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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

11th Annual Roswell July 4th Extravaganza

Fireworks

Show your patriotism by celebrating our Country’s Independence Day in Roswell with entertainment and a breathtaking fireworks display. This year’s July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza will take place at Roswell High School located on King Road off of SR 92.

Entertainment begins at 6 p.m. and includes the following performances:

* Back Trax at 6 p.m.

* Banks & Shane at 7:30 p.m.

Moby, a popular local radio personality, will emcee the event and there will be activities for the children. At dark, a beautiful 30-minute fireworks display will be the highlight of the evening.

Bring your chairs, blankets and picnics for an old fashion family outing. Concessions by Millers Ale House and Restaurant will be on hand to purchase. Children carnival and inflatable activities will be available at a nominal fee.

For more information, call 770-641-3705. Roswell High School is a drug, alcohol and tobacco free zone.

The City of Roswell Transportation Department will hold a public information open house on the proposed Big Creek Bridge Road on Tuesday, June 29 from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. The open house will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, 1075 Holcomb Bridge Road in Roswell.

The proposed project includes constructing a two-lane road with bicycle lanes and a multi-use trail which will connect east and west Roswell across SR 400. Big Creek Bridge Road would provide local accessibility, relief to Holcomb Bridge Road and interconnectivity within the City. It would also provide direct bicycle and pedestrian connections to the existing and proposed City trails and parks.

This is the final public meeting before the Mayor and City Council take action on the study’s preferred alternative.

Representatives from the City of Roswell and Gresham, Smith and Partners will be in attendance to answer any questions or concerns.

For additional information, please contact the Roswell Transportation Department at 770.594.6420.

Historic Canton Street will be “alive” on Thursday, June 17 as the 2010 Alive After Five street party kicks off from 5-9 p.m in Roswell, Georgia. Live music, food, displays and shopping make this event a fun and family friendly break during the busy work week. Alive After Five occurs the third Thursday of every month from April-October. Trolley shuttles from the parking lot of City Hall are available free of charge.

Shops and restaurants offer discounts and specials, and live music plays throughout the district. A free trolley will transport participants to all event locations. A collaboration with the Historic Roswell Merchants’ Association. Here’s the list of musical performances.

Paddlers of all ages and skill levels will take to the water on Saturday, June 12, for the 8th Annual Back to the Chattahoochee River Race and Festival. The race course begins at Garrard Landing Park on Holcomb Bridge Road and ends at Riverside Park in Roswell, the site of the festival, music and the awards presentation.

Organized and presented by Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (UCR) in partnership with the National Park Service, Fulton County, and the city of Roswell, the event is designed to celebrate the Chattahoochee and foster a sense of community around the river that serves 3.5 million Georgians and 70% of metro Atlantans.

THE RACE – 9 a.m.

Enjoy the scenic beauty of the Chattahoochee River as you paddle from Holcomb Bridge to Riverside Park. Paddlers wanting a competitive race will traverse the 10-mile course, while recreational paddlers will take the 8-mile course. Both include exciting Class I-II rapids. Race fans can cheer on their favorite craft from several locations: Island Ford, Don White Park and Riverside Park.

Race Divisions: Open and recreational categories, various age divisions, solo and tandem canoe divisions, as well as kayak and sea kayak divisions. Plus awards for Best Costume, Best Boat Decoration and Team Challenge.

THE FESTIVAL – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

At the free festival, enjoy live music from the Donna Hopkins Band and the Watershed Project. Other festival highlights include Riverside Park’s new “spray ground,” face painting, balloon artists, an array of environmental exhibitors, great food, and much more. Click here to see a list of exhibitors.

About the Music . . .

From 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. – The Watershed Project, a band of Atlanta’s own singer songwriters donating their time and art to support the cause of Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, featuring Gareth Asher, Emily Kate Boyd, Christopher Alan Yates, Brian Bisky, and more. Through the years UCR has attracted some of the music industry’s finest to participate in this wonderful cause. From Grammy award winning artists to artists on their way to becoming household names, you can always count on a UCR event to have the very best in local music.

From 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – The Donna Hopkins Band. According to Georgia Music Magazine, “Donna is a genuine triple threat as songwriter, singer and guitarist. As a songwriter, Hopkins seasons swampy, Gulf Coast funkiness with angular voicing of extended and suspended chords. It’s classic tension-and-release with a groove and lyrics that reveal mileage, honesty and soul. It’s survival music you can dance to. The grooves come courtesy of bassist Michael Hurwitz and drummer Richie Jones, who are in the pocket throughout and add convincing harmony and backing vocals. As a singer, Hopkins has a big, distinctive voice that effectively communicates varied emotions. As a guitarist, Hopkins can be at turns raw and articulate. She’s her own woman plus equal parts John Lee Hooker and Billy Gibbons, with a dash of Jimmie Vaughan and Robin Trower circa Bridge of Sighs.”