Summer Is Around the Corner

Are you sitting in the car rider line RIGHT NOW or waiting on the bus to drop your kiddos off while you scroll through Facebook?

Summer is almost here, check out the school calendars to start planning your adventures!

Chances are you and everyone else around you are doing just that! You are probably also counting the days until summer break! Well all Atlanta area schools will be out by the last day of May leaving you open to pack as much, or as little, into those days as your heart desires!

Are you planning some fun trips and wondering when you have to be back in town and ready for the new school year? Or just want to know what next year’s schedule is going to look like? Or have you decided that summertime is the PERFECT opportunity to move? If either of these thoughts are running through your mind right now you may be interested in area school calendars!

It looks like most of the counties will start back between August 7 and August 12 this year, follow the links below to see the schedules for the full 2013-2014.

Dekalb

Forsyth

Fulton

Gwinnett

Cherokee and Cobb have not posted a full 2013 – 2014 calendar as yet, but you can see the rest of year and when your summer will kick off!

If you have moving in mind. Click here to see area inventory and then give us a call! The Cueny Team is ready to help!

Read Full Post »

The Cueny Team: 2012 By The Numbers

Are you looking for a real estate team that works hard for you? If you are, then The Cueny Team is where your search ends.  We are a team of 4 real estate professionals that work to find you the perfect new home and work hard to sell your existing home.  We closed 45 homes in 2012, that averages out to almost 4 per month! Our average listing stayed on the market for a mere 75 days.  The video below showcases some of the homes we sold and helped buyers purchase in 2012. It also gives more details of our increased sales volume throughout the year and other relevant sales numbers.

The video below showcases some of the homes we sold and helped buyers purchase in 2012 gives more details of our increased sales volume in 2012 .

If you are ready to get started looking for a new home or to list yours give us a call we would love to help!

You can browse current Atlanta inventory by following this link to the Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty website.

Read Full Post »

A Day Off for Many in North Fulton

For many of you, especially if you have school age children or work for state or government, you are have a day off today.  It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day and our city and country remember the deeds and work of a man whose life ended abruptly. So are  you wondering what  you can do today if you stayed in town for the three day weeekend?

If you are history buff, you may want to visit some of the historic sites in Atlanta that were a part of MLK Jr.’s life. The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic

Birth Place of Martin Luther King Jr. photo from parentables.com

Site contains his birth place, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Heritage Sanctuary, the King Center, and an historic Fire Station. All of these sites are part of the National Park Service. You can get more inforamtion by visiting their website.

If venturing into Atlanta on a holiday is not your cup of tea, it looks like the weather will be nice, so why not get out a take a bike ride through on of our wonderful North Fulton communities. There are plenty of bike paths and parks to check out. Living in North Fulton certainly give you access to many green spaces. Visit any of these cities websites and find something fun to do outside, Milton, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, or Smyrna.

Or maybe you are just looking forward to a day at home, where there are no obligations to be anywhere or do anything. Watch a movie and stay in your pajamas all day, start the project you been wanting to do, whatever you decide to do today, enjoy the day! There may not be another break for awhile!

Read Full Post »

On the incline: Cobb housing market showing signs of steady improvement

The new residential building industry in Cobb County saw a drop in activity in February, but 2012 is showing stronger numbers than 2011 in the year’s first two months.

Cobb and its six cities issued 72 permits to build new residential, single-family homes in February, a 24 percent decrease from the 95 permits issued a year go.

But the county still has momentum over 2011’s year-to-date numbers, as 165 permits have been issued in Cobb in the first two months this year, while last year, there were 160 issued in the same time frame.

As in January, each of Cobb’s six cities issued at least one permit in February — which never happened last year. Many cities often went months without issuing a permit in 2011, and Powder Springs failed to issue a single permit in all of last year but has issued one each month this year.

As usual, unincorporated Cobb issued the most permits in February with 47. Smyrna had the most among the cities with 19 permits, Kennesaw issued two, and Acworth, Austell, Marietta and Powder Springs rounded out the pack with one each.

