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Yankee Blog Swap with Gena Riede guest writing
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Just as Cherokee County is growing leaps and bounds from a population of 141,903 to an explosive growth of 184,211, so too is the internet with many different facets available to the consumer. As Brad stated in his recent article, ?it is imperative that we have the right people to lead Cherokee County into the future. In order to accomplish this successfully, our leaders need to make the infrastructure a priority.? The infrastructure is the foundation of a community. As this applies to Cherokee County it also applies in Real Estate. As a Broker, Brad must make sure that his infrastructure is in place before he can successfully help you, the consumer. And that he has! Technology and the internet are ever-changing within their own infrastructure with the onset of Web 2.0 information is at each of our fingertips. It is the encyclopedia of the internet known as Wikipedia . Brad adapts new innovative ways of processing informatio...
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1st Ever Real Estate Christmas Carol?
2006-12-29 15:53:01
It's hard to find real estate and comedy combined and when you do, I doubt it's as good as this... These guys are funny and have a very entertaining take on "flipping houses" for money. If you are interested in real estate investing and/or just look for an entertaining website, then you have to check out Flipper Nation.
More About: Christmas , Estate , Real Estate , Christ , Chris

An Open Letter to Dave Henson of The Cherokee Ledger-News
2006-12-29 15:53:01
In the December 13, 2006 issue of The Cher okee Ledger-News Mr. Dave Henson stated his viewpoint of opposition to the new Macauley project, "A Village in the Forest", for the following three reasons...1) Too many traffic problems on Hwy 202) Not enough tax money for infrastructure3) Expedition of the rezoning processIt's hard to find these three reasons in the letter as Mr. Henson uses flying cars, back-handed praise/sarcasm for Macauley, and the questioning of the Cherokee Board of Commissioners' character as substitutions for having any substantive facts behind his reasons to oppose "A Village in the Forest". I will now discuss the reasons why I do support the Macauley project and specifically respond to Mr. Henson's 3 reasons for opposition:1) Traffic: Mr. Henson states that traffic is already a problem on GA Hwy 20. If this is the case, then why not solve the problem now without the development? Because it costs money and governments only make money from tax payers. Which...
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Will Canton's new golf course bring commercial growth?
2006-12-29 15:53:01
In an unusual private-public partnership, developers of the mixed-use community, Laurel Canyon, have donated an 18-hole, 7,000-yard golf course to the city of Canton. The Fairways of Canton, being developed by Newnan-based Rocky Roquemore Golf Course Architects, is scheduled to open in 2007 as a city-owned public course. "This is a first-class, luxury golf course the entire public will soon enjoy," said Marie Garrett, special adviser to Canton Mayor Cecil Pruett. "We made sure of that when discussions were first initiated two years ago. Courses of this style and nature are typically private." Garrett said the developers have agreed to put up the entire $6 million expense to build the course, and over the next 10 years, Canton will reimburse $3 million through parks and recreation impact fees collected by the city. The city hopes it will be a money-maker and help attract business and residents to Canton, one of the faster-growing cities in metro Atlanta. A top-notch golf course is o...
More About: Commercial , Growth , Ring , Will

Property Rights Under Attack in Cherokee County
2006-12-29 15:53:01
2007 will bring a new Chairman to the Cher okee County Board of Commissioners, Buzz Ahrens. The board is also in the process of appointing new members to Planning and Zoning Commission. It's these appointments that most concern me and many long-time Cherokee County natives about the future fairness for property rights in Cherokee. Here is a copy of a letter from another concerned citizen of Cherokee County...Dear Commissioners,I wanted to write to you regarding information I have recently read in the Cherokee Gazette stating that Mary Catarineau-Ware will be appointed to the Cherokee County Planning and Zoning Commission. I am greatly concerned that Mrs. Ware?s presence on the Planning and Zoning Commission would only represent a fringe element in this County. Additionally, Mrs. Ware?s political beliefs and future ideas for growth in this County do not represent the best interests of my area of the County. While I understand you are not a post commissioner designated to repres...
More About: Property , Rights , Right

More Property Rights Concerns from Cherokee Property Owners
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Letter to the Editor: Commissioner?s Threats?DisappointingI just left the Board of Commissioners meeting(Tuesday, December 19). During Case 06-12-084 for the88.88 acres on E. Cher okee Drive, Commissioner HarryJohnston blatantly threatened the property owners anddeveloper, that if the case were to pass at therequested RD-3 zoning, that he would personallyrequest and vote to rescind the zoning next month,when the ?new? BOC is in place. He was very strong inhis threat that they, the property owners and thedevelopers, would have to be ready to financiallyfight. What a disappointment to hear this type ofdictatorship from our recently elected official. Thereal disappointment is that he?s there for four moreyears. Why do the innocent property owners in thiscounty need to worry about Mr. Johnston rescinding azoning case on their property after it?s achieved amajority vote. Isn?t that unconstitutional? This allcame AFTER Mr. Johnston proposed rescinding a casethat was passed December...
More About: Property , Rights , More , Right

