Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio: Recent Episodes
Carol Morgan
The Atlanta housing market enters the second half of 2026 on relatively solid footing but buying and selling dynamics continue to shift. Inventory rises, buyers gain more options and sellers negotiate more often on price and concessions.
John Ryan, chief marketing officer at Georgia MLS (GAMLS), joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss what recent housing data shows for Metro Atlanta and where the market is headed next.
Atlanta Housing Market Finds Balance Ryan describes the market as “rebalancing, not retreating.” The market does not show a dramatic downturn. Instead, it continues moving away from the highly competitive pandemic-era conditions and toward a more balanced environment.
One of the clearest signs of the shift comes from rising inventory and changing buyer behavior. Recent GAMLS data shows 36.4% of listings sold between January and July experienced a price change. Nearly 67% of sold listings included a seller concession, with a median concession of $5,000.
Those figures reflect a market where sellers respond more directly to buyer expectations. Another key metric shows that 22% of listings that went under contract in January returned to active status by July. While that level does not represent a dramatic spike compared to previous years, it does show a gradual shift in negotiating power.
“Buyers have really kind of regained some leverage in the transaction negotiations,” Ryan said.
More Atlanta Inventory Expands Buyer Options Rising inventory gives buyers something they have lacked in recent years: time. Buyers now compare properties, evaluate features and assess value without the same pressure to act immediately. That shift creates new challenges for sellers. Homes that once attracted multiple offers now compete with other listings for attention. Sellers benefit from pricing homes for current conditions rather than relying on past market highs. Competitive pricing increases early interest and reduces the risk of price reductions later.
Presentation also plays a larger role. Move-in-ready homes often outperform properties that require updates or repairs, especially when buyers have multiple choices. Sellers also need to prepare for negotiation. With nearly 67% of sold listings involving concessions, buyers frequently request credits or other terms during the transaction.
Atlanta Home Sales Remain Steady Even with higher inventory, the Atlanta housing market remains active. Closed sales stayed steady through June, with sales volume up 4% year over year. Nearly 5,700 homes sold across the Atlanta 12-county core during the month, generating more than $3 billion in volume. The median sales price reached approximately $420,000, compared with about $417,000 a year earlier.
“Fundamentally, I think the market is healthy,” Ryan said.
The $350,000 to $500,000 range remains the most active, but the luxury segment also continues to see movement.
New Construction Expands Housing Supply New construction adds another layer of inventory for Atlanta-area buyers. The additional supply gives buyers more choices when comparing new homes with existing properties. For builders, steady demand supports continued development. For buyers, new construction offers modern layouts, warranties and fewer immediate repair needs.
Pending Sales Signal Future Activity While closed sales remain stable, pending sales show a different trend.
Those numbers have declined year over year:
- April: 21% decline in under-contract listings
- May: 27% decline
- June: nearly 30% decline
Because most homes close within 30 to 60 days, these declines may signal softer sales activity later in the summer and toward year-end.
Interest Rates and Confidence Shape Demand Mortgage rates, employment and consumer confidence continue to influence buyer activity. Even small rate changes affect demand. A move closer to 6% could bring some buyers off the sidelines, especially those comparing current rates to pandemic-era lows.
Ryan notes that 6% to 7% mortgage rates remain historically reasonable, but many homeowners hesitate to give up ultra-low rates secured in recent years. That “lock-in effect” continues to limit resale inventory as homeowners weigh the cost of moving against existing low-rate mortgages.
Atlanta Housing Market Outlook for Late 2026 Ryan does not expect major swings in either direction for the remainder of 2026. The key question centers on whether declining pending sales will eventually reduce closed sales later in the year. Seasonality may also influence activity as the summer buying season ends and families settle into the school year.
To learn more about GAMLS, listen to the full episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio or visit https://www.gamls.com/.
About Georgia Multiple Listing Services Georgia MLS is the largest real estate marketplace in Georgia, serving 52,600 agents and 4,600 brokerage offices across the state. Its offices can be found in the North Georgia Mountains, through metro Atlanta and all along the Georgia coast.
What does Georgia MLS bring to the Atlanta housing market? The multiple listing service provides opportunities for brokerages and agents to connect and work together for their clients. Georgia MLS is also a proud founding partner of the Southeast MLS alliance – Georgia MLS, Charleston MLS, Charlotte MLS and Nashville MLS.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post GAMLS: Atlanta Housing Market Is Rebalancing, Not Retreating appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
The traditional path to homeownership was once straightforward: rent an apartment, save for a down payment, buy a home and settle in. Today, that journey looks very different. Rising costs, shifting priorities and a growing demand for flexibility have created new opportunities for residents who want the space and lifestyle of a home without the immediate commitment of ownership.
Brett Forney, managing broker of Prim Realty and managing partner of Prim Properties, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how Parkland Companies is creating solutions for those changing needs. From operating successful build-to-rent communities to launching an in-house brokerage, the company’s approach creates a seamless path for residents, whether they choose to rent, buy or transition between the two.
Build-to-Rent Demands a Different Mindset Build-to-rent communities may resemble traditional neighborhoods, but operating them requires a very different approach than managing apartments or selling homes. With fewer homes, tighter operating margins and individual maintenance needs, every detail matters. Residents also bring different expectations. Many are living in a single-family home for the first time and need guidance on everything from smart home features to seasonal maintenance.
“You’re teaching residents how to live in a home instead of managing them in a unit,” Forney said.
Resident expectations have also reshaped the industry. While homeowners often make upgrades over time, renters expect a polished, move-in-ready experience from day one.
“Renters are far pickier than owners,” Forney said. “When you’re renting, it’s like leasing a luxury car. I want that luxury from day one.”
Meeting Residents Where They Are Longer career transitions, rising homeownership costs and the desire for maintenance-free living have shifted priorities for many households. Rather than committing to a mortgage and unexpected repair bills, residents value the flexibility of professionally managed communities where maintenance is only a text away.
That shift is reflected across Prim Properties’ portfolio, where average household income exceeds $100,000 per home. These residents aren’t renting because they have no other option. They’re renting because it offers the flexibility and convenience they want today.
Communities like Sugarloaf Landing and the newly opening Sugarloaf Crest in Lawrenceville further support that lifestyle. The neighboring communities share amenities while offering walkability to schools, grocery stores and everyday conveniences, creating a neighborhood experience that’s increasingly difficult to find.
Creating a Seamless Path to Homeownership As Prim Properties built relationships with residents across its communities, a common question emerged: What happens when renters are ready to buy? Many residents wanted to stay connected to the Parkland Communities experience but needed guidance on the next step. That opportunity led to the launch of Prim Realty, creating a direct path from renting to homeownership.
“Whether our residents want to rent from us forever or rent for a short time until they purchase, whichever direction their American dream goes, we’re going to be there to help their dreams become a reality,” Forney said.
Prim Realty is also introducing programs designed to make homeownership more attainable, including assistance with closing costs and down payments, along with financing partnerships that may offer qualified buyers options such as 100% financing, no private mortgage insurance and competitive interest rates.
The brokerage’s first communities include Parkside at Grove Landing in Warner Robins, along with upcoming communities in Snellville and Stonecrest, expanding Parkland Communities’ growing portfolio of attainable for-sale housing across Georgia.
Growing With Purpose As Prim Properties and Prim Realty continue expanding, growth remains rooted in a simple philosophy: serve residents and communities with excellence. Over the next two years, Parkland Communities expects more than 3,000 homes to be occupied or under construction while continuing to grow its property management, brokerage and construction teams. Yet success isn’t measured solely by the number of homes delivered.
“I want people, when they think of Parkland and Prim, to know that we’re different,” Forney said. “We’re not just looking for the fast dollar, but we are the helpers.”
That commitment shapes everything from customer service to community partnerships, reinforcing a mission to provide quality housing while helping more families achieve their version of the American dream.
To learn more about Prim Properties, Prim Realty and Parkland Communities, listen to the full episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio or visit primprop.com and parklandco.com.
About Prim Properties & Prim Realty Prim Properties specializes in the management of build-to-rent communities, delivering customized leasing, operations and resident services designed specifically for the BTR market. Rather than treating BTR as traditional multifamily housing, Prim Properties focuses on creating neighborhoods and long-term resident experiences.
Prim Realty, Parkland Communities’ fully licensed real estate brokerage, oversees the sales and marketing of the company’s growing portfolio of for-sale communities across metro Atlanta. Together, Prim Properties and Prim Realty provide an integrated platform supporting both professionally managed rental communities and new home sales. For more information, email info@primprop.com or visit www.primprop.com.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Prim Realty: A New Path to Homeownership appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
For years, luxury homes were defined by square footage and ornate details. Today, buyers are looking for something different: personalized design, flexible floor plans and communities that reflect the way they live.
This week on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Chris and Clif Poston, principals at Traton Homes, join Host Carol Morgan to discuss how the company is responding to those changing expectations by expanding its luxury offerings across metro Atlanta and Florida while remaining focused on the customer experience that has defined the family-owned builder for 55 years.
Today’s Buyers Arrive Better Informed The homebuying journey has changed dramatically over the last 20 years. Buyers now research builders, floor plans, pricing and communities online before ever visiting a model home or sales center.
“You used to have the opportunity to get them [homebuyers] to your subdivision and tell them why you’re great and come see your product, but now so much of it is done ahead of time and online,” said Chris Poston.
That shift has transformed how builders connect with prospective buyers. Instead of making a first impression during a model home tour, builders must establish trust through their digital presence long before a customer walks through the door.
Building on a Legacy of Value Traton Homes has built its reputation on delivering exceptional value. As the Atlanta housing market has evolved and national builders have expanded throughout the region, the company has intentionally shifted toward higher-end homes while preserving the personalized experience of a family-owned business. Traton focuses on helping buyers personalize their homes without entering the fully custom market.
Attainable Luxury Without the Custom Price Tag Instead of offering either production homes or fully custom residences, Traton has positioned itself between the two, combining elevated architecture, thoughtful design and meaningful personalization with the efficiencies of an established builder.
“It’s not totally custom, and it certainly is not just ‘cookie cutter’ either,” Clif Poston said. “It’s kind of a nice blend of personalization and high design.”
The result is a homebuying experience that gives buyers more opportunities to personalize their homes while delivering greater value than many fully custom homes.
Luxury Design Continues to Evolve Luxury home design has become cleaner and more refined in recent years. Ornate trim, elaborate moldings and heavily detailed interiors have given way to simpler architecture, modern finishes and functional living spaces. Quartz and quartzite have largely replaced granite as the countertops of choice, while painted brick exteriors, dark window frames and streamlined architectural details continue to gain popularity. Those evolving design preferences also allow builders to invest in features buyers value most without adding unnecessary construction costs.
Space Still Defines Luxury Space remains one of today’s most valuable luxury features, particularly in suburban communities. For buyers in Cobb County, Cherokee County and Forsyth County, larger homesites continue offering something increasingly difficult to find in today’s market. While buyers closer to Atlanta’s urban core may prioritize location over square footage, many suburban buyers continue seeking homes ranging from approximately 3,400 to 4,000 square feet paired with larger homesites.
Every Community Is Designed for Its Market School districts, buyer demographics, lot sizes, municipal requirements and local demand all influence floor plans, elevations and design selections. That flexibility allows each community to reflect the needs of its market rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach. Whether developing estate homes in West Cobb or infill communities closer to the city, each neighborhood begins with understanding what local buyers value most.
“Sometimes ‘altogether more’ is giving you a great location,” Chris Poston said. “Sometimes it’s a giant lot with a big house.”
As buyer preferences continue to evolve, Traton Homes remains focused on delivering homes that balance personalization, thoughtful design and long-term value.
To learn more about Traton Homes, visit https://www.tratonhomes.com/.
About Traton Homes Founded 55 years ago, family-owned Traton Homes is one of metro Atlanta’s most established and innovative homebuilding companies and is expanding its footprint along the Florida panhandle. The award-winning firm is known for combining traditional building practices with a passion for the latest systems and styles to create some of Greater Atlanta and the Florida panhandle’s most sought-after full-featured townhomes, single-family homes and active lifestyle communities. Traton blends beautifully crafted design with top-quality building materials to create homes and communities with enduring appeal, offering exceptional value.
Headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, Traton Homes offers “Altogether More” to homeowners, including more experience, more impressive architecture, more outstanding features and more rewarding lifestyles in more desirable locations. For more information about Traton Homes, call 770-427-9064 or visit www.TratonHomes.com. The builder’s corporate office and design center are located at 720 Kennesaw Avenue in Marietta, Georgia.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post How Traton Homes Is Redefining Attainable Luxury in Metro Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Before a builder pours a foundation or frames a home, residential developers spend years navigating zoning, land development and permitting approvals. These early steps in the residential development process play a major role in determining housing costs and availability.
Jay Knight, chairman and co-founder of the Georgia Residential Land Development Council (GRLDC) joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how Senate Bill 447 is changing Georgia’s permitting process and what policy reforms could make housing more attainable for future homebuyers.
Housing Affordability Begins Long Before Construction GRLDC was founded after several competing developers recognized they were facing the same challenges within Georgia’s residential land development process. By joining forces, members created a unified voice to advocate for policy reforms that address industrywide barriers.
Senate Bill 447 Brings Predictability to Permitting One of GRLDC’s first major initiatives resulted in Senate Bill 447, legislation designed to improve accountability and consistency in land disturbance permit reviews. The law does not change engineering standards or limit municipal oversight. Instead, it establishes a more predictable timeline for completing reviews.
Permit approvals that once stretched nearly a year could now move through the process in just over 10 weeks, helping bring finished lots to market faster and increasing housing supply.
Permitting reform also requires greater collaboration from all parties involved. Developers and engineers must submit more complete plans, while municipalities have clearer expectations for review timelines.
“It raises the level of performance on the developer and the engineer. It also creates some accountability for the municipality,” said Knight.
How Development Delays Increase Home Costs Although permitting reform marks an important milestone, Knight believes additional opportunities exist to lower housing costs before construction begins. GRLDC’s next priority is reforming final plat recording and bonding processes. Lengthy administrative delays after construction is complete can leave millions of dollars tied up in development loans, increasing carrying costs that eventually reach homebuyers.
“The buyer ends up paying $15,000 more for the house with no benefits whatsoever,” said Knight.
Eliminating unnecessary delays could reduce home prices by thousands of dollars while improving affordability across the market.
Defining Affordable Housing in Georgia The conversation around affordable housing also requires a clearer definition of what affordability means. Rather than focusing solely on government programs or subsidies, affordability should be measured by whether essential workers can realistically purchase homes in the communities where they live and work.
“The definition of an affordable house is what your municipal employee can afford to purchase,” said Knight.
Expanding housing options requires the ability to build homes that align with what Georgia families can realistically afford. However, local regulations and development requirements can sometimes make lower-cost housing difficult to deliver.
Working alongside local and state home builders associations, GRLDC hopes to create a more efficient residential development process while expanding housing opportunities for Georgia families.
To learn more about GRLDC, visit https://grldc.org/.
About Georgia Residential Land Development Council (GRLDC) The Georgia Residential Land Development Council (GRLDC) is a coalition of leading developers, builders and industry stakeholders dedicated to improving land development and permitting processes across Georgia. The organization advocates for policies that increase housing supply, streamline regulations and promote responsible growth. By working collaboratively with policymakers and industry partners, GRLDC advances solutions that help ensure Georgia can meet current and future housing demand.
Click here for more GRLDC news.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post GRLDC: Why Housing Affordability Starts Before Construction appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Housing markets are constantly evolving, and success often comes down to adapting to changing conditions. While today’s environment looks different than it did just a few years ago, builders who understand local demand and make strategic decisions continue to find ways to grow. On this week’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Host Carol Morgan welcomes Geoff Deckelbaum, principal of SRP Lending, to discuss why disciplined planning and private lending continue to help builders and investors succeed in today’s Atlanta housing market.
Private Lending Creates Opportunities in a Changing Market As traditional banks tighten lending standards, private lenders are giving qualified builders and investors another path to financing. Atlanta-based SRP Lending evaluates each project individually, helping clients move forward when conventional financing may not be the right fit.
That relationship-driven approach allows experienced builders and investors to pursue projects that make sense for today’s market while maintaining sound underwriting standards.
Demand Still Exists for the Right Product Many large production builders continue navigating slower sales and growing inventory, while buyer demand remains strong in established neighborhoods. Smaller builders are capitalizing on that demand by purchasing vacant lots or older homes and replacing them with new construction or thoughtfully renovated homes.
“The opportunity is to go into a market where you can see that there’s pent-up demand,” Deckelbaum said. “If you deliver the right product, there are buyers for it.”
Those trends reflect changing buyer preferences. Homebuyers increasingly seek move-in-ready homes and are willing to pay a premium for updated properties that don’t require immediate renovations or repairs.
Let the Market Determine the Price Successful projects begin with the market, not the budget. Builders must first determine what buyers are willing to pay in a neighborhood, then evaluate whether construction costs support a profitable investment. Comparable sales, future competition and local demand should shape every project before construction begins.
“You can’t price your end product based on your cost,” Deckelbaum said. “The market dictates your sales price.”
By understanding both current inventory and upcoming competition, builders can better position their homes to sell while protecting their margins.
Affordability Remains Front & Center Affordability continues to influence nearly every segment of the housing market, especially for first-time buyers. While Atlanta remains more affordable than many major metropolitan areas, the gap has narrowed considerably, which makes attainable housing increasingly important. Smaller builders often cannot offer the financing incentives available through national builders, so competitive pricing becomes one of their greatest advantages. Efficient floor plans, practical finish selections and thoughtful budgeting can help deliver quality homes at attainable price points.
Pricing Realistically Protects Profitability Homes are taking longer to sell than they did just a few years ago, making carrying costs an increasingly important consideration for builders and investors. Interest payments, maintenance expenses and extended market time can quickly reduce profits. Pricing appropriately from day one not only improves the likelihood of a faster sale but also helps avoid the perception that something is wrong with the home after extended time on the market.
“If you overprice it when you first list a house, buyers are almost going to penalize you until you drop the price below where you should have initially priced it,” Deckelbaum said.
Looking Ahead to 2027Market conditions are expected to remain relatively stable through the rest of 2026. If inflation eases and consumer confidence improves, lower interest rates could help accelerate housing demand in 2027. Until then, builders who understand local demand, price projects realistically and deliver move-in-ready homes will be best positioned for success. Even in a challenging market, thoughtful planning and disciplined execution continue to create opportunities.
For more information about SRP Lending’s financing solutions, visit www.SRPLending.com.
About SRP Lending SRP Lending is a leading private money lender providing quick, flexible, and straightforward loan options for builders and contractors. With a customer-centric approach, SRP Lending prioritizes efficiency, flexibility and customer control over the lending process, offering an effective alternative to traditional bank financing. For more information, contact SRP Lending at 678-592-7176 or visit www.SRPLending.com.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post SRP Lending: Opportunity Is Still Out There for Builders appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
As the real estate industry becomes increasingly specialized, many brokerages focus on a single segment of the market. However, a growing number of firms are embracing a more comprehensive approach, creating strategic partnerships that allow them to serve clients throughout the real estate lifecycle.
This week on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Michelle Hewell, owner and broker of Foundation Partners Realty, joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the firm’s brokerage model designed to bridge the gap between traditional real estate services and the evolving needs of builders, developers, investors and homebuyers.
Relationships Remain the Foundation of Real Estate Success While technology continues to reshape the industry, one truth remains unchanged: long-term success depends on trust, communication and consistency.
“I’ve learned that this is ultimately a people business,” said Hewell. “Whether you’re working with first-time homebuyers, developing a subdivision or helping an agent build a career, those relationships matter. They matter the most.”
The rise of artificial intelligence, data analytics and digital marketing is transforming the homebuilding and real estate industries, but professionals who prioritize relationships and maintain strong reputations may be better positioned to adapt to changing market conditions.
The Importance of Strategic Partnerships Today’s real estate transactions often extend far beyond buying and selling homes. Builders need land acquisition expertise, investors seek market intelligence and property owners require guidance on development opportunities.
“We built this as a full-service real estate brokerage around collaboration and strategic partnerships,” said Hewell. “Our goal is to provide expertise across the entire real estate lifecycle, not just one transaction.”
This integrated approach reflects a broader industry trend as brokerages increasingly seek to provide comprehensive solutions rather than transactional services alone.
Technology Creates New Opportunities in Land Acquisition Growing competition for developable land across Georgia is driving builders and developers to rely more heavily on technology to identify opportunities and evaluate potential sites.
Through its partnership with Atlas Group, Foundation Partners Realty uses advanced geographic information systems (GIS) mapping technology to analyze land opportunities throughout the state. These tools can provide detailed information about a property’s characteristics, development potential and surrounding infrastructure within minutes.
For smaller builders, access to sophisticated land analysis tools can help level the playing field in an increasingly competitive development environment.
Exemption Plats Offer a Path Forward for Smaller Builders Exemption plats have emerged as a valuable strategy for smaller builders entering the market, helping offset lengthy entitlement timelines and rising development costs. Unlike traditional subdivision approvals, which often require extensive engineering, infrastructure planning and lengthy approval timelines, exemption plats allow builders to move projects forward more quickly and with lower upfront investment requirements.
“That’s a really great opportunity for a new builder or a smaller builder to get started,” said Hewell. “It’s not the huge amount of investment that you’re going to put forth on a 50-lot neighborhood.”
Smaller-scale projects can provide builders with opportunities to bring new housing inventory to market while reducing risk and accelerating timelines.
How Faith and Timing Shape Real Estate Leadership Launching a business in any market requires confidence and, for many entrepreneurs, a willingness to trust the timing of opportunities as they arise. As Georgia’s real estate industry continues to evolve, firms that combine strong relationships, strategic partnerships and specialized expertise may be uniquely positioned to serve the increasingly complex needs of builders, developers and consumers.
“A lot of people call me a risk taker,” said Hewell. “I don’t think I’m a risk taker. I think my faith is so strong it’s unshakable.”
Learn more about Foundation Partners Realty at foundationpartnersrealty.com.
About Foundation Partners Realty Foundation Partners Realty is a full-service real estate brokerage headquartered in downtown Buford, Georgia. Founded by industry veteran Michelle Hewell, the firm provides residential, commercial, luxury, land acquisition, development consulting and builder services throughout Georgia. Through strategic partnerships, including its collaboration with Atlas Group, Foundation Partners Realty offers comprehensive real estate solutions designed to serve clients across every stage of the real estate lifecycle.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Foundation Partners Realty: A New Era of Full-Service Real Estate appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
As housing preferences evolve, more buyers look beyond traditional subdivisions in search of greater privacy, flexibility and personalization. For many, that means building a custom home on land they already own or plan to purchase.
This week on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Dean Cowart, principal of Cowart Residential, joins Host Carol Morgan to discuss the growing appeal of build-on-your-lot homes, the custom home building process and how today’s luxury buyers are redefining what they want from their living spaces.
The Growing Demand for Build-on-Your-Lot Homes Build-on-your-lot construction continues to attract buyers entering a new phase of life. Many homeowners leave behind larger family homes and pursue a more intentional lifestyle on property that offers additional space and privacy. Many of these buyers gravitate toward North Georgia’s mountains and rural landscapes for a quieter pace of life.
“I think it’s a demand that people love to sort of get out of the rat race of Metro Atlanta into something that’s more tranquil,” said Cowart.
Build-on-your-lot opportunities give them the ability to create a residence tailored to their lifestyle without sacrificing location.
Navigating the Challenges of Building on Private Land While selecting a floor plan excites many buyers, building on private property introduces several variables that they often underestimate. Soil conditions, topography, setback requirements and stormwater regulations all create unique considerations that can affect construction costs and timelines.
“What can be really scary is thinking about placing that on your lot and figuring out what are the nuances to this land that are going to affect the ultimate cost of my house,” said Cowart.
Cowart Residential guides clients through property evaluations before construction begins, helping them understand how factors like home placement, site development costs, surveys and municipal requirements all come together. By taking this proactive approach, the team ensures homeowners have a clearer picture of their overall investment and can move forward with greater confidence, avoiding unexpected challenges later in the process.
More Land Means More Freedom Build-on-your-lot construction gives homeowners greater freedom. Unlike traditional neighborhoods with HOA restrictions, larger homesites allow homeowners to design a property around their unique needs and interests. Whether homeowners want a detached workshop, RV storage, an accessory dwelling unit or a hobby farm, they gain significantly more flexibility than they would in a conventional subdivision.
“It [build-on-your-lot construction] really gives you the opportunity to be extremely creative with how you want to use the land and what your family’s needs are,” said Cowart.
This growing interest in flexibility continues to drive demand for larger homesites and homesteading-style living, trends Cowart expects to gain even more momentum.
Outdoor Living Remains a Top Priority The pandemic sparked a renewed focus on outdoor living, and that trend continues to shape home design decisions today. Luxury buyers now prioritize seamless connections between indoor and outdoor spaces. Many request outdoor kitchens, covered living areas and expansive patios.
What Luxury Home Buyers Want in 2026 Platforms such as Pinterest, Instagram and Houzz influence how homeowners make design decisions and select products. Instead of relying on magazines and model homes, buyers now arrive with curated ideas and highly specific preferences. Beyond personalization, buyers also prioritize flexibility during the design process. Cowart Residential often collaborates with homeowners’ interior designers to streamline selections and ensure the finished home reflects the client’s vision.
While kitchens and bathrooms remain focal points, homeowners increasingly seek unique finishes, specialty materials and customized features that set their homes apart.
Balancing Personalization & Budget Although buyers have access to more inspiration than ever, they must still manage expectations and budgets throughout the custom home process. Cowart emphasizes the importance of involving the builder early, especially when working with an architect on a fully custom design. This collaboration helps align design decisions with financial goals before plans progress too far.
“We like to take an opportunity to have a discovery period,” said Cowart. “The builder can sort of guide you as the designs are getting created, knowing what your ultimate budget is.”
By establishing priorities early and creating a clear roadmap for finishes and selections, builders help homeowners make informed decisions and avoid costly redesigns later in the process.
Building Community at Enclave at Mill Creek In addition to custom homes and build-on-your-lot opportunities, Cowart Residential is developing Enclave at Mill Creek, a new community in the City of Mulberry near Hamilton Mill.
The community features detached single-family homes in a thoughtfully planned setting that offers privacy, quiet streetscapes and attainable pricing in a highly desirable location. Designed with today’s buyers in mind, the homes emphasize functional layouts, modern finishes and low-maintenance living, making them appealing to a wide range of homeowners, from young professionals to those looking to downsize.
Residents will also benefit from convenient access to nearby shopping, dining and major transportation corridors, while still enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of a smaller, emerging city. This balance of accessibility and tranquility has made the area especially attractive to buyers seeking both convenience and a sense of community.
The project has already proven successful due to its unique product offering and strategic location within one of metro Atlanta’s newest cities.
About Cowart Residential For more than 40 years and across three generations, the Cowart family has built homes and communities throughout metro Atlanta and North Georgia. Led by Dean Cowart and Nick Williams, Cowart Residential specializes in custom homes, build-on-your-lot opportunities and thoughtfully designed residential communities tailored to today’s lifestyles.
Drawing on decades of experience in homebuilding, land development and construction, Cowart Residential guides clients through every stage of the process, from site evaluation and design to construction and completion. Whether building on private land or within one of its communities, Cowart Residential is committed to delivering homes that reflect each homeowner’s vision while maintaining the highest standards of craftsmanship, quality and attention to detail.
For more information about Cowart Residential, visit the website.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Cowart Residential: Build-on-Your-Lot Homes in North Georgia appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
The housing market in 2026 is defined by contradictions. Demand remains strong, yet affordability challenges persist. Builders continue to innovate, even as uncertainty clouds the economic outlook. Meanwhile, demographic shifts and changing consumer preferences are reshaping what Georgians want from their homes.
In part two of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio‘s mid-year market update, Jim Jacobi of Parkland Communities, Tim Arnold of D.R. Horton and Cara Lavender of John Burns Research and Consulting (JBREC) join Host Carol Morgan to discuss the forces driving today’s market. From the evolution of build-to-rent communities to construction costs and changing buyer expectations, the panel explored how industry leaders are adapting to a rapidly evolving landscape.
Demographic Shifts Will Shape the Next Decade While much attention is focused on mortgage rates and affordability, longer-term demographic changes deserve equal consideration. An aging population, later marriages, declining birth rates and multigenerational living are altering housing demand. These shifts could influence everything from home design and community amenities to product mix and location strategies over the next decade.
“I think it’s kind of those changing demographics that are going to change what products we need, what type of housing we need, where we need it,” Lavender said.
Buyers Want More Choice & Better Value Buyer priorities have evolved significantly since the post-pandemic housing boom. During the height of the market, consumers were eager to purchase almost any available home. Today, buyers are more selective and focused on maximizing value.
“They want to see more options, they want to have more choices,” Arnold said.
Rather than concentrating solely on purchase price, buyers increasingly evaluate value through the lens of square footage, functionality and available floor plans. Builders are responding by offering a wider variety of products within communities and across submarkets.
Affordability Means More Than Home Price
“Affordability is not just the house price,” Jacobi said. “Affordability is everything across the board.”
Emerging mortgage products designed to reduce barriers to homeownership are also helping expand access, including programs featuring zero down payments, no private mortgage insurance and reduced closing costs.
As lenders introduce more creative financing solutions, these tools could help more buyers achieve homeownership despite elevated rates.
Build-to-Rent Communities Continue to Evolve Build-to-rent communities are entering a new phase of maturity, with developers moving away from one-size-fits-all approaches. Mixed-product developments featuring townhomes, single-family homes and ranch-style offerings designed for aging renters are becoming increasingly common.
Research from JBREC points to the same trend.
“When we look at that delivery pipeline, it’s pretty clear that townhomes and those mixed-product communities are going to be what dominates BTR deliveries in 2027,” Lavender said.
At the same time, renters are prioritizing practical value over luxury amenities. While amenities such as pools and fitness centers remain desirable, residents place greater emphasis on low-maintenance living, responsive management teams and services such as lawn care.
Construction Costs Remain a Daily Challenge Although slowing housing starts have eased some labor pressures, construction costs continue to fluctuate.
“We work on it every day,” Arnold said. “It just continues to be a shift.”
Lumber pricing, tariffs and petroleum-based products all contribute to ongoing volatility. However, reduced apartment construction has expanded the available labor pool for residential projects. That increased competition among trades may help stabilize pricing moving forward.
Data Centers Create New Competition Another emerging factor is the rapid growth of data center development. Large-scale investments from companies such as Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft could eventually impact residential construction by competing for labor and land.
According to broker surveys conducted by JBREC, approximately one-third of respondents reported seeing residential land transactions redirected toward data center projects. While not yet widespread, it is a trend the industry is watching closely.
The New Reality: Lower Velocity & Greater Uncertainty Builders and developers have adjusted expectations in response to a more cautious environment. Sales pace, lease-up rates and incentives are increasingly built into underwriting models. Rather than anticipating rapid improvement, many operators are planning for a prolonged period of moderation extending into 2027.
The Grind Before the Next Growth Cycle The defining characteristic of today’s housing market may ultimately be its complexity. Elevated interest rates, rising costs, shifting regulations and global economic uncertainty have forced builders, developers and researchers to rethink long-held assumptions and adapt in real time.
Rather than waiting for a return to the conditions of the past, industry leaders are learning to operate in an environment where flexibility, discipline and execution matter more than ever. Growth may come more slowly, and success may require a greater willingness to adjust strategies as conditions evolve.
Yet beneath the headlines about affordability challenges and market headwinds, the industry’s core mission remains unchanged. Housing is about more than economics and forecasts. It is about creating places where people build their lives, raise families and invest in their futures. Even amid uncertainty, the enduring value of homeownership continues to provide both purpose and optimism for those shaping the next chapter of the housing market.
Ready to hit rewind on Part 1? Listen to the full episode here.
About Parkland Communities Parkland Communities, Inc., the parent company of build-to-rent home builder, Parkland Residential, is a privately owned, multifaceted real estate development and investment firm specializing in residential properties. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Parkland Communities Inc. uses the latest market data, technology and established relationships to strategically secure new development opportunities in Atlanta’s most desirable locations. The company’s hands-on philosophy has made it a proven leader in the industry with a trusted reputation among elected officials, municipal staff, neighborhood associations, bankers and home builders. For more information on Parkland Communities, visit www.ParklandCo.com.
About D.R. Horton As one of metro Atlanta’s leading home builders, D.R. Horton offers new homes across a variety of price points, product types and locations throughout the region. The company builds communities designed to meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, move-up purchasers and those seeking low-maintenance living, with a focus on quality construction, thoughtful design and attainable homeownership opportunities. Backed by the resources of America’s largest home builder, D.R. Horton continues to play a significant role in expanding housing options across Georgia’s growing markets. Learn more about D.R. Horton at https://www.DRHorton.com/.
About John Burns Research and Consulting John Burns Research and Consulting provides data-driven insights across every housing sector, including new home construction, resale, single-family rental and build-to-rent. It helps companies make informed decisions and mitigate risk in order to identify opportunities in a complex market. From M&A projects to consumer surveys, the firm covers every aspect of the housing industry. Learn more about John Burns Research and Consulting at https://JBREC.com/.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post What’s Really Changing in Housing Right Now? appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
While much of the housing conversation in 2026 has focused on slower sales, elevated mortgage rates and affordability challenges, industry leaders say a bigger issue is emerging behind the scenes: a future housing supply shortage.
Tim Arnold of D.R. Horton, Cara Lavender of John Burns Research and Consulting and Jim Jacobi of Parkland Communities, join host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio for a mid-year market update on looming lot shortages, zoning challenges, affordability concerns and the factors shaping housing supply across metro Atlanta.
The Biggest Housing Story Nobody Is Talking About
“In my opinion, the biggest secret in housing today is the lack of new zonings that are occurring,” said Jacobi.
He explained that numerous municipalities have either implemented zoning moratoriums or significantly slowed approvals, creating a development pipeline problem that could emerge over the next several years. Although today’s market remains slower than the pandemic-era housing boom, builders continue selling homes and working through existing lot inventories. The challenge is that many communities are not approving enough future projects to replace what is currently being built.
“People probably do not recognize what is happening out there with the lot supply market,” said Arnold. “There is going to be a struggle for folks to get lot supply.”
Labor and Building Capacity Could Become the Next Challenge With in-migration at historically low levels and major infrastructure projects such as data centers competing for skilled trades, Lavender said labor constraints could quickly become a concern if housing demand accelerates.
“If a demand faucet turns on, do we have the lots available?” she said. “But in that same breath, do we have the labor and the building products capacity available to support an uptick in production?”
Slower production volumes have helped ease labor pressures. However, the industry may not be prepared to rapidly increase construction activity if market conditions improve.
Spring Selling Season Falls Short of Expectations While future supply concerns remain top of mind, today’s housing market continues to face near-term challenges. Lavender described the spring selling season as “underwhelming.” Uncertain demand and hesitant consumers continue to weigh on market performance. Builders are maintaining sales through pricing strategies and incentives, but those efforts are coming at the expense of profit margins.
Senate Bill 447 Could Improve Georgia’s Permitting Process Senate Bill 447 could provide a welcome boost for Georgia’s housing industry by improving transparency and accountability in the permitting process. The legislation increases visibility into permit reviews, requires written explanations for permit denials and establishes timelines for local governments to respond to applications. It could also help reduce delays that often add significant costs to housing projects.
“It’ll speed up the building and land development permits,” said Arnold.
Build-to-Rent Gains Recognition as an Asset Class Federal housing legislation could significantly affect the build-to-rent sector. Proposed revisions to the Road to Housing Act would provide greater certainty for investors and developers while reinforcing build-to-rent’s role in the broader housing market. One of the most notable aspects of the legislation is its recognition of build-to-rent as a distinct asset class, a change that could strengthen investor confidence and support additional capital investment. Greater certainty and increased investment could help expand housing supply by encouraging additional build-to-rent development in high-demand markets.
Gwinnett County Offers a Warning Sign From January through April 2025, unincorporated Gwinnett County issued approximately 2,800 new home permits. During that same period, local officials approved zoning for only about 1,400 future housing units.
“So they only zoned about half as many lots as what has been built in the same time period,” said Jacobi.
This imbalance raises questions about where future housing inventory will come from if current approval trends continue. Ongoing zoning moratoriums, elevated land costs and community opposition to new development could further constrain housing supply and place additional pressure on affordability.
Tune in next week for Part 2 of this market update, where the panel takes a deeper look at affordability, infrastructure challenges and what housing leaders expect over the next several years.
About Parkland Communities Parkland Communities, Inc., the parent company of build-to-rent home builder, Parkland Residential, is a privately owned, multifaceted real estate development and investment firm specializing in residential properties. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Parkland Communities Inc. uses the latest market data, technology and established relationships to strategically secure new development opportunities in Atlanta’s most desirable locations. The company’s hands-on philosophy has made it a proven leader in the industry with a trusted reputation among elected officials, municipal staff, neighborhood associations, bankers and home builders. For more information on Parkland Communities, visit www.ParklandCo.com.
About D.R. Horton As one of metro Atlanta’s leading home builders, D.R. Horton offers new homes across a variety of price points, product types and locations throughout the region. The company builds communities designed to meet the needs of first-time homebuyers, move-up purchasers and those seeking low-maintenance living, with a focus on quality construction, thoughtful design and attainable homeownership opportunities. Backed by the resources of America’s largest home builder, D.R. Horton continues to play a significant role in expanding housing options across Georgia’s growing markets. Learn more about D.R. Horton at www.DRHorton.com.
About John Burns Research and Consulting John Burns Research and Consulting provides data-driven insights across every housing sector, including new home construction, resale, single-family rental and build-to-rent. It helps companies make informed decisions and mitigate risk in order to identify opportunities in a complex market. From M&A projects to consumer surveys, the firm covers every aspect of the housing industry. Learn more about John Burns Research and Consulting at www.JBREC.com.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Mid-Year Market Update: The Market Shifts Nobody Sees Coming appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Many property owners never expect to deal with squatters or deed fraud. However, when these situations occur, they can result in costly legal disputes, damaged property and significant financial losses.
George McCleary, president of McCleary Realty & Development, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how squatters exploit vacant properties, why deed fraud is becoming a growing concern and what property owners can do to protect their investments.
How a Viral Video Sparked a National Conversation McCleary first gained widespread attention through his viral social media video, “I Stole a House,” which highlighted how people can exploit legal gray areas to occupy vacant properties.
While the video was intended as satire, it resonated with property owners across the country and generated millions of views. It also prompted countless conversations about a problem many people assume could never happen to them.
“It’s rare enough. It’s sort of like rare, like a heart attack,” said McCleary. “It’s probably not going to happen to you today, but if it does, you have to take it very seriously.”
Why Squatters Can Be Difficult to Remove Many people assume law enforcement can immediately remove someone who unlawfully occupies a property. In reality, squatters often take deliberate steps to make themselves appear to be legitimate tenants. Experienced squatters frequently move belongings into a home, establish residency and present forged lease agreements when confronted. These tactics can create uncertainty for law enforcement officers responding to the scene.
“These professional squatters, they are experts at blurring these lines,” he said.
Once questions arise about tenancy, property owners may be forced into lengthy legal proceedings. The process can involve attorney fees, court costs and months of lost rental income before a property is recovered. Even after regaining possession, owners may face additional expenses to repair damage and replace stolen appliances, fixtures or building materials.
Why Deed Fraud May Be an Even Bigger Threat Following the success of his viral video, McCleary began hearing from property owners across the country who had experienced another type of real estate crime: deed fraud.
In these cases, criminals forge ownership documents and file them with local governments, creating the appearance that a property has changed hands. Once the fraudulent deed is recorded, scammers may attempt to sell the property or borrow against its equity. What makes deed fraud particularly dangerous is that owners often do not discover the issue until significant financial damage has already occurred.
“You can’t prevent somebody from falsifying a deed and filing it with the county,” he said. “The thing that you can prevent is the theft of your equity.”
The faster fraudulent activity is detected, the easier it becomes to stop a sale, prevent unauthorized loans and begin restoring ownership records.
Who Is Most Vulnerable? While any property owner can become a victim, investors, aging homeowners and owners of vacant properties are among the most common targets.
Investors often own multiple properties and rely on managers to oversee day-to-day operations, making it easier for fraudulent activity to go unnoticed. Older homeowners frequently have substantial equity, which can make them attractive targets for scammers. Builders, agents and sellers should also pay close attention to vacant homes. Unoccupied properties can provide opportunities for squatters to establish residency before anyone realizes a problem exists.
Prevention Starts With Early Detection While no solution can eliminate risk, property owners can significantly reduce their exposure through proactive monitoring. For vacant properties, McCleary recommends installing alarm systems that provide immediate notifications when someone enters a home unexpectedly. Quick action can often prevent a squatter from establishing residency and turning a trespassing incident into a legal dispute.
Routine property inspections, title monitoring services and regular oversight can also help property owners identify potential problems before they become costly legal battles.
The Financial Stakes Are Higher Than Many Realize Both squatting and deed fraud can carry substantial financial consequences. Property owners may face lost rental income, legal expenses, property damage and, in some cases, the loss of significant home equity.
“The financial stakes of each of these squatting or title fraud cases eclipses the six-figure mark over $100,000 regularly,” he said.
As awareness of these issues grows, some states have begun strengthening laws related to squatting and property fraud. However, prevention, monitoring and education remain the most effective tools available to property owners.
About McCleary Realty & Development McCleary Realty & Development is a Portland-based real estate investment, development and brokerage firm led by President George McCleary. In addition to helping clients navigate real estate investments and development opportunities, the company provides educational resources and monitoring solutions focused on preventing squatting, deed fraud and fraudulent liens. Through programs such as Squatter Defender and Title Fraud Defender, McCleary helps homeowners, investors and real estate professionals protect their properties and preserve their equity. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio listeners can receive 20% off either program with the code AREF26. To learn more, visit https://www.McClearyRealty.com/.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Squatters and Deed Fraud: Protecting Your Property From Costly Real Estate Scams appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Flooring trends may come and go, but durability, longevity and resale value continue to drive homeowner decisions across metro Atlanta. Alex Veit, owner of Oakerds Hardwood Floor Refinishing, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss best practices for refinishing and installing floors in your home.
From historic bungalows with hidden hardwoods to modern homes filled with luxury vinyl plank (LVP), Veit has seen firsthand which materials hold up over time and which ones homeowners often regret installing.
Why More Atlanta Homeowners Are Choosing LVP Over Laminate As waterproof flooring products continue gaining popularity, many homeowners still misunderstand the difference between laminate and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) flooring. The products often carry similar price points, but their long-term performance can vary significantly, especially in moisture-prone spaces such as kitchens and bathrooms.
“They’re priced the same, but LVP is truly a waterproof product, where laminate is a water-resistant product at best,” he said.
After years of replacing swollen laminate flooring damaged by moisture exposure, Veit now steers homeowners toward higher-quality LVP products instead. However, not all vinyl plank flooring performs equally.
Thin, lower-cost products often fail at the locking system, particularly in high-traffic areas. Oakerds avoids installing LVP products thinner than five millimeters due to durability concerns and product recalls.
Hardwood Flooring Continues To Set the Standard Hardwood flooring remains one of the most durable and desirable flooring materials in the Atlanta market, and natural white oak floors with simple finishes continue to outperform short-lived design trends years after installation.
Hardwood’s long-term value comes not only from its appearance but also from its ability to be restored rather than replaced. It can often be refinished multiple times throughout its lifespan, making hardwood flooring a strong long-term investment.
“You could get four to five refinishes out of a floor, and that could span over 100 years,” Veit said.
While hardwood may scratch more easily than LVP in daily life, refinishing gives homeowners the ability to restore floors instead of fully replacing them after damage occurs.
Hardwood vs. LVP For homeowners weighing hardwood against LVP, the right choice often depends on budget, lifestyle and long-term goals for the home.
Homeowners looking for longevity and timeless appeal may find hardwood flooring to be the better option. While hardwood typically requires a larger upfront investment, the material can last for generations when properly maintained.
“It’s been around for over 100 years, and it’s going to be around for 100 more,” he said.
LVP continues gaining market share because of its versatility and strong day-to-day durability, and it remains especially popular in new construction, rental properties and renovation projects across a wide range of price points.
For families with children and pets, LVP often performs better against scratches and general wear in the short term. However, once damaged, replacement becomes the only solution.
Refinishing Hardwood Floors: A Smart Investment One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is replacing hardwood floors that could have been refinished instead. In many cases, refinishing offers a more affordable solution while preserving the original character of the home.
Certain conditions, however, may justify replacement:
- Severe structural damage
- Major water intrusion
- Engineered hardwood products with veneers too thin to refinish safely
Flooring Plays a Major Role in Resale Value Flooring can directly influence how buyers perceive a home during showings. Clean, updated flooring can immediately improve the presentation of a property, while damaged or outdated flooring may raise concerns about maintenance throughout the rest of the house.
“Flooring is probably the first thing people see when they walk into the house,” Veit said.
Oakerds Launches Online Flooring Calculator To simplify the pricing process, Oakerds recently launched anonline flooring calculator that helps homeowners, agents and investors estimate project costs before scheduling consultations. Veit created the tool to give consumers faster access to pricing information while helping real estate professionals make quicker renovation decisions during transactions.
The calculator allows users to estimate refinishing, replacement and installation costs in about one minute. Users can also submit their information directly through the platform to request follow-up consultations and verified project estimates.
With more than 15 years of experience serving metro Atlanta, Oakerds Hardwood Floor Refinishing provides homeowners, investors and real estate professionals with solutions that balance durability, functionality and long-term value. Whether uncovering original hardwoods beneath outdated carpet or helping clients select the best materials for their homes, the company combines hands-on craftsmanship with practical industry expertise to support confident investment decisions. To learn more about Oakerds Hardwood Floor Refinishing, visit https://Oakerds.com/.
About Oakerds Hardwood Floor Refinishing Based in Marietta, Georgia, Oakerds Hardwood Floor Refinishing specializes in hardwood floor refinishing, hardwood installation, luxury vinyl plank, tile and carpet services throughout metro Atlanta. The company works with homeowners, Realtors and investors on projects ranging from historic home restorations to modern renovations, delivering tailored recommendations backed by extensive industry experience and attention to detail.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts
The post Hardwood vs. LVP: What Atlanta Homeowners Should Know Before Replacing Their Floors appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
The Atlanta Beltline continues its steady progression toward full completion of its 22-mile corridor, with major milestones approaching for trail development, long-term housing and transit objectives.
Dennis Richards, vice president of housing policy and development with the Atlanta Beltline, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Atlanta Beltline’s current status, housing strategy and future priorities.
Atlanta Beltline Nears Major Completion Milestones Ahead of 2030 Target The Atlanta Beltline is on track to reach approximately 85% completion by June 2026, with full buildout targeted for 2030.
Described as one of the nation’s most significant redevelopment efforts, the project continues to transform former rail corridors into a connected 22-mile trail system with future transit capacity.
“It’s a large-scale urban redevelopment project. It’s one of the largest in the nation,” Richards said. “It’s an economic development engine for the city of Atlanta that’s transforming 22 miles of abandoned railroad corridor into a multi-use trail system.”
The initiative also reconnects 45 Atlanta neighborhoods that were historically divided by transportation infrastructure, restoring connectivity across the city’s core.
Housing Strategy Focused on Production, Preservation & Land Acquisition Housing policy along the Atlanta Beltline is driven by a combination of strategic land acquisition, development partnerships and affordability requirements embedded into new projects.
The organization has acquired more than 90 acres of land adjacent to the corridor, creating opportunities to guide future development and support mission-aligned housing projects.
A key focus remains on ensuring that growth includes both affordability and community-serving commercial space, particularly for small, local businesses.
Developers working within the Atlanta Beltline tax allocation district are also encouraged and incentivized to incorporate affordability into project design, helping to bridge financing gaps while advancing housing goals.
More Than 7,000 Affordable Units Created or Preserved Affordable housing outcomes remain one of the most closely tracked indicators of the Atlanta Beltline’s progress.
More than 4,400 units have been created or preserved within the tax allocation district, with an additional 2,600 units located in surrounding Atlanta Beltline communities—bringing the total to more than 7,000 affordable units in the broader area.
The long-term mandate calls for at least 5,600 affordable housing units within the TAD by 2030, with additional pipeline development expected to accelerate progress over the next several years.
Progress is tracking ahead of expectations, with approximately 88% of the goal expected to be reached by year-end based on current pipeline activity.
Inclusionary Zoning & Incentives Support Affordability Goals Policy tools such as inclusionary zoning and targeted development incentives have played a central role in advancing affordability along the corridor.
The inclusionary zoning ordinance, launched in 2018, has helped produce nearly 950 affordable housing units within the Atlanta Beltline TAD and an additional 250 units just outside its boundaries.
Developers receive incentives to offset financing gaps in exchange for incorporating affordable housing and, in some cases, affordable commercial space within their projects.
The approach is designed to balance private investment with long-term affordability and community stability.
Economic Impact & Regional Growth Continue to Shape Demand The Atlanta Beltline’s economic impact has exceeded early expectations. Originally projected at a 10:1 return on investment, the project has now reached approximately a 14:1 return.
At the same time, regional growth continues to place pressure on Atlanta’s housing market. The Atlanta Regional Commission projects nearly 2 million additional residents by 2050, reinforcing demand for housing in intown neighborhoods and along transit-connected corridors.
These dynamics continue to elevate the Atlanta Beltline’s role as both a housing catalyst and a long-term infrastructure investment.
Legacy Resident Program Supports Long-Term Housing Stability The Legacy Resident Retention Program, administered through the Atlanta Beltline Partnership, is designed to help long-term residents remain in place as property values rise.
The program offsets property tax increases for qualifying homeowners in designated neighborhoods. Eligibility generally includes residents who have lived in their homes since March 2017 and meet income thresholds at or below 100% of area median income.
“It will fix essentially the amount of property taxes that a resident pays, and it’ll pay the difference,” Richards said, describing how the program helps reduce displacement pressure.
Trail Expansion & Transit Planning Define Next Phase of Growth Recent progress includes the opening of Southside Trail segments four and five, marking another step toward a fully connected corridor.
The expansion enables continuous movement across key Atlanta destinations, linking areas from the northwest corridor through Southside neighborhoods and onward toward Piedmont Park and theAtlanta Botanical Garden.
Future phases will continue extending connectivity, with additional trail segments scheduled for completion.
An Atlanta Beltline transit study is also underway to evaluate long-term mobility options, with ongoing community engagement expected as planning evolves.
Looking Ahead to 2030: Full Buildout and Integrated Mobility By 2030, the Atlanta Beltline is expected to reach full trail completion while continuing to expand housing production and advance transit planning.
The long-term vision includes a fully connected corridor supporting multimodal transportation, increased housing density and continued equitable development across Atlanta neighborhoods.
Through strategic land acquisition, policy-driven affordability tools and coordinated partnerships with public and private stakeholders, the Atlanta Beltline is working to align long-term housing production with sustained community growth across Atlanta’s core. To learn more about the Atlanta Beltline and its ongoing initiatives, visit www.beltline.org.
About the Atlanta Beltline The Atlanta Beltline is a 22-mile urban redevelopment initiative transforming former railway corridors into a connected system of multi-use trails, parks and future transit infrastructure. The project is designed to improve mobility, expand housing opportunities and support equitable economic development across Atlanta.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Atlanta Beltline Targets 2030 Completion While Expanding Affordable Housing Impact appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Homeowners association (HOA) management is playing a larger role in new community development across metro Atlanta than many homebuyers realize. As builders navigate affordability challenges, rising operating costs and shifting buyer expectations, early HOA planning has become increasingly important for protecting long-term community value and financial stability.
Lisa Simmons, chairperson of Beacon Management Services and Tasha Fulk, vice president of the Declarant Services Division, join Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the evolving role of HOA management, current housing market trends and how proactive planning helps communities operate more efficiently from startup through turnover.
“We’re celebrating our 15th year in business, and we’ve grown from a very small company to one of the largest in Georgia,” Simmons said. “We manage over $15 billion in real estate assets throughout Georgia, and we’re the fifth-largest community association management company in Georgia.”
Beacon’s portfolio spans a wide variety of community types, including master-planned communities, mixed-use developments, golf course communities and marina properties, along with a growing new-home construction division.
Metro Atlanta Housing Market Stabilizes as Affordability Shapes Demand The metro Atlanta housing market is currently defined by stability, steady demand and a more cautious, price-sensitive buyer pool. Increased inventory has also created a more balanced environment for builders and developers.
Builders are responding with a more disciplined approach by adjusting incentives, managing supply and refining product offerings to better align with affordability challenges and buyer demand.
Affordability Drives Suburban Expansion & Townhome Growth Affordability is reshaping where and how communities are being built across metro Atlanta. Development continues moving farther into suburban and exurban markets as buyers seek more space and value.
That shift is also fueling demand for townhomes, allowing builders to maximize density while still offering desirable square footage at a more attainable price point. At the same time, the continued popularity of live-work-play communities is influencing development patterns and design trends.
“Live-work-play is here and popular,” Fulk said. “People like that connectivity. They like being able to meet up with their neighbors down at a local coffee shop or see entertainment and then walk back home.”
Why HOA Management Is Becoming Critical in Early Development HOA oversight during development helps establish a strong operational foundation while reducing the risk of financial gaps, service disruptions and homeowner dissatisfaction later in a community’s lifecycle.
A major part of that early involvement is education, particularly for buyers who may be unfamiliar with how HOAs function or what responsibilities come with living in a managed community.
“We do not make the rules,” Simmons said. “The Board of Directors always sets policy for their respective association based on the governing documents.”
Budgeting, Technology & Long-Term Stability in New Communities Early planning and budgeting are central to long-term financial stability in new communities. Beacon works with a range of national, regional and private builders across metro Atlanta, helping maintain consistency in community operations and communication during the early phases of development.
“We assist with a six-year proposed budget so that when it does turn over, the community is in a good financial state,” Fulk said.
Rising costs, including insurance, labor and maintenance, are also putting pressure on HOA budgets and increasing the need for realistic financial planning. Technology continues to play a larger role in improving efficiency and communication by centralizing operations and giving homeowners real-time access to important community information.
Protecting Builder Reputation Through Consistent Community Management
“When homeowners associate the builder with quality organization and a positive experience, that is where long-term brand protection happens,” Simmons said.
Beacon works with a wide range of national, regional and private builders across metro Atlanta, supporting consistency in community operations and communication during the early phases of development.
HOA Management Is Now a Core Development Strategy HOA management is no longer an afterthought in community development. It has become a strategic partner in planning, budgeting, communication and long-term community success.
As rising costs and evolving buyer expectations continue to reshape the housing market, early HOA involvement is becoming increasingly important for building financially stable, well-managed communities across metro Atlanta.
Through early collaboration with builders, proactive budgeting and ongoing homeowner support, Beacon helps communities establish a stronger foundation for long-term stability and success. To learn more about Beacon Management Services, visit www.BeaconManagementServices.com.
About Beacon Management Services Beacon Management Services is a leading Georgia property management company that offers comprehensive solutions to over 400 community associations, condominiums, commercial and mixed-use properties. With offices in Atlanta, Athens and Huntsville, Beacon also serves numerous homebuilders and developers throughout the southeastern United States. Professional, personalized service coupled with the extensive resources of a proven leader; make Beacon the first choice for real estate management. To learn more about Beacon Management Services, visit www.BeaconManagementServices.com or call (404) 308-3188.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post How HOA Management Is Shaping New Home Communities Across Georgia appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Luxury homebuyers in metro Atlanta are shifting their priorities. Square footage and prestige addresses are no longer the primary drivers. Instead, buyers are focusing on livability, location and long-term functionality. Drew Clough, chief operating officer of Waterford Homes, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss why that shift is reshaping the high-end custom home market and how Waterford Homes is differentiating through communication, consistency and disciplined project management in today’s competitive luxury homebuilding environment.
Elevated Luxury Defined by Process, Not Just Product Waterford Homes has established itself in Atlanta’s luxury custom home market by prioritizing the systems behind a successful build rather than relying on a signature architectural style. The builder’s competitive advantage comes from consistency, communication and disciplined execution at every stage of construction.
Buyers are not only evaluating finishes and floor plans; they are also evaluating how a builder manages the full construction experience, including timelines, trade partners and expectations throughout the process. Those relationships also play a central role in how the company maintains quality and accountability across multiple high-end custom homes at once.
High-Demand Atlanta Neighborhoods Waterford Homes continues to work across some of Atlanta’s most established luxury submarkets, where demand is shaped as much by lifestyle priorities as by location alone. Each neighborhood attracts a different type of luxury buyer, but all share one common thread: limited supply in highly desirable settings.
Chastain Park remains one of Atlanta’s most consistently sought-after neighborhoods. Its combination of park access, larger lot sizes and convenient proximity to Buckhead and the airport drives long-term demand. Buyers continue to prioritize the balance between in-town convenience and residential privacy, keeping the area competitive even amid shifting market conditions.
Milton offers a very different version of luxury living. Instead of intown walkability, it emphasizes scale, privacy and estate-style properties with strong suburban infrastructure. Clough compares the area’s feel to Greenwich, Connecticut, noting its large estates, equestrian influence and established suburban amenities that appeal to buyers seeking space without sacrificing access to Alpharetta and surrounding commercial centers.
Virginia-Highland continues to attract buyers who prioritize character and walkability over lot size. The neighborhood blends historic homes with newer luxury infill projects, creating a unique mix of architectural styles near Piedmont Park, Midtown and the Atlanta Beltline. This combination of charm and urban access keeps demand steady, particularly among buyers who want a more connected, in-town lifestyle.
Rosemary: A Boutique Community Designed Around Lifestyle One of Waterford Homes’ most anticipated projects is Rosemary, a nine-home enclave in Milton near downtown Crabapple and Alpharetta.
Clough said, “Rosemary is going to be the most incredible community that we’ve ever developed.”
The neighborhood will feature one-acre-plus homesites and high-end custom residences designed for modern luxury living, including four-car garages, main-level primary suites and expansive outdoor spaces.
But beyond design, the area has something increasingly rare in suburban Atlanta: walkability.
Clough said, “You’re literally right there where you can walk downtown and find lots of restaurants and things to do [in Crabapple].”
Build-on-Your-Lot Growth & the Importance of Starting With the Right Team Build-on-your-lot construction continues to gain traction across metro Atlanta, especially in teardown-heavy intown neighborhoods and high-demand suburban areas. As available land becomes more limited in established luxury markets, more homeowners are choosing to purchase existing lots and design custom homes around them.
That trend is also exposing a common misstep in the early stages of the process. Clough notes that many homeowners begin with architectural design before fully understanding what their site can realistically support.
Clough said, “They should consult with a custom home builder first, not an architect.”
That sequencing matters because site-specific factors often shape what is possible long before design details come into play. Lot conditions, grading, tree preservation requirements, setbacks and municipal permitting rules can all significantly influence both design feasibility and overall budget.
What Defines Luxury at the $3 Million Price Point Today At the $3 million price point and above, luxury homebuyers in metro Atlanta are prioritizing how a home functions in daily life just as much as how it looks on day one.
Builders are responding by investing in both visible and structural elements of the home. High-end finishes, custom cabinetry and detailed millwork remain important, but buyers are also placing greater value on what happens behind the walls. That includes insulation, soundproofing, upgraded framing and other structural enhancements that improve comfort and long-term performance.
Outdoor living continues to play a central role in luxury design, especially as homeowners increasingly use their properties as full-time retreats rather than occasional residences. Covered living areas, outdoor kitchens, fireplaces and integrated pools now function as extensions of the interior space rather than secondary amenities.
Clough also highlights a growing demand for flexibility in home design, particularly as more buyers plan for multigenerational living or long-term household adaptability.
A More Selective Luxury Buyer As inventory in prime locations tightens, the distinction between a strong site and a compromised one has become more pronounced in buyer decision-making.
Clough said, “I’ve seen some incredible homes on B-minus lots having difficulty selling.”
By contrast, homes on well-located, premium lots continue to outperform the broader market. These properties often generate stronger interest early in the listing process and, in many cases, attract multiple offers when priced appropriately.
Clough said, “My goal is for us to be the top luxury homebuilding company in Atlanta.”
By focusing on communication, consistency and disciplined execution, Waterford Homes treats luxury homebuilding as both a technical process and a client experience. In Atlanta’s evolving luxury market, that process-driven approach continues to shape how buyers evaluate both builders and communities. To learn more about Waterford Homes, visit WaterfordHomes.com.
About Waterford Homes Waterford Homes is an Atlanta-based luxury custom home builder with more than 34 years of experience designing and building high-end residences across metro Atlanta and Lake Oconee. Since 1991, the company has built a reputation for combining timeless architecture, premium materials and white-glove service with a process-driven approach to construction. Known for its disciplined project management, transparent execution and long-standing trade relationships, Waterford Homes focuses on delivering luxury homes that balance craftsmanship, livability and long-term performance.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Waterford Homes: What Today’s Luxury Homebuyers Want in Metro Atlanta appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
What if your home is holding you back instead of moving you forward? For many homeowners, spaces are designed for who they were, not who they are becoming.
Vera Blouin, founder of BLOU INK, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum to explain how intentional home design rooted in spatial psychology and identity-based design can reshape not only a space but also daily habits, mindset and personal growth. Blouin challenges traditional design norms and offers a more strategic, human-centered approach to creating environments that evolve alongside the people who live in them.
What Is “Spatial Dissonance” and Why Does It Matter? Blouin introduces the concept of “spatial dissonance,” a feeling many homeowners experience but struggle to define.
“Spatial dissonance is the in-between space of who you were and who you’re becoming, and it’s actually a powerful place to be,” Blouin said.
Rather than signaling a need to start over or to hold on to the past, this moment reflects personal evolution. The issue is not the belongings themselves but the mismatch between a person’s current identity and their environment.
“Your home is still holding on to a different season of life,” Blouin said.
Identity-Based Design: Moving Beyond Aesthetics BLOU INK challenges conventional home design by shifting the focus away from finishes, furniture and visual trends. Design begins with a foundational question: who the homeowner is today, and who they are becoming next?
Through identity-based design, Blouin aligns physical environments with personal evolution, transforming a home from a static backdrop into an active system that can either reinforce old habits or support new ones. This approach moves design beyond aesthetics and into behavioral and psychological territory.
“When I walk into a client’s home, I’m not asking, ‘What’s your design style?’ I can figure that out,” Blouin said. “What I’m really looking for is who are you becoming, and is your environment currently supporting that?”
Blouin designs with daily life in mind, including how people move through rooms, start and end their days and experience focus, rest and intention. In this framework, design focuses less on visual harmony and more on functional alignment between environment and identity.
How Spatial Psychology Shapes Daily Life Blouin’s work is grounded in spatial psychology, the study of how physical environments influence human behavior. Even small design choices can affect productivity and stress levels. For example, a desk facing a wall with no natural light can create mental blocks, while repositioning it toward a window can improve clarity and focus.
The Hidden Impact of Clutter and Layout
“Clutter isn’t physical… it’s a signal of what’s going on mentally,” said Blouin.
What homeowners often label as “mess” is actually a visible expression of cognitive overload. When a space feels disorganized, it often reflects how information, stress and priorities are processed internally.
Layout plays an equally important role in shaping daily experience. Furniture placement, traffic flow and spatial barriers all influence how easily someone moves through their home and completes routine tasks. Even small disruptions can introduce friction that accumulates over time, subtly affecting focus and energy.
In this framework, organization focuses less on visual tidiness and more on removing obstacles that interfere with how people live. Blouin describes this process as eliminating unnecessary “blocks” in the environment that slow down momentum and reduce clarity.
“Reincarnating” a Room: Letting Go to Move Forward In her book, The Reincarnated Room, Blouin expands on the idea of design as a tool for personal transformation. She compares the process to a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly and emphasizes the importance of embracing discomfort and uncertainty.
“It isn’t about making it prettier. It’s about allowing it to become something entirely new,” Blouin said.
Designing for Life Transitions Career changes, growing families, relocations, empty nesting or lifestyle shifts often surface the same realization: the home no longer functions the way life now demands.
When identity shifts, the environment must also shift to remain supportive. Without that adjustment, homes can begin to feel misaligned, still organized around routines, priorities and emotional needs that no longer exist. Homeowners can use this transition as a diagnostic moment to decide what happens next.
Instead of rushing to fix a space during moments of change, homeowners gain clarity by allowing the home to reveal what needs to evolve. Over time, this leads to environments that not only accommodate life transitions but actively support them.
“Home shouldn’t just hold your life, it should move you forward,” Blouin said.
By integrating spatial psychology and identity-based design, BLOU INK helps homeowners and industry professionals rethink how spaces shape behavior, mindset and daily life. The firm’s approach reframes home design as a tool for personal growth and long-term alignment. To learn more about BLOU INK, visit https://BLOUINK.com/. Blouin’s book, The Reincarnated Room, is available on the website and Amazon.
About BLOU INK BLOU INK is a design strategy firm founded by Vera Blouin that specializes in spatial psychology and identity-based design for residential environments. The firm works with homeowners and industry professionals to create intentional, behavior-driven spaces that improve daily function and support evolving lifestyles. BLOU INK currently serves clients in Atlanta, Miami and Dallas.
Podcast Thanks Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post BLOU INK: How Spatial Psychology Is Transforming Home Design appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Lori Lane, founder and president ofLLANE & Co., is taking a hands-on, strategy-first approach to new home sales with the launch of her boutique brokerage focused exclusively on new construction.
Lane joins host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss her new venture, decades of industry experience and why builders need more than fragmented marketing and sales support to succeed in today’s market.
“I spent my career in new construction, so working closely with builders and developers to bring communities to market and, of course, drive their sales,” Lane said. “Over time, I’ve had the opportunity to lead and grow a large-scale operation, and through that, I really started to see where the gaps were.”
A New Chapter Built on More Than 20 Years of Industry ExperienceAfter more than two decades in the industry, launching LLANE & Co. represents a natural evolution of Lane’s work with builders and developers.
“What I saw over and over again was disconnect—marketing doing one thing, sales doing another thing, pricing not quite aligned and the builder is trying to connect it all,” Lane said.
That gap became the foundation for LLANE & Co., built to align sales, marketing and strategy under one integrated model. After years of leading large-scale operations, Lane recognized an opportunity to create a more intentional, focused approach that drives stronger results for clients.
Closing the Gap between Marketing, Sales & PricingAt the core of LLANE & Co. is the flexible The LANES model, designed to meet builders where they are—from full sales execution to marketing strategy and community repositioning. Today’s market requires a more strategic, aligned approach as buyers become more informed, selective and actively compare multiple communities. Without clear differentiation and consistent messaging across marketing, pricing and sales, builders risk losing visibility and momentum.
Why Emotional Connection Still Drives Homebuying Decisions While strategy and data matter, real estate remains an emotional business—especially in new home sales.
“The storytelling is the most underestimated part of the process,” she said. “People think buyers are making logical decisions, but they’re not. They’re making emotional decisions and then they justify them logically.”
Model homes remain one of the most powerful tools for creating that emotional response.
“It needs to tell a story. It must create that emotional connection,” Lane said. “They [buyers] should immediately feel something.”
AI in Real Estate: A Powerful Tool, Not a Replacement for PeopleArtificial intelligence is reshaping how builders approach efficiency, targeting and follow-up, helping teams identify and connect with the right buyers earlier in the process. While the technology offers clear advantages, it should enhance—not replace—the human connection at the center of every transaction.
“It certainly isn’t going to replace the relationship,” Lane said. “This is a relationship business.”
The Biggest Opportunities Lie in Follow-up Speed & Alignment Builders can improve sales performance quickly by focusing on two critical areas: speed and consistency in follow-up, and alignment across pricing, product and messaging. Stronger response times and a more cohesive strategy reduce confusion in the buyer journey and increase the likelihood of conversion. When these elements fall out of sync, buyers struggle to connect with the value proposition, leading to frustration, doubt and missed opportunities.
Helping Builders Sell More HomesLLANE & Co. differentiates itself from traditional brokerage models by focusing on sales outcomes rather than marketing activity.
“We’re focused on results, not just activity,” Lane said.
With deep experience in new construction, the team steps in without a learning curve and supports every stage of the process, from land analysis and positioning to pricing, marketing and sales execution. This integrated, partnership-driven approach helps builders align strategy and sell more homes.
“It’s not about us or them,” Lane said. “We have the same passion for it, and we feel like we’ve got skin in the game.”
By aligning sales, marketing and strategy, LLANE & Co. helps builders position, launch and sell new home communities in today’s evolving market. To learn more about LLANE & Co. and its full suite of services, visithttps://LLaneCo.com/.
About LLANE & Co.
LLANE & Co is a boutique, licensed real estate brokerage specializing in new construction sales, strategic marketing, digital demand generation, social media, public relations and residential resale. Built on its proprietary The LANES model, the firm delivers disciplined execution, brand safeguarding, and measurable outcomes for builders, developers and select real estate professionals throughout Georgia.
Podcast Thanks
Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored onFeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post LLANE & Co.: A Results-Focused Approach to New Home Sales appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
What does 55+ living look like today? The profile of the 55+ homebuyer has shifted significantly in recent years. No longer defined by slowing down, today’s buyers are more active, connected and intentional in how they live.
Jaime Godwin, director of marketing at Kolter Homes, joins Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how Kolter’s Cresswind brand is reshaping 55+ communities with a focus on lifestyle, connection and accessible home design.
Today’s 55+ Buyer Is Tech-Savvy and Lifestyle-Driven
“Tech-savvy and health-conscious…those two things stand out the most,” Godwin said. “Five or 10 years ago, the focus was on slowing down and relaxing during retirement. Now, there’s a complete shift.”
Many buyers are still working—either remotely or in consulting roles—and prioritize high-speed connectivity, dedicated workspaces and wellness-focused amenities. Staying connected to family, friends and professional networks remains essential.
Lifestyle Programming Drives Buying DecisionsWhile home design still matters, it is no longer the primary factor in many buyers’ decisions.
“The home is the ‘where,’ but the lifestyle is the ‘why,’” Godwin said.
Buyers may fall in love with a floor plan, but the community’s social environment, amenities and programming ultimately influence their decisions. Fitness classes, clubs, concerts and events create a built-in lifestyle that extends far beyond the home.
Breaking the “Retirement Community” StereotypeDespite how far 55+ communities have evolved, outdated perceptions still linger among some buyers. One of the most common misconceptions is that these neighborhoods are quiet, low-energy environments where residents are largely disengaged from active lifestyles.
Residents are often more active than before, with access to on-site amenities, social events and clubs that eliminate the need to travel for entertainment or connection. Everything is designed to be convenient and accessible within the community.
Buyers Are Moving Earlier Than EverAnother notable trend is the rise of “pre-retirees.” These buyers often move in before fully retiring.
“They start researching around 50…making the decision around 55 to 60,” Godwin said.
Rather than waiting for retirement, these buyers establish their lifestyle early while continuing to work, allowing them to build relationships and settle into their communities sooner.
“Right-Sizing” Replaces DownsizingToday’s buyers are not necessarily looking to downsize—they are looking to “right-size.”
Popular features include:
- Bonus rooms for guests or gatherings
- Expanded outdoor living spaces
- Open-concept layouts that connect indoor and outdoor areas
- Large, functional kitchens with walk-in pantries
These elements prioritize flexibility, functionality and entertaining and reflect how buyers want to live day to day.
Cresswind’s “Set Yourself Free” LifestyleKolter Homes brings its lifestyle philosophy to life through its Cresswind communities, built around the “Set Yourself Free” approach: fitness, relationships, education and entertainment. Residents benefit from a full-time lifestyle director who curates events and programming. This intentional programming helps transform neighbors into friends and fosters a strong sense of community.
“All our residents have to do is show up and enjoy,” Godwin said. “They don’t have to put effort into facilitating the lifestyle.”
Standout Communities in Metro AtlantaKolter Homes continues to see strong demand across its metro Atlanta communities.
Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes
Located in Hoschton, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes has established itself as one of the top-selling 55+ communities in metro Atlanta for multiple years, driven by large-scale planning, natural setting and amenity-rich design.
The community’s appeal begins with its unique environment, featuring private lakes that create a strong sense of arrival and distinguish it from traditional residential developments. This natural backdrop helps shape the overall lifestyle experience and reinforces a connection to outdoor living and recreation.
Beyond its setting, the community is defined by its unique amenities and programming. Residents have access to a two-story clubhouse on the water, along with indoor and outdoor resort-style pools that support year-round activity. Fitness and recreation are further enhanced by an extensive network of pickleball courts and gathering spaces designed to encourage social engagement.
Cresswind at Spring Haven
In Newnan, Cresswind at Spring Haven continues to gain momentum as it introduces a new phase of homesites that expands both the community’s options and its lifestyle offerings. The latest release includes scenic homesites with water views, enhanced privacy and natural surroundings that emphasize a quieter, more picturesque residential setting.
This phase is designed to appeal to buyers seeking a stronger connection to nature while still maintaining access to the full range of community amenities and programming that defines the Cresswind brand. A key milestone in the community’s continued growth is the upcoming opening of Club Cresswind, which will serve as a central hub for resident events and activities.
From thoughtfully designed homes to robust programming and amenities, today’s 55+ communities are redefining what it means to live well in the next chapter of life. To learn more about Kolter Homes’ award-winning Cresswind communities, visit https://www.kolterhomes.com/55-plus/.
About Kolter HomesKolter Homes LLC, (together with its affiliates, “Kolter Homes”), is focused on the development, construction, and sale of 500 to 1,500 for-sale single-family units, often as Cresswind branded, age-restricted, amenity-rich master-planned communities, with additional focus on smaller traditional and age-targeted add-on communities of 100 to 500 homes.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Kolter Homes Redefines 55+ Living With Lifestyle-First Communities appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
The Toll Brothers Design Studio is transforming the homebuying journey with a personalized, guided approach to home design. Through curated selections, expert insight and innovative technology, clients can move through the process with clarity and confidence. In this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Design Studio Manager Angelique Foster joins Host Carol Morgan to discuss how Toll Brothers simplifies the design studio experience while helping buyers create timeless, high-quality homes.
What Happens in a Home Design Studio After You Sign a ContractAfter signing a contract, homeowners enter a carefully structured, multi-step journey guided by experienced design professionals. Early in the process, designers reach out to learn each client’s preferences, lifestyle needs and wish lists, setting the stage for personalized in-person appointments. Selections are made in thoughtful phases, rather than all at once, making the experience both manageable and enjoyable for homebuyers. Foster emphasizes that true luxury in home design is defined not by excess, but by quality, thoughtful curation and a seamless, engaging experience.
Foster said, “We have a lot of options, but they are curated to make sure it doesn’t feel overwhelming.”
How Design Technology Helps Homebuyers Visualize Their SelectionsTechnology plays an increasingly important role in the home design process. Toll Brothers offers a visualizer tool that allows buyers to explore design combinations before visiting the studio. From cabinets and countertops to flooring and plumbing fixtures, buyers can select what they like and apply those items to a home scene. This tool helps narrow choices, reduce design fatigue and give buyers confidence before finalizing selections in person with physical samples.
How to Design a Home for Long-Term Value & ResaleA well-designed home is not only beautiful—it also holds its value over time. By guiding buyers toward enduring styles rather than short-lived trends, the Toll Brothers Design Studio helps homeowners avoid choices that may quickly feel dated.
Foster said, “When you design a good home and the foundation is classic and timeless, that translates into long-term value.”
Top Luxury Home Design Trends for 2026Today’s home design trends reflect a shift toward warmth and comfort. Natural wood finishes, balanced midtone hardwood flooring and integrated smart home technology are gaining traction, creating spaces that feel modern yet timeless.
Foster said, “We’re getting more of that warm tone instead of the cools.”
Why the Design Studio Experience Matters in Atlanta’s Housing MarketIn a competitive market like Atlanta, the design studio experience is a major differentiator for builders. Toll Brothers stands out for its structured process, expert team and personalized approach. For homebuyers and the agents guiding them, this level of support adds confidence and value throughout the building journey.
The Future of Luxury Home Design: Personalization & Smart TechnologyLooking ahead, Foster anticipates that luxury home design will continue to center on personalization, with technology playing an even larger role. As innovation advances, tools like design visualizers and home automation will further enhance the ability to create highly customized, future-ready homes.
To learn more about the Toll Brothers Design Studio process and explore available communities, visit TollBrothers.com or connect with a local sales team.
About Toll BrothersToll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is a leading builder of luxury homes. Founded in 1967 and publicly traded since 1986 on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL,” the company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, second-home buyers and urban and suburban renters in over 60 markets across 24 states.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Inside Toll Brothers’ Personalized Design Studio Experience appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Quinn Residences is a leading build-to-rent homebuilder offering professionally managed single-family rental communities designed for flexibility, convenience and low-maintenance living. For renters, relocating professionals and buyers priced out of today’s housing market, Quinn Residences provides an alternative to homeownership with modern homes, private amenities and long-term lease options. In this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, CEO Richard Ross joins Host Carol Morgan on the podcast to discuss how Quinn’s resident-first approach is reshaping rental housing across the Southeast. From first-time homebuyers navigating rising costs to empty nesters seeking low-maintenance, lock-and-leave options, dedicated rental communities are reshaping what it means to call a place “home.”
Housing Trends in 2026: Balancing Demand and CostsThe 2026 housing market continues to face strong demand amid rising costs. Mortgage rates fluctuate, and inflation affects property taxes, insurance and maintenance, making both homeownership and renting more expensive.
Millennials remain a central force in the market, especially first-time homebuyers. Many delay homeownership due to affordability challenges or financial priorities, while others continue living with family or in shared households. This trend drives increased interest in rental housing as a cost-effective, flexible alternative.
“The average age of today’s homebuyer is 40 to 41 years old,” said Ross. “10 years ago, it was probably early 30s.”
Dedicated Rental Communities: Meeting Modern Renters’ NeedsDedicated rental communities (DRCs) are fully designed for rental living. Communities often include hundreds of homes with private entrances and community-focused amenities. Renting in these communities can cost 40% to 60% less per month than owning the same home next door, appealing to both millennials and empty nesters.
Common amenities include dog parks, playgrounds, walking trails, pools and clubhouses. Larger communities add fitness centers, co-working spaces and resort-style gathering areas, offering residents a lifestyle-focused alternative to traditional renting.
How AI & Technology Transform the Renter ExperienceTechnology is streamlining the rental experience, making it faster and more convenient. Artificial intelligence (AI) allows prospective residents to lease a home in hours, without in-person visits.
Ross said, “You can be two o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, and you can have a lease signed in a couple of hours, all without a human having to touch it.”
Maintenance requests also benefit from AI, which schedules service calls efficiently and guides residents through minor repairs with step-by-step instructions or videos. These innovations enhance resident satisfaction while increasing operational efficiency.
Challenges Ahead: Legislation, Supply & Rising CostsHousing supply remains constrained, with a national shortage of roughly five million homes. Pending legislation could further limit new construction, increasing costs and reducing choice.
“If legislation gets passed as is, you’re going to see fewer homes built, which means they’re going to get more expensive and there’ll be less choice,” Ross cautioned.
Construction costs may rise further due to global events affecting material prices, while local zoning and regulatory hurdles add time and expense to development. Delivering a new community from land acquisition to move-in can take around 30 months, not including entitlement and pre-development work.
How Quinn Residences Balances Sustainability & InnovationQuinn Residences puts residents first, combining modern convenience with eco-friendly design. Many communities feature solar panels that can cut energy bills by up to 20% and EV-ready garages for alternative-fueled vehicles. Homes include smart technology such as programmable thermostats, leak detection and security cameras, making daily life easier and maintenance-free.
Unique amenities foster community and character. Educational beehives teach kids about pollinators while producing honey for residents. Shared spaces such as pools, dog parks and walking trails encourage connection among neighbors.
Want a closer look at how data-driven design and resident-focused amenities are shaping the next generation of rental communities? Listen to the full episode and visit www.Live-Quinn.com to learn more.
About Quinn ResidencesQuinn Residences is a leading real estate operating company focused on developing and operating new, well-located, highly-amenitized dedicated rental communities throughout the Southeastern United States. Founded in 2020 and based in Atlanta, Georgia, the company currently comprises a portfolio of over 5,200 homes across 35 communities. Through sustainable development practices, Quinn Residences focuses on creating great neighborhoods and designing homes for modern living. Their communities offer a wide range of amenities and services that make it easy for residents to enjoy life to the fullest while allowing more time for living. For the latest property updates, visit https://live-quinn.com/.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Quinn Residences: Resident-First Living appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Spring in Georgia brings warmer weather, longer days and a renewed desire to get outdoors. SeKoixa Gonzalez, public affairs coordinator, and Austin Suhr, marketing and communications manager for Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, join Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share how Georgia’s parks provide memorable experiences while supporting local communities and preserving natural resources.
Discover Hidden Gems and Accessible Outdoor ExperiencesWith 66 destinations across the state, Georgia’s park system offers outdoor recreation, educational programs and overnight accommodations for visitors of all ages. Gonzalez highlights one of the state’s lesser-known treasures: Seminole State Park. Located in southwest Georgia near the Florida and Alabama borders, the park features kayaking, geocaching and a sandy beach. Accessible cabins, picnic shelters and fishing docks ensure that all visitors can enjoy the park.
A Statewide System Built for Exploration and EducationFrom mountain trails to coastal ecosystems, Georgia’s state parks provide environments for both recreation and learning.
Gonzalez said, “Whether you love hiking in the mountains, relaxing along the lakeside cabins, exploring Civil War and Revolutionary history or discovering ancient archeology sites, there’s something for everyone.”
The park system prioritizes education through ranger-led programs, interpretive hikes and historic site tours that connect visitors to Georgia’s natural and cultural heritage.
Gonzalez said, “It’s about creating meaningful connections, so that people leave not only refreshed, but informed and inspired to protect what they’ve enjoyed that day.”
Family-Friendly Programs Encourage Deeper ConnectionsDuring peak season, interactive programs engage visitors of all ages. The Junior Ranger program allows participants to explore a park or historic site, complete activity booklets and earn badges, often being sworn in by a ranger. The program appeals to both children and adults.
“Top of my list to recommend to everybody is our Junior Ranger program,” said Suhr. “It’s a way to learn a little more about which park or historic site you’re at.”
Ranger-led activities such as archery, fire-building and guided hikes complement themed “Park Clubs” focused on paddling, mountain biking, hiking and even exploring trails with pets.
Overnight Options Go Beyond Traditional CampingCampsites remain central to the park experience, but Georgia’s parks offer a variety of overnight accommodations. Visitors can reserve RV sites with upgraded hookups, try yurts for a “glamping” experience or stay in cottages for family outings.
Suhr said, “We also have some great cottages around the state, and those come in a bunch of different shapes and sizes.”
Spring and summer are the busiest seasons, so early booking is recommended. Georgia residents can reserve accommodations up to 14 months in advance, gaining an extra edge for popular holidays and weekends.
Parks Play a Key Role in Georgia’s Growth and EconomyAs metro areas expand, access to green space shapes community development, with parks and trails becoming important anchors for surrounding neighborhoods.
State parks also drive economic growth, supporting tourism, small businesses and job creation. Preservation protects these benefits for generations. The impact of Hurricane Helene at General Coffee State Park illustrates this: significant tree loss led to reduced visitation, affecting both the park and the local economy.
