Atlanta currently ranks  in the top 10 nationally for foreclosures. And that statistic is glaring when you start to break down what the numbers actually represent. DETACHED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES May, 2009 3,614 DETACHED single family houses sold in the metro Atlanta area. Of these 1,620 properties were corporate owned or foreclosures - 44.8% of all DETACHED single family houses sold were distressed properties. Compare this to May, 2008 with 4,526  DETACHED single family houses selling with 1,384 properties being corporate owned or foreclosures - 30.57% of all DETACHED single family houses sold in '08 were distress properties. Foreclosure and/or corporate owned DETACHED properties sold is UP 14.5% compared to one year ago same time.     ATTACHED SINGLE FAMILY  HOMES May, 2009 551 ATTACHED ... 07/16/2009

High school graduates throughout Gwinnett county continue to excel academically and are recognized on a national level for their excellent achievements. Recipients for the 2009 National Merit Scholarships and the Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarships include several graduates from local Gwinnett county high schools. Out of over 2800 students selected for the National Merit Scholarship, 14 graduates representing six different high schools within the Gwinnett County Public School system were chosen. The list of National Merit Scholars included two graduates from North Gwinnett and one from Collins Hill here in Suwanee. The other high schools represented were Brookwood, Parkview, Norcross and Duluth high schools. The Robert C. Boyd Honors Scholars included 12 Gwinnett County Public School gra... 07/02/2009

What do you see as the future of Pierce's Corner? Pierce's Corner, dating back to 1910, is a beacon shining back on Suwanee's past and on the quaint beauty of the Old Town Main Street revitalization. A big part of Suwanee's appeal and charm is the combination of a thriving, growing, progressive community along with the preservation of its interestingly diverse history. This combination will be most vividly displayed as the Old Town Main Street area and Pierce's Corner continue to be developed into a modern mixed-use district using the historic buildings and surroundings as the foundation. The property known as Pierce's Corner with its large 1910-vintage brick building stands out as a major part this area's future. This article is intended to peak your curiosity and get comments about mo... 06/24/2009

2009 City of Suwanee Events  All City of Suwanee events are free and open to the public. An asterisk (*) denotes a privately organized event, one that is not sponsored or co-sponsored by the City of Suwanee, but is open to the public Suwanee Cinema Under the Stars*Madagascar: Escape 2 AfricaJune 13 - 8 pmTown Center ParkFor more information, call 678/714-2036. Suwanee Cinema Under the Stars*Happy FeetJune 27 - 8 pmTown Center ParkFor more information, call 678/714-2036. Suwanee Cinema Under the Stars*July 11 - 8 pmTown Center ParkFor more information, call 678/714-2036. B at the MoviesJuly 25 - 8 pmTown Center Park Suwanee Performing Arts presentsBeauty & the BeastJuly 31 & August 1 - 8 pmTown Center ParkFor more information, call 678/482-6333. Majic 107.5/97.5 Outdoor Concert SeriesAug... 06/11/2009

It seems like a daunting task to many home owners toying with the idea of whether to sell their home now or to sit tight until they see improvement in the current real estate market. As a Realtor® for over 14 years, this indeed is the most challenging time in our industry that I have seen. However, it is safe to say that homes are selling that are NOT foreclosed or distressed properties. But to be amongst the success stories instead of just reading about them, it takes planning, a dose of reality and commitment to the process.  During the first four months of 2009, 11,144 homes sold in  the greater metro Atlanta area. Of the 11,144 homes sold, 6,060 of them were foreclosed/corporate owned properties.   Leaving 5,084 homes selling that were NOT among thebanked owned properties. How do yo... 06/08/2009

How Does Your Garden Grow..... Staying true to form, the City of Suwanee has started the process of sowing seeds for a community garden.  The 7-acre site is located near historic Old Town Suwanee at Buford Hwy near White Street and the location of a  former farm. The City of Suwanee is steeped in agricultural history so the community garden seems completely appropriate and  won voters approval as part of Suwanee's open space program. The newly created community garden and historic barn, which still stands, will pay homage to the City of Suwanee's beginnings. The barn will be renovated and made accessible to the public for work on the property.  In addition to the community garden, the 7-acre site will include walking trails, seating and will also serve as the back drop for horticultura... 06/08/2009

