Decatur - A Walkable Eventful City!

Decatur is located less than 8 miles from Downtown Atlanta and approximately 2.5 miles from Emory University, Emory Hospital, Eggleston Children’s Hospital and the Center for Disease Control.  Decatur is a small City with major civic participation, local Police and Fire Departments and a renown School System.

Neighborhoods around Decatur contain renovated older bungalow-style homes, well-kept lawns, parks and sidewalks.  It has a vibrant, friendly atmosphere and many residents live close enough to walk to shops, restaurants, and frequent downtown events.  Annual events for Decatur are organized by the Decatur Business Association and other civic and educational organizations.  It’s a rare week when some activity is not available for residents and visitors in the downtown area near the Square.

During the month of May, Decatur sponsors Blue Sky Concerts at noon on the Square and Concerts on the Square on Saturday evenings at 7 p.m.

Perhaps the most attended event is the upcomingDecatur Arts Festival, held on Memorial Day Weekend, and celebrated throughout the month of May. A recent Lantern Parade, associated with the Arts Festival and held in the evening,  featured an exuberant gathering of adults and children with homemade lanterns, hats and parasols strolling through the darkened streets.

On Memorial Day Weekend, the main Decatur streets are blocked to traffic, and a bustling crowd gathers to enjoy a diverse Arts Festival featuring over 150 artists, dance performances and music.

Another popular annual event is the Decatur Beach Party, held June 17, sponsored by the Decatur Business Association – a ticketed event with  lots of sand, games and music.

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local real estate company representing Buyers and Sellers in Decatur, Emory and close-in Atlanta neighborhoods for over 25 years. We also offer professional Property Management Services. (Originally posted on Atlanta Decatur Homes Website on 5/15/2016)

Home Won't Sell - Consider Renting It

Posted on March 8, 2012 by atlantadecaturhomes

The National Association of Realtors thinks that property values will rise 1.1% this year, but this modest rise in value may not help your home to sell.  Popular realtor site, Active Rain,  indicates mixed expectations from various sources.

Our economy is still fragile and home sales are up only slightly.  Until the job market and the building industry improve considerably and foreclosures and short sales ebb, home prices will not go up. 

If Your Home Doesn’t Sell, Is Renting the Best Move?

Maybe.  If  you are offered a new position across the country, the opportunity may be too good to pass up.  The decision will be whether to sell your home at any cost, even at a loss, or to consider leasing the property. 

If you decide to rent your home, it will now become an investment property, and you will still be responsible for paying the principal, interest, taxes, and insurance.  You must continue to maintain the property and pay any homeowner fees that are required as well.  An investment property could have significant tax advantages, but you should talk to your accountant or tax professional before you make this decision.

Hiring a Property Manager

Once you have made a decision to lease, consider hiring a professional Property Manager to take care of your home.  Absentee Landlords are at a severe disadvantage, and a “hands on” manager will act as a surrogate landlord to protect your interests in the property.  A good Manager will:

• Advertise your property
• Screen potential tenants – check references and credit
• Prepare Leases and Move/In-Move/Out Agreements
• Collect the Rent – pay Bills – Generate Monthly Reports & Checks to Landlord
• Handle Repairs & Maintenance
• Act as a Buffer between the Tenant and Landlord

In addition, professional Property Managers are versed in local ordinances and Fair Housing Laws and are subject to strict regulations regarding Escrow Accounts and handling of other peoples money.

Atlanta Decatur Homes is a local real estate company selling homes in the Atlanta, Decatur and Emory University neighborhoods for over 25 years, providing professional Property Management Services as well.

Homes in Decatur Neighborhoods - Glendale Estates History

Posted on March 14, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

The City of Decatur has many beautiful neighborhoods and one of the most charming is Glendale Estates.  Decatur real estate has always been in demand, now more than ever.

The History of Glendale Estates/Glennwood Estates , as compiled by residents of the community, gives an interesting  history of the area. Five Hundred acres that extended from Sycamore up towards the North DeKalb Mall and the present Hospital area  sold around 1847 for $10 an acre, the highest recorded value paid for an acre of Decatur real estate at that time.  The original Glendale Estates/Glennwood Estates was begun in 1927 and encompassed  a portion south of the creek, comprised of Glendale Avenue, Pinecrest, and Glendale Circle.  By 1939, the early development was nearly complete, and the area north of the creek was then developed, which included Forkner Drive and Mount Vernon. Interestingly, the development contained a covenant,preserving the north site of the creek as forest, which retained the stately virgin forest bordering the creek, and the area later developed as Glenlake Park.

Located just Northeast of the bustling City of Decatur, Glendale Estates/Glennwood Estates is a vibrant neighborhood of spacious yards  and elegant homes, within walking distance to downtown Decatur Events, and bordered by Glenlake Park. One of the largest markets in the Southeast, the DeKalb Farmer’s Market, lies a few blocks to the East and is a popular destination for the community.