Expanding Access to the Outdoors for AllGeorgia State Parks and Historic Sites continues to expand accessibility and inclusion through initiatives such as the Outdoors Beyond Barriers program. All-terrain track chairs, colorblind glasses and adaptive equipment open outdoor experiences to more visitors.
Suhr said, “We’re working across the entire Department of Natural Resources to make the outdoors more accessible for more Georgians.”
Don’t miss the full episode for insider tips on exploring Georgia’s parks, from hidden gems to family-friendly programs and accessible outdoor experiences. Plan your next adventure and learn more about upcoming events at GeorgiaStateParks.org.
About Georgia State Parks & Historic SitesGeorgia State Parks and Historic Sites manages 66 destinations across the state, protecting Georgia’s natural landscapes, historic landmarks and cultural heritage. The system provides opportunities for outdoor recreation and educational programs, connecting residents and visitors to the state’s diverse ecosystems and history.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Georgia State Parks: Accessible Adventures for All appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Zoning debates across metro Atlanta are becoming more complex as communities wrestle with growth, housing affordability and neighborhood opposition. Developers navigating today’s approval process must balance strong housing demand with increased public scrutiny and evolving local policies. Michèle L. Battle, president of Battle Law, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss how zoning approvals and community expectations are reshaping development across Georgia.
Georgia’s Zoning Landscape Is Becoming More ComplexOver the past 20 years, zoning approvals in metro Atlanta have become more challenging. Rapid population growth across the region contributes to increased housing demand and intensifies scrutiny of new projects.
“When I first got into zoning law, it was really a period of growth that was happening in the metro Atlanta area,” said Battle. “But communities and government officials have become more and more sophisticated in how they are approaching zoning-related matters.”
Many jurisdictions now rely on detailed, comprehensive plans and land-use strategies to guide development, limiting flexibility once a proposal reaches the zoning stage. At the same time, residents are more engaged in the process and more willing to voice concerns about density, design and neighborhood impact.
As cities and counties refine long-term plans and respond to resident feedback, developers often encounter fewer flexible options and more extensive negotiations before receiving approval.
Community Resistance and Housing AffordabilityCommunity opposition — often referred to as “Not in My Backyard” (NIMBY) — plays a significant role in zoning hearings today. Residents frequently raise concerns about density, traffic and school capacity while still hoping to attract new retail and restaurants to their communities.
“Most of the communities don’t want housing,” said Battle. “What they want are the amenities that go with the housing.”
Retail and restaurant development typically follows population growth, but opposition to new housing can limit the density needed to support those businesses.
Affordability sits at the center of many zoning debates as construction costs continue to rise and buyers struggle to keep up with higher home prices. Many Atlanta homeowners purchased their properties decades ago at far lower prices. Today’s first-time homebuyers face a dramatically different market.
“Our children can’t buy a house because they can’t afford a $400,000 home,” said Battle. “And if we want them out of our houses, we have to figure out how to build something they can buy.”
Social Media and AI Are Influencing Zoning BattlesTechnology is accelerating the formation of public opinion around development proposals. Projects can gain attention online long before developers formally present them to planning commissions or local officials. Artificial intelligence is also beginning to appear in zoning hearings in unexpected ways.
“I’ve now been at hearings where it is very clear that people are getting up to the podium and reading straight off an AI script,” said Battle. “They’ll ask AI what the opposition would be to this project and then read two or three pages of information.”
While technology has increased public engagement, it has also contributed to misinformation about development and housing economics.
Litigation Isn’t Always the Best PathZoning disputes sometimes lead to lawsuits, but most developers prefer negotiation and compromise. Court battles can delay projects for months or even years while adding significant legal costs and uncertainty.
“I pride myself on trying to win my cases so that I don’t have to send them to all the amazing litigators that I know.”
Even when developers prevail in court, the decision often sends the project back through the same local approval process that sparked the dispute. That reality reinforces the value of addressing concerns early with local officials and residents rather than relying on litigation.
Three Steps Developers Should Take Before Filing RezoningDevelopers can take several proactive steps before filing a rezoning application:
- Meet with planning departments to understand expectations and review recent cases
- Meet with the elected official representing the district to discuss development priorities
- Engage the surrounding community early in the process
Battle emphasizes that the key to a successful new development is “communication, communication and more communication” to prevent unnecessary scrutiny.
Consistency and Predictability in Zoning CodesA lack of predictability remains one of the biggest challenges developers face in the zoning process. Local governments often approve rezonings but attach numerous conditions that extend beyond existing ordinances. In some cases, those conditions even contradict the zoning code itself.
Battle said, “I should be able to come in and apply for R-3 or R-5 or whatever it is and not have to worry about you putting 15 conditions on me that go outside of what you’ve put in your zoning code.”
Greater consistency helps developers make informed investment decisions and reduce uncertainty in the entitlement process.
Addressing Tensions Around Growth and EquityBattle also pointed to ongoing tension surrounding development patterns across metro Atlanta. In some communities, residents believe they are not receiving the same level of investment or housing quality as in other areas. Many of these concerns stem from misunderstandings about development economics, construction costs and housing pricing.
Battle believes that greater transparency around how housing is financed, built and priced could help communities better understand the challenges developers face and the constraints shaping today’s housing market.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more insights on navigating Georgia’s evolving zoning landscape and the strategies developers can use to move projects forward. To learn more about Battle Law, visit https://BattleLawPC.com/.
About Battle LawBattle Law P.C. guides developers, property owners and organizations through the complex world of zoning, land use and permitting in Georgia. The firm provides hands-on support with rezoning applications, land development, variances and commercial real estate transactions, helping clients navigate approvals and avoid costly delays. With a focus on practical solutions and clear guidance, the firm combines legal expertise with strategic insight to help projects succeed.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Battle Law: The New Reality of Zoning in Georgia appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming how buyers find information online and how builders position their websites to stay visible. Greg Bray, president of Blue Tangerine, a digital agency specializing in AI-driven visibility, SEO and websites for home builders, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss how AI is reshaping search engine optimization (SEO), website content and digital marketing strategies for home builders.
As AI-powered search tools become more widely used, the way people discover information online is evolving rapidly. Builders now need website content that balances compelling storytelling with clear, structured information.
How AI Is Changing the Rules of SearchTraditional SEO strategies focused on optimizing entire webpages around specific keywords. AI-driven search tools now analyze content at a deeper level.
“We’re learning that the way AI tools are using the content on your website has moved down a layer,” Bray said. “The paragraph level or the section level on the page is where they’re looking for the data and the answers.”
This shift is affecting how brands measure online visibility, and many companies have seen website traffic decline as AI tools become more prevalent.
Why SEO Still MattersAlthough some marketers worry AI could replace traditional search engines, SEO remains essential for digital visibility. AI tools still rely on search engines, but approach queries differently. Instead of a single search, they generate a “query fan out”—multiple related searches that provide broader context and more detailed answers. Websites must contain straightforward, accessible information that AI systems can interpret and connect to buyer questions.
Structure and Clarity Matter for AI VisibilityWebsite structure is increasingly important as search evolves. AI systems prioritize clarity and organization, making well-structured content easier to interpret. Short sections, targeted headings and concise explanations help both AI tools and human readers quickly find relevant information.
“Clarity wins over clever,” Bray said. “Being very explicit about the idea and breaking those ideas up using section headers makes it easier for AI tools to interpret your content.”
Utilizing FAQs to Help AI Understand ContentFrequently asked questions (FAQs) are an effective way to structure website content for AI visibility. This format encourages clear questions and concise answers that address common buyer concerns. FAQ sections should focus on information rather than marketing language. Bray recommends making the first sentence of each answer a direct response to the question, followed by two to three sentences providing additional context.
The Role of Public Relations for Home BuildersBeyond website content, third-party signals—such as media coverage and industry mentions—are increasingly valuable for AI search systems. These external signals reinforce credibility and show that a company is active and trustworthy.
“It’s not just looking at the results from your website,” Bray said. “It’s also looking at how you show up in other places, including social media, videos and PR coverage.”
How Builders Can Start Adapting for AI SearchBuilders can start small when improving digital visibility. Pick a single page and imagine walking a buyer through it. Structure the content as clear questions and answers, so AI tools and visitors alike can quickly find the information they’re looking for.
Tune in to the full episode to discover how builders can adapt their websites for the future of online search and AI visibility. To learn more about Blue Tangerine, visit https://BlueTangerine.com/.
About Blue TangerineBlue Tangerine is a digital marketing and website development agency that works exclusively with home builders. The company’s websites are powered by BuilderBase by Blue Tangerine, a home builder website platform designed specifically for managing communities, floor plans, inventory homes and builder integrations.
Blue Tangerine specializes in SEO, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), paid search, social media, analytics and digital marketing strategy tailored to the residential construction industry, combined with high-performance websites built for lead generation.
Blue Tangerine helps home builders and new home community developers improve online visibility, generate qualified buyer leads and showcase new home communities, floor plans and available homes. Its BuilderBase-powered websites and digital marketing strategies are structured to improve discovery in search engines and AI-driven platforms such as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity, helping builders appear in AI-generated answers and modern search experiences.
The company also produces educational content, including podcasts and blogs, and hosts the Home Builder Digital Marketing Summit to support professional growth in builder marketing.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Blue Tangerine: How AI is Changing Online Visibility for Builders appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Atlanta leads the nation in canceled home purchase agreements, and the financial consequences for buyers are significant. Jeff Emalaba, founder and CEO of InvestFusion, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to explain how InvestFusion centralizes risk indicators into one platform, giving buyers a clearer understanding of whether a property aligns with their financial goals.
The Real Cost of Hidden Property Defects in Today’s Real Estate MarketEmalaba founded InvestFusion after a personal loss on a duplex purchase in North Carolina. The property appeared financially sound, and the projected cash flow worked on paper. However, after committing nonrefundable due diligence fees, earnest money, appraisal costs and inspection expenses, significant undisclosed foundation issues surfaced.
“That’s when I realized that the biggest risk in real estate is not the market,” said Emalaba. “It’s buyers going into contract blindly without realizing what is hidden beyond the surface.”
Why Atlanta Ranks Among the Top Cities for Canceled Home Purchase AgreementsAccording to a recent report from Redfin, more than 40,000 U.S. home purchase agreements were canceled in December — the highest level since 2017. That accounts for 16.3% of contracts nationwide. Atlanta’s share of that activity is particularly notable.
“Atlanta represents 22.5% of that ballpark number,” said Emalaba. “If we trickle down to Atlanta, that’s more than $900 million in the metro area alone lost annually by buyers going under contract blindly.”
These cancellations are not primarily driven by “cold feet” or fluctuating interest rates. Instead, many buyers uncover substantial issues during inspection that fundamentally alter the financial viability of the deal. In a market where buyers have more options and more leverage than in recent years, walking away has become more common.
Top Real Estate Inspection Red Flags That Cause Deals to Fall ApartOne of the key reasons contracts collapse in Atlanta’s real estate market is the discovery of major property defects during the inspection period. Here are some red flags to look for:
- Structural and foundation problems
- Roofing
- HVAC
- Plumbing and electrical failures
- Permitting and code violations
- Flooding and drainage issues
- Title or boundary disputes
- Hazardous materials such as mold, asbestos or lead-based paint.
“These are major things you don’t see in drive-bys or by MLS photos,” said Emalaba. “You only discover this after going on inspection.”
Many of these issues can cost tens of thousands of dollars to repair. When buyers realize the true scope of deferred maintenance or legal complications, the numbers often no longer make financial sense. As a result, they exit during due diligence — forfeiting time and, in some cases, money.
Appraisal Gaps, Overstated Square Footage & Data Accuracy RisksWhile appraisal gaps dominated headlines during the pandemic-era bidding wars, today’s risk profile has shifted. The issue is less about buyers offering above appraised value and more about inaccurate or incomplete data.
Overstated square footage, outdated valuations and discrepancies between listing information and appraisal reports can cause lenders to reconsider financing. When the appraised value does not align with the contract price — or when square footage is misrepresented — deals often stall or collapse. Buyers must now evaluate whether a property’s valuation truly supports long-term equity growth.
Rising Home Insurance Costs Are Reshaping Atlanta Buying DecisionsInsurance premiums have risen significantly since 2021, adding another layer of complexity to real estate transactions. Unexpected flood zone designations, prior insurance claims or property condition issues can dramatically increase monthly expenses.
Emalaba said, “Nearly half of buyers now see that insurance costs heavily influence their purchase decisions.”
When insurance is combined with property taxes, maintenance and financing, the total holding cost can quickly erode projected returns. Buyers are no longer asking only whether they can afford the mortgage payment. They are evaluating whether they can afford to hold the property long term.
How InvestFusion Uses AI to Analyze Real Estate Risk Before You Sign a ContractTraditional due diligence is fragmented, requiring buyers to gather inspection reports, appraisals, title documents and insurance information from multiple sources — typically after funds have already been committed. InvestFusion consolidates that analysis into a single AI-powered platform.
Emalaba said, “At a bare minimum, buyers are losing at least $7,000 or $8,000 when they go into those deals.”
The platform analyzes more than 400 data points and generates a deal score in under a minute. It flags structural risks, zoning issues, flood exposure, valuation discrepancies and other material concerns before buyers put down nonrefundable funds.
Before signing a contract, buyers should evaluate three primary factors: property condition risk, true valuation compared to the listing price and long-term holding costs. Keeping these considerations in mind helps ensure a property is not overpriced and that buyers fully understand insurance, tax and maintenance expenses.
Tune in to the full episode to hear how InvestFusion brings greater transparency to residential real estate transactions. Visit www.InvestFusion.co to learn how the platform helps Atlanta buyers analyze property condition, true valuation and long-term risk before signing a contract.
About InvestFusionInvestFusion is an AI-powered real estate intelligence platform designed to help buyers and investors identify risk before committing capital to a property. The platform combines property-level data, market analytics and predictive modeling to quantify potential exposure, uncover red flags and support more informed decision-making in complex housing markets. Designed for both new and experienced investors, InvestFusion aims to shift real estate evaluation away from fragmented, manual research toward structured, data-backed insight.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post InvestFusion: AI-Powered Risk Analysis for Modern Real Estate Buyers appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
As digital tools reshape the real estate industry, the landscaping sector is experiencing its own evolution. Technology and horticulture are intersecting in new ways, and ServeScape is at the center of that shift. Mario Cambardella, founder and CEO of ServeScape, joins host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss how the company’s InstaScape platform connects homeowners directly to local growers and uses artificial intelligence (AI) to support more resilient landscape design.
Cutting Out the Middleman in LandscapingTraditional plant purchasing often involves multiple intermediaries, increasing handling and reducing transparency. Cambardella launched ServeScape in 2020 to eliminate that friction while preserving plant health and quality.
“I was trying to solve a broken experience, because people wanted beautiful landscapes, but the process was very fragmented,” said Cambardella. “It was intimidating, and it was disconnected from some of the best plant material, the growers. These are the people that put pride and joy into every plant that they grow.”
ServeScape operates as an inventory-based online marketplace. Users enter their ZIP code to access locally available plants. Landscaping professionals receive tiered pricing, but homeowners can purchase the same commercial-grade materials for their home projects.
By shipping directly from growers, ServeScape reduces handling, preserves plant health and keeps pricing competitive. The platform also manages logistics and last-mile delivery, making locally grown material even more accessible. The company is proud to serve Atlanta homeowners, churches, community organizations and local parks with expert landscaping solutions and materials.
Why Planning Now Prevents Spring Landscaping Mistakes“Stop thinking of spring as the start,” said Cambardella. “Winter planning, soil prep, design decisions, plant selection — this is when spring success actually starts.”
Cambardella emphasizes that waiting until spring to start your landscaping project often leads to inventory shortages and rushed decisions. Waiting until spring often results in limited inventory and rushed decisions. Late winter provides time to gather inspiration, secure designers and select plants before peak demand arrives. That is also a good time for soil amendments, mulching and installing hardy plant material such as ornamental grasses and evergreens. Gardeners can then add sensitive perennials after Atlanta’s average last frost in late April.
What Makes a Landscape Truly Resilient?For Cambardella, resilience means designing landscapes that thrive with minimal intervention. They should withstand heavy rains in the spring, heat and drought in the summer and changing conditions between seasons. Cambardella explains that landscaping success often comes down to placing the right plant in the right location.
Locally grown plants play a critical role in achieving resilience. National retailers may source inventory from climates that differ from North Georgia’s, but local growers have the plants Atlanta homeowners need. By sourcing from local growers, homeowners increase long-term survival rates and reduce frustration, replacement costs and excessive watering.
InstaScape: AI-Powered Landscape DesignServeScape recently introduced InstaScape, an AI-powered design tool that helps homeowners visualize potential landscapes using plants that are available for purchase.
“We see AI as a way to remove some of the friction,” said Cambardella. “We don’t see AI as a replacement for a human — we still believe in the human touch.”
Users upload a photo of their yard, select a design style and receive a visual rendering in minutes. Homeowners can use the AI tool independently or add professional services from ServeScape’s team of landscape architects and horticulturists. Service options also allow users to scale support based on project needs. The best part? InstaScape is free to use!
“There’s no payment required for InstaScape,” said Cambardella. “This is a tool that we want to ignite excitement for beautiful and resilient landscapes for all.”
Native, Pollinator & Edible Landscapes on the RiseDesign preferences across metro Atlanta are shifting as homeowners reconsider turf-heavy yards. Cambardella said clients increasingly request landscapes that serve both aesthetic and ecological purposes.
“Native and pollinator gardens are huge,” he said. “We also see a big uptick in more edible landscapes.”
Instead of expansive, high-maintenance lawns, many homeowners now favor layered plantings filled with native perennials, flowering shrubs and ornamental grasses. These landscapes support birds, bees and butterflies while reducing mowing, irrigation and chemical inputs.
Cambardella also noted that food-producing landscapes are gaining momentum. Kitchen gardens, fruiting shrubs and herb beds allow homeowners to harvest fresh ingredients just steps from their doors. Even small spaces can incorporate edible elements without sacrificing design.
“One of the terms that we’ve been throwing around is food-producing landscape,” he said. “Sometimes a native — you take up some of your yard to do wildflowers or some of that — it might not be food for you, but it’s food for birds and bees and butterflies.”
That dual-purpose mindset appeals to homeowners who want intentional design with long-term resilience. Rather than installing plants that demand constant replacement or irrigation, they choose species adapted to Georgia’s heat, drought cycles and heavy rains.
This more natural, garden-forward aesthetic replaces rigid, high-maintenance lawns with landscapes that feel softer and more dynamic. Wildflower meadows, deer-resistant plantings and pollinator corridors now appear in suburban backyards across the region.
The result is a landscape that balances beauty with function — one that supports local ecology, reduces maintenance demands and evolves gracefully year after year.
“There’s a lot of restorative power in the garden,” said Cambardella. “Bring your problem to the garden, and I promise you that there will be something there to inspire you.”
Tune in to the full episode to hear how ServeScape is reshaping Atlanta’s landscaping industry by connecting homeowners directly with locally grown plants and innovative design tools. Visit www.ServeScape.com to explore InstaScape, discover climate-adapted plant selections and learn how local experts can help bring your landscape vision to life.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post ServeScape: Design Your Backyard with AI appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Georgia’s housing market is at a crossroads, with affordability and local regulations shaping new construction across the state. Gabe Chatham, president of the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG) and vice president of Chathambilt Homes, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share how builders are navigating these challenges and what it means for first-time homebuyers.
The Cost of Permitting DelaysOne of the most tangible barriers to affordable housing in Georgia is the permitting process. Chatham explains that land disturbance permits, necessary even on properties already zoned for development, can be delayed for months or even years.
“If we can cut down that time, that obviously saves some costs on things like engineering holding costs, and hopefully, we’ll see the savings passed on to the end user,” Chatham said.
When permits and approvals are delayed, the effects extend beyond builders. The supply of homes for first-time buyers shrinks, prices rise and families are often forced to rent longer or relocate farther from work, adding financial and personal strain.
What is House Bill 812?Georgia’s Home Rule Act further complicates the process. The law gives cities and counties broad control over zoning and design standards, but that autonomy can make it difficult to predict how and when housing will be approved. In 2025, state lawmakers introduced House Bill 812, which would require approval from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for certain local code amendments. The proposed legislation aims to streamline permitting, particularly for land disturbance permits, though its effectiveness will depend on its implementation at the state and local levels.
Supporting Smart Growth & Community InvestmentBeyond logistics, these regulatory decisions carry long-term consequences for families and communities. With the average age of first-time homebuyers in Georgia now 40, delays and restrictions directly affect generational wealth and family stability, limiting younger adults’ ability to establish roots in their communities.
Chatham emphasizes the importance of innovative housing solutions, including missing middle housing and build-to-rent projects, to meet the needs of a diverse workforce. Housing policy is not simply about development timelines. It is about ensuring that essential workers and young families can participate in the communities they serve.
“We think about our teachers, our firefighters, our police officers… they can’t live close by,” Chatham said. “Finding a way to help those people stay invested in the community is going to be healthy for the community long term.”
Investing in the Next Generation of Homebuilding ProfessionalsWorkforce development is also critical to addressing Georgia’s housing challenges. HBAG supports high school programs that teach trade skills, helping address labor shortages in construction while providing students with viable career paths that do not require college debt.
Smaller and mid-sized builders often face resource constraints when navigating zoning changes, permitting requirements and evolving legislation. HBAG also provides funding, advocacy and strategic guidance to help these builders remain competitive and keep projects moving forward, ultimately benefiting homebuyers.
Chatham said, “By partnering together, we can strategize and utilize the resources we have.”
Tune in to the full episode for insight into the policies and solutions shaping the state’s housing future. Learn more about the Home Builders Association of Georgia at https://www.HBAG.org/. For more information about Chathambilt Homes, visit https://ChathamLegacy.com/.
About Chathambilt HomesChathambilt Homes is celebrating 78 years in business and continues to expand its footprint across North Atlanta, including Milton, Alpharetta and East Cherokee County, as well as exploring new opportunities in Adairsville and beyond. The Georgia-based home builder is known for crafting thoughtfully designed communities that balance modern living with enduring Southern character. Chathambilt Homes prioritizes quality construction, intentional design and neighborhood-driven experiences across its residential portfolio. With a focus on long-term value, Chathambilt Homes delivers homes that are both functional and rooted in a strong sense of place.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Is House Bill 812 a Turning Point for Georgia Housing? appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
Growth may be booming across Georgia, yet getting new housing approved often feels like running an obstacle course designed by politics, not policy. Simon Bloom, founding partner of Bloom Parham LLP, joins Host Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to pull back the curtain on the zoning battles shaping what gets built, where and at what cost. During this episode on “Unbridled Politics,” he will discuss the political and procedural challenges shaping zoning and land use in Georgia. Drawing on decades of experience representing builders and developers, he explains why projects often get caught in red tape, why build-to-rent (BTR) housing is targeted and how Georgia’s fragmented local government contributes to inefficiency and higher housing costs.
How Politics and Public Input Affect DevelopmentBloom emphasized that zoning decisions in Georgia are driven less by technical merit than by politics:
“If a politician or public official wants your project, it’s going to go forward,” said Bloom. “And if he or she doesn’t, it isn’t. The merits sometimes get lost in just a matter of pure politics.”
Developers face a range of hurdles, from rezoning denials to conditional-use permits and administrative slowdowns. Routine actions, such as delaying final plats or withholding building permits, can derail projects entirely. Litigation is sometimes necessary, not as a first resort, but to ensure local governments follow proper procedures.
Public opposition adds another layer of complexity. Organized neighborhood groups and homeowners now have unprecedented access to local meetings through streaming platforms and social media. While this transparency increases accountability, it can also make officials more cautious, further complicating development efforts.
Why Build-to-Rent Projects Face Extra HurdlesBuild-to-rent (BTR) projects face particular scrutiny, even as the demand for affordable rental housing continues to grow.
“The cities and counties that say they need affordable housing are doing everything in their power to make it unaffordable and causing gentrification,” said Bloom. “They are driving the folks that they want to be living in their communities out into ‘the sticks.’”
Part of the paradox lies in administrative inefficiencies and local mandates that increase cost and complexity. For example, some counties require side-entry garages in high-density developments—a design choice that increases lot sizes and, in turn, raises prices for buyers and renters. Add to that the need for detailed engineering studies, repeated public hearings and permit fees, and BTR builders and developers face substantial “chase costs” long before construction begins.
Legislative solutions to streamline zoning and clarify local requirements have progressed slowly. Efforts to limit local control over architectural standards or to prevent bans on BTR have made modest gains. State lawmakers often consider input from local governments, which influences the pace and scope of reforms. Meanwhile, impact fees—sometimes adding thousands of dollars to individual projects—remain a factor that can increase costs and create differences across communities.
On a larger scale, Bloom identifies Georgia’s large number of local governments as a source of inefficiency. The state has 159 counties and 500 cities, each with separate planning departments, zoning boards and codes. This patchwork of rules forces engineers, lawyers and developers to navigate vastly different requirements across municipalities, slowing housing production and driving up costs.
Navigating the Zoning LandscapeBloom encourages builders and developers to engage early with district commissioners or council members and maintain transparent communication with neighbors and planning staff. Understanding how “district-friendly” voting works, where council members often follow the lead of their district commissioner, can help projects move forward more efficiently.
Bloom said, “Without your district commissioner championing your rezoning, your chances of success are much lower.”
Tune in to the full episode to hear Simon Bloom discuss how politics and local regulations shape Georgia housing zoning and to learn what builders and developers can do to navigate these challenges. Learn more about Bloom Parham LLP at https://BloomParham.com.
About Bloom Parham LLPBloom Parham provides business owners with the litigation and counsel needed to succeed in real estate and related business disputes, including property development, leasing and commercial transactions. Founded in 2007, the firm delivers high-quality legal support with the full range of services clients expect from a large firm, but in the accessible, personalized environment of a boutique practice. Clients build long-term relationships with trusted advisors who understand both their real estate ventures and unique legal challenges. With a commitment to exceptional results and a supportive workplace, Bloom Parham empowers clients while maintaining a strong presence in the community.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio was recently honored on FeedSpot’s Top 100 Atlanta Podcasts, ranking 16th overall and number one out of all ranked real estate podcasts.
The post Simon Bloom: Unpacking Georgia Zoning Politics appeared first on Atlanta Real Estate Forum.
President of Artisan Built Communities, Stephen Haines, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Haines discusses his involvement with the Holly’s House Project, a complete home restoration effort at a local family’s home in Roswell.
What is the Holly’s House Project?When Haines discovered that a family had suffered significant water damage, mold infestation and structural issues in their 35-year-old home, he brought together a community initiative to restore it for the holidays.
Diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer for a second time, Holly Aarons exemplifies courage and determination. Artisan Built Communities and a generous team of volunteers were pleased to offer her and her husband, Patrick, a sound home for Christmas.
The restoration plan went all the way down to the studs, including complete interior demolition, mold remediation, structural repairs, new plumbing and electrical systems, insulation, drywall, paint, flooring, interior finishes and more. In addition, the Artisan Built Communities design team and Haven Design Works brought in new furnishings to create a warm, stylish homecoming for the Aarons family.
“They’ve been putting all their effort into restoring her health,” said Haines. “Their house needed help, and she needs to be able to enjoy being home when she’s home.”
Haines called on his trade contacts and received a yes from over 40 trade suppliers. The project was completed after four weeks and unveiled to the Aarons on December 20.
“And so, we look for those opportunities, we can’t do them every year, and we can’t do them all the time, but we look for opportunities to meet this need,” said Haines. “And we’re going to do it extraordinarily.”
How does the Holly’s House Project reflect Artisan Built Communities’ mission?Haines emphasizes that his goal is to provide customers with better products, creating stronger relationships between his team, contractors and the families living in Artisan Built homes.
When the Holly’s House community team took the project down to the studs, small changes like widening the stairway and expanding the kitchen were made to simplify the Aarons’ daily life. The project allows Haines, his team and trade contacts to collaborate in a casual environment and grow together.
Haines said, “When we took the house down to the studs, we invited all the trades back out to the house, and we got to write on the studs of the walls and give encouragement to that family and kind of imprint that hope and faith onto the skeleton of that house before we covered it back up and made it a beautiful home.”
Outside of the home, Artisan Built Communities set up an Amazon wish list for the Aarons, with dozens of household items to keep them stocked up for a long time. Within days, the list was 100% completed, mostly by complete strangers who heard the story and wanted to contribute.
If you want to make a difference this holiday season, Holly Aarons requests that any further donations go toward Sisters by Choice, a nonprofit organization that aims to provide services for breast cancer patients and preventative resources. For more information about Sisters by Choice, visit www.SistersbyChoice.org.
Tune in to the full interview to learn more about Artisan Built Communities work across metro Atlanta. For more about Artisan Built Communities, visit www.DiscoverArtisan.com.
Special Thanks to the Companies that Made Holly’s House possible:* Builders First Source * Sound Concrete Solutions * Teale Design * Interior Logic Group * Wallcraft Exterior Solutions * Denim Marketing * ASG Rolloffs * Sherwin Williams * Haven Design Works * Elite Stone * Clearwater Plumbing * Cabinets and Countertops, Inc. * Jerel Builder Services * Ferguson * Dejesus Painting Inc. * Turnkey Interior Trim * Metro * SEC Concrete & Coatings * RGP * RGP * 31-W * VE * Deck Source * Cartersville Flooring * Shaw Floors * Perfectly Protables * Superior Drywall * Galvin Framing * JAVC Renovations * Wade * Clearwater * Arturo * Tony Martin * TEC * I-Supreme Cleaning * Surface Titans * N&C Landscaping * Southern Enterprise Group
About Artisan Built Communities
“I’ve been doing this for almost 30 years, and I love to get up and reinvent and think of a new way to make a home special for somebody,” said Haines. “But nothing makes me happier than meeting a need that’s very hard for somebody else to do.”
Artisan Built Communities is a leading homebuilder in metro Atlanta, specializing in master-crafted communities that boast exciting amenities and affordable prices. Its communities in Calhoun, Dallas, Hapeville, Gainesville and Villa Rica exemplify its commitment to quality homes and its promise that you will “love where you live.”
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Lori Funderwhite, director of economic development with the City of Fayetteville, joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio host Carol Morgan for this week’s episode. Funderwhite discusses plans to attract new investment to Fayetteville in this podcast segment.
The City of Fayetteville is working to revitalize its downtown district with new businesses and real estate development. By enhancing the commercial tax base, it can take some financial weight off its residents. In addition to bringing in new industry, Funderwhite explains that the City of Fayetteville invests in its existing businesses through support initiatives and community events.
Two large-scale developments were recently unveiled in Town at Trilith and the U.S. Soccer National Training Center.
What is the U.S. Soccer National Training Center?The United States Soccer Federation announced Fayetteville as its new headquarters and national training center. Slated to open right before Atlanta hosts the 2026 World Cup, this new facility will bring in revenue during the event and ongoing revenue as more games and practices are held at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center. The City of Fayetteville also plans to build new hotels and other lodgings to accommodate incoming soccer fans from across the globe.
“With the headquarters relocation, there will be 400 new employees with that project working out of that facility, as well as, even after the World Cup, an anticipated 200,000 annual visitors a year for ongoing soccer events that they will be hosting at the National Training Center year-round,” said Funderwhite. “So, it’s a great opportunity. We’re very excited.”
The decision to relocate U.S. Soccer headquarters to Fayetteville was influenced by the city’s proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the numerous soccer-loving industry giants in Atlanta. Arthur Blank, owner of Atlanta United FC, was a major player in the decision, joined by Dan Cathy, CEO of Atlanta-based Chick-fil-A and chief visionary behind Town at Trilith and U.S. Soccer’s long-time partner, Coca-Cola. These connections were instrumental in bringing soccer’s vibrant energy and rich economy to the City of Fayetteville.
Funderwhite said, “So, it’s really a mix of several factors: a great location, great business climate in close proximity to the airport and Trilith in Fayetteville.”
What does Town at Trilith offer residents?Town at Trilith is a 235-acre, mixed-use development that captivates residents with its elegance and charm. Development began just over 10 years ago, but Trilith has already brought in notable economic growth with Trilith Studios, residential offerings, a hotel and a wealth of shopping and dining. The second and third phases of the residential portion have begun and will feature 380 lots when completed.
Coming soon, Trilith LIVE will offer premier live entertainment. With 1,000 audience seats and multiple sound stages, this space will be the perfect location for trade shows and performing arts showcases.
Trilith provides entertainment and leisure for residents and has also driven relocation to Fayetteville and welcomed new creative professionals. As Trilith Studios and Trilith LIVE continue to establish and grow, Funderwhite says that the City of Fayetteville wants to make room for businesses that support the film and creative industries.
Funderwhite said, “It’s really an amazing project, and we’re so excited to have this as a part of Fayetteville.”
What’s next for the City of Fayetteville?As more people relocate to Fayetteville, chasing jobs at the soccer training center and creative studios, the City intends to attract more medical businesses and technology companies that can work in tandem with the prospering industries. Funderwhite also hopes to bring new flavors for residents, including chef-driven restaurants and brewpubs. To promote wellness and add greenspace, the City is planning a series of walking trails connecting the area. Whether you walk, run or bike, the pathways provide a much-needed escape to nature.
The City of Fayetteville is very business-friendly, boasting property tax incentives encouraging businesses to move into the downtown district. It has also created mixed-use zoning that allows the City to revitalize and develop the area with modern amenities and housing.
Tune in to the full interview to learn more about upcoming developments in Fayetteville. For more about the City of Fayetteville, visit www.Fayetteville-GA.gov.
About the City of FayettevilleLocated on the south side of metro Atlanta, Fayetteville is a growing community with 20,000+ residents. The City of Fayetteville is currently working on revitalizing its downtown district, both redeveloping existing properties and inviting new businesses. In partnership with esteemed commercial architect Lamar Wakefield, the City of Fayetteville is also excited to begin development on the “38-acre Project,” which revitalizes a 38-acre tract of land downtown.
The master-planned Town at Trilith development is also a major attraction for new residents, featuring Trilith Studios, Trilith LIVE stages, residential opportunities and a unique blend of restaurants and retail. It is also home to QTS data center, one of the largest data centers in the country. Residents also enjoy top-rated healthcare at Piedmont–Fayetteville and open-air shopping at the Fayetteville Pavilion.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Eric Teusink, managing partner and real estate attorney with Williams Teusink, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Teusink discusses the legal ramifications of unmarried homebuyers purchasing real estate together in this podcast segment.
He explains that it has become common practice in the last 10 to 20 years for people to purchase homes outside of marriage for legal and financial reasons. There is a trend toward delaying marriage and starting families as well, but individuals often don’t want to put off buying their first home with their romantic partner. There are also some homebuyers seeking residences with their friends. Why? Because it makes the significant investment of purchasing a home more affordable for everyone.
“I think a lot of different trends are at work here and giving rise to a lot more issues in the back end.”
While Teusink mostly runs into homeownership concerns with younger clients (27 to 35 years old), he still receives calls from older clients with the same issues.
“Folks who have more lived experience are maybe going to be more cautious, although who knows,” said Teusink. “But when you’re talking about 20-somethings and young 30- 30-somethings, they may throw a little more caution to the wind.”
What are some of the common legal pitfalls for unmarried couples who buy property together? Taking property as joint tenants with a right of survivorship*
“What Georgia law presumes when two people buy a house together is that they are tenants in common, and that means you each divide ownership,” said Teusink. “You each own an entire interest in the property or one half of an entire interest.”
If one partner passes away, this legality transfers the entire interest to the other partner. While it seems great in theory, Teusink warns against it and says that unmarried homebuyers should consider other options.
- Not having a legal agreement on the front end
In case of a break-up or other issues, Teusink suggests that couples create a property ownership agreement before buying a home or moving in. With the help of an attorney, homebuyers can define what happens if they break up. The property ownership agreement document also memorializes important details like how much each partner paid on the front end and ongoing payment responsibilities.
“Because often one partner might pay $80,000 towards a down payment while another partner pays $20,000,” said Teusink. “Obviously, you’re going to want that down payment to come out in a similar manner on the back end.”
What conversations should unmarried homebuyers have before they purchase a property together, and what should they consider including in their property ownership agreement?Before buying a home, both partners should establish what happens to their home in the event of a break-up. There are really two options: sell the house or one partner moves out. If the latter is decided, it is best to plan in advance for the remaining partner to buy out the other partner.
“You would use a provision similar to what you would use in a business agreement called a Texas shootout provision,” said Teusink. “And that’s a provision where I can say, Okay, I offer to sell you my portion for X dollars. If you accept that, then I have to sell it to you. If you don’t accept that, then it is deemed that you are now making an offer back to me that I can buy you out at that same price or something.”
One of the major issues with this homebuying dynamic is the long-term effect on the partner that moves out. If both partners are on the mortgage, but one partner no longer possesses the property, that individual can run into problems if the mortgage isn’t being paid. Not only does that detail affect you financially, but it can also shift your credit score and prevent you from buying another home later.
Other considerations in the property ownership agreement include short-term and long-term illnesses because, while often unexpected, they can severely affect job security and how couples pay for their homes.
Tune in to the full interview to hear more of Teusink’s tips for unmarried homebuyers. For more about Williams Teusink, visit www.WilliamsTeusink.com.
About Williams TeusinkIn addition to real estate law, Williams Teusink also practices business law and serves clients in government affairs. Its team is proud to offer clients from all backgrounds, whether for government, nonprofit, entrepreneurial business or personal affairs. Located in downtown Decatur, the attorneys at Williams Teusink are available to offer legal representation across Georgia.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
D. Scott Murphy, CEO and founder of D.S. Murphy and Associates, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Murphy discusses the residential appraisal process in this podcast segment and how it factors into today’s housing climate.
How is the current state of the housing market affecting appraisals?When the volume of homes for sale dropped in recent years, appraisers took a hit. Appraisers build their opinions off recent sales, meaning they look at data from comparable properties sold in the last few months. The drop in sales has left them struggling to get that data for homebuyers.
“There is no rule as to how far back I go, but the rule of thumb is three to six months,” said Murphy. “So, if I don’t have good recent comparable properties, it makes my job a lot more challenging.”
Increasing interest rates also factor in the sales cost of properties, sometimes creating a price tag higher than the appraised value. Since the early 2000s, the volume of homes sold has steadily decreased over time as interest rates rose.
“The better analogy is that we had our foot on the accelerator, and it was pressed to the floor, then we took our foot off the accelerator,” said Murphy. “And we’ve just kind of coasted and slowed down a little bit. So that’s how the market’s gone.”
However, federal rates lowered significantly this year, sparking homebuying activity across the country.
Murphy emphasized that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) settlement also factors into home prices especially when homes are listed above appraisal value. It has caused discussion about commission structures and transparency among all parties involved in a real estate transaction. Many sellers are following a traditional standard and include the buyer’s agent commission in the sales price. However, when buyers refuse to pay the commission or the buyer pays their agent directly, it can cause problems.
How can appraisers use the latest technology to improve the appraisal process?The most common technology in the housing market today is automated valuation models (AVM). Heard of Zillow and Redfin Estimate? Those are both widely used AVM algorithms. Murphy said that even though these algorithms are not always high or low, they are always wrong because they don’t consider the unique qualities of your home. That’s the human touch that D.S. Murphy and Associates is proud to provide.
Murphy said, “Particularly in the Atlanta area, Zillow is working off public record data, which is notoriously incorrect.”
What resources are available for current and up-and-coming appraisers?Appraisal Institute offers worldwide services for appraisers and boasts high-quality courses taught by exceptional instructors. Anyone can sign up for classes, but appraisers should take note since many classes are required for continuing education.
A two-year college degree, preferably in finance or real estate, is required for residential appraiser roles. Then, you must complete 90 hours of qualifying education through the Appraisal Institute to obtain a registered trainee’s license. After that, 110 hours of classwork and two years of mentorship qualify you for a residential appraiser license.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about residential appraisal. For more about D.S. Murphy and Associates, visit www.DSMurphy.com. More information about Appraisal Institute can be found at www.AppraisalInstitute.org.
About D.S. Murphy and AssociatesD.S. Murphy and Associates is the largest appraisal and inspection firm in the Southeast, serving homeowners, agents and lenders with 30 years of experience. In addition to its regular services, the firm also offers courses for appraisers, Realtors and the public that provide key information about the appraisal process, both residential and commercial.
Podcast ThanksThank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Chris and Clif Poston, principals with Traton Homes, join host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, they discuss the growth of townhome development and what is available in the Atlanta market.
What makes townhomes so appealing in today’s home market?The demand for townhomes has increased as homebuyers desire smaller homes near community centers and local attractions. With home prices consistently rising, affordability is a driving force for buyers and the perk of landscaping and exterior maintenance being included in their monthly HOA fees is enticing.
Clif Poston said, “We’ve got townhouses near a lot of different smaller municipalities, but I think it’s a lifestyle allowing people to choose a smaller home and kind of giving up a little bit of space and maybe some yard space to be able to have accessibility to the local areas that they want to be in.”
Traton Homes also utilizes amenities, such as dog parks, pools, cabanas and pickleball courts, to bring a sense of togetherness to the residents in its townhome communities.
What is the demand for townhomes in comparison to single-family, detached homes?Townhomes are taking over the urban housing market because of higher development costs. People want to live close to dining, shopping, recreation and medical centers, but it is difficult to build affordable, single-family homes in the city.
“The rising cost of development is because in the closer in areas, you’re using somewhat of the leftover land, which drives higher development cost,” said Chris Poston. “So, there’s not tracks of land available to go put nice, detached subdivisions in.”
“A while ago, our slogan was changed to ‘Altogether More’ and that encompasses altogether more of everything, value and design,” said Chris Poston. “So, I think we look at it as saying we’re going to offer you a good price in an area, but we’re also going to give you some of the key design features that maybe separate us and put us in a different spot.”
Clif Poston emphasized that many home shoppers don’t have different expectations for townhome residences versus single-family homes, except for square footage. Many are still looking for open-concept floor plans, great kitchens and large owner’s suites, which are typical in both townhomes and single-family homes.
“I don’t know if people really change with what they want,” said Clif Poston. “I think that people just can kind of reframe and adjust their expectations as the product gets a little bit smaller and those spaces get a little bit more confined.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about townhome communities in metro Atlanta. For more about Traton Homes, visit www.TratonHomes.com.
About Traton Homes
Headquartered in Marietta, Georgia, Traton Homes offers “Altogether More” to homeowners including more experience, more impressive architecture, more outstanding features and more rewarding lifestyles in more desirable locations.
Traton Homes has many exciting townhome communities currently selling across metro Atlanta, including Bluffs at Bells Ferry and Gates at Hamilton Grove in Marietta, Cherokee Township in Acworth, East Park Village and Townes at South Main in Kennesaw, River Walk Place in Lawrenceville, Wildwood Place in Powder Springs and Wilkins Walk in Mableton.
Podcast Thanks
Thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Dennis McConnell, president of Healthy House of Georgia, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, McConnell discusses steps to creating a conservation community, including balancing environmental preservation with residential needs and how the planning process differs from conventional developments.
What defines a conservation community?Conservation communities take special care to preserve natural areas like forests, wetlands and watersheds and create housing that complements the landscape. It’s the idea that “you don’t need to take everything to have a good life.” These communities use the natural landscape to create distinctive neighborhoods instead of pursuing the maximum developed area.
What are some goals when designing a conservation community, and what are some challenges?Land is the most significant consideration. In Atlanta, finding larger sections of land is achievable but expensive due to zoning. McConnell weighs the economic and physical development needs of the properties and assesses from there.
McConnell’s most recent project, Pendergrast Farm, presented unique challenges due to its location. The land was initially zoned for three-quarter acre properties because that was what a septic tank would fit on in the 1950s. That altered the development plan, made it an expensive property to obtain and created challenges within the natural landscape.
McConnell said, “The land was cotton fields after World War II, so all the trees that we’re saving now have grown up since 1945, which is a slightly different bent than you’ll see in some places where a pine forest should be an oak forest, which takes long to grow.”
In order to develop Pendergrast Farm, McConnell and his team worked with county officials to create a new zoning category to accommodate the needs of conservation communities. This precedent makes the development of future communities in DeKalb County one step easier in the future.
Other considerations must be made regarding the natural landscape. With streams comes the need for bridges unless the community has double-entry. Preserving rock and forest features also takes time and strategic planning. McConnell also emphasizes the importance of considering factors like amenities in the site plan. For some conservation communities, the open space around the residences is enough, and for others, there is a need for more modern offerings like a pool, sports courts, a clubhouse, etc.
“We’ve been able to get around a 20% premium over the average price in the larger community by having it with an amenity package that people value,” said McConnell.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about starting a conservation community. For more about Pendergrast Farm, visit www.PendergrastFarm.com. More information about Healthy House of Georgia can be found at www.HealthyHouseofGeorgia.com.
About Pendergrast FarmRecently named the Community of the Year for a community with 20 homes or less, Pendergrast Farm is a 20-home conservation community that promotes sustainable living with proximity to Emory University, local hospitals and Atlanta’s best attractions. The community is thoughtfully arranged around a 1-acre urban farm to cultivate a strong connection with Georgia’s rich flora and fauna.
About Healthy House of GeorgiaLed by President Dennis McConnell, Healthy House of Georgia brings 60+ years of homebuilding experience, specializing in customer service and a focus on custom home construction. McConnell’s vast list of in-house and vendor resources ensures that your custom home project is everything you want and more!
Podcast ThanksA special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will suit your needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum RadioAtlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Luis Menendez, director of construction at Tunnel to Towers Homeless Veterans Program, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Menendez discusses the upcoming Atlanta Veteran Village.
Tunnel to Towers founded its Homeless Veterans Program in 2022 with the goal of ending Veteran homelessness nationwide. The foundation recently broke ground in Mableton and looks forward to providing permanent housing for Veterans across the metro Atlanta area.
What is the Atlanta Veteran Village, and how does it benefit Atlanta’s Veterans?Tunnel to Towers recently acquired an abandoned hotel and began renovations this year to transform it into the Atlanta Veteran Village, a permanent housing opportunity for Veterans in need. The hotel is situated in a prime location near local transportation and VA services.
“Our projects focus on providing that core foundation, which is a dignified home they can call their own,” said Menendez. “They make a choice to come into our residences. They pay rent, so there is some skin in the game. It’s minimal rent and predicated on the amount of income that each Veteran can make.”
Atlanta Veteran Village is expected to be completed next year, and it will provide opportunities for 93 Veterans to enjoy permanent housing and supportive services.
What other projects are available for Veterans through Tunnel to Towers?Tunnel to Towers has housing projects throughout the country, stretching from Buffalo, New York, down to Florida. It also supports Veterans between projects with its national case management network, which offers various services such as monetary contributions for rent, legal services and workforce advisory.
Menendez said, “It’s not just the housing support that we provide in our Veterans Villages, but also more soft services of bringing in the Veteran wherever they may be and keeping them housed where they’re at by providing those service around them to help them meet their goals.”
Like its Veteran Village in Houston, Texas, Tunnel to Towers will implement a ground-floor resource center for residents at Atlanta Veteran Village. The foundation aims to provide Veterans with workplace development assistance that teaches them how to write resumes, interview and utilize skills learned in the military for new jobs.
In Pennsylvania, Tunnel to Towers is looking to partner with a local contract group that teaches veterans various trades – carpentry, electrical, mechanical and plumbing – that put them one step closer to fulfilling careers. It is also seeking metro Atlanta contractors to work alongside residents after the Atlanta Veteran Village opens next year.
What is the process for residency at the Atlanta Veteran Village?The Veteran Village welcomes Veterans of all ages to apply. Residents must be honorably discharged and have a clean record, both of which are evaluated during the screening process.
“They have this certain brotherhood that they stick together, so if one goes, the other goes. Otherwise, they both may not go,” said Menendez. “So, it’s something that if there is that partnership amongst the Veterans and they are very close together in that brotherhood through word of mouth, we’re certain that they’ll come to the realization that, ‘Hey, this is a good opportunity for me to get back on my feet.’”
Since the facility only offers single-occupancy housing, Veterans with families are encouraged to utilize the national case management network to find housing opportunities that allow them to stay together.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about the Atlanta Veteran Village. Learn more about Tunnel to Towers Homeless Veterans Program at www.T2T.org.
About Tunnel to Towers
Tunnel to Towers was founded in honor of Stephen Siller, a New York firefighter who heroically gave his life to save others during the events of 9/11. His family created the foundation to honor his legacy and serve others, as Siller did every day.
Tunnel to Towers currently has six programs that benefit Veterans and first responders across the country: the Smart Home program, the Fallen First Responder program, the Gold Star Family Home program, the Homeless Veteran program, the Tunnel to Towers 9/11 Institute™ and the Footsteps to the Future Endowment.
Podcast ThanksA special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
About Atlanta Real Estate Forum
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Michael Paul, director of investments at Parkland Communities, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Paul discusses the rise of built-to-rent (BTR) communities in Atlanta.
The build-to-rent sector has seen enormous growth in the last few years, especially in the Atlanta market. Higher-income individuals increasingly seek living opportunities that feel like home without the maintenance and upkeep of owning. As there is more demand for luxury rentals, investors have begun to take notice and invest in BTR communities across the state.
“I’ve always just been a believer that if consumers want it, investors will follow,” said Paul. “I think we’ve seen that in a big way.”
What does it mean to be “renters by choice”?These individuals want somewhere to spread out and put down roots without the hassle of upkeep and maintenance. From young couples just starting to grow their families to empty-nesters looking for a change of scenery, the BTR sector serves a wide range of higher-income residents.
“COVID certainly accelerated the push for more spaces,” said Paul. “We all were working remotely, and people with kids or just two people working in the same household needed to be separated.”
Many residents also seek this lifestyle because it allows for pets to tag along, unlike many traditional apartment complexes. Built-to-rent communities, like Parkland Communities, embrace spacious floorplans, backyards and community spaces that allow residents and their pets to stretch their legs.
What is the current state of the BTR sector?The supply of BTR communities is not keeping up with demand. Challenges in zoning and a lack of investors contribute to the limited number of BTR units on the market.
The BTR sector has catapulted in the last few years, taking over the southwest and creating opportunities for a diverse group of residents. However, BTR is still in its beginning phases, which looks like a gamble to real estate investors. There is limited data to support the rise of this sector, and investors don’t want to bite without supportive operational and transactional histories.
Paul said, “But I’ll tell you evidence in the last six months is that it’s a resilient sector, and I think, we’re just starting scratching the surface here.”
What are real estate investors looking for today?Most investment groups are looking for BTR projects that mimic multi-family housing from an operational standpoint. That translates to 150+ single-family or townhome units with amenities and onsite management.
Paul said, “I do think you’ll have ample demand because, from an investor’s perspective, living in either one of those is still preferable for most people than it is to live in a multi-family deal.”
How important is property management for BTR residents?Many BTR communities have tried different management strategies, some keeping the same style as multi-family complexes and others adopting a more personalized approach with residents.
“The property managers are there in my mind for two reasons,” said Paul. “One is to serve the tenants, making sure they are comfortable and have a desirable lifestyle. Another part is back to the investors, right? I think you have to have a property manager who solves the investors’ needs, which means trying to make it as efficient as possible and kind of a clear operating model.”
Paul emphasizes how important property management is but indicates that strategy is still up for debate.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about build-to-rent. Learn more about Parkland Communities at ParklandCo.com.
About Parkland CommunitiesParkland Communities is a privately owned real estate development and investment firm that specializes in residential communities. It uses the latest market data to secure top locations across Georgia and provide residents with comfortable, modern communities to call home. With 20 years of experience in the Atlanta market, Parkland Communities is your resource for build-to-rent residences that your family’s comfort for years to come.
Podcast ThanksA special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jeremy Crawford, president and CEO of FMLS, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Crawford discusses what the NAR settlement means for homebuyers.
What is the NAR Settlement?According to the recent NAR settlement, Realtors, brokerages and other members of the National Association of Realtors (NAR) owned or affiliated MLSs must establish a clear buyer agency agreement before the buyer agency can show a home to a consumer. This practice has been present in the state of Georgia since 1991. However, nationwide it’s a large part of the settlement. As responsibilities shift to Realtor-owned MLSs, the pressure is on to enforce compliance as the housing market continues to grow.
Considering these changes, FMLS has taken a position of consumer transparency. Its fields remain available and serve as offers of compensation from the seller to the buyer agency. These fields are optional, putting the decision to accept or pass at agents’ fingertips.
“FMLS does not arbitrate, mediate or get involved in the offer of compensation,” said Crawford. “We provide fields in the database for the listings that the agents can use at their discretion.”
The NAR Settlement from the Buyer PerspectiveThe NAR settlement added new challenges to the home buying process, affecting agents, buyers and brokers. As of August 2024, MLSs involved with NAR cannot put offers of compensation on multiple listing sites nor advertise that information. This update makes it difficult for brokers and agents to access crucial information for their clients and causes buyers’ costs to rise as well.
“The entire process for buying a home now is a little more complicated,” said Crawford. “It may be more expensive for the down payment and closing perspective for the buyers and less transparent, because they can’t find the information on the Internet as easily as they could.”
Buyers are expected to pay for their own representation now, which has created a shift toward home shoppers trying to browse on their own. Professional guidance is important during the homebuying process. There are many factors that often get overlooked without a trained eye, such as location, school districts, flood risk in certain areas, zoning, etc.
What about home builders’ ever-changing commission and compensation packages? Crawford notes that many agents are still engaging and writing up buyer-agency agreements with clients.
“We now have many of the top builders in Atlanta or FMLS broker members – Toll Brothers, DR Horton, etc. – they’re all FMLS broker members,” said Crawford. “Their listings are within FMLS, and they provide some level of offer of compensation to those agents who have a buyer community that would have interest and bring them a buyer. And I think the process there is still going to be the same for the builders. They’re still going to offer opportunities for the buyer and the buyer agency who brings the buyer in.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about FMLS or visit ww.FirstMLS.com.
About FMLS
FMLS is the fourth largest multiple listing (MLS) service in the nation. Since 1957, it has served over 57,000 real estate professionals, including agents, appraisers, brokers and home inspectors. FMLS is privately owned and not affiliated with the National Association of Realtors.
Crawford said, “Our mission is really to help brokers and agents transact real estate so they can fulfill the American dream of home ownership for their clients, be it buyer or seller.”
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Pam Conner, city manager of the City of Powder Springs, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Conner discusses methods for developing one of Atlanta’s fastest-growing cities.
Events + GatheringsEvents and gatherings are a driving force for city growth, according to Conner. The City of Powder Springs works diligently with residents to host diverse events that represent its larger population. The city plans yearly holiday celebrations, including Independence Day fireworks, Veteran’s Day celebrations, chili cook-offs, and Hispanic Heritage Month activities in October. Other community events include the Brown Bag concert series, 5K running events, Bookfest, health and wellness workshops and meet-and-greets with local law enforcement.
Listening to ResidentsListening to residents’ concerns and suggestions is another essential element of city planning. Whether it is a dog park or better roads, it is crucial for city planners to give residents a platform to voice their concerns. It is even more important to put those ideas into action.
“We are also developing and planning to develop more parking and transportation improvements,” said Conner. “The city’s a small city, and its geography is what it is. There are opportunities for some intersection improvements to help move people along, and, you know, the folks who do live here have valid comments and concerns about the traffic.”
Adding RooftopsHow does a city like Powder Springs grow its population? The City has added multifamily and townhome developments and strives to boost its population during the day. This means businesses and attractions invite residents to engage throughout the day through dining, recreation, shopping and more! Conner notes that walkability is especially attractive to new and younger residents.
Situated on the edge of Thurman Springs Park Square, a new multifamily development is nearly complete with 220 units. These homes put residents within walking distance of city events, with some that include balconies overlooking the square. A second housing development is underway about two blocks from the downtown area.
“I think that with all the apartments downtown and the multifamily, you’re going to see that a lot of people work from home and that’s going to boost the population during the day too,” said Conner. “Because you can work from home two or three days a week, run out and grab your coffee, or run out and grab your lunch and you can walk there.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about the City of Powder Springs or visit www.CityOfPowderSprings.org.
About the City of Powder SpringsLocated in southwest Cobb County, Powder Springs boasts a small-town atmosphere complemented by booming developments in housing, community engagement and recreation.
What does city growth look like for Powder Springs? Recently, the City of Powder Springs recreated its City Center, once known as the “heart and soul of the community” during the city’s beginnings. Other recent additions to Powder Springs include Thurman Springs Park, a town square area with an amphitheater and splash pad, Powder Springs Park and its renovated City Hall.
“Grand ideas are grand, but they don’t help you if they just stay on paper or on the shelf,” said Conner. “So, the city worked really hard with the Downtown Development Authority to make those changes downtown, and you can start to see that revitalization with more people down at the events that we have.”
The Silver Comet Trail, a paved rail trail running from Smyrna, Georgia, to Alabama, passes through Powder Springs and is a recreational staple for residents. The Linear Park trailhead provides access from Powder Springs, forming connections across Cobb County. Powder Springs is also home to the Seven Springs Museum, full of rich local history.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
John Ryan, chief marketing officer of Georgia MLS, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Ryan discusses the current state of the housing market and his outlook for the future.Due to its rich business and employment opportunities, Atlanta maintains an active, dynamic marketplace that ebbs and flows with new industry. There were 75,000 homes that have sold this year so far, a 2.1% decrease from 2023. However, the “hot” market is fading away as Atlanta months of supply (MOS) is currently 3.8 months, according to Georgia MLS listings. Its listings have also increased to 17,800, a dramatic shift from 7,000 to 8,000 listings in past years. This is still a far cry from 6 months of inventory which has long been the normal in Atlanta.Interest rates continue to hover at 6.4%, which could be a confidence boost for buyers and sellers in today’s marketplace after years of higher rates. The first-time homebuyer demographic is still challenged by these rate fluctuations, but there is hope for rate stability in 2025. Even with positive shifts in MOS and interest rates, there is still an overflowing demand in comparison to supply. Housing prices remain elevated with a median price of $400,000 across the Atlanta market and new construction listings are growing but still only represent 10% of total listings.“As we move into 2025, those rates should hover a little just above the 6% mark,” said Ryan. “That is still a reasonable rate, as we've seen historically, to make people move one way or the other within the marketplace.”As the market continues to shift and move around, Ryan emphasizes working closely with real estate professionals that can take you step-by-step through the process of buying or selling your home. Having trained agents and lenders on your side ensures that everything runs smoothly from listing to closing.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Georgia MLS or visit www.GeorgiaMLS.com.About Georgia MLSGeorgia MLS is the largest real estate marketplace in Georgia, serving 52,600 agents and 4,600 brokerage offices across the state. Its offices can be found in the North Georgia Mountains, through metro Atlanta and all along the Georgia coast.What does Georgia MLS bring to the Atlanta housing market? The multiple listing service provides opportunities for brokerages and agents to connect and work together for their clients. Georgia MLS is also a proud founding partner of the Southeast MLS alliance – Georgia MLS, Charleston MLS, Charlotte MLS and Nashville MLS.“We are going to be providing active and off market data to our members, all under one platform, so our members will have access to three of the most desirable cities in the southeast,” said Ryan. “We are just trying to connect the dots of providing information, and then also a referral network that they have clients that are moving to different areas.”A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
Alex Miller, director of land acquisition at Century Communities, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Miller discusses land acquisition from a national builder’s perspective.
Miller attended Indiana University and graduated with a degree in secondary education. When he discovered that teaching wasn’t the best career choice for him, he went back to school, obtaining an MBA at Indiana Wesleyan University and a Master of Science with a focus on Finance from Georgia Southern University.
His first job in real estate was as a financial analyst at Stanley Martin Homes in Atlanta. He did underwritings for land acquisition, new deals and general corporate finance. After a couple of years, he moved to Century Communities and now serves as the face of land acquisition.
“Land acquisition, which is one of the reasons I love it, it’s kind of the heartbeat of the company,” said Miller. “I like to think of myself on the front lines out there, battling for land. Without land, you don’t have a home building company.”
The most important land acquisition goal is achieving the business plan through daily actions. Miller forecasts five years out, which means that he looks at many different projects at the same time. Whether it is a finished lot, a deal that is just zoned or raw land, he assesses each project individually to determine where it fits in the five-year plan.
“You structure where you deploy your capital and purchase these deals at the right time to meet those business plans in the future,” said Miller. “And it’s tricky. Right now, Century’s Atlanta division is working very aggressively to meet those goals.”
Where is Century Communities looking to build in Atlanta? Miller said the industry-rich I-75 corridor toward Cartersville and Emerson is being discussed. Century is also working to build in South Fulton locations like McDonough and Douglasville, but the rising costs of land in the area challenge the land acquisition team. The current golden Atlanta markets are Cherokee County, Dawson County and Forsyth County.
Choosing a location can be challenging, but Miller has criteria that clarify the decision. For example, when looking at raw land to develop into single-family home communities with two units per acre, he likes a minimum of 50 acres to work with. The number of acres is not as crucial when acquiring lots with zoning permits in hand or finished lots. Zoning is the risky aspect of land acquisition, so already-zoned lots are attractive to home builders like Century.
With interest rates at an all-time high, home builders must consider what is affordable now for buyers and what will still be affordable in three to five years. Other challenges can pop up along the way, including pond agreements, lift stations for sewers that don’t flow with gravity and rough topography. Miller and his land acquisition team constantly face new roadblocks on projects, but he enjoys the challenge.
“I’ll come home, and my wife, she’ll ask me how my day was.” said Miller. “I have literally experienced every single emotion that a human has in a day because of these deals, but that’s what makes it fun, too.”
As housing trends change, there is a shift to smaller properties across the Atlanta market. Miller said that people are not shying away from higher-density communities and homes under 2,000 square feet. However, in areas like north Forsyth County, the demographic is different and favors larger lots and luxury products. He emphasizes the importance of home builders knowing the area and knowing their buyers to maximize profit in an ever-changing market.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn about Century Communities, or visit www.CenturyCommunities.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Kimberly Mackey, sales and marketing management consultant and trainer at New Homes Solutions Consulting, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Mackey discusses working with home builders, Realtors and brokers across the country to develop better procedures and practices that translate into predictable cash flow. New Homes Solutions Consulting primarily offers consulting services to real estate professionals and one-on-one training and coaching. One of the most important aspects of new home sales is lead generation. Builders and other real estate professionals must generate leads and establish contacts to sell homes. The four goals of lead generation include getting appointments for business, obtaining referrals, building relationships for future business and establishing a repertoire.
“Lead generation is like bathing. Hopefully, you do it early and often, and you’ve got to do it every day,” said Mackey. “If you do it every day over time, then you are going to generate lots of leads.”
Referrals are crucial for generating leads, but for many individuals, it can feel daunting to find a starting point. Mackey shared her best tips for making connections with confidence:
- Identify yourself – Wear a name tag or something with your company’s logo to distinguish yourself in a crowd.
- Carry your contact information with you – Whether you carry physical business cards or prefer a scannable option, have your information readily available in case you make a connection at a networking event or the grocery store!
- Make the connection personal – Ask people questions and really listen to their answers. If they are wearing branded apparel from your favorite sports team, use that as a launching point. For a simpler approach, try asking about their connections to the area.
“Try to make a personal connection with people in a way that makes you memorable and makes you stand out,” said Mackey. “So, then people realize that you’re genuinely concerned about them and getting to know them, rather than just trying to take their money.”
Looking to find leads in your community? Networking is another important part of marketing yourself. Many real estate professionals limit themselves to just builder association events, but reaching further can have a rewarding effect. Mackey suggests attending local Realtor events, public speaking workshops and other functions that help you grow and get connected.
A burning question in marketing is always – when, if ever, is it ok to ask for a referral? Mackey finds that the sweet spot for referrals is when home shoppers are thinking of buying a home, and right after, they do. Her go-to line is “How would you like to pick your neighbors?” a fun but successful quip that resonates with prospective buyers.
“Referrals are definitely the way to go,” said Mackey. “I love it when I hear, ‘Oh, so-and-so referred me to you. It’s a natural bridge into the conversation, it’s almost a shorthand to it.”
Mackey’s biggest piece of advice is to follow up and make an impression. She likes to send hand-written notes because they are impressionable in a digital world. Other methods include postcards, e-blasts and other outreach tactics that get people thinking about your company.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about New Home Solutions Consulting or visit www.NewHomesSolutions.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Erik Martinez, executive VP and co-owner of Blue Tangerine joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Martinez discusses real estate e-commerce and everything home builders should know to be successful in a technology-driven world.
How does e-commerce work in the real estate sector? Martinez explains that there are two objectives to consider: branding and accessibility. Home builders invest in websites with tight branding and stunning imagery because it draws home shoppers in. However, many shoppers seek easy-access information that can be seen from the homepage. Blue Tangerine assists home builders by transforming their sites with quick, easy links that connect buyers with the necessary information to take further steps toward purchasing a home.
“I need to know: ‘Do you build where I want to buy?’, ‘Do you have a price point that’s in my budget?’ and ‘Do you have a style that resonates with me?” said Martinez. “And if I could address those three questions when I land on any page on the site, then you’re going to get me to engage.”
When home builders set up digital marketing, the goal is always to keep shoppers engaged and scrolling through the site for a significant amount of time. Martinez suggests interactive components that outline floor plans and allow shoppers to explore any current customization options. Setting up this level of data is an investment, but it makes a difference between your business and your competitors because buyers are looking to absorb tangible information without searching for it.
How does Blue Tangerine keep home shoppers engaged even after leaving the site? Like many e-commerce providers, it targets website visitors when they enter the site, as they explore it and again when they leave to check out competitors. A simple “Can we send you more information” pop-up gets about 3% engagement, but Blue Tangerine can take that data and adjust marketing accordingly.
“A good e-commerce retailer would not only capture that [data], they follow up with you via an email sequence or a text sequence, depending on what you what that particular buyer chooses, and they’ll provide the benefits of the product,” said Martinez. “They’ll provide recommendations on other products and tell the story of the brand.”
Another approach is to provide a sense of scarcity. What does that mean for home builders? If someone visits the site and looks at a particular floorplan or community, you want to follow up and make it seem in-demand. Maybe only two lots are available in the community they viewed, so an informative email might inspire that person to put down a deposit sooner than later. Making your products seem important to shoppers and encouraging a healthy level of urgency to purchase is important.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Blue Tangerine, or visit www.BlueTangerine.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jessica Griggs, CEO and founder of LaRuche Photo, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Griggs discusses her transition to real estate photography and shares a few tips and tricks.
Starting in her early 20s, Griggs established a successful wedding and videography business that allowed her to cultivate her passion professionally. When life brought her to Georgia, she transitioned into real estate photography and created LaRuche Photo. The business started with just Griggs herself and now features a team of nine photographers.
What does real estate photography encompass? LaRuche serves real estate professionals from many sectors, including Realtors, home builders, interior designers and stagers. Whether your home is a short-term rental, new build or for-sale property, Griggs and her team provide home shoppers with a personal look. While real estate makes up almost 70% of its clientele, LaRuche also offers other photography services such as headshots, event coverage and weddings.
When it comes to selling a home, photography is a crucial step in the marketing plan. Photos communicate visually for homebuyers, but they must be combined with other promotional assets to ensure a successful marketing strategy. LaRuche offers a wide range of services, including videography, Matterport 3-D home tours, drones and more.
“I’ve always said a photo speaks 100 words, and a video speaks 1,000 because we live in a world of social media,” said Griggs. “We live in a world of scrolling one video after the next. Depending on your audience, you may have an attention span of two minutes, or you may have an attention span of two seconds.”
In the last few years, Matterport has blown up in the real estate business, but how does it benefit both buyers and sellers? Matterport allows home shoppers to take a virtual “tour” of a home, utilizing dozens of photos merged to create 3-D images. It is a great strategy for sellers because it can reach homebuyers across the country and is cheaper than videography.
Griggs shared her thoughts on videography strategy as well, expressing the difference between trendy and successful. Businesses want “viral” videos, but that level of popularity is based on factors that can seem impossible to achieve. Things like numbers of posts per week, influencer appearances and other algorithm feeders can take your video over 10,000 views or just plateau at 1,000-2,0000 views. For most businesses, the strategy for success is simple: know your audience! Older generations love horizontal format and longer videos, while younger generations are all about the vertical format and shorter videos found on social media.
“I think it really depends on the audience you’re trying to appeal to,” said Griggs. “If your audience is all over the place, then it’s best to do both vertical and horizontal, because you’re getting that long format for social media platforms like YouTube and vertical format for somebody who sits on TikTok all day.”
With AI and other virtual products entering the market, how does that affect LaRuche Photo and real estate marketing? Griggs believes human-to-human engagement is important for the industry. AI is beneficial for small touch-ups but can be noticeable on a larger scale.
Griggs said, “At the end of the day, it’s composition, it’s talent, it’s expertise, and it’s a good eye.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about LaRuche Photo or visit www.LaRuchePhoto.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Mandy Crater, executive director of HomeAid® Atlanta, and Ronnie Cline, vice president of construction with Taylor Morrison, join host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Crater and Cline discuss what it means to be a Builder Captain for HomeAid® Atlanta and volunteering as a home builder.
Since 2001, HomeAid® Atlanta has worked to build new lives for individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization has completed over 200 construction projects and continues to make a difference through construction, community engagement and education. In partnership with local homebuilders like Taylor Morrison and nonprofit housing providers, HomeAid® Atlanta provides stable places for individuals or families to stay.
“We get discounts and donations from our friends in the building industry and help our friends that are in the housing industry use those discounted donations to improve their facilities, to expand, to maybe just do some maintenance,” said Crater. “So, then they are spending their hard-earned money on the people that they’re trying to help.”
Taylor Morrison is currently partnering with HomeAid® Atlanta on two projects, Breakthrough House and a project in Cherokee County for girls in foster care. Breakthrough House is comprised of two sections: one for single women transitioning into sobriety and the second for recovering mothers and their children. Up in Cherokee County, Taylor Morrison and HomeAid® Atlanta plan to construct a place for family visitations, donation drop-offs and more, further enhancing the security of the campus. As a top five national builder, Taylor Morrison is a great resource for building quality homes that last for those in need and is a proud Builder Captain.
“Taylor Morrison is very supportive of everything that we do with HomeAid ® and what it brings to the community, but it is a huge responsibility,” said Cline. “The great thing is, our trade partners out there really work with us side by side, and the relationships that we build over time are unreal, and their generosity is great. They contribute a lot to these projects, and the relationships that they build with those that we’re helping last a lifetime.”
For many projects, including HomeAid® Atlanta builds, Taylor Morrison calls on its own trade partners. Cline describes it as “team building” when the construction company and its trade partners collaborate on projects off the clock.
“Generally, we’ll have multiple trades in every area, and I’ve never had one not want to help,” said Cline. “Usually, they want to do a lot more than what we’re even asking them to do. Our trade partners are huge to us and our business. We can’t do it without them, and for what we do with HomeAid®, they really contribute a lot.”
How does the HomeAid® process work financially? Non-profits are invited to fill out an application but must have at least 75% of the project cost in the bank. For a $100,000 project, that means $75,000 is secured. The goal when bringing in Building Captains and their trade partners is to get the cost down further. If the project can be completed for 50% less than expected, the rest of the money can go towards maintenance, furnishing the space or back to the bank for another project.
“That’s their skin in the game because this is their facility,” said Crater. “We’re just helping them to make it nicer or even constructed in the first place, and then they have a space where they can do their work and help people move forward with their lives.”
How can you get involved? Well, that is easy! Builders can volunteer as a HomeAid Builder Captain to lead the construction of a housing facility or get involved with a one-day, hands-on project. Taking on a build project with HomeAid Atlanta is the perfect opportunity to do what you do best – build homes!
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about HomeAid® Atlanta and Taylor Morrison, or visit www.HomeAidGA.com and www.TaylorMorrison.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Teri Frye, sales associate of the Frye Team, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Frye discusses the NAR settlement and what that means for homebuyers and agents.
Frye works alongside a team of four agents, including her husband and son, representing homebuyers and sellers across the metro Atlanta area. With its smaller team, the Frye Team offers clients a more personal experience.
The NAR settlement has been a hot topic amongst housing professionals, but what does it mean for those looking to buy or sell their homes? Well, that is a little complicated. Now anyone seeking help from a real estate agent will need to negotiate commission or compensation upfront with their agent and sign a buyer brokerage agreement (BBA). Agents can no longer include the commission in the price of any home listed in the multiple list service (MLS).
Of course, the goal is to have the commission compensated by the seller, but not all sellers will offer the full 3%.
“The Fry Team has always offered guaranteed services, which gives the buyer and or seller the option to cancel the agreement at any time,” said Frye. “We would never stand in the way of a buyer or seller getting what they want.”
How will Appraisals be impacted?
Appraisal can also be a sticky situation for homebuyers, but enlisting an agent can help. In Georgia, if there is an appraisal gap, buyers have three options:
- the seller can agree to reduce the price
- the buyer and seller can agree to meet somewhere in the middle or anywhere in between
- or buyer has a right to terminate.
Buyers are not obligated to purchase if the home does not appraise, especially if that is a contingency in the offer.
“Most sellers have a lot of equity, and I think you just have to know the market,” said Frye. “If you’re going in blindly, you have room for error. You have to do your homework on the front end and really understand the market, understand the homes, the comps, what it means. We actually do the work and attempt to help the appraiser.”
Frye’s biggest advice for buyers is to do their research when looking for an agent. Find out what agents bring to the table and how that benefits you in your home shopping experience. Buyers browse online and get lots of details about potential homes, but hiring the right agent can take you even further.
Buying a home is a big financial step, which is why representation matters. The median home price in Atlanta is currently in the $500,000s and going upward. A quality agent can help you navigate the buying process smoothly with knowledge of the market, legalities and the buyer brokerage agreement. The Frye Team is committed to offering guaranteed service for clients whether it is their first home purchase, second or third!
Fry said, “People don’t do this every single day, and I think having the understanding, the compassion, and really walking them through the steps and helping them to the bottom line matters.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about The Frye Team or visit www.FryeTeam.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Co-founder Larry Dorfman with Roots joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share details about how the nonprofit organization partners with residents to build wealth and identifies and selects properties for investments. Dorfman sits down with Show Host and President of Denim Marketing Carol Morgan and discusses how Roots maintains high returns for investors.
Kicking off their informative chat, Morgan shared a quote that has acted as a cornerstone for Dorfman’s career: “Succeed not because it’s big or because it’s long-established, but because there are people who live it, sleep it, dream it and build future plans for it.” Dorfman shared that he found the quote hanging in a print shop in 1984 and has referred to it since.
Dorfman said, “I had no idea where it came from, but it lived with us through that business and is now living with us through this one.”
Originally from New York, Dorfman moved to the Atlanta area in 1956. When he was younger, he worked in his father’s office equipment company and entered the real estate sector at the age of 28. Soon, he founded his first company alongside his future wife—APCO Holdings. The company experienced great success and he retired in 2019.
During the pandemic, he stayed with his son Daniel, who has an impressive 15-year-long real estate career. The two put their heads together and devised the idea for Roots.
Dorfman said, “I thought it was a cool idea and all the pieces fit really well!”
The concept for Roots initially came from his son Daniel’s impressive market knowledge. One notable thing his son saw time after time was that after selling someone a home, they would commonly return within six months to purchase their first rental home. He would have to inform them that putting 10% percent down was insufficient. In reality, 20% down or more is necessary to have enough income to cover both the new and rental home investment.
Dorfman said, “About 90% of Americans have nowhere to really invest in real estate…[Daniel wanted] to truly democratize it.”
Dorfman and his son planned to figure out the legal aspects and put into place how one could achieve it, build a fund and successfully invest in real estate. That idea eventually became Roots, a REIT that creates wealth for its investors and its renters. This led to the creation of the “Live in it Like You Own it®” program.
Through this program, Roots is turning the tables on the adversarial landlord/tenant relationship by partnering with its residents. When residents take care of their properties and pay rent on time, they can grow their wealth by up to $3,600 in two years and up to $10,000 in five years through incentives and investment in the Roots REIT.
Along with his son, Dorfman invested in nine duplexes in Austell, Georgia and told the residents that if they paid their rent on time, were good neighbors and submitted a quick video of their property once a quarter, Roots would invest their security deposit into the fund and award them with an additional $150 per quarter in the first year and $200 per quarter in the second year to place into their wealth building account.
The Roots founding team posited that if they could incentivize their residents with a great place to live while building wealth as they rent, Roots would have fewer vacancies, lower turnover rates and higher returns for their investors.
The numbers confirm their theory. Roots far exceeds industry averages with renewal rates at 77% (industry avg: 57%) and average occupancy of 97% (industry avg: 91%). An impressive 88.3% of residents paid their rent on time and submitted their quarterly videos. Roots’ residents have built more than $465,000 in their Wealth Builder accounts to date.
The success is due in part to Roots’ proprietary resident engagement SaaS platform, Bloom, a first-ever resident engagement solution aimed to transform the tenant/landlord relationship into a partnership. The company is further boosted by generous investors such as Dominique Wilkins to make the venture a success.
Dorfman said, “The partnership that gets built with these residents is incredible.”
The need is clear and the statistics are staggering. Studies show that the average renting family has less than $650 in savings. Households making less than 50% of the average median income (AMI) represent 71% of all cost-burdened households in metro Atlanta. Currently ranking sixth largest in the nation, the five-county region continues to grow.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Roots or visit https://RentWithRoots.com to rent and https://InvestWithRoots.com to invest. To support the nonprofit organization, visit www.FreeRentATL.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Tommy Lester, manager of Atlanta Initiatives for Capital Impact Partners and David Greisman, spokesperson for Capital Impact Partners, join host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Lester and Greisman discuss the Equitable Development Initiative.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Lester has over 25 years of experience in banking, financing and investing in the area’s rich real estate. Greisman joined Capital Impact Partners a few years ago, bringing a fresh perspective to the mission-driven institution.
Capital Impact Partners is a community development financial institution that seeks to provide community organizations with the necessary financing to thrive. What does that look like? Capital Impact Partners helps developers combine affordable housing, better access to healthcare and education, healthier food selection and cooperative developments. It works with its sister organization, CDC Small Business Finance, to specifically assist small businesses.
The Equitable Development Initiative (EDI) is an excellent way for emerging real estate developers to come together and learn new tips and tricks of the trade. Previously successful in Detroit, Washington D.C., the San Fransico Bay area and Dallas, Texas, this nine-month program encourages developers to continue their education and connect with others in the field.
Lester said, “It helps people get their businesses in line to be able to accept funding from major sources and do bigger deals,” said Lester. “At the same time, it exposes them to lenders and funders who are ideal for them, whether it’s because of their project type or their social mission.”
Throughout the program, Capital Impact Partners works with real estate developers to take their projects to the next level through various aspects like financing, site acquisition and more. Applicants should be established in the real estate industry; this cohort program is not for individuals looking to break into development. This year, 35 applications were turned in, and the list of 15 finalists will be published soon.
“We’re really strategic about making sure that the people that are part of the program are from this community,” said Lester. “It’s not open nationwide, it’s open to people specifically from here.”
Capital Impact Partners is proud to work with numerous local partners in Atlanta, including House ATL, Reinvestment Fund and the Wells Fargo Foundation’s Growing Diverse Housing Developers program. Together, these institutions and organizations serve metro Atlanta in DeKalb, Clayton, Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Douglasville counties. By targeting areas of growth, Capital Impact and its partners can ensure that the needs of these communities are met.
Greisman said, “We’ve seen people who are committed to affordable housing come in and be able to grow their businesses and do more to help the communities.”
How does the EDI program contribute on a larger scale? A pre-course evaluation gives instructors and speakers a starting point for each participant. Individual strengths and weaknesses are noted and then re-evaluated at the end of the nine-month cohort. Participants then present their projects to an audience and are judged on quality and other factors.
“Every unit and every building that these developers work on is helping be part of the solution,” said Greisman. “Again, it is a very complex ongoing issue, but being able to help these local developers is going to provide part of that solution and help the people who really are the backbone of these communities.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Capital Impact Partners, or visit www.CapitalImpact.org.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jim Chapman, president of Jim Chapman Construction Group (JCCG), joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Chapman discusses the build-to-rent housing market in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast.
Chapman began his career in Atlanta, beginning in custom home construction, then moving towards the active adult market. After years of building these larger communities, he was inspired to develop a rental version before build-to-rent was even popular. When a plot of land in Athens showed promise, Chapman got to work, building The Cottages at Ridge Pointe, an impressive 211-home community in Athens, Ga., with amenities. The community was a huge success.
What can Jim Chapman Construction Group do for you? The company develops and constructs homes, amenities and other community features for investors, developers and others in the industry. Whether you just want houses built on your land or looking to add an amenity complex to an existing community, Jim Chapman Construction Group wants to make it happen! Chapman is licensed as a general contractor in six southern states, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Chapman said, “I’m licensed in all six of southeastern states and we’re currently building in or actively bidding jobs for developers and investors in all six.”
Under the brand of Ranch Cottages for Rent, Jim Chapman Construction Group creates friendly, for-rent communities that provide the luxuries of homeownership without the hassles. There is also no age restriction for residents, opening the community to all interested individuals.
“People want more experiences, more to do with life and less to do with their home,” said Chapman. “They don’t want to maintain a home and renting is a great option.”
For many current residents, the desire for multigenerational housing has led them to lease a home with Ranch Cottages for Rent. Residents of varying ages can live under one roof and have easy access to community amenities, local schools and top-rated healthcare.
“These are people who are very successful, who have good incomes, are good citizens,” said Chapman. “They’re renters by choice to emulate a lifestyle they want, which is lock and leave and maintenance free.”
Jim Chapman Construction Group has many projects in the works currently, including the Cottages at New Hampstead in Savannah, Ga., two developments in Huntsville, Al. and
multiple in Florida near Tallahassee and Wildwood. North Georgia residents can also check out the Cottages at Walker Ridge in Fort Oglethorpe near Chattanooga at the Georgia-Tennessee border.
BTR investors and developers interesting in expanding their BTR community footprint in the southeast are encouraged to reach out to Jim Chapman Construction Group today and begin their partnership.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Jim Chapman Construction Group or visit www.JimChapmanConstructionGroup.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Geoffrey Deckelbaum, partner and co-founder at SRP Lending, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Deckelbaum discusses the private lending process for residential real estate in Atlanta.
Born into a family of real estate developers, Deckelbaum’s interest in real estate blossomed from an early age. After college, he worked in a bank, financing developers and homebuilders. In the last decade, he decided to switch focus in his career and moved into the private lending sector.
Founded by Geoffrey Deckelbaum and Michael Ray, SRP Lending provides short-term financial solutions for home builders, real estate investors and developers. From acquiring lots to renovations on project homes, SRP Lending is a partner for real estate professionals who want to grow the housing opportunities in metro Atlanta.
Lending has become increasingly difficult in the homebuilding industry due to banking limitations. Banks offer funds based on credit and other traditional factors, but SRP is proud to lend based on its client relationships and the project vision. This distinctive difference moves the homebuilding process forward and provides peace of mind for clients.
