2010 Roswell Arts Festival

September 18, 2010
10:00 am	to	6:00 pm
September 19, 2010
10:00 am	to	6:00 pm

 

 

The 44th Annual Roswell Arts Festival will be held on September 18th and 19th, 2010. There will be a FREE continuous shuttle running from City Hall to the Square from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday.

Nestled in the heart of historic downtown Roswell, the Roswell Arts Festival is held on the Roswell Town Square. Entertainment featuring local singers, dance companies, and children’s entertainers begins daily at noon on both days of the festival. Children’s painting, sand art, and other activities are also available. Food vendors on site.

Founded in 1966, the Roswell Arts Festival Committee has worked tirelessly to bring quality artisans to Roswell for the benefit of the community and to raise money in support of the Roswell Recreation and Parks Department. The Roswell Arts Festival has raised money for a variety of projects throughout its forty year history, including funding for the Roswell Visual Arts Center, Roswell’s Riverside Park, funding for the Roswell Adult Recreation Center, and funding for the purchase of sixty three acres of land that would later become Roswell Area Park. Through monies raised by the annual festival, the Roswell Recreation Association has been able to donate more than half a million dollars towards the betterment of recreation in Roswell.

2nd Annual Trilogy Trolley Crawl

August 21, 2010
7:00 pm	to	11:30 pm

If you’re looking for something really fun and different to do this summer, join A Southern Trilogy in Roswell for the second annual “Trilogy Trolley Crawl” happening Saturday, August 21 from 7-11:30 p.m. A limited number of tickets at $40 each are available. The ticket includes admission to all three historic homes, one drink ticket and three mini-sampler plate food tickets. The event will take place on the grounds of Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall and Smith Plantation.

This award-winning event will once again transport guests to three great American locals where you will enjoy regional cuisine and signature drinks catered by Talk of the Town of Roswell.

• What happens at Barrington stays at Barrington as the grounds of Barrington Hall are filled with the excitement, sites and sounds of the Las Vegas strip. You’ll be able to “gamble” at the casino while listening to the Vegas sounds of Brookwood Split. Enjoy a taste of Vegas with a “Caesar Salad” with Chicken Strips and a slice of Wedding Chapel Cake. Wash that down with our Signature Drink, the “Rat Pac” (classic vodka & tonic).

• Bulloch Hall will take us to Nashville and the Grand Ole Opry and will feature all of the fun that country and western music has to offer. You can two-step to the terrific country sounds of the award winning Jamie Pelfrey Band. Enjoy a BBQ Pork Slider with Tennessee Slaw and a Mini Moon Pie. And what else would the Signature Drink be but some good old Lynchburg Lemonade (Jack Daniels and lemonade)?

• Smith Plantation will transform into the streets of New York City with iconic music and foods found throughout the Big Apple. Rock the night away at our “Studio 54” with famous local DJ Steve the Extreme. A mini Pastrami on Rye with Chips and a NYC Black & White Cookie will delight your palate. And, our “Cosmo” Signature Drink will add another special touch to the evening.

Six trolleys will continuously loop to transport guests from site to site. Parking is available at each site with additional parking at the First Baptist Church parking lot on Mimosa Boulevard. Guests may begin the fun at any of the three locations.

The event was hugely successful last year, introducing a new audience to these significant properties. This year’s event has again been designed for those folks who might not otherwise elect to visit historic house museums. “We specifically wanted to reach out to individuals who might not be drawn to history and last year we learned that approximately 80% of the 1000 attendees had never been to our properties before. And, they all agreed that the houses are pretty spectacular and would return for the full tour. That’s exactly what we hoped would happen” says Morgan Timmis, Roswell’s Historic and Cultural Affairs Manager. “We sold out of tickets last year and had to turn people away. This year we are expecting to sell out again so people need to get their tickets early!”

Keller Williams Realty Highest Ranked in Home Buyer Satisfaction

Keller Williams Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction among Home Buyers for a Third Consecutive Year

According to the J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM, Keller Williams Realty, Inc., the third largest real estate company in the United States, has received the highest overall satisfaction ratings from home buyers among the largest full-service real estate firms for the third year in a row. The company also ranked second among home sellers in the study for the second year in a row.

“We are incredibly proud of our associates for earning this distinction and want to thank them for their commitment to their clients and communities,” said Mark Willis, CEO of Keller Williams Realty. “We see this honor as demonstration of our company philosophy that it is the agent’s brand that matters most and no amount of money spent on advertising can replace the influence and reputations our agents have in their local communities. Our associates have earned this on their own, by building relationships in their communities.”

The study was produced by J.D. Power and Associates to measure home buyers and sellers customer satisfaction. The results of the home-buying experience were determined by three factors including the buyer’s experience with their agent, the real estate office and a variety of additional services. Keller Williams Realty performed particularly well in the agent and office factors. And, overall satisfaction of buyers for the industry was up over last year.

Additionally, the study noted that the importance of real estate agents has increased substantially in the past year, with buyers and sellers relying on the negotiating skills of their chosen agent and help in navigating the market.