Tom Heyer of Marietta, senior mortgage loan officer with SunTrust Mortgage in Kennesaw, said he and his company are seeing a pick-up in new construction in Cobb and the Atlanta markets.

“A lot of the loans that have come through lately are for new construction because all of those builders who could make it through this housing crisis and had deep pockets can now buy lots at a quarter of the price and sell for a quarter of the price that they were selling for,” Heyer said. “That makes the construction more affordable, so we’re seeing a lot more first-time homebuyers coming onto the market.”

Heyer said January’s new housing numbers matched November’s three-year high, so the market is starting to come back at a consistent pace. Heyer said he pays attention to the national numbers because they move the bottom market interest rates.

“Most say it was 2007/2008 when everything hit, so we’re starting to see a comeback, and you can definitely feel it,” Heyer said.

Heyer said one positive that seemed to come out of such a dismal economic and housing crisis over the past five years is that people are being smarter with their money.

“A lot more people are holding onto their cash because of what’s happened,” he said. “Over the past two weeks, the majority of people whom I’ve dealt with have said that when they get their IRS refunds, they’re going to pay off their credit card debts and keep that debt off. People are becoming better money managers, which is good.”

Heyer also said more people are renting out their homes rather than selling them.

“It’s a great time to buy, so a lot of people we’ve dealt with are buying new, but renting their old homes instead of selling them, which can be smart,” Heyer said.

Source: The Marietta Daily Journal

Read Full Post »

Screened in Porches in Homes for Sale in Metro Atlanta

A screened-in porch is one of the top home remodeling trends in 2011. And, it’s a great way to add living space to your home, while enjoying the most beautiful season in Atlanta….fall.  Oh to sit outside and enjoy a crisp fall evening in the comfort of your screened in-porch.

I have found four homes in metro Atlanta that are for sale and, voila, have screened in porches.   Please let me know if you are in the market for a home with a screened in porch….I can help you explore all the options. 

Brookhaven – $1,900,000

This hilltop setting has a spectacular 180 degree view of Capital City Club golf course, Club House and the lake from the screened in porch on a home for sale in Brookhaven. Offered at $1,900,000. Click on the image for more photos and information on 4010 E. Brookhaven Drive, Atlanta, GA 30319.

Smynings – $472,500

An incredible screened porch in a Smynings home for sale. It has with a stone floor and columns, storage and cable tv hookup, and is listed for $472,500. Click on the image for more info and photos of 2107 Spring Hill Court, Smyrna, GA.

Alpharetta – $450,000

In Alpharetta’s Danbury Park, this home features a lovely screened in porch that leads to a deck. Click for more information on this home offered at $450,000.

Buckhead – $399,000

In Buckhead, this home has a lovely screened in porch overlooking a mature landscape. Click on the photo for more information and photos for 1625 Moores Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30327, offered at $399,000.

Read Full Post »

Silver Comet Trail in Smyrna and Beyond

I love to run and I enjoy exploring different running paths around town.  I can frequently be found on the Big Creek Greenway near my home in  Alpharetta, but the walking/jogging paths in Piedmont Park are a favorite when I’m meeting a friend or a client for a run in town.  I sell a lot of homes to people and for people in the Smyrna/Smynings area.  There is such an awesome resource in the Silver Comet Trail that has its trailhead in Smynings!

One of the charming features of the Silver Comet Trail are the covered bridges and other overpasses one must cross during your journey.

Since the paved trail itself is a repurposed abandoned train track, the grade is always at 2% or less, and there’s usually a lovely natural tree canopy covering the path.  Also, there are covered bridges to go through, lovely vistas to take in, and wildlife to observe. Winding through the woods and crossing over roads through Cobb, Paulding and Polk Counties, the 60+ miles of trail goes across the Alabama state line!

Want to stop in for bike parts or to rent a bike? The Silver Comet Depot at the Floyd Road Trail Head of The Silver Comet Trail is a perfect place to gear up. Photo by Wade Munday.