Deckelbaum said, “If we can understand our builder’s view as to where they want to go, and the project that makes sense to us, we want to find a way to help them achieve their goals.”
Why choose private lending over traditional bank loans? If a home builder goes to the bank for a loan, the credit approval process can take a long time, not including the 60 to 90 days to reach closing. SRP Lending approves loans in as little time as a few business days, allowing clients to put cash down on properties and remain competitive. Private lending also presents more customized loan options that meet clients where they are and ensures their projects come to life quicker.
Looking for lending opportunities for your next project? SRP Lending is local to metro Atlanta and services clients within one hour of the city. Potential clients are encouraged to meet with Deckelbaum and Ray to ensure the best loan fit before buying property. SRP Lending walks with clients every step of the way, including visits to potential properties and discussing any changes throughout the building or renovation process.
“We will go see your property before we commit but, the advantage to using us is that once we get onsite, we know you, and we’ve seen the project you want to do,” said Deckelbaum. “We can tell you immediately what our loan would look like.”
SRP Lending works with numerous real estate agents and marketing experts that provide competitive information about buyers, home trends and more! That information is then passed to its clients, offering key strategies for marketing and elevating the value of their properties.
“SRP Lending is committed to the residential marketplace. Homebuilding and renovations are the passion that Mike and I had for many years,” said Deckelbaum. “We do this not as a job, but as a gap we fill in the industry.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about SRP Lending or visit www.SRPLending.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Ryan MacDowell, partner at MacBuilt Homes, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, MacDowell discusses the custom home market in Atlanta and what clients can expect when they choose MacBuilt for their dream home.
Born and raised in Atlanta, MacDowell is a second-generation homebuilder. He formed MacBuilt Homes in 2016 and instantly made an impact with Atlanta’s luxury homebuyers. Driven by a desire to flip the script on builder-customer relations, MacDowell introduced newer technology to the construction process, creating a clear view of the project for builders and clients. Using an owner portal and updated photography, MacBuilt Homes involves homebuyers in the building process with daily updates.
MacDowell said, “Our goal has always been to transform the industry so that people have an enjoyable experience overall.”
MacBuilt has expanded its reach tremendously in the last ten years, touching metro Atlanta hotspots like Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Norcross and northern areas like Acworth and Woodstock. MacDowell’s knowledge of the area has been instrumental in choosing new locations and providing an intelligent perspective of the Atlanta cityscape.
Wondering what top design trends custom-home shoppers are choosing? Home styles like modern contemporary, modern farmhouse and traditional are popular among MacBuilt’s clients. Quality is the backbone of most homebuyers’ expectations but features like energy-efficient appliances and luxury flooring are appreciated.
“They’re expecting to come through on their final walkthrough and see that they’re not having to put 100 pieces of blue tape on the walls,” said MacDowell, “They are expecting to see quality as it takes place.”
Aside from custom-build projects, MacBuilt is pleased to offer customers renovation services as well. MacDowell notes that after the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, the need for updated spaces increased. Some key projects include adding home offices, basements and other renovations that increase living space upward and outward.
“There’s certainly some people looking for multi-generational living again, too,” said MacDowell. “That had gone away for quite a while, and now it’s about finding some spaces for family members to move back or for children to stay a little bit longer.”
With mortgage rates at a steady high, many luxury homebuilders are seeing an increasing number of cash-only buyers. Atlanta is a hub for relocation, so buyers often come from out-of-state and find properties in the $1 to $2 million range, a significantly lower price from where they started. Who is putting down these offers? Among the MacBuilt Homes buyers, the cash-only offers are coming primarily from young technology professionals moving to Atlanta and 55+ individuals.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about MacBuilt Homes, or visit www.MacBuiltHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Dana Keller, vice president of marketing at Harrison Homes, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Keller discusses the transition Harrison Homes has made to a design-build firm and upcoming luxury homebuilds in metro Atlanta.
With over 20 years of marketing experience under her belt, Keller joined the Harrison Homes team in 2020 and quickly fell in love with the residential real estate market.
Harrison Homes was founded in 2007 as a privately owned and operated design-build firm specializing in residential development. Across north metro Atlanta, Harrison has built over 350 luxury single-family homes and townhomes. Years of experience in speculative and custom home building give team members the tools and knowledge to offer clients quality construction at an affordable price point.
Keller said, “It is really in the last two years that we have solidified our transition as a design-build firm for residential developments, in both for-sale and for-rent arenas, single-family homes and townhome communities.”
Harrison presents clients with a “one-stop-shop” approach to homebuilding. Starting with the discovery process, the firm’s team connects with clients to assess their goals for the project and determine necessary services. An in-house architect and interior design team make this step feel comfortable for clients. From there, the process moves to the contract phase and then permitting, procurement and vertical construction begins. Harrison can also assist with horizontal construction for a seamless plan to completion process.
Coming soon in east Roswell, vertical construction has started on East Village, a community of 74 high-end townhomes located just off Holcomb Bridge Road. These three-story townhomes feature two to four bedrooms and tons of luxury details. Prospective buyers can look forward to soaring, 10-foot ceilings, shaker-style cabinetry and quartz countertops in the kitchen, walk-in pantries and spa baths with double-sink vanities.
In Brookhaven, Harrison is pleased to announce vertical construction will begin soon on Sunland Park. Limited to just five new residences, these single-family homes offer five bedrooms and four baths on 3,800 square feet. Upscale, contemporary design sets this community apart, making it a unique opportunity for Atlanta home shoppers. Sunland Park is conveniently located near the desired Ashford Park elementary school district and walkable to local Brookhaven dining, shopping and entertainment.
Harrison just completed homes in the Lake Oconee area and plans to expand further with an upcoming townhome project.
Keller said, “Brookhaven is where Harrison began, so we are excited to be back in our home neighborhood.”
Wondering what luxury homebuyers are looking for? Harrison presents clients with competitive design elements, including walk-in pantries, natural stone exteriors and statement lighting in their homes.
“It’s fun to see our designers mix those stable, true classic elements and dial them up to meet the new trends,” said Keller. “But they still sustain an overall longevity and ensure they won’t be outdated in two years.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Harrison Homes, or visit www.HarrisonATL.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006 and podcasting since 2011. It is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Brett Forney, managing partner of Prim Properties, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Forney discusses the build-to-rent (BTR) industry in this podcast segment.
Forney’s strong background in real estate makes her and Prim Properties great resources. Growing up in east Tennessee, she shadowed her mother at her brokerage by attending open houses and visiting home builds from a young age. In high school, she worked as a maintenance technician for a rental property company and stayed on for 18 years.
Prim Properties is a new property management company specifically focused on the build-to-rent sector. Traditional, apartment-style management was not an ideal solution for BTR properties, so Prim Properties adopted a new approach tailored to this growing sector.
“It was birthed out of a desire to do something better,” said Forney. “A little more prim and proper way to manage BTR than the typical apartment approach.”
At Prim Properties, comfort and connection are important. Management strives to know its residents by name, communicate thoroughly from a contractor-style approach and create a space for feedback.
The build-to-rent residents are a unique demographic that includes empty nesters looking for lower-maintenance living, medical students seeking short-term living for a couple of years and individuals waiting for their dream homes to complete construction. Typical “knock-on-the-door” maintenance can be frustrating, but Prim Properties’ concierge-style service ensures that residents feel comfortable with their homes. Management provides residents with various services such as mail collection, making sure pipes are dripping during the colder months and exterior maintenance and landscaping year-round.
What makes the Prim Properties approach stand out? The property management team cares and takes the time to listen to residents. This approachaffects the overall environment of the developer’s BTR communities. Management is trained to prioritize quality time with residents, ensuring higher lease renewal rates.
“We try to manage with unrelenting hospitality,” said Forney. “We love on our people so they love where they live and stay there.”
Resident activities are also a huge aspect of Prim Properties’ culture. From craft and cooking classes to end-of-school celebrations, the property management company ensures its residents have opportunities to socialize and feel appreciated.
Looking to make your mark in the real estate industry? Prim Properties is currently hiring! It has already welcomed many new faces to the team, including director of operations Ron Romano and leasing director Ron Telfair. Taking a “hire with heart” approach, the company hires talented individuals in roles that indulge their dreams. Whether your background is in HR, construction, property maintenance or something else entirely, there are positions ready to be filled.
In addition, Prim Properties is seeking ownership groups to partner with as it continues to grow. The company is still in its early stages, so now is the time to secure this unique property management strategy.
Forney said, “If there are ownership groups that understand the resident experience, customer service and hospitality we want to provide, those are the ownership groups that will really fit here.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Prim Properties, or visit www.PrimProp.com. The website is still under development, so more urgent inquiries can be emailed to info@primprop.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jennifer Landers, community director of the Kolter Homes Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes community, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Landers discusses the 55+ active adult home industry and all things Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes.
Landers began her career working in real estate for a single-family home builder and then transitioned to a national developer of master-planned communities. After almost 20 years with that developer, she joined the Kolter Homes team, leading its new 55+ active adult community.
Landers said, “Now I’m working in the best of both worlds, working in a master-planned community and selling the homes here for Kolter at Cresswind Twin Lakes in Hoschton.”
Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is a master-planned community located in historic Hoschton. When complete, this community will welcome 1,300 families home with high -class amenities and breathtaking natural landscapes. The Cresswind community offers residents access to 29,000+ square foot clubhouse, indoor and outdoor pools, 40 acres of lakes, trails and golf cart paths and an event lawn for gathering with neighbors. Residents also enjoy Georgia’s largest, private pickleball center located within their community.
Location plays a huge role in the planning of 55+ active adult living, taking into consideration the population, healthcare and external amenities in the area. Families often want to move together, so building near growing local communities is crucial to keep everyone together.
Landers said, “One of the biggest challenges, just in the Atlanta market, is that there are not enough large pieces of land left close enough to local amenities. That is probably our biggest challenge as we look for new Cresswinds.”
Why does the active adult home shopper prefer community life? Social engagement is a driving factor. Homebuyers want opportunities to get to know their neighbors and connect through activities. Cresswind communities provide amenities and events that encourage residents to get out, have fun and engage in their community. The Cresswind-exclusive concert series has been a huge hit, highlighting local talent on the event lawn.
Landers said, “There is something going on every single day, and you can be as active as you want or not.”
Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is outfitted with a model home village featuring 15 decorated residences, giving prospective homebuyers a glimpse of life in the community.
Buyers also have access to hundreds of personalization options and convenient access to professional guidance in the Welcome Center’s onsite design studio.
Home shoppers still have plenty of time to secure a home in Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes. Of the 1,300 homes planned, only 500 homes have closed. Kolter Homes is now building in Phase Five of Eight. Phase Six is under development and set to open next year. The second phase of the community garden recently opened and introduced a new greenhouse and herb garden.
The full community is expected to finish in 2030, giving prospective buyers time to unlock a new life with Cresswind.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Cresswind Georgia, or visit www.CresswindGA.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Carrie Iddings, corporate communications manager of Fischer Homes, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Iddings discusses Fischer’s ongoing support of St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and helping buyers find their dream homes in the Atlanta area.
Iddings has served in a crucial role with Fischer Homes for 11 years, especially in the builder’s move to Atlanta in 2013. In addition, she organizes Fischer Home’s participation in the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, which offers prospective homebuyers a chance to purchase the home of their dreams and provides St. Jude Children’s Hospital with life-saving funds. Currently, the builder offers up three homes a year in St. Louis, MI, Louisville, KY and the Greater Cincinnati area.
For 44 years, Fischer Homes has provided homebuyers with quality homes that last. In partnership with St. Jude through the Dream Home Giveaway, the company has raised almost $30 million and helped ensure that families receive critical care in place of a hospital bill.
Iddings said, “Three people will win a house this year, it is always very exciting to give a home away to somebody.”
Fischer Homes recently unveiled its new paired-patio homes at the established community, The Villas at Gold Creek in Dawsonville, GA. Homes are available on ranch or two-story plans with opportunities to completely personalize in the Lifestyle Design Center. To promote low-maintenance living, lawn care and landscaping are also included.
Iddings said, “It really is a nice option for anyone looking for that lifestyle, where they don’t have to worry about upkeep.”
The Maple Street collection gained traction recently, offering buyers luxury choices at an affordable price. Priced from the $300,000s, this home collection is available at Cherry Glen in Euharlee. Home shoppers can look forward to multiple elevation choices, customizable interiors and spacious living that fits families looking to upsize, downsize or anywhere in between. In Dallas, Sage Woods debuted with 11 floor plan options. Homes at Sage Woods are priced from the mid-$300,000s and buyers can look forward to the upcoming model home. Searching for your new home? Visit the model home at Cherry Glen or check out the Sage Woods community page.
Fischer Homes has also expanded its active adult community offerings with Poplar Place and Laurel Farms in Dallas. Home shoppers choose between ranch and two-story plans, each with a covered patio that makes outdoor lounging and entertaining comfortable. Exterior maintenance and lawn care are included. To add a little more space, an optional loft is also available for the ranch-style floor plan.
Ready to move now? Fischer Homes has move-in ready homes available across Atlanta. A full listing can be found here. Homebuyers have access to complimentary refinancing for up to three years with Fischer’s partner, Victory Mortgage.
Iddings said, “We continue to see mortgage rates go down and buyer interest rates are picking up, so it is a really great time to buy right now, especially with our affiliated partners.”
As of last year, Fischer Homes celebrates over 2,000 homes across the Atlanta area and continues to grow. With multiple communities popping up every year, you can find your dream home with Fischer today.
“We are continuing to expand our footprint and entering new parts of Atlanta,” said Iddings. “We just want to continue to do more.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Fischer Homes, or visit www.FischerHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
John Wieland, president of The JW Collection, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Wieland discusses The Warehouse, his 39,000 square foot private art collection that is now open to the public one day a month for the first time.
When Wieland and his wife began collecting art, they started with pieces they admired priced within their budget. As time passed, his role in the real estate industry helped fund his passion for art and allow unique pieces to grace the walls of their home and office.
The Great Recession caused a lot of businesses to change locations and adjust, including John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods. While Wieland needed to downsize his office, he also needed a new place to house his expansive art collection. When a bank-owned property came available on the west side of Atlanta, he jumped on the opportunity and opened the doors of The Warehouse’s permanent location in 2010.
Today, The Warehouse showcases 400 pieces from 250 national and international artists. Themes include home, house and domesticity from a diverse perspective.
“The interesting thing about art collecting is that you start out financing pieces focused on your collecting interests,” Wieland said. “Then after a while, the art seems to find you.”
Managing an art exhibition goes beyond the art, it includes a ton of supportive elements. To keep the pieces safe and distinctive, Wieland invested in quality security, climate control, lighting and positioning. Due to the materials used, some art needs more care than others, which is why The Warehouse has targeted air conditioning that keeps the pieces at a controlled temperature.
Art is best expressed in collections, so Wieland curates groupings of his art that complement each other, have a regional connection or some other tying factor.
Wieland said, “We want the art in any of our gallery spaces to talk to each other.”
The Warehouse offers visitors a glimpse of many different art types, including paintings, sculptures, fabric works and more. The exhibition also has pieces from notable individuals such as war veteran, Ferdinand Cooper, Reverand Howard Finster and numerous folk artists.
Some pieces like the impressionable sculpture standing 16 feet by 24 feet wide from the 1988 MoMA Show capture the attention of visitors from the start. When Wieland purchased it on a whim, the piece was deconstructed and shipped to Atlanta, then reconstructed and placed outside his Gwinnett office where it was on display for years.
Wieland also published his book, Homeward: Selections From The Wieland Collection in 2016, further spreading the reach of his collection. This monograph highlights various pieces that he acquired over the years and is available for purchase at The Warehouse and the High Museum of Art.
Looking to plan your visit to The Warehouse? The art exhibition is open the second Saturday of every month. Admission is free but requires an advanced reservation. Prospective visitors can visit the website up to 30 days in advance and secure a time slot for the following month. Open from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., The Warehouse offers both guided and self-guided tours.
Wieland said, “I think everyone has felt like this was a wonderful experience, which is what we are trying to accomplish. We will never be charging for that.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about The Warehouse, or visit TheWarehouse.org.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Farrell Middleton, president of The Bell Curve of Life, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Middleton discusses coaching and mentoring clients
After a long, successful career in the building industry, Middleton started The Bell Curve of Life in 2022 to ignite his passion to teach and embrace a second career. He offers mentorship services that enhance clients’ confidence personally and professionally.
Middleton said, “I wanted to spend my time differently, helping people live a better life, be better performers and run better businesses.”
When his two children moved out and started their lives, Middleton experienced the “empty nester” feeling and decided to shift his career towards helping others as he did with his own family. As one chapter closed, he looked for a new one to begin.
The Bell Curve of Life offers both individual and group sessions, depending on the client’s needs. One-on-one sessions offer details and solutions that are more personal. In a group setting, Middleton can get a bigger picture and participants can share ideas on a bigger scale. He also notes that group sessions often leads to people learning from each other’s experiences.
Middleton said, “As I get conversation going in the group settings, people are learning more from each other than from me, which is what my goal was.”
Employee retention and engagement are common challenges facing the business world. It is a lot of effort that is sometimes lost suddenly. The Bell Curve of Life helps business leaders discover ways to foster relationships with employees and assist them in growing with the company. Some employees are comfortable at a certain level of responsibility and do not want to be pushed up, a common sentiment that Middleton discusses with his clients.
Internal customer service can make or break a business, which is why The Bell Curve of Life addresses it from the first consultation. What does this mean? Every person in the business has a role and the coordination between employees is what keeps the flow of service going. If one employee, or one sector of the business, is lacking proper momentum, it can have a big impact. Middleton works with clients to find the slowdown and start the conversations to get everything running smoothly again. Middleton also notes that learning from mistakes and taking responsibility are crucial for change to happen.
“If the bar is too high, nobody can achieve that on a routine basis,” Middleton said. “My program and guidance are about how do people perform on a routine basis.”
The Bell Curve of Life also offers Lunch-and-Learn events and other single events where Middleton speaks to larger groups on a one-time basis. He evaluates a “pinpoint” or issue that is facing the group, including communication, relationship building, customer service and other issues.
To measure the success of sessions, Middleton uses evaluation forms that allow participants to self-evaluate and find ways to grow individually.
Middleton said, “Work on the stuff that needs to be worked on and the other stuff that is going well enough, it is going well enough. Don’t spend anymore quality time on it.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about The Bell Curve of Life, or visit TheBellCurveOfLife.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Bryan Ponder, director of land development – Dallas and Atlanta at UnionMain Homes, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Ponder discusses the builder’s recent move to Atlanta and upcoming home opportunities in the area.
Born and raised in Gwinnett County, Ponder is a Georgia native through and through. After graduating with a Civil Engineering degree from the University of Georgia in 1998, he has been involved in land development ever since. Along the way, he worked with multiple home builders, including Homeland Communities and Brock Built Homes. Through these experiences, Ponder took every opportunity to learn and now possesses a diverse knowledge of sales, marketing, home building and more. He is also a registered utility manager in Georgia, which allows him to install all underground utilities.
UnionMain Homes hit the ground running in 2019, producing over 300 homes to date in Dallas and promising development in Atlanta. Maddox Landing is currently selling in Hoschton, GA, with two homes available as move-in ready and three still under construction. Homes are priced from the mid-$400,000s and include four to five bedrooms, two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half baths and a two-car garage. A decorated model home is available for tours Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
“Atlanta has a lot of opportunity for growth,” Ponder said. “There are not a lot of setbacks in Atlanta as far as jurisdiction like you find in other cities.”
The company is planning to finish construction on 25 homes this year in Atlanta, continuing to grow and expand into next year. The Echo Park condominium project is currently underway, offering 20 townhomes and multiple stacked condos along the scenic greenway in downtown Suwanee. Stacked condos are slated to be priced in the $400,000s and the three-story townhomes start in the $700,000s. UnionMain Homes also began developing on land in Rome, conveniently located right off GA-411
Ponder said, “This community in Rome will be more of a destination. We will have a $3 million amenity complex where we put the pool, parks and soccer fields.”
UnionMain Homes stands by its promise of “Contract to Dream Home in 175 Days.” Prospective buyers rest assured that the home of their dreams will be contracted, planned and built by that point.
Ponder said, “That time is from contract to permanent move-in, it is really less than that, but 175 gives us some grace period if it rains too much.”
UnionMain Homes residences stand the test of time. With close attention to structure and luxury details, homebuyers are at ease knowing that their homes are secure for years to come.
Searching for a new position in the real estate industry? UnionMain Homes is looking for talented help in Atlanta as the company continues to grow. Available roles include purchasing, IT, new homes sales counselors and more! A full list of job opportunities can be found here.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about UnionMain Homes, or visit https://UnionMainHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
T.R. Adams, President of T.R. Adams and Associates, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In this podcast segment, Adams discusses his strategies for marketing homes and building relationships with Atlanta builders and developers.
Before starting his own business, Adams worked extensively in multiple facets of the real estate industry, including sales, general brokerage, land consulting and more. With over 36 years in the industry, he now offers clients a comprehensive sales and marketing perspective rooted in honesty, creative strategies and experience.
“I love working with people,” he said. “I love putting together great teams and working together make things happen.”
T.R. Adams and Associates is a diverse team that supports homebuilders and developers during every step of the construction process. Through sales, marketing and land consultation, the team offers professional guidance to ensure everything runs smoothly. Adams shares that his strategy for success starts with basic marketing such as photography and maintaining a boots-on-the-ground, physical presence.
Adams said, “No matter how technology evolves, we have evolved back to swiping through pictures. People want to know that we are really there at the house.”
T.R. Adams and Associates works with homebuilder and development clients of all levels, whether that spans a few houses a year or hundreds. Recently, the team began analyzing property and lot value to give clients the highest andbest use for building and pricing homes. That knowledge comes to play during key land purchases and planning locations for upcoming home builds. The team also offers resale marketing services.
Adams said, “I really want to work with builders and developers, but we also do resale because, at the end of the day, it makes your business more well-rounded.”
Headquartered in Midtown, T.R. Adams and Associates is proud to offer services to clients within a 60-to-70-mile radius of Atlanta. Adams emphasized that location is everything to his clients, which is why he makes sure that his team is flexible and able to serve a large pool of homebuilders and developers across intown Atlanta and surrounding areas like Braselton, Calhoun, Athens, Fairburn and more.
Adams is currently building his network of Realtors across Atlanta and making strategic partnerships based on community locations. When choosing his clients, he said that it starts with research. MarketNsight is one of his favorite resources. He utilized them for regression reports, rent feasibility and more. Running numbers is how Adams and his team help clients see what is working and what is not when it comes to land and construction.
Adams said, “That is where you start, really getting a full understanding of what they are selling and where do builders fit.”
T.R. Adams and Associates evaluates the data and helps builders find a sweet spot between competitive pricing and unique property features. Adams emphasizes that each builder has a different perspective and specific ideas, but the market numbers help them sell more homes and stay competitive.
With inventory at a notable low, it is a seller’s market right now. Adams suggests that buyers choose their time to buy based on when they are ready, not based on interest rates or other factors.
“The best time to buy is when you are ready to buy,” Adam said. “Buy now and if interest rates change, just re-finance.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about T.R. Adams, or visit www.linkedin.com/in/tradamsandassociates/.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jacob Prather, President of My Home Communities and Tamra Wade, Team Leader at Tamra Wade Team, join host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode focused on My Home Communities. In this podcast segment, Prather and Wade discuss the missing middle housing sector and how My Home Communities accommodates first-time buyers with affordable homes.
My Home Communities is committed to providing affordable homes and works carefully in every step of the homebuilding process to ensure customers receive the best quality for the best price. Since the beginning, the building company has partnered with the Tamra Wade Team for new home sales, pairing professional Realtors with communities and providing competitive marketing.
Prather said, “We work strategically in land acquisitions to find land and lot opportunities below market in the most desirable areas. This allows us to pass that value on to the consumer as well. That’s fantastic.”
My Home Communities is actively selling in 11 communities across Atlanta, including middle Georgia locations like Warner Robins, Perry and Macon, northeast metro Atlanta in desirable locals such as Athens and Statham and north up to Toccoa, Georgia.
One way that My Home Communities and Tamra Wade Team work together is by keeping homebuyers informed about new and exciting housing trends. Putting her money where her mouth is, all three of Wade’s children own homes from My Home Communities. Wade states that they fell in love with the quality and detail. The homes were purchased as starter homes, but there is room to stay awhile and grow.
Wade said, “Even my children don’t have to move out of that house once they have their children. They can grow within it and still be very comfortable.”
Addressing the need for affordable housing, Prather discusses Statham Place and Sutton’s Landing, both in Statham, Georgia (Barrow County). Statham Place is near GA-316 and has tons of shopping and restaurants. Prather plans to keep the woodland atmosphere with shaded walkways and more space between lots. Statham Place is now selling in the $300,000s, and prospective buyers are encouraged to visit the decorated model to get a slice of life in the community.
Sutton’s Landing is an existing community, but My Home Communities is pleased to begin a second phase soon, including new amenities like a pool, cabana, sports courts and more!
My Home Communities is committed to making homes affordable and attainable. Entry-level buyers should find an affordable home and financing that is a fit. Wade discusses how her team and My Home Communities work together to help buyers feel secure paying for their first home. Considerations like USDA financing and earnest money help new homebuyers feel more comfortable with the purchase.
For homebuyers who want to move into a home in the next 30 days or within six months, My Home Communities has a lot to offer. Wade states, “Because the builder has such a large footprint in these areas, if one particular neighborhood does not have something that the buyers want, or the timing doesn’t work, we’ve been able to sell them a home in another neighborhood where everything comes together.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about My Home Communities and Tamra Wade Team, or visit www.myhomecommunities.com and www.tamrawade.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Atlanta Real Estate Consultants Broker Eugene James, a seasoned professional with 30 years of experience in the real estate sector, joins host Carol Morgan for this week’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. In the newest All About Real Estate segment, James gives his opinion on where the market is headed for the rest of the year and how the recent NAR ruling has influenced it.
James believes the new ruling will not affect experienced, effective real estate agents. He noted that the seller and buyer agents need strong communication when determining compensation details. When asked if the NAR ruling will make real estate agents less desirable, James made it clear that real estate agents will not be replaced and that buyers and sellers need a professional to guide them through pitfalls with such a significant investment.
Recently, Atlanta reported a 50% increase in home inventory, but James still claims it’s a seller’s market. Home prices have not dropped despite the growth, and he predicts prices will continue to climb.
James said, “Atlanta is still a hot place to live. And we still see the population growth.”
Of course, this will place more pressure on the need for home inventory. The problem with new construction and housing inventory is a land and lot shortage. James says finding land is the developers’ most significant challenge and will continue to be.
He also shared that the resale market will remain the same unless mortgage rates go down, estimating that it will be late 2025 until home prices and mortgage rates come down.
James said, “It’s getting more challenging for builders to build entire communities because of government restrictions that are being put in place, even for that sector.”
Recently, developers reported that government zoning requirements in Paulding County require them to spend up to $200,000 more for each home budgeted, which creates a significant burden for home builders. This new zoning exemplifies how government regulations can negatively affect inventory.
What about the Silver Tsunami? Is it real? James shared that the current housing market hasn’t made the Silver Tsunami possible because if people sold their homes, they have no homes to buy, as the housing inventory hasn’t met demands.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Atlanta Real Estate Consultants, or visit https://ARECSold.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President Stephen Haines with Artisan Built Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to discuss the builder’s newest community, The Manor at Gainesville Township, Calhoun’s new construction opportunities and more. Haines sits down with Carol Morgan, President of Denim Marketing and Show Host for this week’s episode.
With decades of experience under his belt, Haines shares invaluable insights into the journey of Artisan Built Communities and its mission to redefine living in the Atlanta area. Haines traces his roots to the industry giants and his experience working with well-known names and brands such as John Wieland, Meritage Homes and Beazer Homes. Now, at the helm of Artisan Built Communities, Haines and his team are dedicated to crafting exceptional communities that blend affordability with luxury.
One of the Atlanta-based builder’s standout projects, The Manor at Gainesville Township, promises an unparalleled living experience. Nestled in the foothills of Hall County, this master-planned community boasts breathtaking views, world-class amenities and a vibrant neighborhood atmosphere. The community is home to an elementary school, a new baseball park, a large pool with splash pads and a varied selection of homesites.
Haines said, “We’re excited that we are now expanding our footprint all over the city!”
Addressing the need for affordable housing, Artisan Built Communities introduces Salacoa, a haven of luxury in Calhoun. With a focus on quality craftsmanship and thoughtful design, Salacoa offers the perfect blend of elegance and accessibility. With starting prices in the low $300,000s, Salacoa presales are set to begin in June 2024. Reminiscent of an old barn, Salacoa’s clubhouse sits among rolling hills and the community’s two beautiful man-made lakes. Against this breathtaking natural backdrop, a pool, splash pad and an outdoor amphitheater will be available for live performances. It’s easy to see why Haines and his team at Artisan Built Communities are excited about Salacoa, as it makes luxury living attainable.
Since the company’s inception, pocket parks, wooded areas and walking trails have been integral to all Artisan Built Communities neighborhoods. Homebuyers love the connection the builder continues to foster with nature.
Haines said, “We do our best to connect to nature. It’s in our DNA.”
Now selling in Cumming, Jason’s Walk also reflects the builder’s commitment to a natural environment with an amenity package featuring a dog park and wooded areas. This exciting new community redefines modern living. With proximity to essential amenities and a thriving community spirit, Jason’s Walk promises to be a sought-after destination for homebuyers.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Artisan Built Communities, or visit www.DiscoverArtisan.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President Monte Hewett with Monte Hewett Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. He sits down with the President of Denim Marketing and Show Host Carol Morgan to discuss the company’s rise in mixed-use development and currently selling opportunities.
At just 16 years old, Hewett began working with a focus on framework and placing the first nail in his celebrated homebuilding career. He attended Colorado State University for the construction management program and, after graduating, moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1984. In Texas, it was typical for a builder to be production-oriented, unlike in Georgia. Over time, he moved to better locations and built better products, eventually landing in the Atlanta market.
In the 1990s, Hewett decided to be an infill builder. During this time, he observed markets in North Buckhead, Smyrna, Vinings, and, during the recession, Decatur, Roswell and Alpharetta to get a clear picture of the local demographic. He noted that many homebuyers were attached to the idea of a “place” and the amenities and walkability offered in that location. Locations such as Avalon in Alpharetta or downtown Roswell provide walkability, green space and all the tools necessary to construct a sense of place for homebuyers to call home through the generations.
By the year 2010, Hewett was mainly focusing on creating mixed-use developments to meet this market need. His first project was Palisades at Milton Park in Alpharetta, followed by Avalon and Halcyon in Alpharetta, Madison Yards in Reynoldstown and more. Hewett noted that after the recession, it took more work to replicate the locations and prices he secured and had to switch strategies. The company shifted its focus on product pricing to create work-live-play communities that are more cost-efficient.
Hewett said, “It’s a big accomplishment to be able to go and change the culture of the company and emphasize time and budgets. It feels good.”
Located near Emory, Monte Hewett Homes is currently working on Downing Park, a collection of 13 townhomes off Ponce de Leon Avenue priced from $2 million. Hewett also shared that he recently closed on a mixed-use project called Water Park, which is coming soon to Watkinsville, located 15 minutes outside of Athens. The project will feature 21 townhomes, 46 single-family opportunities and 20,000+ square feet of office, retail and food and beverage space. The community will also feature a baseball and basketball training facility.
The builder is also currently selling townhomes starting at $959,900 at Interlock in West Midtown, townhomes starting in the high $500,000s at The Harman in East Atlanta and single-level flats and two-story condominium homes starting in the high $600,000s at Findley Row in Alpharetta.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Monte Hewett Homes, or visit https://MonteHewett.com to discover current selling opportunities, news and more.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Senior Vice President Jay Byce with ResiBuilt Homes joins President of Denim Marketing and Show Host Carol Morgan on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to delve into the burgeoning build-to-rent industry.
A proud Georgia native and graduate of the University of Georgia Terry College of Business, Byce has a wealth of experience in real estate planning and investment. Since its establishment in 2018, ResiBuilt Homes has erected nearly 1,200 homes, primarily within the metro Atlanta area. The company’s footprint extends beyond Atlanta, with expansions into Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte and Greenville, solidifying its position as the ninth-largest private home builder in metro Atlanta. Notably, ResiBuilt Homes has earned its place among Atlanta’s Top 10 Private Builders, as recognized by MetroStudy.
Amidst a landscape of high mortgage interest rates and dwindling home inventory, the demand for build-to-rent communities like those offered by ResiBuilt Homes continues to surge. However, the accompanying rise in development costs has led to increased community development and housing affordability challenges.
Byce anticipates a further decrease in available homes for sale within the next two to three years, exacerbating the existing inventory shortage.
Byce said, “Due to the economic climate, we’ve had to pivot our business model, and we’re offering more for-sale product.”
ResiBuilt’s for-sale product complements its existing build-to-rent portfolio. The company specializes in crafting high-quality entry-level and first-time move-up homes, with townhomes and detached homes priced from the $300,000s experiencing steady sales of three to four units per month. While this transition necessitates adjustments, such as a reduction in the pace of construction from 10 to 12 homes per month to 3 to 4 homes to accommodate the evolving market dynamics, ResiBuilt Homes remains committed to adaptability and resilience.
The appeal of build-to-rent communities transcends generational boundaries, with millennials seeking alternatives to traditional homeownership due to financial constraints and 55+ drawn to the low-maintenance lifestyle afforded by rental properties. Byce comments that many active adults are repelled by the label that comes with a 55+ age-restricted community.
Investors also recognize the allure of build-to-rent communities, drawn by the promise of consistent cash flow and the option to easily sell properties when desired.
On the BTR model, Byce said, “We prefer to own homes longer and be in partnership with the residents that we have.”
ResiBuilt Homes aims to challenge lingering stigmas surrounding renters by creating rental communities that mirror neighborhoods of owner-occupied homes. Most ResiBuilt rental communities experience an average tenant tenure of four years, which is comparable to that of homeowners in similar price brackets.
Renters’ preferences closely align with those of homeowners, emphasizing the importance of amenities and convenient location attributes. Developers have responded to that demand with various rental homes and communities. The ResiBuilt Homes approach involves developing smaller, convenient neighborhoods with managed amenities tailored to residents’ needs, such as dog parks and walking trails while ensuring proximity to essential services and retail hubs. In its larger communities, the builder offers an array of traditional amenities such as a pool, clubhouse and tennis courts.
Amidst the growing popularity of rental communities, there are notable challenges, including issues related to squatters. Jay Byce sheds light on this issue, noting a spike in incidents last year. While the situation has improved, organized fraud was rampant, with individuals listing rental houses they did not own and taking security deposits from unsuspecting tenants seeking no credit check options.
ResiBuilt Homes, in contrast, upholds stringent screening processes, conducting credit and background checks on all applicants. Byce emphasizes the importance of accountability, highlighting that the company’s approach prevents the exploitation of vulnerable individuals who may not qualify for leases elsewhere. Unfortunately, victims of such scams face prolonged eviction processes, lasting from nine to 18 months, which adversely impact investors and communities.
These fraudulent activities not only tarnish the reputation of rental communities but also pose challenges for property owners. harm individuals directly involved and Byce said, “These people were preying on people that weren’t going to be able to lease homes anyway…That hurts investors, and it hurts communities.”
ResiBuilt Homes is in the process of developing new home communities with for-sale homes in Loganville, Douglasville and Bethlehem.
Tune into the full interview above for more information about ResiBuilt Homes, or visit https://ResiBuilt.com/.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Land Acquisition Manager Nick Whitson with Eastwood Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new construction opportunities across metro Atlanta and more! Whitson sits down with the Denim Marketing President and Show Host Carol Morgan.
Before joining Eastwood Homes in October 2023 as land acquisition manager, Whitson was an agent completing various land deals in the Atlanta market. From 2016 until his current role, he worked in downtown Atlanta and around the perimeter, mainly on infill development projects.
Eastwood Homes is a private builder based out of Charlotte, North Carolina, with a presence in the Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia markets. A company connected to its roots, the original owner still participates in land drives to this day! With many projects underway, Eastwood Homes has a pulse on the Atlanta market. Prospective buyer searching for the perfect home across the state have many new construction opportunities to choose from, thanks to the builder’s presence in Canton, Cumming, Flowery Branch, Ball Ground and Hoschton.
Whitson said, “We’re trying to get aggressive and expand our market share. Being a smaller company, [we] can kind of push the envelope and get a little more creative.”
Traditionally a competitive market, Atlanta buyers are searching for homebuilders that fit the bill but also provide thoughtful features! With this in mind, Whitson shared that Eastwood Homes consistently looks for opportunities to find partners, focus on the smaller details and more to set the company apart from its competition.
Twin Lakes in Hoschton is a master-planned community with an extensive builder lineup! Focused on providing top-tier products in this community, Eastwood Homes offers two-story ranch-style homes spotlighting three to five bedrooms, two to three bathrooms and 1,829 to 3,047 square feet of living space priced from the high $400,000s. The community also features sought-after onsite amenities such as a pool, cabana, nature trails, dog park, playground and more by the lake!
In Ball Ground, Marble Tree offers homebuyers an opportunity to find their dream home in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Priced from the mid-$400,000s, the community provides a smaller, single-family product featuring up to five bedrooms and three or more bathrooms within walking distance of picturesque downtown Ball Ground.
Whitson said, “That’s something we’re keeping in mind moving forward. How do we get the walkability? That’s going to add a lot of value for the homeowners.”
At Sunrise Cove at Great Sky in Canton, Whitson shared that the community has a few lots remaining as well as move-in-ready opportunities. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle, community members have no problem returning to town thanks to the close proximity! Homes in this community feature three to five bedrooms and two to three bathrooms priced from the $500,000s.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Eastwood Homes, or visit www.EastwoodHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Executive Director Mandy Crater with HomeAid Atlanta joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss this year’s Essentials Drive and how people can get more involved with the organization. Crater sits down with the President of Denim Marketing and Host Carol Morgan.
Celebrating nine years with HomeAid Atlanta, Crater has an impressive and varied work history! She received a degree in Public Relations in her undergraduate program and then transitioned to the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA). After moving around a little, she ended up working for the designed charity of the organization that continues to receive generous support from the HBA.
Crater said, “I’m happy to be celebrating a milestone coming up. I’m not quite a decade, but pretty close!”
A constant presence in the Atlanta market, HomeAid Atlanta has been impacting lives across the metro area for over 22 years. The organization’s mission is to build new lives for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness through construction, community engagement and education. By partnering with friends in the building industry, HomeAid Atlanta receives discounts and donations for nonprofit housing service providers needing construction projects. Whether it’s an organization helping veterans experiencing homelessness that needs maintenance or an eight-unit apartment building for mothers and children, HomeAid Atlanta aims to assist in any way it can.
Crater said, “The builders themselves came up with it back in 1989 in Southern California [after] seeing the need and saying ‘what do we do? How do we solve this problem? Because it’s our job to build houses.’”
Around 23 years ago, the organization noticed that a lot of other businesses they partner with have mothers and children in need of necessities. There was also an additional need for volunteer opportunities. While many people may struggle to volunteer on project sites, anyone can donate diapers. The organization realized there was more to learn about the work they were completing. There was a need for a support system as well as revitalization.
While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) exists to combat food insecurity, there is no system for essential items such as diapers and wipes. Every child costs around $80 for diapers, which is a lot to consider, along with lodging and food. Each year, before Mother’s Day, HomeAid Atlanta collects as many diapers and wipes as possible to deliver to the organization’s friends on the Friday before the holiday.
Running now until April 31, HomeAid Atlanta is asking for donations of diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene products, and adult diapers. The organization also has registries on Target and Amazon under HomeAid Atlanta. All donations can be dropped off at any SouthState Bank location across metro Atlanta and any location listed on the Drop Off Map on the HomeAid Atlanta website. If you would like to host a drop-off spot, please get in touch with the HomeAid Atlanta team to be added to the map.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about HomeAid Atlanta, or visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Geoffrey Reid with Blue River Development joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company’s operations, key team members and building relationships. Reid sits down with Denim Marketing President and Show Host Carol Morgan.
Reid was born in Savannah and spent most of his formative years in Atlanta, growing up in a homebuilding family. After attending the University of Georgia, he received his degree and worked at Pulte Homes. He took on various jobs in the warranty and construction departments in the Atlanta market and, eventually, the Charleston and Hilton Head markets. When the Great Recession hit, Reid took a backseat from the homebuilding business and began consulting for master developers and municipalities looking to revitalize distressed parts of their cities. He also obtained a master’s degree from the Citadel in Charleston. Eventually, he returned to the metro area to take on an acquisition position at Century Communities.
Reid said, “While there I acquired over 4,000 lots during that time, built a lot of good relationships and then, had an opportunity for a regional role in this new sector…build-to-rent.”
At Blue River Development, Reid supports team members and partners during the overall lifecycle of land acquisition. He ensures the uninterrupted progress of getting a parcel ready to build a house during the 12-to-24-month process.
Reid said, “My day-to-day role is to make sure that, no matter what part of the acquisition process that deal is in, it’s always moving forward.”
The Blue River Development team takes the process a step further by partnering with the seller and improving the property to make it more marketable and profitable for all at any given time. Specializing in buying, selling and brokering, the company determines which approach adds the most value to the parcel. When Blue River Development first acquires a piece of land, they discuss the best strategy together, understanding that the approach may change based on buyer-selling preferences, economic factors and market conditions.
The Blue River Development team takes the process a step further by partnering with the seller and improving the property to make it more marketable and profitable for all at any given time. Specializing in buying, selling and brokering, the company determines which approach adds the most value to the parcel. When Blue River Development first acquires a piece of land, they discuss the best strategy together, understanding that the approach may change based on buyer-selling preferences, economic factors and market conditions.
Reid said, “My role is focused on buying and selling land whereby we purchased the land and improve it in the forms of rezoning, permitting or developing it – really to get the land ready for our homebuilding partners to do what they do best.”
Blue River Development is actively working in the Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, Raleigh, Charlotte, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Dallas and Huntsville markets. The company is also exploring expansion options in Birmingham, Houston, Austin and several other Florida and Tennessee markets.
Tune into the episode to learn more about Blue River Development or visit https://BlueRiverDevelopment.com/.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Vice President of Sales Jason Walzer with National Home Corporation (NHC) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to discuss constructing affordable housing, cost-saving strategies and the growing effect of interest rates. Walzer chats with show host and President of Denim Marketing Carol Morgan.
Walzer has been involved in the real estate industry since beginning his career. He received his real estate license when he was 18 and began his career alongside his mother, who is a veteran industry member. Throughout college, he worked in general brokerage and, after graduating, entered the new construction sector. From there, Walzer transitioned into a training role and eventually leadership.
Walzer said, “I’ve made it to a national VP role with NHC and I’m super excited about it!”
Co-founded by the visionary Wade Jurney, National Home Corporation is all about providing affordable housing to as many Americans in as many places as possible. When homebuyers think of affordable housing, they imagine Section 8 or low-income housing. In reality, prospective buyers do not need to meet any qualifications to find a home through NHC. While most home builders advertise affordable housing with a $400,000 or $500,000 price tag, the corporation is happy to report that its average sales price is $240,000.
Walzer said, “We’ve got houses…that are as low as $114,000 which is unheard of right now!”
National Home Corporation targets markets that are within driving distance of large metropolitan areas and have affordable land to construct homes for the average American. The company connects buyers with the American dream of homeownership in Texas, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina and Missouri.
Walzer shared that NHC is looking to expand into Georgia but noted that the company is struggling to find affordable land in the city’s extensive metropolitan area. The corporation is searching for land in Columbus, Macon and other tertiary markets north of Canton.
Walzer said, “[Our Georgia expansion is] definitely on the horizon. We want to grow as much as possible, [especially] when our corporate office is here!”
What separates NHC from its competitors in the industry is its ability to provide buyers with the best price per square foot. Walzer shared that they aim to continue to be that builder in every market the company enters to continue the legacy of connecting buyers with affordable housing in a time of unpredictable interest rates.
Tune into the full interview above, or visit www.NationalHomeCorp.com to learn more about National Home Corporation.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
CFO Michaela Boone with terra alma joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss being a woman making history in Atlanta’s commercial real estate sector. Boone sits down with show host and Denim Marketing President Carol Morgan to chat about the company’s all-woman team, what is changing the retail landscape and how terra alma turns spaces into places!
A commercial real estate broker specializing in retail listings, Boone considers herself a matchmaker between tenants and operators, especially those striving to remain local or intentional about their community placemaking. Her experience ranges from working with local and regional restaurants to operators searching for incredible tenants to build out a food hall.
Lead by the motto of “leading with the soul,” terra alma is run by Founder Edie Weintraub, who recognized the lack of emphasis on local operators and tenant representation. Inspired, she founded terra alma in 2021 and onboarded Michaela three months later. When Boone first met Weintraub, the company’s founder made it clear that she loves all things people, food and real estate and is motivated to create spaces that embody those elements to transform spaces into places.
Boone said, “Ever since we’ve joined, we’ve been targeting a lot of strong women in the industry…and making sure we are putting people in the right places.”
As CFO, Boone’s responsibility is to ensure the company’s financial budget is sound to maintain its operations and allow it to grow. She is responsible for making sure the company is growing effectively. Boone also shared that the company moved into its brand new Halidom office, and its immediate positive effect was apparent in providing a suitable environment for the culture to grow.
As an all-woman team, terra alma benefits from its female perspective, especially in the restaurant space. Boone shared that most household decisions surrounding where to eat fall on the head female. With this valuable perspective, terra alma is fortified in its mission to place its clients in profitable locations after considering the nature of a community, how people shop, what attractive price points are attractive and so on.
Boone said, “I think what’s beautiful about being all women is that we see things from multiple angles.”
Understanding the importance of building relationships in and out of the office, terra alma strives to make clients and employees feel comfortable and ready for the task at hand. Boone shared that the agency commonly will be there for a client from step A to step Z, with some coming to the table without a business plan. The female-led commercial real estate business connects operators with every puzzle piece to create a project that will attract business and meaningful relationships through the years.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about terra alma or visit www.terraalma.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Partner Jim Beveridge with McKinney Builders joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new homes at Town at Trilith, The Gardens at Arbor Springs and more! Beveridge sits down with host Carol Morgan and chats about the company’s impact on the real estate and business community.
A University of Georgia graduate with a bachelor’s degree in finance, Beveridge’s career timeline features 28 years of experience as a banker, mainly representing homebuilders. During market downturns, he often helped manage troubled loans and real estate. He shared that he enjoyed figuring out what went wrong and how to bring those assets back to the market to position them to receive the highest value. During this time, Beveridge also worked on obtaining his MBA from Georgia State University.
Beveridge said, “I got the bug for real estate during those downturns!”
Following the Great Recession, the bank Beveridge was working for was not ready to provide loans again. He followed his love for real estate and partnered with Mac McKinney with McKinney Builders. Originally a builder that produced a few custom homes per year, McKinney Builders is now a production builder currently constructing in five different communities.
Beveridge said, “[Over the last 12 years,] we’ve become the leading builder of both Serenbe and Trilith, and developed 10 communities [that have] won Community of the Year!”
The builder’s active adult product, available at The Gardens at Arbor Springs, highlights select basement and slab homes with a courtyard design, featuring an interior courtyard, owner’s suite on the main floor, open concept kitchen and den and much more! The community features a stellar onsite amenities package that includes a clubhouse with a basement gym, trails, a wildflower meadow and access to the attached master-planned community’s onsite golf course. Arbor Springs will feature around 1,000 homes upon completion. The Gardens at Arbor Springs section will feature 49 homes in Phase I and 22 homes expected in Phase II. Beveridge also shared that a new community at Arbor Springs is underway, with the plan to construct 125 additional residences.
The builder is starting an enclave of homes adjacent to Lake Burton in a community called Burton. The first five homes in the McKinney Builders section, two presales and three specs, are going vertical. With frames that are nestled into the homesites, many of the homes feature stunning lake views. The homes are located across from Brad’s Marina and have access to a substantial network of trails near the Moccasin Creek National Park and the surrounding forest.
Beveridge said, “We’re creating a highly experiential community that creates close relationships between people occupying the spaces and sites.”
Tune in to the full interview to learn more about McKinney Builders, or visit www.McKinneyBuilders.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Matt Womack with Womack Custom Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share news about the upcoming unveiling of City Overlook in downtown Cartersville! Womack sits down with host Carol Morgan and sheds light on the company’s history and today’s top trends.
Born and raised in Cartersville, Georgia, Matt and his brother Stephen own and operate Womack Custom Homes exclusively in Bartow County. Experts at constructing beautiful residential spaces, the brothers excel at remodeling, new construction and more! The commercial side of the business, Womack Commercial specializes in build-outs and new builds for companies.
A fourth-generation building company, Matt and Stephen Womack bring 30 years of construction experience to the company’s expertise. The family’s legacy is deeply ingrained in the construction business, with their father, grandfather and great-grandfather owning and operating construction industry businesses. For a brief time, Womack shared that he witnessed a different side to the business after working for a local lumber yard before starting Womack Custom Homes with his brother Stephen.
Womack said, “I’ve been involved in that industry for as long as I can remember!”
When homeowners embark on their Womack Custom Homes journey, the Womack Brothers sit down with them to gauge what they imagine their dream home to be. Then, the team assists the buyers in their search for the perfect floor plan or helps them adjust one to fit their needs. The next step is to locate land and change the plan as needed based on topography, budget and more. Then, the process begins to construct a buyer’s dream home in beautiful, growing Bartow County.
A new upcoming multi-family project in downtown Cartersville, Womack Custom Homes is excited to unveil City Overlook! The project, located off Bartow and Main, will feature 18 luxury townhomes upon completion. Vertical construction is expected to begin in late summer of 2024.
Womack said, “I could not have handpicked a better spot [for City Overlook]!… It’s the best spot downtown!”
The community will feature two home plans that showcase roughly 2,400 to 2,500 square feet with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. All townhomes will feature a two-car garage, a paved driveway, outdoor living on the main level, rooftop terraces as well as an option for an elevator. Pricing for City Overlook will begin in the high $700,000s.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Womack Custom Homes, or visit www.WomackCustomHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Denim Marketing’s Vice President of Client Services Courtney Stewart interviews Founder and President Carol Morgan on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. The duo turns back the clock to 1999 and celebrates the 25th anniversary of Denim Marketing.
Growing up, Morgan always knew she wanted to own a company. After attending college and falling in love with public relations, she worked in public relations for Atlanta Botanical Garden, Zoo Atlanta, and a marketing firm specializing in real estate for her first 10 years out of school. Having her first and only child caused Morgan’s professional needs to shift as family responsibilities increased. Thus, Denim Marketing was born!
Morgan said, “I went out on my own initially as a freelancer. I guess now you can see 25 years later we’ve grown into much more than just me! It’s probably the best thing I ever did.”
From its first year in 1999, Denim Marketing has maintained its approach to focusing on client’s needs. The agency aims to provide clients with a personalized fit, customizing solutions and maintaining responsiveness. The key to success for the agency is its ability to work together with clients and act as an extension of its in-house team for a seamless working relationship.
In marketing, change is constant, especially with the technology changes in 20 years. Services, however, changed a great deal over the years. In 1999, the internet was still taking off and social media did not exist. Morgan shared that she used to mail press releases! Flashing forward to 2024, the agency offers a wide range of services, including strategic marketing, public relations, reputation management, campaigns, blogging, branding, advertising and social media.
Morgan said, “You look at how quickly it has changed, and how much more we can do and how much faster you can move… It has changed enormously.”
When asked about her leadership style and how it contributes to the company’s success, Morgan shared that she aims to hire employees who constantly seek to learn and take initiative. This way of moving the company forward allows Morgan and her agency to build long-term, successful relationships with clients and the constant changes faced by the industry.
Over the next decade, Morgan predicts the agency will continue working within the homebuilding space while embracing change and implementing new tools, such as AI, into its services.
Morgan said, “It’s a continued focus on being a market leader, and being seen as [one] as far as our vision [and] thought leadership in the real estate space.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Denim Marketing, or visit www.DenimMarketing.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Chief Marketing Officer John Ryan with Georgia MLS joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the current condition of the Atlanta housing market. Ryan sits down with show host Carol Morgan and touches on how the market currently affects buyers and sellers.When homebuyers embark on the exciting yet stressful journey of purchasing a dream home, they often turn to their real estate agent to answer questions and provide a glimpse into the ever-changing market. If there is a problem with a lender, a home inspection or more, buyers turn to their agents to solve problems on their behalf to help them reach the closing table.The largest real estate marketplace in Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia MLS regularly oversees billions in transactions. Due to the high concentration of buyers searching for their ideal home, available homes come and go in the blink of an eye, causing frustration for many market watchers.Ryan said, “Atlanta is a very desirable place to live…We have to be able to provide the housing needs for both the incoming residents and the residents that are already here.”When asked about the most significant issues currently shaping the market, Ryan stated it is a combination of availability and affordability. The Atlanta housing market needs more supply and demand due to a lack of new homes and the presence of resales.Ryan said, “When a listing comes on, you have to be prepared both financially and [be ready] to make a move quickly because that is what the market is demanding right now… That imbalance has to be addressed.”With interest rates experiencing a slight decrease, many market watchers wonder if rates will continue to drop. Based on his research, Ryan expects rates to stabilize, something that is already beginning to come into effect. A tale of two years, 2023 saw rising interest rates in April that continued to climb past 8% in October. Luckily, interest rates dropped and stabilized around 6% in the first month of this year.Ryan said, “If we have stability, that will bring confidence to both buyers and sellers…to get the market moving into a good position.”A positive stat to remember: Ryan shared that around 90% of homeowners currently have a mortgage with a below 6% interest rate. This “lock-in effect” makes experts wonder if those homeowners will put their homes on the market if conditions continue to alleviate.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Georgia MLS, or visit www.GeorgiaMLS.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Carmen Chubb, President of Columbia Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to discuss the importance of affordable housing in the metro area. Chubb sits down with show host Carol Morgan and touches on the company’s partnership with Atlanta’s mayor.A repeat guest, the last time Chubb was a guest on the podcast, she had just joined Columbia Residential. Now, the company has a presence in five states and is actively working towards completing Mayor Andre Dickens’s goal to create and preserve 20,000 affordable housing units during his term.Chubb shared that the best thing the company has completed to date was the recent ribbon cutting held at the renovated 40-year-old senior residential high rise in Southwest Atlanta. Previously known as High Tower Manor, Columbia Residential conducted an extensive renovation and is now known as James Allen Jr. Place. Following its facelift, the property now provides affordable housing to 129 seniors.Chubb said, “The property was named after one of the former residents who was a resident leader. Before he passed away, he was a commissioner for the Atlanta Housing Board.”In the past year, Columbia Residential also partnered with Matter Health. The group provides onsite primary care services to seniors in their homes. Residents can visit the clinic on the property and reserve primary healthcare services just a short walk from their front door.Chubb said, “With primary and preventative healthcare, we think that it will really improve the quality of life for the residents, giving them longevity and healthier living.”This addition first appeared at Heritage Senior, then James Allen Jr. Allen Place, with plans to add it to two more senior housing developments.Amidst Columbia Residential’s incredible impact on the metro Atlanta area, the company is still experiencing the overhang of the pandemic and its effect on rising construction prices, labor shortages and more. Chubb is proud to share that despite these obstacles, Columbia Residential closed on all projects negatively impacted due to the pandemic.In 2024, Columbia Residential aims to put 500 Atlanta units in place and expects to close three projects. The company is also pursuing another senior preservation project. If funded, this will add another 120 units to overall efforts.Mayor Dickens specifically shines a light on preserving existing structures in his initiative. With 30 years of company history, Columbia Residential has housing stock that needs necessary updates and renovations.Chubb said, “We’re looking inside and saying…how do we garner proceeds to make renovations on our properties?”Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Columbia Residential, or visit www.ColumbiaRes.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta ...
Broker Jaime Chastain with Chafin Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share details about selling communities, homebuyer trends and more. Chastain sits down with show hosts Carol Morgan with Denim Marketing and Keisha Hulsey with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty.An industry member for 25 years and counting, Chastain got her start in the general real estate sector. In the early 2000s, she found herself in the new home industry onsite in sales and worked her way into leadership positions thanks to many years of hard work and experience.Chafin Communities predominantly builds on the northeast of the Atlanta area in Gwinnett, Hall and Jackson counties, stretching from Loganville and Jefferson to Loganville. The local builder’s buyers are primarily first-time home shoppers, move-up buyers, young professionals and downsizers searching for the perfect fresh start.Committed to providing the best possible home to each buyer, the two founding brothers behind the well-known brand regularly read homebuyer feedback to search for ideas to improve home plans and designs for future customers.Chastain said, “[They] are bringing different ideas from the customers…and asking how we can alter our plans to…enhance how the home lives for [our customers].”After many years of constructing metro Atlanta homes and working closely with buyers, a trend that the Chafin Communities team commonly sees is the homebuyers’ eagerness to be a part of the building process. Over the last few years, Chastain shared that she has seen less opportunity for consumer involvement and increased customer desire to select home designs, features and more when shopping for their dream home.Chastain said, “The Chafins intend to continue to offer a lot of flexibility within our floor plans and our home designs.”Chafin Communities builds a strong builder-buyer relationship by offering structural customization options, an uncommon feature in the Atlanta market at their price point, as well as three alternative kitchen layouts for each home. Homebuyers are also heavily involved in the home’s design during the building process!A beloved Chafin community, Auburn Station in Barrow County is currently in closeout for its single-family home options and gearing up for a second phase showcasing townhomes. The Canterbury Reserve in Lawrenceville offers homebuyers home locations that back up to private woods with popular floor plan selections and top-rated amenities!Chastain said, “It’s not just your home – it’s how your community lives as well for you and your lifestyle."Coming soon, Chafin Communities is excited to introduce a new lazy river amenity in one of its upcoming communities.Tune in to the full episode above to learn more about Chafin Communities, or visit www.ChafinCommunities.com.A special thank you to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. 2-10 is the industry leader in new home warranty administration, with 1 in 5 new US homes enrolled in the 2-10 New Home Warranty Program. Founded and based in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, system and appliance Home Service Plans, and risk management products. 2-10 continues to work with thousands of the nation’s finest home builders, real estate professionals, and service contractors. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes,
Onsite agent Kimberly Johnson with Fortress Builders joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss a new Acworth community, Terraces at Logan Park! Johnson joins show host Carol Morgan and shares details about the builder’s can’t-miss refinance program.A Realtor for 23 years and counting, Johnson provides detailed services tailored to her client’s needs. Over the last 15 years, she has partnered with Fortress Real Estate, the exclusive listing company for Fortress Builders.A local builder and developer in Cobb County, Fortress Builders is a frontrunner in the industry with over 50 years of experience constructing single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums, active adult developments and master-planned communities.Johnson said, “I’ve been with them for so long because when you find a builder that builds a quality product, and they do what they say they’re going to do…you want to stay with them.”The Fortress team strives to do more than simply build and develop subdivisions for residents in metro Atlanta. The builder aims to curate a community for homeowners to enjoy and thrive in as the years pass.In one of its newest communities, Terraces at Logan Park, Fortress Builders excels at constructing a community filled with thoughtfully designed residences to call home. The new Acworth community draws prospective buyers in with its stellar location, walkability, spacious floor plans, top-notch design appointments and interior features.The standard interior package boasts hardwood flooring across the first floor, quartz countertops with under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, a two-car rear-entrance garage, a vanity suite bathroom featuring three vanities, recessed lighting and much more! The community also showcases a private park with sidewalks and a gazebo, perfect for leisurely strolls.One significant change in buyers’ wish lists that Johnson sees is a request for an at-home workspace as more and more people continue to work from home. Other top attractions include better pricing outside the ITP area, local hotspots and amenities. The Cali floor plan features an office space with a built-in desk, ideal for work-from-home days and homework assignments.Johnson said, “Buyers are also looking for that light and bright color scheme as well!”According to Johnson, now is the time to purchase a new home, especially in Cobb County! With buyers expecting the Fed to shift towards rate cuts in 2024 and 2025, this will bring much-needed relief to home sales. For buyers who don’t want to wait and are looking to purchase now, the Fortress Builders preferred lenders are offering prospective buyers a no-lender fee refinance within five years of your closing date.Terraces at Logan Park is down to its final nine opportunities. Click here to secure your spot in this connected community!Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Fortress Builders, or visit https://BuiltByFortress.com.A special thank you to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. 2-10 is the industry leader in new home warranty administration, with 1 in 5 new US homes enrolled in the 2-10 New Home Warranty Program. Founded and based in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, system and appliance Home Service Plans, and risk management products. 2-10 continues to work with thousands of the nation’s finest home builders, real estate professionals, and service contractors. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest,
Principals Chris and Clif Poston with Traton Homes join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company’s history, new construction opportunities and market conditions. The Poston Brothers sit down with show host Carol Morgan to discuss staying competitive in the homebuilding industry.In 1971, Traton Homes was founded by Clif and Chris Poston’s father and uncle when the two were developing a community. After the initial hit of the oil embargo, the duo had to build their way out of a surplus of lots. Fifty-three years and 15,000 houses later, the family-owned building company is run by Clif and Chris alongside their father and uncle.Clif Poston said, “It’s been a good ride for us…It’s a good family business environment.”With such a rich company history, Clif remarked that balancing the traditions from 53 years of building with the demands of today can be a challenge. Sticking to their roots and taking a more conservative approach has resulted in over 50 years of success for the builder.Traton Homes began a new chapter a few years ago by opening its first active adult community. Following the tremendous success of the first community and several others, the builder is preparing to celebrate the opening of a few new 55+ communities! The company has also expanded its building region to the Florida Panhandle.Clif Poston said, “It’s kind of a different market down there. It’s been fun getting some [communities] done organically down there.”The company works hard to stay on top of today’s hottest amenity and design trends to encourage prospective buyers to purchase in a Traton Homes community. Chris Poston also shared that the company entered the build-to-rent sector as a seller and a fee builder and met great success! Traton Homes will construct 1,300 homes across build-to-rent and for sale with the new company venture this year.A detached Jewel Box community, Avenbrook recently celebrated its first closings at the end of 2023. Other exciting new additions to the Traton Homes portfolio include Courtyards at Traditions in Cumming, Bluffs at Bells Ferry in Marietta, Townes at South Main and the second phase of East Park Village in Kennesaw, Riverwalk Place in Gwinnett, Winsome Park in Woodstock, Westpark Place and Old Mill Preserve in Powder Springs and Wilkins Walk in Mableton.In the Florida market, the brothers shared that they found a shortage of homes, and in their Florida division, they hope to fill the gap in the market. The builder is currently working on opportunities in Dade and Walton Counties, with announcements coming soon.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Traton Homes or visit www.TratonHomes.com.A special thank you to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. 2-10 is the industry leader in new home warranty administration, with 1 in 5 new US homes enrolled in the 2-10 New Home Warranty Program. Founded and based in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, system and appliance Home Service Plans, and risk management products. 2-10 continues to work with thousands of the nation’s finest home builders, real estate professionals, and service contractors. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
CEO, President and Partner Greg Duriez with Blue River Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss Atlanta’s competitive homebuilding market, industry hurdles and more. Duriez joins hosts Carol Morgan with Denim Marketing and Keisha Hulsey with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty on the All About Real Estate segment.Duriez reflects on the various job opportunities and connections he has formed over three decades that led him to his current role. At the start of his career, he worked with NVR Ryan Homes in the Northeast as an assistant superintendent, site superintendent and, eventually, warranty expert. Duriez also had the opportunity to enter the sales division as a new home sales agent and eventually a sales manager. These consistent career progressions gave Duriez entry into land development and acquisition.Duriez said, “I had some great mentors and coaches along the way at Ryan Homes, Pulte Homes, Century Communities and Davidson Homes!”Blue River Communities is a new homebuilding company connected with Blue River Development. Focused on the Southeast, the home builder constructs homes for the for-sale, build-to-rent and investor markets. The opportunistic company aims to serve the market and its needs.Duriez said, “I’ve always said throughout my career that we don’t create the market. We just serve the market. Blue River Communities is excited to do that!”As a new home builder, Duriez expressed that they are excited to grow the team and provide opportunities for talented individuals looking to create a great culture at a fantastic company. Listen to the end of the episode for how to reach out to Duriez for job opportunities.When strategizing about how to serve the needs of the for-sale and build-to-rent market, Duriez is honored to partner with Brad and Michael Cooper at Blue River Development, continuing a 15-year industry friendship and now a partnership.Gearing up for an exciting first chapter in 2024, Blue River Communities is currently working on projects in Winder, Braselton, Athens, Watkinsville and McDonough, Georgia to meet the needs of these underserved markets. Look for official community announcements later this year. On the build-to-rent side, the new home builder is currently working with partners to deliver homes later this year in the Huntsville, Alabama, Dallas, Texas and Greer, South Carolina markets.Duriez also shared that the home builder is exploring prospects for communities in the Florida panhandle.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more, or visit www.BlueRiverCommunities.com and www.BlueRiverDevelopment.com.A special thank you to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. 2-10 is the industry leader in new home warranty administration, with 1 in 5 new US homes enrolled in the 2-10 New Home Warranty Program. Founded and based in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, system and appliance Home Service Plans, and risk management products. 2-10 continues to work with thousands of the nation’s finest home builders, real estate professionals, and service contractors. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Risk Management Specialist Keisha Hulsey with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to promote the company’s 2-10 warranty package and more! Hulsey joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.A Georgia native, Hulsey recently celebrated her 25th anniversary with 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty. A passionate advocate for the homebuilding industry, she currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. She will also serve on the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council board this year!For over 43 years, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty has been the nation’s leading provider of new home structural warranties, providing 1 in 5 new homes nationwide with its warranty offering. More than a new home insurance provider, the company’s services extend to its resale division, which provides systems and appliance coverage for pre-loved homes, including breakdowns associated with normal wear and tear.Its primary warranty offering, the famous 2-10 structural warranty, covers one year on workmanship items, two years on distribution systems and 10 years of structural coverage.Hulsey said, “We have a full suite of products, so we can customize our program to best fit our customers’ needs whether it’s a builder, remodeler or investor.”One of the main questions Hulsey experiences daily is: Why do home builders need a warranty? The most prominent reason a builder needs a warranty is to help protect its profits on every home constructed. For example, the warranty covers clients against the statute of repose from state to state in case they are held liable for construction defects. 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty provides a third-party, well-written warranty contract outlining the available coverages, exclusions, construction performance guidelines, timeframes and more.Hulsey said, “I’m excited to say we just launched our brand-new warranty document on December 1!”The updated document is a testament to the company’s commitment to staying in sync with the industry and providing its clients with a user-friendly contract.Another fantastic benefit of the 2-10 structural warranty is that it transfers the financial liability away from the builder in case of any construction defect. Hulsey also shared that the company can promote quality to prospective homebuyers and enhance a builder’s overall reputation.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty, or visit www.2-10.com.A special thank you to 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. 2-10 is the industry leader in new home warranty administration, with 1 in 5 new US homes enrolled in the 2-10 New Home Warranty Program. Founded and based in Denver, the 2-10 family of companies has covered over 6 million homes with their complete line of warranties, system and appliance Home Service Plans, and risk management products. 2-10 continues to work with thousands of the nation’s finest home builders, real estate professionals, and service contractors. For more information about 2-10, please visit 2-10.com. The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
CEO Alan Ferguson with Atlanta Habitat for Humanity joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss how his team addresses housing affordability in metro Atlanta and spotlight upcoming initiatives. Ferguson joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.Although Ferguson joined the Atlanta Habitat for Humanity team in July 2022, his previous experience includes 30 years working in various aspects of commercial real estate, real estate financing, commercial financing, equity, investments and much more. Throughout his career, his roles also leaned toward community development, neighborhood revitalization, and neighborhood investment.Ferguson said, “It was destined for me to eventually end up at an organization like Atlanta Habitat for Humanity because throughout my career, I’ve always had this drive to work with people and try to uplift them and their current conditions.”In his current role, Ferguson works with future homeowners up close and personal, partnering with them to achieve homeownership.Founded in 1983, the Atlanta affiliate of Habitat for Humanity is celebrating 40 years! Across the decades, the organization upheld a strong track record of constructing affordable housing for families across Atlanta, totaling 1,800 homes and serving 6,000 individuals through its various programs, highlighting homebuyer education, financial literacy and more.Ferguson said, “We’ve really jumpstarted a lot of development in neighborhoods and communities that weren’t as popular years ago but now, have become increasingly popular here in the city of Atlanta.”The organization’s success allowed it to expand to serve other locales, including South Fulton County. Atlanta Habitat for Humanity also has two ReStore facilities that enable the team to connect directly with the community and promote recycling and upcycling initiatives.Across its legacy, Atlanta Habitat for Humanity has a long list of milestones throughout its 40 years that placed the organization on the map. The most notable was the Blitz Build, which marked the construction of 100 homes to celebrate the 1996 Olympics. Other impressive highlights include the organization’s partnership with The Carter Family and Clark Howard!Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Atlanta Habitat for Humanity, or visit Habitat.org.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Sales Manager Dan Rogers with Peachtree Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company’s exciting portfolio of new construction projects and what’s on the horizon for 2024. Rogers joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.Settled in Johns Creek, Rogers has a history of 17 years with Peachtree Residential. Known as the “Builder Who Listens,” Peachtree Residential is a locally owned and operated business and has been active in the metro area for 35 years, providing over 5,000 homes to the ever-changing market.A salve for the constantly rising interest rates, the builder unveiled the Buyer Assurance Program. If a buyer chooses to refinance their Peachtree Residential home in the next five years, the Atlanta-based builder will pay up to $4,000 in closing costs if they refinance with a preferred lender. This, paired with a stellar lineup of inventory homes, creates a can’t-miss opportunity for buyers searching for their dream home.At Arden on Lanier in Forsyth, buyers can unlock the door to a spacious, beautifully designed home just minutes from the shoreline of Lake Lanier. This brand-new community from Peachtree Residential is located on Pilgrim Mill Road, providing homeowners with a sense of being surrounded by the beautiful countryside without losing access to big city amenities. The community will feature 58 homes highlighting top-rated features such as primary suites on the main level, three-car garages as well as basement and slab plans. The community already has two homes under contract and four ready for quick move-in, with four inventory homes under construction!Rogers said, “The model home is already opened and ready for viewing!”Please note that Waterside at River Glen is sold out as of the airing of this episode.In Forsyth, Montebello features one-level and two-story homes with basement and slab options priced from the $600,000s to the $700,000s. Homes showcase three bedrooms and two to two-and-a-half bathrooms, with select home plans placing the primary suite on the main level. The community also enjoys an exceptional amenities package, including a clubhouse, two lighted tennis courts, a pavilion, two lighted pickleball courts, a flex gathering area, grilling activity lawns, a mail center and sprawling green space.Rogers said, “Montebello is a beautiful community with great amenities!”West Village, the newest townhome community from Peachtree Residential, boasts six three-story home opportunities with four end-unit locations. Each home features four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms and fantastic design appointments throughout.Tune in to the full interview above to learn more, or visit www.PeachtreeResidential.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum...
With the holidays still in full swing, the kids on winter break, and some free time from the office, why not burn some energy at the LEGO® Discovery Center Atlanta, located in Phipps Plaza? Here's what's going on over the holidays. The 2023 Holiday Bricktacular is an event filled with joy, creativity, and holiday cheer for the entire family. Taking place now through December 24th, enjoy seasonal LEGO® build activities, holiday theming throughout the Center and much more including the opportunity to: Build a LEGO snowflake in our Master Model Builder Academy and take it home as their holiday gift to you! Meet and greet with life-size LEGO Gingerbread Man. Purchase a holiday cookie in the café that you can decorate yourself. Participate in the Letters to our Master Model Builder program – where you can write a letter to Master Model Builder Elizabeth Baker and see if she builds your idea! Spot the elf, who is hiding somewhere in LEGO Discovery Center. Explore MINILAND, which was just named Atlanta Magazine’s Best of Atlanta - Mini City, where exclusive holiday builds are featured throughoutThis is LEGO Discovery Center Atlanta’s first holiday event since the attraction’s grand reopening in March 2023. Following a $5 million investment, the next-gen attraction and Certified Autism Center (CAC) boasts 35,000 square feet of indoor fun, rain or shine, and allows guests to experience family learning through play activities within ten zones, including building adventures, an interactive ride, 4-D theatre and more!This episode of Around Atlanta was originally recorded on 12/29/2016. On this week’s Around Atlanta edition of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Betsy Whitehead to discuss the adventures to be discovered year-round at Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta.Betsy Whitehead is the new Sales and Marketing Coordinator with Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta. She was born in Florida, but considers herself a Georgia native. With a degree in integrated studies combining business management and communications, her skill set includes the understanding of business fundamentals, as well as incorporating originality and imagination into everyday tasks.According to Whitehead, Legoland Discovery Center is focused on creative learning. “It’s like jumping into the biggest box of Lego bricks ever,” said Whitehead. “We are literally the ultimate indoor playground.”One of the best features of Legoland Discovery Center Atlanta is that the fun is meant for all ages. With fifteen attractions, two rides, a 4D cinema and the new exhibit, Pirate Adventure Island, there’s something for everyone. Even adults have their own special night! Every third Thursday of the month (the next one will be January 19) from 7 to 9 p.m., adults are encouraged to come to Legoland for a themed party, building competitions, trivia and more.Pirate Adventure Island is a hands-on sensory attraction that includes a water table with three lanes to build boats then send them off for a race. Also featured within the exhibit is a popular three-story play area with a slide and bridge that crosses over to a pirate ship. Underneath the play area is a treasure chest where participants can go on an all-inclusive treasure hunt. A volcano table and seating areas are available for kids and parents who need a break from the battles. For a more realistic feel and look, the entire attraction is themed with graphics and pirate Lego pieces hanging from the walls.LEGO© Discovery Center Atlanta is a year-round destination with endless indoor activities. However, around the holidays, the notorious building attraction is the perfect stop for kids who want to celebrate New Year’s without staying up all night. An annual activity (that sells out fast) is the Noon Year’s Eve Party. Enter Legoland at 10 a.m. for several activities, prizes, goodie bags and a huge balloon drop at the strike of no...
Gabe and Myles Chatham with The Chatham Company join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the family’s impressive 75-year legacy and the valuable knowledge that comes with it. The Chatham brothers sit down with host Carol Morgan on the Real Estate Legacy series.The two oldest of three brothers, Gabe and Myles Chatham, continue to build on the Chatham legacy in its 75th year, working personally and professionally to bring the company into the next generation, which will be inherited by 11 grandchildren. Growing up in the business, a regular Saturday for the brothers consisted of visiting job sites with their father and experiencing first-hand the tumultuous changes occurring in the industry.Myles said, “It’s in our blood. We’ve been around it our whole lives [and we love it.] We feel like we’ve gained experience in this business.”The Chatham legacy is comprised of three separate entities. The first, a development company, focuses on building luxury communities in the north Atlanta area. A custom homebuilding business, ChathamBilt Homes was founded by their grandfather, Howard Chatham, and acted as the starting point for the family’s legacy. Finally, The Chatham Company is a brokerage business connected to the family brand that primarily assists with the purchase and sale of homes and partners with buyers to succeed in real estate.A third-generation company, where The Chatham Company stands today was firmly built on the formative years the brothers spent visiting job sites with their father after Sunday church and learning the ins and outs of the business from a formative age. The brothers both commented that continuing the legacy of their father and grandfather and witnessing first-hand the impact their legacy has made makes a world of difference.Gabe said, “Ultimately, we’ve learned over time…that if something is a short-term loss, it’s well worth it…for a long-term perspective of what we do.”Over 75 years, the builder has constructed 6,000 homes and counting in 150 neighborhoods! Turning back the clock to 1948, the Chatham legacy began when Howard Chatham founded his homebuilding business. Then in the mid-1950s, he began what would become the largest real estate company in the Southeast, Northside Realty.Myles said, “There’s no way to count the thousands of folks through the legacy we’ve been able to help on the real estate side as well as but we’re certainly proud of those statistics, stories and families.”Another notable milestone, David Chatham was recently inducted into the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG) Hall of Fame. In the last few years, the builder was named Southern Living Custom Home Builder of the Year and was also invited to be on the board of directors for the company’s custom builder program. This merely scratches the surface of the company’s seven decades of accolades but is a testament to the ongoing commitment to beautiful, quality construction. Click here to listen to the Legends of Real Estate episode, starring David Chatham!Whether a homebuyer has an architect and home plan ready to go or is starting from scratch, The Chatham Company is prepared to partner with you. The company’s flexibility allows it to assist homebuyers at all stages of construction. A people-oriented company at its core, the brothers emphasized the dedication to providing clients with a home that will best serve their family and life goals.Myles said, “We love spending time with people through this process!”The legacy’s extension to both the homebuilding and brokerage side of the business allows it to emphasize not only how the home will best serve a buyer in this generation but also how best to create value in an ever-changing market and leave something lasting to pass on to the next generation.While it has become more difficult to secure land in the face of changing regulations from both a national and local perspective, hearing the stories passed down from their father...
Zac Kittle with Kittle Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to celebrate the company’s two recent Gold OBIE wins and shine a light on the company’s rich history. Kittle sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss upcoming developments and share what’s in store for the new year.Kittle Homes is a fourth-generation builder benefiting from over 74 years of Atlanta homebuilding experience. Kittle’s father played an active role in the company’s founding. As he transitions to retirement, Kittle and his brother take on more prominent roles within the company.Kittle said, “We’ve been very excited about the projects we have done and the new ones that we have coming up!”An exciting way to enter the new year, Kittle shared that the company continues to experience incredible growth. In its first year, the new homebuilding company constructed five homes, and in 2022, Kittle Homes built 65 homes. In 2024, the Kittle Homes team will celebrate 75 years in the homebuilding industry!Kittle was constantly exposed to the homebuilding industry as a child, setting him up for a booming industry entrance following college. During his younger years, Kittle drove race cars and followed his dream of being a racecar driver to Charlotte. Unfortunately, those dreams did not pan out, and seven years ago, Kittle made his homebuilding industry debut by joining his father and brother during the company’s startup.Kittle said, “We learned the building business from the ground up. We didn’t get thrown into it… We know how to do everything in the building business for the most part.”This knowledge of the industry benefitted Kittle and his brother, allowing them to provide homebuyers with top-quality homes that will last a lifetime. Kittle attributed this lifetime’s worth of knowledge to the company’s two recent OBIE award wins.With a large presence in Gwinnett County, Kittle Homes first entered the market with the Enclave at Lilburn, a beautiful 25-home community. The Kittle brothers played a significant role in the construction of that community and set the builder’s quality benchmark. The duo recently celebrated the completion of another 12-townhome community in Madison Trace, which received a Gold OBIE award at the 43rd Annual OBIE Awards ceremony.The builder is about to commence construction on the third phase at The Preserve at Killian Hill, consisting of 22 cottage homes and a 14,000-square-foot commercial space in the Parkview School District.Kittle Homes also has an exciting new development coming soon to Downtown Sugar Hill! Skyview on Broad will feature brand-new floor plans with exciting features, including a rooftop patio, kitchens featuring custom cabinetry and waterfall islands, a full bathroom and office on the basement level and more. Future homebuyers will be able to enjoy downtown life just a few steps from their front doors in this 25-home neighborhood! The community will tentatively officially kick off on February 1 with the opening of a decorated model home.Tune in to the full episode above to learn more about Kittle Homes, or visit https://KittleHomes.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
Kevin Weitzel, director of business development with Zonda, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share an overview of the company’s new listing platform made exclusively for new construction homes. Weitzel sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss the changes for real estate in the digital asset world.Zonda is well known for being the largest homebuilder and land data aggregator in the industry. In the past several years, Zonda has acquired various companies, including the Scottish satellite company Bird.i, a digital asset company called Alpha Vision (now Zonda Virtual) and Canada’s BuzzBuzzHome (now Zonda Livabl).Diving into what’s new in the virtual world, Weitzel explains that artificial intelligence (AI) is a major change in the digital space – especially for real estate. AI provides a more accurate searching experience for consumers and homebuilders alike. Homebuilders can look at the aggregation of data generated by AI to not only know what viewers are clicking on but also to better understand what consumers are repeatedly searching for on their websites, how much time viewers are spending on a specific page and much more. Using this data, homebuilders can develop products that are targeted more toward what consumers are searching for and can retire older plans that aren’t getting much traction.Weitzel said, “AI really does help homebuilders hone in on important consumer details.”While AI tools can be beneficial to homebuilders and developers, Weitzel comments that he has witnessed businesses leaning too heavily on digital applications. Utilizing AI is a wonderful way to spark creativity but shouldn’t be used to directly create website copy, social media posts and digital branding.Weitzel said, “I’m seeing the same verbiage used from builder to builder. That’s lazy! If you have a unique product, tell a unique story!”Also changing in the virtual realm are visualizers. While visualizers are not new, we will probably see fewer homebuilders using this tool in the years to come. Consumers can now change cosmetic settings, such as wall color, flooring, fireplace material and baseboard shape, in real-time though virtual tours.More and more homebuilders are slowly adopting the new advances in technology. Whether it be prop tech or AI, homebuilders are starting to adapt to the applications and tools provided by the digital asset world.Tune into the full episode above to learn more about Zonda, or visit www.ZondaHome.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President Greg Bray with Blue Tangerine joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to provide tips on how home builders can effectively make marketing plans for the year ahead. Bray chats with host Carol Morgan on the importance of on-page SEO and which technology advancements to focus on.Bray holds a computer science degree from Brigham Young University and has over 20 years of website development and programming experience. In 2006, Bray became the owner and president of Blue Tangerine, a full-service digital marketing and website development agency that helps businesses build better websites to increase traffic and grow sales.Bray said, “At Blue Tangerine, we believe that every homebuilder deserves a sales-generating website…if you don’t have one, it’s not because websites don’t work – it’s because your website doesn’t work.”The first bit of advice that Bray provides is to keep moving forward. While rising interest rates, inventory shortages and sellers hesitating to enter the market caused many challenges for home builders, Bray explains that it is okay to move on and use this time to improve marketing strategies, including SEO, social media presence and digital outreach.Bray said, “Those who haven’t paused and have continued to move forward are going to be that much more ahead in the new year.”The website expert explains that investing in advertising is only effective if the company website is optimized properly. A few more marketing tips that Blue Tangerine encourages homebuilders to utilize in the new year are: Make sure the company website is robust and can support lead generation. Ensure website SEO is fully optimized. Invest in paid and organic advertising on all social media platforms and Google. Create long-term quality content, including website copy and blogging, imagery and branding, photography and videography, computer-generated new construction renderings and more!Bray said, “It makes no business sense to drive traffic by spending money on advertising to a website that will not convert that traffic.”Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Blue Tangerine, or visit www.BlueTangerine.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Andrew Hitch, community manager with Kolter Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about the home builder’s fast-growing Newnan communities. Hitch sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss the types of home styles and amenities offered at each active adult community and exciting new projects on the horizon.With 15 years of experience in residential building and construction management, Hitch has been a part of the Kolter Homes team since 2014 and was promoted in 2019 to his current role as community manager.Bringing more than three decades of collective expertise, knowledge and experience to the real estate industry, Kolter Homes constructs master-planned communities throughout Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, and is well-known in the Atlanta area for its Cresswind-branded active adult neighborhoods. Kolter Homes is currently selling in its Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes community in Hoschton and is excited to build off the success of this active adult community with its two Newnan communities, Oak Hill Reserve and Cresswind at Spring Haven.Recently welcoming its first homeowners, Oak Hill Reserve is an intimate 55+ community featuring 43 home sites. The charming community offers active adult homebuyers a fresh collection of eight floorplans that are brand new to the market and redesigned from previous floorplans to allow additional personalization options. Nestled in Newnan, Oak Hill Reserve is conveniently located near local shopping and dining options and is in proximity to I-85 and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Other on-site amenities include an outdoor pavilion, a community garden and walking paths.Hitch said, “What I love about working at Kolter Homes is everything is geared around the buyers.”Also situated in Newnan, Cresswind at Spring Haven is an active adult, resort-style community offering stunning homes minutes away from the downtown district. The gorgeous neighborhood will offer impressive amenities such as a clubhouse, outdoor activities and more! Cresswind at Spring Haven will showcase a 4,000-square-foot design center for homebuyers to curate the home of their dreams that perfectly reflects their lifestyle, aesthetic and needs. To track construction progress and stay updated on exclusive community details, join the VIP list for Cresswind at Spring Haven here.Hitch said, “Here at Kolter Homes, we realized that our buyers want to touch, feel and see the layouts of the homes. That’s why we like to showcase each of our layouts as a model home.”Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Kolter Homes, or visit www.KolterHomes.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTune...
