Lawrenceville Home For Sale - Peachtree Ridge School District
Located in the Peachtree Ridge School District of Gwinnett County, 1600 Swan Valley Ct. has a lot to offer. Coming in from the 2 car garage you enter into the spacious kitchen. Plenty of counter space and an island/breakfast bar provides an ample food preparation and serving area. The kitchen is open to the eating area and the separate den with a gas fireplace. Also on the main level of the home are the formal living and formal dining rooms. New paint and carpet for the entire home will be complete by October 3rd.
What’s Upstairs
The upper level of this home houses the sleeping quarters and the laundry room. (Yes the Washer and Dryer remain) The three secondary bedrooms are all spacious and have ample closet space. The over sized master suite features a master walk-in closet that is just massive. The master bath has a separate tub and shower as well as double vanities.
And The Basement
Yes this home also has a full basement that is partially finished. The finished space allows for an additional bedroom/office area, a full bath, media/entertainment area and a bar. There is also an exterior door so you have access to the fenced backyard. By the way, the fenced backyard is ideal for pets and children.
For additional information or to schedule an appointment to see this wonderful home Contact Mack.
Atlanta Gas Shortage Update
Long lines form quickly around any gas station that is receiving fuel. Over the weekend my wife and I observed a tanker pulling into a gas station only to be followed by numerous cars. It was as though the cars had been following the tanker to see where it was going. When gas is found, not all grades may be available. Some stations will have regular unleaded and nothing else. The one that got me is that some stations will not allow customers to fill up. People are actually waiting in line for 45 minutes to an hour to purchase $20.00 in gas. You guessed it, about 5 gallons.
Home Valuation Sites vs The Real World
Over the weekend I had the pleasure of meeting with a young couple who were being transferred to Ohio. Both are very well educated as she is in the education field and he has an engineering degree. I had them show me their home from top to bottom and point out all the upgrades they had done, we then reviewed the marketing plan in depth and then we came to the market analysis. Here is where the rubber meets the road. I asked what knowledge they had of other properties in the neighborhood from a sale standpoint. They admitted their knowledge was limited to picking up sales fliers in front of homes during a walk and the use of an online home valuation tool.
What Did the Analysis Show?
First off they purchased the home in November of 2005 somewhere near the peak of the Atlanta Market. They refinanced the home in February of 2008 to take advantage of a lower interest rate and rolled the closing costs into the loan. Soon thereafter several foreclosures and short sales hit their neighborhood. Truth be known their home today is worth about 3.5% less than they paid for it. While there are areas of the country that would be happy to be down only 3.5% this is devastating to a young couple that has agreed to a relocation largely based on incorrect information received from an online home valuation tool.
Close Only Counts In Horseshoes and Hand Grenades
While this couple decided to practice their due diligence with the aid of an online home valuation tool, I think it is obvious that an online tool has no experience in a neighborhood or community. Unfortunately the valuation the site provided them with was substantially incorrect. Too make matters worse, this couple used the valuation provided in the negotiating of their relocation package. One of these online sites states in their own data comparing their valuation to actual sale prices their estimate of value was within 20% of the sale price 68% of the time. I don’t think that is something to really hang your hat on is it?
Special Words of Caution
To Home Buyers and Sellers: Please do not use these online home valuation tools as anything other than a video game. Sure they make it seem as though you are getting accurate information but the small print that many times is located on a different page of their website will state that this should be used only as a starting point and you should consult with a professional to establish a true value. Why not save yourself the time and heartache of inaccurate data and just consult with a professional first.
To Home Valuation Sites: While your tools were interesting at first and seemed harmless, I can now see how consumers can be adversely affected by them. I don’t care how many times you say to get a professional opinion; consumers will take you at your word. When they come to a nationally recognized site they are going to believe you without looking for the mice type disclaimers on whatever page you have them linked to. If you really care about the consumers take these inaccurate valuation tools down.