  Top Two Reasons Homes Do Not Sell in Suwanee, GA 06/05/2009

Everyone knows that Foreclosure Homes have had an impact on neighborhoods across America. During my experience with showing groups of people foreclosure homes in Suwanee Georgia, I have found some interesting facts. One neighborhood has a foreclosure home currently active that is the lowest active listing in its neighborhood. Yes, this home needs a roof, exterior siding repair, interior ceiling repair from a leak, sheet rock repair, fresh paint, new flooring through out and update appliances, but after these repairs the home is a great value for a family or even a resale. Another neighborhood has a foreclosure home that, believe it or not, is the highest active listing in the subdivision and needs a complete rehab. In the next neighborhood we have two active foreclosure homes. One is pr... 06/03/2009

  Chuck WarbingtonExecutive DirectorGwinnett Village Improvement District Gwinnett Village CID, Gwinnett Place CID and City of Suwanee Receive Grants to Fund Revitalization Efforts    Norcross, GA (March 30, 2009) --- The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) recently awarded $150,000 in grants to aid three Gwinnett County groups in their revitalization efforts. Grants were awarded to the City of Suwanee, Gwinnett Village Community Improvement District (CID) and Gwinnett Place CID. All three grants will be used for improvements surrounding active Interstate-85 interchanges with redevelopment potential.  "These three projects were selected to receive Georgia Department of Transportation Roadside Enhancement and Beautification GATEway Grants based on review and recommendation of ou... 05/28/2009

Time is very short.  Below is an Open Letter to Gwinnett Taxpayers which the Gwinnett Daily Post printed yesterday.  I hope you will read it and pass this email along to as many Gwinnett residents and businesses as you can.   Also, please call the commissioners and express your outrage at their failure to reduce county government  770-822-7010 Charles Bannister 770-822-7001 Shirley Lasseter 770-822-7002 Best Nasuti 770-822-7003 Mike Beaudreau 770 822-7004 Kevin Kenerly   OPEN LETTER TO GWINNETT TAXPAYERS                      MAY 22, 2009   As mayor of Suwanee, I can attest firsthand that local governments are profoundly affected by these challenging economic times. I can also promise that the Suwanee City Council is doing everything in its power to hold the line on taxes. People are hu... 05/26/2009

Those with the crystal ball continue to say the bottom is near. How long have we heard that? In a recent "reading of the crystal ball, chief economist, Mark Zandi with Moody's Economy, Inc. targeted December 15, 2009 for the bottom (Realtor.org/April 28, 2009-Source: Wall Street Journal. June Fletcher, April 24, 2009). Hmm.....One has to surmize it will all depend on your market location. Steve Palm with Smart Numbers shows the inventory for single family homes in Atlanta declined the end of April compared to March. He noted, "...we are now approaching 2006 inventory levels." (May 21, 2009). Contrast this to a recent news cast predicting the Atlanta market might be in this a bit longer than December 15, 2009. However, it still doesn't mean you can't sell your home or that you have to gi... 05/22/2009

NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!!! NOW is the time!!! If you have been sitting on the fence waitingto buy a new home....NOW IS THE TIME!!! And, time is ofthe essence. Two credits are now available for home buyers in the state of Georgia. The Federal First Time Home BuyerTax Credit and the Georgia Home Buyer Tax Credit (House Bill 261). FEDERAL FIRST TIME HOME BUYER $8,000 TAX CREDIT The tax credit is for first time home buyers only. For thetax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time homebuyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three year period prior to the purchase. The tax credit does not have to be repaid. The tax credit is equal to the 10 percent of the home'spurchase price up to a maximum of $8,000. The credit is available for homes purchased on or afterJanua... 05/22/2009

NEW NEWS...IS GOOD NEWS... As I had mentioned in a previous post, the $8,000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit is great but how do first time homebuyers make the purchase if their funds are limited. The newdown payment guidelines under FHA is 3.5% and Conventionalis 10% (up from 5% earlier this year).  No one disputes financing guide lines needed to be tightened.But if you are going to throw out a carrot to this segment of thehome buying community to help stiumulate the housing market, it only makes sense (if you have worked in real estate long enough) to know these buyers are usually young  and have limited funds.On Tuesday, the Federal Housing Assocation (FHA) came to realize the same thing!FHA is going to allow home buyers to use the $8,000 First TimeHome Buyer Tax Credit  as a down pa... 05/13/2009