Barbara Wray, senior vice president of strategic growth with Wick Marketing, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss Wick Marketing’s recent homebuyer research study. On the All About Real Estate segment, Wray chats with host Carol Morgan about the insightful results of targeting millennials and Gen Z new home buyers and how to utilize the results to build a successful sales and marketing strategy.With the building industry constantly evolving, Wick Marketing recently conducted a “Beyond Buyer Profiles and Demographics” study to understand buyers’ thoughts better when purchasing a home. Wray and her team believe that utilizing fresh insights and data to build an accurate branding and marketing strategy can significantly improve how consumers engage with builders. The marketing firm commissioned its survey partner to create an attitudinal survey that provided information on how consumers feel about certain scenarios within the home-buying process.Wray said, “A major part of our role as a strategic firm is to understand our clients’ customers.”From late March to early April of 2023, the survey studied a group of individuals who recently bought a home between November of 2022 and March of this year – a period that witnessed 10 interest rate increases, rising home prices and shortages in inventory. Wick Marketing wanted to understand how to market to buyers who are still interested in purchasing amid such difficulties. The attitudinal survey provided results for three separate groups, including a group of satisfaction, a group of disappointment and a group of regret: 22% of survey participants felt confident and satisfied with their recent home purchase 38% of survey participants felt burdened and disappointed in their purchase 40% of survey participants felt stressed and regretful of their home purchaseWray said, “This is an industry that tries hard to create an experience for their buyers…yet only 22% were confident and satisfied in their recent home buying process.”Another segment of the survey focused on trust. Results show that homebuyers trust family and friends the most, followed by 51% of participants highly trusting real estate agents. However, 37% expressed high trust for master-plan community representatives and 21% greatly trust their homebuilder representatives.Wray said, “It’s hard to sell a home to someone who doesn't trust you.”Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Wick Marketing, or visit www.WickMarketing.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Casey Hill, CEO of Blue River Lifestyle Communities, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share an overview of the homebuilding company. On the All About Real Estate segment, Hill sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss the types of communities and floorplans Blue River Lifestyle Communities offers and exciting information on its first community, Mayfair on Main in Alpharetta.Working in the homebuilding industry his entire professional career, Hill spent over 35 years with two of the largest national homebuilding companies in the United States before transitioning to his role as CEO of Blue River Lifestyle Communities. Hill started his career in the industry as a staff-level accountant, later advancing through the organizations to hold various financial and operational roles and eventually working his way up to senior management positions, including division and regional president roles.Hill said, “Development and homebuilding are two areas I’m very passionate about.”Focusing on suburban infill opportunities, Blue River Lifestyle Communities is a division of Blue River Development created to take advantage of the niche, underserved markets in the metro Atlanta region. The homebuilding company prioritizes developing and building communities centered around revitalized suburban downtown areas such as Alpharetta, Roswell and Duluth. Witnessing homeowners migrating out of urbanized neighborhoods, including Buckhead and Midtown, Blue River Lifestyle Communities provides housing for individuals who want the suburban home without sacrificing the live, work and play lifestyle.Hill said, “We believe that providing elegant, well-appointed homes in these suburban areas is an excellent opportunity for Blue River Lifestyle Communities.”The first community by Blue River Lifestyle Communities, Mayfair on Main, is in the charming city of Alpharetta, featuring desirable walkability and amenity-rich living. With easy access to the downtown area and surrounding cities, Mayfair on Main is just a half-mile walk from exciting shopping, dining and recreation, nestled between two major thoroughfares – Roswell Street and South Main Street. The community will consist of 24 lots, 13 single-family homes and 11 townhomes that offer exceptional living. Both single-family home and townhome plans will provide residents with open-concept layouts highlighting connected kitchens, living and dining areas, spacious primary bedrooms with elegant ensuite bathrooms and flexible secondary bedrooms with own private bathrooms.Hill said, “I think Mayfair on Main is an excellent example of the type of communities that Blue River Lifestyle Communities will bring to the market!”Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Blue River Lifestyle Communities, or visit www.BlueRiverLifestyle.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a gu...
Vice President of Sales and Marketing Amy Kessler with Traton Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about new and upcoming communities on the horizon. On the All About Real Estate segment, Kessler sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss newly decorated model homes and the homebuilding company’s involvement in Cobb Christmas.Kessler boasts more than 20 years of experience in the real estate industry and has worked in the specialty market of local Atlanta home builders for most of her career. In 2019, Kessler was promoted to vice president of sales and marketing after starting her journey with Traton Homes as a real estate agent.Traton Homes is a homegrown Atlanta builder with over 50 years of experience building within the metro Atlanta housing market. Known as one of the top home builders in the region, Traton Homes takes pride in building thoughtfully crafted homes throughout metro Atlanta, including Cobb, Fulton, Forsyth, Paulding and Cherokee counties, as well as in parts of Florida.Kessler said, “We have really spread our wings in the last year.”While 2023 is an interesting year for real estate, Traton Homes experienced a higher demand for new construction homes – despite rising interest rates and low resale inventory. Traton Homes provides a unique product line that fills the void of new homes in the market that perfectly align with prospective buyers, including townhomes for first-time buyers or individuals looking to downsize, single-family homes for growing families and active-adult homes for buyers seeking a low-maintenance lifestyle.Kessler said, “There is such a great thing about a new home, and I think homeowners like putting their unique stamp on it.”Located in Mableton, Avenbrook by Traton Homes is a new single-family home community now selling in Cobb County. Starting in the mid $400,000s, this exciting community features homes highlighting four to five bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three bathrooms and two-car garages. Nearly sold out of phase one, the homebuilding company will be starting phase two development soon.Kessler said, “Avenbrook has been a home run so far!”Offering two to three-story townhomes, High Parc at Smyrna by Traton Homes is in a premier location just minutes from Battery Atlanta, Silver Comet Trail and Truist Park. Priced from the low $500,000s, this community provides homes showcasing approximately 2,000 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms.Kessler said, “The location of High Parc at Smyrna is a winner!”Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Traton Homes, or visit www.TratonHomes.com.A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes,
Lori Lane, president of Berkshire Hathaway New Homes Division, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the types of projects the award-winning company represents and many new home communities where home shoppers have options for new homes. Lane chats with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
From condos and townhomes to master-planned communities and active-adult neighborhoods, Berkshire Hathaway New Homes Division represents a plethora of various projects from respectable builders. Growing a talented team of in-house experts over the years, the company has expanded rapidly since the challenging downturn of 2008 and has become the best in the business of representing new home development. Whether it is a $100,000 project or a $10 million development, Berkshire Hathaway New Homes Division can do it all!
Lane said, “Working with such amazing builder clients, it has become a real joy to go to work!”
Redefining suburban living, Trilith is a metro Atlanta community offering a beautiful blend of walkability and sustainability with a vibrant community dynamic. Trilith is the largest geothermal community in the nation with 51 of the development committed to green space, including 15 miles of nature trails, 19 landscaped parks and many more impressive amenities. In addition, Trilith is home to Trilith Studios, one of the largest working movie studios in North America. The community was built around the town of Trilith that offers residents a large array of shopping, dining and office space, as well as a Piedmont Wellness Center and an educational institute. Boasting European-inspired architecture, the homes offered at Trilith are rooted in diversity and interconnectedness.
Lane said, “Trilith is so unique and inspiring…if you haven’t visited Trilith, you need to!”
Recently named the Development of the Year by Atlanta Magazine, The Homestead at Milton is a gorgeous community that features unique, upscale homes. The community is situated on a 180-acre golf course where residents enjoy views of rolling hills and beautiful greenery. Starting at $4 million, these luxurious homes are classically inspired with architecture that perfectly reflects the Milton lifestyle.
Lane said, “The Homestead at Milton is the most graceful and idyllic community.”
With two decades of real estate experience, Lane started her career in 2003 working with the well-known Nancy Carl. Lane went on to be an on-site agent, leading to her working in sales management for new construction and running the New Homes Division at Berkshire Hathaway.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Berkshire Hathaway New Homes Division, or visit www.NewHomesDivisionGA.com.
President Dennis McConnell with Healthy House of Georgia joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share an overview of the energy-efficient custom homebuilding company. On the All About Real Estate segment, McConnell sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss the benefits of living in a conservation community and his latest project, Pendergrast Farm.
Created to help individuals outside the building industry, Healthy House of Georgia recognizes the efforts put into housing that encourage better living. The homebuilding company has worked with many programs, including the EnergyStar Program, Georgia Power’s Good Sense Program, the Energy Watt Count and more! The company was the first in the Southeast to develop the American Lung Association Health House, now known as the EnergyStar IQ Indoor Air Quality Program. Homes constructed by Healthy House of Georgia are designed to provide energy efficiency, high indoor air quality and sustainability.
McConnell said, “We simply build a better house.”
Featuring 8.7 acres designed around conservation, Pendergrast Farms is the newest project of Healthy House of Georgia. The agrihood community boasts a design that allowed the homebuilding company to successfully save more than 400 mature trees on the site. Situated in downtown Atlanta, Pendergrast Farms offers residents incredible resourceful amenities, including a one-and-a-half-acre organic farm.
McConnell said, “All these things tie together into better use of land, better use of resources and sustainability, both for the real estate and the people.”
When asked what inspired him to build a conservation community, McConnell stated, “Serendipity.” Pendergrast Farms is just one example of making better use of resources and using less land as a footprint for the community.
Healthy House of Georgia takes pride in working around core principles such as climate-consciousness and multi-generational living. All the homes designed by the company are built with concrete for boosted eco-friendliness and durability, and every interior is thoughtfully crafted for multi-generational living with wide doorways and adaptable floorplans. Understanding the importance of multi-generational households, Healthy House homes are designed for comfortable living for all generations, from Gen Z to Boomers.
McConnell said, “Everyone, as they go through life, can live comfortably in our homes.”
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Healthy House of Georgia and Pendergrast Farms, or visit www.HealthyHouseOfGeorgia.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Bob Chapin, senior vice president of South State Bank, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Chapin chats with host Carol Morgan about his years in the industry, what sparked his interest in banking and his involvement in the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and Home Builders Association of Georgia.
Growing up in Doraville, Chapin has been a rare Georgia native who went to college at Georgis Southern University earning a degree in finance with an emphasis on real estate and banking. With a dad who worked as a company controller, Chapin grew up around spreadsheets and developed a real love for money and people. Chapin was treasurer of every school club and, in his senior year, was introduced to the owner of Peachtree Bank who offered him a summer/holiday position. From working in customer service and collection to the mail room and as a teller, Chapin built a strong foundation in banking at a young age. Chapin said, “My favorite movie is It’s a Wonderful Life. I fell in love with the character of George Bailey…I thought banking was the perfect fit!” Right out of college, Chapin joined the training program at Peachtree Bank amid a recession with interest rates between 18 and 19%. While Chapin was involved in the training program, the Head of Real Estate for the bank asked for a volunteer to become the interim Construction Inspector and Chapin eagerly took on the job. Since then, Chapin has fallen in love with the real estate realm of banking and has never looked back! Chapin said, “When you are out on a job site, you fall in love with the sights, smells and sounds.” Experiencing four recessions, Chapin has developed a good eye and intuition when it comes to future economic changes. The banking president shared four quotes with the audience that he lives by:
“The housing market never goes to zero.” – Neil Widower “When the worst of my competition is doing well, it’s time to pull back.” – John Yoast “The housing market is cyclical.” – Bill Evans “Don’t confuse a good market with genius.” – Neil Widower
In the first few decades of Chapin’s career, the builders who typically worked with Chapin were all involved in builder’s programs. The banks would try to provide A&D loans to builders under programs while as well as uphold the goal of providing individual small builders with construction loans. With the cost of development being at equal value as the cost of lots in today’s market, builder’s programs are a thing of the past with many disappearing after the Great Recession. Chapin said, “That was the lending process…there was very little end-user development in building.” While many aspects of the real estate and banking world have changed over the years, Chapin explains that the one thing that has never shifted is the relationships and connections made within the industry. Chapin said, “The relationship aspect has not changed and is one of the best parts of this business!” From the beginning of his career, Chapin has been heavily involved in both the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) and the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG). As a life director at the GAHBA, Chapin believes showing support for the industry along with networking with fellow industry professionals is extremely important. Chapin encourages his industry partners and employees to get involved in all the associations and organizations, including GAHBA, HBAG, HomeAid Atlanta and more! Chapin said, “We should support the association that supports the industry that puts food on the table.” Chapin explains that the best part of his job is walking the raw pieces of dirt and envisioning the possibilities with his clients. Chapin said, “After visiting lots and financing loans, you drive through the developments to see kids playing in yards and residents walking their dogs, and you know you’ve had a small part in providing the American dream."
Bill Benzur, executive director of Georgia Ready Mix Concrete Association (GRMCA), joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to touch on the relationship between concrete and residential housing. On the All About Real Estate segment, Benzur sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss the areas of Georgia that are growing the fastest.
Founded in 1968, the GRMCA is a non-profit organization with a membership comprised of ready-mix producers and companies that supply materials such as cement, stone, trucks and mixers. The organization and its members work together to tackle safety concerns, environmental issues and operational challenges to improve the industry. The association also plays a significant role in advocacy for the industry through involvement in the legislative process. Benzur said, “Trade associations can accomplish so much more than the individual can do alone.” With many wondering what the difference is between cement and concrete, Benzur explains the individual roles of the two materials. Cement is the glue that binds materials like sand and stone to form a remarkable building material called concrete. As the second most used substance in the world after water, concrete has been a vital material for thousands of years, with the use going back to approximately 1400 B.C. in Greece. Benzur said, “Cement is to concrete as flour is to cake!” Before the Great Recession, the residential market and the concrete industry relied heavily on one another. Over the past decade, commercial and Department of Transportation (DOT) development continues to grow tremendously in the ready-mix concrete realm. Even with the incredible increase in concrete consumption in commercial and DOT, residential remains an important market for the concrete industry. Benzur said, “For the overall health of ready-mix producers, residential is still attached at the hip with the concrete industry…just not quite as intensely as before the Great Recession.” A rare Atlanta native, Benzur went to the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in engineering and worked in the paper industry for many years before becoming a general manager for a ready-mix concrete company in metro Atlanta. In early 2017, Benzur left the concrete industry and retired in the Lake Oconee area. Just five years into retirement, Benzur was selected in 2022 as the Executive Director of GRMCA. Benzur said, “After a five-year hiatus, I am back in the concrete industry and boy, has it been exciting!” Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Georgia Ready Mix Concrete Association, or visit www.GAConcrete.org.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes,
Marketing Manager Carrie Rogiers with Fischer Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share what today’s buyers are looking for in a home. On the All About Real Estate segment, Rogiers sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss new Fischer Homes communities coming to metro Atlanta.
Recently celebrating her 10th anniversary with Fischer Homes, Rogiers started her career with the homebuilder in 2013 – the same year the builder unveiled its Atlanta division.
Known as the 30th largest builder overall and the 10th largest privately-owned builder in the United States, Fisher Homes was founded in Kentucky in 1980 with the philosophy to be the best total new home solution. Since then, the company expanded across the country, extending to Georgia where the Atlanta division has thriving communities and upcoming developments in various counties in the metro area. Rogiers said, “We have so many exciting new things going on in the Atlanta market!” Fischer Homes offers homebuyers a wide variety of home collections to choose from, including the Patio, Designer and Maple Street Collections. The Patio Collection offers lower-maintenance, single-family homes ideal for 55+ active adult buyers looking to downsize. Currently available at Sweetbay Farm in Lawrenceville, the Designer Collection showcases stunning homes geared toward move-up buyers. Designed with first-time home shoppers in mind, the Maple Street Collection features affordable ranch-style homes that are currently available in multiple Fischer Homes communities. All residences can be personalized at the Lifestyle Design Center.
Conveniently located in gorgeous Gwinnett County, Sweetbay Farm is the newest single-family community by Fischer Homes situated in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Priced in the mid $400,000s to $600,000s, homes in this exciting community boast desirable flexibility, spacious owner’s suites, lower-level recreation rooms and more! Rogiers said, “Our floorplans are all designed with flexibility in mind.” Following the success of the homebuilding company’s first active adult community, Popular Place, Laurel Farms is an upcoming 55+ community located in the charming town of Dallas, Georgia. Opening for sale very soon, Laurel Farms will offer ranch-style homes showcasing open-concept living and a future-planned amenity center with a spacious clubhouse. Join the Laurel Farms VIP List today to gain priority access!
Also coming soon to Dallas, Sage Woods is a single-family community featuring floorplans from the Maple Street Collection on spacious home lots. Each home will showcase flexible living, expansive owner’s suites and more! Join the VIP List to gain priority access to Sage Woods! Rogiers said, “We’re excited to get Sage Woods kickstarted!” Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Fischer Homes, or visit www.FischerHomes.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Lora Gonzales, director of sales for Epcon Communities, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss upcoming metro Atlanta developments, exciting community amenities and popular trends in today’s housing market. Gonzales sits down with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
With experience in brokerage and new home development, Gonzales has over 20 years of experience working within the Atlanta real estate market. Gonzales and her team at Epcon Communities are pleased to enter the Atlanta market, with new communities coming soon to the north metro region. Though the company is new to the city, Epcon Communities has been around for quite some time. As a trusted homebuilder for over 45 years, Epcon Communities strives to build homes, neighborhoods and lifestyles that provide a remarkable experience for everyone involved. Gonzales said, “It’s an absolute privilege to be a part of the new home process.” In 1986, Ed Bacome and Phil Fankhauser, founders of Epcon Communities, recognized the industry overlooked an important segment in the housing market. With the assistance of research firms, the two founders discovered a significant demand for single-level living neighborhoods and the desire for personalization options in large, outdoor living spaces.
Building impressive communities and luxury homes, Epcon Communities offers over 1,500 designer options and configures each home to fit the buyer’s needs perfectly. Gonzales mentions the importance of providing each resident with an unbeatable lifestyle while living in an Epcon community. From the clubhouse to the streetscapes, each community and home are meticulously crafted, with every detail thoughtfully selected. Gonzales said, “I don’t know if Atlanta is prepared for what we are about to show them. Our communities are truly something special!” Varying from community to community, Epcon neighborhoods boast exciting amenities every homeowner will enjoy! General amenity offerings include a large clubhouse with gathering areas and chef-inspired kitchens, a state-of-the-art fitness center, a resort-style pool, spacious dog parks, communal fire pits, gated entrances and more. Gonzales said, “There are a wide array of offerings based upon location and what we feel would best suit the community.” When moving into an Epcon community, residents will have peace of mind with a single-level, zero-step entry home. Easily accessible from the home’s primary living quarters, private courtyards are showcased just off the side of each residence – making entertaining a breeze! Gonzales said, “We are very proud of what we offer!” Discover more about the new Epcon communities coming soon to the metro Atlanta area below:
Located in West Forsyth County, The Courtyards of Franklin Goldmine is a gated enclave of 27 homes ranging from 2,468 to over 4,000 square feet of living space. This boutique community offers residents a beautiful centrally located covered pavilion complete with a fireplace, spacious sitting area, pickleball courts, walking trails, dog park and communal garden.
The Courtyards at Bailey Farm will showcase 128 home lots ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 square feet of living space. Situated in the desirable community of Dacula in Gwinnett County, this amenity rich neighborhood will offer a designer appointed clubhouse, a cutting-edge fitness center, multiple indoor and outdoor gathering areas, a resort-style pool, pickleball courts, a communal fire pit, a dog park and a large lake with docks and walking trails.
Offering stunning ranch-style homes with the option of a bonus suite, The Courtyards at Redbud Lane will offer 78 homes ranging from 1,500 to 4,000 square feet of living space. The upcoming community will feature impressive amenities such as a state-of-the-art clubhouse, a fitness center, resort-style pool, pickleball courts, large dog park and a beautiful lake. Residents will also enjoy easy access to the new Holly Springs Town C...
Principal Geoffrey Deckelbaum with SRP Lending joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share an overview of the private lending company. On the All About Real Estate segment, Deckelbaum sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss how services offered by SRP Lending benefit home builders and ways for investors to get involved.
Local to Atlanta for almost 30 years and counting, Deckelbaum has worked in the real estate industry his entire life and has several years of experience in banking. Deckelbaum transitioned to private lending after the challenging times of the Great Recession and has never looked back!
Deckelbaum and his business partner Mike Ray founded SRP Lending in 2020, intending to provide financial solutions to real estate investors, builders and developers to help turn their dreams into a reality. Three years later, SRP Lending is a thriving company with new investors, established builders and everyone in between as their typical borrowers.
As a local company, SRP Lending offers direct contact and immediate support from its small team to builders and real estate investors to help effectively grow companies. The SRP Lending business model allows its borrowers to communicate more with the company’s decision-makers and owners. Deckelbaum said, “We’re nimble, reactive and responsive! We can custom tailor every transaction to the borrower’s needs.” Unlike corporate financial institutions, SRP Lending delivers opportunities for clients to acquire land, lots and projects at a much quicker pace, closing in just a matter of days and giving borrowers an advantage for a competitive offer.
Both Deckelbaum and his business partner have several years of real estate experience that also extends the residential realm. The duo offers impressive industry knowledge in addition to the lending aspect of the company while also understanding the importance of target identification and properly moving through the stages of planning, zoning and permitting. Deckelbaum said, “We are more than just a lender. We also serve as a consultant and partner to our clients to make sure they are on the right path!” Within a day or two of receiving an inquiry, the SRP Lending team will walk a project in order to fully understand the client’s vision. After touring the site and gaining information on plans and budgeting, Deckelbaum and his team can provide a service plan for the inquired project almost instantaneously. Deckelbaum said, “We do what we say we are going to do!’ Tune into the full interview above to learn more about SRP Lending, or visit www.SRPLending.com.
David Clough, president of Waterford Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Clough chats with host Carol Morgan about his decades in the home building industry, working through the Great Recession and his involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) and the Home Builders Association of Georgia (HBAG).
An alumnus of Princeton University, Clough holds a degree in economics and politics. Clough started his career in construction, working summers for Ryan Homes while still in school and later took on a permanent position with the homebuilding company as an assistant superintendent. Finally settling down after several promotions and locational transfers, he landed in Atlanta in 1980 as a division manager. After serving on the team at Ryan Homes for many years, Clough went on to work with a few Atlanta builders, including fellow legend of real estate John Wieland. Clough said, “I had a great experience with Ryan Homes and learned a lot about the homebuilding industry.” Bringing Waterford Homes to life in 1991, Clough and his team started with just five lots in Dekalb County. Sporting a different style and aesthetic than popular homes today, the company’s first projects were traditional, two-story homes around 2,220 to 2,600 square feet featuring brick and stucco exteriors. Clough said, “The early 1990s was a great time to get started…the Atlanta market was bouncing back, and we grew rapidly from there!” With several opportunities to buy lots within quality communities, Waterford Homes quickly expanded into Gwinnett County. Construction in the 1990s within Atlanta consisted of an ample number of small builders and developers, local bankers and public companies – making competition strong but connected. Many local real estate businesses joined builder’s groups to form an inclusive community of builders and developers. Waterford Homes became involved in groups across metro Atlanta, including Dekalb, Gwinnett, Forsyth and Fulton counties. Clough said, “From 1993 to 1994, we closed over 100 homes with an average sales price of $170,000. In 2022, our average sales price was $950,000!” Waterford Homes continues to build multiple types of residential projects across metro Atlanta! The homebuilding company is currently closing out a community in Acworth and has several projects underway, including homes on Lake Oconee and an upcoming townhome community in the heart of Milton. Clough and his team also specialize in custom homes, primarily Brookhaven and Sandy Springs.
Serving as the president for both the HBAG and the GAHBA, Clough is a significant advocate for the Home Builders Associations. Providing a safe space to build valuable relationships, the HBA allows homebuilders, trade workers, suppliers, bankers and other real estate professionals to mingle and connect. In addition, HBA members have access to incredible educational opportunities as well as several volunteer initiatives to give back to the community. Clough said, “The Greater Atlanta HBA and the HBA of Georgia are incredibly important to our industry!” As Clough thinks back on his time building in the Great Recession, he explains that his team survived the challenging time with appreciated help from his banker. With the housing industry constantly evolving, today’s market involves many more large builders and developers compared to pre-recession. Clough said, “I like to say we survived the Great Recession with lots of sweat, blood and cash.” Clough advises young professionals looking to start a career in the industry is to find a successful builder to work under and learn as much as you can! Clough said, “Put in your proverbial 10,000 hours and work hard!” With decades of service within the construction industry, Clough is most grateful for his team and everyone who’s had a hand in the success of Waterford Homes. He is also incredibly proud of the legacy he is building w...
What are mortgage interest rates going to do in the last quarter of the year? Chief Marketing Officer John Ryan with Georgia MLS joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the current trends within the Georgia housing market. Ryan sits down with host Carol Morgan to share his predictions for the remainder of the year on the All About Real Estate segment.
Intending to provide an orderly and efficient space for real estate buyers and sellers, Georgia MLS is the largest real estate marketplace in Georgia. With over 52,000 agents and members, the marketplace company boasts 40,500 brokerages scattered around north Georgia, the metro Atlanta area and along the Georgia coast, as well as across a few southeastern states. Georgia MLS works closely with brokers, agents and appraisers to provide a marketplace that benefits the buying and selling process alike. In 2022, the company experienced 124,000 transactions adding up to approximately $48 billion. Ryan said, “Georgia MLS is a magical marketplace that brings real estate together to make a homeownership happen!” In the first half of 2023, the real estate market was hit by increasing interest rates and a lack of housing inventory. As a result, the current market is experiencing a consistent rise in median home prices. Experiencing firsthand the effects of interest rates and inventory changes, Georgia MLS has noticed a flattening rate of active listings on its marketplace. Ryan said, “Going from a 3% interest rate in 2022 to a close to 7% interest rate in 2023 has put sellers on the fence.” Slowly increasing, the current housing market is sitting on approximately two months of inventory. Looking strictly at the single-family residential selections on Georgia MLS, the marketplace only showcases 9,800 property listings in the 12-county core around metro Atlanta. Even though inventory is still below balanced market levels, Ryan predicts that the Atlanta market is still significantly active and will remain active in the year to come. Ryan said, “As we know a balanced market is six months of inventory, and while we have seen a rise, there hasn’t been enough change to move the needle in terms of available properties.” With affordability being a crucial factor in the home buying process, many consumers are searching for properties away from the city for more budget-friendly opportunities. Ryan mentions the rise in movement within northeastern parts of the state, such as Barrell County, as well as increased activity in southern parts of Georgia, including the Jackson and Macon areas. Looking at the 12-county core region of metro Atlanta, Fulton County is the most predominant area for real estate sales – followed by Dekalb, Gwinnett and Cobb Counties.
Tune into the full episode above to learn more about Georgia MLS or visit www.GeorgiaMLS.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Edie Weintraub, founder of terra alma, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share an overview of the woman-owned advisory firm. On the All About Real Estate segment, Weintraub chats with host Carol Morgan about the top trends in commercial real estate.
Encouraged and inspired by her father who worked in land and development, Weintraub has worked within the real estate industry for over 15 years. Weintraub began her career working on the residential side of the industry, where she scouted several investors, later shifting to commercial real estate.
After working for many boutique and global real estate firms, Weintraub realized that she admired the entrepreneurial spirit of small businesses. Weintraub’s passion for helping local restaurants, retailers and bakeries thrive led to the start of terra alma, a boutique real estate advisory firm. With an all-female, four-member team, terra alma serves local and small businesses as if they are large, national clients. Weintraub said, “I was inspired by The Little Mermaid! I want to be where the people are – laughing, dancing, gathering and having a good time.” terra alma focuses primarily on downtown, walkable communities that exude connectivity and friendship. With Atlanta boasting several small rail stop communities that are beginning to grow and flourish, the terra alma team enjoys playing a part in bringing those historic spaces back to life. Weintraub said, “In an instance such as downtown Norcross, those restaurants have been there for over 20 years…they are not big national brands, but they are tried and true.” In addition to working with intimate communities across metro Atlanta, terra alma partners with food hall operators to build incredible spaces for residents and visitors to connect, including Chattahoochee Food Works, Chamblee Tap & Market, Halidom Eatery and Politian Row at Colony Square. Weintraub and her team provide advisory services such as location scouting, site tours, vendor selection and detailed plans to each food hall client. Weintraub said, “It was very satisfying to work with small business owners to help launch their path!” Food halls have become a popular destination for people seeking a place to gather and connect with others. Featuring an abundance of dining opportunities, food halls allow everyone in the family to satisfy their cravings while still coming together to enjoy one another. Weintraub said, “I love working on food halls because it brings together multiple cultures while allowing families to gather in an environment that is warm and welcoming.” Turn into the full interview above to learn more about terra alma, or visit www.terraalma.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radi...
Chattahoochee Program Director Walt Ray, PLA, AICP with Trust for Public Land joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Chattahoochee River Project. On the All About Real Estate segment, Ray chats with host Carol Morgan about how the public can access the river and ways to get involved with the project.
Walt Ray, PLA, AICP is a professional landscape architect and part of the American Urban Planners Association. Growing up on a quaint farm on the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania, Ray spent most of his time exploring along the river – starting his passion for the outdoors and riverside culture. Ray holds a degree in landscape architecture from Clemson University and has spent much of his career working in the public realm, including helping communities understand their needs, building census on the public’s wants and designing outdoor spaces. Joining the Trust for Public Land team in 2017, Ray is head of activating and conserving the Chattahoochee River and its valley from Helen to Columbus, Georgia.
Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization that aims to connect individuals to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. Beginning in 1972, the organization has over 30 offices nationwide and has protected approximately two-million acres of public land across the country, including many beloved national and state parks. Raising close to 84 billion dollars in public funding, Trust for Public Land has connected over nine-million people to the outdoors through building and protecting lands, parks and trails. Ray said, “We believe that access to the outdoors is a fundamental human need and that communities are stronger and healthier when everyone can get outdoors to engage with neighborhoods and nature!” With the Chattahoochee River spending decades in the shadows of industrial sites, train stations, sewer lines, golf courses and much more, very few know the river, its location and how to access it safely. Early on in his stint at Trust for Public Land, Ray knew the Chattahoochee River was a significantly large project. In 2018 Trust of Public Land began its journey of reviving the river with public engagement, and in 2020 Ray and his team proposed 125 miles of continuous trail featuring 25 new or improved river crossings, 42 trailheads, connected parks and greenspaces and many more exciting amenities.
You can explore the entire Chattahoochee River Project vision at www.ChattahoocheeRiverLands.com.
Individuals and businesses interested in getting involved with the Chattahoochee River Project can visit the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area or the river within parks in Carroll County, Duluth and Sandy Springs. In addition, Trust for Public Land is hosting volunteer days to help build the Chattahoochee RiverLands and guided tours in Smyrna for larger groups to see renderings and designs of upcoming developments. You can also donate toward the Chattahoochee River Project at www.ChattahoocheeRiverLands.com. Ray said, “Seeing is believing! We welcome all volunteers, visitors and donors who are willing!” Tune into the full interview above to learn more about the Trust of Public Land, or visit www.TPL.org.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.
Dan O’Dwyer, the founder of O’Dwyer Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. O’Dwyer chats with host Carol Morgan about his decades of experience in the home building industry, working through the Great Recession and his involvement in the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA).
Known as the kid in his childhood neighborhood that built the most excellent playhouses, O’Dwyer has always had a passion for construction. O’Dwyer was part of one of the country’s earliest building construction management programs at Michigan State University earning a degree in construction. O’Dwyer said, “I remember carpenters working on my folk’s home when I was 12 years old and telling them, ‘I want to do what you do.’” Meeting in the eighth grade and becoming college sweethearts, O’Dwyer’s wife Kathy serves as his right-hand and an essential part of the O’Dwyer Homes. Kathy is head of marketing and model homes at the home building company, taking on virtually any responsibility around the office. O’Dwyer said, “It’s been marital bliss… Kathy’s been an integral part of the company since the beginning!” After graduating in 1981, O’Dwyer was challenged by a recession at the start of his career. With a significant shortage in construction work in Michigan, O’Dwyer transferred to Cincinnati, then to Northern Virginia, and finally landed in Atlanta in 1987 – where he has resided ever since!
O’Dwyer describes home building and construction work in Atlanta during the late 1980s and early 1990s as a free-for-all. Working for UDC Homes from 1987 to 1991, O’Dwyer and the company team sold whatever they could build at the time. O’Dwyer said, “Home building in Atlanta during the recession was like the wild west!” Working in several areas in the construction industry, the legend is a jack of all trades! O’Dwyer has experience in remodeling, carpentry, framing, sales, building and production.
O’Dwyer witnessed many homes come to life during the late 1980s in Atlanta. The most popular plan during this time was the traditional, two-story home boasting brick, siding and stucco exteriors. The home builder worked around metro Atlanta, including subdivisions in Kennesaw, Stone Mountain and North Fulton. O’Dwyer said, “We were selling 2,500 to 3,000 square foot homes for $200,000 to $300,000…that was a screaming deal!” After working with many top builders and finding himself out of a job towards the end of the Great Recession, O’Dwyer started O’Dwyer Homes in 1992 with a little money and financing for three homes. Within the first year, the company completed 23 homes.
From the 1990s to the early 2000s, home builders were selling homes at an incredible pace! Working with Wade Johnson on several O’Dwyer Homes communities, O’Dwyer and his team rapidly sold subdivision after subdivision – selling over 200 houses annually. O’Dwyer said, “Building in the 1990s and early 2000s was crazy but a lot of fun… I’ve made lots of good friendships and wonderful contacts over the years.” O’Dwyer mentions his gratitude for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) and how much the organization has impacted his life and career. From educational benefits to networking to leadership opportunities, the GAHBA is a wonderful tool for homebuilding and real estate workers to grow personally and professionally. O’Dwyer serves as a life director on the HBA board and encourages his employees to attend meetings and events. O’Dwyer said, “Our philosophy as a company is to always try to give back.” The legend of real estate is also a two-term president of HomeAid Atlanta, the designated charity of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. Building shelters and resource centers for homeless women, children and veterans, HomeAid Atlanta is a great initiative to give back to the community. O’Dwyer said, “HomeAid Atlanta is a great organization to be a part of.”
Executive Officer Robin Wallace with the Greater Columbus Home Builders Association (GCHBA) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Columbus housing market. On the All About Real Estate segment, Wallace sits down with host Carol Morgan to chat about their unique Careers in Construction program and how to get involved in the community.
Originally from Illinois, Wallace grew up in a small farming community where she lived a sheltered life that began her passion for workforce development. Wallace earned a degree in mass communications, started her career in radio and worked within the broadcasting industry for over 15 years. In 2003, Wallace became the marketing director of the Columbus Civic Center - where she managed and directed several events. Later, she became an executive officer at the Greater Columbus HBA in 2019 after being approached by a builder who encouraged her to apply! Wallace said, “I feel the Greater Columbus HBA is exactly where I need to be…I love the amazing people and association I get to work with!” The Greater Columbus HBA has developed Careers in Construction, a workforce development program designed for the younger generation interested in careers in the homebuilding industry. Although the GCHBA focuses on fifth graders, the Careers in Construction program is adaptable for kindergarten through 12th grade and can be used by any school district in the country. The development program provides an exploration day for students to discover jobs in engineering, architecture, interior design, electrical and other areas within the industry. Ensuring each student involved is interested and eager to learn about the homebuilding industry, teachers and academic advisors pair fifth graders interested in careers in construction with students from Columbus State University and a local high school program.
After the exploration day, students are assigned to write an essay on what they learned about careers in construction. The academic advisors partner with the elementary English teachers to help students write and edit their work. Once the students finish their essays, they are given another assignment to create an illustration representing their writings. After final edits, the Greater Columbus HBA created a hard copy book detailing the student’s projects. Wallace said, “The more you expose the students to careers in construction, the more they will remember.” For additional information on the Careers in Construction program and other happenings at the Greater Columbus HBA, follow along on Facebook and Instagram at @GreaterColumbusHBA.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about the Greater Columbus Home Builders Association or visit www.GreaterColumbusHBA.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real ...
Director of Research and Communications Katie Fidler with St. Bourke joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share a glimpse into the Atlanta housing market. Fidler sits down with host Carol Morgan to discuss lot shortages, development updates and her predictions for the remainder of the year on the All About Real Estate segment.
Living in the Atlanta area for most of her life, Fidler graduated from the University of Georgia and has over a decade of experience in the Atlanta real estate industry. Starting in office and leasing, Fidler shifted paths in 2015 to residential investment and has focused heavily on the development side of real estate ever since. Fidler is currently transitioning roles to move back under the umbrella of St. Bourke’s parent company Drapac Capital Partners and refocus on the investment side of the business. Fidler said, “I’m a jack-of-all-trades in terms of Atlanta real estate. I love this market and living in Atlanta!” When comparing the first quarter of this year to the first quarter of 2022, it is no surprise that almost every statistic is down. The one exception to the drastic decrease in the year-over-year (YOY) data is lot deliveries, which experienced a 3% increase in the first quarter compared to last year. Specifically looking at attached lot deliveries, which rose in popularity during the global pandemic, Fidler noticed an increase of 13% YOY. When comparing the first quarter of 2023 to the most recent ‘normal’ housing market year, 2019, many statistics provide a positive outlook on the current Atlanta housing market. Fidler said, “You get a more accurate picture of where we are when you take a further step and use the comparisons from 2019 versus YOY.” Looking at starts and sales on a YOY basis, starts are down by 40%, new home closings are down by a little over 20% and lot deliveries experienced a 2% decrease. Comparing the same statistics to 2019, starts are down by 20%, new home closings only experienced a 2% decrease and lot deliveries witnessed a whopping 2% increase. These YOY declines are symptoms of general market instability with increasing inflation, bank failures and high interest and mortgage rates. With 70% of homeowners possessing a mortgage rate below 4% and 90% of homeowners with a rate below 5%, it should come as no surprise that consumers are reluctant to buy in a market with rates set at 6% or above.
The Atlanta housing market is still dealing with a lack of inventory, prompting builders and developers to increase home prices. While there is still a demand for housing, the current market is undersupplying and causing home prices to bottom out.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about St. Bourke, or visit www.StBourke.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate" segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Est...
Farrell Middleton, president of The Bell Curve of Life, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss his new company, The Bell Curve of Life program. Middleton sits down with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment to share what The Bell Curve of Life offers and who can benefit from the program.
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, Middleton currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, Cathy, and is a proud father of two adult daughters, living in the area. Middleton graduated with honors from the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned his degree in building construction. After graduating, Middleton entered the Atlanta home-building industry and had a long, successful 36-year career. In early 2022, Middleton decided to start his long-awaited second career as a teacher, coach and mentor. Middleton said, “The Bell Curve of Life has been a goal of mine for most of my adult life, and I have been loosely working on the concept for many years!” Switching careers at 57 years old, Middleton began The Bell Curve of Life to help individuals maintain a positive attitude, enhance their interpersonal communication skills, build relationships and improve problem-solving abilities. With timeless principles, The Bell Curve of Life can be utilized in one year, five or 20 years, with the fundamentals proving useful long after. Middleton said, “There is a very strong focus for the participants on maintaining a positive attitude and focusing on the journey in order to arrive at their destination.” Each topic within the program relates to certain circumstances that people find themselves in on a routine basis, both personally and professionally. The Bell Curve of Life delivers offerings in four different categories – one for personal focus and three for professional guidance. The main structure of the program is made for approximately 10 participants with 90-minute sessions to discuss and explore a single topic. Most importantly, participants do not have to worry about preparation or outside work for these sessions! Middleton said, “Just come with a positive attitude, an open mind and we’ll have a great time!” Middleton mentions that his favorite topic within the personal category is “Cathy and Farrell Had Nine Parents Between Them,” which dives into maintaining a healthy family and personal and professional relationships. Participants will learn practices and tools to help work on and foster the most important relationships and how to move on accordingly when a relationship turns sour. Middleton said, “You have to relate to people positively. It’s just how the world works!” The Bell Curve of Life founder also provides his favorite topics within the professional categories that focus on enhanced time management, problem-solving techniques, focusing on individual strengths and more! With three different professional divisions, there are topics for CEOs/owners/directors, middle managers and traditional staff.
Visit www.TheBellCurveOfLife.com to learn more about programs, topics and pricing. You can reach Middleton via phone at 678-618-2024 or email at Farrell @TheBellCurveOfLife.com.
Listen to the full interview above to learn about The Bell Curve of Life, or visit www.TheBellCurveOfLife.com.
Carl Riden, the founder of Redmont Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Riden sits down with host Carol Morgan to touch on his decades of experience, working in the Great Recession and his time in the home building industry.
Riden was born and raised on a small cotton farm near Bostwick, Georgia. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a degree in agricultural engineering, Riden served in Vietnam with the United States Army and later worked for the Georgia Power Company as a salesman, selling electricity to builders. Riden began his career in the real estate industry working with a local apartment developer, which led him to start his own business in 1977, Carl Riden Homes – which later became Harcrest Homes.
Starting his building career in the late 1970s, Riden sold his first home for $49,000. In the early days his first homes featured 1,600 square feet of living space and were brick or stucco structures. With split-level house plans rising in popularity during this period, home plans grew to showcase 3,000 to 3,6000 square feet of living space and all brick exteriors. While his building career was growing in success, Riden faced many challenges in the early 1980s, including competition and the Great Recession.
After decades of building beautiful homes, Riden sold Carl Riden Homes to his business partner, Mike Smith, who transitioned the company to Harcrest Homes. Riden later started his second homebuilding venture, Redmont Homes.
Riden said, “I was ready to retire, and Mike was the perfect choice!”
Joining the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) early on in his career, Riden is thankful for the many years of community and education provided by the organization. While Riden has accomplished much to be proud of, he is incredibly prideful of the relationships he built during his decades in the industry.
Riden said, “I am most proud of my relationships with subcontractors, homeowners, suppliers and realtors.”
Riden’s advice for newcomers in the industry is to start at the bottom, work hard and pour love and passion into your craft! The real estate legend mentions the importance of finding a trusted bank and supportive team that believes in the work you are trying to produce.
Riden said, “Be enthusiastic and work your way up!”
Enjoying retired life, Riden lives on Lake Lanier and loves spending time at his second home near his daughter and grandchildren. The retiree also visits his childhood home every Thursday to assist his sister with the upkeep of a cotton farm.
Riden said, “My sister and I love the farm!”
With many projects to choose from, Riden’s most memorable build was a subdivision featuring 110 lots, brought to his team in the 1990s by an industry friend. Building a great relationship, Riden worked on the project for nearly 15 years.
For additional information on Carl Riden or Redmont Homes, call or text 770-616-6240 to speak with Riden directly.
Listen to the full episode above to learn more about Carl Riden.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Melanie Burruss, leasing and marketing with Ranch Cottages for Rent, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss unique home plans and community amenities. On the All About Real Estate segment, Burruss chats with host Carol Morgan about Ranch Cottages for Rent’s new mascot, Dogwood.
With almost 20 years of experience in the real estate industry, Burruss has worked for several local builders in the metro Atlanta area as an on-site agent and had the pleasure of working with Jim Chapman Communities for the past six years – with a focus on Ranch Cottages for Rent for three of those years.
Ranch Cottages for Rent comprises of multiple rental communities boasting beautiful homes that feature one- to two-car garages, accommodating floor plans and impeccable attention to detail. The luxury rentalsare one-level, attached single-family homes developed with millennials, seniors, Gen X and active adults in mind.
Each cottage community offers five different floor plans highlighting open-level living, an owner’s suite on the main floor, two to three bedrooms and an optional upstairs loft space. Residents in every community enjoy incredible amenities, such as an expansive clubhouse, cutting-edge fitness center and resort-inspired pool area. Other amenities offered at select communities include a dedicated dog park and a community garden.
Burruss said, “We are always looking for ways to add green spaces and outdoor areas!”
Located in Athens, Brunswick, Dawsonville, Hampton and Loganville, Ranch Cottages for Rent has six available communities. The build-to-rent developer also has two new communities coming soon to Cartersville and Savannah – The Cottages at Walker Ridge and The Cottages at New Hampstead.
With a variety of floor plans to choose from, the cottages range from a little over 1,000 to 1,400 square feet. The Ranch Cottages for Rent team focuses on every detail within each home by showcasing granite countertops, in-unit washer and dryer, tile backsplash and luxury vinyl flooring.
Burruss said, “Each cottage feels just like a home!”
Ranch Cottages for Rent’s new mascot, Dogwood, made a “bark-tastic” appearance on Atlanta Real Estate Forum with Melanie. Often called Woody, this friendly neighborhood Bulldog is ready to “lead the leash” in sharing his favorite spots and “pup-tivities” in and around each cottage community!
Residents and prospective renters can “paw-sibly” catch a glimpse of Dogwood at open communities this summer and in multiple “fur-riendly” social media locations. This “pup-ular” pooch is “pawsing” for selfies and ready to “ruff” up the regular program with his wag-tastic adventures. 🐾
Follow Woody’s “tail-wagging” journey around Ranch Cottages for Rent communities – it’ll be an absolute “howl”!
Burruss said, “We’re super excited to give everyone a dog’s eye view of the communities!”
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Ranch Cottages for Rent, or visit www.RanchCottagesForRent.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President Stephen Haines with Artisan Built Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new and upcoming communities and give updates on popular neighborhoods, including Heritage Pointe at The Georgian, Stratford at NatureWalk and Serenity in Hapeville. Haines joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A familiar face in the homebuilding industry, Haines has been a part of the industry from a very young age and has had the opportunity to work for many big builders throughout his 25-year career. He joined the Artisan Built Communities team four years ago and now leads the organization and its growth efforts.
Founded in 2012, Artisan Built Communities specializes in constructing residences that buyers proudly call home. The builder takes special care to create stunning exteriors, focus on architecture and specialize in a home’s finer touches.
Haines said, “While we are a production builder, we like to build things that are a notch above and [Serenity] is no exception.”
Serenity at Hapeville is a community located just north of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in a city made famous by General Motors and Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy. The independent town extends across two-square miles and is well-known for its vibrant arts scene! A unique feature of the community, the Hapeville entrance is marked by a beautiful mural painted by a locally famous muralist known for his work across the metro area.
Haines said, “The mural greets you as you come in and it sets the tone for what you’re going to experience once you come inside.”
A unique product that is very different from the builder’s work in Paulding County, Serenity at Hapeville showcases attached two-story townhomes with only 25 available opportunities. The City of Hapeville influenced the first set of units to take on the look of a warehouse that has been a part of the Hapeville landscape for many years. The building bears the city name on both sides, with an exterior that takes inspiration from old factories and warehouses.
The rest of the community’s four buildings, with 21 units, surround a private pocket park to give residents the freedom to leave their homes to take their favorite furry friend for a walk close to home. A fire pit installation, perfect for community gatherings through the seasons, centers the green space. Many units feature a private patio, with a few enjoying an upstairs balcony!
To complement the first set of units, the remaining four buildings embrace a retro-modern exterior detailed by brick siding, black windows and more.
To learn more about Artisan Built Communities, tune into the interview above or visit www.DiscoverArtisan.com.
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Known as a trendsetter, Denim Marketing has been blogging since 2006, podcasting since 2011 and is currently working on strategies for the Google Helpful Content update and ways to incorporate AI into sales and marketing. Contact them when you need quality, original content for social media, public relations, blogging, email marketing and promotions. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Gene Eidelman, the co-founder of Azure Printed Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss founding a 3D home printing company and how the process revolutionizes the home building industry. Eidelman chats with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Originally from Ukraine, Eidelman relocated to Atlanta in the mid-1980s and has lived in the eclectic city for over 20 years. With a background in real estate development and construction, Eidelman and his business partner founded Azure Printed Homes three years ago to build more affordable housing with a positive environmental impact at a faster pace.
After building homes using traditional measures, the Azure team shifted to 3D printing methods. In the past two years, Azure Printed Homes has worked hard to perfect its 3D printing practices by trying different computer methods, finding the best equipment to print units and much more! Eidelman and his team delivered their first printed home unit last year.
Eidelman said, “I love when customers’ eyes start to sparkle because they have a vision!”
With no luck finding a pre-existing 3D printing system, Eidelman and his business partner decided to develop their own 3D printing technology that features multiple equipment pieces, including a printer and extruder. The printed homes company aimed to use sustainable materials that met seismic requirements and could withstand hurricane winds as well as incorporated roofs strong enough to handle heavy snow loads.
After much research and deliberation, Azure Printed Homes settled on sustainable materials such as recycled plastics, fiberglass and carbon fiber. The recycled plastic used by the home building company is derived primarily from recycled water bottles. Working with three different manufacturers, Eidelman and his team provide the manufacturers with a composite formula that consists of at least 60% recycled plastic and a mixture of fiberglass and carbon fiber.
Azure Printed Homes began its 3D home printing journey with 10×12 backyard studio units and has gradually expanded its unit sizing. The company’s 10×18 AUD units feature 180 square feet of living space, including a bathroom with a shower and a small kitchen. With stackable products, customers can purchase up to eight units together to deliver one large home.
Eidelman said, “While our biggest demand is for our backyard studios and small units, our next category is 900 square-foot homes!”
3D home printing is revolutionizing the home building industry. The process replaces the need for trades, such as framing, roofing and waterproofing, when it comes to building a home and is a more cost-effective construction solution. Azure Printed Homes develops one basic unit a day compared to the months it takes to build a traditional 180-square-foot home. Completing the unit, including flooring, cabinetry and finishes, takes approximately one week for a small unit and two to three weeks for the larger units.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Azure Printed Homes, or visit www.AzurePrintedHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Managing Partner Mike Vahle with Capital Growth StoreGuard joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss his focus on community and the growth within the self-storage industry. On the All About Real Estate segment, Vahle joins host Carol Morgan to share an overview of what Capital Growth StoreGuard offers.
With a background in real estate development, Vahle has worked with small businesses and large companies such as Walmart and Publix Storage. In January of 2023, Vahle and his business partner, Eric Buchalter, launched Capital Growth StoreGuard – a real estate development and acquisition company focused on self-storage.
Capital Growth StoreGuard is an Atlanta-based company that provides solutions to customers seeking more space to store their valuable goods. After a few months in, Vahle and his team acquired a facility in Georgia where they continue to expand and add amenities to modernize the offering. The company is also working on several development projects in the metro Atlanta area and other large metro areas across the Southeast.
One of the many reasons StoreGuard is effective and successful is the Capital Growth Buchalter team. As a vertically integrated and well-established real estate development and acquisition team, Capital Growth Buchalter serves as the parent company for StoreGuard. The Capital Growth platform has over 70 years of experience and has delivered approximately 1,500 projects nationwide. With the Buchalter team providing in-house capabilities such as accounting, legal, project management and design, Capital Growth StoreGuard has the ability to take on any project, no matter the difficulty.
Vahle said, “The Buchalter team has been a good advantage for StoreGuard!”
Setting the new standard for the self-storage industry, Capital Growth StoreGuard provides customers with top-quality services and delivers desirable features, including additional hours of coverage, redundant security measures, climate-controlled units and modernized design elements.
Vahle said, “We try to not only keep up but to get ahead of the curve and offer next-level service.”
With self-storage facilities rising in popularity, Vahle explains that the typical demand driver for the storage industry is a disruptive life event such as divorce or sudden relocation. In addition to the typical drivers, the 2020 pandemic sparked an increase in the demand for self-storage, with individuals carving out space for home offices, remote schooling spaces and hobby areas. In today’s housing market, individuals are beginning to downsize – creating a new market for the self-storage industry.
Vahle said, “When you look from generation to generation, the percentage of usage of self-storages continues to tick up.”
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Capital Growth StoreGuard, or visit www.StoreGuard.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Vice President of Safety and Training Tony Cann with HB Next joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the partnership between the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta. Cann chats with host Carol Morgan about the importance of work force development and what the HBA is doing to help solve the problem.
A member of the HB Next team for the past decade, Cann is also a proud member of the HBA for eight years and counting. As a safety environmental compliance company, HB Next works with builders to enhance worker protection through citations, OSHA inspections and environmental compliance.
The GAHBA is partnering with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta to pilot a program for the National Association of Home Builders’ Workforce Development Initiative in conjunction with sponsors Ford Foundation and Ford Next Generation Learning. Atlanta is one of the 10 pilot cities nationwide with the mission to introduce the next generation to construction and skilled trades careers.
The pilot program hosts between 10 to 20 participants each day who can interact, learn and network with industry professionals and volunteers. With 10 meetings total, participants meet every other week in addition to other special activities.
Cann said, “It’s been amazing to see so much participation!”
The program meetings include presentations by skilled trade contractors, hands-on learning activities, blueprint readings and exciting demonstrations. Each visit focuses on a specific stage in the homebuilding process, from land acquisition to closing a home. The pilot program also provides field trips to live job sites to provide students with physical experiences that cannot be offered in a traditional classroom.
Cann said, “We are educating students about the entire homebuilding process, from start to finish.”
With students ranging from eighth grade to high school seniors, the program hosts a wide variety of young individuals interested in the homebuilding industry. The program’s goal is to educate and expose the next generation to construction and trade skills at a young age, with the hopes of encouraging them to seek a career in the field.
Cann said, “The earlier we can educate and expose the younger generation to the construction industry and everything it entails, the better off we will be.”
To get involved in the pilot program provided by the GAHBA and the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, call 770-938-9900 or email info@ atlantahba.com.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, or visit www.AtlantaHomeBuilders.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Senior Land Development Manager Myles Cardenas with McKinley Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to detail his day-to-day as a land development manager, upcoming developments and more! Cardenas joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares how young professionals can get involved within the industry.
Celebrating his fourth anniversary with the award-winning company in July, Cardenas has previous experience working for CalAtlantic Homes, starting as an intern during his senior year at Kennesaw State University (KSU).
Three to four months after celebrating his graduation, the company announced a significant merger with Lennar Homes, where he continued to partner with the company for two-and-a-half years before joining the McKinley Homes team. While at Lennar, Cardenas gained valuable land development experience for a prominent public builder and built two townhome communities in Druid Hills as a construction manager.
Cardenas said, “I had the opportunity to get more land development experience for the largest national builder at the time [as well as] construction and development experience that I’ve carried into my role here at McKinley.”
During his time at KSU, Cardenas had the opportunity to participate in a program that resulted from the merger with Southern Polytechnic College of Engineering and Engineering Technology. The school featured a construction management program introduced to KSU students as an additional option following the merger. Cardenas wrapped up his time at the university with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.
Founded in 2008, McKinley Homes has quickly become a well-known name throughout metro Atlanta in the new construction industry. The company began its journey as an investment company, and after constructing a few homes, the company’s team decided to bring land development in-house, resulting in the acquisition of Cardenas.
Cardenas said, “We do everything from single-family homes to townhomes and some commercial [projects], including apartments, stacked flats…mixed-use projects [and more].”
For young professionals entering the industry, Cardenas shared that he’s a huge proponent of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA), where he found his start as a part of the National Association of Home Builders chapter at KSU. The organization is one of the biggest supporters at the college level, and Cardenas shared that he highly recommends finding ways to get involved with GAHBA.
Cardenas said, “It’s one of the biggest and best things that I feel I have been able to nourish that relationship from then to now. I can’t believe that relationship started when I was 19 years old…and nine years later it’s the strongest it’s ever been.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about McKinley Homes, or visit www.McKinleyHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Rick Porter, president of Richport Properties and director of the Master of Real Estate Development program at the Georgia Institute of Technology, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as part of the Legends of Real Estate series. Porter chats with host Carol Morgan to touch on his decades of homebuilding experience, working in the Great Recession and his role in education.
A third-generation worker in construction and development, Porter grew up in the industry and was encouraged by his Uncle and mentor to take the architecture path. Gaining a unique way of thinking about design in the real estate realm, Porter earned his degree in Architecture at the Georgia Institute of Technology. With encouragement and support from his family, the architect designed and built his first project fresh out of school – which happened to be a home for his fraternity brother. After working as a sole proprietor for several years, Porter and his wife joined forces in the early 1980s to bring Richport Properties to life.
Porter said, “I consider myself one of the lucky ones! I have no memory of not being around something under development of construction.”
Porter has experienced many changes within the home building industry over the years. As he began his career in the late 1970s, production home building and cohesiveness within communities were starting to emerge.
Spending the first seven years of his career diving deeper into design-build within residential construction, Porter was able to offer custom design and construction, which set him up for decades of success. While Porter loved working in design and architecture, he eventually wanted to move to the development side. In the mid-80s, he bought a 70-lot community that was the initial pivot into smaller builds, higher-density lots and comprehensive grading.
In the mid-90s, Richport Properties had the opportunity to work with small cities to promote new development ideas. However, as regulations changed, it became difficult to produce innovative ideas -leading to working with more suburban towns over the years. Porter and his team developed a project in Suwanee that introduced traditional neighborhood development and the first live-work-play development in Gwinnett County. Richport Properties’ first Suwanee project won a Development of Excellence Award from the Atlanta Regional Commission.
Porter said, “I have always had a passion for new and innovative ideas!”
Prioritizing personal and professional relationships with constructors, vendors and municipalities, Porter created an atmosphere that harmoniously combined good business practices, excellent communication and innovative development ideas.
Porter said, “In many ways, home building is a relationship business.”
During the Great Recession, Porter learned that development and home building are cyclical industriess. Porter’s generational background and familial mentorship ultimately got him through the struggles of the 1980 Great Recession.
Porter’s three tips for getting through any downturn in the real estate industry are:
- Communicate with lenders!
- Sell properties that still contain some value.
- Explore alternative opportunities for projects.
Porter said, “You’re going to make money and you’re going to lose money.”
Building his business and getting involved in the homebuilding community, Porter joined the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) early in his career and has been a member for nearly 25 years. For Porter, the GAHBA served as a space for learning and business development while he was growing Richport Properties. He went on to serve as a National Vice President for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Porter said, “Not only was I learning from other people within the industry, but other people were getting to know me as well.”
Porter advises young professionals wanting to work in the home building industry to build an outstanding resume, gain organizational experience, grasp the financial aspects of real estate and be curious! With the regulatory and financial infrastructures becoming increasingly tricky, Porter encourages young home builders to work under corporate organizations to build knowledge.
As an alumnus of the Georgia Institute of Technology, Porter has been the director of the Master of Real Estate Development program for the college for six years – a program he was instrumental in starting. The program boasts between 30 to 40 students and is one of the only programs at Georgia Institute of Technology that caters to working professionals with classes offered in an evening format. Approximately 70 graduates from the program are now working in the Atlanta real estate market!
Porter said, “Academia is not the solution for every profession, but the next significant stealth for the profession of real estate development is to have a place in academia.”
While Porter has received many accolades in his decades of experience, one of the accomplishments he is most proud of is putting the Master of Real Estate Development program at Georgia Tech in place. From a development standpoint, Porter is also proud of his second Development of Excellence Award from the Atlanta Regional Commission for a sustainable conversion community designed to infiltrate stormwater in the area.
Listen to the full episode above to learn more about Richport Properties, or visit www.Richport.com.
Vice President of Sales & Marketing Amy Kessler with Traton Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new and upcoming communities and exciting incentives. On the All About Real Estate segment, Kessler chats with host Carol Morgan to provide an overview of where Traton Homes is building in Florida.
With 20-plus years of experience within the real estate industry, Kessler has spent many years working with local Atlanta builders. Kessler became the vice president of sales and marketing for Traton Homes in 2019 after starting her career with the building company as a real estate agent.
Traton Homes is a homegrown Atlanta builder with 50 years of experience building within the Atlanta housing market. With incredible design opportunities and an impressive design center, Traton Homes is well-known for delivering high-quality homes perfectly personalized to the buyers’ wants and needs.
Kessler said, “Our neighborhoods stand the test of time.”
Only three months into the year, the Traton Homes team is staying busy! Achieving every goal the company set for January, February and March, the builder has helped several homebuyers take the first steps toward starting a new chapter in life.
Located in Marietta, Gates at Hamilton Grove is the newest Traton Homes community. Showcasing 43 stunning townhomes, each home features the builder’s award-winning Brooksfloor plan. Just off Cobb Parkway, the community sits near to I-75 and has access to great shopping, dining and recreation. With the community built in front of a previous Traton Homes community, Gates at Hamilton Grove residents have access to impressive amenities provided by the previous project.
Kessler said, “Gates at Hamilton Grove has a little bit of everything!”
Traton Homes has two upcoming communities in the works – set to be complete in early to mid-spring of this year! The first community, Avenbrook, will be featured in beautiful Mableton and offer approximately 79 spacious, single-family homes from the Jewel Box series. Residents will enjoy an incredible amenities package, including a pool and cabana. The South Cobb community will also have easy access to the East-West Connector and I-285, as well as The Battery and downtown Atlanta.
Kessler said, “Avenbrook is going to be a home run!”
Coming soon to Cumming, Courtyards at Traditions will be a 55+ active adult community. Featuring 42 homesites, the lock-and-leave community will offer single-family homes near a varied lineup of local shopping and dining. Each lot will showcase a ranch-style home with fantastic design options, such as a second-floor addition and limited basement opportunities.
Focusing on closing costs, Traton Homes is offering buy-down rates and presale incentives at several of its communities. To learn more about incentives offered at a community near you, visit the Traton Homes website today!
To check out Kessler’s last episode on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast, click here.
Tune into the full episode with the player above to learn more about Traton Homes, or visit www.TratonHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Broker Peggy Slappey with Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc. joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss her decades of real estate and political experience serving the Northeast Georgia and metro Atlanta areas. On the 12th installment of the Legends of Real Estate series, Slappey joins host Carol Morgan to touch on checking in daily with your joy meter and putting a smile on your face in good times and bad.
Slappey moved to Atlanta in 1972 with her husband, Tommy, to bring his building company to an area where creative and contemporary housing was embraced. Growing up in the industry, Slappey studied interior design and later gained her real estate license to work with her husband – making her a third-generation Realtor.
Slappey said, “Whatever it takes. That has been my motto forever!”
After receiving her real estate license, Slappey began working with incredible brokers, such as local broker Buddy Weston and senior broker Johnny Isakson. Wanting to support her husband, Slappey began Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc. to provide a sales center, staff and model homes alongside her husband’s successful business. Though Slappey left the brokerages to start her own business, Weston and Isakson never stopped supporting her.
Surrounded by a supportive family and powerful, working women, Slappey helped pave the way for women in the 1980s within the Atlanta real estate industry. While there were many bumps in the road and industry struggles to overcome, the female broker remained focused and positive – keeping her on track for great success.
Slappey said, “Failure was not an option for me.”
A lover of new construction, future designs and blossoming trends, Slappey encourages her builders to develop homes desirable to prospective buyers and enjoys forecasting trends and looking to the future for on-the-horizon design choices.
Slappey said, “There’s nothing like seeing dirt moved and new homes going vertical!”
Slappey describes working during the Great Recession as devastating. The tumultuous period caused fellow real estate companies and builders to lose significant projects and supporters of the industry, including paralegals and trade workers, to lose their homes. Taking on the role of purveyor of hope and joy, Slappey committed to exclusively wearing bright colors during this difficult time and became well-known for wearing vibrant yellows and greens.
For Slappey, the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) was a space dedicated to education, support and encouragement, providing incredible networking and peer involvement opportunities. Over the years, Slappey gained beneficial knowledge and lasting relationships from the GAHBA she carried with her every step of her career.
Slappey said, “There are no words to describe how impactful the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association has been for me.”
Slappey’s advice for women who are, or want to be, in the real estate industry is to be wise, seek counsel from others and get involved. Connect with local Realtor and home builder associations with members that will network, mentor and share experiences to support your journey. Remember to also surround yourself with great people who will encourage you every step of the way.
Slappey said, “Watch others who are successful and attach yourself to them!”
It takes extensive learning and dedication to understand the buying and home selling processes, making it essential to have a trusted advisor who helps prevent mistakes and understands every possible scenario. While there are several hurdles to jump through within the buying and selling process, there are industry professionals who specialize in specific trades and operations to make closing a home a breeze for both sides.
Between her many achievements and career accomplishments, Slappey is most proud of the reputation behind Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc. The broker mentions her pride and respect for her husband, who left his building company to join Slappey in real estate, as well as her sister and other staff members. Providing a current and younger perspective, Slappey’s children hold roles within the company.
Slappey is also involved in politics, which started when she began her career with Weston and Isakson. Serving on her local town council for 12 years, Slappey knows the importance of not only the national government but the local government as well. Living through five recessions, Slappey has had a front-row seat to the effects and consequences of decisions made by leading politicians. She believes it is our responsibility to educate members of Congress on how their choices impact the real estate industry, homeownership and private property rights.
Slappey said, “When I first started in real estate, one of the first things Weston and Isakson said to me was, ‘If real estate is your livelihood, politics better be your business.'”
Day to day, Slappey helps individuals buy and sell homes, achieve their real estate goals and develop their potential within the industry. She also participates heavily in politics on the national and state level to be an advocate for the housing industry.
Slappey said, “My goal is to enrich lives one story at a time.”
Learn more about Peggy Slappey and Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc. by calling 770-932-3440 or visiting www.PSPOnline.com. You can also call 404-697-3723 to speak with Slappey directly. Follow along with the company on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn at @PeggySlappeyProperties and Twitter at @PSPOnline.
Listen to the full episode above to learn more about Peggy Slappey Properties, Inc., or visit www.PSPOnline.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Government Affairs Director Garrett Wiley with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the growing housing affordability crisis. On the All About Real Estate segment, Wiley joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the increase in moratoriums nationwide, the revised Atlanta tree ordinance and more.
With an extensive background in politics, Wiley’s first job out of college entailed working for a Georgia state senator, which led to working on several political campaigns, including a United States senate campaign in Louisiana and a mayoral race in Jacksonville. Wiley later served in economic development and government affairs for the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce and Jackson EMC. After working in business development for a commercial construction firm, Wiley transitioned back to government affairs for the GAHBA and has been there for two years.
Wiley said, “It’s been a blast! We have a great team and I love working with our members.”
As part of the government affairs team, Wiley helps to handle the seven GAHBA chapters and the many events those groups host, as well as tracking local legislation and over 70 municipalities within the greater Atlanta area. Serving nine counties, the government affairs team is tasked with building relationships with local city and county staff members, including code enforcement, planning and development, fire marshals and many more. While Garrett is a registered lobbyist, he is really here to act as a liaison between the GAHBA’s many members and the politicians that make up the many local governments around the metro area.
Wiley said, “Our goal is relationships…to be the catalyst and liaison between our members and the government departments that we work with.”
The government affairs team’s top priority is the ongoing litigation between the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and the Henry County government. Two years ago, Henry County presented a nearly 500% increase in impact fees on builders for single-family homes. The GAHBA put together a task force of builders currently working in the county and hired Dr. Chris Nelson, the original architect of the impact fees law in Georgia, to help stop Henry County from passing the impact fee increase. While the attempt was unsuccessful at stopping the increase, it was not the 500% increase originally recommended, and Wiley and his team still work hard to reverse the impact fees. The association is working with attorney Simon Bloom and has filed within the Henry County government to challenge the processes of the impact fees.
Wiley and his team also track local government lot-size changes, design standards, code changes and moratoriums. There are several reasons to clarify why moratoriums are increasing within local governments, but the top explanation given by those local governments is infrastructure needs. With many builders starting projects in rural areas within populated counties, governments are placing moratoriums on builders because of increasing infrastructure demands. Many local governments are also changing development codes, especially to address build-to-rent housing, and while the changes are in process, governments are requiring all residential construction to stop.
Wiley said, “The unfortunate part of moratoriums is that they happen without a warning.”
To learn more about the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, listen to the full interview above, or visit www.AtlantaHomeBuilders.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Executive Director Mandy Crater with HomeAid Atlanta joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss volunteer and support opportunities, including the Essentials for Young Lives Drive. Crater joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Starting her career with HomeAid Atlanta in April 2015, Crater has been with the organization for eight years. HomeAid first appeared in the Atlanta market in 2001 and has made an incredible impact on the community with the mission to build lives for families and individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness through construction, education and community outreach.
Working with existing non-profits that provide housing for the homeless, HomeAid Atlanta receives discounts and donations from the building industry when non-profit partners have construction needs. With the average age of individuals experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta being around nine years, several mothers, children and babies are in difficult living situations.
Crater said, “It’s about $80 per baby for diapers (a month).”
For over 20 years, HomeAid Atlanta has hosted the Essentials for Young Lives Drive to help provide essentials for those in need. Throughout April, the organization collects diapers and wipes to distribute to non-profit partners serving mothers and babies experiencing or at risk of homelessness. UPS delivers the essentials to those in need the Friday before Mother’s Day. Unlike snap benefits and food stamps, wipes and diapers are not supported by any safety net.
On the HomeAid Atlanta website, prospective participants can find a map displaying each drop-off location. The organization offers additional opportunities for others to collect internally with co-workers and options for public-facing intuitions, such as banks, grocery stores and churches, to become public collection sites. The drive ends on May 10 and all donations will be sorted on May 12 for distribution.
Crater said, “We are getting back to the way we used to do things before 2020…there is a lot more personal touch involved and more people hosting collection sites that didn’t in the past.”
For individuals who live out of state or cannot visit a collection site, other ways of contributing include financial donations and purchasing from organization registries. Registries can be found on Amazon and Target under the first name HomeAid and last name Atlanta. To donate financially, visit the HomeAid Atlanta website, search for the ‘Donate Now’ button and specify essentials. The organization can fill donation gaps with monetary donations after the last drop-off day.
To learn more about HomeAid Atlanta, tune in to the full interview above or visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Maurice Lester, vice president of construction with J.W. Collection, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss working alongside John Wieland. Lester joins host Carol Morgan to chat about influencing buyer decisions through branding, current community offerings and his recent appointment as the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association President (GAHBA) on the All About Real Estate segment.
Working with his father in South Georgia on building and remodeling projects, Lester began his construction career at a young age. After graduating from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Construction Management, Lester worked in commercial construction at Turner Construction, where he contributed to projects such as the Grady Hospital expansion and the Georgia Institute of Paper Science. Lester has over 30 years of metro Atlanta homebuilding experience dedicated to John Wieland companies.
Lester said, “I have worked all over metro Atlanta…I have had a great time and have worked with a lot of great customers!”
J.W. Collection is a John Wieland boutique building company. The company concentrates on seven different neighborhoods, including well-known and upcoming projects. The J.W. Collection team is currently working on projects in Canton, Woodstock, Acworth and Dunwoody, as well as a neighborhood in Tucker off La Vista Road and a project on Collier Road in Atlanta.
With over 50 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, John Wieland has built over 30,000 homes in the metro Atlanta region. The company portfolio also includes constructed beautiful homes and neighborhoods in surrounding states, such as South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida. Lester expresses deep gratitude towards Wieland and feels humbled to work for an award-winning national builder.
Lester said, “Since I have been with John Wieland, I’ve witnessed what he has done in metro Atlanta – not only building neighborhoods but changing communities and cities!”
From first-time buyers to reoccurring customers, the John Wieland brand presents a status that buyers desire. With every John Wieland company, including J.W. Collection, every aspect, from customer service to home design, is a top priority. From the floorplans to the design features, Lester and his team strive to deliver stunning homes and communities with thoughtful details and design choices.
A destination community, South on Main in Woodstock sits on 82 acres with 255 closed homes and is zoned for approximately 575 units. Residents have access to unbeatable amenities such as a clubhouse, pool, playground, communal firepit, gathering shed, multiple dog parks and much more! Starting in the $600,000s, the neighborhood showcases townhomes, paired residences and single-family homes.
Lester said, “South on Main is the gem of Woodstock and Cherokee County!”
Tune into the full episode above to learn more about J.W. Collection, or visit www.JWCollectionHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President and CEO Scott Shelar with Construction Ready joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the program’s many benefits and the critical growing skills gap. Shelar joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the upcoming Construction Ready CareerExpo on the All About Real Estatesegment.
Celebrating his 25th anniversary with Construction Ready this year, Shelar and his team want to ensure that people know the incredible opportunities provided within the construction industry and help participants gain the credentials and training needed to pursue successful careers.
Shelar said, “I love what I do. It’s what keeps me going!”
Available to people from all ages and backgrounds, Construction Ready provides youth, adult and four-week programs that will allow individuals to help kickstart their journey in the construction industry. Starting the conversation with individuals as young as elementary school level, the organization provides hands-on activities and training to anyone and everyone.
Shelar said, “We do a little bit of everything.”
With the United States facing a significant labor shortage and many industry members retiring, rising workers need to know essential trade skills. Trade jobs such as welders, heating and air techs, electricians and several others are in extremely high demand – resulting in companies raising their wages significantly.
Shelar said, “It is a great time to look into a career in the construction industry!”
From electricians and plumbers to fire protection professionals and highway construction workers, the construction industry has a vast selection of opportunities. Construction Ready and partnering companies will teach individuals, within the programs, without any student loan debt through apprenticeships and formal on-the-job training.
Shelar said, “These opportunities allow you to climb the ladder and make as much money as you want to make!”
Next week, Construction Ready will host a CareerExpo designed for high school and middle school students to explore careers within the construction industry. Students can access operating equipment, on-site equipment simulators and several hands-on activities. Attendees will also be able to network with industry employees to ask questions and gain additional information about specific opportunities. The organization is expecting over 9,000 students from all over the state!
Shelar said, “The CareerExpo is an exciting event, and we are so happy to be bringing it back!”
Tune into the full episode above to learn about Construction Ready, or visit www.ConstructionReady.org.
Chief Customer Experience Officer Kimberly Mackey with New Homes Solutions joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss “traction” for builders. Mackey joins host Carol Morgan, Founder and President of Denim Marketing, to chat about the Traction Scorecard strategy, predicting sales paces and more on the All About Real Estate segment.
Before starting New Homes Solutions in 2007, Mackey worked with many large regional and national home builders within every aspect of the home building industry, including building homes! In addition to training individuals on the sales process, Mackey works with businesses behind the scenes to ensure that every system, policy and procedure align and support the sales process.
Mackey said, “I like to say that I’m the person people call when they want sales to be the engine that drives the train rather than running it off the track.”
Created to reduce firefighting within the home building industry, Traction is an Entrepreneur Operating System (EOS) that requires business-owners to break down company operations into bite-sized chunks. With scorecards and measuring accountability, Traction allows business owners to manage their businesses efficiently.
Mackey said, “Data doesn’t lie!”
Focusing on a company’s employees, issues and vision, Traction brings everything together by providing essential data. While it is vital for salespeople to spend time on rapport to build and learn the critical path, the numbers within weekly tasks for salespeople can cause predictability in future conversion rates.
To achieve a sales pace of 50 homes per year, per salesperson, Mackey’s 10-5-2-1 success formula is as follows:
- Every on-site salesperson should have around 10 prospects every week.
- Each on-site salesperson needs five first appointments weekly.
- Every week, each on-site salesperson should have two “be back” appointments.
- Each on-site salesperson should have at least one sale a week.
- Assuming 2 weeks vacation per year, that equals one sale, per salesperson, per week.
Companies consistently completing these key metrics week-in and week-out will be able to accomplish the even-flow sale, as well as the ability to predict sales. Focusing on building referrals and a Realtor database can boost momentum and make achieving the above metrics an easier task!
Mackey said, “An object in motion stays in motion until met with an equal or greater force. So, just stay in motion!”
Tune into the full episode above to learn more about New Homes Solutions, or visit www.NewHomesSolutions.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Executive Officer Wendy Daniel with the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about The Big Event and what to expect. Daniel joins host Carol Morgan to discuss the event’s incredible community impact on the Around Atlanta segment.
Local to the community, Daniel has been with the Lake Oconee Builders Association for 17 years and counting. She has lived on the lake for most of her life and currently resides in the charming community with her husband and their four children.
Daniel said, “We love it at Lake Oconee!”
Developed in 1989, the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association is a local, nonprofit trade organization dedicated to the betterment of the local construction industry, working to serve its members, consumers and the community through education and public service. As the voice of the construction industry within the community, the association is committed to delivering opportunities for its members to prove their ability to conduct business with integrity.
Hosted by the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association, The Big Event first took place in 2003 as a quaint homes and gardens show. Over the years, the celebration continued to grow – transforming the homes and gardens showcase into The Big Event. This free experience hosts a wide variety of builders, associates, local merchants, artists, nonprofit organizations, arts and crafts, a kids’ zone, entertainment, food and beverages. Participants can purchase single or multiple 10×10 booths, allowing vendors to display products and services. Over the past 12 years, the event has averaged over 4,500 attendees each year.
On Saturday, March 18, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., join the fun at The Big Event located at 1000 Vista Drive, Greensboro, Ga.
Hosting over 140 vendors, booths showcase everything from builders and home improvement vendors to local merchants and arts and crafts! The boat show featured at The Big Event also has grown and will now feature recreational vehicles.
Daniel said, “There’s something for everyone at this event!”
Every year, the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association places the spotlight on the local community for the event’s entertainment. Each performer will have a booth for attendees to ask questions and learn more information. Back by popular demand, this year’s performers will include Saltamacchio Karate and The Arts Barn. The showcase kicks off with the Lake Country Composite Squadron Civil Air Patrol presenting the colors.
Daniel said, “The Saltamacchio Karate group is a huge addition to our event! We love having them every year.”
Food and beverages will be available onsite, including Chick-Fil-A, Farmer’s Funnel Cakes, Queen Churro, Five Finger Philly, Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee of Lake Country, Just Loaf’n, Kona Ice and Island Chef Café. An added benefit, all proceeds from beer and wine purchases benefit the Wild Jaeger Veteran Adventures, a nonprofit organization that connects fellow veterans through outdoor activities to heal wounds that are seen and unseen.
Sign up to win one of three incredible door prizes at this year’s Big Event by scanning the QR code available onsite and registering through the URL. The can’t-miss door prizes include a Green Mountain Pellet Grill, AirPods Pro and a Wolf Gourmet Countertop Oven.
Daniel said, “We have an amazing lineup of door prizes!”
For additional information on The Big Event and the Lake Oconee Area Builders Association, call 706-999-1591 or visit www.TheBigEventGA.com. Follow along on social media for regular event updates and organization information.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn about Lake Oconee Builders Association, or visit www.LOBALive.com.
Atlanta Division President Jonathan White with Meritage Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss reasons to buy new construction now. White joins host Carol Morgan to chat about can’t-miss incentives as well as current and upcoming communities on the All About Real Estate segment.
With close to 20 years of experience in the homebuilding industry, White has worked in land acquisition and development, roadway design and as division president for multiple companies. White has held the title of division president at Meritage Homes for five years and currently resides in Atlanta with his beautiful wife and their three children.
White said, “It’s been a long run, but the last 20 years have been awesome! I really enjoy home building.”
Founded in 1985, Meritage Homes began in Scottsdale, Arizona – where the company headquarters is still based. As the seventh largest public homebuilder in the United States, Meritage Homes oversees 21 divisions across ten states. In 38 years, the homebuilding company has delivered 155 thousand homes and built a reputation centered around its impressive energy efficiency. In 2022, Meritage Homes was awarded the Energy Star™ Partner of the Year for sustained excellence and superior building practice for the ninth consecutive year.
Since 2013, every Meritage Homes project has been energy certified and each home is approximately 40% more efficient than other new homes on the market. As one of the only builders to use spray foam insulation for the entire envelope of the house, homes have a protective barrier that helps with noise reduction, pest management, sealing in the interior’s climate and promoting healthy air quality. Other energy-efficient appointments within every Meritage home include high-performance air filters, low-flush toilets, Energy Star™ appliances, LED lighting and much more!
White said, “It is really impressive what we do in our homes – it’s not just the energy saving, it’s also the resale value that it gives you on the backend.”
Meritage Homes focuses on three main segments of the buyer profile – first-time buyers (millennials), first-time move-up buyers and move-down buyers. The homebuilding company offers various-sized townhomes and single-family homes in communities across the Greater Atlanta area.
SweetWater Green – Club Series by Meritage Homes is a master-planned type community with over 400 lots, four product lines and various price points. The Club Series offers a mixture of 21 and 24-foot townhomes, priced in the low $300,000s, boasting three bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms and one- to two-car garages across 1,600 to 1,800 square feet. Located in Lawrenceville, the community is just southeast of I-85 and Pleasant Hill Drive off Club Drive.
White said, “SweetWater is a very exciting community!”
Tune into the full episode above to learn more about Meritage Homes, or visit www.MeritageHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Pam Sessions, president of Hedgewood Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss her professional experience in design, homebuilding and construction. Sessions joins host Carol Morgan as the 11th installment of the Legends of Real Estate series.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Sessions earned a degree in fine arts and moved on to pursue a career in art and photography. With her then-boyfriend (now husband) Don Donnelly being a home builder at Brighton Homes, Sessions became interested in the home building industry.
After having no luck trying to help some friends find a home in the area, Sessions decided to use the knowledge she gained from the sidelines to invest in rental property. Sessions built two rental houses and fell in love with the homebuilding process.
For three years, Sessions built on her own before joining forces with her husband in 1985 to create Hedgewood Homes – offering development and homebuilding services.
Sessions said, “My husband and I have always had an interest in houses!”
Still learning the ropes within the industry, Sessions knew she wanted to build strong customer relationships. In a time when buyers had little say in the building process, Sessions began to provide sit-down meetings with customers to learn what they were looking for in their new homes.
Sessions said, “I worked 12 hours a day, seven days a week for seven years perfecting and working to learn.”
Meeting with customers every weekend, Sessions had back-to-back meetings with several customers to design their dream homes. Sessions built her business to the point where she could not handle it alone. She and her husband decided to create a business together, developing neighborhoods. Donnelly’s former employer believed in the duo and funded their first development, Highland Park in Fulton County.