Alexander Park in Gwinnett County
Work is on schedule for a winter, 2009 opening of phase 1 of Alexander Park. Located between Scenic Highway and Old Snellville Highway in Lawrenceville, Alexander Park is a 91 acre site that will be developed in 2 phases. When phase 1 is complete Gwinnett County residents will be able to enjoy the following amenities:
- 1 mile soft surface trail
- 1.5 mile multi-use (paved) trail
- 26 acre disc golf course
- plaza area with terraced seating area for performances
- shelter and playground
- “Meadow” for open space activities like kite flying and picnics
- 2 Bocce Courts, 2 horseshoe pits and a picnic shelter
Gwinnett Park policy is to have sidewalks along the sides of the park that border a road. That means there will be a new sidewalk running along the park side of Old Snellville Highway. The entrance to the park off Old Snellville Highway is to be from a three way stop. This will allow for a safe crosswalk from the Downyshire Drive entrance to Flowers Crossing at The Mill subdivision. If there is still money in the budget there will also be two piers overlooking the pond that’s in the middle of the property. When completed the park will offer parking for 450 cars and will be a welcome addition to Gwinnett Counties vast parks and recreation department.
Phase II has yet to be funded, but it will eventually include a dog park area, two soccer fields, a teen recreation area and a signature architectural element on the high ground of the park. All of these will be on the Highway 124 side of the park.
For additional information I am providing a link to the Alexander Park Master Plan which is in PDF format.
2008 Atlanta Home Show
This Thursday at noon the 2008 Fall Atlanta Home Show kicks off its 25th year. Presented by The Home Depot Home Services, this years home show will take place at Cobb Galleria Centre. The show schedule is as follows:
- Thursday 9-25 noon to 6:00pm
- Friday 9-26 noon to 8:00pm
- Saturday 9-27 10:00am to 8:00pm
- Sunday 9-28 noon to 6:00pm
Here is you chance to take advantage of comparison shopping for virtually everything you may need or want in a home. Make certain that you check out all the displays where you will find everything from appliances to water purification. Not only will you see the latest home products but panel discussions are also scheduled.
Polybutylene Plumbing-The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Let’s start with a little history about polybutylene plumbing. Polybutylene is a plastic resin that was used extensively in water supply piping from 1978 until 1995. With its lower cost and ease of installation polybutylene was considered the pipe of the future. It was used as a substitute for copper and was most commonly found in the Sunbelt, Mid Atlantic and Northwest Pacific states. Industry experts believe polybutylene was installed in a minimum of 6 million homes during its manufacturing time frame.
The Good
When it was initially installed, the plumbing job was less expensive for the builder and therefore the first owner of the home would have been able to save a little money.
The Bad
It is believed that due to the oxidants in our public water supplies, such as chlorine, that a reaction occurs between the polybutylene and the oxidant causing the piping to fail. This failure can be due to stress crazing in the piping which creates a very small crack which leads to water intrusion into areas of the home where water is not intended to be. The damage caused by the flooding to the structure as well as personal property can be devastating. Just as victims of the recent hurricanes in the Gulf Coast have found out, replacing damaged personal property may never be accomplished.
The Ugly
Although the manufacturers have never admitted that polybutylene is a defective product, they did provide approximately $950 million dollars to fund a class action law suit. Unfortunately the time limit on this law suit has expired and if you have polybutylene plumbing inside your home you are out of luck. The truly ugly part of this is that the question is not if the polybutylene is going to fail but when it’s going to fail.
What If You Have Polybutylene Plumbing
The most important thing to consider is that with interior polybutylene plumbing you are living with a ticking water bomb. I have seen the value of homes that have polybutylene be diminished considerably or inspectors throw up red flags during the inspection period, sometime even killing the sale. On his radio show, I’ve heard Atlanta based consumer advocate Clark Howard go so far as to recommend that buyers not purchase homes with interior polybutylene plumbing. So if you have polybutylene plumbing the best advice is to get it replaced.
I thought that replumbing a home would be a major ordeal. While it is not the most pleasant activity there are companies that specialize in polybutylene repipe. In Metro Atlanta we are fortunate to have one of the industry leaders, Delta Mechanical. I have used them to assist my clients in the past and will do so in the future. Not only do they provide an excellent service but they leave the home in an undisturbed manner. Where walls are cut they repair and repaint them. After they are done you almost don’t know they were there except for your peace of mind.