Glenlake Park

Glenlake Park is of the largest parks in the area, and was named for two adjacent Decatur neighborhoods – Glenwood Estates and Great Lakes. The City of Decatur has just completed an extensive $3 million-plus renovation project at Glenlake Park, updating playgrounds, pavilions and picnic areas; adding new paved walkways and bike paths; and upgrading the pool and bathhouse.  This 17- acre park is the largest green space around, and provides playgrounds, basketball courts, ball fields, 5 tennis courts and a Pool.  Adjacent to Glendale Park lies the Historic Decatur Cemetery.

   The Decatur Cemetery

Established around 1823, Decatur Cemetery is one of the oldest  publicly owned burial grounds in the metro Atlanta area, expanded now to 54-acres with over 20,000 grave sites.  It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is located in downtown Decatur.  The Cemetery is a popular section of Decatur real estate for walkers and photographers, and is maintained partially by volunteers from the Decatur community.

Not many Decatur neighborhoods enjoy such close proximity to Parks, walking trails, shopping, and downtown Decatur events as ideally located Glendale Estates!

Atlanta Decatur Homes, local Atlanta real estate company selling homes in Druid Hills, Atlanta, Decatur, and Tucker neighborhoods for over 25 years.

Atlanta School Closings - Medlock Elementary Near Emory to close

Posted on March 12, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

After months of debate and public meetings, the DeKalb County Board of Education made a  decision this week to close 8 schools in the County, moving 6,000 – 7,000 students. 

Disgruntled and frustrated parents fought hard to preserve their neighborhood schools and to maintain the districting lines, but the DeKalb County School District faced a major $88 million budget shortfall, and changes were necessary.  The school district plans to close more than a dozen schools in the next two years.  Employee layoffs and program cuts will also be made.  Steve Kuzj, CBS Atlanta Reporter, indicated in a recent article that “classrooms around DeKalb County will be a lot larger after the next school year”. 

Homeowners in the community have known for some time that Medlock was on the short list to close and the news has saddened many parents.  The shoe has finally dropped and Medlock Elementary, an Emory area school, is scheduled to close this summer.  Medlock Elementary is located in a residential neighborhood of  900 homes  1-1/2 miles south of Emory University and Medical Center, where many employees own homes. 

The North Druid Hills Patch announced several concessions that were made for other Emory area schools.  Seventy Laurel Ridge Elementary School students were headed to McLendon Elementary School, but will now remain at Laurel Ridge.  Also, a large group of students from Medlock Elementary that were designated to attend Avondale Elementary will now go to Laurel Ridge. 

Other Atlanta area schools that will be closed include Atherton, Glen Haven, Gresham Park, Peachcrest, and Sky Haven elementary schools, as well as Avondale Middle School and Avondale High School.

Atlanta Decatur Homes, local Atlanta real estate company selling homes in Druid Hills, Emory, Medlock, Decatur, Tucker and Atlanta neighborhoods for over 25 years.

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Let’s Review Your Home Buyer Tax Credit

Posted on February 9, 2011 by atlantadecaturhomes

In an effort to stimulate the economy and the housing market, our government gave us some very nice tax breaks last year for purchasing a home before May 1, 2010.  This gift from Uncle Sam allowed many first time homebuyers, and individuals who had not owned a home in 3 years to take advantage of a very lucrative tax break of up to $8,000 for first time homeowners, or up to $6,500 for those that had previously owned a home and lived in it for at least five consecutive years.

If you purchased a home in 2010, you may be eligible for the Home Buyer Tax Credit.

To claim your tax credit on your 2011 tax returns, follow the rules:

• You must have signed a contract to purchase your primary residence before May 1, 2010
• If you closed on your home prior to September 30, 2010, you should qualify for the credit, as long as your original contract stated that the purchase was to be completed by June 30, 2010.  Congress amended the original date because many buyers were involved with short sale or foreclosure transactions, which were slower than normal sales to close.
• The first time home buyer credit is worth 10% of the purchase price of your home, up to a maximum of $8,000.
• Buyers who had previously owned a home for at least 5 consecutive years of the last 8 years are eligible for a credit up to 10% of the purchase price, or a maximum of $6,500.
• The purchase price for both credits is limited to homes purchased for less than $800,000.
• Full credit is available to taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of up to $125,000, or $225,000 for joint filers.

Check with your tax accountant for more detailed information about the tax credits that may be available to you.

 

It could take longer to receive your refund, as the IRS is requiring more documentation to prove you purchased your home within the appropriate time period, and are requiring that you file your tax return by mail.  Here are some documents you may need:

1. A copy of your Closing Statement or HUD-1.  If you don’t have a copy, call Your Realtor, who can provide a copy for you.
2. If you owned a home previously, you will need copies of documents showing you lived in the residence for 5 consecutive years during the past 8 years.  You can use mortgage interest statements, tax records or homeowner’s insurance statements.

For addtional information, see the USA Today article by Sandra Block, titled “Can You Get Home Buyer Credit”.

As always, talk with the experts, your Lender, your CPA, and Your Realtor, for more detailed information.