Becoming a design-driven company, Hedgewood Homes focused heavily on how neighborhoods work for families. Wanting to provide families with an environment promoting freedom and spontaneity, Sessions and Donnelly took inspiration from Florida’s Seaside community.
Sessions said, “When we took our two children to Seaside, the light bulb went off – it was remembering how we grew up. We had so much freedom that brought responsibility and enabled us to grow into adults.”
The couple assembled farms on either side of their property to begin land planning for a new development. Hedgewood Homes hired Andres Duany with DPZ CoDesign, who designed several Florida projects, such as Seaside and Rosemary Beach, to start the conceptual plan. Local planners came in the help finish the project that featured a village and YMCA in walkable proximity to the middle and high schools.
Starting in the late eighties, Hedgewood Homes has survived multiple recessions, including the Great Recession. Despite losing employees and half of its business, the development company remained afloat through returns, pay-outs and construction permanent loans. Since lending was not available, Sessions and her team used cash to build a limited amount of homes. When the market started to normalize, Hedgewood Homes was in better shape than most competitors because of the construction permanent loans assisting the continuation of the building process.
Sessions said, “At that time, we had a company of a hundred employees, 13 neighborhoods, we were building 350 to 400 homes a year and the valve just shut off. Overnight, we went from a hundred employees to three and it was really hard.”
Hedgewood Homes changed its business model after coming out of the Great Recession, causing the team to step back and focus on what matters most to the company – design, community and customers. The development company and its team members moved into the city to be closer to the customer and to allow the design aspect to thrive in an urbanized space.
Sessions said, “We intentionally changed after the recession.”
Being a female artist that decided on a whim to become a home builder, Sessions has much to learn about the industry, leading her to the Greater Atlanta Home Builders’ Association (GAHBA). The GAHBA not only offers terrific educational opportunities, but it also provides networking opportunities with builders, designers, marketers and more.
Sessions said, “The Greater Atlanta Home Builders’ Association is really important to me. I can’t say enough about it and would encourage anyone to get involved.”
Sessions eventually became president of the association and had the opportunity to put together a green buildings program. The GAHBA and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) partnered with Southface Energy Institute to create Earth Craft House. The company went on to set the building codes to an environmental standard. Sessions learned with the green buildings process not only how to build a home properly but also how houses work and how they can be healthier and more efficient environments.
Sessions said, “Now Sustainability is on everyone’s topic list, but at that time it really wasn’t. It was great to be able to be a part of an organization that accepted that leadership role.”
The factor of home building Sessions loves the most is that you get to wear various hats. While this industry is challenging and requires hard work, it is enriching. Getting to work in multiple departments, home building and development allows entrepreneurs with several interests to work in processing, creativity, business strategy and so much more.
Sessions said, “I think this field is quite ideal for women. I felt from the very beginning, without trying, there was a great connection.”
With many achievements and successes that she is proud of, Sessions mentions that the most meaningful achievement is Hedgewood Homes being named the 2021 Best Home Builder by Atlanta Magazine. She also mentions her joy for the Earth Craft House project and its impact on the homebuilding industry. The female home builder is most proud of the Hedgewood Homes team. Hedgewood Homes pushes the envelope and prioritizes every detail because the company wants to be obtainable while being design-driven.
Sessions said, “Our subcontractors and trade partners could work anywhere and given that our work is not the easiest, I’m so proud that they choose to work with us!”
Hedgewood Homes is currently working on a large project near the Georgia State Stadium in Summerhill featuring approximately 115 homes. The homebuilding company also recently started construction on a new neighborhood, Delmont in Garden Hills in Buckhead and Southerland in Lake Claire.
Visit the Hedgewood Homes website at www.HedgewoodHomes.com and follow along on Instagram at @HedgewoodHomes. You can also follow Pam Sessions on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content at @PSessions.
Tune into the full episode above to learn more about Hedgewood Homes, or visit www.HedgewoodHomes.com.
Vice President of Client Services Courtney Stewart with Denim Marketing joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the 2023 NAHB Int’l Builders’ Show. Stewart joins host Carol Morgan to chat on the All About Real Estate segment.
An Atlanta native, Stewart graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011 with a degree in Public Relations. Celebrating her 10th anniversary with Denim Marketing this upcoming May, Stewart started her career at Denim Marketing managing Atlanta Real Estate Forum!
Stewart said, “I love this site and this podcast!”
Denim Marketing is a full-service marketing agency with focusing on content creation, such as creating blogs and social media content. The Denim Marketing team also provides public relations, e-mail marketing, website copywriting, marketing and social media campaigns, social media advertising and big-picture strategic marketing.
Stewart said, “Denim Marketing is a content powerhouse!”
The NAHB Int’l Builders’ Show is the perfect place for professionals to connect and develop relationships with other industry members. It is also a fantastic opportunity to learn and grow from experts within the industry. No matter which part of the home building industry you are in, there are many educational opportunities available at the show!
Stewart said, “Besides the event being in Las Vegas, I would say my favorite part is meeting new people from all over the country!”
Whether early for the pre-show event or just for the three-day show, it is important to plan time to enjoy educational activities and visit the show floor! To help organize all events, shows and activities, download the NAHB Int’l Builders’ Show 2023 app. The app features a map of the show floor, a list of exhibitors and more!
Presenting alongside Brandon Schmidt with YDOP, Stewart gives her first building knowledge session of the show, How to Avoid the 5 Mistakes Contractors Make with Their Online Reputation, on Wednesday, February 1, at 8:30 a.m. local time. While Schmidt will be focusing on the google side, Stewart will zero in on social media, together discussing how contractors can avoid making five common mistakes with their online reputations. The duo will cover handling negative reviews, the difference between reviews and testimonials, how to increase reviews and much more!
Stewart will also present alongside Alex Aitken with M&M Glass Company at the YP enrichment session, Is it Worth the Money? Spending Sales and Marketing Dollars Effectively. This quick chat will take place on Thursday, February 2, at 2 p.m. local time and will be located at the NAHB Headquarters in the grand lobby. The goal of this 30-minute talk is to give young professionals in attendance valuable items they can apply to their sales and marketing strategies to maximize the power of their budget.
Stewart said, “I love being a young professional in this industry and I love how our industry has embraced young professionals!”
Carol Morgan will be speaking at the building knowledge session, It’s Only Words: The Cost of Neglecting Company Content, taking place on Tuesday, January 31 at 4 p.m. local time. Focusing on content and getting back to the basics, Morgan and Rob Krohn with Epcon Communities will discuss the Google Helpful Content Update, why content matters and much more!
On Wednesday, February 1 at 11:30 a.m. local time, Morgan will be speaking at the House That She Built Punch List: 18 Ideas for Inspiring the Next Generation. Invited by Mollie Elkman, Morgan will give attendees an overview of the House That She Built Georgia chapter and the opportunities related to getting involved with the project.
For more information on the 2023 NAHB Int’l Builders’ Show, visit www.BuildersShow.com.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about Denim Marketing, or visit www.DenimMarketing.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Community Manager Jennifer Landers with Kolter Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes. Landers and host Carol Morgan chat about homebuyer tips and trends to expect in the new year on the All About Real Estate segment.
Starting her career in marketing, Landers has worked within the real estate and homebuilding industry for 24 years! With a focus on master-planned developments, Landers is currently leading the Kolter Homes largest metro Atlanta community, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes. Located in the quaint city of Hoschton, Cresswind Georgia is a stunning 55+ active adult community within the larger master plan of Twin Lakes, just minutes from I-85 and Braselton. Featuring a first-class lifestyle and amenity package, the Cresswind Georgia will host 1,300 single-family homes upon completion.
Club Cresswind, the private, residents only amenity with a natatorium and outdoor pool is scheduled to open in the first quarter of the year. Featuring approximately 29,000 square feet of social and recreational space, the community club is the epicenter of the community with incredible indoor and outdoor amenities. Indoor amenities include a smart fit training center, arts and crafts room, lounge areas, multiple event spaces, expansive event kitchen, game room and natatorium. Residents can also enjoy the warmer months outside with several outdoor amenities, including an outdoor poot, 45 acres of beautiful lakes, walking trails, fishing areas with a kayak and canoe launch, a dog park and a community garden. And Cresswind Georgia has one of the largest pickleball complexes in the state.
Landers said, “The club is planned around the cornerstones of fitness, relationships, education and entertainment for residents.”
The active adult community offers multiple clubs, fitness classes, concerts, educational events and more! The community also provides an onsite and nationally recognized lifestyle director who manages all Kolter Homes communities.
With ample impressive offerings, it is no surprise that Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is the number one active-selling community in Georgia. The 55+ neighborhood has four collections of homes featuring the comfort home design with a wide range of structural and elevation options and hundreds of finishing selections. Home shoppers can visit the onsite design gallery and preview what the community offers. Additional opportunities are available, including loft areas, basements, three-car garages, golf-cart garages and much more!
Landers said, “There are so many options to choose from here at Cresswind Georgia!”
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about Kolter Homes, or visit www.KolterHomes.com.
Sara Schiller, co-founder of Sloomoo Institute, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about starting a sensory entertainment experience centered around slime. Schiller joins host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment to discuss Atlanta’s newest immersive hotspot and how they worked with terra almato find the perfect location.
Schiller is known for her company MEET which reinvented meeting spaces and produced fun and creative places where companies could go to reimagine their products and strategies. With a background working with hotels in real estate marketing and brand strategy, Schiller holds an MBA in general business and considers herself a serial entrepreneur.
The Sloomoo Institute is a playground centered around slime! While slime may be the main character, it is not the only #satisfying attraction that the Sloomoo Institute offers. Stations for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) are set up throughout the space to encourage families to leave their phones behind and connect their bodies with their minds.
Schiller said, “Sloomoo is truly an experience!”
With eight different textures and 60 scents, the Sloomoo Institute has officially reimagined slime. Schiller and her team call the institute’s slime “artisanal” because it is handmade in Atlanta within the Sloomoo space.
Schiller said, “This space is for the child at heart.”
Atlanta was always high on partners Karen Robinovitz and Sara Schiller’s list of potential locations, which led them to Edie Weintraub with terra alma. Being an expert in experiences and commercial real estate, Weintraub partnered with the Sloomoo team find the perfect space and bring their immersive experience to life.
Schiller said, “Edie was great at identifying the key spaces that would fit our needs!”
At the Sloomoo Institute, guests can experience various exciting activities, including walking on 500 gallons of slime, slingshot slime with family and friends and standing under a slime waterfall! The most popular attraction is the DIY bar, which is included with every ticket. The DIY bar allows ticket holders the fun experience of creating a customized slime using different scents, textures and colors.
Stay in the know of all things slime by signing up for the Sloomoo newsletter. You can also follow Sloomoo on TikTok and Instagram at @SloomooInstitute for fun videos and additional information!
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Sloomoo Institute, or visit www.SloomooInstitute.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Chief Marketing Officer John Ryan with Georgia MLS joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss 2023 predictions and 2022 takeaways. Ryan joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and offers agents tips to navigate the current market.
Ryan has been with Georgia MLS for almost 30 years and has witnessed many changes in how data is distributed. As Georgia’s largest real estate marketplace, Georgia MLS tries to connect its members with clients through the information that the company produces. From the north Georgia mountains to the Georgia coast, you can find Georgia MLS offices throughout the state as well as in the contiguous states across the southeast.
For the real estate housing market, 2020 and 2021 were record years. After seeing over $50 billion in sales in 2021, the Georgia MLS team knew that working through 2022, they would experience a lower number of units sold and less sales volume. Even though the 2022 market was highly active, the last quarter of the year showcased an accelerated decline compared to the past two years. With the state of the economy and interest rates, sellers and buyers were hesitant to get involved in the real estate market.
Ryan said, “I believe the combination of those market forces (the economy and interest rates) caused people to step back a bit.”
With the inventory days-on-market rising from around six to about 22 days, there is tremendous opportunity ahead within the new year for individuals looking to sell their property or move into a new space. With low inventory numbers, stable housing prices and are anticipated for the new year.
Ryan said, “I think it will still be a seller’s market in the sense of inventory, but I don’t think that the hyperactivity we saw in the last few years will be taking place as much.”
While the current inventory numbers are low overall, Georgia is up 84% in available single-family homes. While this gives first-time buyers ample opportunity, some may have to adjust to the features and pricing available because interest rates change the buying power. There is also an opportunity for negotiation on new build prices with new construction offering incredible incentives.
Ryan said, “Buyers can marry their house, but they can date their mortgage.”
While the market is still active, agents must adapt to the slight decline. Georgia MLS focuses on ensuring its members get back to the basics of the tools the real estate service company provides. In the new year, agents should concentrate on the spirit of influence and working with their contacts. With the tools that Georgia MLS provides, agents can overview the performance of listing ads and relay the information back to their clients to help with marketing strategies and plans.
Ryan said, “We’re just getting back to the fundamentals.”
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about Georgia MLS, or visit www.GeorgiaMLS.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Atlanta Division President Adam Cornett with David Weekley Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss what buyers are looking for in the present market. Cornett joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and chats about current communities in closeout and what’s in store for the new year.
Cornett started his journey with David Weekley Homes in 2014 within the Dallas division and, in 2016, became the division president. In late 2020, Cornett transferred to the Atlanta division and has loved living in Georgia with his wife and three beautiful daughters.
As the nation’s largest privately held builder, David Weekley Homes was established in 1976 and has grown drastically. From Portland to Texas to Florida, the building company grew exponentially across 19 markets and offers various products. As a prominent private home builder, the company puts its team members and customers first regarding daily operations.
One of the unique elements of David Weekley Homes is its ownership structure. The builder prioritizes equality, splitting ownership three ways between the founding families, the company’s team members and the Dovetail Impact Foundation.
With many prospective buyers wanting a sense of predictability, having a proper time frame and accurate payment forecasting is vital in today’s market. With supply chain disruptions, rising interest rates, increased prices and other factors impacting costs, some homebuyers are waiting longer than expected, and paying significantly more than they planned.
Cornett said, “One of the biggest things that buyers are looking for is a true time frame.”
After a great year of strong sales for the home building company, there are still some final opportunities to live in one of its beautiful neighborhoods. Priced in the high $600,000s, Hargrove in Decatur features a mixture of townhomes and high-density products with only one available home left. Starting in the low $500,000s, Woodbury in Smyrna has three Tomkins plan opportunities only one mile from The Battery. With two final Anglewood planopportunities available, Heritage at Towne Lake is a popular active adult community in Woodstock.
Cornett said, “The Anglewood is an award-winning plan of ours, winning an Obie award for Best Floorplan in an Age-Qualified Neighborhood!”
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about David Weekley Homes, or visit www.DavidWeekleyHomes.com.
Russell Ausseresses, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder with Utility Connect joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the benefit of the company’s services and how brokers, mortgage companies and others in the industry can become involved. Ausseresses joins host Carol Morgan in the All About Real Estate segment.
After much work in technology and graphic design, Ausseresses started Utility Connect in 2012 – diving headfirst into a much-needed service. The service-based company has grown exponentially in the past 10 years, expanding into three other countries.
Ausseresses said, “It’s been a journey, but we think we’ve nailed the process and have seen nothing but great responses and growth!”
The goal behind the service-based company is to relieve the stress of moving into a new space by bringing the consumer together with available service providers, simplifying the procedure. Turing a four-to-six-hour process into a 15 to 20-minute discussion, the company presents every available option to the customer, including home insurance, city utilities, home security and more! As a business-to-business-to-consumer company, Utility Connect works directly with service providers and consumers to make the process smooth.
Ausseresses said, “The best part is it’s completely free!”
Specializing in patterning and private labeling, the service-based company works with real estate and mortgage companies as well as builders and property managers. When setting up a partnership with Utility Connect, service providers obtain an agent/company-branded micro-site. The micro-site offers the provider a way to submit clients to the company, which performs a deeper integration through API and automated report systems. The process is very versatile and allows the service company to work with any company for any kind of scenario.
Ausseressess said, “It’s a very easy and quick process to set up.”
When customers hear that the process is entirely free they often believe it’s too good to be true. Cable and internet companies, deregulated energy providers, home security businesses, insurance agencies and others pay Utility Connect to assist consumers at no fee to the consumer.
Ausseresses said, “Where there is a choice [in energy providers], we make money.”
Want to work with Utility Connect? Call its office at 877-587-9566 or visit the company website at www.UtilityConnect.net to schedule a demo! After scheduling a demo, an account manager will reach out to walk through the process and help set up the organization. Make sure to mention the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to get an extra percentage, depending on the business pricing.
Listen to the full episode above to learn about Utility Connect, or visit www.UtilityConnect.net.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
The Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival is the perfect place to enjoy the early bloomings of the upcoming spring season with family and friends. The 2023 festival returns to Blackburn Park in Brookhaven on Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The annual Cherry Blossom 5K is Saturday, March 18.
Guests will enjoy hundreds of Cherry Blossoms as well as a number of other fun activities. This annual festival features two days of music, over 100 local and regional artists in the Artist Market, the Kidz Zone, Pet World, Classic Car Show, local eats and drinks and FUN for the whole family! Stay tuned for updates on musical performances.
Register for the Cherry Blossom 5K at Blackburn Park, benefiting Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.
Information and registration here: https://raceroster.com/events/2023/67390/brookhaven-cherry-blossom-5k
Blackburn Park is an ideal setting for spring thanks to 240 Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees being planted in 2014. Since then, the town has gathered yearly to enjoy the beauty of the trees in bloom. Set on 49 acres of green space and conveniently located off I-285 at the Ashford Dunwoody Exit, Borden said that guests of the festival could park free at one of several locations, then ride the free shuttle to the park, where admission is free. The price tag alone is reason enough to attend.
If the weather cooperates, blooming trees will shade guests while strolling to the Children’s Village, newly expanded with rides, face painting, superheroes and more. Along the way, they can stop at one of the many booths where local artisans display their handiwork. Dogs can even participate in the fun at the Pet Parade or the agility course. Check out the classic car show and relax in the calm of a weekend afternoon.
To learn more about all the exciting activities at the Brookhaven Cherry Blossom Festival, visit Brookhavenga.gov/festival.
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This episode of Atlanta Real Esate Forum Radio was recorded on March 16, 2017. Brian Borden, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Brookhaven, joins the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the return of an annual event at Blackburn Park with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
Please download and subscribe to all of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcasts on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact 770-383-3360.
Marketing Manager Brad Krewson with Davidson Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Radio podcast to discuss navigating today’s new construction market. Krewson joins host Carol Morgan for the All About Real Estate segment and discusses home shopping tips and what’s on the horizon for the new year.
With five years of experience in the homebuilding industry, Krewson began his journey with Davidson Homes in April of 2021 as the Marketing Manager.
In 2009, Adam Davidson turned his dream into a reality by starting Davidson Homes in Huntsville, Alabama. From building two homes its first year in business the new home-building company has grown exponentially and now extends across five states. Davidson Homes was selected as the Builder Magazine 2021 Biggest Mover award winner. Davidson Homes began developing in the metro Atlanta area in late 2020, which became a major growth market for the company.
With current interest rates, Krewson explains home buyers should guarantee that what they are spending money on is worth it. Priced from the low $400,000s to over $1,000,000, Davidson Homes offers thoughtfully designed products built with high-quality supplies to form unique and exciting home plans.
Krewson said, “I think what home buyers are looking for now is value.”
Cooper Place and Manor Estates are two beautiful Davidson Homes communities, both with only one lot remaining. Cooper Place is one of the most desirable golf course communities in the Cumming area and offers the beloved Danbury plan. Located in Marietta, Manor Estates is a tight-knit community that is gated and only features 11 lots throughout the entire neighborhood.
Located in Henry County, the Everleigh and Reverie at East Lake communities also have final opportunities. With only four lots remaining, Everleigh in Locus Grove is a one-acre, intimate community that offers homeowners privacy and room for outdoor recreation. With only two lots remaining, Reverie at East Lake is a beautiful community settled adjacent to Union Grove High School.
Krewson said, “Reverie at East Lake is beautiful!”
Riverwood in Dallas is a large community divided into two sections – the Cottages and Main Riverwood. Selling out earlier this year, Davidson Homes will be developing 20 to 25 additional cottages with a few available for move-in by the end of the year. Riverwood boasts impressive amenities including a resort-style pool, a large clubhouse, walking trails, basketball courts and more!
Krewson said, “We have sold 120 homes this year!”
Nestled in Cartersville, Mountainbrook is a stunning community with several homes currently available. Just minutes away from local dining, shopping and other exciting attractions, Mountainbrook features pickle-ball and basketball courts, a junior Olympic-sized pool, a community clubhouse and more!
The Village at Town Lakes is a gated community that feels cozy and inviting. A higher-end product, the homes within this community are courtyard-style plans showcasing glass sliding doors that lead to covered patios to expand the living space! These available residences also feature luxurious appointments throughout the space, as well as access to a lard pool and cabana, community clubhouse, fitness center and more!
Listen to the full episode above to learn more about Davidson Homes, or visit www.DavidsonHomesLLC.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Vice President Harold Cunliffe with The Pacific Group joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to dive into the real estate development business, founding The Pacific Group and more. Cunliffe joins host Carol Morgan on the tenth guest on the Legends of Real Estate series.
A graduate of the University of British Columbia, Cunliffe earned a degree in civil engineering and went on to work for several construction companies with real estate developer clients. Seeing the wealth of these developers (think Rolex and Mercedes), Cunliffe was inspired to go down the same path.
After accruing some savings, he purchased a small piece of property to begin amassing his wealth. During this experience, he became familiar with zoning, development regulations and many other things, and started to realize the real estate business is far from simple. Situated in British Columbia in the 80s, Cunliffe was front row to a commodity boom and a market flooded with cash.
Cunliffe said, “It was pretty easy for me to stumble into this particular real estate deal, pull it off and make a bunch of money.”
As he was doing this, he worked for a construction company where the boss acted as his mentor, aiding him along the way. During development, Cunliffe was able to get a sewer line attached to his property, allowing him to transfer from one unit per acre to two units per acre. Luckily at the time, lot values were increasing by the thousands. Lots Cunliffe intended on selling for $30,000 became worth $80,000 in value.
Seeing the incredible increase in value, Cunliffe’s boss congratulated and terminated him, forcing him to complete the real estate transaction and search for another job. At this time, the commodity market crashed, and jobs were scarce.
A friend and company partner, Mike Kilgallon, attended the University of British Columbia with Cunliffe and went into business with him. Eventually, the two also went broke together. Kilgallon was able to secure employment with a Canadian developer in the Los Angeles market and ran into some partners in Texas with access to savings and loan (S&L) money by chance. The meeting prompted the partners to ask Kilgallon to open an Atlanta office.
Cunliffe said, “At that time, Atlanta had created 100,000 jobs, and I knew that should equate to about 60,000 housing starts. But at that point, Atlanta was only doing 20,000, so there was a big lack of supply and a big demand.”
After looking around, Cunliffe secured a 200-acre piece of land in Roswell for $12,000 per acre. Cunliffe quickly secured citizenship and went to work before the S&L crisis. At this time, Kilgallon’s Texas partners had gone under while Cunliffe formed The Pacific Group.
A big fan of the analogy “you have to keep swimming,” Cunliffe believes it’s key to keep your nose above water as a real estate developer. Becoming involved, positioned and furthering your education is a crucial part of the business.
Cunliffe said, “There’s going to be a low tide. You’re going to get down there and be able to pick up all the treasure. All you have to do is pick it up and get to shore as fast as possible. Don’t go back in the water when it’s high tide again because you’ll lose all your treasure. That’s what happened to me three times.”
After operating in metropolitan Atlanta for a time, a partner in Texas with access to S&L money approached Cunliffe’s team with a deal. The partner would front the funds if his team handled the deals, resulting in a 50/50 split. When the S&Ls ran out of money in 1992, the Resolution Trust Corporation searched for people to complete the projects to return as much money as possible to the FDIC.
The managers of the Resolution Trust Corporation recognized that Cunliffe and Kilgallon were not discredited borrowers and tasked them with finishing real estate projects. This resulted in the duo entering into a forbearance agreement that stated the two were to pay off the corporation with a certain amount of money over three years. During this time, they would develop and operate the projects, selling them and reducing the debt. Whatever was left, Cunliffe and Kilgallon could keep.
After a year, Cunliffe realized they were close to paying off the forbearance agreement and would have ample land left over – a small fortune. When Cunliffe realized this, he formulated a plan to compile all their money and arrange simultaneous closings to close out and pay off the Resolution Trust Corporation.
They approached the closing with a large amount of cash after exhausting all their resources, taking an entire day to complete the process.
Cunliffe said, “On the way back, I said to my partner, ‘It’s hard to believe Mike, but we’ve just made several million dollars.’”
After this experience, Cunliffe and his partner spent a few years treading water and selling off properties, swearing they would never sign a personal guarantee again. This rang true until opportunities arose in the early 2000s. With more industry experience under their belt, the pair decided to borrow more money, and when 2007 struck the market, having debt was no longer a benefit.
At the beginning of the Great Recession, Cunliffe was developing a project in Roswell with 95 units for Monte Hewett Homes. Over 100 people signed up to prepurchase homes in the community. When sales officially opened and no one showed up, Cunliffe knew the real estate market was in serious trouble. For five years, The Pacific Group team worked their way out of personal guarantees. Cunliffe soon realized that the banks were under more pressure than real estate developers.
Cunliffe took this opportunity to work on relationships with the company’s lenders and prioritize paying them back. During this time, banks began foreclosing on properties and taking them back as real estate owned (REOs), advertising them for sale.
With money set aside, The Pacific Group cobbled together money to bid on these packages. One of the company’s strengths was the ability to close on properties easily, and after five years, they purchased 10,000 developed lots in the metro area. Then, it became a question of reducing costs until the market improved.
Cunliffe said, “We went from being a real estate developer to a real estate speculator within a really short period.”
The Pacific Group focused on holding the properties and maintaining them for five to 10 years as they increased in value. Of the 10,000 lots, the company has eight remaining lots currently under contract.
In Cunliffe’s opinion, a change is occurring. The Pacific Group is uniquely positioned to carry land through to the next cycle. The company has strayed away from residential deals unless they are in tandem with national builders to reduce the risk factor. The company has also done a fair share of warehouse distribution deals south of Atlanta with big-name companies such as Amazon and Walmart.
Cunliffe said, “We seem to be on a fairly conservative course.”
In 2015, Cunliffe decided to gradually reduce his role in the company. Now, his son has taken over, leaving him and his college roommate running The Pacific Group.
Immediately upon arriving in Atlanta in 1984, Cunliffe became a member of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. He did not participate often until he received a call encouraging him to work towards becoming president of the association. In 2001-02, Cunliffe served as president, allowing him to make several valuable connections with industry members. In his opinion, the Atlanta community is exceedingly welcoming.
A very flexible company, The Pacific Group has always been able to ebb and flow with the market. Now with his son at the helm, Cunliffe can watch the company grow from the outside.
Over the years, The Pacific Group has been a money partner, lender, developer and eventually, a homebuilder. During market downturns, the company had to transform empty lots into houses to turn a profit, leading to the development of 30 to 40 homes over the years.
A favorite development of his, Cunliffe recently received a phone call from a resident of Emory Park Manor in DeKalb County. A pedestrian-friendly development, the community was a highly successful development for The Pacific Group and has been home to some residents for over 20 years. The community even went on to be recognized as a Project of Excellence by the Atlanta Regional Commission.
To increase the community’s walkability, traffic islands reduce the speed of vehicles, and specific zoning designates a space for cars and a space for pedestrians to enhance the safety and design of the community. A large community, Emory Park Manor consists of 85 single-family houses and 50-60 townhomes.
Cunliffe said, “It became a popular and very safe development.”
For those entering the real estate development industry, Cunliffe recommends forming a foundation in sales, marketing, finance and civil engineering. Increasing your knowledge of these skills allows for easy navigation of the market’s ups and downs.
Tune in to the full episode above to learn more about The Pacific Group or visit https://PacificGroup.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “Legends of Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
CEO Charles Sheron with The Sheron Group joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share details about his entrance into the Atlanta market, the ups and downs of the real estate industry, as well as his diverse domestic and international experience. Sheron joins host Carol Morgan as the ninth guest on the Legends of Real Estate segment.
During his formative years, Sheron excelled at mechanical drawing. During a fated architectural school project, he won the prize, setting the stage for a successful career and lifetime surrounding architecture. Soon, Sheron attended The University of Georgia and took pre-architecture and landscape courses. Along the way, his professor pulled Sheron into his office and gave him life-changing advice. Sheron said, “[He] said you know you’re just not going to make it here. You don’t have your whole heart in it… You’re always trying to sell something. You need to go over to the real estate school!” Following this conversation, Sheron took the Georgia Real Estate Sales License course at 19 years old. For many years, he was the youngest real estate salesman in Georgia. This course of events steered Sheron towards a career in the real estate industry, but he was still unsure which aspect of the multi-faceted industry he would enter.
A family friend of Sheron’s recently sold their company in the public space, and he went to work them in their family office for a time, marking his official entrance into the real estate industry.
After graduating, Sheron found himself with a wealth of knowledge and not many individuals willing to listen to his advice. In the late 1960s, he decided to go into business independently. Sheron approached a Savings and Loans Association with a request for a loan to secure five construction lots. After following some much-needed advice from a loan professional, Sheron secured a single construction lot and entered the luxury home sphere. Sheron said, “It’s amazing how many people took a listing on my houses…very well-known people. We grew up at a very interesting time.” For a time, Sheron built homes in Sandy Springs. When prices began to escalate, he noticed a shift in interest in favor of Cobb County. Following this shift in the market, Sheron moved his company to Buckhead and began constructing large mansions, which acted as the focus of his business for many years. Sheron said, “The building industry here locally was made up of mom-and-pop operators. We didn’t have the big companies that had landed in Atlanta yet… Those were the days when you knew everybody. I can’t say that today.” Once upon a time, Sheron decided to construct the largest spec home in the country. When Sheron embarked on this adventure, he viewed it as a fantastic way to enter the market.
After clearing the plans with the bank, Sheron began constructing a home on a one-acre lot in a neighborhood off West Paces Ferry Road. Sheron shared that he purchased the one-acre lot in 1974 for $25,000, a figure unheard of in the current market. Today, the same lot would be valued at well over $1 million.
Priced from around $325,000, the home sprawled across 8,000 square feet and incorporated Greek revival elements. The residence has since experienced add-ons but originally contained nine bathrooms, a freestanding hand-built circular staircase, his and her bathrooms, European concepts and more! Sheron said, “That was the largest spec house built in Atlanta to that date.” The project garnered quite a bit of public attention, including the eye of newspaper outlets, television stations and more which quickly led to the sale of the home. After completing the 8,000-square-foot home, Sheron set his sights on larger horizons, which included even bigger constructions. Soon after, his company constructed a 12,000-square-foot home priced at $500,000, which would easily surpass $4 million in value in today’s market.
At this point, Sheron and his company were gaining attention across the coun...
Vice President of Sales and Marketing Amy Kessler with Traton Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss upcoming communities. Kessler joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares what is on the books for 2023 and how listeners can get involved with Cobb Christmas.
With over 20 years of experience within the real estate industry, Kessler has always worked in the specialty market of homegrown Atlanta builders. Beginning her journey with Traton Homes as a real estate agent, she has been the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for three years.
Recently winning Atlanta’s Best Builder by Cobb Life Magazine, Traton Homes has been around for 51 years as one of the top home builders in the region. With its headquarters in Marietta, the company mainly develops in Cobb Country and is beginning to expand across the metro Atlanta area.
Located in the Kennesaw, Haven at Stanley is one of Traton Homes newer communities featuring stylish townhomes. These gorgeous townhomes boast open floor plans that provide a single-family home feel. Additionally, two of the three-story floor plans offer the option of a main-level owner’s suite.
Kessler said, “Haven at Stanley is such a wonderful place.”
Just off Lower Union Hill Road in Canton, Courtyards at Hickory Flat is a new active adult community featuring spacious homes with 1,800 square feet of living space. Select homes available that offer a basement ideal for storage, enjoying hobbies or as a space for visiting grandchildren. The Traton Homes community features incredible amenities and is in walking distance of local dining and shopping.
Featuring the popular Brooke plan, East Park Village in Kennesaw also provides 1,800 square feet of living space. With a prime location, this community is less than two-miles from I-75 and is in proximity to Kennesaw State University and downtown Kennesaw.
Excited for what’s in store for Traton Homes in the new year, Kessler gives a sneak peek into some of the new communities coming soon!
Coming in the early months of 2023, South Cobb’s Avenbrook will feature larger, single-family homes. Priced in the $400,000s, these jewel box homes will include 2,000 to 3,000 square feet of living space!
Kessler said, “It’s hard to find single-family homes right now in the $400,000s. We are so excited about this community!”
Also opening in the Spring of 2023, Courtyards at Tradition is an upcoming Traton Homes active adult community. The South Forsyth neighborhood will include several popular floor plans boasting around 1,800 square feet and up of living space. With options of a second floor, multiple main-level bedrooms, an office space, multiple-car garages and more, these future homes highlight personalization options fit all the homeowner’s needs. Prized in the $500,000s to $600,000s, this 55+ community is ideal for prospective buyers looking to downsize while staying close to family.
With the holiday season approaching, Traton Homes has partnered with Cobb Christmas for the 17th year! Cobb Christmas is a wonderful organization that collects toys for disadvantaged kids in Cobb County each year. Traton Homes receives donations from suppliers and homeowners to fill baskets and baskets of toys for Cobb Christmas. Local residents are encouraged to drop off toy and money donations at the Traton Homes corporate office at 720 Kennesaw Avenue in Marietta or visit any Traton homes community donation drop box!
Listen to the full episode below to learn more about Traton Homes, or visit www.TratonHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President Jim Jacobi with Parkland Communities and Parkland Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Radio podcast to discuss recent land development successes. Jacobi joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares updates about build-to-rent refinancing and upcoming projects.
Before starting his first land and development company in 2005, Jacobi gained experience in land planning and engineering by working with local companies. In 2007, his company, JEH Homes, transitioned into home building and never turned back. In 2015, JEH Homes became one of the top 10 largest home builders locally.
After taking some time off, Jacobi started Alliance Planning and Engineering, handling engineering projects across Georgia. He also owns Parkland Communities and its two branches, Parkland Homes and Parkland Residential. Parkland Homes operates the for-sale properties and communities, while Parkland Residential oversees the rental communities. Jacobi and his team have worked diligently over the past 18 months to two years developing and creating new products, including 15 new communities coming soon.
Jacobi said, “We’re excited about our future and look forward to 2023!”
Embracing the build-to-rent approach, Parkland Communities has nine build-to-rent developments currently in the works – totaling approximately 1,000 units. With a plan to break ground before the end of the year, Sugarloaf Landing is a Parkland Residential build-to-rent community coming soon to Sugarloaf Parkway. Other Parkland Residential future projects include Sugarloaf Crest off Sugarloaf Parkway and Rainwater Park in Gwinnett County.
Jacobi said, “Build-to-rent is here to stay!”
In addition to the build-to-rent projects, Parkland Homes has six for-sale communities under development. Located in Gwinnett County, Windance Lake is off Beaver Road and South Gwinnett surrounded by beautiful land and picturesque horse farms. Windance Lake will feature a four-acre fishing lake for residents to enjoy. Another for-sale community in the works, Bennett Farm is located off Loganville Highway and Hoke O’Kelly Road.
Jacobi said, “Bringing obtainable housing, whether for sale or build-to-rent, is the number one mission for the company.”
Parkland Residential recently refinanced its Sweetwater Springs community to a ten-year Fannie Mae loan. This community becomes a permanent fixture in company’s portfolio. Jacobi and the Parkland Communities team continue to serve communities to create many beautiful projects to accompany Sweetwater Springs and others moving forward.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Parkland Communities, or visit www.ParklandCo.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Director of Investment Sales and Strategic Partner Bobby Stamps and Managing Principal Brad Cooper with Blue River Development join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the build-to-rent market and rising interest rates. Stamps and Cooper join host Carol Morgan in the All About Real Estate segment.
Cooper has been with Blue River Development for 22 years with his partner and brother, Michael Cooper. After working in the Atlanta music industry for several years, Stamps decided to transition into residential sales and joined Cooper at Blue River Development four years ago.
Cooper said, “I have been doing this for 22 years and plan on doing it for another 22 years!”
Blue River Development provides land origination, development and banking for national home builders, regional builders and single-family rental funds and operators in nine markets across five states.
Although the past few years saw agreeable interest rates and a booming market, the economy is changing fast, causing many home builders to halt or slow production. Blue River Development assesses supply and demand imbalances differently now compared to the 2008 recession.
With an influence on several aspects of the home-building industry, rising interest rates have a particular effect on the build-to-rent market. Directly clashing with the finished product price, individuals are starting to see the return on cost change from the typical 4 to 5% to more than 6% in most cases.
Many builders unable to take a big hit provoked a more creative deal structure approach. In order to adapt to today’s fiscal environment, builders are beginning to hop on the bandwagon of becoming fee builders.
Cooper said, “Builders have little to no financial risks in this scenario, and it has become an important revenue stream.”
Build-to-rent groups are more selective on products and pricing, offering fewer deals in tertiary markets. In the past, Blue River Development has sold deals and lots to American Homes for Rent and other build-to-rent groups that handle their own vertical construction. After sparking up a deal between Haven Realty Capital and Davidson Homes, Stamps prioritized immersing himself within the build-to-rent space. As land developers, the company is well-versed in deals, builders, products, lot sizes, zoning, surrounding schools and more, making Blue River Development perfect for pairing home builders with build-to-rent groups creating successful deals!
Stamps said, “We did all we could to network and stay ahead of the curve to gather the intel from all the main players in the build-to-rent game.”
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Blue River Development or visit www.BlueRiverDevelopment.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Co-Founder and Partner Virginia Van Lear with Level Craft Construction joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the story behind the 100% female-owned business, the company’s exciting expansion into building new home communities, as well as what’s on the books for the new year. Van Lear joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
As one of Atlanta’s favorite female builders and remodelers, Van Lear worked independently in the home building industry for 23 years before starting Level Craft Construction with her partner, Debbie Hollonbeck.
Level Craft Construction is an in-town home-building company that develops custom homes and renovates large-scale projects. Prioritizing transparency and a positive environment with homeowners, Van Lear and her team are look forward to the expansion and growth of Level Craft Construction while offering beautiful products across Atlanta. Van Lear said, “We love working with our clients! We love to make the process super seamless.” Beginning in Decatur and Midtown within well-known neighborhoods like Morningside and Virginia Highlands, Level Craft Construction recently expanded to Buckhead, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs. The female-led company is currently building out a 58-home neighborhood in Hapeville and 12 townhomes in Grant Park near Zoo Atlanta. Van Lear said, “We were awarded Best Remodeler in Buckhead Magazine last month!” This is notable because the builder just started building in Buckhead in 2022!
Priced from the low $400,000s, the Hapeville neighborhood features detached townhomes ideal for single-family living. Named Stillwood Homes, the community includes impressive amenities such as a pool and cabana. With each group of townhomes showcasing a different exterior elevation including Mediterranean, Southern and Tuscan the community’s landscaping and hardscaping will also be themed to give the neighborhood a wide range of stylistic feels. Each group of townhomes will have access to a seating area featuring a fire pit. A community garden with edible plants will be available for all homeowners to enjoy. This Level Craft Construction project is conveniently located just off the Hapeville exit with close proximity to the airport.
Just steps away from the BeltLine, Level Craft is working on 12 townhomes located at 816 Berne Street in Grant Park. Pricing isn’t finalized yet but will most likely be from the $700,000s to the $800,000s for these four-floor townhomes. These homes will feature modern design elements and panoramic doors on the top roof leading to an expansive deck that overlooks the beautiful city of Atlanta.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Level Craft Construction, or visit www.LevelCraftAtlanta.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Sales Uncomplicated President David Hagan joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Uncomplicated Sales Training Method, the evolution of sales and the benefit of “The Customer Experience Equation.” Hagan joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Originally from Savannah, Hagan moved to Atlanta five years ago with his wife of almost 30 years, Rebecca, and their three daughters. Sharing a passion for homebuilding, all three of Hagan’s daughters work within the industry.
Earlier this year, Hagan took a bittersweet leave from his job of four years at Smith Douglas Communities to pursue his own company. After much prayer, consideration and planning, Hagan started Sales Uncomplicated – a full-service sales training, coaching and consulting company. Always seeing himself working exclusively with home builders, Hagan noticed a call to also work with mortgage lenders, real estate brokers and attorneys within the homebuilding space.
Hagan said, “I see uncomplicated as a verb. We come in and uncomplicate things.”
According to Hagan, there are four essential factors in helping simplify efforts for sales teams:
Companies must have a sales process that the team believes in and can execute properly. Sales teams should have a prospecting process that works efficiently and promptly. Teams should easily manage backlog using a follow-up process. Companies should have a sales culture that sets their sales team apart from the competition.
Hagan said, “I have found that the most successful sales teams have a sales culture that is part of their company culture.”
With customers often showing up already knowing as much information about the model home as the salesperson, it can throw the sales process off course. An adaptive sales process that allows the salesperson to customize their presentation according to the customer, the Uncomplicated Method created by Hagan decreases the stress of following the traditional sales process. This unique method allows salespeople to start their sales process at any stage without having to abandon specific steps or their customers!
From working with mortgage lenders to real estate brokers to attorneys, Sales Uncomplicated is prepared to help anyone who depends on sales within the real estate industry. Hagan trains sales teams, as well as support teams, on how to be the best partner for a builder.
Hagan said, “Homebuilding is my first love and I’m excited to work with builder partners!”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Sales Uncomplicated, or visit www.SalesUncomplicated.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Head of Sales Mark Schlosser with Landis joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about the market’s impact on the company, its partnership with agents and brokers, as well as the questionable reputation of the traditional rent-to-own process. Schlosser joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A father of two beautiful babies, Schlosser loves to spend time with his children and always puts his family first. After working six years in cybersecurity for various industries and companies, Schlosser joined Landis as Head of Sales. He leads a team that operates markets with brokerages and agents to ensure partners are set up for success while working with Landis.
Landis is a homeownership company that transitions renters into homeowners. The company provides programs to clients, ranging from one to two years, that offer coaching and mortgage preparation after purchasing a home from Landis. The design of these programs prepares clients for the responsibility of homeownership.
Landis partners with agents who receive full MLS commission to help convert their clients into homeowners through its program. The homeownership company empowers its agents and partners with technology, such as a complete CRM and a Landis U system full of courses and curriculum to make agents and partners as autonomous as possible. Landis also has feet on the ground to incorporate human touch. Schlosser said, “For our agents and partners, it’s not just about the commission aspect. It’s about so much more. It’s about creating a great experience.” Preferring the phrase “homeownership company” over “rent-to-own,” Landis is a modern-day twist on the traditional concept. The main difference is the company process is truly aligned to foster homeownership. The company’s criteria, financial coaching and taking clients within its program seriously are just a few reasons why 80% of its clients transition to homeownership. Schlosser said, “We have investors such as NAR, Sequoia, Will Smith and Jay-Z.” With his cybersecurity background, Schlosser believes the technology aspect within the real estate industry has much room for improvement. While human touch will always be necessary for the industry, there are several ways to accelerate areas in enhancing standards, guidelines and technologies. Schlosser said, “The one thing I absolutely know about the real estate industry is it can and should be disrupted.” The uncertainty surrounding today’s market has lined Landis and its clients up for short- and long-term success. With thoughts of “I don’t know” floating within the market, the program available through Landis provides its clients with predictability. Landis also provides clients with all-cash offers, making offers more attractive to sellers.
Recently, Landis announced its Series B funding of $40 million from investors such as GV, NAR, Jay-Z’s Roc Nation fund Arrive, Sequoia and more! The company will use the additional funding to grow its team, improve its program and add new markets. Providing support and coaching to clients, $2 million of the fund will be exclusively for the advancement of the company’s program to help its clients become homeowners.
Tune into the full interview above to learn more about Landis or visit www.Landis.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
Ann and Allen Richardson with Richardson Housing Group join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show on the eighth Legends of Real Estate segment to talk about the company's large footprint across the metro Atlanta housing market. The couple chats with Carol Morgan in the studio about founding the homebuilding company in 1973 and Allen’s involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.
Feeling entrepreneurial, Allen partnered with his dad to start Richardson Homes almost 50 years ago. The builder is now known as the Richardson Housing Group.
The family ties of the company extended beyond Allen and his father to several uncles who had experience in construction, residential real estate and general contracting. Through his college years, Allen gained valuable experience directly from these familial role models that would set him up for great success in the following decades. Allen said, “I just always had a fascination for the housing industry and that’s where I am today.” Today, the Richardson Housing Group stands as a third-generation company.
In Allen’s words, the company had basic beginnings with a strong emphasis on building sturdy relationships within the industry, from subcontractors and trade partners to bankers, employees and more. This resulted in decades-long relationships with subcontractors and employees who remain loyal to the company.
In the beginning, the Richardson Housing Group typically constructed single-family homes that were a mix of split-level, two-story and ranch plans. Allen shared that they were still learning how to target the market during this period. Allen said, “We learned early on that the young people were buying the split levels and middle-aged people were buying the ranch plans. So, we did learn a little about what we needed to do to target the market.” In the 70s and 80s, it was common for a builder to make every decision surrounding interior and exterior design. The Richardson Housing Group was no exception. Later, the builder opened a design center and turned away from producing ready-made homes for prospective buyers. Ann said, “Homes back then were more functional than they are now. If it didn’t have a function, it didn’t go in the house.” The homes the company produced were smaller homes for atomic families. Amenities did not come onto the scene until it became apparent that families were shopping in communities with popular amenities.
Although Ann officially joined the company in 1982, she was there with Allen at the beginning assisting with administrative tasks and familiarizing herself with company operations.
Two short years after the founding of the Richardson Housing Group, the world economy underwent a significant crash that forced many builders to halt. Allen shared that while the company managed to get itself on its feet, no one predicted rising interest rates of around 9% and a lack of mortgage funds entering the state. Allen said, “One thing that I do recall is that we had construction loans with that filed [for] bankruptcy…It made for some interesting times.” Forced to find creative ways to navigate the volatile market, Richardson Housing Group developed relationships with banks in Florida and Maryland. This allowed the company to finish a few houses and bring them to the closing table while other builders struggled to complete the same task.
Taking advantage of the positive relationships built during the crash, Richardson Housing Group began venturing into investment and land development. The company established development on foreclosed land to prepare for the healing market.
Before technology took over the industry, there was zero communication from the office to the field. Adding machines and typewriters were in place long before the computer. The lack of technology presented a problem for industry workers and time-sensitive projects. Now, technology enhances the housing industry.
Founder and Chief Community Builder Edie Weintraub with terra alma joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the process behind creating energized spaces, improving office environments and the company’s exciting South End Norcross project. Weintraub chats with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
With 20 years of experience, Weintraub specializes in the commercial real estate industry, working with restaurants, boutiques and entertainment spaces where people enjoy gathering and having a good time. Previously working for local and big commercial real estate firms, Weintraub decided a year-and-a-half ago to start her firm, terra alma.
Inspired by multiple countries, terra alma means bringing together the best of land and experience. As a woman-owned boutique real estate advisory firm, terra alma delivers intentionality, engaging with local communities to ensure the fulfillment of what consumers and neighborhoods want to see. Weintraub said, “We make sure to offer a holistic picture of what we provide.” The all-female terra alma team loves working on adaptive reuse projects by taking something already established and converting it into something new, like Ponce City Market. With several metro Atlanta communities hitting a growth spurt because of the rail lines throughout the state, terra alma also enjoys working on the downtown resurgence of restaurants and shops. Weintraub said, “We love working in urban environments where people are walking and congregating.” A consultant on multiple single-use projects, terra alma knows how to position these properties to become multi-use projects. This creates assets that help the local community and serves to attract the next wave of tenants and employers moving into the building. The goal for terra alma is to create an office environment where workers can run all of their errands during the week. Offering services used during the ordinary course of life on the property, including doggy/kid daycare, on-site restaurants and drycleaning, allows people to regain their leisure time on the weekends. Weintraub said, “I find more and more, we are going to start transitioning into a 15-minute city where all of your needs can be taken care of within a 15-minute transportation time.” On the South End Norcross project, terra alma is partnering with three local owners who collectively have 80 years of experience within the real estate industry. The project is an opportunity to supply the community with essential missing elements. Regarding the marketing and leasing strategy, terra alma is finding and supporting the right partners that speak to the community.
The South End Norcross project and terra alma have partnered with Rose and Hemp, a boutique-style shop started by a husband-and-wife duo in Stone Mountain. Terra alma has also partnered with two women-owned businesses opening soon – Butter & Cream from Decatur and Refuge Coffee Co. from Clarkston. Norcross residents can also look forward to an entertainment stage and a brewery/distillery, micro food hall announcement coming soon.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about terra alma or visit www.terraalma.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
SVP of Sales and Marketing Caroline Simmel with Empire Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share 2022 milestones, new products and current Atlanta BeltLine developments. Simmel joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Recently an empty nester and a new owner of two adorable Golden Retriever puppies, Simmel has 20-plus years of experience within the industry and is currently in her 16th year with Empire Communities.
The company is a Toronto-based new home building company that takes pride in creating inspiring places to live. Expanding its United States footprint, Empire Communities has developments not only in southern Ontario but also in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Houston, Austin, San Antonio and Charlotte.
With significant success this year, Empire Communities opened and closed several of its communities. The company is using this in-between stage to ramp up a large pipeline of new communities as a chance to reset and pay attention to market dynamics.
Simmel said, “We’ve had a lot of success this year, as most home builders have. We rode a ride for almost two years post-pandemic.”
The method behind Empire Communities is to build purposeful and lifestyle-driven neighborhoods, given that its consumer audience is very lifestyle oriented. The builder anticipates many mixed-use communities from the pipeline to land in Atlanta and Chattanooga.
Located in West Midtown, the Empire Communities Homebase experience is a centrally located, state-of-the-art sales center created for homebuyers. Sales assistance, lending support, design expertise, customer care and closing are all located at this streamlined one-stop-shop. Homebase is located about a mile from Longreen, one of Empire’s newest communities. Residing a block away from the Atlanta BeltLine, Longreen offers well-designed stacked condos and townhomes. The product price range extends from the low $300,000s to the $600,000s, with the option of one, two or three-bedroom homes, anywhere from 650 to 2,000 square feet.
Simmel said, “We’re very BeltLine driven in terms of our land positions.”
Located on six acres of land right on the Atlanta Beltline, Stein Steel offers stacked condos and townhomes in Reynoldstown. These homes will boast old-world industrial designs, including brick lots, large windows and loft-inspired designs. Stein Steel also features an on-site restaurant called Breaker Breaker, built by the Meritt Lancaster group, the developer of Krog Street.
On 34 acres settled in Chosewood Park, Zephyr delivers 359 townhomes and stacked condos priced from the high $200s for condos and $500s for townhomes. Different districts, including the Groove, the Grove and the Grow, each offer unique features like retail components and community gardens. This community conveniently sits across the street from the future Atlanta BeltLine Park.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Empire Communities or visit www.EmpireCommunities.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Founder and CEO of HDMK Kiel Harton and Co-Owner of HDMK Atlanta Franchise Toussaint Hill join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company’s use of technology for home inspections, the importance of same-day reports and the training HDMK provides. Harton and Hill chat with host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
It all began in February of 2022 when Hill and his brother Thaddaeus opened the doors to the HDMK Atlanta franchise. Real estate industry members for multiple years, Hill and his brother decided to fulfill a lifelong dream and start a business together. Wanting to find a company that remained a key player in the real estate industry while also offering diversity, Hill and his brother felt that HDMK was the perfect fit.
Hill said, “We’ve been making a lot of connections, meeting agents and trying to serve our clients the best we can.”
A member of the home inspection industry for over 10 years, Harton founded HDMK in 2015 with hopes of making a positive change within the industry. He built a company that expanded upon innovation within an industry that remained stagnant for years while also forging an environment that team members are proud to be a part of. HDMK holds steadfast to standards of evolving technology, same-day reports and transparent branding, which are three reasons the Hill brothers were attracted to the franchise.
Harton said, “I didn’t like what I saw in the industry and thought I could build something big, change the industry and become a benchmark.”
In a digital world, home inspection businesses underutilizing technology are losing momentum. HDMK transformed the home industry by building customized in-house software technology that digitizes and streamlines the booking and reporting process to minimize human error within paperwork and onboarding. While technology is a pillar for HDMK, human interaction is still in play through requirements such as calling clients before and after inspections.
Harton said, “Even in a digital world, everybody still seeks human interaction.”
The perfect client for HDMK is anyone who owns or is buying a home, including a first-time buyer purchasing a house on the market through a Realtor, investors acquiring a home to renovate and resell, or landlords with rental properties.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about HDMK or visit www.HDMK.net.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to HDMK for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. At HDMK their motto is “if we can, we will”. Meaning they will go above and beyond to meet the needs of clients and referral partners. They achieve this through a focus on training, implementing innovative technology and setting a high level of professionalism for all inspectors. If you are looking for a home inspector, call HDMK at 888-401-4365.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President George McClure with The McClure Company joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as the seventh Legends of Real Estate guest to discuss the company’s founding. He looks at the building industry in the 70s and 80s and his involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. McClure joins host Carol Morgan on the Legends of Real Estate series.
McClure is a native of Cherokee County with the humble origins of growing up on a chicken farm. In high school, he got a summer job working for his uncle’s framing crew as a carpenter and found that he enjoyed the work.
McClure said, “I loved it a lot. It’s physical, and when you face the end of the day, you have something to show for your work.”
After working in the building industry for a few years and following a sports injury, McClure had the tough decision of figuring out what he wanted to do for the rest of his life. After reading up about the career in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, he decided to attend college to become an accountant. In his first role, his supervisors discovered he had experience in carpentry and handed him all the construction clients.
After developing his accounting skills and industry knowledge for a few years, McClure went into business for himself in 1974, achieving a goal he made during his high school years. In 1978, he bought out his business partner, taking full ownership of the company.
While running his own company, McClure, like many other builders, ran into the issue of lot shortages and decided to develop a subdivision to counter the growing problem.
McClure said, “As they say, the rest is history!”
At a time when many of Atlanta’s current builders were not in business, the 70s proved to be a crazy decade for many construction and homebuilding businesses. Interest rates sat at 17 and 18%, ordinary numbers for the time, and the Atlanta market was saturated with smaller builders. At this time, it was typical for builders to build only five to 10 houses each year.
During this time of growth, smaller banks also took the opportunity to finance builders and developers. This trend continued well into the mid-80s until the Great Recession. Now, big builders comprise the market with a noticeable absence of modest bankers to stand up for smaller businesses and a lack of capital.
McClure said, “I believe the way to succeed is to find a niche.”
While discovering his niche, McClure received advice from another industry member who produced upscale first-time buyer homes targeted at middle-class Americans. This is the market that McClure continued to target throughout his company’s history.
In almost every home he produced, McClure consciously decided to conserve the environment by delivering basement floorplans, providing his buyers with expandable, lasting space.
McClure said, “I’m a big believer in the land tells you what to do. I don’t like [developments] that all look alike and feel alike.”
True to his beliefs, McClure shared that he was recently a part of a project in Louisiana that required moving trees rather than cutting them down. Each tree cost about $25,000 to 50,000 to transfer and greatly improved the property value.
In the late 80s, McClure and three other builders co-developed a subdivision due to their experience with low lot inventory. The team decided to combine their lot-buying capabilities into a trust to buy out a project facing trouble and bring on a fourth builder to run the business side of the venture.
McClure went on to produce larger and larger subdivisions, including Summerchase at Towne Lake, which contains 110 lots. To date, his company to date has constructed developments in Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth and Henry County, providing inventory to a large portion of the state.
McClure said, “I try to stay in that move-up first-time buyer or that middle income [bracket].”
During his start with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, McClure purchased a code book to ensure he was up to date on everything he needed to know about building houses. After becoming known for being familiar with codes, he was asked to partner with inspectors and often coached other builders and remodelers on what was considered correct. At one point, the new County Commission Chairman asked McClure to help him write development regulations to develop subdivisions.
At this point, development regulations for subdivisions were only two pages long compared to today’s 50 to 80-page regulations. Knowing Cobb County possessed a good system of codes, McClure shared that they worked closely with the county to develop codes and regulations for Cherokee County.
McClure also shared that he served time on several committees and repeals boards to ensure the codes and regulations remained up to par. His involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association stemmed from his knowledge of codes, making a name for himself in the industry.
Also possessing substantial knowledge of septic tanks and sewers, he serves on the State Department of Health’s committee determining regulations across Georgia. McClure also has previous experience building sewer plants and is one of the authors of the state code.
When McClure was just getting started building houses under The McClure Company name, he was on the hunt for additional lots. He was told he had to become a Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association member to participate in transactions. At the time, new members of the association received a Homeowner Warranty How program free of charge.
At his first meeting, McClure assisted by recording meeting minutes. He did such an incredible job that the committee appointed him as the new secretary, which was the first step toward his future role as President. McClure currently fills the role of Chairman of the Builder Action Fund, assisting with government regulations.
Government Affairs is a broad term that deals and networks with counties and cities to ensure they stay on track and provide aid when needed. Another crucial aspect of this sector is informing builders in the field of recent code and regulation changes to avoid unnecessary violations.
McClure also had the opportunity to be on the front end of the Towne Lake initial rollout and enlisted the help of the Johnston Group to zone and plan the project. His reward for his involvement was the offer of the southwest corner where he developed Summerchase.
Geared towards middle and upper-class buyers, every home in the Summerchase development contains four rooms, a basement and a flex office space. The neighborhood also has great access to schools and libraries, perfect for families with children of all ages.
McClure said, “It worked out well. Everybody is proud of it…We all worked together for the benefit of the customer.”
In 1990, McClure participated in the New American Home program through the National Association of Home Builders. All model homes in the program feature new, off-market products to allow manufacturers to show off what’s coming next in the cycle. His Victorian-style model home in Cobb County was constructed for the national convention for builders to visit in person. New technology for the time, homeowners could control the lighting, temperature and more from a computer. Another unique feature of the home requested by the project’s architect is the basement ribbon windows that give the construction an appearance of floating at night when the lights are on.
When asked what the most rewarding part of his career was, McClure’s response was helping builders and homeowners achieve the American dream of owning a home. Claiming semi-retirement, McClure’s current endeavors include serving with the Cherokee County Airport Authority.
McClure said, “When I was President of Atlanta, I tried to make every chapter, every other month…I learned a long time ago – be there, be seen, be gone.”
For those experiencing hardship in the industry, McClure suggests finding an aging-in-place niche and becoming an expert in that sector of the industry.
An inspiring figure in his own family, McClure’s nephew recently graduated college and is currently working for North Georgia Brick in sales. His love for the industry also extended to his grandchildren, who received hands-on mentoring from McClure and learned the business of building.
When asked about his current projects, McClure shared that he is currently developing a three-part commercial project. He shared that the due diligence is reaching completion with zoning scheduled for next month. Near the Cherokee County Airport, McClure has a five-acre property that will become a part of the airport or an industrial project.
Finally, he is currently in discussions with a business partner regarding purchasing a 100-acre property. The plan is to divide the land into 30-acre lots and sell one lot per year to add an inventory of oversized lots to the market.
McClure said, “Don’t build what you like. Build what sells…This isn’t a hobby. This is business.”
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about George McClure or The McClure Company. To reach McClure, contact him via phone at 404-558-1722 or via email at mcclureg@bellsouth.net.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Director – Research & Communications Katie Fidler with St. Bourke joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about land development post-COVID, popular community amenities and build-to-rent. Fidler joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A native Atlantan, Fidler has lived in the Peach State her entire life and has been actively participating in the Atlanta real estate market for over 10 years. She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2011 and has held various positions throughout her career, from commercial and office leasing to investment and development.
An asset management and development company, St. Bourke is headquartered in Atlanta and serves as a one-stop shop for all asset management and development needs. The company’s services cover the full gamut, starting with the project’s funding, due diligence and acquisition to planning and development to the very end with ongoing place management.
Fidler said, “We really complete that full cycle. We are experts in value engineering, unlocking hidden value, problem-solving, troublesome sites [and much more!] We like to come in and reinvigorate them and breathe new life into them.”
Founded in 2005, St. Bourke is associated with an international investment firm that entered the United States market shortly after the Great Recession. The firm acquired a considerable property portfolio and ran across issues coordinating multiple teams in various markets to manage those assets. Those teams were brought in-house to form what would eventually become St. Bourke. Click here to learn more about the founding of St. Bourke!
The company has unique origins and views each project through an investment lens, forging a niche for St. Bourke in a market undergoing incredible change. How the company approaches development paired with it suite of services sets it apart from the competition in the eyes of its clients.
Fidler said, “We do have a lot of investor clients, homebuilders, banks, private property owners – we serve many different segments of the market but certainly investment firms and homebuilders are our top two.”
Following the slowdown of the pandemic, costs and the importance of keeping costs down is more prevalent than ever before. St. Bourke has always set about planning and value engineering every site. With increasing land prices and tighter builder margins, the company is searching for ways to thoughtfully and creatively bring prices down to deliver affordable homes.
Another change Fidler noted is the noticeable ramp-up of construction and residential development further from the urban core.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about St. Bourke or visit www.StBourke.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Vice President of Economic Development Kelvin Collins with Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. (ABI) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk economic development, job creation and more. Collins joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and touches on future affordable commercial space initiatives.
Kicking off the episode with a notable statement, Collins shared that “if it’s happening in Atlanta, it’s happening on the BeltLine.” Currently serving as the vice president of economic development for ABI, Collins has been a team member for the past 18 months. His previous experience includes government work across two administrations in New York and a 15 years-long commitment to community service. Collins shared that his career centers around implementing economic development to solve community-centric challenges.
Collins said, “The BeltLine is one of the most exciting projects that I’ve been [a part of]. I’m really excited to be here and share more of it with you.”
Years ago, the idea of repurposing the abandoned railroad and using it to connect a historically disconnected city seemed like a brilliant and obvious next step. The Atlanta BeltLine is a massive redevelopment and infrastructure project that leverages abandoned railroads to unite significant parts of the City of Atlanta. When completed, the green space will encompass 22 miles of transit and 33 miles of multi-use trails.
Collins said, “There are so many components to this project, whether or not you’re talking job creation [or] green space [or] affordable housing. The Atlanta BeltLine touches a significant part of what makes Atlanta special.”
Through the phases of its development, the metro Atlanta green space has transformed into a destination and popular amenity. According to Collins, it will be a global beacon for equitable, inclusive and sustainable city life when completed.
The developers’ goal is to create an easy-to-access space no matter where visitors or residents are in the city. The Atlanta BeltLine will be easily accessible, whether one is traveling to work, walking to school or simply looking for a way to unwind outdoors, from the north side to the south side of the city.
The development sits cattycorner to several schools and development projects, naturally increasing its accessibility as well as usage. Several developers are integrating access to the Atlanta BeltLine into their project plans, allowing visionary developers to imagine the value of the Atlanta BeltLine from a spatial dimension standpoint. According to Collins, this is only one component of the transformative nature of the project.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Atlanta BeltLine, Inc. or visit https://BeltLine.org.
Chief Lead Converter Rick Storlie with Builder Lead Converter joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss industry predictions as well as the importance of sales and marketing in the homebuilding industry. Storlie joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and touches on the evolution of lead conversion.
Since 1998, Storlie has been making a name for himself in the homebuilding industry. He began as a job site laborer, picking up garbage on construction sites, and worked his way up to sales and general management. In 2006, he founded New Homes Sales Coach offering coaching and marketing services for sales and sales management professionals.
In 2010, Storlie took on a software partner to fill the CRM gap for custom builders, designers and remodelers. The project spent 10 years in development and in 2020, Storlie compiled the valuable knowledge he accrued over the decades to form Builder Lead Converter. Storlie said, “We focus now more on a done-for-you platform where we support salespeople versus being a CRM.” Builder Lead Converter captures and converts leads to allow builders to focus on building revenue and margins. Early on, Storlie learned that if you have a community with two sales representatives present versus a community with one salesperson and a sales assistant, the second community typically outperforms the first.
From a management standpoint, it is much easier to manage one salesperson with an assistant. In an operating cost view, it decreases overhead dollars. Storlie said, “Instead of acting like a CRM that takes effort from a salesperson, how can I support that salesperson and essentially be their sales assistant and help them increase their revenue?” Storlie also shared that it is a company goal to double the productivity of salespeople. Loved across the board by clients, Builder Lead Converter allows clients to outsource services without taking on the overhead, loss of time and more.
With clients across the United States, Storlie has front-row insight into what is happening in the country’s top markets. A noticeable trend Storlie sees across in-migration markets, such as Florida and Texas, is a high demand and strong money flow from high-end markets on the east and west coasts.
Out-migration markets, such as those in the Midwest that present as one-for-one markets, are experiencing slowdowns in new construction and remodeling. Storlie expects many builders to enter Q4 and notice a significant market difference compared to Q3.
Tune in to the interview above to learn more about Builder Lead Converter or visit www.BuilderLeadConverter.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Chief Lead Converter Rick Storlie with Builder Lead Converter joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss industry predictions as well as the importance of sales and marketing in the homebuilding industry. Storlie joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and touches on the evolution of lead conversion.
Since 1998, Storlie has been making a name for himself in the homebuilding industry. He began as a job site laborer, picking up garbage on construction sites, and worked his way up to sales and general management. In 2006, he founded New Homes Sales Coach offering coaching and marketing services for sales and sales management professionals.
In 2010, Storlie took on a software partner to fill the CRM gap for custom builders, designers and remodelers. The project spent 10 years in development and in 2020, Storlie compiled the valuable knowledge he accrued over the decades to form Builder Lead Converter.
Storlie said, “We focus now more on a done-for-you platform where we support salespeople versus being a CRM.”
Builder Lead Converter captures and converts leads to allow builders to focus on building revenue and margins. Early on, Storlie learned that if you have a community with two sales representatives present versus a community with one salesperson and a sales assistant, the second community typically outperforms the first.
From a management standpoint, it is much easier to manage one salesperson with an assistant. In an operating cost view, it decreases overhead dollars.
Storlie said, “Instead of acting like a CRM that takes effort from a salesperson, how can I support that salesperson and essentially be their sales assistant and help them increase their revenue?”
Storlie also shared that it is a company goal to double the productivity of salespeople. Loved across the board by clients, Builder Lead Converter allows clients to outsource services without taking on the overhead, loss of time and more.
With clients across the United States, Storlie has front-row insight into what is happening in the country’s top markets. A noticeable trend Storlie sees across in-migration markets, such as Florida and Texas, is a high demand and strong money flow from high-end markets on the east and west coasts.
Out-migration markets, such as those in the Midwest that present as one-for-one markets, are experiencing slowdowns in new construction and remodeling. Storlie expects many builders to enter Q4 and notice a significant market difference compared to Q3.
Tune in to the interview above to learn more about Builder Lead Converter or visit www.BuilderLeadConverter.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Director of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Debbie Frank with Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about new projects and developments, the transit company’s biggest challenges and more.
Responsible for TOD planning and implementation around stations, Frank assists in the development of mixed-use communities for MARTA users. During Frank’s six-and-a-half years with the organization, MARTA has experienced an economic impact of nearly $1 billion in new real estate at or near one-third of the 38 stations in its network. A considerable aid to the transit system’s efforts, Frank’s resume highlights include 25 years of planning, development, real estate and redevelopment initiative experience for non-profits, for-profits and quasi-governmental agencies in Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio and now Georgia.
Before working with MARTA, Frank was a managing partner for Urban Blueprint, a real estate development and planning consulting firm based in Nashville, Tennessee. Her previous experience also includes serving as the executive director of the North Nashville Community Development Corporation, an affiliate organization of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.
Frank said, “We pride ourselves on being an option for folks. The convenience of MARTA is definitely one that more people should experience.”
MARTA is the ninth largest transit system in the United States, servicing the city of Atlanta and Fulton, DeKalb and Clayton counties. The organization has 38 rail stations, 570 buses and 338 rail cars, with upcoming plans for new rail cars in the works. A truly accessible way of travel through the metro area, the MARTA network also features a mobility service with 211 vehicles set aside to support the program.
Frank said, “Prior to the pandemic, we had a daily ridership of about 450,000 people and annually that amounted to about 7.9 million riders…We saw a decrease…but we are pleased to say we are seeing an uptick in our ridership.”
The MARTA ridership has also increased with the current rise in gas prices.
The team at MARTA was fortunate enough to host the grand opening of the King Memorial TOD, a mixed-use development boasting 11,000 square feet of retail and office space and apartments adjacent to Oakland Cemetery and the King Memorial Station. The apartment sector of the project, Marchon, features 305 apartments available for rent, 32% categorized as affordable housing.
Creating jobs and income for the surrounding neighborhood, Frank shared that the King Memorial TOD was a $63 million investment for the community. The developer worked closely with InvestAtlanta to ensure the creation of affordable housing units.
Frank said, “We try to create as many opportunities [as possible] to work closely with our local jurisdiction where the opportunity presents itself. It did here at King Memorial.”
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about MARTA or visit www.ItsMARTA.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
President and CEO DeAnn Golden and President and Executive Luxury Strategist Lori Lane with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about the company’s brokerage and new home services, navigating the real estate industry as women and upcoming projects. Golden and Lane join host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Both recently promoted, Lane now heads the New Homes Division and CITY HAUS Luxury Collection, with Golden taking over the Georgia Properties division of the residential real estate services company. Click here to learn more about Golden’s impressive promotion!
Golden shared that her relationship with Lane first started when she relocated to Atlanta and Lane sold her a house. This impactful moment in Golden’s life led to a professional relationship spanning 18 years, morphing from client to friend. Golden is celebrating 26 years in the industry, with 18 spent at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.
Golden said, “That’s how we began collaborating, getting to know one another and working to open doors for people. She opened mine here in Atlanta.”
Lane shared that the two became neighbors after she decided to move into the same neighborhood, allowing the two to watch each other’s kids grow up while they each grew within the industry.
Entering its 60th year in the Atlanta and metro markets, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties expands across 29 offices and is home to nearly 16,000 sales professionals. With a considerable roster of offices and services, residents relocating anywhere in the state of Georgia have access to the unprecedented resources of the full corporation spanning three continents and 12 countries with over 1,500 offices and 50,000 sales professionals around the world.
Running the New Homes Division since 2006, Lane had the opportunity to focus on the branch as if it were a separate company under the well-known banner of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. This allowed Lane to bring in new initiatives and tools exclusive to new construction with the added benefit of Berkshire Hathaway Home Services company resources.
Lane said, “We’re just continuing to grow…We have incredible clients and new projects!”
Assisting with the growth of the popular Trilith development, Lane touched on the exciting developments happening at Trilith Studios and the Town at Trilith with the expansion of the Georgia film industry. Another noteworthy project, the town of Senoia recently ramped up construction on new home opportunities, with several ready to sell and close.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Berkshire Hathaway Home Services or visit www.BHHSGeorgia.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Founder and President Kay Cantrell with Cantrell Properties joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as the sixth Legends of Real Estate guest to shar her vibrant history in the homebuilding industry. Cantrell joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and touches on her role as the second female president of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and first female president of the Home Builders Association of Georgia.
Growing up under the shadow of Williams Brothers Lumber Company, Cantrell begged her father at 12 years old for a summer job at the successful lumber business. Firmly believing in hard work, her father gave her a position. Throughout several summers, Cantrell developed a love for the homebuilding industry and was fascinated by all the moving parts of the business. Every afternoon on the way home from work, her father would pass through subdivisions to speak with clients, this allowed Cantrell to learn how the housing market functions. Cantrell said, “It really interested me – what goes together to make a house and how much it impacts a family or an individual in their whole life.” A force in the Atlanta market, Williams Brothers Lumber Company eventually started Williams Brothers Concrete, where Cantrell held a bookkeeping role.
Cantrell’s first-hand experience and education allowed her to develop a deeper understanding of the homebuilding industry. A natural person of business, her father used his intelligence and work ethic as his driving force, providing her with a stellar example on which to base her career. Cantrell said, “I appreciate his contribution to my success.” While working at Williams Brothers, Cantrell held several positions. One role Cantrell particularly noted was her task of photocopying every invoice the company received in the company’s basement. Recognizing the stark contrast between the industry then and now, Cantrell commented on how much the homebuilding sector and her career have evolved in comparison to her humble beginnings and her previous role as a builder.
When Cantrell took her first steps as a home builder, her husband Jack worked in the field while she took care of the bookkeeping and planning side of the company. As the recession approached, her husband searched for another job to accommodate the unsettling times. As her husband stepped away from the company, Cantrell took on his previous role in the field. Cantrell said, “After that experience, I came back and said I’m not going back…It was so interesting getting to know my subs…developing relationships of quality. [I] treated them with respect which many builders I watched did not.” During the transition, the internet took the industry by storm, allowing her husband to take over her previous administrative role while she embarked on her exhilarating journey in homebuilding.
Realizing that Cobb County had a shortage in lots, Cantrell was in a bind as her company was in the process of developing a subdivision. Her father came across an opportunity to learn the inner workings of the development business and proposed entering this venture to share his expertise with Cantrell to benefit her company.
By spending time on the 50-lot site and working closely on the project, Cantrell learned how to develop land. Following this, she purchased land and began the development of a project that consisted of multiple phases. At this point, Jack Cantrell acquired a few wallpaper-lining stores. While Jack ran the stores and managed the bookkeeping responsibilities of the company, Cantrell was out in the field building and developing.
Founded in 1984, Cantrell Properties saw many changes during its impressive tenure in the Atlanta market. Cantrell remarked that in the beginning, the company produced homes priced between $80,000 to $150,000 to accommodate the move-up buyer market. The company’s most recent product presents a collection of homes priced $500,000 to $700,000,
Founder Bill Jones with the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land (STPAL) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about the organization’s mission, community involvement and the upcoming anniversary event. Jones joins Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
A 10-year venture for Jones, the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land is a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Atlanta. The organization’s original broad mission was to build more parks in convenient locations for larger groups of people. Today, STPAL specializes in passive-recreation parks that provide an outdoor space for people to show up at their convenience to hike, mountain bike, bird watch and more.
The Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land owns 36 pieces of land across the state of Georgia that average at a few hundred acres each, with a few in North Carolina and Tennessee. Each piece of land has a management plan based on the property's capabilities, environmental status and more.
With access to green space playing a vital role in his early years, Jones shared that the organization did not start long after he was born. It all began with the founding of the Chattahoochee Recreation Area in 1978 with the support of President Jimmy Carter. As an adult, Jones lived catty-corner to the green space and regularly took advantage of the large outdoor area for biking, walking, hiking and more.
The Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land took off 10 years ago when Jones wished for more meaningful work. Jones said, “Parks and this type of park were important to me. That’s why I started this…to create the opportunities I had to get the peace of nature near home." While a land trust focuses solely on the conservation and preservation of the land, STPAL focuses on acquiring land privately to deliver community spaces with specific purposes. At first, the organization mainly focused on land acquisition to create more parks. Over the years, the mission of Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land transformed to revolve around three words – conservation, recreation and community.
On the conservation side, STPAL preserves all its properties to not only further conservation efforts but to provide public, outdoor sanctuaries indefinitely. The most significant conservation project in recent years consisted of planting longleaf pines seedlings, placing 50,000 in 2021 and on course to plant 150,000 more this year. Jones said, “The [original] dominant tree type in Georgia…these trees take 30 years to get a substantial size, 100 years to mature and can live to be 1,000 years old!” For recreation, the organization creates ideal green spaces for mountain biking, hiking and more to improve the lives of individuals and nearby communities. On the community side, STPAL brings people together through volunteer efforts at the parks.
Tune in to the full interview above or visit https://STPAL.org to learn more about the Southeastern Trust for Parks and Land.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest,
Vice President of Construction Lending Eugene James with Quantum National Bank joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about the economic health of our country, current market concerns and the controversy surrounding the build-to-rent market. James joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A highly qualified and respected member of the industry, James has over 30 years of experience working in the real estate and home building industries. Twenty of those years are as a real estate appraiser and consultant. James also has experience working directly with builders, in real estate brokerage and as a building advisor. James said, “Now, the best gig of all is I’m in banking! I literally get to give money away to people.” James joined the Quantum National Bank team in May of this year. Prior to that he worked in land acquisition for a premier Atlanta home builder. Quantum National Bank is a locally owned and operated community bank that has been a fundamental player in the Atlanta market for the past 27 years. Click here to learn more about his switch to the Quantum National Bank team!
Offering most of the same services as larger banks, the customer service delivered by the smaller banking institution is unsurpassed, treating clients with love and respect. The bank offers its clientele several custom services for small businesses and merchants as well as individuals through its branches in North Fulton, Gwinnett and Buckhead.
Quantum National Bank also serves as a top SBA lender in Georgia with a talented commercial construction lending team. James' unit, the residential real estate construction division, serves as one of the top 10 residential construction lenders in the state of Georgia. Despite being a smaller bank, the company does quite a bit of construction financing! James said, “[My favorite part of the job] is being able to help a lot of builders succeed. I love working with builders and giving them points, tips, suggestions and advice as well as giving them the funding they need so they can build houses and new subdivisions.” A trend that market watchers have grown used to, national new construction and resale housing inventories continue to be alarmingly low. This market condition presents an opportunity for builders to construct more housing to meet the present demand. According to James, even with rising interest rates and inflation, the housing market still stands strong despite what national media headlines portray.
After experiencing historically low rates for the last decade, James believes it is safe to say that the days of 3% mortgage rates are gone. Before the current market shift, it was typical for listings to sell 20% above the asking price. Now, sales agents often see offers matching the listed price.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Quantum National Bank or visit www.QuantumBank.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
A special thank you to Denim Marketing for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. A comfortable fit for companies of all shapes and sizes, Denim Marketing understands marketing strategies are not one-size-fits-all. The agency works with your company to create a perfectly tailored marketing strategy that will adhere to your specific needs and niche. Try Denim Marketing on for size by calling 770-383-3360 or by visiting www.DenimMarketing.com. Quantum National Bank and Denim Marketing are not affiliated. (August 2022)
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Brad and Michael Cooper with Blue River Development, LLC join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about the development of 1,000 lots in Henry County, including Symphony Park, the company’s brokerage service and what’s next! The Cooper brothers join host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
An industry member for over 20 years, Brad started his career working for President of Touchstone Homes Bryan Cohen in land acquisition. After leaving his first position, he co-founded Capital Partners Development Company and forged partnerships with Marty Kennedy and other industry groups. After unwinding Capital Partners Development Company and working for NAI Brannen Goddard, Brad co-founded Blue River Capital Development nine years ago.
Michael Cooper said, “We grew up in Gwinnett County, and we’ve been native to Atlanta for our entire growth of entrepreneurship.”
A former member of the United States Navy, Michael Cooper completed a tour at Top Gun Naval Airstrike Warfare Center and gained valuable insight into the importance of systems-based operations in a high-stress environment. After leaving the Navy, Michael started an accounts receivable management firm where he applied his knowledge of systems-based processes to the finance industry. His long history in finance provided him with a wealth of knowledge to lean on as he progressed throughout his career, forging innovative developments and evolution.
In 2013, Michael joined his brother and combined his passion for systems-based operations with Brad’s passion for the homebuilding and development industry. The result? A Top Gun approach to developing land that is highly systemized.
“It’s been great because Michael and I are the perfect marriage. Not only are we brothers and best friends, but our skill sets are very different but also very aligned,” Brad said. “Very few people in this industry are systemized at their approach to acquiring land.”
Blue River Development, LLC is a nationally recognized Atlanta-based firm that is an industry leader in land sales and development. Led by the talented Cooper Brothers team, the company contains more than 20 years of valuable experience and directly impacts the communities it serves through development, acquisition and philanthropic contributions.
With 1,000 lots in progress in Henry County, the company is currently developing Symphony Park. The community consists of 499 residential units, which include a mix of multi-family apartments, single-family attached and detached townhomes. The mixed-residential community uniquely includes built-in retail with proximity to a local Publix supermarket. In addition, the company has entered the Charlotte, North Carolina market where they are developing two communities.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Blue River Development, LLC or visit www.BlueRiverDevelopment.com.
Stay up to date on Blue River Development, LLC projects, news and upcoming communities by visiting the company’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum author profile.
James Marlow, the new President of Southface Institute joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about Southface, the importance of the EarthCraft program, sustainable development and upcoming 2022 news. Marlow joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A Georgia native, Marlow grew up in the little town of Lincolnton, settled between Athens and Augusta. An Atlanta resident since 1986, Marlow possesses an extensive travel background to support his career in technology, working with big names such as IBM, Yahoo and Lotus Development. A Co-Founder of Radiance Solar, Marlow conducted solar installations across the Southeast and beyond during his time as CEO.
While possessing a colorful resume that spans several decades, Southface Institute was a part of Marlow’s life long before became president. While still a resident in Lincolnton, Marlow wrote the company requesting additional information about solar energy to feed his growing interest in sustainability. Following his move to Atlanta and through his relationship with Southface, Marlow received his first exposure to LED lightbulbs, electric vehicles, energy-efficient appliances, advanced recycling and more.
Southface Institute also hosted the very first Atlanta BeltLine public meeting. Marlow said, “Southface Institute is a thought-leader and an innovator, a convener and a connector of new technologies and ways to save money and also reduce your environmental impact, energy and water consumption and your waste.” EarthCraft is a building standard to help builders improve the air quality, energy use and energy conservation in a home, business or multi-family facility. The program was created and developed through a partnership with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association to ensure EarthCraft was grounded in sciences and economics while positively working for both environmentalists and home builders.
The program's ultimate goal is to produce healthy, happy and high-performance constructions while keeping in mind life-cycle costs, potential energy requirements and more. The investments made on the front end will save owners money over course of the construction’s life while also significantly reducing potential energy and environmental costs. Marlow said, “EarthCraft builders are people who really know what they’re doing. They go to training and send their staff to train and are always keeping abreast of new technologies and ways of doing things.” While a popular buzzword with many people, sustainability has been a part of the Southface Institute business practice for over 40 years. Treating it as a core value and a part of the company ethos, the systems thinkers at Southface Institute consistently consider how the complex systems of a home, building or affordable housing unit work together. This spans the mechanics, lighting and electricity of a construction.
When constructed to EarthCraft standards, added aspects such as double-paned windows, LED lighting and water-conserving appliances lead to slight premiums during the initial home purchase but result in monumental savings throughout the construction’s lifetime.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about the EarthCraft program and Southface Institute or visit www.Southface.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Southface Institute are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicin...
Terry Morris, President of Morris & Fellows Real Estate Services, Inc. joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to dive into the rich company history and remark on notable career milestones. Morris joins host Carol Morgan as the fifth Legends of Real Estate series guest.
A 1970 graduate of Florida State University, Morris took his first professional leap by starting his career in retail management. After several years and a closer look at his financial goals, Morris began searching for new opportunities when a friend suggested commercial mortgage banking. In 1974, he accepted a position at The Commonwealth Corporation in Tallahassee, Florida as a commercial loan officer, a move that soon coincided with the first recession Morris would weather in his career.