Real Estate Rebound Expected in 2007
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Doug Duncan, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, expects the 30-year mortgage rate to hover around 6.5 percent for the remainder of the year, but climb to 6.8 percent by the end of 2008.Duncan is "optimistic about a rebound" in the housing market next year, citing still-low long-term interest rates, robust capital expenditures, and rising equity prices, among other factors.Meanwhile, the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® expects existing-home sales to slip to just above 6.4 million in 2007 from an estimated 6.47 million this year. But a pullback in construction will spark an 8.7-percent decline in new-home sales to 975,000 from 1.07 million over the same time span.The median resale price will likely edge up 1.7 percent to $227,500 next year, and the median new-home price is forecasted to climb 1.3 percent to $241,400.Source: Inman News, Matt Carter (12/18/06)
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Stop the Abuse! against private property rights
2006-12-29 15:53:01
The essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse. - James MadisonI have been very troubled by the recent actions of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners (BOC). It seems the power is going to their heads. Everyone knows my concerns of the illegal immigrant ordinance recently passed. I have also been very critical of the NIMBYism associated with the Macauley "Village in the Forest" and with the recent tabling until next year of the rezoning, I question the motives of several commissioners actions. But what is most foul about the recent actions of the BOC is the appointment of radicals to it's planning and zoning commission coupled with the new plans for the Future Land Use Map. Please click the previous links to read all of my concerns and I encourage all of my readers to learn more about the issues. The only person who make a difference is you!The recent actions, appointments, and land use planning of the B...
More About: Abuse , Property , Rights , Stop , Again

Impending Death for Private Property Rights in Cherokee Coun
2006-12-29 15:53:01
With so much growth and change headed for Cher okee County, and Metro Atlanta in general, private property rights are being threatened by land use planners and elected officials who are trying to control population growth. The ARC projects that the population of the 20-county Atlanta area -- long one of the fastest-growing metropolitan regions in the country -- will increase from 4.79 million people in 2005 to 6.97 million in 2030, a 46 percent rise. Job numbers will rise from 2.92 million to 4.89 million in those same years, a 67 percent spurt. For Cherokee County the Comprehensive Land Use map is required by the state and is due for state review next summer and this revision process is threatening private property rights.Some land use planners and elected officials are trying to use the map revisions to enforce "slow growth" or "anti-growth" agendas. They accomplish this by designating property as defined allowable uses under the new land use map. For example, some properties a...
More About: Property , Rights , Death , Ending