“It is thrilling to see our firm, once again, get public recognition for its incredible focus on customer satisfaction from such a prestigious group. Our associates continually demonstrate that it is possible to deliver the highest level of customer service in one of the toughest real estate markets on record,” said Mary Tennant, president and COO of Keller Williams Realty. “We feel incredibly fortunate to be in business with them, and want to congratulate them on their hard work and dedication.”

In the past year, Keller Williams Realty has continued to grow despite the well-publicized turmoil in the real estate industry. In addition to becoming the 3rd largest real estate company in the U.S., surpassing RE/MAX®, Keller Williams Realty was ranked as the No. 1 real estate franchise on the 31st Annual Franchise 500 list by Entrepreneur magazine and was voted the Most Recognizable Brand of Real Estate Franchises and the Trendsetter of the year for 2009 in an industry-wide survey for the Swanepoel TRENDS Report.

We at Keller Williams are obviously excited about this award because it supports our efforts to be leaders in the real estate industry by providing unparalleled customer service and local market expertise. Please contact us if we can be of assistance with your Roswell real estate needs.

100 Roswell Condos and Townhomes Sold

Time for a little mid-year recap for the Roswell condo and townhome market. We covered Roswell homes previously. For the first six months of 2010, 100 Roswell condos and townhomes sold, with the highest price being $493,000 for a great townhome in Wisteria Parkside to $46,000 for a Roswell condo in River Mill.

Of the 100 Roswell condos and townhomes that sold this year, the average sales price was $194,000 and took an average of 103 days on the market to sell. This compares with 59 Roswell condos and townhomes sold in the first six months of 2009, which equates to a 69% increase over the same period in 2009.

The top selling Roswell townhomes and condos so far in 2010 are:

• Creekside At Mansell

• Heritage at Roswell

• Holcomb Crossing

• Overlook at Centennial

• Views at Coleman Village

• Orchards Of Roswell

We’ll be back next month to update you on the Roswell real estate market in July. In the meantime, if you’re thinking about buying a Roswell condo or townhome in the second half of 2010, be sure to email your Roswell real estate team or call us at 770-874-6383.

In the meantime, you can search for all the Roswell homes for sale right here.

466 Roswell Homes Sold

Time for a little mid-year recap for the Roswell real estate market. First up, will be single family homes. For the first six months of 2010, 466 Roswell homes sold, with the highest price being $1.4 million for a lovely riverfront estate in Horseshoe Bend to $57,000 for a 2 bedroom/1bath fixer-upper home.

Of the 466 homes that sold in the first half of 2010, the average sales price was $353,571. Average days on market was 87 days, which is actually great compared to many parts of metro Atlanta. During the first half of 2009, 365 Roswell homes sold, which equates to a 27.7 % increase when comparing the first six months of 2010 with 2009. That’s obviously great news.

The top selling Roswell neighborhoods so far in 2010 are:

• Barrington Farms
• Brookfield Country Club
• Edenwilde
• Heatherton
• Horseshoe Bend
• Martins Landing
• Saddle Creek
• Westchester
• Willow Springs

We’ll be back later this week to cover the top-selling Roswell condos and townhomes for the first six months in 2010. In the meantime, if you’re thinking about buying a Roswell home in the second half of 2010, be sure to email your Roswell real estate team or call us at 770-874-6383.

In the meantime, you can search for all the Roswell homes for sale right here.

Roswell named one of the best places to live

The City of Roswell was recently named as one of the best places to live in the United States by Money Magazine. Roswell was the only Georgia city to make the list. Roswell came in at number 76 out of 100 cities with populations between 50,000 and 300,000 residents. Roswell was also ranked number 24 on the list as one of the top-earning towns in the country with a median income of $113,750.

Roswell Mayor Jere Wood said he is pleased with the ranking but not surprised. “They got it right. Roswell does have some of the best public schools in the state, the lowest crime rate in the region, a family friendly environment, and great community events. It’s easy to understand why families flock to Roswell.”

Money Magazine wrote, “Historically rich Roswell is committed to a family-friendly environment. Residents love their many public events, including the monthly Alive After Five summer festival, with plenty of food, shopping and live music.”

In ranking cities for the top 100, Money Magazine used data on income, housing, education, quality of life, crime statistics, leisure and culture, the tax rate, and weather.

2010 Hospitality Highway Century Race

July 11, 2010
5:30 am	to	12:00 pm

Be a part of history as GA 400 is temporarily closed for the inaugural Hospitality Highway Century to benefit the Georgia Transplant Foundation!

The ride starts at exit 7 of Georgia Route 400, and will wind through Sandy Springs, Milton, Roswell, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, and other scenic areas of North Fulton.

There are 8-mile, 25-mile, 63-mile, and 100-mile options. Registration is $40 ($45 if received after July 4th, including day of event) and includes a t-shirt, food, water and full mechanical support along the route. The ride is open to anyone 14-years of age or older.