When it time to sell your home it's time to start painting the town or at least the house Beigh,I t may not be your favorite color but selling you home is not about you, it's about the buyer and no buyer can say they hate clean fresh neutral newly painted walls. Start by check all the ceilings for water stains, whether the leak is caused by plumbing or a faulty roof. Find the leak and repair it and make sure a proper job is done. Nothing irritates a buyer more than finding out - after the fact - about plumbing or roofing leaks. They will be talking about calling a lawyer faster than your car engine starts when you turn the ignition key. If a water stain is left after something you have already repaired, do the cosmetic work necessary to improve the desirability of your home. That means ... 05/10/2009

CONGRATULATIONS SUWANEE!!! You did it again! The City of Suwanee has added one more to their treasurechest of awards!  On February 17, 2009, the city was presented with the Kaleidoscope Award from the SoutheastFestivals and Events Association for its 2008 events.Among the awards presented to the City of Suwanee weretwo gold and two bronze awards. In the annual competition,there were 140 entries from 22 different organizations. The GOLD award was presented to the City for:  "Best Event within an Event" category for Body Plex's "World'sLargest Outdoor Spin Class"  which took placeas part of  the Tour de Georgia. The second GOLD award went to Melissa Fernandez, Suwanee Day Chairperson in the "Best Volunteer" category (events under $75K). The notorious "Suwanee Day Festival"  and the 200825... 05/07/2009

It's a sure sign of summer when you drive by Town Center Park and see pet owners throwing a frisbee to their dog, Dad's playing catch with their kids; or people lounging on blankets taking in the warmth of the sun's warm rays! And by all indications, it's that time of year!                          SUMMER IN THE SOUTH! The sun is warm, the sky is blue (most of the time) and the water is flowing....From the fountain at Suwanee's Town Center Park that is!The fountain is open for all to enjoy from 10:30 am to 9:30 pm daily through October 31.   When you are having so much fun with your friends it is hard to remember the rules, so for the safety of all the "kids" here are just a few reminders: No food, gum or beverages are allowed in the fountain area (but there is plenty of green space to ... 05/07/2009

Sometimes the bank will do what is called a Deed in Lieu.. I should replace sometimes with once in a Blue moon in Georgia .. Deed in lieu of foreclosure. Here the debtor gives the property back to the creditor usually in exchange for their forgiveness of potential deficiencies. Do not think this happens without some negotiation by you or a foreclosure professional. Even if you give the house back or the bank takes it at a foreclosure auction you may owe the deficiency. This amount will be the difference between what the house sold for at the foreclosure sale and what you owe including the legal fees. While the deficiency can be settled without paying any of it, this must be agreed to and certainly does not happen automatically in most states. Will the bank just take  back my house inst... 05/06/2009

The vote is in and it appears the residents of Suwanee consider their city a great place to live!  This comes after Suwanee held its first National Citizen Survey late last year. Surveys were sent out to approximately 1200 residents and received a 32 percent response rate.  According to City Manager, Marty Allen, the purpose of the survey was to assist city officials in setting priorities for the city and improve areas of weakness. The survey was conducted in November and covered eight areas: Community quality Community design Public safety Environmental sustainability Recreation and wellness Community inclusiveness Civic engagement Public trust Overall Rankings by Respondents: Ranked quality of life as good or excellent - 95%  Ranked Suwanee as a good or excellent place to live - 97% T... 05/02/2009

The Aberdeen community is a 400 home community located in south Forsyth County, City of Suwanee 30024. Located between Fulton and Gwinnett counties. Homes range in price from the low 200's to the low 400's. VISIT: Homes For Sale In Aberdeen     Amenities in Aberdeen include: A Junior-Olympic size pool and children's mushroom water feature Playground near the clubhouse Tennis courtsMore Real Estate In Suwanee GA   04/30/2009

http://www.suwanee.com/aboutsuwanee.historictimeline.php   City of Suwanee Historic Timeline Pre-1700s:  Shawnee Indians live along Suwanee Creek near the Chattahoochee River. By the late 1700s, Cherokee and Creek Indians also inhabit the village. 1817 Cherokee Indians relinquish Suwanee Old Town area. 1818 “Suwannee old town” mentioned as part of a treaty document with Creek Indians. 1837 City of Suwanee is founded with establishment of a U.S. post office. This marks the first time that the Town of Suwanee is recognized by the U.S. government. James Brown is Suwanee’s first postmaster. 1871 Georgia Air Line Railroad line from Charlotte to Atlanta is built through Suwanee. 1880 Rhodes House is constructed. In the early 20th century, the house served as a hotel for railroad passengers, t... 04/27/2009