Look kids...Big Ben, Parliament: City of Woodstock eyes Euro
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Countries all over Euro pe have embraced and implemented the roundabout to solve traffic issues for many years and now Woodstock wants to emulate this solution to traffic congestion. While I doubt Chevy Chase will ever get stuck viewing the landmarks from a roundabout in Woodstock, he may find that getting around downtown will be much easier in the future.The Cherokee Ledger-News recently reported...The roundabouts tentatively would be located at Mill St. and Towne Lake Parkway, Neese Road and Arnold Mill, and perhaps near Columbia Creek apartments on Arnold Mill. ?We would almost create an east/west main street through the downtown area,? said Richard McLeod, director of planning and economic development for the city. McLeod presented the council with a conceptual design of what would be an $8 million construction project. The study, prepared by MacTec consultants and presented to the council by Alex Wiley, showed the area from Neese Road east of Woodstock on Arnold Mill...
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Wide Open Office Spaces
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Reprinted from the Cherokee Ledger-News with full credit given to Tom Brooks for authoring this story...Demand for office space in Cherokee County is convincing developers to pursue several new projects, industry officials say. New and planned complexes ? including upper end office buildings and professional office condominiums ? are in the works as the local commercial real estate market appears to show sustained demand is continuing as office space has filled in developments built in recent years, the officials said. Confidence in the market has some developers launching speculative projects ahead of signing up tenants and buyers. New speculative Class A buildings are planned for Canton Commerce Center, a business park located near Interstate 575 by the Canton-Cherokee Business & Industrial Park. Office condos are opening near neighborhoods and shopping centers on corridors, miles beyond the county?s cities. Industrial buildings with office...
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Commute like George Jetson: Atlanta's Traffic Solution?
2006-12-29 15:53:01
When we were kids, we all dreamed of the future and how cool it was going to be when got older. We'd have robots doing laundry, automatic meals with the push of a button, and we'd get to commute to work in the sky. Well, Atlanta n's may get to test the commute in the sky thing, albeit not very George Jets on like.The AJC recently reported, that transit planners are designing the "firt of it's kind" elevated commuter bus station. The station would straddle the main travel lanes and HOV lanes of I-75, just inside of I-285 at Akers Mill Road. Besides being a pickup point for commuters and travelers, it would serve as a trasnfer hub for local buses and similar proposed bus line along I-285. The horseshoe-shaped station will cost approx. $93 million and could accomodate 18 buses at a time and include a waiting area for passengers. A parking deck is also proposed near the new Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center.Planners refer to the station as the "lid", as it would soar 25 feet ab...
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What Everybody Ought to Know About the Housing Bubble.
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Our country is still concerned about the "Housing Bubble ". Mark Cuban's cool new search engine Icerocket.com has a Blogs Trend Tool that illustrates the web still averages over 76 blog posts per day about the housing bubble over the last 3 months. Nationally, the concern over the Housing Bubble still frightens many, but here in Atlanta most of my colleagues and contacts are confident in our local housing market.I stumbled across this research study today and although it is a bit dated (2004-2005), I think the findings are still relevant in today's market and should encourage everyone to believe in Atlanta's housing market.Home Price Analysis for Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta By the Research Division of the National Association of REALTORS® Executive Summary With home prices rising strongly in most parts of the country, there has been widespread media coverage on the possibility of a housing market bust. A thorough analysis of the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta metro market, as...
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Moving from Real Estate 1.0 to Real Estate 2.0
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Last week I had lunch with another broker to discuss our local real estate market, but also to share thoughts and ideas about the future of real estate as an industry. Wade Sonenberg of The Sonenberg Company is a second generation real estate agent and his father, David, is on the cover of latest issue of REALTOR Magazine. Wade and I both grew up with real estate in our family, but more importantly we grew up in the technology and information era. Our conversation focused on how we can use technology and information to better enhance real estate.Just the fact that two competitive brokerage firms are having lunch to discuss the future of real estate is a step in the right direction. The old way to do business in the real estate industry (real estate 1.0) was very cut-throat and brokers competed for every client, listing, and sale and their hopes for success hinged on not sharing information freely. I feel the new way to do business in the real estate industry (real estate 2.0) i...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Moving , State , Real

How to raise money to solve Atlanta's traffic problems
2006-12-29 15:53:01
I have blogged many times about the traffic problems in Atlanta (read here, here and here) and I generally come to the same conclusion...money is needed to make a difference. Atlanta transportation funding lags behind many similar sized cities, yet no one wants to be pay more taxes to raise the money needed.Yesterday I read an interesting proposal to adjust how money is generated for transportation. The current state gas tax being charged as cents per gallon, not per dollar. So when general prices rise (inflation), that 7.5 cents per gallon of gas doesn't. How would you feel about eliminating the 7.5 cents per gallon gas tax state wide and implenting a 1% sales tax to be allocated for transportation? The sales tax being a percentage would automatically adjust with inflation and we can only anticpate that road and transit construction is going to increase with time.The AJC wrote...1% gas sales tax proposed to replace per gallon levyAn influential transportation lobbying group wa...
More About: How To , Money , Traffic , Problems

Stadium District to help Atlanta Braves gain fans
2006-12-29 15:53:01
As a life long Braves fan, I will always support my home team. However, the Braves don't always get the fan support they deserve from the City of Atlanta .The Braves won 14 straight division titles, a feat that will likely never be matched by any professional sport team...ever, and yet the national media mocks the Braves fan base. The Braves have fielded at least 5 future Hall of Famers over the last 15 years, and still the City of Atlanta gets criticized for not supporting the Braves. The Braves have had multiple MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, ERA Title, Saves Title, and Home Run Title award winners, and the stadium is still rarely packed full. Why doesn't a city of 4 Million+ people better support a super-succesful team?Chicago Cubs sell out every game and they can't win anything. The Boston Red Sox are the hottest ticket in town and they had a 90+ year curse on their team. The Braves win and win with superstars, but the city rearely rallies around them.The reason for ...
More About: Fans , Raves , Rave , District

