What To Do This Weekend In Atlanta

It’s almost Friday! It is time to make plans for the weekend. We have some wonderful restaurants in North Fulton and Cobb counties. such as Village Tavern, Aqua Blue, Table on Main, Aspens Signature Steaks, Elevation Chophouse and Skybar and many, many more. I love how much the neighborhoods and communities have grown over the past 10 years. We can have dinner at a favorite neighborhood hangout or an upscale restaurant any night of the week because there are now so many choices. More often than not we choose to do just that!

Sometimes, though I want to go to Midtown or Buckhead and try one of the new restaurants there, but I don’t want to drive back home

Try out a car service on your next night out downtown!

at the end of the night! Well, and if I am perfectly honest I don’t always want to take a cab either. Enter Uber. It is a company that connects you with a black car service  with a few clicks on your phone. You can also set-up payment on the website so no need to worry about having cash on hand.

When I discovered Uber it made me want to plan a night out with some friends! The car seats 4 and the SUV option seats 6, so it would be the perfect opportunity to get together, split the cost and plan a relaxing night out on the town! No worries about a time limit on a car service for the night, nor do you worry about finding a cab when you are ready to go home.  Just pull up the app on your phone and request a car! That simple!

Technology is a wonderful thing! So start planning your night out, maybe this Saturday and let me know what you think of the service. We haven’t used it yet, but am hoping to soon! I wanted to share it with you in case you haven’t heard about it! We know people in D.C. that have used it before and think it is great there!

Read Full Post »

Hard Hit Atlanta Real Estate Market Is Poised For Big Gains

We all know that real estate hit an all time high around 2006. We all also unfortunately know that home prices and values plummeted,

Great things are happening in the Atlanta real estate market and more growth is on the horizon.

in the few years following the high. It went down as quickly as it went up. It was a difficult time for home owners, real estate professionals and America in general.  A lot of agents needed to find second jobs to feel secure in earning a regular income for their families.  That also meant some rising real estate stars didn’t enter the profession. People that would be excellent service providers to buyers and sellers were afraid to jump in with both feet.  All indicators show a changing tide for the real estate market in general. 2012 had significant growth in home sales and in avg home prices and the gains have continued into 2013.

According to the ajc.com

One of the industries hit hardest by the recession was metro Atlanta’s housing market. But after years of stagnation, experts say the business is back on track.

Low interest rates and low prices have spurred home sales, and builders are putting up new developments. That bodes well for the area’s real estate agents and brokers, as well as those who are looking to the market as a viable career option.

“In the next 10 years, Atlanta will probably be one of the fastest-growing markets in the country,” said Bob Hart, director of education for the MLS Training Institute, an arm of the Georgia Metro Listing Service in Tucker. “The 2010 numbers indicate that Georgia’s population has increased as we’re getting more people from Florida and the Northeast moving here, and that’s also getting people interested in the real estate business.”

I enjoy coming to work everyday. It is a exciting time for me as a Realtor. I love seeing buyers and sellers both excited about the possibilities. I love seeing the other members of my team energized by the area’s growth and their potential.

I’ve said it before, but if you have been holding off on buying or selling or even entering the real estate profession, now is a great time.

Take a minute to see what is available in your ideal community, then give The Cueny Team a call at 404=695-7040, we are ready to serve you!

Read Full Post »

Have You Heard Of Pocket Listings in North Fulton?

Sometimes I read articles that make me a little bit upset. I read one of those last week and I spent a couple of days thinking about this

Do you know what pocket listings are?

post before publishing it. Maybe your saw the article, “Secret Pocket Listings in Hot Markets are Back” on cnnmoney.com.  Sotheby’s International Corporate also saw it and they posted a link to it on their weekly wrap-up. I was contemplating writing about it when I saw they had linked to it.

From cnnmoney.com

The housing rebound has given new life to an old, but little-known sales practice called “pocket listings,” where agents reserve homes for serious buyers only.

Most homes that are put up for sale are posted on databases called multiple listing services (MLS), on which agents share information with one another in order to find buyers. There are open houses on Sunday afternoons and listings posted on real estate websites.