Gwinnett County Fair 2008
The Gwinnett County Fair is in full swing. This year the fair opened on September 11, 2008 and will remain open through September 21, 2008. Hours are from 4:00 until 11:00 daily and the price of admission, $5.00 for adults, $2.00 for children 6-12 and seniors 65 plus include the entertainment. Entertainment is nightly at 7:30 by such entertainers as Gene Watson on 9-15, T G Sheppard on 9-16 (my wife’s favorite), The Bluegrass Alliance on 9-17, Linton Wages & the Sloo Fly Five on 9-18, and Joey Watkins and the River Street Band on 9-19.
The headliners are not the only entertainment at the fair. Of course children of all ages can enjoy the rides. Who doesn’t like a Ferris Wheel? In addition to the rides are the exhibits which cover everything from produce to canned goods to handcrafted items and what county fair would be complete without livestock. Ahh the aroma! We now have that new livestock cologne “Ode To Angus”.
For once my wife and I enjoyed the fair without seeing how much junk food we could consume. Not that it wasn’t there, we just didn’t eat it. What we did find were several vendors who had good ole country cookin and there is one vendor who has the best roasted corn I’ve ever eaten. If you get it make sure to ask for it to be double dunked in the butter. That is not to say that we didn’t get a large container of boiled peanuts and a caramel apple to bring home.
Just in case you didn’t know, the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds are located on Sugarloaf Parkway between Highway 124 and Highway 20 in Lawrenceville.
Down Payment Assistance Getting CPR
While lying on it’s death bed it appears as though Seller Funded Down Payment Assistance may well be getting a reprieve. As many of you know, the Housing Stimulous Act of 2008 did away with Seller Funded DPA. Representative Al Greene (D-TX) has introduce H.R.6694 in the House of Representatives. This bill provides for the continuation of Seller Funded Down Payment Assistance by revising the requirements for seller funded down payments for mortgages for single-family housing insured by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under title II of the National Housing Act.
Financial Services Committee Chairman Supports Bill
Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank (D-MA), has discussed openly that he has negotiated an agreement with HUD Secretary Preston that will provide for the continuation of seller funded down payment assistance and has virtually guaranteed that it will pass the house. The agreement allows HUD to impose risk-based pricing on down payment assistance transactions which provides Secretary Preston the fiscal protection he desired for the FHA insurance fund.
No Companion Bill In The Senate
Currently there is no companion bill to H.R.6694 in the senate even though Senators are well aware that this bill exists in the house. Over the past several weeks I have communicated with Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) via email of my concerns of this avenue for buyer’s being done away with. In an email from Senator Isakson dated 9-8-2008 he states “H.R.6694 is currently being considered by the House Committee on Financial Services and at this time there is not a companion bill in the Senate. Rest assured I will keep your thoughts in mind when this legislation comes before me on the Senate floor.” This morning I sent Senator Isakson another communication suggesting that he introduce the companion bill into the senate for consideration.
Get The Ball Rolling
By at least getting the ball rolling perhaps this valuable program will not be lost. Buyer’s nationwide stand to loose this option effective October 1, 2008 if H.R.6694 and the companion bill, which current doesn’t exist, in the Senate do not go into law. For anyone concerned with this important legislation get in touch with your Senators and Representatives to let them know how you feel.
New Home Near Grayson High School
Situated on a wooded Cul-de-Sac lot in Bay Creek Manor subdivision in the Grayson High School District of Gwinnett County is 280 Chloe Dianne Drive. This upscale “Craftsman Style” home is a ranch home with a full unfinished basement. The home features a gourmet kitchen that is appointed with granite counter tops, an island, double ovens, a built-in microwave and a separate gas cook top. The kitchen opens into the breakfast area and keeping/sun room.
Arched architectural openings join the over sized dining room and the keeping/sun room to the den. This den is designed for relaxation and entertaining. Built-in shelving on both sides of the floor to ceiling stone fireplace gives the room that look of rustic elegance. The room is also wired for surround sound for you to enjoy the game or movie night with the family.
Some of the other features you will enjoy in this home are tiled bathes and laundry room, walk-in closets, extensive trim and hardwood floor packages along with the huge rear deck and wooded backyard.
Just click on the address 280 Chloe Dianne Drive to view addition information or to schedule a private showing of this wonderful home.