The company asked him to obtain his Florida real estate license and formally trained him in appraisals. When not working on a commercial project, Morris assisted the residential lending division of the company with residential appraisals, his first introduction to the residential side of real estate. The recession hit the southeast particularly hard, prompting Morris and his wife, Cheri, to look for greener pastures to better support their family of four. Morris said, “We studied the national economy by region and city and determined that the best opportunities at the time were in either Austin, Texas or Wichita, Kansas. For a young, dual-career couple raised in the south, this looked like an adventure and an opportunity to see another part of the country outside our comfort zone." Morris and his family packed up and moved to Kansas, Cheri working for Melvin Simon and Associates and Morris for J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc., a residential and commercial brokerage firm founded in 1902. He opened a new office for the company and eventually took over relocation services as well. Brokerage is conducted somewhat differently in every state based on state laws and customs developed over decades. During this time, it was common for brokers to not only list and sell real estate but to also close loans in the broker’s office, which led to some interesting situations. Morris said, “I’ll never forget the day when a buyer showed up for an all-cash residential closing and put stacks of one-hundred-dollar bills on my desk. I couldn’t get that closing done quick enough and get to the bank!” While they loved their life in Wichita, they felt far from home. Both Morris and his wife grew up in the southeast and knew it was time to pull out the map again and choose where their next and hopefully permanent stop would be. Atlanta seemed an attractive option with its opportunity for growth in both of their separate career paths. Cheri joined up with Tom Cousins as Vice President of marketing in the spring of 1978, and Morris joined Northside Realty, run at that time by Johnny Isakson.
While working for Isakson, Morris first managed the North Sandy Springs office and then the Smyrna office, familiarizing himself with nuances of the Atlanta real estate market, Georgia laws, and customs. This was a wonderful opportunity to dig into the largest real estate market in the southeast working with a premier real estate brokerage firm.
As Morris grew in his position with Northside, the second recession of his career loomed large. In the early 1980s, Morris found himself responsible for expanding a profit center while the market experienced interest rates of 18% and higher. Morris said, “That didn’t stop us. We developed all sorts of creative ways to sell and finance homes. In our small office in West Cobb County, we sold one house a day on average in 1982 at 18% interest rates.” Morris and his team took advantage of the rent versus sell pros and cons and developed other innovative solutions to satisfy customer needs. Aided by Morris’ financial background, he and his team became proficient problem solvers in challenging times.
While in Smyrna,
Managing Partner Dean de Freitas with Macallan Construction and Executive Director Trisha Gross with Chastain Horse Park join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share Chastain Horse Park’s history, renovation updates, sponsorship opportunities and more. De Freitas and Gross join host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
One of the last remaining urban horse parks in the United States, Chastain Horse Park has been a part of the Atlanta community and metro landscape for almost 90 years. The 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is used for various equestrian-related purposes, serving children, teens and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. The organization also provides able-bodied programming in the form of boarding and educational opportunities. Gross said, “Our therapeutic program is our north star. It is our purpose and our mission. Within our program, we provide therapy services [including physical, occupational and speech therapy] all using the horses!” The organization also offers adaptive horsemanship programming and works with organizations such as Wellspring Living, the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Outpatient Rehabilitation program, the Wounded Warrior Project and more!
Part of the Macallan Group, Macallan Construction is a midsized commercial contractor with 20 years of experience and a diverse portfolio, including work with municipal projects, historic restorations, adaptive reuse, higher education constructions, senior living development, interior renovations and more. Focused on the needs of the client to ensue the project successfully meets those needs, Macallan Construction provides a full range of services to bring sophisticated management and development to smaller clients that regularly escape the radar of larger builders and contractors. De Freitas said, “We believe they ought to be served just as well as the bigger clients.” Operating on property owned by the City of Atlanta, Chastain Horse Park serves a broad range of individuals throughout Georgia. The organization’s barns are nearing 25 years in age and no longer benefit Chastain Horse Park and its mission as it lacks the structure needed to conduct the various programs. Other problems include regular barn flooding, an absence of office space and more.
The 15-acre property will experience the removal and replacement of all three existing barn structures, starting with the construction of a brand-new barn to kickstart the transition into the new age! With many animals to consider and the inability to suspend programming, Macallan Construction, fortunately, has experience in the horse world and understands the delicate nature of this project.
The updated facility will include clinical spaces, vocational areas, a volunteer center with heating and air conditioning, a locker zone, office space as well a brand-new boarding barn and practice arena.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Macallan Construction and Chastain Horse Park or visit www.ChastainHorsePark.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Chastain Horse Park are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information,
Choose a Mortgage Company with a Great Company Culture Senior Loan Consultant Jay Glover with New American Funding joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk niche loan products, mortgages and home loan advice. Glover joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment. Glover stressed that consumers should choose a mortgage company with a great corporate culture, like New American Funding
A member of the mortgage industry since 1997, Glover started his career with HomeBank Mortgage. He transitioned from his position there to the wholesale side and since 2005, has focused his attention on the retail side, specializing in purchase-money mortgages.
New American Funding is one of the nation’s top mortgage service providers and is a direct lender for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. A top-rated organization, the company is focused on purchase-money mortgages and helping consumers realize the dream of homeownership. Glover joined the New American Funding team last August. Glover said, “New American Funding has really opened my eyes. Their focus is on reminding the employees what we do as a company and how important it is.” Glover remarked that his favorite part of working for New American Funding is engaging with the vibrant company culture. In a team-led venture, everyone on the company roster works seamlessly together to transform a consumer’s dream into a reality.
In a market that is slowly returning to normal, the Buydown Loan allows homebuyers to buy the loan rate down in the first year. This phenomenal product enables consumers to purchase a home, budget and acclimate to homeowning before the rate returns to a normal figure. Glover said, “Consumers think a rate in the mid-fives may be a high rate, but historically speaking, anything below six percent is good. It’s hard to talk about that when rates have been so historically low for so long.” A massive fan of adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs), Glover remarked that this niche product is ideal for the current market conditions. The average homeowner stays in their home for five to six years, making a 30-year loan look unattractive to many buyers.
ARMs are amortized over 30 years, looking and appearing like a traditional loan, but are offered at a lower term. Glover is well-accustomed to selling and offering ARMs and remarked on their re-emergence in the current market.
Assigned to borrowed sums adding up to $647,000 or above, jumbo loans or jumbo financing follow guidelines determined by investors in place of Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Typically more restrictive, jumbo loans follow similar guidelines to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae but have stricter guidelines regarding income, reserves, larger down payments, etc.
Interested in what else New American Funding has to offer? Glover joined the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast earlier this year to discuss the current state of the market and dive into additional product offerings. Click here to listen to the full episode!
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about New American Funding or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com. Click here to contact Jay Glover directly.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America sev...
Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Homebuilding Jay Byce with ResiBuilt Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the benefits of renting and dive into the Atlanta build-to-rent market. Byce joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
An Atlanta native, Byce grew up in Tucker and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. Holding a strong interest in architecture, Byce later transitioned to banking and started a development company at 28 years old.
In 2002, Byce made a name for himself by developing and selling lots to home builders and entered the private equity sector following the Great Recession. In 2011, the company Byce opened an office for in Atlanta decided to aggregate foreclosures. Each month saw the acquisition of 500 to 600 homes during a time when no buyer desired to purchase a home or complete renovations. In this venture alone, around 30,000 homes were purchased across the country. Byce said, “We formed the floor, we stopped the price fall from the residential home market, we renovated hundreds of thousands of homes as an asset class and then made them good homes for people to start renting.” Through this progression, Byce ran several investments in that space while securing builders to develop “mothball subdivisions.” Originally in development around 2005 to 2006, “mothball subdivisions” halted construction during the Great Recession and largely remained untouched until secured by another builder.
In 2018, Byce formed ResiBuilt Homes to satisfy the entry-level market abandoned when the surviving builders transitioned to higher-end markets following the Great Recession. The first 300 lots produced by ResiBuilt Homes were marketed as rental properties with the option for sale.
Byce said, “To our surprise, when people would call inquiring about buying a home [and learned] they can rent it and not have a long-term obligation…more people converted and began renting our homes.”
To date, ResiBuilt Homes has constructed around 1,200 homes mainly in metro Atlanta. Following the first 300 homes, the company decided to use them as inspiration for its business model. While retaining ownership of the subdivision, the dedicated rental communities enjoy yard maintenance, clubhouse events and more courtesy of ResiBuilt Homes.
The company now stands as the ninth-largest private builder in metro Atlanta, with expansions in Orlando, Tampa, Charlotte and Greenville. All four markets outside of Atlanta are currently in development, with homes coming out of the ground in the next six months.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about ResiBuilt Homes or visit http://ResiBuilt.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and ResiBuilt Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for A...
Sales Manager Don Lee with Peachtree Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to provide an inside look at popular communities, new developments and more. Lee joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Involved in new home sales and construction for over 35 years, Lee has been associated with Peachtree Residential for more than 30 years of his professional career. A builder for 16 years, Lee has incredible building experience and can appreciate what Peachtree Residential does particularly well. A family-run business, the company is headed by one local owner and backed by many loyal employees. Lee said, “I’m not an oddity within Peachtree Residential. There’s over 10 of us that have been with the company for over 15 to 25 years.” Started in 1988 in metro Atlanta, Peachtree Residential Founder Dave Borreson saw a need for a particular niche in the homebuilding business – affordable, higher-end homes. Resilient through the years of market dips and peaks, the company produces homes in metro Atlanta, primarily on the city's north side. With numerous completed communities in the rearview, there are many upcoming developments to look forward to, including 100 new homes slated for this year.
Handling sales at Garden Park in Forsyth County, Lee shared that 24 of the 28 available homes have sold in less than a year.
Markedly in the Garden Park community, a flex space on the ground floor is at the top of many homebuyer wish lists. A space to fit all needs, flex rooms are ideal for home offices, guest rooms, media rooms and more. Another trend growing in popularity, slab homes have surpassed basement homes in attractiveness as homebuyers continue to evolve.
With just four opportunities remaining, Garden Park in West Forsyth County has a Longwood plan, two Harvard plans slated to start construction and the model home available for best and final offers.
A part of an existing community developed by SR Homes Peachtree Residential is building homes in The Grove at Montebello in Cumming. These homes showcase three bedrooms and 2,400 square feet of living space, with six out of seven boasting a basement. The well-designed, open plans are situated on beautiful lots in a community with fantastic amenity options. Construction is expected to begin this year with two homes available for sale from the mid-$700,000s and four lots currently under construction.
Waterside at River Glen in Suwanee is a Peachtree Residential exclusive section of an existing community. With several lots featuring direct access to the Chattahoochee River, a great deal of inventory priced from the $700,000s to low $800,000s will be available for sale later this year. Lee said, “People have loved [this community] and knowing that nothing will be built behind them.” Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Peachtree Residential or visit www.PeachtreeResidential.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Peachtree Residential are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Founder of Right Hand Music Group and Co-Founder of Keep Cool Records Courtney Stewart joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss representing Grammy-winning artists and popular R&B trends. Stewart joins host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment and shares the inspiration behind Right Hand Foundation.
An Atlanta native, Stewart shared how proud he is to see “Hotlanta” grow through the years and expand into the thriving metro center it is today. With fond memories centered around the 1996 Olympics, Georgia Tech and Coca-Cola, Atlanta has grown into a unique city filled with diversity and economic growth in Stewart’s eyes. “[Atlanta] has this flourishing sense of community going back to the Civil Rights Movement,” Stewart said. “The deep culture and roots that Atlanta has had made it such an incredible city. I’m proud to call Atlanta home.” Always a creative kid, Stewart attended North Atlanta High and participated in the performing arts program. Exposed to the early Atlanta music scene powered by Dallas Austin, Jermaine Dupri and Organized Noize, he was inspired by the early development of the Atlanta music community.
This allowed Stewart to be a fly on the wall around groups such as OutKast, TLC and Goodie Mob, all under the banner of Organized Noize. Encouraged by the idea of having a platform to sign and develop artists that bring a left-of-center approach to the table, Stewart founded Right Hand Music Group in 2005 and currently represents Grammy-winning artist Khalid.
Stewart shared that he has represented Khalid from day one, watching him directly connect with Gen Z through his powerful songs and relatable lyrics. “My experience being in the business for 15-plus years and his youthfulness and just God-given talent is a perfect combination to be able to balance one another,” Stewart said. On the Right Hand Music Group side, Stewart also represents London-born Sinead Harnett and Marco McKinnis, among others. Stewart and his team place great importance on discovering an artist early to put the necessary time and development behind their craft. In partnership with RCA Records, Keep Cool Records represents Normani, recent Grammy-winner Lucky Daye and many other flourishing artists.
Taking the world by storm, TikTok is lighting a fire behind many popular R&B trends, acting as the epicenter of how artists and people connect, reconnect and stay in touch. What’s hot from a trend standpoint is more than likely going to become popular on TikTok and follow a domino effect, influencing other social media platforms such as Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. “The more popular genres – pop music, rap music, R&B music – a lot of that is really coming from TikTok because those are the popular genres that a lot of the youth are listening to,” Stewart said. Launched on Stewart’s birthday in 2015, Right Hand Foundation began when he organically connected with Stephanie Ford as she was assisting motels and extended stay hotels that were dealing with increased crime and drug activity. Stewart volunteered with Ford for a few months and was deeply affected by the people and stories he came across. Inspired, Stewart founded Right Hand Foundation to provide resources to aid individuals trying to get back on their feet.
The foundation offers free housing for single mothers with children for one year in turnkey single-family units. The first Right Hand Foundation property is in historic College Park near Woodward Academy, supplying a sense of community and opportunity for adaptability to residents. While there, all individuals must participate in the program, taking advantage of counseling that touches on mental health, literacy, financial independence and more. “We prepare them for independent sustainability,” Stewart said. Right Hand Foundation maintains relationships with apartment complexes and housing developments, utilizing its connections to place program participants in permanent housing and ...
Vice President and Managing Broker Kelly Stephens with Engel & Völkers Real Estate joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to reveal favored metro Atlanta locations with a particular focus on North Fulton, as well as popular trends in the buying market. Stephens joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares that luxury is not a price point.
Selling Atlanta real estate since 1998, Stephens has seen many changes through the years. In 2016, Stephens joined Shirley Gary at her Engel & Völkers franchise and currently runs the Alpharetta location next to the award-winning Avalon development and the Buckhead location in the heart of Buckhead at Peachtree and Piedmont. Stephens said, “We have a great team…We have both a general brokerage division and a new homes division. I’m always excited by the expansion and growth we’ve seen.” A forty-plus-year-old global company headquartered in New York, Engel & Völkers offers an expansive reach to fit every client’s lifestyle, specializing in premier real estate and luxury second homes. The company has also experienced fantastic success in its expanding yachting division.
A market unlike anything she has seen in her 26 years of experience, Stephens shared that the exciting and everchanging market also presents interesting challenges. From different contract nuances and sellers remaining in their homes up to 60 days after closing to buyers paying the difference between the appraisal price and the contracted offer and not including contingencies for due-diligence inspections, the current market is an interesting one to navigate. Stephens said, “You’ve got to try and protect the clients even though they want it so badly. We are here to help guide them through it because it is definitely a different market than I think anybody has seen.” One significant market change seen by Stephens is the lack of builders participating in their local MLS, resulting in 30% fewer listings being seen online. To find out where the inventory actually is, Engel & Völkers contacts builders directly to discover what they are selling.
Year to date, FMLS Atlanta listings are off by 1,000 homes compared to last year’s numbers, but this can be explained by the 30% gap in builder listings. While there may be less building inventory present in MLS listings, Millennial buyers have exponentially increased the market’s buyer presence.
In normal circumstances, around 30% of the market identifies as cash buyers. In the current market, cash buyers have grown by 20%, a significant jump compared to previous years. This negatively impacts borrowers as the security of cash buyers is traditionally preferred by sellers.
Stephens appreciates how their preferred lender New American Funding solves this potential problem. To close the gap between borrowers and cash buyers, New American Funding offers clients its Buyer Accepted Program to help them compete in today’s market. Engel & Völkers recently announced its partnership with the nationally recognized loan originator, setting their clients up for success in this competitive market. “We wanted to be able to offer [the Buyer Accepted program] to our buyers. [New American Funding] will go in, prequalify you, buy that home for you with a cash offer and then sell it to you within 60 days.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information or visit www.EVAtlanta.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Engel & Völkers are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780.
President and CEO David Chatham with Chatham Neighborhoods joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the company’s 74 year history and current product offerings. Chatham joins host Carol Morgan on the Legends of Real Estate series and compares the post-pandemic market to the Great Recession.
Growing up learning the business of Chathambilt Homes, Chatham recalls working for the his father early in his life. He started with tasks such as sweeping houses, stacking lumber and more. During this time he received hands-on education and learned the crucial principles of the industry. Chatham said, “My dad always taught me that a clean, neat, well-kept house would always sell faster and for more money.” Through high school and college, Chatham spent summers working on framing crews and in other various trades. In 1972 during a meeting with his father, he expressed his wish to make a personal mark on the Atlanta housing market by starting his own business and was met with his father’s disappointment.
Howard Chatham worked tirelessly and built a family business from the ground up. This business, Chatham Neighborhoods will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year. When David Chatham expressed to his father that he wanted to start his own building company after graduating form College, Howard was disappointed and expressed his strong wish to partner with his son. Chatham said, “From that moment, it was like a light came on in my mind and I thought…I’ve got the greatest opportunity to work with my dad and to continue to build this company.” From then on, Chatham worked together with his father, and eventually his sons, to continue building the legacy of Chathambilt Homes.
In 1948, Howard Chatham stumbled into the homebuilding business. After coming home from WWII, he temporarily returned to his family farm in Milton, Georgia. He secured a job on the Fulton County survey crew, met his future wife and decided to build a home in the Northern Buckhead area. Working nights and weekends with the help of friends and family, and the family mule, the two worked tirelessly for the next few months to build their family home from the ground up.
After finishing the home, Howard Chatham was approached by a buyer interested in purchasing the Chatham residence. After discussing the potential sale with Mrs. Chatham, the two agreed to sell the home and acquire the lot next door to begin construction on their second home. While their next project was in the works, the Chatham family rented the basement of their first house. This pattern continued through a third and fourth home. Chatham said, “My earliest memory is…we would build a house and move into it, sell it and build another one. We moved around a lot in my early years.” Howard Chatham caught the beginnings of the post-war baby boom generation and accidentally began a homebuilding business. He took a leave of absence from his Fulton County job and began building during a six-month period, procuring advice from anyone in the business on whether to leave his position and start a homebuilding business.
With only one exception, most advised him to keep his government position versus entering the Atlanta housing market as a new business. Most offering opinions placed great importance on the security and benefits that accompany a government job. Chatham’s grandfather, Fred Chatham, offered his son his approval, his life savings as well as financial help from a neighbor to start Chathambilt Homes.
Over 75 years, Chathambilt Homes has built over 6,000 homes in 150 neighborhoods across the metro area.
Howard Chatham expanded into many other businesses, including grating, building supply, plumbing, electrical, lighting and appliances as well as several True Value hardware stores.
The most notable venture occurred in 1950 when Howard Chatham possessed an inventory of houses he couldn’t manage to sell. After deciding to open a real estate brokerage company,
Partner George Banks with STHRN Hospitality Co. joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the inspiration behind Westside Motor Lounge and the property’s history while touching on placemaking, amenities and more. Banks joins host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
With a background in commercial real estate, Banks has been a developer in the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years. Founder of Revel, a retail real estate development firm, Banks has a history with Paces Properties conducting intown adaptive reuse projects and collectively formed STHRN Hospitality Co. with the aid of Elizabeth Feichter and Kelly Campbell. STHRN Hospitality Co. runs bars, restaurants and various hospitality venues on behalf of commercial real estate owners.
Formed ahead of the pandemic, STHRN Hospitality Co. benefits from the background of Feichter and Campbell, both containing ample experience in large-scale events, design and operations. Both Feichter and Campbell have already made incredible progress in the Atlanta market with the creation and production of the Atlanta Food and Wine Festival. Banks said, “We thought there was a real opportunity to bring some of that event and activation expertise to commercial real estate.” With the realization that many events and activations in the Atlanta area are beyond the scope of a day-to-day property management group, STHRN Hospitality Co. became involved with the Echo Street West project headed by Lincoln Property Management Company.
In its role as a retail development consultant for the project, Revel recognized the necessary presence of a restaurant and bar at the front corner of the property. Ordinarily, the property would be redeveloped into a midrise residential complex or something similar. In the meantime, Echo Street West was in need of a front door - Westside Motor Lounge.
Revel approached Lincoln Property Management Company with the idea for a restaurant backed by the expertise of what would become STHRN Hospitality Co. to run operations. From that process came the finalization of the company and the formation of the team that will run Westside Motor Lounge when it opens at the end of June. Banks said, “[Placemaking] is incredibly important… We started Revel six years ago because of this realization that the fun restaurants and retail that we want to do is often really in demand but frankly…as a standalone entity, doesn’t make a lot of sense.” In a placemaking world, Revel and STHRN Hospitality Co. simultaneously believe that if you construct, program and market the ground floor as a high activity and interest space, residents and visitors will flock to the development.
Situated at the corner of Northside Drive and Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway, Westside Motor Lounge acts as the front door of Echo Street West, a 10-year development project. The Lounge was originally three dilapidated auto repair shops and now stands as a three-acre outdoor space featuring a half-acre courtyard, beer garden, event space, game room and so much more! The development also connects Mercedes Benz Stadium to Westside Park and the Westside BeltLine.
Tune in to the full interview above for more details on Westside Motor Lounge or visit www.WestsideMotorLounge.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, STHRN Hospitality Co. and Westside Motor Lounge are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 2...
President Stephen Haines with Artisan Built Communities joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about The Great Home Rush, the company’s popular Red Carpet campaign and upcoming 2022 projects. Haines joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
An industry regular for over a quarter of a century, Haines spent most of his career working with national builders. He currently is president of Artisan Built Communities, a locally owned production builder on the westside of Atlanta. Artisan Built Communities.
Artisan Built Communities presently builds in the award-winning Seven Hills NatureWalk and The Georgian. The builder offers three distinct product lines: a farm-influenced product that takes inspiration from rustic Midwestern homes, estate homes ideal for growing families of all shapes and sizes and finally, exclusive active adult ranch plans featuring incorporated covered patios situated in NatureWalk and The Georgian at Seven Hills.
Seven Hills is a large master-planned community in Paulding County with incredible amenities, including a resort-style pool, theme-style water park as well as tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. The Artisan Built Communities section of the development, NatureWalk, will encompass half of the master-planned community when it reaches completion. Haines said, “It’s just a wonderful community…and we still have a lot of lots left!” The builder is developing three phases and is getting ready to unveil its next active adult pod in June 2022 at Stratford at NatureWalk. Twenty-two additional homesites are coming to the estate section with a mix of basement and slab product offerings. With delivery expected in September 2022, Artisan Built Communities is also developing its next farm-inspired pod of homes!
In May, Artisan Built Communities unveiled the decorated Braselton model which features soaring 15-foot ceilings, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, patios on both sides of the home and more. The attractive plan received an incredible reception and saw over 200 families visit in May to peruse the model home decorated by Haven Design Works. Haines said, “For those people that love to live outdoors, the outdoors is calling to you whether you go…to your large, covered patio with the outdoor fireplace or to the other side of your home by your kitchen to enjoy a cup of coffee.” As early as August 2022, the next pod of homes will release 32 homesites to continue the development of Heritage Pointe at The Georgian.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Artisan Built Communities or visit www.DiscoverArtisan.com. Click here to learn more about the stunning Braselton model at Heritage Pointe at The Georgian.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Artisan Built Communities are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
Traton Homes Founders Bill and Milburn Poston join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company’s history as one of the oldest homebuilding companies in the metro area. The Poston Brothers join host Carol Morgan on the Legends of Real Estate series.
In 1971, both Poston brothers were involved in the real estate industry, working for different real estate agencies across the Cobb County and Atlanta area. As the brothers advanced in their careers, they noticed that when they took time for themselves, nothing progressed on their behalf and more importantly, nothing progressed for their clients. This is a common problem for real estate agents today and why the introduction of teams into the industry has been so vital.
After a few discussions about common industry pitfalls, the Poston brothers decided to go into business together and found a development company. Milburn Poston said, “It quickly came to our minds that we needed someone to build on the lots that we develop so we got into the building business.” While the two didn’t anticipate staying in the homebuilding industry for 51 years, they have built a lasting legacy carried on by their sons as one of the oldest and most highly regarded home builders in the metro area.
In its first year, Traton Homes constructed two to three traditional homes, fondly referred to back then as “Five, Four and a Door.” These first constructions set the tone for the homebuilding company, continuing the trend of building traditional homes throughout the metro Atlanta area.
As an aside, “Five, Four, and a Door” is the nickname given to many homes built in the 70s, 80s, and 90s in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. The traditional colonial architecture style of these homes is where the phrase “Five, Four and a Door” comes from. It refers to the front elevation of the home: 5 identical windows upstairs hanging directly above 4 windows downstairs, plus a front door in the center. Thus, five, four, and a door.
The first homes offered by Traton Homes were in the Weatherstone subdivision located in East Cobb County. The brothers soon realized they needed to price their homes at $55,000 and up in order to profit. In the 1971 market, it was common for homes to sell for $40,000 and below. The Poston brothers successfully sold the homes at their desired price, setting a trend for future profits.
When asked what significant industry changes the brothers witnessed over their 51-year history, Milburn responded with the permits and obstacles required to build a home. Twenty years ago, the Traton Homes team would begin each project with a starts meeting on a Monday and in a week, their team would be breaking ground.
Today, project times average around five weeks from the first meeting. Traton Homes also remains an active player in the development side of the industry! Bill Poston said, “We used to hear on the west coast how long it took things to go through the zoning and get ready to develop and we’d laugh…Today it takes us probably about a year and a half to two years from the time we find a piece of property…before we can start building.” Born in Smyrna, Bill and Milburn Poston were familiar with Cobb County and began their real estate careers in and around the region. Naturally, that is where they started their building careers, firmly placing their company roots in their birthplace.
During the Great Recession from 2007 to 2009, fewer buyers entered the market and those that were present were searching for the best bargain. Bill Poston said, “You were constantly fighting to keep your margins and there were so few people buying that you basically ended up taking a reduction.” Today, the pandemic has had the opposite effect on the homebuilding industry, increasing homeownership rates countrywide. Over the last few years, Traton Homes has seen incredible growth, experiencing no shortage of offers! Like many builders across the United States,
Eric Baker with Keller Williams Realty and Ellen Hill with Atlanta Fine Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to chat about MUST Ministries, how they got started as volunteers as well as the organization’s growth. Baker and Hill join host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Baker has been an active player in the real estate industry for over 10 years, partnering with clients from Canton to Intown metro neighborhoods and everything in between. From the metro area as well, Hill grew up in Marietta and has been a Realtor for nearly a decade. Hill has been named one of the top three agents in the Cobb Realtors group numerous times over the last several years.
Celebrating 50 years in the Atlanta area, the core focus of MUST Ministries is homeless rehabilitation, spotlighting housing efforts, food insecurity and other efforts to get individuals back on their feet. The workforce development office gives clients the resources necessary for successful job placement, including resume workshops, application tips and more. The office also helps reduce preventative job entry barriers by fulfilling essential qualifications such as meeting uniform regulations and securing job certifications. Baker said, “Anything and everything that spans out from being in a homeless situation or being any kind of food insecure [or] housing insecure is pretty much what we are there for.” The expansive Must Ministries housing network offers emergency shelter in their newly opened homeless shelter as well as semi-supportive housing, including subsidized and permanent housing as individuals move towards stability. Other incredible efforts include the mobile food pantry, Summer Lunch Program, and a thrift store that offers clients interview-appropriate clothing for job placement.
Growing up in the metro Atlanta area, Hill often heard of the fantastic efforts courtesy of the organization and distantly participated in food drives. When the pandemic began, Hill came across a social post detailing how Must Ministries was mobilizing efforts to feed less fortunate students who cannot afford school lunches. Hill said, “Here I am sitting [and] working with people who have great problems and there are so many across the street and right around me who are so much less fortunate.” Hill quickly sent a message to someone associated with the organization and became involved. Her love for Must Ministries continued to grow exponentially, leading to her position on the Board of Directors alongside Baker.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Keller Williams, Atlanta Fine Homes and Must Ministries. To discover volunteer opportunities and upcoming events, visit www.MUSTMinistries.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, Keller Williams Realty, Atlanta Fine Homes and Must Ministries are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the ho...
Loan Officer Matt Reyes with New American Funding joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about popular loan products and the new Buyer Accepted cash buyer program. Reyes joins Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and shares additional details about the program that allows buyers to make competitive cash offers.
With seven years of industry experience under his belt, Reyes was inspired to become a loan officer after a positive experience purchasing his first home. His history of financial education served him well as he took a deep dive into the world of home loans. Reyes began his journey with New American Funding in what they called “set up” back in the day stacking files and ordering third-party information such as title appraisals, title work and flood certifications. For the past three years, he has held the role of loan officer for one of the largest lenders, with a consistent stream of five-star reviews! Reyes said, “I’ve kind of been in each different role building up into the point of going out on my own and starting to originate loans with clients directly.” New American Funding is one of the largest privately-owned, direct mortgage lenders in the United States. Heavily involved in the industry, the company was founded by husband-and-wife duo, Rick and Patty Arvielo. A self-serviced lender, New American Funding lends directly to its clients and borrowers, servicing most of its offered products. Over time, the company has grown to include over 160 branches and more than 4,000 employees. Reyes said, “We’ve really become a leader in the loan lending space, combining a streamlined loan process with cutting edge technology and [creating] exceptional experience and service for clients.” When asked the key to his consistent five-star review ratings, Reyes responded that it is important to place oneself in the consumer’s shoes. By providing good communication and the necessary support, realizing the dream of homeownership and curating a solid lender-borrower relationship has never been easier! Reyes said, “Try to make it personal, not transactional.” With the average home price in Atlanta up 28 percent, loan products popular with homebuyers this year include conventional products, as well as the Buyer Accepted program for cash buyers. The initiative transforms a homebuyer qualified for a VA loan into a cash buyer, providing many perks in today’s market. Reyes shared he has seen numerous jumbo and non-conforming loans, which include loans above previously discussed limits and additional options for homebuyers who do not fit traditional lending molds.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about New American Funding and the Buyer Accepted program or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com. To contact Matt Reyes directly, visit his New American Funding profile.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders,
It’s the story of availability and affordability Chief Marketing Officer John Ryan with Georgia MLS joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss home sales and inventory in the Atlanta market. Ryan joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
With a 29-year industry history, Ryan has seen numerous evolutions shape how the multiple listing service works and how data is delivered to brokers, agents, appraisers and consumers. When he started work at Georgia MLS, the company still printed listing books. After the evolution of the internet, the company expanded to serve listings online for agents and now Georgia MLS provides increased consumer access to valuable real estate information via the web. Ryan said, “It’s an ever-changing marketplace and it’s what gets me up in the morning to come to work to see what we’re going to face on a day-to-day basis.” Georgia MLS is the largest real estate marketplace in Georgia with listings in the North Georgia mountains, the Georgia coast, and practically everywhere in between!
The company strives to provide transparent real estate information while serving over 51,000 agents. With a broad footprint, the Georgia MLS mission is to provide as much information as possible to individuals with licenses to sell real estate in Georgia. The company is experiencing a rapid expansion and strives to provide relevant information to its large network in order to bring efficiency to the marketplace.
Over the last few years, the Georgia market reflected the availability and affordability seen in cities across the country. The current market showcases a strong demand with a critically low supply, leading to skyrocketing prices. In a normal market, Georgia MLS saw up to 80,000 homes available for purchase. Although the company serves such a large group of Realtors, there are currently only around 10,000 single-family residences available for sale across Georgia. Ryan said, “We are in a position where demand is really driving up the prices and that goes into the affordability of what we’re seeing.” In 2021, around 10% of all listings through Georgia MLS went under contract within a day, 50% in one week and 70% within one month. Ryan shared that due to the high demand and low inventory, consumers must have healthy finances in order to secure a property.
In the first quarter of 2022, Georgia MLS reported a minor slowdown in the number of units sold and new listings. The company also recounted a slight acceleration with the approach of spring and summer. Ryan said, “2021 was a record year so it’s all kind of relative. We have never seen the activity that we saw in 2021 where over $50 billion of transactions went through Georgia MLS. That was an incredible number…and a very hyperactive market.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information on Georgia MLS or visit www.GeorgiaMLS.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Georgia MLS are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment,
Founder and Co-Chair Jessica Merriman and Co-Chair Chris Stuckey with MomoCon join the Atlanta Real Estate Radio podcast to talk about their upcoming convention, perfect for fans of anime, comics, tabletop games and more. Merriman and Stuckey join host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
MomoCon is an animation, gaming and comic convention that features vendor booths, celebrity guests, video game tournaments and a spacious free-play arcade. From May 26 to 29, the event is located at the Georgia World Congress Center in Building B in Downtown Atlanta.
This year, the event showcases double the space as in previous years, providing attendees with ample socialization space, more events and additional partners. An exciting feature, a stranglehold professional wrestling group is hosting live wrestling events all four days. The showcase also features a unique storyline and highlights 40 individuals. Classic wrestlers participating include Sergeant Slaughter, Kane and more!
For game fans, MomoCon is partnering with more groups to bring more e-sports and tabletop games to the event. Several e-sports teams will be present on-site with more tournaments and events, including the inaugural Mario Kart switch tournament. There is also more featured card gaming than ever before! Stuckey said, “There are just new partners all around. The exhibit hall has significantly more people…[including] over 400 exhibiting groups in our hall. We have over 800 hours of programming content over the four days.” When asked what cosplay attendees can expect to see, Merriman shared elaborate costumes inspired by Demon Slayer, Genshin Impact, Marvel and more are popular choices!
In 2019, the gaming section of the convention took up 100,000 square feet of space. This year’s event boasts 300,000 square feet of gaming space to separate each gaming distinction and decrease the overlap of crowds and noise. MomoCon 2022 features a tabletop games hall, digital gaming hall, hand-held lounge and an e-sports hall.
On Thursday, MomoCon is hosting a free Career Expo in the morning and afternoon. Organizers request that participants show up in business attire and sign up ahead of time to give an accurate idea of crowd numbers. Stuckey said, “We try to stick to the idea that we are helping passionate people into careers that they really want to be in.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information about MomoCon or visit www.MomoCon.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and MomoCon are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes,
President and CEO Bruce Carlisle with North Georgia Land joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss his new book, Top Dollar Dirt, and share how it helps landowners position property for sale. Carlisle joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Born and raised in Atlanta, Carlisle grew up near Chamblee and Dunwoody. After he picked up playing tennis, Carlisle noticed many of the players he associated with worked in the real estate industry. Starting in 1984 with Property Systems Corporation, he has a 38-year history in the land business.
North Georgia Land was created in 1993 after Carlisle learned industry and business practices from Property Systems Corporation. During this period, Carlisle had a brief opportunity to work with Scott Hudgens, a visionary builder and developer in Atlanta responsible for the construction of Mall of Georgia, Gwinnett Place Mall and more. After learning and becoming familiar with the retail market, Carlisle sourced deals from region-newcomer Publix through his industry connections and assisted in finding locations for the growing corporation.
Shortly after the introduction of Publix to the region, Walgreens soon followed, helping to cement the beginnings of North Georgia Land.
Top Dollar Dirt rose from the idea that there are many resources that landowners can use to understand the process and what they can do to prepare their property, ultimately working the process to receive top sale prices. Carlisle said, “Owners have really found it to be a great resource. It’s really a resource for landowners to help understand how to move their property more effectively toward an ultimate sale, whether it’s in a year or ten years.” With over 30 years of experience, Carlisle shared that the number one common industry misconception is that “who” is developing a property is often as important if not more important than the value of the land. Certain developers and builders produce specific products, some more creatively and effectively than others. For landowners wanting to leave a legacy development, this becomes an important consideration.
Many people also do not recognize how complex land deals can become. From changing timeframes and unforeseen circumstances, anything can happen regardless of how straightforward a deal may seem.
The municipalities around Georgia realize density is no longer a negative factor in the real estate market. In the 1980s and early 1990s, many believed larger lots equaled higher-priced homes. Now, municipalities believe that finding creative ways to build on smaller lots holds several benefits, including sought-after features such as walkability. Carlisle said, “Right now, there is a lot of capital out there and there’s a lot of money chasing deals.” Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about North Georgia Land or visit www.NorthGeorgiaLand.com. Click here to purchase your copy of Top Dollar Dirt!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and North Georgia Land are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
President Carmen Chubb with Columbia Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the importance of DEI and share the company’s mission to provide affordable housing in underserved markets across the metro Atlanta area. Chubb joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A native Atlantan, Chubb’s entire career has been based in affordable housing. She began in the single-family sphere by working in loan accounting for single-family mortgages. Not far into her career, Chubb had the opportunity to work with the state of Georgia for a state agency that operates as a private entity.
Early in her career, Chubb understood the financing related to single-family homes, how loans are made and how to ensure people remain in their homes. As her career grew, she obtained the opportunity to take on more and included rental housing and multifamily programs for individuals experiencing homelessness. Chubb said, “Every aspect of affordable housing that was presented for the state or administered by the state was under my purview.” In 2019, Chubb left her position with the state to join Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. She was hired as chief of staff to assist Bottom’s administration and team. Her charge was to elevate the issue of affordable housing in the City. As her tenure ended, she knew that she wanted to participate in something meaningful and continue working in affordable housing.
She began speaking to CEO Jim Grauley and President of Property Management and Operations Aaron Swain at Columbia Residential about potential opportunities. Chubb said, “It was a natural next step for me because of my passion [and] because of my experience [and] my knowledge of Atlanta and what is needed here for affordable housing.” Columbia Residential is a mission-oriented, for-profit company that develops, manages and owns mixed-income affordable housing communities. Although primarily involved in urban areas, the apartment developer has a few communities in suburban centers.
When developing properties that include rehabilitation accommodations, the company’s primary objective is to produce high-quality residences and allow its inhabitants to avoid displacement. Chubb said, “That is a high goal for our company to make sure we do things that make communities better and make lives better for the people who live there.” A priority company-wide, Columbia Residential recognizes the talent and the importance of growing its staff to create a diverse workforce with female and minority employees present in all layers of its management. Columbia Residential invests in those employees and gives them opportunities to rise through the company ranks.
The company also provides educational opportunities to ensure every employee has equal opportunity and understanding of the industry.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Columbia Residential or visit www.ColumbiaRes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Columbia Residential are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
President and CEO Scott Shelar with Construction Ready joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to explore preparing the future construction workforce. Shelar joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A repeat guest, the last time Shelar made an appearance on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast, he represented the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA). Rebranded as Construction Ready, the organization has been a part of the industry since 1993, inspiring and driving individuals toward skilled trade positions.
By providing potential hires with the necessary credentials and training, Construction Ready aids in their search for a successful career in construction, regardless of age or background. Shelar said, “We want the skilled trades to be as valuable as a four-year degree. A big part of our vision is to get society to a point where the true value of a career in the trades.” Construction Ready provides those interested in pursuing a career in the skilled trades with access to the necessary education to guide them toward a successful path. Typically, recent college graduates enter the workforce with student debt, and one of the many benefits of pursuing a trade is the absence of loans.
Companies in the construction industry recognize the benefit of developing skilled trades and provide funding for new hires to pursue apprenticeship training. Employees have the opportunity to earn money while obtaining additional education to work toward that skilled trade. While remaining supportive of advanced schooling, Construction Ready centers around finding a trajectory that works in the individual's best interest.
For many years, Construction Ready only serviced the metro Atlanta area. After a recent state-wide expansion, the organization now serves Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and many other cities across the state. In March, Construction Ready announced its first out-of-state expansion in a fantastic partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars in Florida!
After hearing how Atlanta Falcons Owner Arthur Blank provided jobs to local residents that taught skilled trades to construct the new Mercedes Benz Stadium, Jaguars Owner Shahid Khan took inspiration from the story! Khan conducted a $500 million renovation and launched programs to provide employment opportunities to the Jacksonville community. The program has already received 150 applicants and is experiencing fantastic success. Shelar said, “One of the things we have figured out over the years is you have to start younger. We have to reach people before they get to high school…as early as we can.” A new Construction Ready program, Little Builders sends Home Depot Kids Workshop Kits to second graders across Georgia to engage young children in the construction industry. Many have never held a hammer or driven a nail at this stage and while the program does not focus on career planning, it inspires youths to engage in building and creativity at a young age.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Construction Ready or visit www.constructionready.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Construction Ready are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Southeast Area Production Manager Tricia Jones with New American Funding joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss mortgages and achieving homeownership in today’s market. Jones joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
After relocating to Atlanta 22 years ago for work, Jones fell in love with the South and has been in the real estate industry for 24 years. From entry-level positions to multiple leadership roles, Jones has been an active participant in every capacity. Jones said, “What I love most about [working in mortgages] is helping people grow. The more my team grows, it seems like the more we can change our lives and the more we can affect families and help them.” New American Funding is one of the largest privately-held mortgage lenders in the United States and a significant purchase lender in the South. With a strong focus on home builders, the organization understands the need for builders to keep inventory moving and the necessity for accurate updates and efficient loan closings.
The organization also has a very diverse staff working to provide services for all borrowers, regardless of background. New American Funding has a significant Latino-focused community to address the challenges Hispanic customers face as well as the New American Dream initiative which assists in increasing homeownership in Black communities. Jones said, “We feel like the more we can impact families, the more we can impact communities and even our future.” Known for excellent customer service, New American Funding shows genuine care for each customer and their story to help them reach their financial goal and achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Each moving part of the organization is there to assist clients with any potential problem. Jones said, “We know that every person that touches a loan…[is] touching someone’s dream here. It’s a common goal for us all.” The organization’s operations team is an integral part of the loan process, responsible for ordering third-party documents, processing, underwriting and loan closings. A world-class experience, New American Funding gives every client the service they earn and deserve. The organization bases its services on client expectations and through a close-knit leadership team, directs the loan process successfully to create satisfied homeowners.
While home lending can be a complicated business, New American Funding has strategies in place to keep processes simple. Underwriters review all documents provided to ensure they meet agency guidelines, including the borrower’s credit, income documents, the title and the appraisal. Often overlooked, underwriting is a role that comes with a lot of pressure and is a critical component of the home lending industry.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Tricia Jones and New American Funding or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Founder of Foxcreek Properties, Piedmont Residential and a myriad of banks, Bill Evans joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to recount his impressive career in homebuilding and land development. Evans joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and touches on his history in banking.
Evans started working in the construction industry in 1974. With a mother who was a builder and a father with a background in mechanical contracting, he has a long history with the industry and he always knew he wanted to be a developer. Evans began his development career in Stone Mountain, his hometown, and after developing a few projects, found himself in the middle of a recession. Evans said, “Everybody had land, and nobody had a way to get out of it.” During this time, banks offered loans with a contractual agreement that the home had to sell before the loan was due which caused issues for many builders and developers.
The first four homes built by Evans and his team were constructed within 30 days and sold within 60, a timeframe practically unheard of in today’s market. Now, it can take up to 30 days or longer to retrieve a building permit alone. He and his team went on to build 5,000 houses and participate in the development of 20,000 lots. Evans said, “I’ve always thought of myself more as a developer than as a builder. If you develop in the right place, homebuilding becomes a lot easier.” Evans shared that his first boss exclusively developed, which caused trouble during the recession. Learning from this experience, Evans does not develop unless he can build his way out of it. With his partner, George Hovis, founder of Hovis Homes Inc. and Ted Elliot, founder of Camel Homes, Evans and his comrades built homes all over Gwinnett County, averaging a 30-home turnout every year.
Evans learned that when the industry consolidates after each recession, it presented an opportunity to double the size of his company and continue profiting from hard work. This way of thinking set Evans and his industry friends up for success during recessions when other companies were sinking under economic pressure. Evans said, “In the last recession, we actually quadrupled, and everybody thought I was crazy and I probably was but it worked. That’s just the way I do it.” Evans began selling lots to independent builders and, with Edwin Lowe and Duvall Brumby, constructed a portfolio of 100 homes. Evans and his team realized that developers needed to operate with larger builders and run them like national companies. Soon, JEH Homes and Piedmont Residential were born, companies that are more sophisticated than their previous ventures. JEH Homes was eventually sold to Taylor Morrison and with Evans’s help, the builder also secured Acadia Homes. The two companies were combined to create Taylor Morrison in the Atlanta market. Evans said, “To really make money in a building company and do well and have happy employees, you need to have an even flow process instead of starting and stopping.” To experience continued success, Evans shared that purchasing and developing lots helps enormously in the long run and prevents companies from having a lack of land to build on. While it’s normal for deals to fall through, Evans recommends sourcing twice as many lots than necessary to make up for losses and prepare the company for potential industry stalls.
When excess lots are secured, Evans and his companies sell the land to other developers. There is no shortage of Atlanta builders in the current market searching for lots as the industry continues to experience an undersupply of housing in a post-pandemic market.
During his career, there were two recessions where financial institutions experienced hardships and credit supply shrank quickly. During those periods, land value plummeted and relationships with financial institutions mattered more than ever. Evans said, “Until this last recession,
Chief Real Estate Officer Rachel Carey with Westside Future Fund joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share how the organization supports rental housing, homeownership, financing and anti-displacement on the Westside. Carey joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A member of the organization for the last four years, Carey moved to Atlanta from New York City five years ago and has spent her career immersed in affordable housing finance. When she moved here, Carey had a goal to work with Westside Future Fund to take its community development in a new direction.
Westside Future Fund launched in 2013 as a public-private partnership when the city of Atlanta committed funding to the development of Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In addition to the arena development, there needed to be contributions to the communities west of the stadium. The neighborhoods served by the organization are English Avenues, Vine City, Atlanta University Center and Ashview Heights. Carey said, “The thought was it’s time to invest in these neighborhoods and have an organization that’s going to be committed to a transformational, holistic revitalization.” Westside Future Fund proudly states that “we’re in the housing business because we’re in the people business.” While working on its impact areas in 2016 and 2017, the organization noticed mixed-income housing needs rising to the forefront. The redevelopment of the Westside was on the uptake and many worried that it would bring displacement to the neighborhood.
Along with revitalization, there will be affordable renting and owning options for residents who wish to stay on the Westside. Through a set of community retention guidelines, Westside Future Fund prioritizes individuals who live, work and play on the Westside for the housing developed by the organization.
The current Westside Future Fund goal is to reach 800 units of affordable rental housing for families earning 60 percent of the area median income, which equates to roughly $48,000 annually. There are currently 180 rental housing units, including naturally occurring affordable housing units purchased by the organization. The organization purchased properties on the market at risk of being lost to preserve affordability in the area.
Alongside those efforts, the organization is acquiring vacant lots and land to develop or renovate new affordable housing! Vacant properties were purchased directly from the market or RFPs through Invest Atlanta. These lots will undergo the entire improvement process, from renovations and development to leasing through the organization’s Home on the Westside program. Carey said, “Our waiting list comes from Home on the Westside and prioritizes people who have been in the community the longest [and] who have the strongest ties to the community to ensure that those people have priority for the work that we’re doing and the housing we’re producing.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information on the Westside Future Fund or visit www.WestSideFutureFund.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Westside Future Fund are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times.
Homebuilder Partnership Manager Rajat Agarwal with Opendoor joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share how Atlanta consumers can benefit from digital homebuying (often referred to as iBuying). Agarwal joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment and discusses the leading digital iBuyer platform for buying and selling real estate.
For the last three years, Agarwal worked for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders’ Association, starting in marketing and working his way up to the government affairs unit. In his new role with Opendoor, an innovative digital real estate platform, Agarwal is the newest member of the team that helps people sell, buy and move with ease and certainty. Agarwal said, “It really took what has been a historically complex traditional home transaction and simplified it and made it convenient.” Today, Opendoor serves 45 markets, including large cities like Los Angeles and Washington D.C. and booming metro areas such as Phoenix, Dallas, Raleigh and Atlanta.
In 2014, the company pioneered the concept of receiving an all-cash offer for a home digitally. For the first time, someone could sell their home with ultimate convenience and control over the entire process. Consumers today expect everything to be on-demand, regardless of the industry and in the real estate sector, Opendoor is helping builders meet this demand.
With Opendoor, homebuilder customers are no longer required to time up moves with their new construction home, providing a seamless transaction. Gone are the double moves, double mortgages or finding a temporary home! Agarwal said, “We give our builder customers up to nine months of a flexible close of escrow. They can sell their home, stay…and seamlessly move out…[and] into their new home." From a sales perspective, calling homebuyers and informing them of a delayed closing due to supply line shortages is a hard call to make. Opendoor makes this process exponentially easier for sales associates and customers alike.
As Homebuilder Partnership Manager, Agarwal works directly with builders by visiting new home communities, listening to sales associates and experiencing first-hand how well transactions are going in the current market.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Opendoor or visit www.OpenDoor.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Opendoor are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Publisher Sherry Gasaway with KNOWAtlanta joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the benefits of sharing vital resources with new metro area residents. Gasaway joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
With a true love for Atlanta, Gasaway started with KNOWAtlanta in sales and 15 years later, she is the publisher of the premier relocation magazine. In her position, she hears and develops content, reports and provides valuable information to people seeking new information about our growing city.
A local market staple for 30 years, the primary goal of KNOWAtlanta is to offer easily digestible content that showcases valuable information. Whether it’s turning the lights on in your new home or exploring growing city centers, the magazine also spotlights the market’s top builders by sharing marketing information and upcoming developments.
Published quarterly and available online, the current KNOWAtlanta issue includes a feature about Atlanta’s condo market and shares insight into what it’s like to buy a condo in the metro area. Gasaway said, “I love what KNOWAtlanta does just because we get to tell the story of Atlanta and what’s happening.” Showcasing information about the city’s private schools is a growing demand the magazine works tirelessly to meet. The metro Atlanta area boasts over 130 private schools, meeting the needs of students and parents searching for rigorous college prep, special needs education, elite sports and more.
Before the pandemic, relocators from the New England region, Illinois, Texas and California made up many of Atlanta’s new residents. After working remotely for over two years, employees across the country now have the freedom to live anywhere. A large percentage are choosing to make Atlanta their new home, further diversifying the Peach State.
The seventh most popular metro city in the nation for relocation, experts predict that by the year 2050, 8.6 million residents will call Atlanta their new home. Annually, around 80,000 people move to the metro region, which consists of 14 counties. Gasaway commented, “We are seeing such an influx of people coming here. Georgia is a great place. We’re close to the ocean, we’ve got mountains, we’ve got lots to offer.” The state's rapid growth is attributed to the impressive job growth from large companies relocating to the state. While technology is a dominating employment sector, life sciences are quickly catching up, with several major companies looking to Atlanta for a new home base.
Tune in to the full interview for more information about KNOWAtlanta or visit www.KNOWAtlanta.com. Click here to request a free issue!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and KNOWAtlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Program Associate with Annie E. Casey Foundation Chantell Glenn joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the redevelopment of Pittsburgh Yards. Glenn joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A proud alumnus of Spellman College, Glenn’s professional background of over 20 years is concentrated in community and equity development. In her current role with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Glenn oversees the development and operations of Pittsburgh Yards. The foundation places a strong focus on place-based work in Atlanta and is a primary investor and advisor for the redevelopment project. Glenn said, “Pittsburgh Yards is an unprecedented opportunity to spur economic equity, job growth and entrepreneurship for the residents.” Through years of collaboration amongst locals and community stakeholders, the vision of Pittsburgh Yards came to life. Once completed, the project will be a vibrant space for residents to work, create, shop, play and aspire. The project will catalyze living wages, employment, long-term careers as well as entrepreneurship opportunities for residents, including parents with young children and those in need of second chances. Glenn said, “We’re using design, streetscape and landscaping techniques to encourage community engagement and innovation. We ran the existing streets from the neighboring Pittsburgh neighborhood right onto our site…so everyone can feel welcome to come onto the campus.” Project developers incorporated sustainable design practices and most importantly, cultivated the already existing neighborhood and its accompanying benefits, including access to the 22-mile Atlanta BeltLine loop. Other fundamental components incorporated in the redevelopment of Pittsburgh Yards include healthy eating options, greenspace, community gathering areas as well as the preservation and cultivation of art.
Glenn shared the team recently celebrated the completion of Phase I to the 31-acre site with 15 acres already developed. At the heart of Pittsburgh Yards is the Nia Building, a 60,000 square foot anchor to the project named for the Swahili word for purpose. The building houses 100 affordable workspaces, ranging from 100 to 400 square feet.
The Nia building's strategic design creates ideal spaces for makers, fabricators and others to accommodate the current growth in trade professions. For creatives, there are areas for mixed media and fashion design as well as businesses offering professional services such as accounting and architecture.
There is also a generous amount of shared capacity for coworking members to grow their business without a leasing commitment. Members also have access to meeting rooms, an amphitheater, a shared-use commercial kitchen and a market café.
Tune in to the full interview above for additional information on the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pittsburgh Yards or visit www.PittsburghYards.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, the Annie E. Casey Foundation and Pittsburgh Yards are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Senior Director of Capital Projects Neale Nickels with the Historic Oakland Foundation joins the Atlanta Real Estate Radio podcast to share the rich past and preservation of Oakland Cemetery. Nickels joins host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment and discusses upcoming events and ways to support the iconic Atlanta landmark.
Not native to Georgia, working for the Historic Oakland Foundation allowed Nickels and his family to connect with the rich history and the city of Atlanta in a unique way. Oakland Cemetery was founded by the city of Atlanta in 1850, back before the capital was the great urban center we know today. A small but growing community, Atlanta was in need of a municipal cemetery.
As the cemetery developed, there was a shift in thinking regarding cemeteries internationally, transitioning from considering graveyards to cemeteries which translates to a final resting place for family and loved ones. Since 1976, the foundation's mission has been to preserve, restore, enhance and share Oakland Cemetery and its gifts with the surrounding community. “The idea of a celebration of life really came to be in that time. That’s really kind of what we have carried through here in the 21st century and what the Historic Oakland Foundation strives to do,” Nickels said. “To celebrate the lives of those Atlantans who are buried here and to tell their stories.” The foundation's first brick-and-mortar fundraiser, The Living History Capital Campaign has a lofty goal of $12 million and to date has raised a little over $10.3 million! In the last 10 years, the Historic Oakland Foundation has been making great strides to increase the restoration and preservation of the grounds to meet the needs of growing visitation. The campaign's goal is to triple the investment for the cemetery and foundation. Nickels said, “This campaign is designed to catapult us into that next level, and it will include some very significant projects…It’s really aimed at building on the good work we’ve done and preparing us to better serve the families involved at Oakland [and] the people who come to visit.” With the funds raised from the Living History Capital Campaign, the Historic Oakland Foundation has plans to open a visitors center outside of the cemetery gates. Due to increased programming and guests, the foundation has outgrown the space and is in need of an upgrade. The visitors center will move from its current location of 50 years, a gothic bell tower constructed in 1899.
The new 10,000 square-foot visitors center will house the gift shop as well as act as a first stop for guests in terms of organization, directions and more. There will also be a spacious, flexible community space available for rent with a great view of the cemetery below that is perfect for visiting K through 12 and college groups.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about the Historic Oakland Foundation or visit www.OaklandCemetery.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Historic Oakland Foundation are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Vice President of Development Brittani Sanders with Portman Residential joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the importance of development and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in a corporate space. Sanders joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A relatively new company, Portman Residential is the latest addition to the Portman Holdings family, a staple in the homebuilding industry for over 60 years. Founded by a prolific architect, John Portman, the company was previously known for designing abundant office and hotel projects and recently decided to expand into the mixed-use development sector with the creation of Portman Residential and Portman Industrial. Sanders said, “It really is a great company and has really exciting mixed-use projects across the country.” Growing up in a small town south of Chicago, Sanders shared that diversity and inclusion are a deeply personal topics. From a young age, she was fascinated with the Chicago skyline but never knew how those buildings came to be. She decided to study architecture, unaware of other career opportunities due to a lack of exposure.
At Howard University, she quickly learned architecture was not her path, and development was the ideal industry for her. “My motivation today is to expose more young people, specifically young people of color, that are maybe in my shoes now that I was in 10, 20 years ago,” Sanders said. “There just aren’t many people that I can look up to, specifically African American women in development. I hope to make that road easier. That’s what makes me work the way I do.” Thanks to innovative projects such as The House That She Built book by Mollie Elkman and Georgia Castellano, young girls are beginning to see themselves within roles and careers traditionally pushed towards young boys.
When asked what advice she has for women entering the homebuilding and development industry, Sanders recommended meeting as many people as possible. A lesson she learned early in her career, oftentimes real estate and development companies have a limited timeframe when hiring new talent.
It’s easy for those entering the industry to become discouraged, especially when it seems as if positions are often given to family members and those with connections. While that does exist, Sanders shared it’s common for companies to hire who they know. Though making connections is essential, companies must also be willing to step outside of their circle. Sanders said, “You have to position yourself so that you’re top of mind when opportunities present themselves so, network, network, network! Get comfortable talking to anyone.”
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Portman Residential or visit www.PortmanResidential.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Portman Holdings are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home ...
CEO John Wieland with The JW Collection joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast as the first Legends of Real Estate guest! Wieland joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment to discuss his incredible 50-year journey in the homebuilding industry.
The recipient of more customer satisfaction and professionalism awards than any other builder in Atlanta, Wieland has been building homes in the metro Atlanta area for over 50 years and is responsible for training a large portion of the talent working in the industry today.
With a start in 1971, Wieland remarked on how different the industry is today in comparison. Armed with a single hammer, a credit card and his Volkswagen Beatle, Wieland transported building materials to and from job sites. By the end of his first year, his company closed on 12 homes, with six under construction. (Tune into the show to find out how the VW Beatle plays into this!)
In direct contrast to today’s open floor layouts, homes previously featured little wasted space. A typical split-foyer home would boast a first floor with a garage and bonus room, a second floor with a kitchen and living room and a top floor showcasing the home’s bedrooms. Back then, homes were commonly priced from $30,000s with plumbing included! Wieland revealed, “A big problem today, in my opinion, is affordability. How do people get on that first rung of the ladder? Home equity is the primary source of wealth for most American families, and you’ve got to get started. We need small, affordable homes that aren’t an hour and a half from where you work.” When asked about what inspired him to enter the homebuilding industry, Wieland cited unemployment. While in business school, Wieland worked in the building materials business with his roommate. After experiencing little success, Wieland decided to leave the venture and search for his next opportunity. With two young kids and unemployment looming, Wieland entered the homebuilding industry with his experience selling building materials under his belt.
To date, Wieland has built over 30,000 homes during his 51 years in business. During this time period he built and the subsequently sold his flagship company John Weiland® Homes. After that sale, he started his current homebuilding company, the JW Collection.
Model homes and design centers, now common aspects of the industry, used to be uncommon. Wieland and his team became pioneers in the Atlanta market for this new addition to the homebuying process. Wieland said, “Homebuyers could come in and pick the pieces they wanted for their dream home. We’re proud of our early work in that.” Fundamentally, homebuilding experienced significant slowdowns in the Great Recession, with Atlanta experiencing a peak at 60,000 building permits in 2006 and three years later, only 6,000 recorded permits. Wieland shared, “You can prepare for 10%, 20% shrinkage in your business but when your business shrinkage reaches 90%, you can’t prepare for that.” To draw attention to the company's inventory of finished homes, Wieland and his marketing team dreamt up the infamous 101 Home Sales campaign. The idea was to travel in a Winnebago to Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, Nashville and Charleston to promote the communities until he sold 101 homes. Weiland said, “We would pull into one of our cities…and I would drag [myself] into an unsold home…and I would make myself at home.” During every first night in the new city, Wieland hosted an event for the company members and worked with his marketing team to get press coverage. Employees participated by providing essentials such as coffee in the morning and little touches such as making his bed to elevate Wieland’s stay.
For every sale, Wieland wrote a welcome note to the buyers and presented it to the now, brand-new homeowners. With no days off other than Easter, the entire campaign lasted 60 days and gained national recognition in a challenging market.
Executive Director Susan Jacobs-Meadows with Canine CellMates joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Beyond the Bars program and how it changes the lives of incarcerated men. Jacobs-Meadows joins host Carol Morgan on the Around Atlanta segment.
Jacobs-Meadows has a varied professional background, with experience in many different fields. From serving in the military to owning her own business, Jacobs-Meadows is a woman of many talents! Her exciting path eventually led to her founding Canine CellMates, a rehabilitative program that partners with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, Fulton County Jail and shelter dogs to offer inmates a second chance.
The jail dogs program pulls canines out of animal shelters and moves them into Fulton County jail 24 hours a day with inmate handlers. It also offers classes five days a week to teach inmates the necessary skills to handle the dogs successfully. The organization also works to get all of the dogs adopted. Jacobs-Meadows said, “The program centers around the dogs but the focus is on the men.” The participating inmates take classes that cover personal development, critical thinking, public speaking, building creative muscle as well as interviewing and writing skills. They also bring in speakers to talk to the men about various topics.
Jacobs-Meadows shared the goal is to present inmates with as many ideas and concepts as possible so that when they rejoin society, they will make better choices to avoid returning to incarceration.
As of now, the organization solely works in Fulton but hopes to expand to other counties for their in-custody program. The program is still waiting to be reinstated after a necessary pandemic hiatus but hopes to return soon!
Last year, the organization took over an abandoned building in an enormous leap of faith. To create more awareness in the market, Canine CellMates needed a space of its own to thrive and expand. After moving into the building, the natural next step was to offer additional services. Born in the brand-new facility, Beyond the Bars is an alternative disposition program. The selected participants join the organization at the facility four half days a week to take part in an intensive program for 90 days.
They work with rescue dogs in a group training environment, perform upkeep around the facility and partake in a very focused curriculum that centers around conflict resolution, effective communication, parenting skills and emotional competence. After 90 days, a graduation ceremony is held to applaud their hard work and commitment. Jacobs-Meadows said, “It’s important momprofitnonprofitto recognize that this was a pretty significant thing they just finished.” After the 90 days, the participating dogs are officially adoptable, and the inmates phase up with their involvement gradually lessens over the remaining nine months. After one year, the program is completed, and their charges go away.
Tune in to the full interview to learn more about Beyond the Bars and Canine CellMates or visit www.CanineCellMates.com. Click here to explore volunteer opportunities!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Canine CellMates are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Senior Loan Consultant with New American Funding Jay Glover joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the current state of the market and the lender’s wide variety of loan products for first-time homebuyers. Glover joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A resident of Gainesville, Georgia, Glover has been in the mortgage industry since 1999 and has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Georgia Southern University. Starting out, he worked on the wholesale side of the industry selling non-QM mortgage products to brokers and community banks. When the market shifted in 2005, Glover transitioned to the retail side. Using the knowledge and tools he acquired while working wholesale, he focused his attention and specialties on first-time homebuyers and new construction. Glover said, “It has kind of landed me as a preferred lender for a couple of builders here in the metro Atlanta area.” New American Funding has been in the mortgage business since 2003 and presently funds over $56 billion in home loans, making it one of the top mortgage lenders in the country. Focusing on clients of all backgrounds, New American Funding is there every step of the way to ensure its borrowers achieve the American dream of homeownership. Its diverse product line and competitive pricing promise all clients a timely and efficient closing.
New American Funding also has a unique corporate company culture. Referred to as NAF 360, the culture surrounds everything the company does and embodies the commitment to provide a 360-degree atmosphere of trust and respect for everyone, from employees to borrowers. Glover said, “It is the core of the company and what it stands for beginning with the employees…to every point of contact.” A member of the company since August 2021, Glover shared that transitioning to New American Funding was the best career move! Through Glover’s hard work, New American Funding is now the preferred lender for well-known metro builders such as Rockhaven Homes.
According to Glover, today’s popular products are the time-tested conventional loan and government-insured programs such as FHA and VA loans. These programs allow consumers to put as little as three percent down for a home loan, sometimes even less if they qualify! There is also a strong need for down payment assistance programs that tremendously help first-time homebuyers achieve homeownership.
Tune in to the full interview to learn more about New American Funding or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com. Click here to contact Jay Glover directly.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form.
Head of Sales Mark Schlosser with Landis joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss financial literacy, fair housing and how their rent to own program creates homeowners. Schlosser joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
New to the Atlanta market, Landis is a social impact company before anything else. The company prioritizes providing financial literacy and fair housing to homebuyers. Via one-on-one instruction and a mobile app, Landis provides a step-by-step program for homeownership based on a rent-to-own model.
For potential homeowners struggling to qualify for mortgages, Landis purchases a home for them and over 12 to 24 months, coaches them to purchase the home back and achieve the American dream of homeownership. Schlosser said, “Everything we really believe in backs into that core mission of [homeownership].” Frontiers for a hot topic in real estate, Landis investors include the National Association of REALTORS® and Sequoia as well as celebrity investors Jay-Z and Will Smith.
With a career doused in technology and start-up experience, Schlosser began to question his purpose and career path. Schlosser personally wanted to transition to a social impact company such as Landis to achieve his life and career goals. “It’s a mission that means something to every single person at the company,” Schlosser said. “What homeownership is means something slightly different to every single person but it’s an authentic feeling.” For clients in need of credit repair assistance, Landis provides one-on-one coaching to provide personalization in a company largely associated with technology. With this kind of interaction, there is increased accountability and education.
The Landis mobile app provides valuable resources such as articles on financial literacy and personalized client information. Articles cover what bills to prioritize, how to improve a credit score and more for experienced and new learners that reflect the latest credit algorithms.
The general requirements to participate in Landis programs are a 550-credit score, $30,000 in annual income and no recent bankruptcies in the past six months. The company also requires a 2 to 3% down payment to ensure the program’s participants are invested in becoming mortgage-ready.
With feet on the ground ready to go in Atlanta, Landis encourages all agents and brokers to contact the company via email at partners@landis.com or Schlosser directly at mark@landis.com for additional information. Clients are encouraged to contact Landis at hello@landis.com to purchase a home.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Landis or visit www.landis.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Landis and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
President Matthew Womack with Womack Custom Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new construction, commercial and remodeling projects in Cartersville. Womack joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A fourth-generation builder, Womack is a UGA alumni and has been a part of the building industry his entire life. After graduating from college, Womack worked for a national home builder and then a smaller Atlanta builder to gain field experience. In 2016, Womack teamed up with his brother to form Womack Custom Homes and starting building throughout Cartersville and Bartow County.
Starting out, the brothers primarily focused on remodeling due to the high demand in the area. After flipping a few dilapidated homes, the team began to receive custom work requests that led to increased in-town remodeling work during their first year. From there, the company has branched off to include new construction as well as spec projects in 55 plus communities.
For clients questioning whether to remodel their current home or construct a new one, Womack Custom Homes recommends remodeling due to the current state of the real estate market. Womack said, “Building from the ground up right now has definitely jumped [in price] …It’s kind of a difficult season in building right now.” Womack Custom Homes is currently working on renovating the interior of a home that was originally constructed in 1916 r. Relocating from Atlanta, an empty-nester couple wished to distance themselves from the congested and pricy region and find a more affordable residence in North Georgia.
The team is also working on two homes less than 10 minutes from the downtown area. For the first client, Womack Custom Homes is redoing the home’s interior, and for the second, the team is creating an open-floor layout between the kitchen and living room to reflect today’s popular home trends.
As homes in Cartersville continue to age past the 20-year mark, many residents are looking to give their homes a facelift and Womack Custom Homes is uniquely positioned to meet their needs. The company has experienced incredible growth in almost eight years of business and is not slowing down any time soon.
In addition to working on residential projects, Womack Custom Homes has experience with commercial too. Some of the projects they have been involved with include commercial work for large corporations located in Cartersville including interior renovations and expansions.
In 2020, Womack Custom Homes was listed on the UGA Bulldog 100 list as one of the fastest-growing companies owned and operated by an alumnus in the state of Georgia. Womack said, “We have eight projects going on right now and it’s just me and my brother.” Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Womack Custom Homes or visit www.WomackCustomHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Womack Custom Homes and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Team Leader and Senior Loan Consultant Jeff Glick with New American Funding joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about loan limits, mortgage news and the phenomenal growth of New American Funding. Glick joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
Working in the mortgage industry since 2003, Glick has experienced a lot of change in real estate. Backed by an incredible team at New American Funding, Glick shares it has been amazing to be a part of and grow the Southeast team for the last five years.
New American Funding is a privately held company owned by Rick and Patty Arvielo. With a $52 billion servicing portfolio, the New American Funding team is dedicated not only to the mortgage industry but is also one of the top mortgage banks in the country. Glick works for the Southeast team headed by Kelly Allison, a significant leader in the market.
During the 2008 to 2010 collapse, Glick continued working for the mortgage industry, assisting clients during a tumultuous time. “It’s like a badge of honor that you’ve made it through that period,” said Glick. “Fast-forward to 2020…[it/ Covid-19] was a completely new set of circumstances…Nobody knew what was going to happen.” In the housing industry, many were curious how 2021 would fare for homebuyers and sellers, especially after 2020 and the wake of the pandemic. In 2021, the market continued to exhibit robust conditions but presented its own unique circumstances. While there continued to be more than enough customers shopping for a new home, building material supply shortages and a lack of inventory created a housing inferno.
The current market still presents limited inventory, but now buyers are experiencing rising interest rates.
Before working for the New American Funding, Glick was a one-man show. While he experienced great success working solo, New American Funding encouraged personal growth and within his first year with the lender, Glick hired an assistant. Now, Glick has three assistants on his team to serve his growing clientele! “From a leadership perspective, I still wake up every day and come to work. We still work tirelessly for our clients, but I also get to think about growing my team and growing my business…which takes the mortgage industry and expands it.” For many years, the industry was transactional but now Glick sees it through a larger lens. Not only is New American Funding counseling and assisting its borrowers, but counseling and growing its team to invest in the future of the company.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about New American Funding or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com. Visit Jeff Glick’s New American Funding profile to learn more about his services.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Erica Lockwood, executive partner and managing director of DEI with Joseph Chris Partners, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) when hiring in the real estate industry. Lockwood joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
An executive recruiter, Lockwood has a 21-year history with Joseph Chris Partners and lives in Houston, Texas. In her role, Lockwood helps companies and people across the country see possibilities during recruitment and company expansions.
Based in the Houston market, Joseph Chris Partners is an executive search firm primarily focused on hiring for residential construction and real estate developers, with a large portion of day-to-day roles primarily targeted toward homebuilding. The company also works extensively in the commercial sphere with retail, office and industrial work, as well as mixed-use focuses.
The company works across the United States, as well as internationally. “We’ve been in business since 1977 and real estate has been our focus the entire time,” Lockwood said. “We are very blessed to be experiencing a crazy market like everybody else.” Many services offered by Joseph Chris Partners assist start-up companies or those experiencing expansions with market, land, accounting, finance, sales, construction, purchasing and estimating expertise.
To assist clients seeking to fill open positions, Joseph Chris Partners calls passive individuals, or those not actively seeking employment, on their clients’ behalf to share information about company culture and job opportunities. This is essential to acquire the necessary talent to move the company forward in a market saturated with open positions. “That’s the difference that we apply every day is just reaching out proactively versus…the post and hope,” Lockwood said. Lockwood’s role at Joseph Chris Partners evolved with assisting builders in strategy and initiatives to incorporate DEI into their companies corporate-wide. The next step for Lockwood was to fully understand everything about DEI — why it’s necessary and the daily value it brings to both companies and individuals.
Lockwood and Joseph Chris Partners talk with company leaders to learn what they are doing and where they are to then offer recommendations for advancement. Lockwood shared the residential and commercial construction industry has thousands of job openings but not enough people to move into those roles.
Traditionally, hiring managers look for individuals with industry experience and because of this trend, the hiring process can become redundant and leave positions open for extended periods of time. “Hiring managers [must] be open to looking at people who are outside of the industry that can bring attitude [and] aptitude,” Lockwood said. Most importantly [there has to be] a really solidly structured training program in place to make that transition successful.” Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Joseph Chris Partners or visit www.JosephChris.com
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Joseph Chris Partners and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times.
General Manager Kelly Fink with Milesbrand joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the company's successful history in the real estate industry. Fink joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment.
A member of the homebuilding and real estate industry for 25 years, Fink has spent the majority of her career working directly for homebuilders, developers and real estate companies, typically in marketing and sales roles. In her current role as General Manager, Fink is enjoying the agency side of the business. Fink said, “Real estate is really what I love and I just love being in this industry.” With a Masters in Residential Marketing (MIRM) designation from the National Association of Home Builders, Fink is very involved at a national level with the National Sales and Marketing Council (SMC) and Atlanta SMC.
A dedicated member of the industry for 30 years, Milesbrand is a full-service branding and marketing agency for real estate developers and home builders. When Dave Miles, the company president and brand strategist, founded the company, he realized the branding approach to home builders and communities was missing creative innovation and an emotional connection. Fink said, “Buying a home is the largest and most significant purchase of a person’s life. Milesbrand saw an opportunity to elevate the marketing and real estate to honor the significance of the purchase.” Milesbrand set out to redefine what the industry considered good work and become the gold standard for real estate marketing agencies. Under the brand promise “Land to Brand,” the Milesbrand team is passionate about supporting the premise that a new home purchase is the greatest one a customer will ever make.
To date, Milesbrand has earned over 116 Gold National awards from the National Association of Home Builders for marketing and branding of real estate developments and home builders, proving the company’s work is effective.
Her previous real estate industry experience allows her to recognize the common lack of understanding of the industry and services that could prove valuable to potential clients. Fink said, “[My experience] definitely prepared me for the role…I’ve always been in awe of the work Milesbrand has done. To be on the agency side, this is the only agency I would want to be a part of.” Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about Milesbrand or visit www.Milesbrand.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Milesbrand and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show,
My Hometown Realty Group Founder and CEO Amy McCoy joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss fair housing and DEI. McCoy joins host Carol Morgan on the All About Real Estate segment to discuss diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) while sharing the difference between a Realtist and Realtor.
Serving the Georgia markets for over 17 years, McCoy is an active member on several real estate boards with previous experience as president of the West Georgia Board of Realtors. McCoy also shared she is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion and defining equitable solutions for the housing industry. McCoy said, “Through inclusion and the expansion of fair housing efforts, it is my hope that my reputation will continue to earn me that respect between my comrades and colleagues…so that those [who] want to invest in their community of choice, have an opportunity.” Embracing the title of Realtist in place of Realtor, McCoy remains a proud member of the Realtor organization. Also known as the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, McCoy is a chairman of the Realist organization, providing a space for Realtors of color, a canvas for democracy in housing and access to resources. McCoy said, “These organizations exist because we are still defining civil rights. The number one vehicle in wealth and building is real estate, so if we’re still defining that, then that means we still have work to do.” With two locations in the metro area, My Hometown Realty Group is a boutique firm that places a strong focus on client goals. McCoy caters to clients residing in the state of Georgia as well as internationally. While serving as an advisor for the Atlanta Housing Authority, she noticed they lacked presence in communities desperately in need of affordable housing solutions. Recognizing these areas as the remnants from redlining and the difficulty obtaining traditional financing for areas of color, McCoy found sources outside of the U.S. to obtain financing to revitalize Atlanta housing and increase property values.
The Dollar in Power community, a real estate syndicate co-founded by McCoy and professional black women, targets areas of color, not only from a residential aspect but also commercial reinvestment. When looking at rental opportunities, My Hometown Realty Group helps with lease procurements and management within the commercial realm but strongly focuses on residential.
When McCoy saw a need for affordable housing in certain areas, she recognized the chain effect of an unfair playing field. Through her personal experiences, McCoy recognizes the journey still ahead of the housing industry and uses that from a rental standpoint to assess accessibility and community values.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about My Hometown Realty Group or visit www.MyHometownATL.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. My Hometown Realty Group and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Atlanta Jewish Life Festival Moved to February 27 Editor and Managing Publisher of the Atlanta Jewish Times Kaylene Ladinsky joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival. Ladinsky joins radio show host Carol Morgan for the Around Atlanta segment.
Since 2011, Ladinsky has worn many hats at the Atlanta Jewish Times, from writer, associate publisher and business manager to her current roles as editor and managing publisher. She is a recipient of multiple Simon Rockower awards and currently serves as an executive board member of the American Jewish Press Association as well as a member of the National Newspaper Association.
Producer of the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival, Ladinsky shared the event’s purpose is to celebrate the Atlanta Jewish community. With a new date on February 27, the event is open to everyone and takes place at the Georgia Aquarium, showcasing live music, entertainment and nosh! Each ticket also includes all-day access to the aquarium’s exhibits.
NOTE DATE CHANGE: February 27, 2022 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Georgia Aquarium Ladinsky said, “We want our community to support us as a diverse part of Atlanta as a whole.” This year's event features new caterers showcasing delicious Israeli and Jewish food that pairs perfectly with the aquarium’s brand-new exhibit, SHARKS! Predators of the Deep. Additional entertainment apart from live music from Rabbi Jake, the Atlanta Jewish Boys Choir and Hannah Zale provides more interaction and encourages conversation within the community. Each festival attendee will walk away with plenty of swag and free goodies courtesy of event sponsors and vendors.
The Atlanta Jewish Life Festival is known for its “Nosh Pit,” where attendees can explore a wide array of delicious food options. Participating food vendors include Toco Grill, Keith’s Corner Barbecue, Cotton Cravings, EB Catering Co. and more. All food options are registered Kosher.
Ladinsky shares that the festival is limiting the number of organizations participating in order to keep the event safe and socially distanced for visitors. Guests can also expect big-name surprise speakers to top off the already exciting lineup! Ladinsky said, “You’re having so much fun you lose track of time!” The Atlanta Jewish Life Festival is sponsored by The Marcus Foundation, The Georgia Aquarium, Balloons Over Atlanta, the Morris Family Foundation and more incredible sponsors.
Tune in to the full interview above to learn more about the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival and get tips for first-time visitors from Ladinsky. Visit www.AtlantaJewishLifeFestival.com to purchase tickets. Tickets start at $8 for children and $22 for adults.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The Atlanta Jewish Times, The Atlanta Jewish Life Festival and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
Blue Tangerine Owner Greg Bray joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss marketing tactics for the new year and website building tips. Bray joins host Carol Morgan for the All About Real Estate segment.
An internet professional long before it was widely used, Bray was a computer science major at Brigham Young University. Since the '90s, Bray has been working on websites and now owns the widely respected Blue Tangerine, a digital marketing and website development agency. Bray said, “I really love helping people build their businesses. That’s truly the heart of what I love.” Blue Tangerine specializes in online lead generation for residential construction home builders. After constructing a better website, Blue Tangerine helps drive increased traffic with tools such as SEO, page search and email marketing. With proper techniques, the traffic then converts into leads. Blue Tangerine analyzes traffic on a consistent basis to ensure the site is reaching desired audiences.
The past two years of the pandemic created a sizzling hot real estate market in Atlanta as well as across the country. Bray shares that he does not believe this can persist! He says now is the time to take advantage of the record-breaking numbers to make lead generation effective. This way when traffic numbers begin to fall, you’ll have a stable of leads to continue to work on. Bray said, “We need to start stepping back and saying it’s not going to be like this forever. I need to prepare.” Another trend Bray has seen is companies marketing further down the customer service chain. Before, many builders targeted audiences based on lead generation, but the pandemic changed the game. With real estate sales backlogged, the main goal is to help customers feel connected to the homebuying process while waiting for availability. These updated practices increase customer engagement and elevate the entire process.
Focusing on e-commerce is another popular trend to better support transactions on a builder’s website during the pandemic. Any time a customer gives a builder information to move the buying process forward is considered a transaction. The benefit of having a virtual and seamless buying experience is the added convenience as well an additional level of connection that customers feel with many other businesses.
The big question is how can a website support every transactional touchpoint throughout the buying process? Tune in to the interview to find the answer to this and much more!
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Blue Tangerine or visit www.BlueTangerine.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Blue Tangerine and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest,
Dementia Spotlight Foundation Co-Founder and Executive Director Whitney DeMarlo Oeltmann joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the Foundation's story. Oeltmann joins host Carol Morgan for the Around Atlanta segment.
At 68 years old, Oeltmann’s father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Following his diagnosis, the family struggled to find resources and support to cope and move forward. In response to the lack of resources, Oeltmann and her mother founded the Dementia Spotlight Foundation, a nonprofit to support dementia patients and their families. Modeled after Oeltmann’s experience, the Foundation fills a lot of gaps that are missing for them.
Through her journey, Oeltmann noticed a lack of knowledge surrounding dementia and its most common form, Alzheimer’s disease. Dementia is a terminal brain illness that results in the loss of memory and often leads to further complications. With other terminal diagnoses, patients receive a path forward to cope with what lies ahead. Unfortunately, this is not the case with dementia patients. Oeltmann said, “Our vision was to wrap people from that moment of diagnosis…to have someone to talk to, move forward and really focus on care.” People often assume dementia solely affects memory loss, but the disease reaches much further. Brain disease also affects cognition – how a person thinks and approaches things as well as physical capabilities. Oeltmann shared that it is crucial to understand the disease and its signs first and foremost in order to move forward. Oeltmann said, “It changes everything…Financially, it is devastating what it has done to families.” The pandemic was notably isolating for dementia patients and their families. Through the Foundation’s Care Partner Program as well as virtual and in-person support groups, there is a strong focus on maintaining social connections. To have that personal link through volunteering and support groups has an incredible impact as many dementia patients are forced to part ways with their careers and commitments upon diagnosis.
Dementia Mentors is a mentoring program that matches participants with a mentor based on the diagnosis. An international program, Dementia Mentors offers support through shared experiences and 48 virtual “Connection Cafes” monthly.
The Respite Care Program offers caregivers relief and personal time to focus on themselves and complete tasks with the confident knowledge that their loved one is in safe hands.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on the Dementia Spotlight Foundation or visit www.DementiaSpotlightFoundation.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The Dementia Spotlight Foundation and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a gue...
New American Funding Regional Sales Manager Jason Redman joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss unique loan products for military borrowers. Redman joins host Carol Morgan for the All About Real Estate segment.
With 21 years of mortgage experience, Redman’s background also includes working as a police officer with experience as an instructor, dog handler and SWAT officer. Before his time as a civil servant, he served in the Air Force. Now, he works alongside his wife to assist as many customers as possible with mortgages.
One of the top 10 privately-owned mortgage companies in the United States, New American Funding is a dominant force in the southeast in new construction, purchase loans and more. The New American Dream initiative and minority-focused programs are stable commitments to the surrounding communities in many different aspects. Redman said, “We’ve had a good focus with strong leadership that’s made us who we are. I think people look for a company that has the right culture and feel because they want to feel connected to the people they want to do business with.” With a focus that caters to the needs of its military borrowers who served and are currently serving, New American Funding offers products that fit the unique military family situation. The end goal is to make the process easier for all customers, especially military borrowers and their families.