But with pocket listings, properties are kept under wraps and brokers only show them to people they expect will put money down if the property and the price are right, said Richard Smith, CEO of Realogy, the parent company of Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Better Homes & Gardens and other real estate brokerages. Ideally, the buyer has deep pockets and is willing to pay in cash, fast.

“High-end sellers often don’t want to have the world coming to their property,” said Michael Izquierdo, a Los Angeles-based real estate agent and acquisitions manager for LAPocketListings.com. “When it’s put on the MLS, sometimes the next morning you see people standing outside the property, hoping to talk to the sellers.”

Continue reading here.

Did you read all of that? Sometimes things come across pretty poorly in a news article.  The reality is that through our agent relationships and contacts and our database (friends, family, network) often successful agents and established brands such as Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International are promoting a property prior to putting in the FMLS service. There is something intriguing to all buyers about seeing a property “before it is listed”…just like in the height of the market everyone loved to see a “Just Listed” property…

I don’t think it means you necessarily get a higher price or that you will only get a serious buyer, but that you have a unique opportunity if it makes sense and you and your agent are in agreement.

It means to a seller that they will have the opportunity to promote their house to a more exclusive audience of agents, build a little bit of a marketing buzz, and hopefully get a solid and strong offer they can agree on with a buyer. If you don’t sell as a quiet listing, you and your agent can together do some revision on condition of the property, marketing, and price and list officially after gaining some market insight.

That said, the old saying of you “can’t sell a secret” still applies and often the best way to sell and deliver the highest possible price is to list with an agent that incorporates FMLS so that you gain the exposure of a large buying audience.

 

Read Full Post »

Take A Break And Enjoy This Home In Providence Oaks

Are you looking for an ideal home and ideal location? Look no further than 375 Providence Oaks Circle. A gorgeous neighborhood with swim/tennis and favorite Alpharetta restaurants such as Pure Tacqueria, Village Tavern and more all under five miles away. And of course top rated schools including Summit Hill Elementary.

Beautiful traditional home in Providence Oaks has been completely updated.

The approximately 3,000 square foot house has four bedrooms and two and half baths and has been completely remodeled. The main floor has new hardwoods throughout which are noticeable from the minute you stand inside the foyer.  There is an open living room or office space that flows into a gorgeous professionally decorated formal dining room.  A stenciled tray ceiling, wainscoting and amazing color combinations are all showcased.

The dining room is breathtaking and captures your attention as you enter the home.

The kitchen and family room are open to each other also. The kitchen has granite countertops,  stainless appliances, updated fixtures and contrasting island.  Both rooms are wonderfully light filled from the wall of windows in the family room and bay window in the breakfast nook.

Family room and kitchen combo is bright and welcoming at 375 Providence Oaks

The master suite has stunning custom finishes everywhere from paint to cabinet colors. The room is open and will feel dreamy to the new owner. You will want to spend a relaxing evening in the larger corner jetted tub. One of the additional bedrooms upstairs has beadboard work surrounding  the room.

Beadboard bedroom, a great guest room or child’s room.

The property’s landscape is well laid out and has a brick firepit, and paver patio. It is a beautiful place that everyone will enjoy.

Enjoy the brick firepit when you are relaxing outside.

These pictures are only a glimpse of all the wonderful assets this home offers, click here to view a full slide show of the property.

Read Full Post »

Atlanta: Suburban or In-Town Living

Atlanta.curbed has really had some interesting articles recently.  I passed along their information last week about flipping houses in

Are Millennials moving to the suburbs?

Atlanta, I hope that helped some of you that may be considering flipping a property. Now there is another interesting article talking about the ‘Millennials’ (those in the 18-34 age range) and how suburbia may no longer be a four-letter word for them.

This age group has been widely known for a preference for in-town living across America and wanting to bring to life abandoned neighborhoods. For many, mention buying a house in a suburban neighborhood sounded like torture. That may be changing as in-town living becomes more affluent and a desire to raise children they way they were raised becomes a part of their thinking.