Smart Growth in Cherokee County depends on You
2006-12-29 15:53:01
I have posted many times in the past on the values of "Smart Growth ". If Cher okee County must grow, and projections have the county gaining 200,000 more people by 2030 (more than double the current population of 141,903), then we better start growing smart.Well, here's your chance to get involved in the Smart Growth movement and make a difference for Cherokee County and it's future! There is a great residential development being proposed in Cherokee County by Macauley, a development company that I know and trust. You may have heard about the proposed community, temporarily being called "A Village in the Forest.? This community will be a model of environmental sustainability, as well as a self-contained community that will improve the quality of life of its residents and neighbors. In addition to shopping and road improvements, Macauley's plan for this special property will incorporate upgrades to some of the current facilities on Lake Allatoona and additional public amenities in...
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Cherokee Politicians Pass Illegal Immigrant Ordinance
2006-12-29 15:53:01
I am writing about this topic only because I was there last night. I acknowledge my lack of detailed analysis of these issues and encourage everyone to learn more than I know.Tuesday Night, December 5th, I attended the Cher okee County Board of Commissioners (BOC) meeting only to have a seat at the Planning and Zoning Commission that was to follow the regular BOC meeting. Boy was I in for a surprise show of politics, press, frenzied citizens and anxious immigrants. The scene was a crazy mix of developers, local politicians from the cities and county, attorneys, press from local and national media, long-time local citizens, illegal immigrants, smart-growth supporters and slow-growth supporters. I suppose it was an appropriate stage for the BOC of Cherokee County to play politics with a complicated issue.The Commissioners approved two ordinances, both on 5-0 votes, declaring English the county's official language, and going after landlords who rent to illegal immigrants. The commi...
More About: Legal , Politicians , Rant , Politician

A Potentially Biased Account of Cherokee County's Zoning Mee
2006-12-29 15:53:01
Before I get into last night's event (and I mean event), I want to state my potential biases and credentials for covering this topic...-I make my living by representing buyers and sellers in the Cher okee Count y real estate market.-I was born and raised in Cherokee County.-I am a business owner in Cherokee County.-I live in Cobb County.-I own investment property in Cherokee County.-I also own property where my business is located in Cherokee County.-My mom, grandmother, and brother all live in Cherokee County along with many friends.-Most of my dining and shopping dollars are spent in Cherokee County.Last night I saw local politics at it's best and worst, confirmed that local government staff is overwhelmed, and local politicians make very tough decisions. But what struck me most was witnessing a perfect example of NIMBYism. (NIMBY (an acronym of Not In My Back Yard) is an acronym for the phenomenon in which residents oppose a development as inappropriate for their local area, but...
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Response to Smart Growth in Cherokee County
2006-12-29 15:53:01
The recent Board of Commissioners meeting for Cher okee County has created a lot of press and made a lot of people upset and others extremely happy. The buzz around the illegal immigrant issue and the Macauley "A Village in the Forest" project has lead to more comments and feedback for my blog than ever before. Even though I wish most of the comments had been made online via the "comments" feature on this blog, instead of through phone calls and direct emails, I am still overwhelmed at the response.This response goes to prove that blogs are great for creating a local community to exchange thoughts and ideas on local topics.Here are some highlights of the feedback I have received..."We feel the development he is proposing is perfect for this property and this area. I have been relentlessly searching the internet for news articles, information and ammunition to help him in his battle and I came across your blog. Wow. If I was in the blogosphere, this would be exactly what I would ...
More About: Smart , Mart , Growth

Atlanta 575 Real Estate reaches 100 Blog Posts
2006-12-29 15:53:01
It has taken me less than 11 months to reach this mile post for blogging. I began this journey in late February and made my first post on February 20th, 2006. As I look back, I can't say enough for what blogging has done for me and my business. I have posted at least one article per week for 11 months and the commitment has forced me to evaluate my business like nothing I have ever done.I have learned more about technology, the internet, and the blogosphere than ever imagined (and more than I care to know about some things). I have also learned more about my local marketplace and the real estate industry in general. Following through on a commitment of this level is very cumbersome, but also very rewarding. I have expanded my sphere of influence by leaps and bounds. My loyal readership thanks me for my efforts on a weekly basis. (I guess I can say I have more friends due to blogging, which is a weird result.)I have streamlined my marketing of properties and enhanced the way...
More About: Estate , Real Estate , Post , Blog , Atlanta

Commissioner Buzz Ahrens: An "Accessible Listener"
2006-12-29 15:53:01
On December 27, CCPR board members met with incoming Cherokee County Commission Chairman, Buzz Ahrens, at the Justice Center in Canton. The meeting provided an opportunity for members and Mr. Ahrens to get acquainted and to discuss some hot property rights topics. As expected, the first topic of discussion was the Proposed Land Use Plan and map. CCPR members express opposition to elements of the plan, including: 200 ft. set-backs.Discouraging of production-oriented agricultural activities like animal production.Denial of infrastructure to rural areas in terms of transportation and sewer improvements, and a low public services such as fire, police and libraries.Imposing upon our use of our property any additional level of governmental control or regulation other than the zoning ordinances already in place. Members also expressed opposition to the plan's Character Areas which: Do not reflect current land use and preexisting or appro...
More About: List , Listen , Miss , Access