One-on-one personal assistance is a fundamental principle at New American Funding that is crucial in company practices and lender-borrower relationships. Redman also shared that the feedback New American Funding receives is the most impactful part of his role. “Families send us pictures of kids in the backyard and…they’re favorite things about buying a home. [It] continually reinforces why we do it. Doing that for the patriots is the ultimate level of service.” Redman, who specializes in VA loans, shared a recent change that provides unlimited borrowing power for primary residences for military borrowers with no previous VA loans. A VA loan, or veteran affairs loan, offers flexible guidelines, standards and loan backing for military borrowers and their families. Adjustable credit guidelines, zero down payment, and no PMI and more create a worry-free homebuying experience.
The newest New American Funding Initiative, Military Heroes Focus, is currently in development. Expected in early 2022, the program provides an easy way for veterans to identify and locate a loan officer. One of the highest-rated lenders in the southeast, this program will allow military borrowers to find New American funding lending officers with a shared experience to create more impactful and successful homebuying experiences.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Jason Redman and New American Funding or visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate indu...
Fischer Homes Builds Poplar Place, First Atlanta Active Adult Community Fischer Homes Marketing Manager Carrie Rogiers joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the builder’s first active adult community in the Atlanta market. Rogiers joins show host Carol Morgan for the All About Real Estate Segment.
Responsible for social media, public relations and marketing new communities, Rogiers has been with Fischer Homes for eight years. Before this role, she held an agency position working on various CPG brands such as Procter & Gamble and Hershey. Craving something new, Rogiers wanted to switch to a more client-based role. While building her own home with Fischer Homes, Rogiers developed a meaningful relationship with her sales counselor and today, she is the company’s marketing manager! Rogiers said, “It’s truly a great fit. It’s a lot of fun and a great company. I’m glad to be a part of it!” Founded in northern Kentucky, the privately held builder recently celebrated its 40th anniversary. The work of founders Henry and Elaine Fischer transformed the company into one of the top 30 builders in the country.
As one of Rogiers’s first assignments eight years ago, she assisted the Fischer Homes entrance into the Atlanta market including opening a design center and promoting new communities. Now building and developing in eight active markets, Fischer Homes builds in Columbus, Indianapolis, Dayton, Louisville and St. Louis. Rogiers said, “We are on pace to have a record year! It’s a very exciting time to be in homebuilding!” The pandemic changed the face of real estate as home plans shifted from bright, open floor plans to designs prioritizing privacy and separation.
In line with current popular trends, Fischer Homes products offer flexible space for homebuyers, whether there is a need for a home office and gym or room for an expanding family. Rogiers predicts this need is here to stay as more homebuyers add “stay-at-home spaces” to their homebuying wish list.
The builder’s new Dallas, Georgia community, Poplar Place, is the first Fischer Homes patio home and active adult community in the Atlanta market. The development features six ranch-style home plans with optional loft space or additional bedrooms. A home to fit all needs, the first level promotes single-family living while the second story provides extra space.
At the newly renovated Fischer Homes Lifestyle Design Center in Atlanta, homeowners have the freedom to fully personalize their homes by choosing from hundreds of customization options.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information about Fischer Homes communities or visit www.FischerHomes.com to learn more.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Fischer Homes and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Black Film Festival Atlanta Founder Raecine Tyes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to invite you to attend this year’s event. She also reminisces on the event’s impressive first year while sharing details about what to expect when the festival returns Feb. 1-6, 2022. Tyes joins show host Carol Morgan for the Around Atlanta segment.
An author of two motivational books and a children's novel with experience in event coordinating and production, Tyes has always loved film and anything creative. When she came up with the idea for Black Film Festival Atlanta, Tyes’s mission was to highlight the work of talented filmmakers who may not have the opportunity to showcase their products. Tyes said, “Our goal is also to educate the new filmmaker with industry-related resources and to try to provide an excellent opportunity for networking.” Whenever industry experts are willing to take the time to share industry-related tips or advice for independent filmmakers, it is incredibly beneficial for both participants and attendees.
Tyes shared that she was always involved in something creative, whether she was filming an event for a client or promoting independent films in Georgia. One day, she decided to set up a platform for filmmakers. Initially, she expected a few participants to submit entries to showcase on a local college campus. Unexpectedly, the inaugural festival received 300 submissions which led to a six-day event showcasing 70 independent filmmakers. “I wasn’t sure what to expect my first time around, but we really got some top-notch films,” said Tyes. “We got submissions from Emmy winners… [and well-known actors]. I was just kind of blown away.” The festival quickly grew into an event beyond Tyes’s imagination. Now known as the Hollywood of the South, Georgia is a magnet for up-and-coming filmmakers as well as existing and well-known talent in the industry.
In addition to creating a platform for local filmmakers, the inaugural festival featured nine celebrity judges, including singer Al B. Shore! and filmmaker Deon Taylor. Recognized by the mayor’s office in its first year, the festival received attendees from across the country as well as a few international guests!
Featuring a wide range of genres, attendees can expect to see horror, romance, action and more showcased in this year’s submissions. This year, the festival will be conducted virtually. Tickets can be purchased via Eventbrite and each day will offer separate screen selections.
The festival hosts an Actor’s Boot Camp and a Writer’s Winetasting. The Brunch with a Filmmaker event allows industry professionals and filmmakers to discuss projects and offer valuable information for attendees.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on the Black Film Festival Atlanta or visit www.BlackFilmFestivalAtlanta.com to learn more.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Black Film Festival Atlanta and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
State of Atlanta Housing Market with FMLS FMLS President Jeremy Crawford joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the current state of the Atlanta housing market and the company's pioneering virtual services. Crawford joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A premier Atlanta multiple listing service (MLS), FMLS has over 56,000 brokers and agents using its service. In the last year, the company experienced 15 percent in growth and is now the fourth-largest MLS in the nation, with brokers from every state as well as outside the U.S. Crawford said, “I always love to talk about the stats and talk about the data. What we saw last year really paved the way for 2022.” Atlanta Home Prices Increasing Rapidly In a recent publication, Bloomberg shared that Atlanta is posting faster pricing increases than any other metro area market in the nation. Inflation, unemployment down to 2.4 percent and rent increasing by 24 percent year over date are all components that create the number one market for investors. Homes Being Sold to Investors Over 32 percent of homes purchased in last year's third quarter were purchased by investors in place of homeowners. This trend drives up prices and affects home affordability. Compared to 40 other metro areas, investors continue to look at the hot Atlanta housing market. Lack of Inventory Homes in Atlanta Market Closing out 2021, the number one problem in the Atlanta market is the lack of inventory. Constraints on new homes, rentals, the new home construction market and a historically low supply present problems for homebuyers entering the market.
Previously, the median market time was 25 days with a three-month supply of homes available, creating a healthy, seller-centric market. Currently, there is a one-month inventory with the median market at eight days. “We thought we were going to see a slowdown and it didn’t happen,” said Crawford. “The sales price on average is up 30 percent compared to October 2020.” Other Home Buying Trends With a large instant buyer market, many Atlanta investors purchase properties in order to renovate or build out portfolios. Build-to-rent is also increasing in popularity and with rent up 20 percent year-over-year, there are plenty of opportunities for investors to profit.
Another trend in today’s market is the lease-to-own model. Companies lease properties to consumers for two years, and during this time the tenants build a down payment and credit. This allows them to buy the home at the end of the two-year period. Quite a few companies are moving towards this model to allow more tenants to transition from leasing to homeownership and increase home affordability.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on FMLS or visit www.firstmls.com to learn more.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. FMLS and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2022)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 216,000+ loans for $56.8 billion, 171 branches and about 4,500+ employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America seven times. For more information, call 678-898-3540 or visit https://branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Placemaking an Important Part of Land Planning at St. Bourke President of St. Bourke Ben Simpson joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the land planning, St. Bourke’s history and its contribution to placemaking in metro Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. Simpson joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Passionate business owner, property developer, community builder and placemaker are just a few things that describe Simpson. With a 25-year track record of leading great project teams and stakeholders, Simpson strives to create vibrant communities and developments for clients.
Simpson took on the role of president at St. Bourke after working with Australia’s largest residential community builder and diversified property group, Stockland, for 16 years. In his previous role, Simpson was responsible for the design, management and development of a significant property portfolio valued at more than $16 billion, which included 23,000 residential lots across seven major master-planned communities.
Before working with Stockland, Simpson held various private and public roles in the real estate industry and contributed to several projects with international and national significance.
A professional services business and consultancy agency, St. Bourke specializes in asset management and property development, primarily focusing on residential communities and commercial assets. The developer also has a qualified construction and management team that consists of civil engineers, landscape architects, land planners, market researchers and analysis and business finance experts with over 200 years of combined experience. Simpson said, “Today, our focus is on problem-solving stalled or abandoned communities that were the victim of the downturn.” St. Bourke was founded in 2015 by Drapac Capital Partners to work on all the assets they acquired during the great recession. Drapac is an international property investment firm that expanded to the U.S. in 2011 to acquire undervalued assets. In need of an in-house team to oversee all assets and accompanying stakeholders, Drapac Capital Partners established St. Bourke.
Created as a property investment firm, St. Bourke holds a unique position in the real estate industry, assessing the market through an investment lens. As well as creating enduring communities, the property developer seeks to ensure all projects are commercially successful and viable ventures for clients. Simpson said, “It’s a really healthy thing for us to do to make sure our first measure of success is it needs to be able to be funded [and] commercially successful… That gives us our license to continue what we’re doing.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information on St. Bourke or visit www.StBourke.com to learn more.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. St. Bourke and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Affordable Homes Available from Smith Douglas Homes Vice President of Sales for Smith Douglas Homes Jamie Chastain joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the builder's new metro Atlanta communities. Chastain joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A Georgia native, Chastain started in the industry 24 years ago in general real estate and, in the early 2000s, made the switch to new home sales. Chastain remarks that she feels lucky to have the opportunity to grow her career into a leadership position at Smith Douglas Homes in Atlanta.
With a mission to provide a wide range of affordable housing, Smith Douglas Homes has been a prominent metro Atlanta builder for over 40 years. Chastain said, “Quality and affordability are a high focus, and it has been a little challenging this year to keep that vision alive.” When Founder Tom Bradbury launched the company, the Atlanta market mainly consisted of private home builders, now the market is comprised mainly of large public home builders. Today, Smith Douglas Homes continues to build affordable homes for first-time buyers in a highly sought-after market. Whether moving into a first home or downsizing to a smaller product, the builder offers a variety of products, perfect for every type of homebuyer.
Currently, Smith Douglas Homes is constructing in 32 active communities stretching across Georgia.
Nestled between the cities of Woodstock and Roswell, the townhome community of Concord has been well received. With access to a wide array of vicinities, this community offers residents a constant stream of events, activities and top-rated restaurants and businesses for a vibrant way of life.
Crestwood, located near the popular downtown area of Rome, enjoys access to local universities, a colorful roster of local businesses as well as top local medical facilities. The community features two-story and ranch-style homes, ranging from 1,202 to 2,095 square feet of living space. “We are seeing so much growth in all of these communities that have good vicinity to Atlanta…that are further away [but still have great accessibility.]” Currently sold out of its first phase, Hastings Manor in Hampton provides a great environment for residents that speaks to a wide range of interests. The quaint community showcases traditional two-story homes with easy access to nearby green spaces, I-75 and Hartsfield Jackson International Airport.
“If there’s anything COVID and this market have taught us, it’s that people are more in tune with how they want their home to live,” said Chastain. “It’s really challenged us as builders to ensure that we’re thinking strategically through our consumers' eyes.”
Tune in to the interview above for more information on Smith Douglas Homes and visit www.SmithDouglas.com to discover upcoming communities.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Smith Douglas Homes and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Youth and Millennial Engagement Coordinator Cameron Friend and Farris Watkins, great-niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss The King Center and the great legacy of Dr. King. Friend and Watkins join hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta Segment.
With a tremendous legacy to uphold, part of Friend’s role as youth and millennial engagement coordinator at The King Center is to find ways to connect upcoming generations with the principal steps towards nonviolence. Established by Coretta Scott King in the year Dr. King was assassinated, The King Center upholds the teachings of the late Civil Rights leader and offers training and education focused on the center’s mission. Friend works to find ways to share the story of Dr. King with younger generations looking to help solve challenges throughout the world. Friend shared, “We just want to make sure we’re empowering and equipping the next generation with the tools necessary to help them understand the critical issues and learn how to rethink those issues according to the tenants of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” Fondly known to her as Uncle ML, Watkins shared how she remembers Dr. King not as a famous historical figure but as her uncle with a servant’s heart. She also shared how her family taught her to remember her great uncle’s legacy as an honor and sacrifice rather than prestige. Watkins said, “He was a family man first. He cared so much about his family and his church.” While representing the story of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the existence of The King Center is in thanks to the work of Coretta Scott King, the wife of the late civil rights leader. Mrs. King oversaw the center's work until she died, continuing his teachings for emerging generations. The center is the only international living memorial to the life and legacy of both Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King, also housing the crypts of the two historical figures on the museum campus.
Friend remarked on the tremendous honor and responsibility surrounding the center's mission to promote and support “The Beloved Community” and the movement of nonviolence. Through the ReThink podcast, Watkins and Friend help to deliver the tools available to listeners in order to have relevant and impactful conversations. In the current culture, these conversations are more important than ever due to prominent societal divisions. Friend said, “People are always trying to find ways, especially young people, to resolve issues.” Tune in to the full interview above for more information on The King Center, the legacy of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King as well as the ReThink podcast, hosted by Farris Watkins and Cameron Friend. To learn more about The King Center, visit www.TheKingCenter.org.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on The King Center, the legacy of Dr. King and Mrs. Coretta Scott King as well as the ReThink podcast, hosted by Farris Watkins and Cameron Friend. To learn more about The King Center, visit www.TheKingCenter.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The King Center and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
New Home Sales Consultant and Associate Broker with McKinley Homes Xi Veerkamp joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss her impressive OBIE win as well as recent McKinley Homes developments. Veerkamp joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
After moving to the U.S. to complete her undergraduate degree in 2008, Veerkamp received her M.B.A. in real estate from Georgia State University. In 2018, she joined the McKinley Homes team as a land acquisition analyst and later, became the land acquisition manager before transitioning into her role in new home sales.
Although a relatively new company, McKinley Homes is a fast-growing metro Atlanta builder, experiencing nearly 40% growth year over year. With plans to reach 1,000 closings in the Atlanta market as well as expand into other markets, McKinley Homes is celebrating the ground-breaking of a 40-unit luxury condominium development in New York. Not limited to residential projects, the builder also specializes in retail, commercial and custom home construction. Veerkamp said, “I’m very honored to be a part of this team.” In January 2021, Veerkamp closed an astonishing 47 sales, setting her up for a year of continued success. Before she stepped into her role as a new home sales consultant, there was an average of four sales per month. In her first month, she closed on five sales and has since closed an average of 16 sales per month for the new home sales division. Veerkamp credits the products and marketing provided by the McKinley Homes team for her incredible success. Veerkamp shared, “The more you work, the more you get in return in this industry.” To combat the current inventory shortage, McKinley Homes is working to bring more communities to the market while focusing on pricing, location and product to meet buyer needs. In Veerkamp’s opinion, regardless of the state of the market, those three components are key to successfully selling homes.
A top McKinley Homes community located less than 10 minutes from downtown Woodstock and two miles from I-575, East of Main is virtually sold out but still has opportunities in its sister development! A unique community feature, the McKinley Homes team constructed a shopping center directly in front of the development to offer residents of this 58-unit townhome community great access to nearby retail opportunities.
Nearly selling out of its first phase soon after opening, Estates at Starr Creek features single-family homes situated on expansive lots, some surpassing half an acre. Close proximity to downtown Cumming affords residents of this community a central Forsyth County location as well as easy access to local amenities.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on McKinley Homes. To learn more about upcoming communities and discover this award-winning metro area builder, visit www.McKinleyHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. David Weekley Homes and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information,
Atlanta Division President Adam Cornett with David Weekley Homes joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the home builder's unique business approach, affordable housing and more. Cornett joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Part of the David Weekley Homes team since 2014 and a previous division president for the Dallas market, Cornett is a recent addition to the Atlanta team. David Weekley Homes is the largest privately-held home builder in the country and Cornett relayed the pride he holds in being a part of a team that focuses on customers and team members first and foremost. The privately-held builder operates in 19 markets across the country and provides a variety of products from smaller entry-level homes and townhomes to $2 million homes. Cornett said, “We’re not just a homebuilding company that’s only intention is to build homes.” David Weekley Homes has a unique ownership structure that creates room to care for its team members and participate in the local community. Forty-five years after Founder David Weekley constructed the company, the builder and its philanthropic efforts continue to thrive.
The structure of David Weekley homes is incredibly unique among home builders. Shares and profits are split into thirds with three owners -- the Weekley family, The David Weekley Foundation (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) and the employees. The company structure ensures a portion of profits and future prosperity returns to the community. And because team members have a vested interest in the company, they grow hand in hand with the company.
Nearly 311,000 people nationwide received a hearty Thanksgiving meal, thanks to the partnership of David Weekley Homes and 17 charities across the U.S. Throughout November, the company hosted its seventh annual companywide Thanksgiving Drive, collecting approximately 93,000 pounds of food and more than $110,000 for 17 local nonprofit organizations around the country with help from homeowners, real estate agents, vendors, trade partners and team members.
The annual drive is an initiative of the company’s CARE program, which allows the extended David Weekley Homes family to live out its purpose of Building Dreams, Enhancing Lives. Over the past 20 years, more than $250 million has been donated to worthy causes around the world through company earnings and The David Weekley Family Foundation. In addition, team members have volunteered countless hours with various organizations across the country.
Whether it’s products and designs or the buyers themselves, Cornett shared that the industry is constantly on the move. “There is always something changing in the industry,” said Cornett. “If somebody is working in homebuilding and they’re getting bored, they’re simply not paying attention.” Modern farmhouses are a popular emerging trend, reflecting a simple style of architecture not commonly seen in the industry for the past 20 years. Other emerging trends, including increasing land and labor prices, make offering homes at price points that meet all society income levels challenging. To combat this, there are many product trends attempting to bridge the gap and create more affordable housing options.
Tune in to the full interview above for more information on David Weekley Homes. To explore homeownership opportunities and learn more about the home builder, visit www.DavidWeekleyHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. David Weekley Homes and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show.
Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce CEO Cindy Williams joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the benefits of joining a local chamber of commerce. Williams joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
After completing her undergraduate program at Piedmont University and MBA at Auburn University, Williams entered the chamber industry and has been an active member for the past 15 years. Currently the CEO of the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce, Williams firmly believes in the chamber's mission, which is “to serve, promote and add value to the businesses of the community.”
A chamber of commerce assists local businesses through marketing opportunities, including printed and digital materials, to promote the local economy. Members pay an annual fee to receive access to various resources such as networking events to encourage collaboration among local businesses. The Cartersville Chamber also offers educational classes for business owners requiring assistance with critical operational components such as QuickBooks as well as HR and legal courses. Williams said, “I like for our chamber to really serve the needs of what that businesses want. Our team will really go to work to make that happen.” The Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce has a long list of services offered, but if a business owner approaches with a specific need, Williams and her team work hard to ensure that need is met.
Initiatives and legislation set forth by the local government support the local business community of Cartersville and Bartow County and a location off I-75 with seven interchanges also affords fantastic local traffic. Tremendous tourism assets attract many visitors and promote a higher quality of life for new citizens and businesses. “There is a cooperative and collaborative environment in Bartow County that is among the municipalities and local government,” shared Williams. “When you have a core team of people who believe in serving the local business and make the environment right…they are truly pro-business.” While many are unaware of the purpose of a chamber of commerce, these organizations are the invisible helpers working behind the scenes to create positive work environments for local communities.
Tune in to the full interview for more information on the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce, or visit www.CartersvilleChamber.com. To discover your local chamber of commerce and find membership information, click here.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
New American Funding Branch Manager Anthony Holt joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss lender-borrower communication, developing positive builder relationships and more. Holt joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A veteran of the mortgage industry with 23 years of experience, Holt has been with New American Funding, the largest privately held and minority-owned mortgage company in the U.S., for four years. The company has many initiatives making great strides for minority homeownership and is a regular advocate for homebuyers.
What sets New American Funding apart from its competitors is the vibrant and diverse company culture. The relatable management team and bottom-up business approach promote the success of the company's lenders in a business where relatability and understanding are key.
Consumers tend to shop for interest rates when purchasing a home, but Holt advises asking friends and relatives about their homebuying experiences. A positive interaction between a lender and a homebuyer is key to achieving the goal of homeownership. Holt shared that he reminds his team to work on communication because that is the essential part of the lender and borrower relationship. Holt said, “We talk about being available [but] communication is 90% of it.” The difference between other lenders and New American Funding is the extra effort put in by its employees and the positive, meaningful relationships with its borrowers. Holt ensures every member of his team also has a loan officer assistant to allow more time to connect with agents, structure loans and act as an advocate for borrowers.
The organization's app GoGo LO, available for download on the app store and Google Play, allows effortless communication between agents, borrowers and lenders to elevate the lending experience at New American Funding. The app shares buyer updates, credit scores, milestones and more with lenders and agents.
New American Funding is constantly innovating and reinventing itself with new processes and products to fit specific homebuyer needs within the industry. In the residential real estate market, the number of homes under construction, as well as home prices, dramatically increased in the past 12 months. In such a tumultuous market, Holt recognizes the importance of maintaining strong relationships with local builders. Holt shared, “My approach to the builders in my community is, ‘Let me be a partner to help you with the loans you are finding you cannot get to the closing table,’" shared Holt. "We use that as a way to develop [strong] relationships with builders.” For more information about New American Funding, visit the website to view loan products, services and to connect with a loan officer. To learn more about Anthony Holt, click here. Tune into the full interview below!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Esta...
National Online Sales Counselor (OSC) Trainer and Founder of Blue Gypsy, Inc., Leah Fellows joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the 2021 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop results. Fellows joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
With over 16 years of industry experience, Fellows started her career onsite and in 2006, became an online sales counselor. After seeing a lack of education for OSCs and realizing that most builders needed assistance to help successfully adopt an OSC program, Fellows founded Blue Gypsy, Inc., a company dedicated to the training and development of OSCs. “There just weren’t enough trainers out there teaching people how to be online sales counselors,” said Fellows. “Currently as a boutique trainer to builders…I only work with about six to eight builders a year…to focus on personalized assistance.” In partnership with Denim Marketing and Melinda Brody and Company, Blue Gypsy, Inc. organized the second annual Homebuyer Mystery Shop to collect data on the follow-up engagement of 50 builders across the country. Online inquiries were submitted with specific information and a question to evaluate a builder’s follow-up and the success of its lead follow-up program. The survey analyzed local, regional and national builders while looking at a variety of factors over a 30-day period to see how companies are engaging buyers on a personalized and marketing level.
An online sales counselor is a dedicated role on a builder’s team that responds to all incoming website contact forms, as well as leads from other advertising sources. These individuals or teams respond to the initial inquiry as well facilitate ongoing engagement with potential homebuyers. In 2020, 58% of builders had OSCs and in 2021, the number of builders adopting an online sales program increased by 2%, a slight improvement. Fellows shared that she was surprised the number was not higher. Fellows shared, “My other surprise was that the actual engagement was lower.” With the dedicated OSC position, there is an expected higher quality of follow-up. However, the survey found a decrease due to several contributing factors. Pandemic complications such as supply chain shortages, land availability and a higher number of buyers led to home builders limiting sales in developing communities to combat the inventory shortage. With more than enough buyers for available homes, homebuyer follow-up can fall by the wayside, negatively impacting customer service and a builder’s future reputation.
While the housing industry is experiencing a boom in sales, the real estate market historically experiences ebbs and flows. When buyers are experiencing doubts in the face of skyrocketing prices and bidding wars, an OSC can maintain a personalized follow-up to nurture the lead. When the buyer is ready to purchase a home, they are more likely to return to that builder due to the positive follow-up experience.
For more information about Blue Gypsy, Inc. and to dig into the full 2021 Homebuyer Mystery Shop Results, tune in to the full interview below and visit www.BlueGypsyInc.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Blue Gypsy, Inc. and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made ...
Darlene McLendon, president and CEO of the Museum of Aviation Foundation, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the rich history of aviation and the museum’s exhibits. McLendon joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
In 1987, McLendon served as a radar approach controller with the Federal Aviation Administration. After working in the Chamber of Commerce Industry for nine years, McLendon fell in love with community development and assumed leadership of the Museum of Aviation Foundation two years ago. The museum is attached to the field museum program of the United States Air Force Heritage program.
Located south of the main entrance to the Robins Air Force Base, the 50-acre campus is the second-largest air force museum in the United States. Pre-pandemic, the museum was the fourth most visited military museum in the country and in 2019, saw over 600,000 visitors.
Free for visitors to explore, the museum features four main hangars across indoor and outdoor exhibits that tell the story and heritage of the United States Air Force. Upon entering the property, an impressive B-1 bomber greets guests as well as the Eagle Building, which houses an F-15 that museumgoers can explore up close! A favorite among young visitors, the Eagle Building also houses an exhibit dedicated to General Robert Scott, a local war hero from Macon, and his legendary P-40 plane. McLendon shared, “Everyone loves seeing that plane and what it means!” The POW-MIA Monument Memorial, housed in the Nugteren Hangar, honors those lost in service of our country while vividly exploring the Vietnam War, a traumatic and sensitive time in United States history.
The Century of Flight Hangar is one of the biggest draws of the museum which showcases the SR-71, a plane that holds the world speed record as well as the Global Hall exhibit which tells the story of unmanned aviation and surveillance. On the second floor of the hangar, visitors have access to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame, an exhibit honoring Georgia’s leaders and their effect on the world of aviation. “It’s extremely interesting to see all of the honorees that have been inducted to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame,” said McLendon. “I always encourage people to visit that portion to see these leaders in our state.” The Scott Hangar, in honor of General Scott, showcases a walk-through exhibit honoring the story of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, the 507th Airborne and the most impressive addition, a B-17 currently in the process of restoration.
Along with exhibits that explore the history of aviation, the museum offers educational programs for young visitors to enjoy. The museum’s education platform, the STEM Academy, encourages young minds across the country to explore futures in STEM careers. The academy offers virtual tours, programs as well as summer camps for students of all ages.
For more information about the Museum of Aviation Foundation, tune in to the full interview below and visit www.MuseumOfAviation.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The Museum of Aviation Foundation and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
Byron Carlock, the U.S. real estate practice leader with PwC, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the results from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Emerging Trends Report. Carlock joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Celebrating 10 years with PwC, Carlock joined the company directly from industry after working for Trammell Crow Company. His previous experience includes serving as Chief Investment Officer with Post Properties and running a series of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) funds. He attended Harding University for his undergraduate program and Yale and Harvard for graduate school.
In its 43rd year, PwC partners with ULI to capture the sentiment of industry leaders each fall. The company recently released the ULI Emerging Trend Report to prepare businesses for the coming year.
The results from the 2022 ULI Emerging Trends Report reveal an optimistic outlook for the coming year while the industry is in an environment with plenty of equity and demand for most product types. Carlock said, “[ULI] is a great organization for collaborating with developers and friends of the industry.” Contractors, leaders, architects, title companies and lenders gather twice a year and sit on regional and product committees to share ideas to improve cities and neighborhoods throughout the industry.
This year’s ULI fall conference heavily focused on diversity, inclusion, recruitment and retention to ensure ongoing career progress for industry participants. “We’ve made great progress in the public real estate companies,” said Carlock. “We still have a lot to do in the construction industry in retaining talent in the leasing and management industries and bringing up a generation of developers that’s more diverse.” The report proved the industry is aware of the need for diversity which is a high priority in the talent management strategies of the survey’s respondents. More diversification in the industry will shift the focus to the redevelopment of areas that are victims of food, retail and healthcare deserts due to racially biased city planning in the mid-20th century.
“We are going to bury those interstates…and try to create a unity where there was division,” said Carlock. “Real estate can be a tool for that.”
At the beginning of the pandemic, the real estate industry was healthy. As the crisis continues, the industry is experiencing high demand and a supply-demand imbalance as well as a vision for the development and redevelopment of cities.
A large portion of the product available on the market lost its relevance after several industry shifts. There is a need for modern construction standards and more collaborative and team-centered technology for office spaces.
As far as environmental considerations, the real estate industry is behind. Many companies are moving towards carbon neutrality, rethinking the ways materials are developed and a space’s environmental experience.
On the user side, lead certification tremendously affects new tenant consideration. Many prospective buyers and renters do not consider spaces without a high lead certification or a high WELL health-safety rating.
Investors are also becoming more discriminant about the buildings in which they invest equity dollars to ensure they finance developments with long-lasting environmental considerations. This information is essential for companies that report their carbon footprint.
Along with a demand for space, there is a great need for investment products. REITs offer an opportunity for a dividend-yielding investment with a longstanding relevance in its community. The compatibility in the real estate sector transcends over to non-residential properties such as data centers, life science centers, student housing, self and cold storage. Those boxes transition into investment products that yield a dividend through rental income and are reasonably secure investments backed b...
Director of Marketing and Communications with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Adrion Bell joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Georgia Rental Assistance Program. Bell joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is a state agency that manages over 79 programs. From the Georgia Dream Program to the Housing Choice Voucher Program, the department offers housing assistance for renters and buyers, as well as historical preservation.
Due to the pandemic complications and skyrocketing unemployment rates, the U.S. Treasury released $25 billion for rental assistance across the nation. The state of Georgia received $989 million with strict guidelines from the Treasury on how to administer relief. Candidates must meet certain rental qualifications to ensure funds are directed to those behind on rent or facing eviction. Bell said, “The program is designed to keep people in their homes…and [assist] people who have been hit by the COVID crisis.” With varying rental rates, how long the funds will last is unpredictable, but Bell doubts program funds will run out any time soon. The process judges an applicant’s income at the time of application, unemployment and income reductions. The department has also offered retroactive rental assistance as far back as 18 months to keep people in their homes.
Landlords can also apply and must show there is an arrearage from one of the tenants as well as get the tenant to turn in an application. If both parties participate, the landlord receives the payment directly. Recently, a program division director spoke with one of metro Atlanta’s larger apartment associations to target landlords and encourage them to share the program with tenants. “It eases the burden on both the landlord and tenant,” Bell shared. “On a massive level, [the landlord] stands to lose more.” The Georgia Department of Community Affairs also offers legal services, working with local magistrates and court justices to represent applicants facing eviction in court.
With such a large influx of applications over the last year, the department hired 200 processors to ensure all files and documentation are in order. If there is an issue, the processors contact applicants by phone to correct any information. Bell said, “[With] all documentation complete, we usually get payments out within 30 to 60 days.” The program also offers a recertification process if a tenant has received aid previously but is still facing unemployment or eviction. The department will pay a few months in advance if requirements are met to offer a cushion.
Marketing for the compensation began in March 2020, using 12% of the budget for hiring, administration and marketing. To date, the department has spent $2 million in marketing efforts, including radio and television ads, paid social media, billboards, email blasts and more. To combat the widespread belief the program was fraudulent, the necessary marketing efforts allowed the department to spread the word about the assistance and ensure potential applicants of its legitimacy.
In addition to the $989 million provided by the U.S. Treasury, counties with more than 200,000 residents receive exclusive funding for the district. For the first allocation of $552 million, the department advertised and assisted exclusively in the metro area. The second allotment of $437 million overlaps with county funding per federal guidelines, allowing the department to assist statewide. Another $3 million has been approved through next June to increase outreach outside of Atlanta.
To learn more about the Georgia Rental Assistance Program, call 833-827-RENT or visit www.georgiarentalassistance.ga.gov.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Co-founder and Owner of The Stitchery in Rome, Stephanie Bradshaw joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss shop services, products and running a small business during a pandemic. Bradshaw joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Carrying two brands of sewing machines, Janome and Baby Lock, The Stitchery has been a small business marvel near downtown Rome for nine years. Classes, events and one-on-one training only scratch the surface of what The Stitchery offers customers. The store supports anything and everything sewing-related. “It all comes together, but there’s a lot of wheels in motion,” Bradshaw said. “We offer a lot!” Originally located on Broad Street in downtown Rome, its new location on Central Plaza is still near the hustle and bustle of Rome with more space for classes and an in-house machine repair shop.
The purchase of a machine at The Stitchery comes with a complimentary entry-level sewing class. The considerable repertoire of classes includes embroidery, sewing, quilting and the basics. Participants bring their machines to learn essential sewing tasks, such as sewing a button on or taking up a hem.
With her experience running a female-owned small business, Bradshaw says the best perk is her independence. After her business partner retired three years ago, she assumed sole partnership and oversaw more aspects of her business, as well as relied on herself more.
The past year presented many problems for businesses globally, but 2020 also brought a new generation of people who love to sew. It all began with wanting to lend a hand with mask making, creating a brand-new sewing trend. While this may have died down, the movement transformed into a new hobby during the initial lockdown. From 12- to 65-years-old, new customers explored the world of sewing and quilting.
Bradshaw shared she also supports other small embroidery businesses by selling top-of-the-line machines and supplies.
While apparel sewing was replaced by fast fashion, creating bags, embroidering shirts and crafting items are taking off thanks to platforms like Pinterest and Etsy. As the industry progresses, so do its tools – rotary blades, rulers and heat-proof pins are more efficient than ever. “When you are making something for somebody, it is truly a gift of love,” Bradshaw said. Bradshaw predicts apparel is on the rise and quilting is more popular than ever! Lockdown brought a greater appreciation for creativity and people yearned for the slow process and mindfulness of sewing and quilting.
Recently featured in the University of Georgia Alumni magazine, Bradshaw also received a spotlight in the Bulldog 100 in 2018 and 2019, all incredible honors! She credits grit, determination and her admirable staff and clientele for the increasing success of Rome’s modern quilting shop.
To visit The Stitchery online and shop the extensive catalog, visit www.TheStitcheryRome.com. Shop fabrics, machines and more on the brand-new app available for Apple and Android and interact on Facebook and Instagram for updates on classes, products and shop news.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. The Stitchery and New American Funding are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Branch Manager with New American Funding Oscar Reto joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the lender’s programs for self-employed borrowers, his experience in accounting and the current state of the housing market. Reto joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Originally from Peru, Reto has called Charlotte, North Carolina home for the past 21 years and will soon celebrate his fifth anniversary as a lender with New American Funding. A military background has taught him valuable life lessons that are essential within the mortgage industry including adaptability, consistency and trust.
His successes in the industry include being named one of the top five Latino lenders by the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® (NAHREP) and ranking at No. 13 in the Southeast. Reto credits the team around him and the willingness of New American Funding to partner with borrowers for his success. “We are helping people achieve their dream,” Reto said. “It sounds simple but it’s very meaningful for us.” Reto’s degree in accounting and specialty in self-employment lending allows him to service and assist self-employed borrowers who traditionally face challenges from most lenders. The added combination of his experience with tax returns and New American Funding’s programs allows him to help clients achieve their dreams of homeownership.
Homebuying is an exciting but intimidating process. Reto believes that explaining the course of action to first-time buyers reduces stress and makes all the difference, turning the memory of purchasing a home into a fond and exciting one. His 20 years in the industry means Reto receives many calls from past first-time buyers sharing their positive experiences.
In the last couple of years, low-interest rates have spoiled buyers, and as rates begin to reflect normal numbers, now is the perfect time to purchase a home, according to Reto. The housing market will not have the same conditions as it did during the global pandemic and waiting might delay homeownership goals.
From Senior Vice President Kelly Allison to assistants and processors, every person at New American Funding is there to solve any potential obstacles when applying for a loan and purchasing a home “We have everyone’s hands full, from top to bottom,” Reto said. “The attitude is, let’s get this [done] and solve it together.” The lender’s many resources, platforms, programs and staff add up to incredible success for borrowers. Reto shared that what drove him to work for New American Funding was the company’s personalization. When discussing the lender’s services with other Realtors, they are regularly astonished by the programs and services offered to clients.
For more information about Oscar Reto, contact him at 704-839-1978, any day at any time! Visit the New American Funding website for more information on lending services and programs or to contact a loan officer.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page. Listen to the full interview above!
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information,
Greystar Managing Director John Roberson joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss Ascent Peachtree, downtown Atlanta’s newest unique development. Roberson joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A global multifamily rental housing firm, Greystar focuses on rental housing, from first-time apartments to active-adult communities and anywhere in between. The company controls its own assets and specializes in property management for existing owners. Roberson primarily focuses on the development and construction side of things and is specifically responsible for locking in opportunities from the ground up on vertical constructions in the metro Atlanta area.
Ascent Peachtree is an unforeseen development within the Atlanta area and is also an idea rarely seen across the country. While most projects start by placing the foundation in the earth, Ascent Peachtree begins 100 feet in the air. The existing structure is a nine-and-a-half-story parking deck built in 2001 by Cousins Properties, owners of several million square feet of space across the city and formerly the Peachtree Center.
Originally set to house an office building atop the parking deck, the 9/11 attacks stalled construction, causing the project to remain grounded. The structure sat as a parking deck for 20 years until Greystar purchased the property in 2018 to create a new residential complex out of thin air! In April 2019, the company “broke ground” on the unique project. “It is one of the most complicated projects I have ever worked on,” Roberson said. “Not only from a construction and design standpoint but from a financing standpoint too.” Greystar worked with two separate equity partners and two lenders including Invest Atlanta to provide 70 units of workforce housing to the main population as well as dwellings for every single cohort in metro Atlanta.
According to Roberson, the biggest challenge was meshing and conforming the Greystar vision cohesively with the original design of the parking deck. Another obstacle was the lack of control over where to place the front door of the lobby, but luckily, the welcome area faces Peachtree Avenue, now cattycorner to the new hub at the Peachtree Center.
Due to rapid changes in design and building regulations over the last 20 years, the Greystar team strategized to ensure visitors have a positive first impression of Ascent Peachtree. On the 12th level, the builder began with a clean slate, constructing units that each feature an unobstructed view of downtown Atlanta. The elevation offers residents a quiet space above the bustling metro area that rapidly transformed from a nine-to-five city to an 18- to 24-hour entertainment hub.
There are 345 units including 70 reserved for workforce housing, two-story townhomes with private outdoor terraces and standard studios. Amenities include an elevated pool deck, a state-of-the-art technology package, a workout facility featuring yoga and spin rooms, an amenities deck and a dog park.
The development also features a rooftop area 20 stories in the air with an uptown, evening concept. The space boasts a private wine room, soft ambient lighting and seating perfect for evening and resident events.
Residents also have ease of travel with a MARTA station and the Peachtree Center just 100 steps from the lobby. Additionally, international travel hub Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is less than 15 minutes from the complex, and nearly any destination in the city is a quick drive away. “We are truly in the heart of it all,” Roberson said. There was also a swath of open area between the exterior of the deck and the new development, allowing Greystar to include 360 degrees of green space for residents to enjoy. Private patios in townhome units, a dog park on the amenity deck 12 stories in the air and an elevated pool provide lush green space all around.
Jill Savitt, CEO for the National Center of Civil and Human Rights, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the center’s exhibits and the importance of advocating for civil and human rights. Savitt joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Savitt, involved with the museum for the last 10 years, became the CEO of the center two years ago. Before there was a physical building to house the center, Savitt curated the human rights gallery, an exhibit on the top floor that showcases human rights around the globe. “It’s such a delight to be able to come to Atlanta for this role. I love it. It’s a fantastic city,” said Savitt. "Our museum is really a backbone because [Atlanta] is the birthplace of civil rights and the hometown of Dr. King. We bring all of that storytelling to life in our museum.” The center is both a museum and a civil rights institution that centers around three stories. The first is the story of the U.S. civil rights movement titled “Rolls Down Like Water,” highlighting the narratives of those that many know as well as unknown heroes.
“Spark of Conviction,” the human rights gallery, links the civil rights movements of the fifties and sixties to the nonviolent human rights movements throughout the world in an immersive and dynamic experience. From large-scale world events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall to Tiananmen Square, the exhibit introduces viewers to the world’s human rights defenders taking up the cause of human dignity within their own societies.
Through several dynamic installations, the experience defines human rights, its origins and how they are enforced. There are also exhibits that focus on the greatest champions of human rights as well as some of the biggest perpetrators of human rights abuse, many of whom got away with their crimes.
The museum’s third permanent exhibit centers around the papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Named “Voice to the Voiceless,” the gallery is a sacred place to many and offers non-scholars a space to see the papers, handwriting and personal effects of Dr. King. The papers are rotated and showcased based on a particular theme and the current one, “Beloved Community,” allows visitors to see the famed leader’s papers discussing the importance of community.
Outside of the facility, the center hosts programs for schools K-12 to teach human rights history as well as a program for law enforcement that focuses on the history of human rights, law enforcement’s role in history and its responsibility to keep democratic societies healthy.
There is also a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Training Program offered to workforces looking to become more inclusive. There are also smaller programs that focus on LGBTQ+ rights and human trafficking. Savitt said, “Our overarching concern, our mantra, is to help people tap their own power to protect their rights and the world around them.” Equal Dignity at Work consists of seven different modules designed for workplaces to breach crucial topics, including workplace bias, industry trends, diversity and inclusion. The brave conversations allow participants to recognize prejudices and discuss them. The programs do not touch on recruitment, pipelining or nurturing talent but focus on connecting history to the present moment and breaking down barriers.
In the United States, the current political atmosphere makes it hard for many to discuss opposing views without leading to a larger argument. These brave conversations promote grace and acknowledge that while people may say unintentionally hurtful things, educating participants on rephrasing questions to keep topics open and calm is beneficial for exposing others to opposing arguments and educating in a healthy and respectful manner. “Workplaces are some of the most integrated places we have and are the perfect places to practice pluralism. It’s the place to talk to people who are different than you,
President of Beacon Management Services Lisa Simmons joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the Atlanta-based management firm as well as her numerous hikes across the world to raise money for BlazeSports. Simmons joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Beacon Management Services, a 10-year-old real estate management firm based in Atlanta, manages property throughout the state in virtually every county. The company primarily focuses on homeowner’s associations (HOAs), community and condominium associations, mixed-use developments and commercial projects. Currently, outreach from apartments and multi-family developments may soon lead to a new, exciting offering from the company by the end of the year. Atlanta is experiencing a boom in apartment development and Beacon Management Services is incredibly interested in the prospect.
The market is great for developers and home builders, and with seasoned managers and services, Beacon Management Services has been able to capitalize on the market's current state. With financial astuteness and organic growth, the company has experienced double-digit growth since its founding in 2011 purely by word-of-mouth. “Our customers are our best form of advertising. They are the ones that give us referrals [and leads] and tell us who to contact,” said Simmons. When a community is in development, Beacon can step in at virtually any point, but it is more beneficial to begin the partnership during construction to review documents with the builder, attorney and team members to guide them towards the best practices and policies for that particular development.
The community sales team is a critical component of the process and Beacon Management Services makes it a priority to introduce themselves to the sales team as soon as possible. The eyes and ears of a community, the sales team knows what is happening on the ground, which is very beneficial when Beacon cannot be there in person. Simmons shared, “That kind of intelligence gives us the background and information we need to better serve our clients and developers.” Formerly an onsite salesperson herself, Simmons understands the importance and necessity of the role. The sales team is there to sell homes and is not expected to understand every aspect of an HOA. There are many components to understand in an HOA and Beacon offers training to inform the sales team and attend sales meetings for additional clarity.
The main focus is for Beacon to partner with them to sell more homes quickly to satisfy the builder and developer’s goals. The relationship between Beacon Management Services and sales teams is an essential partnership.
BlazeSports is a legacy organization born out of the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. It serves physically challenged children, youths and veterans by providing them ways to participate and compete in sports. Simmons discovered the exceptional organization three years ago when she was interested in doing a fundraiser in conjunction with her hike across the Grand Canyon. She gravitated towards the organization’s mission and, in turn, formed another meaningful partnership.
Due to the pandemic’s complications, Simmons had to cancel a summit she initially intended to hike in Russia and find a fast replacement. After discovering the Inca Trail in Machu Pichu, she signed up immediately and secured the final spot. Tourism in Peru dwindled to virtually nothing during the pandemic and despite opening the country for tourism, Simmons encountered no one apart from her group while hiking the trail. “I was pleasantly surprised, and it surpassed every expectation,” said Simmons. “Machu Pichu is gorgeous. I can’t say enough good things about it.” Depending on the trail's location and altitude, the weather can vary from tropical to freezing temperatures. Another incredible aspect of the hike is the culture and history learned along the way,
Partner with Level Craft Construction, Virginia Van Lear joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss operating a female-run business, the pandemic’s effects on the construction industry and building inside the perimeter. Van Lear joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Level Craft Construction is a premier custom home builder headed by Van Lear and her business partner, Debbie Hollonbeck, with over 20 years of experience building, designing and renovating homes and commercial spaces inside the perimeter area (ITP). The company works primarily in Brookhaven, Buckhead, Decatur, Midtown, Virginia Highland, Morningside, Kirkwood and Scottdale. “You can come to us with your project, and we will help you every step of the way,” said Van Lear. Level Craft partners with homeowners from building, planning, lot selection and funding while remaining close at hand through every step of the process. As well as residential work, the company works with investors to develop residential properties, expanding and improving the real estate industry in the metro area.
When the pandemic began, Van Lear and her team expected all operations to come to a halt, but this has not been the case. Many people working from home have assessed their spaces and found them lacking. Whether there is a lack of beautification, a needed update or the desire for more capacity, many clients feel cramped in homes that were at one time adequate. Level Craft Construction has seen a dramatic increase in additions and outdoor living spaces in the past year and a half.
Specializing in large-scale construction projects over $250,000, popular additions like screened-in porches tend to be a part of sizable projects that also includes a master suite and additional rooms. Some homeowners even go as far as starting from scratch.
In Atlanta, a current issue is obtaining a building permit earlier than six months before starting a project, which presents problems for homeowners and the Level Craft team, because a lot can happen with pricing during that timeframe. Another issue is the interruption in the flow of products from sources outside of the United States. For example, if roof trusses are needed for a build, there is difficulty obtaining the necessary metal brackets. For HVAC systems, the motherboards to operate the machinery are sourced from China, causing sizable delays. Van Lear said, “What took us five or six months to build now takes us eight or nine months because we’re just waiting for product.” It’s common to see houses start construction and come to an abrupt halt because of disruptions to the supply chain. Level Craft Construction has been keeping communication open and regularly updating clients to ensure the interruptions don’t prevent the homeowner’s dream from becoming a reality.
Since all of Level Craft’s projects are larger-scale, 99% of renovations incorporate a kitchen upgrade for a larger and more functional space. Based in the South, it is common for Level Craft Construction clients to also desire screened-in back porches with room for a wet bar and a Big Green Egg. It is also common for homeowners to request a martini pool or larger family pools. Van Lear shared that the current main pillars of renovations are larger kitchens, outdoor living spaces and additional rooms to provide office space for working from home.
Just some of the most common home styles that clients ask for include the commonplace southern farmhouse style, Craftsman bungalows, two-story bungalows and recently, modern prairie styles, a personal favorite of Van Lear. She also shared that the company enjoys the challenge of experimenting with different exteriors, such as stacked stone versus stone veneer. “It’s fun for Level Craft to build outside of the box,” shared Van Lear. “It keeps our wheels turning a little bit and keeps us sharp. We always want to learn new things.”
Rene Iverson, president of Little Creek Farm Conservancy, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the journey of becoming a 501(c)(3) organization, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Iverson joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Married for 28 years with three college-aged kids, four cats and one dog, Iverson knows a thing or two about busy schedules and never-ending to-do lists. An Atlanta local long enough to be considered a native, she became aware of Little Creek Farm Conservancy in 2007 when her kids began taking riding lessons. Eventually, she took lessons as well and began volunteering. The rest is history! “I love all animals but being around horses is definitely a grounding experience,” said Iverson. Little Creek Farm Conservancy began informally around 2003 by horse owners at the then-private boarding facility. The group approached Dekalb County with the opportunity to purchase the farm giving the county a unique green space and a private boarding facility in the metro area. The county accepted the offer, transitioning the private facility to a county-owned 501(c)(3) organization.
The conservancy is a volunteer-run facility that directs all donations and income to park improvement with the help of five board members and countless helpers. The organization’s mission is threefold – fundraising, helping with capital improvements and providing programming for public interaction. Iverson shared that the current challenge is to create and fill Program Director and Executive Director positions and take these tasks off the current board’s responsibilities. “Our volunteers are tireless, our horses are loved and we are grateful for the opportunity to do what we can,” said Iverson. The organization has a formal letter of understanding with the county for permission to fundraise and direct funds to the park, oversee a volunteer program and outreach to introduce kids, seniors and school groups to horses. The unique partnership allows the county and conservancy to work together to create initiatives and lesson programs along with stakeholders. Dekalb County owns the facility, land and provides the operational staff.
Little Creek Farm Conservancy also has a great relationship with Park Pride, a nonprofit greenspace advocate group in Dekalb County. With benefits such as borrowing tools from the tool bank or organizing a volunteer workday with the help of the park group, the conservancy continues to learn and grow by achieving successes with grants courtesy of the Home Depot Foundation. The Small Change grant supplied the necessary funds to build a park pavilion, a capital improvement that provides accessible walkways for visitors to view the jump arena. Iverson said, “Park Pride is definitely a partner with us, and we have benefitted greatly.” Little Creek Farm Conservancy is currently executing a 2021 Community Building grant to update signage, security features and a build much-needed welcome center for its up-and-coming docent program for visitors and private tours. The conservancy is launching regular programming and moving out of pandemic operations.
As an active barn, the green space is not a safe place to wander without the supervision of a guide, and the upcoming docent program will provide fun and collaborative tours for visitors to explore the space. Visiting hours will be posted on the organization’s website.
Soon, Little Creek Farm Conservancy will release the dates for the fall Hands on Horses event for guests to watch riding demonstrations while learning details about equine behavior, fun facts and more.
Horse Fest is a highly anticipated fundraising and community outreach that features riding demonstrations, vendors and kid’s activities, including pony rides and a petting zoo. The previous 2019 Horse Fest was the most successful festival yet, but due to pandemic effects in 2020, Little Creek Farm Conservancy hosted an online ...
Jim Jacobi, President of Parkland Communities Inc. and Parkland Residential, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss new build-to-rent properties and the goal to satisfy the industry’s “missing middle.” Jacobi joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment and hints at exciting 2022 projects.
Jacobi runs a number of companies in the new home space including Parkland Communities, a multi-faceted real estate development firm: Parkland Communities, a build to rent company and Alliance Engineering + Planning that focuses on engineering and surveying. Jacobi is a titan within the Atlanta real estate industry and with his recent expansion into build to rent has become an industry pioneer.
This year has already been a bountiful year for both Jacobi and Parkland Communities Inc. with the incredible success of Sweetwater Springs and 1,900 lots currently in the works including almost 1,000 lots in active process and 917 attached to future communities. “We are really looking forward to 2022. It’s going to be a really good year for us,” said Jacobi. A current exciting endeavor for the company is the move towards build-to-rent properties that is essential for consumers searching for affordable accommodation in the ongoing housing inferno. Otherwise known as the “missing middle,” the lack of affordable housing on the market has proved to be an increasing issue as home inventories continue to decrease. Parkland Residential focuses on satisfying the “missing middle” market and Jacobi’s first build-to-rent venture was Sweetwater Springs in Lawrenceville.
The unique stacked townhouse product featured at Sweetwater Springs allows the company to build affordable units while increasing the number of entry-level products available on the market. The product features a one-car garage, hard-surfaced cabinets, stone countertops, LED lighting and LVP flooring in all the main rooms. The company mainly focused on providing luxury upgrades in contrast to the current trend of using builder-grade finishes.
Another trend in build-to-rent properties is to decrease the square footage of the product to increase the number of units. Jacobi states, “We’ve gone larger. We have a three-bedroom townhouse that is 1,958 square feet and a two-bedroom townhouse that is 1,630 square feet,” said Jacobi. “I wanted to really give good livability in these units.”
The Lawrenceville development proved very successful after all 58 units were fully preleased within 90 days of completing construction on the first building. The unexpected response raised the rent by 10% and set the precedent for Parkland Residential and future build-to-rent properties. By December or January, Jacobi shares that the goal is to complete construction, move residents in and stabilize the rent for the community.
Build-to-rent was an unpopular approach to real estate in 2018 when the idea of Sweetwater Springs first came about. Three years later, build-to-rent has gained rapid popularity as the pandemic continues to have drastic effects on the real estate market. Moving forward, Parkland Residential’s goal is to launch build-to-rent products in a much more substantial manner to match market demand. “The response really proves the surplus of demand that exists for missing middle housing. Before we opened, we had a waiting list of 50 people. Today, we are fully leased and have a waiting list of over 200 people,” shared Jacobi. “We’re very encouraged that our product and our pricing to market is spot on.” The current industry trend is seeing is buyers and renters trading in urban environments for suburbia. Jacobi shared that after the initial pandemic lockdown, Sweetwater Springs gained three residents from New York City through virtual tours and leasing. The trend already existed, but the pandemic acted as a force magnifier and caused the trend to escalate, leading to the current strong housing demand.
Eric Glick, regional sales manager with New American Funding, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio show to discuss the new FICO score program, updated FHA regulations and millennial homebuyers. Glick joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
New American Funding is a home loan and mortgage assistance company founded in 2002 that offers a variety of products and services to meet the needs of all clients, serve the community and partner with homebuyers to achieve homeownership.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) recently updated its guidelines regarding student loans, reducing monthly payments by 50 percent. For example, if a potential homebuyer pays a 1% monthly payment on a $100,000 loan, the $1,000 payment is reduced to $500 per month. This change is an enormous benefit to millennial homebuyers because, depending on student loan statuses, by increasing opportunities for homeownership and housing opportunities, the needs of a homebuyer and their families are more easily met, increasing the homeownership rate amongst millennials.
A FICO credit score is another crucial factor to consider when purchasing a home or applying for a loan. This credit score is a daily aspect of life and determines if a consumer can invest in a car or apply for a credit card. Whether or not a home buyer receives a higher or lower interest rate also depends on the health of their FICO score.
Different algorithms determine whether a FICO score is healthy or not. If a buyer purchases a television on credit, a simple algorithm determines whether the buyer is a good investment. In these situations, the score tends to be higher. If a buyer purchased a higher-ticket item such as a home, the algorithm is more strenuous, and scores tend to be lower. Many believe that there is one universal score, but it the score actually varies depending on what someone attempts to purchase.
New American Funding’s new ‘no FICO score’ credit program works with potential homebuyers with zero credit. The program came out of the old-school belief that all debt is bad debt which has led to a lack of credit amongst recent generations. Preaching the downfalls of bad credit and debt leads to zero credit-building opportunities and having credit is typically necessary for a home purchase. “If [they] have no credit score, we will open some opportunities for them to get approved for a home loan where in the past, that may have not been an opportunity,” said Glick. “Now we can help people with no credit score.” A good versus bad FICO score depends on the loan program and what a buyer intends to purchase. A universally approved FICO score is in the upper 700s, but New American Funding has helped clients with scores as low as 600 to become homeowners. The new no FICO score program opens opportunities for folks with zero credit to one day become a homeowner. “Unfortunately, in some situations, not having credit can actually be a hindrance on you and your family,” revealed Glick. “If anyone has any questions, feel free to reach out to your New American Funding loan officer and they can give you some tips about how to improve your situation.” New American funding is a fantastic resource for potential buyers to educate themselves on credit and partner with them on the road to loan approval. The company’s customizable approach ensures every type of homebuyer will find a way to achieve their dream.
Glick shared that when he successfully partners with homebuyers to realize their dreams of homeownership, he considers it a significant success. To him, a happy homeowner who previously believed homeownership was impossible is a gratifying accomplishment to witness.
To connect with Eric Glick, you can reach him at eric.glick@nafinc.com, by phone at 912-308-5931, or through his website www.theglickteam.com. To learn more about New American Funding’s programs, loans and mortgage assistance, visit their website.
Bruce Deel, founder and CEO of City of Refuge, Andy Litvak, partner and Abe Kannof, associate with Nelson Mullins, join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the 1300 development. They discuss the importance of affordable housing in metro Atlanta with hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Founded 24 years ago, City of Refuge has serviced the west side of Atlanta for the past 19 years. The organization provides wrap-around services for those who find themselves in difficult situations. A one-stop-shop, services include housing, medical, dental, mental health, vision, parenting classes, financial literacy, vocational training, homeownership and job placement.
With workforce training and an innovation hub, the organization provides a rich roster of classes focusing on auto technician training, culinary arts, personal fitness training, hospitality, customer service, security personnel and recently, the cybersecurity and coding academy. The goal is to equip the 500 annual participants in the vocational training programs to find employment in metro Atlanta and secure a livable wage, which is currently at $19 per hour. With nonprofit partners across the city, including high schools, vo-tech schools, churches and police departments, they are able to teach soft skills and critical life skills.
Currently, the organization receives referrals from organizations across metro Atlanta, exceeding their capacity. Recently, 300 applicants applied for the 45 spots available in the cybersecurity academy. City of Refuge refocused the process to allow for quicker organization of upcoming classes to assist in the large number of applications. “Everybody that comes to us comes from someplace of brokenness in life,” shared Deel. “Helping them figure out not just how to get a job but how to keep that job and how to move forward in a successful manner.” A crucial aspect of securing employment is finding safe and affordable housing. With a partner like Nelson Mullins providing pro bono legal services, City of Refuge can identify apartments and hotels and transform them into affordable and safe spaces. Affordable housing near the City of Refuge campus provides convenience for program participants to settle while having easy access to organization services.
Nelson Mullins is a full-service law firm that provides a full suite of legal services to various businesses and clients. There are 25 offices open on the eastern seaboard, but the company considers the southeastern United States home. Litvak and Kannof work within the commercial real estate practice along with 45 to 50 attorneys, focusing exclusively on commercial real estate transactions. The firm has been working with City of Refuge for the past five years.
The 1300 Project is a culmination of efforts and recognition of the acute need for affordable housing in Atlanta, becoming the first foundational housing project on Atlanta’s Westside. The project came out of years of discussion and strategic brainstorming to expand the City of Refuge campus, creating a ripple effect to demonstrate the affordable real estate potential on the Westside. Litvak shared that the multigenerational project of City of Refuge is a consistent effort Nelson Mullins hopes to carry on. “We really view ourselves as a spoke on [the] wheel. We have particular resources and particular areas of expertise on the legal side and the real estate side,” said Litvak. "That’s where you’re really going to start to see inertia and momentum when it comes to moving things forward as it relates to affordable housing on the Westside.” The challenging situation on Atlanta’s Westside makes developing new real estate is not an easy feat to accomplish. There is an elevation in real estate prices, and investments occurring within the neighborhood are more concerned with a return on investment versus focusing on the struggling residents.
Rob Halverson, CEO of Portman Architects, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss adaptive reuse as well as changing and restoring the architectural face of Atlanta. Halverson joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Halverson, originally from New York, relocated to Atlanta after working for the largely influential architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. He has been a resident of Atlanta for the past 15 years with wife and daughter. Originally a designer with Portman Architects, Halverson recently celebrated two years as CEO of the company.
Portman Architects designs spaces to positively impact and affect the creativity, productivity and well-being of the occupants. Based in Atlanta with an additional office in Shanghai, Portman Architects services several markets across the country. By prioritizing clients of the firm and developer partners, Portman Architects sets itself apart from other firms in the metro Atlanta area. The company prides itself on working collectively to meet client needs and improve the architectural integrity of projects. “It’s not necessarily one voice. It’s everyone working together to find the right balance and right solutions for our clients,” said Halverson. In 1965, before it was Hotel Indigo, the building that houses the renowned hotel was an office space designed by Mr. Portman. An incredible deal in terms of design and adaptive reuse, Portman purchased space at 50% occupancy, moved all office occupants up and converted the lower half into a hotel. The development was Mr. Portman's final project.
Adaptive reuse is a process very similar to new construction in terms of design and methodology. The potential of the space, as well as ideas, are regularly discovered. By updating a structure and changing the use, code changes and occupancy are essential elements to understand. Understanding what can transform and what must remain stationary is critical.
With an existing structure, reviewing the framework and its history is vital before making changes. When Portman Architects renews an older building, the goal is to make the process seamless and for the construction to appear naturally incorporated into the landscape versus as an added element. Portman Architects believes the process and finished product should be clean, seamless and exceptional.
With cities and buildings constantly changing, the contexts of spaces change just as rapidly. Halverson shared that it is exciting to see the faces of young professionals experiencing the process of adaptive reuse on a construction site. He also revealed that he particularly enjoys mentorship and seeing young professionals learn and grow.
Another important aspect of adaptive reuse is to reinvent space rather than waste it. The process empowers architects to make great strides to keep a development's integrity and historical significance, elevating the property and its return to the community. Portman Architects believes in giving properties the extra piece it needs to be a building with a story versus just a beautiful construction.
Portman Architects is currently working on South Tower, a Banyan Street property located within the Peachtree Center, originally designed by Mr. Portman. The project is a partnership between Portman Architects and the Peachtree Center to transform the architectural face of downtown Atlanta. Much like how New York repurposed its downtown to include more residential properties, downtown Atlanta is in the process of transitioning into a 24-hour active district. This change will elevate all other businesses within the neighborhood. Halverson predicts it will lead a considerable revitalization in downtown Atlanta.
An immense shift also occurring is Atlanta office spaces as they incorporate more outdoor areas. A hybrid model of reducing the number of days in the office while keeping the square footage is growing in popularity after the past year ...
Karen Kelly, director of exhibits and education at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss educating children on the power of play and upcoming exciting displays. Kelly joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
The mission of the Children’s Museum of Atlanta is to inspire and educate children on the power of play -- something Kelly feels is very important for today’s generations of children. Focusing on children from zero to third grade, the museum offers children the freedom and initiative to learn and play in tandem with parents and adult caregivers. Exhibits throughout the museum allow children to participate in hands-on activities and stimulate their brains while learning new skills in a fun and interactive environment.
For example, “Step Up to Science,” a program courtesy of The Cognizant Foundation teaches children cause and effect. The current exhibit, “Force in Motion,” focuses on how things happen, what pushes them and how to act on them. Exciting interactions include a racetrack for kids to build and test racecars and a display to design rockets for the wind tunnel. “This is all about open-ended experimentation,” said Kelly. “There is no one result or one path so kids can try and see if they can make it better, see what went wrong and see what happens again.” One of Kelly’s favorite exhibits is the augmented reality flow wall that demonstrates air and fluid dynamics. Kids use magnets to build a dam and see the result of obstructions in the water. Open-ended play is an integrated mix of technology and hands-on, creating the best way to teach children. All museum activities incorporate hands-on elements so kids can learn with both their eyes and hands.
The diner exhibit is perfect for all children as each age group has a specialized experience. A two-year-old that is learning role play will take the food order of a guardian. A third grader however will focus on using math to determine the order total for a different experience tailored to their education. The museum works in tandem with Georgia Early Learning and Development Standards to design exhibits such as this one. The museum can inform visiting teachers how the interaction meets their curriculum standards while also keeping it fun.
The fantastic permanent collection is “Fundamentally Food.” Featuring farm-to-table interactive play, this popular section teaches children the various stages of food production, from milking a cow to shopping in a grocery store. The important exhibit teaches children the path of food production and helps them develop a healthy relationship with nourishment.
“Leaping into Learning” features a backyard pond setting for kids to “fish” and focus on early science learning. A featured climber allows them to learn the importance of a safe-danger space; the idea of a space far enough from watching eyes to experience independence but close enough for guardians to keep a watchful eye.
The “Gateway to the World” features two-story climbers that teach safe-danger space and the difference between left and right while climbing. A staging area hosts storytimes and science experiments every hour on the hour, constantly debuting new shows. The arts section boasts sand tables and painting on the wall. A giant ball machine features six simple machines for every complicated one with different access points to play and receive different outcomes.
The museum takes measures to ensure children are always safe and requires visitors two and up to wear facial coverings. Each day has two visiting periods with a cleaning period in-between to sanitize exhibits.
Opening September 18, the Rube Goldberg exhibit is on loan from the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh until January. Goldberg is a cartoon artist renowned for drawing crazy machines. In his lifetime, he produced over 50,000 cartoons. Kids can experience real-life creations of his drawings and c...
Chris and Clif Poston, principals with Traton Homes, a family-owned premier Atlanta home builder, join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to celebrate 50 years in business, upcoming developments in and around metro Atlanta and recent accolades. They join hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Established in 1971 by brothers Bill and Milburn Poston, Traton Homes builds award-winning homes in Cobb County, a thriving metro Atlanta region. Steadily approaching its 13,000th home, the company recently won the Best Builder in Cobb County Award from Cobb Life and celebrated its eighth Guildmaster Award for quality. Another exciting company venture is the recent reunion with HomeAid Atlanta, an exciting and meaningful partnership in the metro area.
The company has a great track record with its homeowners and its staff. Although the company recently made several new hires, at the beginning of 2021, the average employee had a history of 17 years with the company. “We have a well-tenured team that has been with us and stuck with us through lean times,” remarked Chris Poston. “They know the business and are proud of Traton. They are good people to have around you and running a business.” Traton Homes has an exciting remainder of 2021 with exciting projects slated for 2022 fit for active adults, single-family homebuyers and more. Each community features sought-after amenities and a great location, expanding the already successful portfolio of Traton Homes.
Priced from the low $400,000s, High Parc at Smyrna is an 80-unit townhome community less than a mile from the heart of Smyrna. A swimming pool, cabana and nearby Truist Park recommend this community for homebuyers craving lots of activities and a centralized location. Smyrna offers residents a large selection of shops, dining and excitement close to the downtown area.
Talk about popularity! With over 1,000 people on the waiting list, Tapp Farm is a community with early on success unseen by Clif and Chris in 25 years working for Traton Homes. Three different price points, as well as a location near locally loved amenities such as the Silver Comet Trail and downtown Powder Springs, explains the never-before-seen success in this fantastic community. This community will feature single-family homes, two-story townhomes and single-family detached homes priced in the low $300,000s to the $400,000s.
The Courtyards at Hickory Flat, a 65-unit active adult community, will feature a clubhouse and pickleball courts. An up-and-coming area, this community is close to popular grocers and restaurants while also near the countryside, a perfect balance of urban and suburban. The beautiful ranch homes will feature 10-foot ceilings, a private courtyard, ample storage and more.
Traton Homes places great importance on amenities within its communities, especially ones focused on active adults. Due to the changes the industry experienced during the pandemic, amenities that are close to home offer residents an exciting lifestyle close to home. Smaller home products are growing in popularity for homeowners craving a well-amenitized, spaced out and well-located community. Traton Homes offers products as small as 1,800 square feet to meet the demand present in the market. “It allows us to do some things that you wouldn’t normally do,” said Clif Poston. Ten additional developments are ready to move forward, setting up 2022 as a year of increased growth. Currently, there is a low supply of new home inventory on the market, motivating homebuilders like Traton Homes. This low inventory could potentially drive a strong housing market in the next few years. Housing agents and homeowners must be flexible in the home buying process due to continuous changes and shortages of materials and other home building supplies. Chris Poston remarked, “We are booming and doing good, but the supply hasn’t caught up with us.”
Russ Belin, vice president of the Southeast region for Broadway Across America, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss the pandemic's effects on the theater industry and this year’s exciting season at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Belin joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Celebrating 40 years in the peach state, Broadway Across America is back in our beautiful city for a highly anticipated season of shows. Broadway Across America has 47 markets in the U.S. and presents the best of Broadway direct from New York.
Acting as a middleman, Belin and his team handle subscriptions, marketing and present shows featured at the Fox Theatre. Broadway Across America works with producers to build out incredible displays for patrons to enjoy, typically bringing 10 to 12 shows per season. According to Belin, the past 18 months were tough for performers and patrons alike as the theater industry largely depends on the revenue from live shows. “It’s been 550 days since we presented our last show,” Belin said. “Our job is to bring people together to make memories. It’s been weird to not have that feeling.” The theater industry and Broadway Across America underwent many changes attempting to build seasons and reroute shows as pandemic conditions worsened. The main focus was to reschedule shows and plan and manage ticket subscriptions to ensure an easy return once it was safe to do so. According to Belin, it was amazing to see the support and excitement from season ticket holders during such a difficult time and how thankful his team was for the continued support.
In residence until September 26, 2021, Hamilton is the first show to return to the Fox Theatre since its March 2020 closing. Belin expressed gratitude that a big show like Hamilton is the season debut after a turbulent previous year. Operating safely, about 4,500 patrons per show enjoy the magic of Broadway in person once again.
Written by Tony-award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton is the story of Alexander Hamilton, a young immigrant from the Caribbean, and his journey to the United States. Working in tandem with acclaimed historical figures, such as Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, Hamilton built the U.S. treasury, as well as other developments, to make our newly formed country successful. Told uniquely and powerfully, Hamilton implements hip-hop, dance and expressive music to tell the story based on the biography by author Rob Chernow.
Although Disney+ released the professional recording of the original cast of Hamilton during the height of the pandemic, it motivates many viewers to see the show live. Releasing shows on digital platforms allows for larger audiences to access the brilliance of Broadway. However, nothing compares to seeing a show in person! Although the current cast of Hamilton is not the original, it is a talented group of professionals, including a few Atlanta natives, that are passionate about delivering this show to audiences.
This season marks 40 years of Broadway in Atlanta and will feature highlights such as Fiddler on the Roof, Disney’s Frozen, Ain’t Too Proud, Mean Girls and more! “I’m excited that we’re going to help the Fox doors reopen and get our audiences back there,” Belin said. Fiddler on the Roof is a great show to bring family and first-time theatergoers, winning multiple Tony Awards on its original run and the revival. Ain’t Too Pride celebrates the career of The Temptations on their journey from Motown to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with well-known hits and a night filled with nostalgic fun.
Disney’s Frozen is a much-anticipated debut at the Fox Theatre and a great opportunity for families to experience the magic of Disney up close. Based on the pop culture hit by Tina Fey, Mean Girls will continue the stream of hit shows coming to the Atlanta area with comedy and catchy songs in this pop culture sensation.
Despite current setbacks,
Coleman Mills, an architectural designer with Harrison Design, and John Tatum with Cloudland Station join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the journey and inspiration behind the show cottage at Cloudland Station. Mills and Tatum join hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A picturesque mountain and valley community, Cloudland Station sits in northwest Georgia in the Chattanooga Valley on the east side of Lookout Mountain. According to Tatum, the unique vision behind Cloudland Station was to create a community of families of all generations to come together and enjoy the outdoors.
The community features plenty of conservation property with waterfalls, caves, lakes and more! The project, originally named “Stories Reimagined,” began with a river that acted as an anchor for the development. In the beginning, only a few properties sat along the river but soon formed an entire community that is an integrated part of the gorgeous mountain and valley scenery of northwest Georgia. “We believe architecture is an important part of the aesthetic,” Tatum said. “We don’t want to do anything but tread very lightly and add beauty to it.” With 20 completed homes, five are currently in development and about a dozen are in the planning stages. A mountain village, still in development, will act as a clubhouse for the community with surrounding swimming holes reminiscent of older and simpler times.
The theme of the community is to “take time for the simple things” and enjoy the natural surroundings. Amenities in the community include foosball, a puppet theater converted from an old barn, ping pong, an outdoor amphitheater and a sweet shop that was formerly an old mill. “We really try to breathe life into the notion of taking time for the simple things,” Tatum said. Coleman Mills joined the project to add another beautiful brushstroke to the Cloudland Station canvas. Founded by Bill Harrison, Harrison Design is a renowned architectural firm celebrating 30 years.
Harrison was extremely passionate about teaching young people and passing on the tradition of design. The role of architects in his eyes extends to the ability to impact a client's life and the landscapes in a way that exceeds their own lives.
The Mountain Laurel, the designer show cottage at Cloudland Station, is the last project commissioned under Harrison’s name. Along with the delightful partnership that blossomed between Tatum and Mills, the show cottage organically developed into an authorless and blended design with Gothic and European influences overlaid against the natural, available materials locally sourced during construction.
Up the hill from the home sits a natural springhouse, a structure commonly found in Europe. Springhouses traditionally acted as community refrigeration and cooling structures due to the low temperatures of the water flowing beneath them. This is a perfect example of the design elements prominently featured throughout the community. The development represents the stories of immigrant families traveling with traditions and building styles that adapted by using the nearby resources. “It’s a blending of a lot of different bloodlines to make one authentic piece of architecture,” Mills said when discussing the interplaying elements of the cottage and springhouse. The vision behind the community comes alive when passersby question whether the structures are older buildings versus newer constructions, according to Mills. The shared belief amongst the team speaks to the authenticity and integrity of the project, whether it stems from locally sourcing materials or modeling builds after traditional structures.
The show cottage sits on 1,800 square feet and comfortably sleeps 12 people with the option for additional sleeping space in the springhouse. Another unique aspect of the build is the endless possibilities found in the spacious springhouse.
Long-serving director of cultural affairs for Atlanta, Camille Russell Love joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the upcoming ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival and celebrating the art and culture scene in Atlanta. Love joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
The Office of Cultural Affairs supports the Atlanta art community through grants, art installations, public classes and public schools. This organization holds events such as the Atlanta Jazz Festival. Usually held Memorial Day weekend, the Atlanta Jazz Festival takes place Labor Day weekend, September 5 and 6 in Piedmont Park. The festival kicks off this year’s ELEVATE Atlanta Art Festival celebrating reopening, reignition and a reconnection throughout the city.
There are two primary divisions of the Office of Cultural Affairs. The Art and Education Division provides grants to the community, organizations and individuals to support operations and projects. Annually, $2 million is granted to applicants. In collaboration with art partners and the community, they support a program called the Cultural Experience Project. This program supports Atlanta public-school children and arranges free field trips to cultural venues such as the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Atlanta Children's Museum, Atlanta History Center and more. Each grade has a specific cultural experience and through this program, students explore Atlanta culturally.
The Public Arts Division supports new commissions of public art. Currently, a project is in the works to expand the arts district from Northside Drive by Mercedes Benz Stadium to I-285 by Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. The installation project features sculptures, bike racks, water features and everything art that focuses on civil and human rights. The team is also responsible for the maintenance and restoration of art that is already a part of the collection.
Atlanta has an extensive art collection in the public domain and because of this, restoration and maintenance need to occur regularly. There are three galleries in Atlanta associated with The Office of Cultural Affairs: Gallery 72, Chastain Arts Center and one located in the mayor’s office that focused on artists that may not receive exposure in public galleries.
Another program, Art on Loan, focuses on purchasing artwork from individual Atlanta-based artists and installing it in public-facing offices of the city government. The purpose is to educate the public within those spaces on the thriving art and culture in Atlanta, making public and government spaces feel and look better by presenting a partnership with the art community. At the Chastain Arts Center, they also host art classes for individuals in the community.
ELEVATE usually takes place in a single community for 10 days, but this year will be different because of the pandemic. To celebrate the decimated art community and to encourage citizens to go explore public spaces, ELEVATE takes place all over the city this year. Throughout September and October, every weekend focuses on a different community across the city. From visual art, performing art, festivals and restaurants to celebrating the art and culture within that specific community, there are lots of activities. “We want to shine a spotlight on communities,” said Love. “ELEVATE is going to be everywhere this year and we are excited that we can provide our citizens with an opportunity to get out and celebrate one another and celebrate art and culture and reconnect with one another.” The overarching theme of this year’s festival is REVIVAL. The goal is to revive the city’s spirits and connections and to do that, the festival celebrates reopening, reigniting and reconnecting. The Office of Cultural Affairs produces some of the events but also works with partners around the city to educate civilians on their work.
The 2021 curator is Charmaine Minniefield, a well-known artist and muralist.
Jeff Smythe, CEO of HOPE Atlanta, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss community outreach and the mission to end hunger and homelessness in Georgia. Smythe joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
A metro Atlanta organization focused on people experiencing homelessness and hunger, HOPE Atlanta has a mission is to help Georgians avoid homelessness and hunger through a comprehensive approach that equips them with the tools for lifelong stability. The vision is to end housing and food insecurity for every Georgian. “We do see it as our purpose to end homelessness, to end hunger and to prevent those on the edge from falling into a place where they are food insecure,” said Smythe when discussing the organization’s purpose. Through housing interventions, street outreach and hunger relief, the organization engages with homeless individuals to seek shelter. Trained case managers work on housing plans with individuals to get them off the street. Their job is to engage and invite those experiencing homelessness to work on a housing plan, and for some, that process is quicker than others. Smythe expanded by saying, “That’s our job. To help them, to accompany them and support them as they emerge from homelessness into housing.” Housing and case management teams focus on specific areas geographically in 31 counties across the state. Since the start of the pandemic, the Veteran’s case management teams have rehoused over 1,000 Veterans. They also have units focusing on individuals living with HIV.
Hunger relief teams are active in the community and churches distributing food as well as working with individuals who come to the community kitchens or pantries seeking relief. Countless operations occur daily to help those experiencing homelessness and hunger achieve self-sustainability.
While many think of stereotypes when referencing people dealing with home and food insecurity, the reality is more than 75% of those experiencing homelessness are not chronically homeless. The number represents anyone who has lost a job, undergone the effects of a pandemic or countless other reasons. A large percentage of homeless people are employed, and many are fragilely and episodically homeless. HOPE Atlanta partners with them to reach self-sustainability and secure permanent housing.
The main goal is to prevent families from returning to homelessness after partnering with them. By starting with a large amount of support and stair-stepping down, permanent housing is more likely to be achieved for those chronically homeless.
One out of every six children in Georgia is food insecure. When the number narrows to those in temporary housing, it increases to one out of four children. Food insecurity affects so many aspects of a child’s life -- mental health, education and healthcare – to name a few. This creates many challenges a large percentage of the nation faces.
The acronym HOPE stands for specific interventions the organization conducts. H stands for hunger relief and housing. The housing team seeks areas for potential rapid rehousing to get a family off the streets and self-sustainable.
The hunger relief program is very prominent in Rome and Dalton. The programs are crucial for people to receive necessary, required nutrients. Food insecurity creates a domino of health effects that remains with a person throughout their life. Since the start of the pandemic, HOPE Atlanta teams have distributed over two million meals across north Georgia.
The O represents outreach programs and ensuring the case management teams are seeking out individuals to help. The P embodies the prevention work they conduct, which is especially important during the pandemic. Working with government partners ensures those experiencing evictions or loss of assistance are receiving preventive dollars. The E stands for emergency services implemented during cases such as the current pandemic.
Executive Director and Co-Founder Tommie Storms of the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. (AAASP) joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss the association's 25th anniversary and the journey of adapting sports across the country. Storms joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
After the 1996 Olympics, many kids inspired by the incredible athletes, including kids with disabilities, wanted to participate in sports. In Atlanta, the Paralympic Games, the first full-blown games centered around athletes with disabilities, were particularly inspirational. Disabled kids inspired by the games needed somewhere they could participate in popular sports.
Storms co-founded the American Association of Adapted Sports Programs, Inc., a charity focusing on adapting popular sports after the 1996 games. She met the needs of disabled kids with a dream of playing sports such as basketball, track and field and football by taking popular sports and adapting them for kids in wheelchairs. Mostly, the sports look similar but adapted for special needs and varying levels of abilities.
Noticing many similar community programs, Storms and her team saw a lack of school programs and focused on replicating their curriculum within the schools to meet this underserved niche. Information about their program and mission was circulated through different schools and eventually led to seasonal competitions, 35 programs across Georgia and tournaments. In their fifth year, they approached the Georgia High School Association to incorporate what they were doing into the sports infrastructure in Georgia. “We've created a wonderful program,” said Storms. “An easy way for parents and kids to get involved.” There was a learning curve and several barriers in the beginning. The association received concerns that children in wheelchairs were too fragile, and participation would lead to injuries. Newspapers also did not consider the games sports. Fortunately, after witnessing the games and experiencing them firsthand, many change their perspective. “They will take you where you want to go if you can show them where there are barriers, how easily they are removed and how they can be a part of it,” stated Storms when discussing the barriers that they have overcome. Their team, The Gwinnett Heat is advertised in newspapers and has previously won a state title. These teams regularly play against teams without disabled players and adapt the rules, using the association’s standardization and line of sporting goods.
The programs offered by AAASP assist teachers around the country in determining what sports their kids can play, what the adapted sport looks like and obtaining the equipment. What makes them unique is that they are the first and only interscholastic athletic association solely focused on adapted sports for kids with physical disabilities. Neglected by the school system, physically disabled kids who lacked cognitive impairment could not participate in a traditional team. That is the gap that the American Association for Adapted Sports Programs, Inc. fills.
This competitive program helps kids develop their strength, cardiovascular system as well as many other physical benefits. In Georgia, if a parent has a child with a disability, they can contact AAASP or declare themselves to a coach. The child must be in first through twelfth grade, with or without a wheelchair, able to ambulate on their own or use an assistive device. After contact is made, AAASP will determine the needs of the child and what is available nearby. In the Atlanta area, the focus is team sports, but track and field are available statewide.
The Wheelchair Varsity Finals Games has been televised since offered by the association. The event is broadcasted by the National Federation of State High Schools Association and covers boy’s and girl’s finals for associations across the nation.
Brad Krewson, Marketing Manager for Davidson Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss exciting opportunities in the metro Atlanta real estate market and upcoming 2022 developments. Krewson joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Krewson has been a part of the homebuilding industry since 2015 when he was employed with Century Communities, a top home builder since 2002. After two years, he was promoted to marketing manager with Century Complete, previously Wade Jurney Homes. In 2017, he connected with Christy Duriez, the director of sales and marketing at Davidson Homes, and was recruited to market the new Davidson Homes communities in metro Atlanta.
Davidson Homes was founded in 2009 by Adam Davidson at the age of 24 in Huntsville, Alabama. Starting with just two homes, the company took off and experienced a surge in 2012 when it decided to open in several markets. Today, the company builds and markets homes in Alabama, North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and soon Texas. Davidson Homes has been marked as one of the fastest-growing builders in the nation, receiving a spot on the 2021 Top 100 List from Builder Magazine and ranking number 529 on the Inc. 5000 which are two prestigious honors for this premium home builder. “There’s a lot of growth for us right now. It’s really exciting to see,” commented Krewson when discussing the company’s incredible growth and various accolades. When it comes to the home buying process, Davidson Homes walks buyers through every step. Recent prototyping with their homes allows homebuyers to customize the home to meet their needs, setting them apart from their competition. Krewson quoted Adam Davidson by saying, “We want Davidson Homes to give you the only home that you want to buy.” Homeowners having a positive experience is a priority for Davidson Homes. There is a new in-house mortgage company, Davidson Homes Mortgage, that began last July, adding convenience to the entire home buying process.
In Krewson’s opinion, the real estate market in the nation is booming despite the effects of the pandemic. Homes sell before construction is complete. Davidson Homes currently has few move-in-ready homes that are ready for purchase.