In Atlanta specifically the top selling markets are in areas such as Cobb and North Fulton. I see people in all age ranges looking outside the Perimeter. Many younger groups have enjoyed renting in-town, but when they decide it is time to buy their first home, they cannot always get what they want in their desired budget in-town.

To read more about ‘Millennials’ and real estate trends, check out atlanta.curbed and Atlanta Real Estate Forum.

If you are ready to start looking for your new home, my team and I can help, give us a call. We work all over Atlanta, but North Fulton and Cobb are our specialties.  See current inventory throughout Atlanta here.

Read Full Post »

Sotheby’s International Realty Forms Partnership with Armani/Casa

Being affiliated with a company such Sotheby’s International Realty allows me to provide my clients with services not available to

Armani Casa Interior Design. Photo Giorgio Armani archives via Architectural Digest.

every real estate agent. Sotheby’s is always looking for ways to provide exceptional service to their clients. With that goal continually in mind, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, LLC announced an exclusive partnership with Giorgio Armani’s furnishings and interior design company, Armani/Casa.

Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, LLC press release

The program provides Sotheby’s International Realty affiliates with the opportunity to introduce their clients to Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio’s services for luxury private residences and real estate projects.

“There are many synergies and opportunities for Armani/Casa and the Sotheby’s International Realty brand,” said Wendy Purvey, chief marketing officer, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.  “We share the same desire to offer clients a sophisticated and elegant lifestyle no matter where they are in the world.  Our discriminating customers now can benefit from the valuable design resources of Armani/Casa to further enhance the uniqueness of their home.”

Armani/Casa Interior Design Studio launched in 2003 in response to client demands for complete projects conceived according to the Armani style and philosophy and provides clients with a comprehensive design service to handle different projects, from room decoration to complete architectural planning, under the personal creative direction of Giorgio Armani.

The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has 12,800 sales associates located in approximately 660 offices in 47 countries and territories worldwide.  Each office is independently owned and operated.

It really is wonderful to be part of a company that is always looking for ways to improve the service they provide to their clients!

Read Full Post »

Do People Still Flip Houses in Atlanta?

As I was reading the various news and blogs I follow today to stay on top of the what is happening in Atlanta, I read an article that was a great reminder about good business sense. The answer to the question above is “yes,” which is why this article drew my attention.

Some things to consider before becoming a house flipper.

Sometimes people forget about good business sense when they dream of dollar signs too quickly.  The article was on atlanta.curbed and it was about house flipping.

Now most of you probably know you should not rush into house flipping or think you are going to become an overnight millionaire, but with the foreclosures and bank-owned properties that are still out there it can be really tempting.  There are some real drawbacks to house flipping, but there are also some positives, if you keep things in perspective and follow some guidelines you may be able to put a little extra cash in your pocket.

So if you have been contemplating doing some house flipping to make some extra cash, to put towards a new home of your own, this is a great article to read. Enjoy!

From curbed.atlanta.com; March 11, 2013

House flipping is kind of like taking beautiful photographs — plenty of people think they can do it, but reality says otherwise … Instagram be damned. It’s become part of the national lexicon, in part due to reality TV, late night informercials and a housing crash that came down hard even on those living under rocks. Flipping’s main objective is simple enough: buy low, sell high. With the flood of foreclosures that’s inundated the Atlanta market, you’d think deals would be a dime a dozen. Well, not so fast.

First, let’s look at the basics:

Home equity is the difference between the outstanding mortgage balance and the fair market value of the property, and house flipping is predicated on the idea of cashing in on that number going in the right direction. But, there’s always plenty of factors in play that could keep that lovely scenario from coming to fruition, especially for novice flippers.

Let’s start at the very beginning: the property search.

Continue reading the article here.

If you are ready to look for a home, check listings in your area on the Atlatna Fine Homes’ website or give our team a call!

Read Full Post »

Decorating Principles To Help You Get Ready For Spring

Carter Oosterhouse brings design tips and pointers to everyone in his book Carter’s Way. Photo from Huffington Post.

