Looking Out From the Garage

Lilburn is in Gwinnett County, GA, just outside of Atlanta.  As of the 2000 Census, there were 11,307 people in Lilburn, but that is only including people in the city limits, and there has been a lot of growth since 2000 in Gwinnett County.  It was incorporated in 1910.  Lilburn is home to Parkview High School, and also has students that the Brookwood, Berkmar and Meadowcreek clusters. It is also home to Killian Hill Christian School, Providence Chrisian Academy, St. John Neumann Catholic School and Parkview Christian School.  Possibly the most famous resident of Lilburn is General Beauregard Lee, a groundhog with a better winter prediction record that Puxatawnee Phil up in PA. Dominique Wilkins, formerly of the Atlanta Hawks also lives in Lilburn.

Market stats for Lilburn, January, 2010, indicate that there are 359 (January 31st) properties on the market. Overall, there is about a 10 month supply of properties, with a slight acceleration in sales during October and November, but slowing in December and January.

In the sub-$200k arena, there are 214 listings, with about an 10 month supply. The same pattrern hold that sales accelerated through October and November and slowed after that.

Between $200k and $400k, there are 128 listings for sale, and about 10.5 months of supply. Even though the tax credit for First time Home Buyers wasn't as important to this segment, it still affected the sales distribution.

From $400k to $600k, there are 11 homes on the market. The absorption rate is around 11 months, and it is definately slowing.  Of course, there is a seasonal dip around the Holidays and the pick-up isn't until March and April.  

Above $600k, there are 6 listings, but too few sales to have any sort of reliable number of months of inventory.  There have been two sales in the last three months, but prior, there had only been one other sale in 2009 (February).  Two of the listings are above $800k, and there is no market activity in the last 12 months for that range... 

From LaneBailey.com.  I have a page dedicated to Lilburn Market Data.

And more importantly, why does it matter? 

A little about Lilburn...

Lilburn is a little city in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA, in southern Gwinnett County.  It is the home of Parkview High School and Berkmar High School.  And while the City of Lilburn has about 11,000 people (as of the 2000 Census... it has grown since then), there are a couple time that many people with a Lilburn mailing address.  In fact, the most recent numbers show over 53,000 people residing in 30047, Lilburn's ZIP code. 

The City of Lilburn was founded by the Seabord Airline Railway in 1890, but it was previously called McDaniel (until around 1900).  It was renamed in honor of Lilburn Trigg Myers, a Superintendent of the railroad, and incorporated on July 27th, 1910.  In the 1920s, Lilburn suffered a devastating fire, then the boll weevil killed the cotton crop in the area. The result was that shortly after the stock market cresh of 1929, the government "ceased to exist".  It wasn't until a new water line was needed in 1955 that the city government was re-organized. 

There is more to an area than just history...

Every town has a little history... but that is only part of what makes up a town.  In addition to schools, parks and all sorts of other local amenities also are very important to a community and the quality of life. 

Gwinnett County Parks were names the #1 Parks & Recreation Agency in the country by National Recreation & Park Association in 2009.  Several of those parks are in Lilburn including the Mountain Park Aquatic Center, Mountain Park Park, the Harmony grove Soccer Complex, Lions Club Park and the Lilburn City ParK and Greenway. 

Notably, Lilburn is also home to BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, which is the largest Hindu Temple outside of India, and the 3rd largest in the World. 

And a Local Character...

General Beauregard Lee has called Lilburn home for a couple of decades.  He rose to fame because of his accurac in predicting the extension of Winter...  He only works on February 2nd each year, and has "advised" Willard Scott, and been awarded honorary doctorates from The University of Georgia – "DWP, Doctor of Weather Prognostication" and Georgia State University – "Doctor of Southern Groundology."

He lives at the Yellow River Game Ranch.  Aside from "Beau", there are lots of friendly critters wandering around.  Ducks, squirrels, rabbits and deer are all wandering around the park, and are all really friendly.  There are also bison, coyotes, fox and bears among others that are not wandering around being friendly... but are available for observation. 

And you can live here too...

To see the latest market stats for Lilburn, take a look here... 

If you'd like to browse homes currently for sale in Lilburn, check this out...

Have you heard about Fusion 41?  Ford is grabbing a handful of social media and leveraging it to promote the 2010 Ford Fusion.

I'll give you the link to check out the contest.  It is pretty cool.  Go buy a 2010 Fusion, grab a few friends and have some fun.  BTW, I'll be happy to be on a team if you have the car...

