FE BR UARY 2 0 1 5 E D I TI O N
R e a l E s t at e G u i d e FORSYTH/LAKE LANIER
Featured Property: 300 Falcon Lane Garel Curry (404) 863-0835
w w w. h a r r y n o r m a n l a k e l a n i e r. c o m Give us a call TODAY to have YOUR home featured in our next edition!
Office: (770) 497-2000 | www.HNRForsyth.com The A above F O R S Y TForsyth H Office /L Kinformation E Lis believed A NtoIbeEaccurate R but not warranted. Offer subject to errors, changes, omissions, prior sales and withdrawals without notice. 770-497-2000 Robert Aiken, Broker. If your home is currently listed for sale, this is not intended as a solicitation. Equal Housing Opportunity. www.harrynorman.com
blue ridge, GA - 300 Falcon Lane
Staging Your Home for a Quicker Sale
5 bedroom | 3.5 bath | Offered at: $985,000 A quaint luxury country home located in the north Georgia mountains (roughly an hour drive from Atlanta). This private retreat sits on 10+/- acres w/a beautiful creek that runs the length of the property, a gristmill and private waterfall. Fully updated with every possible bonus: custom kitchen w/ granite, oak stairway, detailed woodwork, fireplace, game room, beautiful archways, and more! This home also has a rustic log guest home that sits on the property overlooking the waterfall. Own a piece of God’s country!
Foreclosures and high maintenance costs mean that new homes go up for sale faster than you can say “down market.” And what is great for buyers, more homes to choose from means that sellers need to distinguish their properties from the rest of the crowd. Home staging, or temporarily redesigning a home to appeal to buyers, can give homeowners an edge in an overcrowded market. Staged homes look bigger, newer and warmer. They invite buyers to see themselves living in the home. Staging projects include inexpensive tasks, from rearranging furniture, to renting contemporary living room sets. Here are some tips for staging homes:
Featured Property
Listing Agent: GAREL CURRY 404-863-0835
Declutter. When buyers see overcrowded book shelves and wrinkled towels, they focus more on the dingy details than the architecture. But staging means more than a through cleaning -; sellers should also remove personal items, like family photographs. Buyers should picture their families living in the home, not yours. Make things look new. A little paint can go a long way. Light colors make rooms look larger and brighter, so use them to make your home appear spacious. Wooden floors and cabinetry make big impressions, so make sure that they shine. If any wood looks dry or dirty, apply an orange oil for a quick restoration job. Hard water stains on glass shower doors and windows look unattractive, so remove them with a specialized product like CLR, Lime Away or Bring It On Cleaner, which uses oxygen bleach to clean minerals from glass and tile. Some hard water stains will often yield to scrubbing with white vinegar and a nonscratch pad. If you find that vinegar is ineffective, a paint scraper or razor blade can be used to remove the bonded stains before resorting to harsher chemicals. Add small details. In the kitchen, bowls filled with fresh fruit create an attractive, colorful eyepiece. Place vases filled with fresh flowers in the bedrooms and dining room. Put candles in the bathroom. Small touches make homes feel more inviting. Used with permission, © NewsUSA, 2014.
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DAWSONVILLE, GA – 810 Kilough Ch. Rd.
CANTON, GA – 229 Towering Peaks
CUMMING, GA – 6080 Bridge Fair Rd.
4 BD/ 4.5 BA | Offered at: $420,000 Spectacular mountain and lake views Listing Agent: KERRY NEEL 404-353-9121
4 BD/ 2.5 BA | Offered at: $270,000 Open floor plan, Kitchen newly remodeled Listing Agent: KERRY NEEL 404-353-9121
4 bedroom / 3 Bath | Offered at $194,900 Cute cozy ranch on full finished basement. Listing Agent: mike garcia 770-231-9908
Let me open the doors to your next home, anywhere in the world. Jenny Rogers, REALTOR® CUMMING, GA – 14121 Cumming Hwy 6+/- Acres | Offered at: $663,900 Ready to develop, grt loc in Freehome Listing Agent: MIKE GARCIA 770-231-9908
Direct: 678-539-3930 Office: 770-497-2000 Jenny.Rogers@harrynorman.com www.jennyrogers.harrynorman.com
CUMMING, GA – 5570 Burruss Rd. 4 bedroom / 3 bath | Offered at $800,000 2 flat ac w/additional 3 car garage Listing Agent: MIKE GARCIA 770-231-9908
Small Fixtures Make a Big Design Impact
FMLS #5362073 GAINESVILLE, GA – 2285 Boy Scout Camp Dr 3 bedroom / 3.5 bath | Offered at: $697,000 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
When considering lighting design, chances are you picture major fixtures like ornate chandeliers, groupings of colorful pendants or elaborate track lighting. However, even small fixtures, such as portable lamps, can transform a room, according to the American Lighting FMLS #5363516 Association (ALA). Joe Rey-Barreau, education consultant for the ALA and GAINESVILLE, GA – 00 Boy Scout Camp Rd associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s School Boat dock & permitted. Offered at: 175,000 of Interior Design, says, “With the proper light bulb and Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167 shade, a lamp can provide effective task lighting while also serving as an important decorative element in a space.” A Referral It is important to view a lamp as a piece of the overall whole, not the only source of lighting in a room. From You Is One or two lamps cannot effectively illuminate a large space if they are the primary light source. The Highest Think of table and floor lamps as lighting accessories that create layers of light throughout a room.