The Silver Comet Trail is a quiet, non-motorized trail and is for walkers/joggers, hikers, bicyclists, rollerbladers, horses, dog walkers, and is wheelchair accessible.  The starting point is at Mavell Road in Smyrna, but there are many places along the way to park your car and get on the Trail. If you want to rent a bike to ride on the Trail, you can do that easily at the Silver Comet Depot at the Floyd Road Trail Head.

Here’s a great link to a map, directions, and trail head with amenities to plan your trip to the Silver Comet Trail….a great reason to live in the Smynings area!

Click on the image to see a list of all the current homes for sale in the Smynings area, near the start of The Silver Comet Trail.

Click here to see a listing of all current Smyrna homes for sale. 

Read Full Post »

Smynings home sold in less than 60 days by Andrea Cueny

Smyrna/Vinings home sold in 60 days by Andrea Cueny of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty - 4260 Ridgehurst Drive

We sold this home in less than 60 days!  We also staged it, marketed it, and negotiated multiple offers. Congratulations to all!

List price: $429,000

4260 Ridgehurst Drive - Smyrna, GA 30080 – Vinings Glen Subdivision

Hardcoat stucco home close to Vinings, Smyrna market village, and I-285. Inside is fresh and neutral with refinished hardwood floors, neutral paint, and updated fixtures.

Spacious home with office, formal dining room, living room, and breakfast area all on the main level. Kitchen with granite counter tops and views to the living room. Totally open.

Walk out from the main level to the completely private, flat & fenced backyard. Finished basement with media room, game space, entertaining / bar area. Wonderful neighborhood amenities including pool and playground.

See more homes for sale in the Vinings Glen subdivision in Smyrna.

Sold by:

Andrea Cueny
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty
(404)695-7040
(770)442-7300

Read Full Post »

Restaurant Review: Social Vinings in Vinings/Smynings

Social Vinings is located in the heart of Vinings, just inside the Perimeter on Paces Ferry Road…..a hop, skip and a jump away from Smynings.

Social Vinings is known for its happening bar scene, hip patio, friendly atmosphere, nightly live bands, and good food.

Fried Oreo Cookies at Social Vinings

All of those things are wonderful features and experiences when dining at Social Vinings, but I must confess, my very favorite item on their menu, that I cannot get out of my mind are the Fried Oreo Cookies with Vanilla Ice Cream.

I have never tasted anything so lovely and rich, unique and fulfilling. Yum.

Read Full Post »

Owning a Home Essential to the American Dream, Survey Shows

Smyrna/Vinings home for sale by Andrea Cueny of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty - 4260 Ridgehurst Drive. Please click on the pictures to see more about this home.

Despite the ups and downs of the housing market, home owners and non-owners alike consider owning a home essential to the American Dream.

That’s the key finding of a recent survey of people likely to vote in 2012 that was conducted on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va., and Lake Research Partners of Washington, D.C.

“The survey results show that Americans see beyond the immediate housing market to the enduring value of homeownership,” said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev.

“An overwhelming 75 percent of the people who were polled said that owning a home is worth the risk of the fluctuations in the market, and 95 percent of the home owners said they are happy with their decision to own a home,” Nielsen said.

“Homeownership is worth the risk, pure and simple,” said Neil Newhouse, a partner and co-founder of Public Opinion Strategies. “Even though the market is weak, people who don’t own say they want to buy a house. Almost three-quarters of those who do not currently own a home, 73 percent, said owning a home is one of their goals. And among younger voters who are most likely to be in the market for a home in the next few years, the percentages are even higher,” Newhouse said.

Please click here for the entire article, including more stats, on home ownership being essential to the American dream from the National Assocation of Home Builders.

Read Full Post »

First Quarter Real Estate Stats Metro Atlanta

Clients frequently ask me about the current real estate market conditions in metro Atlanta.  First quarter 2011 has  come and gone, and below are some of the stats in single family home sales from first quarter 2011.