;^ )

The Fusion 41

from LaneBailey.com

We've all been there...  Travelling across country or even out of the country...  We have to eat. 

There are two basic choices.  Do we experiment and try something local?  Maybe hit up a "Mom & Pop" place with purely local fare...  Or there is the chain...  We know what they serve, we have their menus memorized. 

No matter where you go, the #2 at McDonald's is a Double Cheeseburger.  If it isn't #2, it is still nearby.  And no matter where you go, NO food critic is going to drop out of the sky and think that his #2 is the most exceptional thing EVER.  If it is perfect, it is ok...  Just ok.  And I like a Double Cheeseburger with a few McDonalad's fries... 

But what about the Court of Two Sisters in NOLA?  Or the Country Pump somewhere in rural MN?  Moab Brewery in Moab, UT?  Fat Matt's Rib Shack in Atlanta, GA?  Cioffi's in Lilburn, GA?  Chances are that you don't know their menu.  Chances are that you don't know what to expect when you walk in the door the first time.  Chances are that you haven't been to all of these places... unless you are stalking me. 

Four of them have incredible food.  The other isn't much different that microwaving something storebrand... and they even serve you Coke in the can...  They DO pop the top, though. 

Not just food...

We do it with many things...  We opt for the tried and true.  It might not be that great, but it is a known commodity.  It takes guts to step out of the "known" and try new things and new places.  It can also take research...  Whether that means asking friends or surfing the net... 

But it is worth the effort.  Every once in a while there is a "FAIL"... but there are rewards, too.  Chances are that the manager at Burger King isn't going to know your name and what you like to eat... but the ladies at Cossetta's Italian Market might... 

And sometimes even real estate agents that don't have red, white and blue balloons or gold jackets have pretty good ideas...  ;^ )

I wrote a post not long ago about how water (uncontrolled) can destroy your house, and how simple things like gutters and paint can protect your investment. 

But this isn't abut anything so trivial... 

If you haven't been paying attention to the news... or you aren't reading this post in mid to late September (2009), we are having some serious water issues here in Atlanta.  The words 100 year flood are making the rounds... and I have NO reason to not believe that.  I have been here 20 years and have never seen anything like this. 

While out and about today, I saw displaced roads, flooded creeks and rivers flowing over bridges.  Those things all happen sometimes, but the word is that there are several HUNDRED roads closed from flooding.  And the rain hasn't stopped. 

Here is the important part...

So far there are six people that have died in the floods.  Most of them have died in their cars.  All of the folks that have died in their cars have died while driving through flooded roadways... and had their cars swept from the road. 

Simply, if a creek or river is FLOWING over the road, do drive through it.  Sure, you MIGHT make it through if the water is low enough.  But you might not.  Is it worth it?  Not for me...  

Stay safe... 

I am perfectly willing to admit that I have taken Jeeps through creeks that were fairly deep.  Even some that were running pretty fast.  But there are a couple of HUGE differences.  With the larger tires and lifted suspensions, the vehicle is well out of the water.  A standard sedan starts getting pushed by the water as low as six or seven inches.  My jeep kept the body clear of the water for almost two feet... 

And then there was a "happening" in Kane Creek in Moab, UT.  Some friends had a Jeep start to float while crossing the rain swollen creek.  The Jeep would have kept floating for a while it not attached by winch cable to a stable object.  As it was, it rolled in the creek, and the driver barely escaped a dunking by climbing out the passenger side and jumping to shore.  The Jeep was totaled.  It could have easily been much worse. 

And stay smart...

Today I saw a car parked in the middle of the road after a deep spot (pooled, not flowing).  The engine may have been toast (we call it hydro-locked.  Water doesn't compress, so if it gets into the engine, bad things can happen.  And the worst thing to possibly do is try to turn the engine over with the starter if it stalls in the water.  Instead, get towed out, and then take out the spark plugs.  Turn the engine over with the starter (watch out, because gas/water may spray out a few feet).  Shoot a little WD-40 in each cylinder and then reinstall the spark plugs.  If there are ugly, unnatural sounds, it might be too late, the damage may already be done. 

Sounds like good reasons to NOT drive in deep water, huh?  Death or mechanical devastation...

There are always great things happening in Lilburn...

