally debilitating. Yet now is not the time to cave in. Rather, now is the time for you to reach down into yourself and pull up that reserve of energy and resolve in order to fight back. If you've fallen behind on your mortgage, you don't have to just let the lender take your house. There is one strategy that is paramount in this situation. What is it?  Talk to your lender. This is the first and most important thing you should do.  With so much pressure from the new Administration to staunch the flow of foreclosures, most lenders are more than willing to give you an ear and help you if they can, even in cases of Georgia foreclosure. In fact, I received a much anticipated call from one of my clients this weekend, giving me the good news of h... 07/08/2009

Looking for great organic locally grown food? Decatur's Organic Farmers Market is the place. It has fresh produce, flowers,(even pretty edible ones, like nasturtium) and other organic food products such as bread, jam, eggs and sauces. The market supports local farmers by offering them an in town location to sell their products.  It's open on Wednesdays from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm in the summer and 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm in the winter. 163 Clairemont Avenue Decatur, Georgia 30030. It's on the corner of Commerce Ave and Church Street. If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in 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 Sycamore Station in ... 07/08/2009

This real estate market report is for Decatur, GA 30030 zip code only and does not include condos, multi family homes or commercial real estate. It's covers single family homes only. For June 2009: 13 Homes sold ranging in price from $165,000 - $680,000. 37 Homes are pending sale meaning they went under contract but have not yet closed. List prices range from $21,900 - $799,000. 4 are in the Contingency Period which means they are in their due diligence period and may or may not close. There are 194 Active Listings ranging in price from $100,000 to $1,500,000.  There's something for everyone! If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Decatur, GA contact local expert and Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners at 404-456-5024. Vi... 07/06/2009

Less, than 1 mile from Talley Street in Historic Decatur, the Annual Decatur Beach Party happens this Friday, June 19th. From 5 p.m - midnight, the Decatur Business Association sponsors this event to bring in 60 tons of sand and turns the square into a beach for the evening. There will be live music in the square bandstand (the gazebo), boardwalk games and just plain beach fun. Tickets are required for entry into the sand area. (Tickets are not required to gather around the bandstand. Kids are free with 2 paying Adult tickets for $10 each at the event, or $6.50 each if purchased in advance.With a large 1 bedroom with den loft starting from the $130's and 2 bedrooms starting from the $180's, Talley Street lofts in Atlanta offers modern simplistic lofts with large open floorplans, more f... 06/18/2009