The start/ finish point is located in the former Home Depot parking lot, next to the Publix, in the Kings Market shopping center, in Roswell. The exact address is:

1425 Market Blvd
Roswell, GA 30076

• Registration for all riders will open at 5:30 a.m.
• Anyone who arrives after 6:00 a.m. will not be allowed to ride on Ga. 400.
• Exiting the start point and entering Ga. 400:
  • Take a right onto Market Blvd.
  • Turn left onto Holcomb Bride Rd.
  • Turn left onto Ga. 400 South
• All persons involved with the ride – cyclists, fans, volunteers, staff, etc. – should only park their vehicles in the former Home Depot parking lot, NOT in front of Publix. Additional parking will also be available in the former Comp. USA parking lot, located off of Market Blvd., in the same shopping center.

All proceeds benefit The Georgia Transplant Foundation.

Click here to register now.

Roswell Homebuyers – Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended

Roswell home buyers, you may yet get that homebuyer tax credit after all. This week, the Senate passed a bill to extend the $8,000 homebuyer tax credit until September 30th. It now goes to President Obama, who is expected to sign the bill. The bill was overwhelmingly approved by the House on Tuesday. The deadline had been June 30th to close on the property.

After a close brush with the deadline, Congress passed an extension of the Homebuyer Tax Credit closing deadline, the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act (H.R. 5623). The extension applies only to transactions that have ratified contracts in place as of April 30, 2010 that have not yet closed. The legislation is designed to create a seamless extension and the new closing deadline for eligible transactions is now September 30, 2010. There will be no gap between June 30th and the date the President signs the bill into law.

Before you get too excited, the bill doesn’t help anyone currently shopping for a home. Buyers must have signed a contract by April 30th to qualify for the tax break. At issue is when the deal must be finalized.

Repeat home buyers also have until September 30th to close on new homes and receive a tax credit of up to $6,500.

Congress has been trying to pass the extension for the last month, but it got caught up in the usual Washington politics. The extension is estimated to raise the deficit by $9 million.

An estimated 200,000 people have missed out on the tax credit because they wouldn’t have been able to close by the end of business Wednesday. Many are trying to take advantage of short sales, which are complicated deals to complete.

Contact us for all of your Roswell real estate needs. We are local market experts and continue to find great deals for our clients.

The Georgia Water Stewardship Act

Outdoor Water Use Information

The Georgia Water Stewardship Act went into effect statewide on June 2, 2010, and it affect everyone who lives in Roswell, Georgia. It allows daily outdoor watering for purposes of planting, growing, managing, or maintaining ground cover, trees, shrubs, or other plants only between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 a.m.

The following outdoor water uses are also allowed daily at any time of the day by anyone:

• Commercial agricultural operations as defined in Code Section 1-3-3;
• Capture and reuse of cooling system condensate or storm water in compliance with applicable local ordinances and state guidelines;
• Reuse of gray water in compliance with Code Section 31-3-5.2 and applicable local board of health regulations adopted pursuant thereto;
• Use of reclaimed waste water by a designated user from a system permitted by the Environmental Protection Division of the department to provide reclaimed waste water;
• Irrigation of personal food gardens;
• Irrigation of new and replanted plant, seed, or turf in landscapes, golf courses, or sports turf fields during installation and for a period of 30 days immediately following the date of installation;
• Drip irrigation or irrigation using soaker hoses;
• Hand watering with a hose with automatic cutoff or handheld container;
• Use of water withdrawn from private water wells or surface water by an owner or operator of property if such well or surface water is on said property;
• Irrigation of horticultural crops held for sale, resale, or installation;
• Irrigation of athletic fields, golf courses, or public turf grass recreational areas;
• Installation, maintenance, or calibration of irrigation systems; or Hydro seeding.

Outdoor water use for any purposes other than watering of plants, such as power washing or washing cars, is still restricted to the current odd/even watering schedule.

• Odd-numbered addresses can water on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
• Even-numbered and unnumbered addresses are allowed to water on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

For tips regarding Water Conservation go to www.conservewatergeorgia.net.

We hope you will join us as we continue to strive toward greater water efficiency and conservation to help sustain our water resources. For information on outdoor watering or restrictions, call 770-641-3707 or email waterefficiency@roswellgov.com.

Roswell Puppet Shows

Summer is going by quickly, but in case you haven’t checked out the Roswell Cultural Arts Center’s series of Puppet Shows, don’t miss out. It’s a great summertime activity for your child and a great way to take a break from the heat.

Shows began June 7 and run until July 24. Show times are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m., Wednesday and Friday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and Saturdays at 11 a.m. Puppet-making workshops will be offered after the shows Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. only. Cost for children ages 2-12 is $4, $5 for adults and $3 for the workshop, ages 5 and over only.

The line-up of shows includes:

Cinderella June 7-12

Hansel & Gretel June 14-19

Jungle Book June 21-26

Variety Show June 28-July 3

The Giant, the Beanstalk & Jack July 5-10

Rumplestiltskin July 12-17

Sleeping Beauty July 19-24

The Roswell Cultural Arts Center is located at 950 Forrest Street. To learn more about the shows, call 770.594.6411.

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