• September 19th, 2009 - Community Garage Sale in the Overflow Parking Lot across from the Lilburn City Park - 9am to 2pm
  
• October 10th, 2009 - Lilburn DazeFestival in the Lilburn City Park - 9am to 5pm
• October 12th, 2009 - City Council Meeting in the Auditorium at Lilburn City Hall - 7:30pm
• October 17th, 2009 - Community Garage Sale in the Overflow Parking Lot across from the Lilburn City Park - 9am to 2pm
• October 24th, 2009 - Get Fit Lilburn in Old Town Lilburn and at Lilburn City Park - 4:30pm to 8:30pm
• November 8th, 2009 - Veteran's Day Celebration in Lilburn City Park - 3pm to 5pm

For more details on what is happening in Lilburn, check out CityOfLilburn.com.  There is a registration required to set up a table in the garages sales or to have a sale booth at Lilburn Daze. 

It isn't just a TV show with Howie Mandel and a bunch of hotties holding briefcases.  It is daily life in real estate... 

And one of the issues that buyers face is the Deal or No Deal mindset.  It boils down to this... 

Do you want a deal?

Many buyers see the news or listen to reports about how much of a buyer's market we are in.  They hear radio ads about being able to buy wonderful homes in great neighborhoods for "pennies on the dollar"... and one goes so far as to say "and she bought this beautiful home for under $20,000."  But...

• One of my buyers found three homes that were already under contract...
• Another home had an offer come in before we could write an offer...
• And there is one that has been outbid on homes several times... 
  

These are regualr occurances... especially in entry level homes.  In fact, some move-up neighborhoods are seeing the same thing...  Basically, if it is a great deal, chances are that others will find it, too. 

That isn't to say there aren't deals.  We have found quite a few.  But they are deals for a reason.  They need work, they aren't in the best locations or they may not be closeable (spelled s-h-o-r-t-s-a-l-e)...  It might be something as simple as seriously poor design choices... sometimes even correctable. 

What you aren't likely to find is a beautiful home in a prime neighborhood that needs nothing to move in and is ready to close... half off.  And if you do, there will be a valet to handle the parking because there will be a parade of buyers and agents getting ready to drop an offer (we saw one on the market four days with 13 offers...  my buyer bid over list and didn't get a counter). 

Do you want a house to live in?

There are a LOT of homes on the market.  Even in my niches, there are a pretty good number of choices.  A buyer can want a home with a 4 car garage under $200,000 in Gwinnett County and have several choices... and these aren't shacks, either.  Some are priced pretty competitively...  Maybe they are steal deals, but they are priced well. 

And if you want to get a house in a good neighborhood, convenient to places you want to be near... and ready to go... you might have to spend a little more than the if you are willing to make a LOT of compomises.  But, if you are buying a house to live in... to make part of your life... maybe you should get out of the "killer deal mode" and think about getting a home at a good price, with excellent financing options. 

I want you to get the best deal possible!

But, if you want to actually buy a house, part of the equation is buying.  What I don't want is for you to lose the home that you really want because you wanted a little better deal.  It is another thing if it just isn't affordable... I don't want you to buy above your comfort range.  It is a tight rope that needs to be walked. 

But I have heard too many people (clients and friends or others) that have talked about "the one that got away"... usually because someone else beat them out by a few hundred dollars... I don't want that to happen to my clients... unless they are ready it. 

Image via Wikipedia

Ok, mold has NEVER just been for bread and cheese.  and while it can be useful stuff… when it is penicillin… the rest of the time, it is NOT something we want in our bodies.

So, Mold and Real Estate?

I’m seeing it more and more.  Actually, it started a few years ago, but as more foreclosures come on the market, mold gets to be a bigger issue.

In some homes it is a minor issue… a little musty smell that can be handled with a couple of filter changes in the HVAC and a good cleaning.  There are even some homes that don’t seem to have any mold smells present.

But in other homes it is a MAJOR problem.  We aren’t talking about a little smell, we are talking about unhealthy levels of toxins… and in some cases, they could cause serious respiratory distress, or worse.  In those cases, if the price is good enough, and the home is otherwise desirable, a mold remediation company could be brought in to kill the mold and bring the property back into a healthy state.

How can we know?

Get an inspection.  Of course, I ALWAYS recommend getting an inspection from an ASHI Certified Inspector for any home… even brand new.  But there are actually specialist Mold Inspection companies.  If you suspect that there could be mold in the property, getting it inspected is cheap insurance.  Mold remediation can be simple, or VERY involved and expensive.  Knowing during the Due Diligence Period is much better than unexpectedly finding out that your good deal is going to suck $50,000 out of your pocket before you can move in.

