Atlanta Info from ADA

The below information was provided by the Atlanta Development Authority:

After decades of dwindling numbers, Atlanta has shown an increase in population in recent years. The most current IRS migration data (2005) show that, from 2000 to 2005, Atlanta's 20-county metro area had a net gain of about 270,000 residents. During that period, more than 33,000 people moved from out of state into Fulton County, which comprises the bulk of the City of Atlanta. Of the more than 205,000 metro-area residents who moved into Fulton County between 2000 and 2005, 84 percent came from Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties.

The City of Atlanta has been the beneficiary of many current trends in the way people move. One migration pattern is known as the "half-back effect" - this occurs when Northeastern retirees give Florida a try, find it doesn't suit them and move part of the way back north to Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas. Foreign immigration is another driver in Atlanta's population growth. While immigrants have historically settled in coastal regions, today more and more of them are choosing inland metropolitan areas where jobs are abundant. This has the added benefit of creating a more diverse city. Young, highly educated people are also moving south to Atlanta for jobs, but that's not all - they're drawn by the low cost of living, the diversity and the city's vibrant cultural life.

Culture is an important factor in the last of these trends, known as urban revival. Spurning long commutes and seeking proximity to the cultural core of the city, people are leaving the suburbs and moving to the city center. These tend to be higher income empty-nester households; generally without children, these residents don't depend on the public school systems to dictate where they will live.All of these newcomers change the demographic make-up of our city, bringing social, racial and economic diversity. Atlanta's average household income is on the rise, and the over-60 population is projected to double by the year 2030. Population data suggests that, in the city, there will be a greater need for housing for singles and couples without children in the future.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) in 2006, there are slightly more males than females. The age midpoint for the city is 35 years of age. Other City of Atlanta population characteristics from the 2006 ACS include the following:

• Atlanta is a brainy city - 40 percent of those 25 years and older have a bachelors degree or higher. The national average is 27 percent.
• Atlanta is a great place for singles - only 28 percent of males are married and 25 percent of females are married.
• Atlanta is becoming more international - 11 percent speak a language other than English at home. Also, 8 percent of Atlantans are foreign-born and 4.4 percent were born in Latin America.
• Commuting within the city isn't as bad as it is in the greater metro region - among those city-dwellers who commute to work, it takes 25.9 minutes on average to get to the office.

My old firm is in the news!!!

Urban Collage: Small firm, giant imprint
Company founded by Tech alums has shaped metro Atlanta's growth
By PAUL DONSKY
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/01/08

You've likely never heard of Urban Collage, but you're probably familiar with many of the projects the urban planning firm has worked on. The Beltline. The redevelopment of Atlanta's public housing projects. Midtown Atlanta's push to create a more walkable, inviting street life.

In suburban Atlanta, the company is helping Suwanee create a new town center and the Perimeter Center business district transform into a more dense, pedestrian-friendly area.

Dozens of other projects and efforts bear Urban Collage's imprint, from Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin's dream of returning streetcars to Peachtree Street to efforts to overhaul the Ga. 400 corridor in Fulton.

That client list demonstrates how influential the tiny, 12-person company has been in helping shape metro Atlanta's explosive growth over the last decade.

"Atlanta has been such a great laboratory for us," said Stan Harvey, who founded the company 11 years ago with Bob Begle, a fellow Georgia Tech graduate school alum. "Planning, by nature, you have to wait a long time to see results. But in Atlanta, you see results of the planning very, very quickly."

Read the rest of this great article here! I am really proud to be able to say I am part of the Urban Collage family, and that I personally worked on every single project mentioned in the article. They get mad at me when I call Urban Collage the premiere urban design firm in the southeast, but they are too modest, because it is true. In fact, I would argue that they are one of maybe 3 of the premiere urban design firms in the country. Urban Collage is an amazing firm with amazing people, they are like family to me, and this press is certainly long deserved. Way to go, guys!

JUST LISTED!!! Fabulous Sandy Springs Townhome!