Compliment I Can Receive!
Jessica Alred, REALTOR® LILBURN, GA – 381 Marble Springs Rd. 8 bedroom / 4 bath | Offered at $375,000 Huge home in the Kingston S/T community Listing Agent: MIKE GARCIA 770-231-9908
Direct: 678-614-2423 Office: 770-497-2000 Jessica.Alred@harrynorman.com www.jessicaalred.harrynorman.com
Layering Your Lights
“Layering of light means there are multiple types of lighting fixtures in a single space,” says ReyBarreau. “For example, in addition to recessed and decorative lighting at the ceiling, table and floor lamps can provide lighting for dark corners.” The difficult part of deciding which lamps work best for your space may be choosing from the nearly infinite range of types and styles available.Your local ALA-member store has a large selection of lamps, as well as trained professionals to help you find the perfect fixture for your home. More information is available online at americanlightingassoc.com. Used with permission, © NewsUSA, 2014.
To view ALL of our listings, please visit: www.harrynormanforsyth.com/the-real-estate-guide When You’re Ready To Buy or Sell, Stacy Easley is Ready. Call Me Today! Stacy Easley, REALTOR® CUMMING, GA – 0 Setting Down Rd.
CUMMING, GA – 1380 Morning Gate Ct.
CUMMING, GA – 8305 Scudders Gold Trl.
3.5 Acres on brook | Offered at: $70,000 Listing Agent: KERRY NEEL 404-353-9121
4 bedroom / 3.5 bath | Offered at: $300,000 Listing Agent: Stacy Easley 770-403-3577
4 bedroom / 4.5 bath | Offered at: $529,000 Listing Agent: Marie Sir 404-520-5263
Direct: 678-539-3928 Office: 770-497-2000 Stacy.Easley@harrynorman.com www.stacyeasley.harrynorman.com
A Caring Realtor for All Things Real Estate. Call Me Today! Fred Hogan, REALTOR® CUMMING, GA – 2190 Cascading Creek 6 bedroom / 5.5 bath | Offered at: $579,900 Listing Agent: Tom Stocks 678-283-9570
SUWANEE, GA – 6325 Haddington Lane
Direct: 770-310-6001 Office: 770-497-2000 Fred.Hogan@harrynorman.com www.fredhogan.harrynorman.com
GAINESVILLE, GA – 5639 Azelia Dr.
5 bedroom / 5.5 bath | Offered at: $1,265,000 2 bedroom / 1 Bath | Offered at $250,000 Listing Agent: kathleen hernandez Great cottage on Lake Lanier. Listing Agent: mike garcia 770-231-9908 678-300-2863
CUMMING, GA – 65 Pine Lake Dr
CUMMING, GA – 4939 Sherwood Way
3 bedroom, 2 bath | Offered at: $450,000 3 bedroom / 2.5 bath | Offered at: $169,900 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167 Listing Agent: Tom Stocks 678-283-9570
DAWSONVILLE, GA – 69 Shadow Hills Ln
CUMMING, GA – 6090 Riley Rd
3 bedroom, 3 bath | Offered at: $169,900 Listing Agent: Pete Clay 678-492-3559
4 Bd, 4 Ba, 2 half Ba | Offered at: $1,259,000 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
My Favorite Client is YOU. Call Me Today! Debbie Blanar, REALTOR®
Direct: 678-585-4299 Office: 770-497-2000 Debbie.Blanar@harrynorman.com www.debbieblanar.harrynorman.com
CUMMING, GA – 6105 Overlook Park Dr
SUGAR HILL, GA – 5738 Avonley Creek Dr
5 bedroom / 4.5 bath | Offered at: $459,000 Listing Agent: Pete Clay 678-492-3559
4 bedroom, 3.5 bath | Offered at: $280,000 Listing Agent: Pete Clay 678-492-3559
HOSCHTON, GA – 6181 Longleaf Dr
CUMMING, GA – 7010 Wingfield Way
SAUTEE, GA – 980 Woodbrier
DAWSONVILLE, GA – 776 Chestatee Pt.