With spring around the corner (13 days away) the great spring fix-up will be underway soon!  Ten minutes on the internet will reveal a whole Pinterest board full of ideas to breath some fresh air into your home. In the fall everyone’s favorite designer, builder and TV personality came out with a book, Carter’s Way. Carter Oosterhouse of HGTV fame, wanted to put some of his best tips in print.  He says his goal was to empower people to reach beyond their conscious design ceiling just as he did with every job he’s ever had.

Here is and excerpt from Carter’s Way via Huffing ngton Post Home

Customized Style

Style is the subjective part of the design process. Your personal tastes will differ from mine, which will be different from another person’s. That’s why I call this component “customized” style. You’ll create your own unique look that has a strong foundation in the timeless principles that guide sound design. Just like every home–no matter what architectural style it is–has to have a foundation, every interior design stands or falls on a few universal principles. As long as these are in line, you can put your own stamp on your home design.

Color

You’ve probably been exposed to the basic principles of color many times, but just in case you haven’t, here’s a refresher. Individual colors can be divided between warm (reds and yellows) and cool (blues and greens). They can also be divided into receding and advancing colors. Dark or warm colors advance–they look like they are closer to you. Cool or light colors recede, or appear to be farther away. (Useful effects to know about when you want to visually change a room’s shape or perspective!)

Interior design involves grouping colors into “schemes” that can be complementary (those that sit across from each other on the color wheel), analogous (those that sit next to each other), or monochromatic (different shades and tints of the same color). There are more complicated color schemes, but these three are the root of all of them, and you can play off them in your own design. Neutrals–brown, taupe, beiges, and off-whites–work with any other colors, as do black and white (technically called “achromatic”). A shade is a base color with black added to it, while a tint is a base color with white added to it (a tone is the color plus gray). All the particulars aside, you judge color by the way it looks in the actual space–there’s no other way to do it. Whether you’re looking for new wall paint, wallpaper, sofa fabric, or tile, manufacturers have made the process easy by collecting and organizing samples by color and combinations.

Lighting

Even though every room has its own lighting needs, there are three basic types of interior lighting used in any room. Ambient lighting is the term pros use for general light. It’s the overall light that spreads throughout the space and fills in shadowy areas, making the room safer to navigate and more inviting. Ambient fixtures include ceiling-mounted units and floor and table lamps. Task lighting is any light used to aid in a specific function. Undercabinet lights in the kitchen and a desk light in a home office are examples of task lighting. Accent lighting rounds out a room’s lighting scheme, emphasizing decorative features or drawing attention itself. Frame-mounted art lights and cove lighting are examples of accent lighting.

Properly lit rooms usually include all three types of illumination to play up the strengths of the room’s design and make the space easier to use. Lighting fixtures not only supply the illumination you need, they are also decorative elements. We’ll talk more about lighting and fixtures particular to individual rooms in the chapters that follow. For now, understand that no single light source provides all the necessary lighting for a room; you’ll need a combination if you want your design to look its absolute best.

These are great tips to help create a space perfect for you! Continue reading more of his tips here.

Read Full Post »

Yes, It’s a Seller’s Market Again in North Fulton

Even if you haven’t been following the real estate news, it would be hard to miss the all the chatter about increased home sales over the

It is quickly becoming a seller’s market in North Fulton. photo © Iriana Shiyan – Fotolia.com

past several months and the low inventory situation in North Fulton and much of the country. If you want to catch up start by reading  here, and here.

The Wall Street Journal published an article, citing numbers for The National Association of Realtors supporting that the tide is changing a bit in residential real estate. With low inventory and buyers not finding what they want in existing inventory a seller has more leverage with price than they have had in the past several years.

According to the WSJ and the NAR,

The upshot is that there’s a growing pool of buyers chasing a shrinking supply of homes. If the trend holds, prices will keep going up. At the current pace of sales, it would take just 4.2 months to sell the current supply of homes available for sale, down from a 6.2 months’ supply one year ago. Read the full article on the WSJ blog.

This is good news for sellers. If you have been sitting on the fence wondering if this was the right time to sell. It is! We are here to help you get ready, so give The Cueny Team a call.  You can see current inventory on the Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty

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 »