This beautifully renovated townhome boasts 3 spacious bedrooms and 2.5 updated baths. Located in the heart of Sandy Springs just steps from great shopping and restaurants! The desirable Townhomes of Sandy Springs is a quiet gated community which boasts a fabulous pool, recently updated fitness center, ample secured parking, and one of the best school districts around. Hurry, this one won't last long!!!

Features include:

• 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
• Spacious updated kitchen boasts tile floor, stained cabinets, full pantry, and large breakfast bar
• Separate living & dining rooms with open, flowing floor plan that is great for entertaining
• Gleaming hardwoods throughout the main floor
• Brand new carpeting upstairs
• TONS of storage, including large his & hers closets with custom shelving systems in the master
• Details like crown molding, chair rail, designer fixtures, and updated finishes make this one stand out from thr crowd!

For more information, please view the listing details on my website or see a virtual tour here!

Short Sales

Since I happen to be in the midst of a short sale right now, I thought I would comment on what can often be a complicated & frustrating process.....but one that can also be incredibly rewarding to the savvy buyer in the end.

A short sale is when a homeowner can no longer afford their mortgage and in order to avoid being foreclosed on, they negotiate with their lender to take a discounted payoff amount. This allows a buyer to get a home they often would not otherwise be able to afford, but the trade-off for such a deal is a process that can drag on for weeks - sometimes months - with no guaranteed outcome. The good news is, this process may be changing.

According to Kenneth R. Harney, "Fannie Mae, the single biggest player in the American mortgage market, plans to crank up the pace of short sales on properties in its bulging portfolio. Fannie intends to "streamline" procedures to enable pre-foreclosure sales to speed through what is currently an extended, and often complicated, process."

Read the rest of this informative article here.

The bottom line is that if you are willing to go through the process, a short sale is one of your best chances to get a home that otherwise would be out of reach. Just make sure you know what you are getting into, be patient, and then sit back and reap the rewards!

Help Save the Environment: Recycle Your Old Electronics

ATLANTA – Atlanta City Councilmember Carla Smith will host the city’s annual Electronic Waste Recycling Day on Saturday, April 26 from 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at Turner Field’s GOLD Lot of Turner Field. Residents are encouraged to bring their old computers and household electronics to this Earth Day event.

An astounding 75,583 of electronic items were collected in 2007 – the largest amount ever collected.

“We are out to beat that record,” said City Councilmember Carla Smith, whose office has hosted E-Waste Recycling Day for the past six years. “Each year we collect more electronics than the year before, which shows there is a tremendous need for residents to properly dispose of these unwanted items.”

The goal of this initiative is to promote the recovery, reuse, and recycling of obsolete electronic equipment and to encourage the design, manufacture, and purchase of environmentally responsible electronic equipment.

The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing and most innovative industries in the world. Every year, newer and better products are being sold to consumers. While electronics account for up to five percent of landfill volume, the products contribute up to 70 percent of the toxins found in landfills.

The following items will be accepted at the city of Atlanta’s E-Waste Recycling Day:

COMPUTER MONITORS
TELEVISIONS ($10 fee required)
MICROWAVE OVENS
COMPUTER CPU’s
STEREOS
TELEPHONES
LAPTOPS
COPIERS
CB RADIOS
PRINTERS
VIDEO MACHINES
CD PLAYERS
DISK DRIVES
VCRs and DVD Players
PORTABLE RADIOS
FLOPPY DRIVES
CAMCORDERS
CELL PHONES
TEST & NETWORKING EQUIPMENT
CAMERAS
KEYBOARDS
MODEMS
RECORD PLAYERS
SCANNERS
CURCUIT BOARDS
SPEAKERS
ELECTRICAL PANELS
TYPEWRITERS
UPS / BATTERY BACK-UP
FAX MACHINES
CD ROMS
PROJECTORS
CABLES
COMPUTER MOUSES

The following items will not be accepted: consoles, projection televisions, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, freezers, de-humidifiers or humidifiers, gas-powered equipment, tires, household trash and NON-electronic equipment.

For more information, please call Councilwoman Smith’s office at (404) 330-6039