Some favorite mold hangouts…

• Crawlspaces and basements
• Under sinks in kitchens and bathrooms
• Attics
• The back of closets
• Anywhere there isn’t airflow

Be aware.  Do a little research… even trolling Google, Yahoo or Bing for a few minutes can yield a lot of good knowledge.  of course, getting professional advice isn’t a bad idea either.  And remember, almost every property is going to have SOME mold.  But, if the humidity and moisture levels are in line with what they should be, there is good airflow and the space is kept clean, the mold can’t get a solid foothold and take over the house.

from LaneBailey.com

The "Lunch Lady" did NOT have an easy job. 

One of the reasons that I embarked on my career in real estate is that I wanted to be able to spend more time IN the lives of my children.  And today has definitely been a rung in that ladder.  I volunteered to help the small kids with lunch at Arcado Elementary School in Lilburn, GA. 

Basically, the kindergartners need a little wrangling as they go through the lunch line.  And it is kind of like herding cats... cats that don't really know what they want to eat, but have a plethora of choices in front of them... and, since they are cats kindergartners, they can't read. 

Which led me to a few thoughts... 

First, though, let me quickly run through the options for today:

• Milk
• Skim Milk
• Chocolate Milk
• Strawberry Milk
• Water
• Orange Juice

• Peas
• Carrots
• Rice

• Applesauce
• Pear

• Peanut Butter and Jelly
• Veggie Wrap
• Veggie Burger
• Ravioli w/Roll
• Nachos w/cheese and meat
  

Basically, the kids had a choice to make in each one of those groupings.  And for a kindergartner, that is a LOT of choices.  So, while working lunch for the kids at Arcado Elementary School, the challenge is to get the kids to make a decision in a timely manner.  And a lot of the kids aren't ready for that kind of pressure. 

As Parents, we can fix that!

To start with, we need to train our children to be able to make good decisions.  We can do that by allowing them to make choices (from approved possibilities) when we can observe them.  Let them pick what they want for dinner when we go out to eat.  Let them decide what they might want for lunch on the weekends.  Let them decide between good choices...  We don't open it up to anything, but we will give some limited choices for our kindergartner to pick from. 

The next thing we can do is to coach our kids.  Everyone studies for tests... why not help them study for this as well.  We sit down with our child each evening and talk about the lunch choices for the next day.  In the morning, while waiting for the bus, we try to talk about it again.  In both cases, it is a low pressure environment (some strange Mom or Dad isn't asking the question while the line backs up). 

In order to help accomplish the goals, you can reference Nutri-Cafe on the web.  I should mention that there are often choices that seem to show up in the line that aren't shown in Nutri-Cafe, and there might be some that are in Nutri-Cafe that won't be available at school... but at least it is a good idea.  Arcado Elementary School and other local schools might run out of, or have left-overs of, a specific item. 

And one more thing...

Volunteering at school is a great way to see what your child's day is like.  You won't be hovering (you will actually be pretty busy), so you can watch from across the room as your child interacts with peers.  It is a great way to help out the school, get a better glimpse into your child's life away from home and to also see what challenges your child might face that you never thought about...  I know that I never thought about the issues my son could face in trying to decide about lunch.  I know that the Arcado Elementary School PTA would be thrilled to have the help... especially from us Dads. 

Back a few months ago, my neighbor had a large tree come down in his yard.  Several of us came out to give him a hand. 

To start with, the tree needed to get out of the street.  And then it needed to get down to a managable size to deal with.  In all, I think there were four or five chainsaws running until things were cleaned up. 

When I started, my chain was dull...  Like "I wish I could be sharp like a butter knife" dull.  DULL.  I needed to take care of that. 

I dropped into Total Power, picked up a new chain and left the old one to be sharpened.  I got to say hello to more than one of my neighbors that was doing the same thing.  In fact, folks that had trees down all over the Lilburn, GA area were there getting chains sharpened, getting new saws or picking up other supplies. 

I had been in a big box store a few days before to pick up a spare chain... I would have to order it, wait a few days...  When I walked into my neighborhood power equipment store, they turned around and grabbed it off the wall. 

Lawn mowers, chainsaws, blowers, pole trimmers (those are really cool...) and so many other tools, their accessories, parts and services are what they are about.  The prices are good, and the service is excellent. 

When you need a chainsaw... you NEED a chainsaw.  Knowing that there is someone nearby that can get you fired up and cutting if there is a problem is priceless...