CUMMING, GA – 2830 Spot Rd.
4 BD / 5 BA | 2 Half BA | Offered at $700,000 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
6 BD / 3 BA | 1 Half BA | Offered at $675,000 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
5 bedroom / 3 bath | Offered at $324,900 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
2 bedroom | 1 bath | Offered at $192,000 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
4 bedroom, 2 bath | Offered at: $199,500 Listing Agent: Pete Clay 678-492-3559
Which Upgrades Are Worth It to Help You Sell Your House? Is it finally time to sell your house?
T
hat’s the question on homeowners’ minds as house prices just posted their largest annual gain since 2005 -- congrats to those no longer “underwater” on their mortgages -- even as interest rates remain tantalizingly low. But here’s the catch: Those same higher prices can make buyers as choosy as a Michelin restaurant reviewer. “A house with a $1,600 mortgage payment last year now has a $2,000 mortgage payment,” one broker told the Wall Street Journal. “Buyers are saying, ‘I better like it.’” To increase your home’s “like” quotient, read on to see which upgrades are worth making and which aren’t. Worth It: A new front door. Strictly in terms of return on investment, a steel one topped the list of Remodeling magazine’s annual Cost vs. Value Report for 2014 -- recouping 96.6 percent of the average price. But a fresh coat of paint can work wonders, too. Not Worth It: A home-office remodel.
We know what you’re thinking: With so many more people working from home, wouldn’t it be brilliant to rewire the space for electronic equipment, say, and install commercial-grade carpeting? Not really. The magazine gave it the lowest return on investment (48.9 percent), and the guy who oversaw the study says, “Home offices don’t sell houses.” Worth It: A back-up power generator. It’s the biggest gainer in the study, jumping 28 percent over last year, and plays especially well in areas brutalized by storms. Not Worth It: Major bathroom work. “You could install the most spectacular jetted tub, and it still might not suit a buyer,” says Patsy O’Neill, a sales associate with Sotheby’s in Montclair, NJ. “Meanwhile, you’d have spent tens of thousands of dollars.” That explains why it made Bankrate.com’s list of “6 Worst Home Fixes for the Money” and why you should stick to things like re-grouting the shower. Worth It: Roofing replacement. There’s a
reason this ultimate “curb appeal” enhancer consistently makes Remodeling’s list and is up 11.2 percent over even last year: A roof is the first thing prospective buyers notice even before exiting their cars, and you can kiss that sale good-bye if yours looks like it’s been through hell. “It’s a huge turn-off,” says O’Neill, “and makes buyers predisposed to find even more things they don’t like.” For the look of luxury at very affordable prices, check out the Value Collection Lifetime Designer Shingles from GAF (www.gaf.com), North America’s largest roofing manufacturer. Not Worth It: Major kitchen renovations. Again, the key word is “major,” and again it’s a “taste” issue.
Harry Norman Realtors®, Forsyth/Lake Lanier Office 1664 Market Place Blvd. Cumming, GA 30041 Used with permission, © NewsUSA, 2014.
DAHLONEGA, GA – 0 Sam Davis Road
CUMMING, GA – 3340 Shady Cove
DUNWOODY, GA – 2191 Brooke Farm Ct.
JASPER, GA – 230 Old Mill White Rd.
150+/- Acres | Offered at: $575,000 Affordable large farm w/ 1+ mile of river. Listing Agent: PAM SUNDERLAND 770-540-9557
5 bedroom / 5 Bath | Offered at $1,099,900 Southside Lake Lanier “One of a Kind” Listing Agent: mike garcia 770-231-9908
5 bedroom / 4.5 Bath | Offered at $699,900 Private cul-de-sac lot, 3-sided brick home. Listing Agent: tom stocks 678-283-9570
2 BD / 2 BA | 2 Half BA | Offered at $2,500,000 Beautiful log structure on concrete slab Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
I’ll Help You Find the Home Meant for You. Call Me Today! Justin Abshire, REALTOR® CUMMING, GA – 1607 Heathrow Dr. 5 bedroom / 4 bath | Offered at: $629,000 Listing Agent: Tom Stocks 678-283-9570
Direct: 770-634-7019 Office: 770-497-2000 Justin.Abshire@harrynorman.com
Forsyth/Lake Lanier Office
DAWSONVILLE, GA – 161 Toto Creek Dr E 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath | Offered at: $484,900 Listing Agent: terry cooksey 770-503-4167
1664 Market Place Blvd., Cumming, GA | (770) 497-2000 | wwww.HNRForsyth.com