Four of the six counties studied showed an increase or no change in the number of sales from first quarter 2011 over first quarter 2010.  While the number of homes sold has increased, the average sales price decreased in all counties except Fulton County, which showed a remarkable 16% increase in average sales price.

Fulton County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Andrea Cueny sold this home in Alpharetta during first quarter 2011. Alpharetta experienced a 23% increase in the number of homes sold during first quarter 2011 when compared to first quarter 2010.

Average sales price: $293,755

Fulton County also had increases during Q1 2011, in the area of average sales price. The average home sale price in Fulton County for Q1 2011 was $293,755, which was a 16% increase over Q1 2010 and a 57% increase over Q1 2009.

Number of homes sold: 1,497

This represents a decline in the number of homes sold in Fulton County over the same periods in 2010 and 2009.

Narrowing the focus a bit, the stats for North Fulton (FMLS areas 13 and 14) showed no change in the number of homes sold in Q1 2011 at 479, over Q1 2010. The number of homes sold Q1 2009 was 330, so there is a noteworthy 45% increase in number of homes sold in 2011 during the same time period.

Average sales price in North Fulton during Q1 2011 was $352,569, which reflected only a 2% decline during the same time period in 2010.

Digging a little deeper, we look at the stats for single family home sales in Alpharetta for Q1 2011.    There were 259 sales, which is a slight decline over Q1 2010, but a whopping 23% increase over Q1 2009.

Meanwhile, the average sales price of homes in Alpharetta was $346,661, representing only 0.75% improvement over Q1 2010.

The most expensive home sold in Fulton County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $3,800,000.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Forsyth County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Number of homes sold: 500

Average sales price of homes sold: $233,732

Forsyth County saw a 17% increase in the number of homes sold Q1 2011 over Q1 2010 and a 36% increase during the same period in 2009.

The average sale price of single family homes in Forsyth County declined by double digits from Q1 2011 compared to Q1 2010.

The most expensive home sold in Forsyth County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $1,185,000.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Cobb County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Number of homes sold: 1,326

This is an 11% increase over first quarter 2010 and a 20% improvement over first quarter 2009.

Average sales price: $193,815

This number from Q1 2011 shows a decline in the average sales price over the same periods in 2010 and 2009, the idea that the number of units sold has increased could point to old inventory clearing out of the way, and buyers getting a good deal on those homes.

A home located in Smyrna sold by Andrea Cueny of Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty during First Quarter 2011.

I sell a lot of homes in Smyrna/Smynings (zip code 30080) and that area of town also saw an increase in the number of homes sold first quarter 2011 vs. first quarter 2010 (20%) and a 36% increase Q1 2011 vs Q1 2009.   The average sales price in Smynings was $234,383, a decrease over Q1 2010 and Q1 2009.

The most expensive home sold in Cobb County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $3,750,000.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Cherokee County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Average sales price: $184,717

Number of homes sold: 510

The number of homes sold in Cherokee County during Q1 2011 shows a 3% increase over Q1 2010 and a significant 14% increase over Q1 2009.

The average sales price reflects a 7% decrease over Q1 2010.

The most expensive home sold in Gwinnett County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $813,900.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Dekalb County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Average sales price: $159,817

Number of homes sold: 1,049

Both areas of study show a decline for Q1 2011 over the same periods of 2010 and 2009.

The most expensive home sold in Dekalb County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $1,500,000.

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Gwinnett County Real Estate First Quarter 2011

Average sales price: $147,917

Number of homes sold: 1,756

The number of homes sold in Gwinnett County during Q1 2011 shows a 15% increase over Q1 2010 and an 18% increase over Q1 2009.

The average sales price reflects double-digit decreases in percentage over Q1 2010 and Q1 2009.

The most expensive home sold in Gwinnett County during first quarter 2011 was listed at $1,230,000.

Data source: FMLS

Read Full Post »