Davidson Homes has several new communities in the Atlanta area:
Tanglewood Enclave is an exciting community with quality estate plans starting at $1.2 million. Located in East Cobb, the homes feature 5,113 square feet, six bedrooms and five-and-a-half baths. The homes are expansive with 11-foot ceilings, a learning center on the third floor, covered porches and if the lot size is accommodating, a private pool can be accommodated. Each homeowner also has access to Tanglewood North amenities.
In Woodstock, Davidson Homes has several homes under construction. There are currently no homes that are move-in ready in The Village at Towne Lake but potential homeowners can view five decorated model homes that feature all five of Davidson Homes’ single-family home plans. A townhome option is also offered in this community.
Mountainbrook in Cartersville features large lots and plans ranging from 2,500 to over 3,000 square feet with basement lots available. Perfectly manicured lawns are a luxurious feature in this community and the popular plan, The Ash, is featured as a model home. The home boasts four bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths and a prime location with an easy drive to downtown Cartersville and all its amenities.
In mid-September, Davidson Homes is launching events for the community of Everleigh. This community features one-acre lots with six plans ranging from 2,500 to 3,600 square feet. The main selling point for this community is large lots perfect for homeowners looking to upsize. Like Mountainbrook, the fully sodded properties are in a great location, thirty minutes away from downtown Locust Grove and McDonough. Both downtown centers feature great dining,
Executive Director Richard Banz of the Southern Museum joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss the museum’s rich history and exhibits. Banz joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment and chats about a temporary exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian!
Banz has a background in history and education and one thing he enjoys about the metro Atlanta community is the history it has to offer. The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, known to locals at the Big Shanty Museum, is located in Kennesaw. The museum initially opened in 1972 and in 2003 greatly expanded and became affiliated with the Smithsonian Museum, one of the few museums in Georgia to have this honor.
Exhibits at the museum include general displays, educational programming and displays about the Civil War and railroads. Railroads are the overarching theme of the museum running through everything on display. There is also a large section on industrial works, specifically the Glover Machine Works founded after the close of the Civil War. The Jolley Education Center is a learning center for kids of all ages and there is also a research center onsite that compiles all archives and artifacts that are available for research. “There is no better place to live, work and play than metro Atlanta,” exclaimed Banz when discussing the rich history of the region. The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History is owned and operated by Kennesaw, Georgia a progressive city in metro Atlanta. The city also owns the Smith-Gilbert Gardens, another worthy place to visit when in the area.
According to Banz, during the pandemic in 2020, the city wanted to reopen as soon as possible and made efforts to open safely in June. Upon reopening, social distancing and temperature checks were implemented to ensure the safety of staff and visitors. By the end of summer, the museum was in full swing again! Hours were changed to 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday to allow the staff plenty of time to sanitize. Since the reopening, Banz has noticed visitation has picked up and notes that the museum is in a good groove.
A main attraction of the museum, The General, is a locomotive built in 1885 in Patterson, New Jersey and is an outstanding example of the locomotive power used by the United States in the 1880s. In the Great Locomotive Chase of April 1862, a great effort was made by raiders in a plan to travel to Marietta and Kennesaw, then known as Big Shanty. When the train stopped in Kennesaw, the raiders commandeered the locomotive until captured 89 miles later. The General is internationally known because of this story.
The old Western and Atlantic Railroad was an influential 138 miles of rail lines that connected Atlanta to Chattanooga. This network of travel began in the late 1830s when the State of Georgia decided to link the two cities together. By the 1850s, the railroad was in full operation and during the Civil War, both sides used the rail lines as necessary supply lines. The Great Locomotive Chase took place because the Union raiders believed if they caused enough chaos, it would benefit the Union. The first medals of honor issued by the United States were in the aftermath of the chase. There were 19 in total and two are available for viewing in the museum.
A great benefit of being a part of the Smithsonian network is that it allows The Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History to bring artifacts from the Smithsonian to the metro Atlanta area.
Currently, the museum has a temporary exhibit featuring objects on loan from the National Postal Museum that highlights many wonderful objects connecting mail to the railroad system. Railroads were a primary way to transport goods in the United States in the 1800s. And visitors can still visit the Kennesaw Depot today, located directly across the street from the museum. If a town was not big enough to justify a stop,
Kim Arrington, Branch Manager of the New American Funding metro Atlanta office, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss educating homebuyers on being mortgage ready and new diversity initiatives, highlighting the New American Dream Initiative. She joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Arrington has a great passion for helping homeowners find an affordable path forward, but lately, she’s been asking how can New American Funding assist minority buyers. This past year, NAF placed great emphasis on financial literacy, holding workshops on budgeting and how to plan and become mortgage-ready. The main goal is to make sure homebuyers are spending their money wisely while becoming more credit-ready to handle purchasing a home to ensure sustainability in the home.
There are 3.4 million mortgage-ready individuals in the United States who are not purchasing a property because they don’t know the next appropriate step. Helping college graduates, for example, understand the power of their diploma and work history is especially important. “The pandemic was a great experience to go through and say, ‘Were we doing a good job with that? How many of our minority borrowers suffered and needed assistance to maintain the home or even experienced an early payment default or foreclosure?” said Arrington when discussing opportunities for diversity growth at New American Funding. Through new initiatives, New American Funding has seen a lot of success in making sure consumers are educated. Taking in-house programs about down payment assistance and layering them with a homebuyer education piece is successful and has the added flexibility of learning at home or online for convenience. The essential point is ensuring borrowers understand payment, budgeting, what to do after buying a home and how to remit and stay on track with payments.
The next part of the initiative is to look at communities. Recently, New American Funding was invited to Henry County to speak about financial literacy and home affordability options. From that experience, it was decided that offering more ongoing financial literacy courses at their facility in Henry County would be very beneficial. “If we can be planted and continue to educate a group in one community at a time, we’re empowering them.” Said Arrington. There are many aspects of a home buying experience, such as banking principles, that people may not know if they are a person of color. Often, minority buyers come to a lender with a chime card or reveal they are not using a bank for their finances. It is common for minorities to use popular celebrity business cards to track their finances instead of using more traditional avenues.
To a lender or originator who is not savvy to the intricate aspects and experiences of being a person of color, they might receive an application and immediately develop an unaware bias that a minority borrower cannot afford during this process. Arrington commented, “My job as a lender that is a part of that community is to have that conversation.” A lending officer wants to understand how a borrower spends their money and that there are no outstanding bills on a credit report to ensure they can afford to make the mortgage payment. The conversation is different with non-minority buyers because they have easier access to financial literacy education. Having a conversation that resonates with the consumer to help them be successful in accomplishing their goal of homeownership is key.
New American Funding also has very positive relationships with home builders and a high number of people who come out of the builder communities are people of color. Consumer surveys question what the experience and going process was like and the responses in the past year revealed how all experiences were not 100% pleasant due to many not understanding the process. Revealing this on the back end showed weaknesses and a great need to bette...
Owner of Music Authority, Melissa Loggins joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss its various music programs and services along with how Music Authority navigated the Coronavirus pandemic. Loggins joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment and chats about everything from rock bands to instrument rentals and performances
Loggins always knew from a young age that she loved performing arts. As a child, she was a ballerina and had a dream of opening a performing arts school one day. During her time in college, she earned a degree in Music Business. By the age of 25, she owned a music store, achieving her dream and becoming one of the rare people using their degree in the Music Business.
Music Authority’s in-house repair shop is a full-line repair shop for school band and combo instruments that focuses on keeping the instruments in good working order. The store educates its customers to ensure they understand that their instruments should be serviced every six to eight months.
Music Authority provides rentals and lessons on school band equipment, but the main focus is lessons and rentals for combo instruments such as guitars, amplifiers and drum sets. The store focuses on contemporary music and has a strong rock band program that will officially have eight rock bands this Fall. “Most schools have a lessons program, and they have a school band so we’re not going to reinvent the wheel and do what schools are already doing well,” mentioned Loggins. “We focus on those students who are getting missed because they play guitar and there isn’t a rock band they can join.” The rock band program at Music Authority has three phases. The middle phase is a five-month program aimed at middle schoolers that does not require an audition. All that is needed is a little background information on your chosen instrument. During those five months, students perform two to three productions: two at an in-house venue, The Back Room, and one at an outside venue such as a parking lot concert.
Music Authority has been doing Rock Camp since 2003 and the rock band program for five years. Loggins has students who are featured on the radio and she has worked with artists who are now very successful in the music industry. She even has students finding success in the European music scene.
The showcase band program is a varsity-level program that requires an audition to join. The program’s groups perform at least once a month at venues like RockSolid Brewery in Ball Ground and Joe’s Sports Bar in Alpharetta. Guest appearances at the Halcyon Kid’s Club, allow toddlers to try out instruments. This program is designed for high schoolers, and some are given the opportunity to travel with Loggins to Nashville, Tennessee to experience the music industry.
The newest program offered is an elementary school program giving young children an opportunity to experience and try out music at an earlier age. Music Authority is located in Forsyth County, a county with a fantastic arts program that is currently building a new arts complex for its arts program to utilize. “What we focus on is the kids that aren’t getting (needs) met within the school systems because you can’t go to the school system and sign up for a rock band. That’s something very specific that we do,” said Loggins. “I don’t want to compete against my school system. We support them.” Through partnerships with schools Music Authority often supports music programs through sponsorships. And last year during the pandemic, Music Authority helped raise money to help the elementary school program purchase ukuleles.
Twenty percent of the students are adults, and last summer, Music Authority had an adult rock program. Loggins encourages adults to get involved as it’s a great way to relieve stress and find a creative outlet. Recently there were enough adult students in the program to make up two bands. Eventually,
Adam Brock, executive vice president, and Matt Brock, executive director, of Brock Built join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to discuss upcoming Brock Built developments, as well as how they navigated through changes the home building industry underwent during the pandemic. They join hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment.
Adam Brock has been working in the real estate industry for 16 years and specializes in land acquisition and government finance. Matt Brock's specialties include business administration and working with systems and processes. Both are kept busy outside of work with their families.
Brock Built is frequently recognized for its visionary development on the Westside since its founding as a family business in 1984. Through the years, they have expanded from a family company and a home builder to a land developer and utility contractor. Taking projects from land to final home sales and owning real estate brokerage, Brock Built has tools that enable them to do a lot in the real estate industry as well as expand into business sectors outside of Georgia. "Homebuilding is more of a manufacturing business whereas development is more of an art. You get to be more playful," said Adam Brock. "You take a blank pallet, and create what you want to see there, and watching it come to life is very rewarding." The current crazy market has brought unprecedented demands and disrupted the supply chain in the home building industry, making it difficult for home builders to keep up with demand and aggressive pricing. There are aspects to the industry that have gotten easier but also many that have gotten harder.
The Coronavirus forced everyone to work virtually which has freed up time for those who no longer have to worry about travel. On the difficult side of things, every municipality had to retool its processes in terms of approvals which will ultimately benefit the industry but currently comes with growing pains as everyone learns to work together again. "It's just different now, but still very good. It's definitely harder in Atlanta to find good land deals. People are willing to pay a lot more money for a property," said Adam Brock. Matt Brock's advice for homebuyers navigating this tumultuous market is to be prepared and make sure to have good representation. Being pre-qualified makes it easier to strike while the iron is hot once you have found a home suitable for your family. It's more important than ever to have a great agent that sets appropriate expectations around the current homebuying process as even real estate agents are struggling to navigate the current market.
Brock Built is excited about several projects currently being completed or breaking ground in and outside of Georgia.
The community of West Town in West Midtown is a 75-unit development that is nearly sold out. Predominantly featuring three-story single-family detached products, a neat thing that has recently been added to this development is a new style of modern homes. It has had a great reception in the market, and the team is sad to be winding down on such an exciting project.
Ten92 West, also in West Midtown, is near the new Microsoft campus coming soon to Atlanta. This community is in a great location in a fast-growing area of the city. There has been a lot of excitement ever since information on this townhome development was released, causing prices to rise due to high demand. The magnificent product features rooftop living, a spacious owner suite, three bedrooms and three baths. The location and the prospects of Ten92 West have homebuyers very excited.
Named after the historic streetcar line, Riverline is a 52-unit townhome community in the Riverside neighborhood that will be open for sale in the next 30 to 60 days. The interior layout is almost identical to Ten29 West but will not feature rooftop living to keep it affordable and obtainable.
President and founder, Stacy Sager, and executive director, Terri Grunduski, of SagerStrong Foundation join the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast to share the foundation’s mission and this year’s upcoming events. They join hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the Around Atlanta segment.
Sager founded SagerStrong Foundation after losing her husband Craig Sager to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2016 after he fought a public battle with the disease for three years. SagerStrong’s goal is to share Craig Sager’s way of living - having fun and living with style. The mission is to spread awareness for blood cancer patients and support blood cancer research. Sager said, “Craig’s whole life in the broadcast arena was showing how time is simply how you live your life. Do it with fun; do it with style.” Previously, they have worked on projects with the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and have funded studies specifically for AML and blood cancer research. In their very first virtual event, Living Legends, the foundation raised $1.2 million. The hour-long event hosted by Ernie Johnson featured living legends Robin Roberts and Charles Barkley. The event featured a candid conversation between Johnson and Roberts, both two-time cancer survivors.
SagerStrong has a passion for focusing on pediatric blood cancer research and holding sports-oriented events to give back to kids in the community. With partners such as Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Northside Hospital, the foundation sponsors fun, interactive events throughout the year. “Craig never said, ‘why me?’ and he lived a full life,” said Sager. “But when you see a pediatric child go through this, it tears at your heart.” Craig Sager’s passions of running and baseball inspired the foundation’s Stadium Fun Run. The event, held in conjunction with Northside Hospital, follows the concourse of Truist park and gives participants the option of walking or running. The track finishes on the warning track, allowing baseball fans to take a million-dollar photo of them finishing the run on the home plate.
Before and after the run, Tent Town is available to visit various vendors and special guests, the Atlanta Falcons! The Hometown Hero award, given annually to a pediatric cancer patient currently fighting or who has triumphed against blood cancer, is announced at the Stadium Fun Run. The award is sponsored by Grant Refrigeration and the winner will receive a $2,500 scholarship to a school of their choice. The event is scheduled for August 22.
The fourth annual Living Out Loud golf tournament is October 11 at Hawks Ridge in Ball Ground, Georgia. The tournament, named for Craig Sager’s mantra and memoir title, is an opportunity to have fun and spend time outdoors with friends and family while supporting SagerStrong Foundation and blood cancer research. “It takes a village to make a difference,” said Grunduski. “Being able to do it piece by piece and create a legacy is what we want to do. Craig’s legacy was ‘Never Give Up, Never Give In and Fight This’ because we can if we work together. And we will find a cure someday.” Monetary assistance is not the only way to support a foundation or spread awareness. Volunteering or donating blood to your local Red Cross is a great free way to show support. Giving back, whether it’s volunteering, donating or participating makes a big difference.
Applications are currently open for the Hometown Hero award. For more information about the SagerStrong Foundation’s mission, volunteer and support opportunities and upcoming events, visit www.sagerstrongfoundation.org. Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and SagerStrong Foundation are not...
Tad Braswell, principal of Southwyck Homes, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum podcast for the All About Real Estate segment to discuss upcoming Southwyck Homes developments. Braswell shares how he incorporates his landscape architecture background into home and community designs with hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
An Atlanta native, Braswell attended the University of Georgia and received a degree in landscape architecture. He practiced design and worked with various design firms, developers and builders over the last 20 years before starting a new venture which would eventually become Southwyck Homes.
Being a new builder in this industry is challenging but even more so during a global pandemic when things are constantly changing. Fluctuating prices on materials and houses present problems for a company that is very customer-focused. “We build a quality home with very well-thought-out floor plans," Braswell said. "We are not a custom builder, but we are semi-custom in our thought and emphasis on design and outdoor space.” Southwyck Homes experienced exponential growth in the past two years, going from building 15 homes in a single year to 70 homes so far in 2021. The builder focuses on two types of homes – active adult (residents 55 and older) and boutique homes. Currently, four different active-adult communities are in development, as well as finishing a boutique home community that has been in the works for 20 years.
Current trends Southwyk Homes is focusing on incorporating into its builds are large gathering rooms, big kitchens and outdoor spaces -- a prominent movement in the home design industry.
Vickery, a boutique home community, started development 20 years ago when Braswell worked with Pam Sessions and Hedgewood Homes on the beginning phases of engineering for the project. This project has now come full circle for Braswell as he is building in it! Located in Cumming, this mixed-use development is unique because lot sizes vary allowing for a diverse selection of single-family homes.
In Milton, Southwyck Homes is developing Crossroads, a mixed-use neighborhood initially zoned and started by another builder in 2004. This is an exciting project because it’s a walkable community located across the street from retailers, which is uncommon in this region and, like Vickery, each house is unique. This is not age-restricted, but it is ideal for the active-adult homebuyer.
The Artisan at Victory, part of the active-adult bungalow collection, is comprised of age-restricted homes in Acworth. The Artisan collection acts as a flagship in the homebuilding industry, demonstrating what Southwyck Homes can offer as a new home building company. Placed in an RD3 zoning category, The Artisan at Victory features large front porches which differentiate it from competitors.
Braswell particularly enjoys capitalizing on his degree by building out beautiful green spaces. In the 40-lot development for The Artisan at Victory, the neighborhood includes access to ponds, a community garden and a park. Adding amenities and green spaces such as these add a great deal to the surrounding area. Communal spaces are essential for active-adult communities because they promote gathering and camaraderie. “One of the things that give us an advantage is my background in landscape development," Braswell said. "Finding deals, finding lots on the ground, focusing on the market around it, what the property offers and working with the landscape to make sure it all ties together.” Another active-adult community currently in the works is Artisan at Cooks Farm in Woodstock, which is set for completion in two months. Sharing the lots with another developer, Southwyck Homes is responsible for half of the project. There are 67 lots available with amenities such as a clubhouse, a community garden and a pool.
More Southwyck Homes communities currently in development include Nestledown Farm in Cumming near Lake Lanier and Overlook at Ol...
nüber-T Men’s Wellness League Founder Desmond Mason joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss an important topic that’s often swept under the rug – men’s health. During this Around Atlanta segment, Mason shares with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick his journey to improve his health and how that led him to create a men’s wellness center to guide men to better health and nutrition.
Mason, a husband and father to three children, sought ways to improve his health as he became older. As Mason searched for solutions, this led him to create the concept of nüber-T. The mission of nüber-T is to help men live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Mason noted how men choose to improve their health by working out at the gym rather than making regular visits to the doctor. To better reach men, Mason created a hybrid of the gym and the doctor’s office to offer medical guidance as well as wellness plans to improve men’s standard of health.
When forming his business, Mason observed a few key statistics that guided the vision of nüber-T :
1. There are seven million American men who haven’t seen a doctor in over 10 years.
2. Men are 50% less likely than women to go to the doctor.
3. 72% of men say that they would rather perform household chores such as cleaning toilets rather than go to the doctor. “Wellness is a lifestyle. The fountain of youth is exercise and it’s also nutrition, those are foundational to health and wellness,” said Mason. “We invest so much time into other things, and sometimes wellness can become less of a priority.”
After performing research into his experience, Mason realized he was facing andropause, the gradual process of aging that occurs to men’s hormones. Mason looked for centers that could help him focus on his health and wellness, but his search was unsuccessful. To create a center that met the standards he envisioned, Mason developed nüber-T which offers a focused blend of both professional healthcare checks and exercise plans.
When new members visit nüber-T, they undergo a wellness combine (performance and health evaluation) where the team learns about the individual’s overall health and lifestyle to provide a wellness rating that they’re encouraged to improve during a personal wellness season. This rating informs customers of the age quality health they possess, based on information from their daily lifestyle and habits. To help men achieve their wellness goals, nüber-T provides a wellness playbook and performance coaches, as well as tailored exercise, nutrition and lifestyle plans. “There are a lot of men that are very motivated and sometimes it’s easier to work with them. But we also work with members that are not as motivated and they haven’t worked out in years, and they’ve let themselves go. We work on that entire spectrum, and it’s a joy to watch men focus on this and see how it impacts their lives,” said Mason.
Mason credits his family for enabling him to both work at a full-time corporate job and act as the leader of a holistic men’s wellness center. At nüber-T, his mother acts as head of operations, his stepfather is the head of HR and his wife helps design the facilities as the head of experience. A close family friend works as the nüber-T medical director and another long-time friend handles the sales and marketing.
The wellness center focuses on five areas of services for its members referred to as the wellness playbook. These five aspects include lifestyle health, hormonal health, sexual health, bone and joint health and aesthetics. Throughout this process, guidance and health and wellness plans are personalized to match the unique health goals of each individual.
Listen to the full interview above to find more details. Learn more about nüber-T Men's Wellness League services by visiting www.nuber-T.com.
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Cristi Holcombe, owner of CH Home and designer at Cristi Holcombe Interiors, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share her unique experiences working in interior design, joining an HGTV show and opening her home décor shop. She shares intel with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on the All About Real Estate segment about what it’s like to start a business during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Holcombe is an acclaimed interior designer and owns Cristi Holcombe Interiors, a full-service design firm based in Atlanta. Holcombe grew up on an Alabama farm and moved to Atlanta after graduating from college. From custom homes to renovations, inventory homes and working alongside home builders, Holcombe has worked on various facets of home design during her career.
Holcombe also worked on the HGTV Emmy Award-Winning show Elbow Room for three seasons where she designed and implemented renovations. After seeing a tweet from an HGTV producer looking for a female design host in Atlanta, Holcombe sent in her information, auditioned and was hired for the position. Holcombe acted as the main project manager and liaison between the construction and show production teams. She completed 39 renovations in three years for the show. “It was an experience I couldn’t have dreamed that I would be involved in, but I’m so thankful that I was,” said Holcombe. “I learned so much about the construction process, so that’s been a huge benefit to my clients.” CH Home is a home décor and gift boutique located in Johns Creek. The store offers a selection of home goods including small accessories and custom furnishings. With a modern, fresh atmosphere, the shop incorporates Holcombe’s personal aesthetic style into its design.
Holcombe wants the store to carry “lovable” pieces such as performance fabrics and items that are safe for kids and dogs. Holcombe also ensures every item is attainable by establishing affordable prices and providing décor with a versatile design to fit a variety of homes. The shop consistently rotates goods including unique gifts and accessories which are all selected by Holcombe.
CH Home originally planned to open in the spring of 2020, and they moved forward with plans even when faced with the COVID-19 pandemic. During this unprecedented time, Holcombe and her team faced uncertainty about the store’s opening and how the store would function with constantly changing health restrictions from the CDC. Fortunately, the shop received an abundance of support from the community and remains busy. “We don’t know what it would’ve been like had we not opened up during COVID-19, but I can’t imagine it being any better on the business side,” said Holcombe. “Everyone was nesting and doing things for their home. Even if it was just buying a pillow, they wanted something new. It was really fun to help them love their homes again.” Recently, CH Home celebrated its first year anniversary, and Holcombe saw this as an opportunity to give back to the community that offered support during the store’s opening. The CH Home team threw a one-year celebration party with refreshments and an exciting raffle giveaway. They also hired a long-time friend to play music at the event who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) last year. To show support, CH Home donated a portion of its proceeds from the anniversary celebration to the Georgia Chapter of the National MS Society.
Cristi Holcombe Interiors and the CH Home shop work hand-in-hand, and the design firm operates from the back of the shop. The opening of CH Home provided Holcombe with an opportunity to expand her design services with a larger space and create a retail store to accompany it. The home décor shop offers Holcombe’s clients visual representations of the pieces that they’re considering for their home, as well as a chance to feel the textures of the décor. The design firm also complements the shop as professional interior designers are always present to guid...
The House That She Built has gained national attention in the homebuilding industry. This beautiful home in Utah was designed, planned and built entirely by women. The project has gained considerable attention and is a way to showcase all of the women in the trades and inspire young women to consider the building industry for their future careers.
To discuss her book The House That She Built, which is based on the project of the same name, Mollie Elkman joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on the Around Atlanta edition of this week’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Elkman also discussed workforce shortages in the housing industry and how women can help fill this gap.
Owner of Group Two and author of The House That She Built, Elkman is a second-generation business owner serving the housing industry. The House That She Built was created and completed by the Utah Home Builders Association and its Professional Women in Building Council (PWB) when inspired to exclusively hire women to build a home.
Elkman, based out of Philadelphia, became aware of this project two years ago at the Women in Residential Construction conference. She was told about the ambitious project in Utah and asked if she wanted to be responsible for the marketing. Group Two took the lead on marketing the home and Georgia Castellano, creative director, illustrated the book after working on the marketing with Elkman. “The home is beautiful [and] it’s very empowering that everything was done by women," Elkman said ." Every aspect, the plans, the plumbing, the decorating, every single piece. It’s extremely inspiring.” This house serves as a tangible role model for women and shows them that anything can be done by women. This is important because less than 3% of onsite workers in the building industry are women. To build a home using only women was challenging. For this ambitious project to be successful, women were flown in from all over the country, which turned it into a national project. Over 100 women were involved in the physical construction of this home.
Marketing is all about storytelling and this is a story that needs to be shared. They didn’t want the story to end once the home was sold. The journey to turn this story into a children’s book came about organically to share the story not just to the housing industry but everywhere. “One of the most moving things for me was the garage because when you walked into the garage, they have all of the women’s faces on the wall," Elkman said. "You can see how many people put their love, energy and effort into this home. It shows more about the workforce and the opportunity we have to develop it.” Construction is a unique industry where women can close the wage gap and have a better chance to receive equal pay for equal work. According to Elkman, women are paid more on the dollar in the construction industry than in most industries. “It’s a very mission-based book because of the project that inspired it," Elkman said. The book is marketed toward K-3, the perfect age range because a large aspect of workforce development is educating parents and teachers. A large part of the conversation is how children form their ideas and identity from the adults in their life. Many kids grow up with aspirations to be a dancer, a firefighter or a police officer. What if kids wanted to grow up to become home builders? Kids don’t think of the housing industry as a dream career, which is why this age group is fundamental for the workforce development mission.
Book sales start September 14, 2021, a special date because it is the anniversary of the groundbreaking of the house that inspired the book, as well as PWB Week for the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Listen to the full interview above for more details. Click here to pre-order the book and learn more about the project.
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Ann Terry, broker with Choice One Realty Group, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss the obstacles new homeowners face and the importance of financial literacy in achieving homeownership. Terry joins hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss her passion and drive to help homeowners navigate the homebuying process while sharing different approaches to assisting people and how that has allowed her to form a unique connection to the Atlanta community.
Originally from Philadelphia, Terry is a licensed real estate agent who got her start in new home sales but moved into general agency real estate where she found a true passion. Her education started her on the path to becoming a real estate broker, earning a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics from Hampton University and later, a master’s degree from the University of Georgia in Housing Management and Consumer Economics.
The goal of Choice One Realty Group is to help underserved people realize their dream of homeownership, spreading the message that if you work hard, you can one day own a home. However, not just any home; a home that meets the needs of your family. Terry’s educational background and experience help her emphasize and focus on the socio-economic aspect of purchasing and owning a home. Most of the business Terry conducts is on the south side of Atlanta but she will go wherever necessary to help clients realize their dream of owning a home. “For members of your household to be able to grow and thrive, the house has to be able to meet the needs of all the family. Let’s talk about who is going to live in that house and how it’s going to work for your family.” said Terry. Through the efforts of her non-profit organization, Foundations Empowerment, she builds a rapport with clients and conducts educational workshops. Terry chose to hold her workshops outside of Choice One Realty because she wanted clients to know her passion for education has nothing to do with hiring her as a realtor. The emphasis is to educate and prepare homeowners on the various aspects of homebuying. Most people who attend these workshops are first-time homebuyers or previous homeowners who have been through a foreclosure. “Our slogan is ‘Pathways to Homeownership,’" Terry said. "We recognize that the pathway is different for everyone.” Her workshops are easily accessible to homebuyers with different experiences - those who are mortgage ready and others who have credit challenges and need assistance navigating obstacles. The workshops cover topics such as basic first steps of homebuying, repairing your credit, as well as her Homebuyer Education course. The course is a 6–8-hour course where participants receive a certificate upon completion that can qualify them for down payment assistance, lender assistance, as well as behind-the-scenes credit assistance. Terry said, “No one workshop is like the other. It’s based on the needs of the people who attend.” Financial literacy is a leading obstacle for potential homeowners. As an educator, Terry understands the importance of financial literacy in the home building process. No matter what obstacles are in your financial history, they can be overcome, and you can own a home. People generally have a mistrust of the system and educating yourself is three-fourths of the battle of purchasing a home.
Her passion and approach to the market have also laid the basis for a great partnership with New American Funding. This partnership helps her reach a larger audience and assist them in their journey of purchasing a home.
Through her church, Terry instills in her fellow parishioners the importance of stability in the current climate. She feels a responsibility to educate people on what is coming up and how to be prepared when the assistance offered during the pandemic ceases.
Listen to the full interview above for more details. Click here to learn more about Choice One Realty,
Sue Kelly, executive director of the Southeastern Railway Museum, joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast for the Around Atlanta segment to discuss the museum's exhibits, activities and events. She is joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in the studio for this week’s episode.
Sue started her involvement with the museum over nine years ago when she volunteered weekly with her son. After becoming increasingly more involved with the museum, she became the Volunteer Coordinator and then the Director of Operations before becoming the Executive Director.
Located in Duluth, the museum is a 501C3 non-profit that provides an educational atmosphere that vividly brings to life the cultural, technical and historical aspects of the transportation system. The museum was founded over 60 years ago by a group of railroad veterans who started the Save the 290 Club. The aim of this organization was to save the 290 engine, and it later turned into the Atlanta chapter of the National Railway Historic Society. Artifacts found in the museum were originally located throughout Georgia but were consolidated to the museum in the late 1900s. Activities and Events The museum offers a variety of activities and events for children of all ages. Railroad Speeder Day is coming up on July 17 and 18 hosted by the Southeastern Railcar Operators Association. During the event, motorcars are brought in that were once used to inspect railroads and kids can take a ride on a real speeder car.
The Antique Typewriter Showcase is happening on July 24. The Antique Typewriter Collectors Group brings in an assortment of antique typewriters. Attendees will have the chance to type on different kinds of typewriters, as well as purchase them and get to know how their history relates to the railroad system.
From August 6 – 8, the museum offers an event that will capture every child’s heart. Guests are invited to bring in their tractors and trucks and kids can explore all the different types, including all the trains at the museum. The event also has food and live music for guests to enjoy. “It’s a whole festival of all things antiques and, of course, trains. Even if you’re a kid or young at heart, it’s a fun festival,” said Kelly. Exhibits The museum has over 90 pieces of railway equipment, as well as tractors, busses and antique artifacts such as uniforms and plates. The museum recently acquired the Marco Polo Pullman Car which was built in 1927 and is one of six cars that are named after early explorers. These types of cars were built to carry passengers of high class and were known as the “Air Force One” of its day. The museum also offers scheduled tours of the Marco Polo Pullman Car, which is being prepared to become a permanent exhibit. Museum Care Museum upkeep is a necessary part of preserving the museum’s history. Most of the care and maintenance of the trains is funded by ticket sales. Memberships are also offered to help maintain the museum, and members can become a part of the history. The gift shop also supports the museum, as well as professional photographers who come in and film the exhibits for different projects.
The museum also offers several volunteer opportunities, and the current volunteers have completed a total of over 17,000 hours of work toward the museum’s mission! They started a campaign called Fast Track to the Future to help expand the museum, and have a goal of raising $1 million over the next five years. “It’s our way to enhance and expand the museum,” said Kelly. “We’re going to enhance the educational experience, improve and expand the exhibits, modernize the museum for growth and hopefully, get professional staff.” Education The museum offers many sessions of summer camps. Summer Rail Camp is open to children ages 5 – 12 and this year’s theme is Classic Trains. The camp includes crafts, games, snacks and opportunities to ride on the trains.
Over the past year, the Atlanta housing market has been anything but predictable leading to substantial challenges for both Realtors, buyers and sellers. To discuss the volatile market, Realtors with Harry Norman Buckhead Louise Morgan and Nick LaMonte join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. The duo shares insight into buying trends, as well as tips for buyers and sellers in the current market.
Known as the ‘original’ real estate firm, Harry Norman was established in 1930 as the first residential real estate firm in Atlanta. The mission of Harry Norman is to provide an exceptional experience for every client. The full-service firm serves each transaction from start to finish. Its 18 sales offices throughout Georgia offer a variety of departments including international specialists, a relocation division, marketing, public relations, mortgage services, home insurance services and title services, among many others. “My mother’s been a Realtor with Harry Norman for almost 30 years, so I’ve grown up in the office and I’ve watched the firm expand over the years,” Louise said. “I’m always amazed at how innovative and ahead of the curve Harry Norman is. It’s a fun and exciting place to be, especially right now.” In the current market, the Realtors have experienced a hectic environment unlike anything they’ve seen before. With the combined factors of COVID-19 (coronavirus), low interest rates and scarce inventory supply, the housing market has been highly unpredictable.
As a result, Realtors have experienced both benefits and drawbacks while navigating the explosive market. Although the Atlanta housing industry is known for its competitive nature, present conditions have caused a great upsurge in buyers vying for property, which has highlighted the necessity of preparation before entering the market.
To adapt to current circumstances, Louise advises clients to be fully prepared and proactive before searching for a new home. To thoroughly plan ahead, she suggests buyers find the right Realtor to guide them through the buying process, as well as a mortgage consultant to help them arrange finances, get preapproved and receive answers to all their questions. Louise also emphasized the importance of maintaining great communication, even over-communication, between Realtors and clients for the best chances of success.
LaMonte focuses on the value of holding conversations on the phone to ensure both parties have mutual understanding. Both Realtors and clients often defer to the use of email or text messages when communicating with each other, but this can often lead to clarity issues and misunderstanding.
Instead, LaMonte suggests planning phone calls to stay updated and address any unanswered questions. Louise also highlights the opportunity phone calls provide to build rapport and solid relationships between agents and their clients.
Although Atlanta has been the place to work and live for many, Realtors are seeing a shift from prioritizing home location to home amenities. More clients are opting to live outside of the city to instead build their lives around their homes. When the coronavirus emerged, Louise saw a rise in demand for single-family homes with outdoor living spaces.
As more individuals began working remotely, having sufficient space has become increasingly important as they spend more time within the home. To find homes with more space at affordable prices, Louise began to shift outside the center of Atlanta to surrounding areas including Roswell, Alpharetta and Vinings where properties with outdoor living space were more abundant. “When I first started, a lot of people wanted to be within the city close to work, close to where they live their lives,” LaMonte said. “Recently, we’ve seen many people going to the suburbs, the lake and secondary homes on the beach.
“You’re building the life around you at the house,
Kim Hatcher, the Public Affairs Director of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in the studio for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Podcast to talk about hidden gems and activities in Georgia’s state parks.
As a Smyrna native and graduate from the University of Georgia, Hatcher has deep ties to Georgia. Growing up, she and her family were avid campers and hikers and spent most of their free time outdoors. Now Kim gets to explore her passion for Georgia’s parks by sharing all the must-see places and activities the parks have to offer. “If we have learned anything from the pandemic, it is how important parks are for people’s wellbeing,” said Hatcher. “Being outdoors is good for the mind, body and soul, and luckily we have over 84,000 acres in Georgia to explore.” Tips for enjoying Georgia State Parks
Many popular parks in Georgia like Tallulah Gorge get crowded on the weekends. Try going during the week to enjoy the space of nature. Many parks offer overnight stay opportunities, so nature is just outside the door and activities are all around. Parks offer RV camps and hookups, private campsites with showers, as well as a variety of recently renovated and newly built cabins. A new available experience is the “glamping” yurt, which is a combination of a cabin and camping experience. They feature locking doors, furniture, back porches with seating, picnic tables, fire rings, grills, futons and bunk beds and bathhouses with hot showers. This is a great option for families who want to enjoy camping in style! Georgia State Parks are known for hiking and fishing, but they also offer other recreational activities like mini-golf, birding, archery, kayaking, paddle boarding and biking.
Enjoy nature without all the crowds by visiting some lesser-known, activity-filled parks.
Panola Mountain Park is located in Stockbridge just southeast of Atlanta and is a great spot for those who enjoy biking and hiking along paved trails. They offer bike rentals and small lakes for fishing. Don Carter State Park on Lake Lanier has great hiking trails, cabin rentals, camping grounds and access to lake recreations. Hard Labor Creek is east of Atlanta and offers cabins as well as guided kayak tours, guided hikes, kids programs and a golf course. Chattahoochee Bend in the Newnan area has hiking, camping and cabins along the Chattahoochee River. Cartersville’s Etowah Indian Mounds State Park protects native mounds from over 1,000 years ago. They have artifact museums, ranger programs and great exercise trails. Pickett’s Mill Battlefield in Dallas has over 4 miles of walking trails and a Civil War battlefield monument.
New opportunities in Georgia State Parks
Those up for a challenge can join different clubs across the state, the most popular being the Canyon Climbers Club. Memberships are $20 and climbers are encouraged to wear their club shirts when hiking. Canyon Climbers are challenged to go down into Cloudland Canyon and climb Tallulah Gorge, Amicalola Falls and many others. Once completed, members receive a certificate of completion. The newest club is called Tails on Trails which encourages hikers to bring their dogs. State Park guests pay a $5 fee for parking when visiting, but more frequent visitors can purchase a $50 annual pass.
To learn more information about Georgia State Parks and all the activities they have to offer, visit GAStateParks.org or listen to the podcast above.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Georgia State Parks are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentio...
Kelly Allison, Senior Vice President of the Southeast Division for New American Funding joins the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to discuss customer service and its On-Time Closing Guarantee. She is joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in the studio for this week’s edition of the All About Real Estate segment.
New American Funding recently rolled out an On-Time Closing Guarantee to help customers have an extra leg up with home offers. This guarantee helps future customers get their offer accepted because it removes the “will it close on time: question. Because of the current uneven supply and demand in the housing market, customers are writing an average of seven contracts before one is accepted, as opposed to a regular market where they only make two to three offers. The on-time closing guarantee is aimed at getting the seller to choose an offer based on a guaranteed timely closing. Should the closing not take place on time, New American will pay up to $3,000 in the transaction with money going to both the buyer and seller.
Allison began her career in the home building industry at one of the largest development companies in Atlanta where she was mentored by her CEO for over 14 years. He instilled in his company the value of the customers and passion for providing an exceptional customer experience, which has stayed with her over the years. In her career at New American Funding, they focus on perfecting the customer experience and incorporating it into other aspects of the company. If a customer gets their funding from New American Funding, they are “customers for life.” “I think what makes us different is that we are fanatics about customer service. Raving fans will be your biggest fans and that ends up being the largest marketing platform by referring friends and family,” said Allison. “Satisfied customers will come back to us when they look for an upgrade of a bigger home, second home, investment property or a refinance which is the biggest compliment we could get. They are our biggest fans and best teachers.” Allison believes that the only long-term sustainable advantage is world-class service. Customer service systems are created to train and sustain standards. A system may seem mechanical, but at New American Funding, the system and processes are built around and by the customer through small groups, surveys and vocalized wants. Feedback, praises and improvements are taken from think tanks that include referral partners, builders and past and present customers. “Our customers aren’t numbers or files, they are our customers. They have families, faces, stories just like you and I and should be treated as though they are family,” said Allison. Relationships are created by first starting the discovery process and getting to know the customer, then introducing them to the team that will be working with them from the processor and closer to the loan officer. This is important so they know they are protected by a team that cares about them and they can trust. Communication should be through interactions such as phone calls, Zoom meetings or in-person interactions and not strictly through text and email.
New American Funding is a top national mortgage provider in 46 states with 300 branches dedicated to serving underrepresented demographics and helping families and individuals improve their quality of life. As relationships with customers are the most important aspect of New American Funding, tune in to hear the trio discuss the company’s approach to the customer service experience.
You can also visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com/Branches/Atlanta for more information. Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify.
Managing Director and Principal of Avison Young Atlanta Steve Dils is in the studio for the All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Dils joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to shares insight into how businesses are adapting and innovating their workspace design to meet the shifting circumstances caused by the pandemic.
Dils opened the Avison Young Atlanta office in 2010, which was the firm’s third office in the US. Over the years, the firm has grown profoundly, and today, the Avison Young offices internationally number over 120, with 55 offices here in the US. Avison Young is currently the largest privately-held, principal-led real estate services firm in the world. The firm’s goal is to allow its principals to hold ownership in the company and to engage with its clients through unique approaches as a private organization.
In business for over 40 years in Canada, Avison Young is comprised of privately-held, independently-owned offices in 15 countries. As a principal-led company with over 650 principals, Avison Young is highly collaborative and provides its principals with a voice to help shape the organization with a long-term vision rather than a transactionally-driven focus. “We want people to bring in the best resource to help their clients as possible. And that’s a vision that has resonated with a lot of people,” said Dils. “It doesn’t make us the answer to everything, but it does differentiate us, and it is appealing to both the producers and the people who work for us, but also to our clients.” During the pandemic, Avison Young saw clients with both positive and difficult impacts. The industrial market saw incredible e-commerce growth, while other sectors experienced times of uncertainty. In these instances, Avison Young worked to understand clients’ businesses and assisted them to adapt to circumstances and challenges. Despite obstacles caused by the pandemic, Avison Young saw highly positive results during 2020 due to pent-up demand.
As more businesses start to utilize coworking spaces, Avison Young has been working with clients who specialize in coworking. The firm has played a role in both engaging with building owners interested in forming spaces and coordinating with coworking firms that are looking for a suitable location. Looking forward, Dils expects to see building owners partnering with coworking firms to manage the space and collectively share profits.
Hoteling has also become a popular option for many businesses to provide more flexible work times for employees. Dils anticipates that practically every large firm will have flexible space options rather than long-term leases to become more adaptable.
As COVID-19 restrictions lessen, Avison Young has seen a variety of approaches to returning to the office depending on the risk-aversion levels of different companies. Avison Young has noted that many firms feel obligated to resume in-person work in order to maintain company culture, nurture younger employees’ growth and acquire new hires. Office spaces are not expected to disappear, but they will likely function differently than before and vary for each company. Several Avison Young offices have reopened with flexible measures, but the firm remains in the process of returning to full function at every office.
Avison Young and its partnering firms go beyond simply finding businesses a good location fit to also assess the company’s workflow and business goals in order to create workspace designs based on the company’s values and functional needs. Not only is the overall company vision incorporated into the workspace, but the needs and wants of employees are also taken into consideration when forming the design to create a sustainable space. “It’s not one size fits all. Whether it’s how often you come in or what your space looks like, it really depends on the industry you’re in,” said Dils. As Avison Young moves forward,
General Manager of the Bellyard Hotel in West Midtown Brendan Abraham joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in the studio to discuss the opening of the hotel in West Midtown on the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. As the inaugural hotel of West Midtown, Abraham shares how the hotel pays tribute to the area’s history and incorporates its legacy into the design and amenities.
With over a decade of experience in the hotel industry, Abraham spent most of his career in Pittsburgh working with Sage Hospitality before stepping into his role at the Bellyard Hotel. He was involved in several hotel openings including The Darcy in Washington, D.C., The Westin Cleveland and The Logan in Philadelphia. Abraham has resided in Atlanta for almost two years, and he is excited to be part of this new project. “This project was exceptionally unique to me due to the design aspect that pays homage to West Midtown that ties in the entire story of why this property was built,” said Abraham. Located within the Interlock complex in West Midtown, the Bellyard Hotel is the first hotel in this area of Atlanta. This provided the company with the opportunity to offer a new, high-quality establishment with first-rate customer service as the inaugural property. Affiliated with Marriott Hotels, the Bellyard is comprised of 147 guest rooms with 14 specialty suites. Half of the specialty suites are Bellyard Suites which contain unique design elements reminiscent of the history of West Midtown.
In addition to the guest rooms, the Bellyard Hotel has 7,500 square feet of meeting space that provides an incredible view of the Midtown skyline, as well as a bar and lounge called the Drawbar. The Bellyard also features visually appealing, functional space throughout the terrace and courtyard that is popular with visitors. Inspired by work, play and everything in between, the Bellyard Hotel décor has a one-of-a-kind style that seamlessly blends the amenities today’s travelers expect with unexpected, innovative touches.
Complete with a Wizard of Oz-esque style, the Bellyard Hotel’s Drawbar is a distinguished space that sets the hotel apart. The bar offers over 20 signature cocktails. The cocktail-centric menu offers a variety of craft cocktails with a unique twist that are prepared before the guests. Bar cuisine focuses on small plates including a staff favorite – pimento cheese arancini.
The West Midtown hotel resides along the lines of the former Southern Railroad, previously used during General Sherman’s visit in 1864. Formerly employed to ship cattle, mules and pigs from the West to the East, the Southern Railroad historically served as a major economical location within the city of Atlanta until the 1940s. The Bellyard notably pays tribute to the history of West Midtown throughout its design and distinctive details.
Surrounding the hotel, the Interlock offers amenities and attractions such as Top Golf, Anthropologie, Barcelona Wine Bar, Westside Cultural Arts Center and the High Museum of Art among many others. Establishments within the hotel or nearby include a variety of restaurants, bars, shops, St. Germain’s Bakery and its standalone shop Puttshack. “This area is continuing to grow every month we’re continuing to see new projects that are in the pipeline. We are very excited to see what West Midtown is going to look like in a few years,” said Abraham. “We are fortunate to be the first hotel and we plan on establishing ourselves as just that as the years go on.”
Currently, the hotel offers a Grand Opening package that not only provides unique specialties from the hotel and its amenities but also ties to the local community neighbors that the hotel works with on a daily basis. The package includes a two-night stay with overnight accommodations, breakfast and complimentary drinks from the Drawbar. Guests will also be provided with Velvet Taco gift cards,
Senior Vice President of Kaufman Capital Partners Garry Sobel is featured on the All About Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Radio podcast talking about the revitalization of Friday’s Plaza. Sobel chats with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick and shares the real estate firm’s collaborative investment process and its up-and-coming exciting collaboration project at The Village at Tilly Mill Crossing.
Originally from New York, Sobel’s career has centered around investments, risk management and changing market cycles. Sobel began his career as a CPA, and later transitioned to commercial real estate. For the past 30 years, Sobel has founded and owned a variety of real estate. In 2013, Sobel joined Greg Kaufman at Kaufman Capital Partners where he works on acquisition, development and management among other functions.
Founded in 1994, Kaufman Capital Partners is a real estate development firm that focuses on joint ventures and property investment projects. In Sobel’s current role, his focus is managing the full life cycle of investment projects from identifying opportunities to execution and exit. The firm actively seeks prospects for collaborative projects by finding individuals that share their company’s values. “Finding the right fit for us starts with the people, the property and then we move into the details,” said Sobel. “For us, it’s a collaborating model, we look for good partners that bring something special to the table that we can work with.” Kaufman Capital Partners’ latest collaboration is a redevelopment project named The Village at Tilly Mill Crossing. Located in the area formerly known as “Friday’s Plaza,” the property contains 14 acres which will be transformed to include 320 multifamily units and 3,5000 square feet of commercial space. This new development replaces the aging retail center with a vibrant mixed-use environment. Revitalizing a neglected area, this project is the first new Class A multifamily development in over 35 years on the Tilly Mill Corridor, and Kaufman Capital Partners hopes will be a catalyst for growth.
The Tilly Mill project collaboration was formed between Kaufman Capital Partners and its development partner Atlanta Residential. During the beginning stages of the development, the firm worked with the Doraville planning commission and city council over 18 months to discuss overarching goals, objectives, questions and concerns about the project. Through this process, Kaufman Capital Partners and the city organizations were able to develop a well-structured plan that was suitable for both parties. After laying this groundwork, Kaufman Capital Partners went on to work closely with the Doraville Downtown Development Authority to discuss how the city could contribute to the project due to potential financial concerns surrounding development in the property’s disparate location. “It was a great experience, and it goes without saying that we built a very strong relationship with the city of Doraville and a strong partnership with the DDA. COVID added a layer of uncertainty that none of us could’ve dreamed,” said Sobel. ”Without the Development Authority’s assistance on this project, this would not have happened.” This new development at Friday's Plaza provides an incredible location with convenient proximity to some of the region’s biggest job centers at Perimeter Center and Buckhead. The Village at Till Mill Crossing also offers excellent access to the Doraville MARTA Station and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport for considerably easier travel. Local attractions are also conveniently close by at the retail and the restaurant corridor on Buford Highway.
On the residential side of the new development, there will be 320 rental units in two five-story buildings which include a mix of studio apartments, one-bedroom units, two-bedroom units and three-bedroom units. The development also contains a courtyard, green space, pool,
President of Peachtree Residential Alec Rickenbaker joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for this week’s edition of the All About Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Tune in to hear the trio discuss Peachtree Residential’s unique communities filled with urban farmhouse-style homes.
An Atlanta native, Rickenbaker has worked in the area as a home builder and landscape architect. With over 30 years in the housing market, Peachtree Residential builds luxury homes throughout Atlanta and Charlotte. Notably called “the builder who listens,” the home building company prides itself on offering a wide array of personalization options to new homeowners. Peachtree Residential provides a design center where homeowners can choose from a variety of selections to customize different features within their new home. “With move-up buyers, they’ve obviously owned houses before and have learned a lot about what they want and what they don’t want. With our pretty wide array of plans and options that we offer folks, they can really personalize what they do,” said Rickenbaker. Many contemporary homes from Peachtree Residential offer the urban farmhouse aesthetic which has risen in popularity. From brick water tables to board and batten siding and inviting porches, the builder’s homes offer a relaxed yet stylish look by implementing thoughtful features in their design.
Currently, the builder offers unique new homes in several new communities. Waterside at River Glen, a new community located within the existing River Glen neighborhood off Peachtree Industrial Boulevard in Suwanee, Georgia. Now preselling, this Gwinnett County community offers 22 incredible homesites, including 17 homes with direct access to the Chattahoochee River.
Garden Park is a 28-lot gated neighborhood in the highly-rated West Forsyth High School District. Placed in a beautiful location, the single-family homes in this community priced from the low $600,000s feature Peachtree Residential’s popular master-on-main floorplans. Ward Mills Farm in West Cobb offers 41 homesites priced from the mid $500,000s to high $600,000s showcasing popular urban farmhouse designs. Located off Lost Mountain Road, the community offers convenient proximity to Lost Mountain Park, The Avenue West Cobb and other West Cobb attractions.
Among the builder’s Charlotte communities, Blackwood Knoll offers 22 large homesites in the town of Huntersville. Priced in the $700,000s, Blackwood Knoll is an active community that includes a Great Lawn with an open area for outdoor activities.
Summit at River Run in Davidson offers unique opportunities including both townhomes and single-family homes. Both South Charlotte neighborhoods, Kristen Lake and Hennigan Place each provide a limited collection of eight to nine beautiful homes priced from the $700,000s. One of the builder’s most successful communities, McLean is a master-planned community located in the town of Belmont.
With locations in both Atlanta and Charlotte, the Peachtree Design Center boasts talented designers to guide homeowners throughout the home design process. Peachtree Residential has noted current design trends among buyers include simple designs, textured layers, black hardware, light gray or neutral walls, floating shelves and black window mullions among other features. Peachtree Residential offers a variety of design packages to fit the modern design elements buyers are seeking.
When building new homes, Peachtree Residential prioritizes placing its new communities in the city’s best school districts. The builder focuses on the real estate value and popularity of these districts because families prefer to live in the best school districts.
https://youtu.be/-LhjS-AtKy8
To learn more about Peachtree Residential, visit www.PeachtreeResidential.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
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Former artistic director at Dad’s Garage for 10 years, Film Producer Kevin Gillese with New Comedy Project is now exploring the nuances of holiday gatherings through independent films. Gillese is in the studio today for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about the independent adult comedy film “How To Ruin The Holidays.” Take a listen to learn more about the film and how it balances family, inclusion and developmental disabilities.
The script was first inspired by Gillese’s family after he moved from Canada to Atlanta. It then grew into something bigger after the team partnered with the Spotlight program, which provides opportunities for actors with special needs at the MJCCA in Atlanta, to create the short film “That Was Awesome!” in 2017. Here, Gillese met many talented actors that now star in “How To Ruin The Holidays.” “It is important for me to take things that I care about and use humor to peddle it to the masses,” said Gillese. The film uses adult humor to as seen with the film’s lead, a woman working in comedy who travels from Atlanta to Los Angeles to reconnect with family over the holidays. The lead female role, played by actress Amber Nash, must navigate family mishaps while juggling a life-changing decision regarding her brother with special needs.
Written based on Gillese’s experiences with his special needs brother, the film shows audiences how its level of authenticity is also what makes the project so special. Special needs actor Luke Davis stars in this role, and he has appeared in productions for Jerry's Habima Theatre and the short film "That Was Awesome!". “I didn’t make the project and then select [Luke Davis], I met him and then built the project around him. It’s always been him,” said Gillese. “There’s been no one else. I don’t know if I would have thought to make this project if I didn’t have him because it’s just such a specific niche, so I got lucky that I found him.” Another well-known face audience members will enjoy seeing includes Colin Mochrie, the award-winning actor and improviser best known for his long-standing role on the TV series “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” who will play the father. Other actors include Aisha Tyler, best known for hosting “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and “Archer,” and Henry Zebrowski, podcast host for “The Last Podcast on the Left.”
Interested viewers will be excited to learn that production is slated for December with an expected festival release in 2022. After that, the film will be open to the public.
Learn more about “How To Ruin The Holidays” at www.howtoruintheholidaysmovie.com or follow the project on social media @howtoruintheholidaysmovie on Facebook or @ruintheholidays on Twitter.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and New Comedy Project are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
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On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Chris Wegener, sales executive of Graydon Buckhead, Atlanta’s premier luxury high rise. The group discusses Graydon Buckhead’s dedication to delivering the ultimate residential experience along with the company’s remaining timeline.
Graydon Buckhead broke ground in 2020 with the expectation to complete construction on the 22-floor luxury high rise in mid-2022. Graydon Buckhead now expects to complete months ahead of schedule in February 2022 with development lead by Kolter Urban, a Florida-based development company. The condos promise residents a lavish lifestyle in the heart of the city. Located at 2520 Peachtree Rd., the condos are central to shopping, dining, places of worship and parks. Read more about local attractions and Buckhead here.
Wegener works with Graydon Buckhead as a sales executive to help residents find their dream home. As an Atlanta native, he knows exactly what buyers are looking for – a Buckhead home with prime views and top-notch amenities. “The Graydon is unlike any high rise we’ve seen really at any time. It’s special in a lot of different ways,” said Wegener. Buyers looking for a private, secure and exclusive address will enjoy the Graydon’s 45 residences, onsite resort-style amenities, private accommodations and unparalleled city views. Sales are strong with 40% of condos already sold, including the 21st-floor penthouse. With only one penthouse left and only a little over half of the residences available, prospective buyers can choose from three available plans: Moore, Wesley and Hightower.
From spacious owner suites to western-facing terraces, each plan provides luxury and up-town decadence suitable to each and every Graydon homeowner. The Moore plan provides the lower levels with around 2,700 sq. ft which includes 2 to 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, a den and a western-facing terrace. The Wesley plan is just over 3,000 sq. ft. with three separate terraces. For a total of 3,600 sq. ft., the Hightower plan consists of 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths, a formal living space, a den and spacious terraces. “Our buyers who have already purchased are actually trading the property they have, which might be very close to ours, and they are downsizing not in luxury or space but in upkeep. They want an Atlanta address, and they want the security and privacy that the Graydon offers,” said Wegener. Besides breathtaking Atlanta views and beautiful room finishes, the Graydon also offers resort-style amenities. Buyers will find an array of choices once they move in, from a news café to a dog park to a yoga lawn. Other amenities include a fire pit, sauna and spa, full-size pool, lounge chairs, cabanas and a fitness center. With help of the on-staff concierge service, residences will be provided with full-service accommodations to ensure their stay feels like a vacation.
Interested in a Graydon Buckhead residence? Stay on the lookout for Graydon Buckhead updates as the condos continue toward completion. Visit www.thegraydon.com or contact Chris Wegener at Chris@thegraydon.com to learn more about the building’s architecture, finishes and much more to make an informed home buying decision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iz0TJEUxMI
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Graydon Buckhead are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfo...
Dreams of Lois Founder Ivory Cloud is in the studio today for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about how dreams really do come true when a helping hand reaches out. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the Cloud talks about the importance of community, family and mentorship.
Dreams of Lois is a family nonprofit established over 10 years ago in honor of Cloud’s mother who died of breast cancer. The organization’s emphasis on family and connection was first inspired by Cloud’s mother who left this world full of dreams and aspirations. Cloud honors her memory by working with her community and other underrepresented minorities in and around Fayette County to continue paying it forward. “I just want to continue to serve and grow and help people,” said Cloud. The nonprofit first began with a vision to educate and mentor young girls and women who have lost their mothers. Dreams of Lois now mentors anyone in need since everyone needs support because no one knows just what the other person is going through in life, according to Cloud. Depending on the person, support can manifest as a listening ear, a 2 a.m. call, a coffee date or a reassuring message. “People don’t realize what people are going through. We can put on this beautiful smile on our face and then go home and I could be going through terminal [cancer],” said Cloud. “Until you try to reach past the surface to get to know an individual, you’ll keep getting the same surface material. We need to dig deeper and understand the whole person and not be so judgmental.” Over the years, Dreams of Lois has evolved beyond mentorship to include community outreach and support, pajama donations, toy drives, monthly events and meetings, craft parties and much more.
The nonprofit also has an eight-year partnership with the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta where Cloud, her family and other volunteers provide hot meals, pajamas, hygiene products and hot buttery popcorn fresh out of the machine to families in need.
Dreams of Lois utilizes the village mentality to achieve all that they do. Everyone lends a helping hand, including Cloud’s own family, her community, local churches, schools and volunteers. Helpers make hygiene packs, encouragement cards and much more.
Keep an eye out for the sleep and loungewear line designed by Cloud’s daughters, Charity Cloud and Chasity Cloud. The clothing line is a passion project for these young entrepreneurs and is still in the early stages of production. Follow on Instagram @dreamcloudsleepwear.
Stay updated with Dreams of Lois’ ongoing projects by visiting their website here or follow on Twitter and Instagram @dreamsoflois. Volunteers and donations are encouraged!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc8748dJ-N4
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Dreams of Lois are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
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New American Funding CEO Rick Arvielo is today’s guest on the All About Atlanta Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Hosted by Carol Morgan and Todd Schick, take a listen to learn more about New American Funding’s leadership style and company culture. New American Funding is a top national mortgage provider dedicated to serving underrepresented demographics and helping families and individuals improve their quality of living.
Founded 17 years ago by Rick and Patty Arvielo, the company leads the pack regarding “serving the underserved” with a focus on Latino and African American homeowners. The company achieves this mission through various programs. According to www.newamericanfunding.com, the company created the New American Dream in 2016 to raise awareness and increase homeownership in Black communities by building consumer confidence. (Learn more about this initiative in this Radio Interview with Kim Arrington.)
New American Funding’s transformative work culture is what makes everything possible. Team members are encouraged to acknowledge one another’s emotions with respect and dignity. The emphasis on teamwork and respect creates newfound industry and customer satisfaction. “People want to belong to something more than just a job. They want to belong to something that they believe in,” said Arvielo. New American Funding continues to take preemptive measures to ensure customer satisfaction, especially in the technology age. Focus groups and competitor tactics inform what prospective buyers expect from mortgage lenders. With upcoming generations being technologically driven, the company plans to deliver faster, easier service in the near future.
As more millennials buy homes, Arvielo fears there will be a lack of supply to fit demand. “Real estate cycles, up and down. The trend line is up but it does cycle,” said Arvielo. “People are going to get in at the wrong time during a bubble, and values are going to drop. They’re going to get freaked out, run away from their homes, destroy their credit, so everything they do in life is going to be more expensive and their ability to come back into homeownership is going to be delayed years beyond that.” The real estate market continues to be impacted by COVID-19 as the economy continues to heal. Arvielo predicts a rise in inflation rates that will eventually normalize after a couple of months.
Those interested in New American Funding’s next move will be excited to learn the company is planning to create more relationships in the secondary market to replace what is being curtailed in the primary market by other companies like Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Basically, the company hopes to create an outlet where it can continue lending to people in need despite growing regulations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeSgo_U-EiE
To learn more about Rick Arvielo and New American Funding, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit https://www.newamericanfunding.com/branches/atlanta for more information. Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application.
Concrete Roots Group is pioneering downtown Atlanta’s sustainable housing trend. One of the first companies to build shipping container homes in the area, co-founders Josh Booth and Courtney Booth are today’s guests on the All About Atlanta Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Hosted by Carol Morgan and Todd Schick, take a listen to learn more about Concrete Roots Group’s ongoing projects and future plans.
Concrete Roots Group provides custom homes, shipping container units and custom renovations. The company first started building sustainable housing after Josh was inspired by a tiny house community. After some consideration, the co-founders decided to construct the units as they do today. A smart move due to the low cost and ability to recycle shipping containers, the company delivers affordable living accommodations to the Atlanta community. “What we believe sets us apart is promoting homeownership, affordability and creating opportunity through the construction of these homes,” said Courtney Booth. Concrete Roots Group highlights the importance of community involvement through the Concrete Roots Foundation which serves and supports charitable organizations. The foundation works with organizations within four areas of focus: youth development, job creation, community restoration and sustainability. The foundation is currently partnered with various Atlanta organizations to help enhance and strengthen their already amazing work.
The foundation ties back to Concrete Roots Group as many participants work on construction sites where subcontractors have the opportunity to hire them full-time. Additionally, the foundation strives to find more ways to make homes more sustainable using solar and water conservation technologies.
Renewable power sources are becoming more in demand as Atlanta’s home prices increase along with the need for affordable housing. While Josh thinks it will be a few more years until city governments move beyond stick-framed houses, some cities are willing to accept innovative building ideas.
Concrete Roots Group recently constructed the Wilson House, a single-story 2,200 sq. ft. home consisting of two shipping containers. With 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, the home is near many popular attractions like the Atlanta BeltLine and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. “There is a lady that purchased it, she lives in it full-time, and she loves it. The way that we designed it was for entertaining and she’s a huge entertainer, so she loves having people there,” said Josh Booth. “If you look at the outline, everything from the living room all the way to the back porch is just a clear view of hang-out space.” The company is currently constructing a home next to the Wilson House along as part of a neighborhood. The homes feature modest upgrades like marble countertops and shaker cabinets. While these beautiful features meet many homebuyers’ needs, Courtney Booth reminds buyers that custom finishes raise the home price.
As Concrete Roots Group continues building, Courtney Booth and Josh Booth expect the need for affordable housing to increase. Due to customer experience and interaction, the co-founders think urban development will expand regarding innovative ways of living.
To learn more about Concrete Roots Group and shipping container homes, visit their website at www.concreterootsgroup.com. Follow the company’s latest news by following them on Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin @ConcreteRootsGroup.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-Xj5CBVhpI
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Concrete Roots Group are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products...
Sustainable living is no longer a forgotten dream, especially in Atlanta’s booming real-estate market. Builders like Evo Group Holdings strive to deliver beautiful and sustainable housing to the Atlanta area utilizing shipping containers. CEO and Director of Real Estate Majesty Gayle and Chief Marketing Officer Elize’ Gayle are today’s guests on the All About Atlanta Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schick, take a listen to learn more about Evo Group Holdings and their unique home creations.
Evo Group Holdings focuses on building sustainable developments using shipping containers. The company is committed to flipping neglected properties and turning them into something beautiful. Majesty Gayle explains how the company achieves this goal through a variety of ways like the company's nonfit, PUSH Ministry, and the Evo Opportunity Fund.
Evo Haven is the project name for the company’s recyclable shipping containers which are converted to modern, eco-friendly homes. The company became committed to working with green buildings and containers after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Containers just seemed the obvious choice because of popularity, recyclable material aspect and, honestly, they make construction simpler than a traditional stick-built because they are mathematically true,” said Majesty Gayle.
Considered the company’s flagship community, Evo Haven at Datona is underway. The land development is now 50% complete and 100% of the homes are reserved. With a total of 17 single-family units, this green community is a testimony to the company’s mission. Situated in South Fulton, the neighborhood is close to local shopping centers, restaurants and entertainment venues.
The units include many new home features that home buyers love such as stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, matte black finishes, bronze fixtures and contemporary layouts. Additionally, the container homes include solar panels and electric appliances.
While the units start around the base price of $325,000, home buyers can customize homes with a variety of finishes and even add basements. Even though Evo Group Holdings offers alternative-style housing, it does not mean that owners must live without upscale amenities.
According to Majesty Gayle, many metro areas have welcomed the company with open arms since local governments understand that Evo Group Holdings offers affordable housing, recyclable and sustainable materials and renewable energy sources. While the process is new to many builders, homeowners have dreamt of green-living spaces for several years.
“It is exciting to be on the forefront, trailblazing on this type of development and working with governments, helping them shape what that’s going to look like,” said Elize’ Gayle.
As the push for sustainable housing continues, Majesty Gayle and Elize’ Gayle expect their shipping container development to become the leader and standard in sustainable building.
To learn more about Evo Group Holdings, visit their website at www.evogrouphld.com. Click here to stay updated on the Atlanta real estate market.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgDg9-_8G-4
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Evo Group Holdings are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees.
After publishing his second novel “Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure,” author Jonah McDonald became known for exposing Atlanta’s best-kept secrets. An adventure guide, author, TV host, storyteller and Dekalb County Park Ranger, McDonald’s avid curiosity brings him into the studio today for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to talk about his two novels, “Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure” and “Hiking Atlanta’s Hidden Forests: Inside and Out.”
McDonald’s love for nature and the outdoors is no secret. To get to where he is today, he actually walked from Mount Katahdin, Maine to Atlanta, Georgia in 2003. After hiking 2,172.4 miles on the Appalachian Trail, McDonald decided Georgia would be his home.
McDonald describes the inspiration behind “Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure,” as something similar to attending a dinner party. When everyone is gathered around the table and the conversation is lagging – what is the next step? To ask an awesome question. McDonald finds the best dinner party question to be, “What do you know about Atlanta that I don’t know?”
The responses from this question opened his world to an Atlanta he had never before seen. Hoping to do the same for others, McDonald made it his mission to find the city’s hidden secrets and make them not so secret any longer. “Usually when you think about secrets, you think about something that divides people. I believe that by sharing each other’s stories, sharing the secret, that an everyday thing in your life that I don’t know about and that I have never heard of, connects us,” said McDonald. “Secret Atlanta: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful and Obscure” consists of 90 stories rooted in specific Atlanta locations. While many of the stories are weird and wonderful, others are mundane and will appeal to more laid-back souls. There are many surprises waiting for readers, including a Sweet Auburn hair salon and museum to a forgotten elep
hant graveyard.
McDonald’s first novel, “Hiking Atlanta’s Hidden Forests: Inside and Out,” encourages people to get out and explore the city’s hidden forests. Atlanta is a city full of pavement, interstates and high rises but there are plenty of trails for hikers to traverse.
With a total of 60 hikes, the novel serves as Atlanta’s first guidebook dedicated entirely to intown and close-in neighborhoods. “It can be just as life-changing to integrate nature into your everyday life by finding the green space that’s close to you or finding that trail around the corner and going back there season after season,” said McDonald. As McDonald moves forward, he plans to write a sequel to his first novel which will include 60 more trails. He is excited to dive back into the city’s hiking movement and see what more there is to learn.
https://youtu.be/FQ3Sum0R-n8
Visit McDonald’s website to learn more about his current projects or to buy a novel.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Jonah McDonald are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology,
Balancing modern and classic interior design techniques is all in a day’s work for President and CEO of Crosby Design Group, Jennifer Crosby. Today’s guest on the All About Atlanta Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio talks about the company’s current and upcoming projects along with her personal and professional engagement with Atlanta nonprofits. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schick, take a listen to learn more about Crosby Design Group and its owner.
Crosby began the company in 2000 after she graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta with an Interior Design degree. The company has flourished during its 21 years and now has two separate locations -- the residential studio in downtown Roswell and the commercial studio in Midtown. “I pride myself on that I have cherry-picked out some of the strongest designers that, I believe, the city has to offer for both of our studios,” said Crosby. Crosby Design Group stays busy with a myriad of projects including 55+ communities and homes, coastal properties and Midtown’s newest luxury high rise, Seven88 West Midtown. During each project, the firm works hand-in-hand with owners and developers to bring visions to life using interior design.
Earlier this year, the interior design firm was tasked with balancing both modern and classic interior design techniques while working on The Brunswick, a multi-family project in historic Norcross. Working off that vision, they created a design that embodies the city’s old charm with a special twist.
Personal and professional interests overlap since both the Crosby Design Group and Crosby herself are heavily invested in the 55+ home-building community. The Florida community, Olea at Nocatee, is one such example where the firm provided a luxury lifestyle for the active adult property. Crosby is also on the board of the Greater Atlanta Home Building Association’s 55+ Housing Council. “The 55-plus council has introduced us to a lot of different opportunities. In fact, we were just awarded the BOB Award which is called the Best of the Best for design,” said Crosby. “This award is the best of the best for 55-plus for the Evoq Town Flats project.” Jennifer has a heart for community service and is also on the board of Sunshine on a Ranney Day. She has designed many rooms for children with special needs for this organization. Her latest work with the nonprofit focuses on its new Roswell store, Sunny & Ranney.
Sunny & Ranney sells designer home goods and furniture to support home makeovers that transform the lives of children with special needs. Crosby Design Group along with other Atlanta-based interior design firms donated products to the store.
As the company moves forward, Crosby Design Group hopes to grow organically while utilizing employee talents to give clients the best end product. With exciting projects coming down the line, the focus is to provide fantastic interior designs while keeping the customer safe and happy.
For more information about Crosby Design Group, visit them on Facebook or LinkedIn at @Crosby Design Group.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Crosby Design Group are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
Certified Farm Market Coordinator for Farm Bureau Georgia Kelly Henry is in the studio for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast to share the various programs they offer and talk about the Farm Passport and the Certified Farm Market program, as well as Kelly’s best tips for visiting Georgia farms. Listen in as Kelly shares how the organization connects the public to farmers and agriculture with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
During her childhood, Henry grew up on a Northeast Georgia farm where her family raised beef cattle. She was also involved in Future Farmers of America (FFA) during her time in school, where she became more passionate about agriculture. In college, Henry studied agricultural business, and after graduating, she went on to find a position with Farm Bureau.
Established over 80 years ago, Farm Bureau was created to be a leading agricultural organization to voice the needs of farmers in legislation. As Farm Bureau has grown, the organization now provides a variety of programs to offer educational resources for farmers, children and the general public. Programs offered by Farm Bureau include Young Famers and Ranchers, Ag in the Classroom, Women’s Committee, Public Policy and the Certified Farm Market program. “My job is connecting consumers directly to farmers. You don’t have to be a Farm Bureau member in order to visit a farm,” said Henry That’s what I’m getting at, for people to have that experience of visiting a farm and connecting with a farmer to have that face-to-face experience.” For three years, Henry has coordinated the Certified Farm Market program, which connects consumers to farmers to provide them with a deeper understanding of modern Georgia agriculture. This year, 83 farms across Georgia are participating in the program where visitors can discover where their food comes from and meet the farmers that grow the food.
To help guide visitors as they’re visiting different farms, Farm Bureau provides a Farm Passport, as well as recommended routes around north, middle and south Georgia with more routes to be added throughout this year. Guests can visit any farm at any time, but Farm Bureau recommends checking ahead on the farm website or social media to ensure the farm is open on the planned day of visitation. “They’ve had enough visitors now with the Farm Passport that they’re all familiar with this. So, they’re excited to see you walk in with your Passport, said Henry. “A lot of times when they know you’ve been traveling around the state and visiting other farms they’re so much more apt to talk to you.” Visitors can receive a Farm Passport from any participating Certified Farm Market or at county Farm Bureau offices, which they can use to get a stamp from each farmer to mark their visit. Upon visiting more farms and receiving a stamp during each visit, visitors are eligible to win amazing prizes including a limited edition t-shirt, ball cap, the choice of a free product from a participating farm, a full access pass farm tour with a small group accompanied by a Farm to Table meal and more! For the chance to win, Passports must be sent back by the first week of January 2022.
To learn more about Farm Bureau Georgia and the programs it offers, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.gfb.org for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Farm Bureau Georgia are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2021)
President of Corporate Environments Jay Weiland talks about how office spaces have been impacted by the pandemic on today’s All About Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Take a listen to learn the ways Corporate Environments meets changing customer expectations to provide functional and safe office workspaces. Jay also discusses the company’s manufacturer relations, shifting workspace designs and recent projects.
New to the corporate office environment, Weiland was recently appointed as the president of Corporate Environments in 2020. Weiland has a background in mechanical engineering robotics and worked in roles related to marketing, the technical field and the supply chain. Two years ago, he joined Corporate Environments as President after learning about the company’s values and mission.
Corporate Environments has been in business for over 30 years and primarily serves as a commercial interiors provider. Corporate Environments works to design commercial spaces and select all of the products needed to build out those spaces and furnish them. The company works with over 300 manufacturers to ultimately bring the vision for a commercial space to life. Although Corporate Environments primarily serves commercial office spaces, the company also specializes in product selection for a wide variety of environments within education, government and healthcare.
Corporate Environment’s manufacturers range from three primary segments dedicated to furniture, technology and interior construction. Within each of these segments, Corporate Environment has key partners that it aims to build strong relationships with to add the most value for their customers such as top-tier discounting, customer service and warranty support. By maintaining connections with a high number of vendors, Corporate Environments ensures customers have access to the best selection, functionality and cost. “It’s been fascinating working during a time when the rubber hits the road. Our customers, depending on the business, had to react and respond differently,” said Weiland. “Some customers are still remote, and some customers have been in the building full-time since June of last year. It’s across the board, and it just depends on the particular business.” When interacting with customers during the pandemic, Corporate Environments saw a range of different approaches to maintaining office spaces as employees began to work remotely. Many large companies opted to postpone any major changes to offices to assess the impact of the pandemic, while others saw the transition to remote work as an opportunity to renovate while everyone was out.
Corporate Environments aids its customers in determining how they intend the office spaces to serve their employees upon their return to the office space. The pandemic has had a significant impact on many companies’ plans for utilizing their office space including how often they plan for employees to be present and if they require a permanent or temporary location. ”What we’re curious to see is if the social distancing aspect is going to remain in the long run. How long are we going to try to promote physical barriers between work stations,” said Weiland. “It’ll be interesting to see how long that is part of the vernacular in conversation as we think about interior workspaces.” By asking broad questions about the work being done in the environment and important takeaways the customer has gained from working remotely, Corporate Environments helps counsel customers to create an ideal workspace based on their values moving forward from the pandemic. The function of the roles performed in the space largely dictates the priorities for the office’s design and layout. Company roles that can function entirely remotely may focus on spaces for team building, while roles that require collaboration may concentrate on creating a hybrid work environment with furniture to promote a productive teamwork sp...
CEO of Catvocate Lynne Fouraker is in the studio today for the Around Atlanta segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Take a listen to learn why her organization is the cat’s meow as Lynne shares the work she does to advocate for at-risk felines with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick. Other topics discussed include their partnership with another local animal rescue group and their program for working cats.
Fouraker’s experience with animal rescue began in 2004 when she became inspired by the passing of an old friend who was involved with a local humane society in Utah. While donating to the rescue organization in honor of her friend, Fouraker was led to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. She began sponsoring animals at the Sanctuary and eventually made a visit to the animal refuge with her husband, which became a yearly occurrence for the two. “In 2007, one of the founders of Best Friends recognized my husband and I as being volunteers on a fairly regular basis and remembered we were from the South. He asked me ‘So what are you doing for the animals locally where you live?’ and I thought about it and I said ‘Well, I’m not doing anything, I need to look into that,’” said Fouraker. “My New Years resolution for 2008 was to find someplace where I could volunteer.” After regularly visiting the Sanctuary, Fouraker was motivated to support animals in need local to her in Georgia. She then began volunteering at her local humane society taking photographs and spending time with animals in need of a home to help them find a new owner. Since then, Fouraker became more heavily involved in animal rescue and went on to create Catvocate which supports at-risk cats and kittens located in Jackson County, Georgia.
Catvocate is a conduit rescue, unlike traditional rescue groups that foster animals and find homes that can adopt them. Catvocate is dedicated to lowering the euthanasia rate of homeless cats by providing services to rescue cats that are collected by the Jackson County Animal Control. The organization focuses on fundraising, evaluating cats that are people-friendly, and providing cats in need with veterinary attention to assess their health condition. Catvocate partners with Rescue Cats to finds good homes for cats that get along well with people and other animals. “We never let a condition or injury keep us from rescuing a cat if it is an adoptable cat. We believe that somebody out there connected in our rescue partner shares that belief, somebody out there has a home for that cat,” said Fouraker. Catvocate provides information to their rescue partner about cats they find, including its temperament and pictures in need. If their rescue partner chooses to take in the animal based on those details, Catvocate takes the cat from animal control to receive necessary veterinary attention, after which the animal is quarantined for two weeks to prevent the potential spread of any infections or diseases before it is given to Rescue Cats. After passing on the cats to Rescue Cats, Catvocate is given updates on the cats including their adoption process and their new home environment.
Occasionally, Catvocate has come across cats that are people-friendly but do not mix well with other cats, which makes it difficult to find a rescue group that will shelter them. To solve this issue, Catvocate has initiated a barn cat program which finds any local organizations such as a barn, farm, silo, dairy, warehouse or brewery that may need a working cat that is fully-vetted to aid in rodent issues. Catvocate provides adopters of working cats with large cages to place the cat in for at least three weeks until they are used to their new surroundings. In exchange, these cats that typically experience difficulty finding a new home are placed in a safe place to sleep with food and water.
To learn more about Catvocate and the services it offers, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit catvocate.
President and CEO of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) Jeremy Crawford is in the studio today for today’s All About Real Estate segment of the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast. Tune in to find out what not to do during a virtual continuing education (CE) class as Jeremy shares all sorts of interesting stories with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick. Additional topics discussed include the transition to virtual training, new convenient programs offered for brokers and agents and the state of the current market.
FMLS is dedicated to serving the Georgia real estate community with a convenient database to facilitate sales for buyers and sellers alike. The fourth largest listing service in the nation, FMLS has over 52,000 current subscribers of brokers and real estate agents using its service primarily for residential renting. Last year, FMLS added commercial platforms to accommodate the ever-changing real estate landscape. FMLS also provides instructor-led software training and technical support to ensure success for users.
To accommodate users during the pandemic, FMLS transitioned its onsite training to live virtual trainings for the safety of all participants. FMLS also launched Mindflash, a self-paced CE accredited training for users to conveniently earn their certification on their own time. Although turnout for virtual training was expected to be low, the transition to online training saw a 50% increase in participants with more than 20,000 brokers and agents participating in courses in 2020. Throughout the past year, over 17,000 CE credits were issued which was a 36% increase compared to the previous year.
This year, FMLS has performed well in its first quarter and has already surpassed $8 billion in transactions, which is a 32% increase in dollar volume over the previous year’s first quarter. Currently, the database’s DOM is at seven for all listings at all price points, which is a significant first for the listing service. Over the past month, there has been a small 1% increase in new active listings as inventory is increasingly sparse. Comparing the median home sales price of this year to 2016, there is a substantial jump in appreciation from $189,000 in 2016 to $310,000 in 2021. Since the previous year, residential detached listing prices are also up by 16%. “There’s still an opportunity for homeownership as long as you can get the agent to find the inventory out there. And we try to get the agents tools so they can farm virtually now, they can look at seller’s scores,” said Crawford. “We’re giving those tools now to our agents so they can see in a neighborhood which out of all the 200 homes has a seller’s score that’s high because of some of these factors that we’re now getting.” This year, FMLS also introduced Remine Docs+ transaction management, which allows agents to farm a neighborhood and receive nationwide pack state of access to view properties anywhere throughout the country. This enables agents to provide a listing presentation to a homeowner and easily proceed from their discussion to creating and signing an exclusive listing agreement with eSignature, placing the listing on FMLS, accepting offers and closing through an entirely virtual process. With the Docs+ platform, there has been over 700,000 transactions in six months. “Mobile is so important as well as virtual open houses and we’ve baked all that into these tool sets so agents can do everything from their phone and do everything electronically,” said Crawford. “We’ve really upped the game with what we provide and all of that is a member benefit.” Launched for sellers that need assistance with home staging, Coming Soon is another program from FMLS that allows homes to be advertised to buyers before it is actively selling on the market. With low inventory rates and demanding buyers, Coming Soon allows homes to be registered with FMLS before sales to provide agents and managing brokers with sufficient time to adequately prep...
42 West, started in 2021, was created by event planner Lauren Pelissier and former Atlanta Hawks player Kevin Willis who partnered to establish a new event venue in West Midtown Atlanta. Willis found a unique space within a barren Atlanta warehouse and collaborated with Pelissier to turn the building into an upscale, stylish venue to host a variety of events such as movie premieres, celebrity events, sporting events, product launches and corporate events. Philanthropically-focused, 42 West charges a premium amount for high-end event use while also donating the space for non-profits in the Greater Atlanta area in need of space.
Co-owner and Operator Lauren Pelissier and Co-owner Kevin Willis of 42 West are in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses their collaboration, shared philanthropic focus and the venue’s transformative space for a wide variety of events. “I’ve seen this city evolve and do so many amazing things…Right now, West Atlanta is the place to be, it’s on fire,” said Willis. “It’s the go-to area to be in right now and it’s tangentially growing.” An unexpected pairing, the two met when Pelissier was in search of an event space and Willis was looking for a new space for his flagship store featuring his clothing line, Powered by Willis. While searching for the perfect space, the two shared the same commercial real estate agent who had shown Harris a building he loved that provided more space than necessary. The agent suggested that Willis and Pelissier meet and potentially share the space for their respective purposes. Upon meeting, the two connected on their shared philanthropic values and formed a beneficial partnership.
Pelissier is passionate about hosting camp experiences for children and previously ran a camp for underserved children for 18 years in Los Angeles. Pelissier founded and operates S’more Smiles, a nonprofit that provides camp experiences for hospitalized children during the summer months.
In 2002, Willis co-founded the Atlanta Children’s Foundation with his brother to advocate for children in the foster care system within the ages of 10 to 21 years old. The Foundation is dedicated to protecting and nurturing children and also provides room and board for children in need. “Growing up someone believed in me and gave me a chance and I never forgot that…I’m looking for the next person to enlighten them and give them a chance to achieve and go beyond where I went,” said Willis. “It’s always good to help someone else, no matter how you look at it.” 42 West is open to all types of occasions excluding public events, as the venue is intended to remain a controlled event space exclusively for private gatherings. All guests of events held at 42 West must be invited or registered to attend to ensure the event is held for a limited number of attendees. The venue is inclusive of all event varieties and aims to incorporate diversity into the events held at its location.
42 West uniquely offers outdoor event space, uncommonly found at other venues in the West Atlanta area. The venue holds 3,000 square feet in its outdoor areas and 6,000 square feet in its interior, which can hold about 450 standing guests or 250 to 350 seated guests at full capacity. Currently, the venue hosts a maximum of 150 to 200 people to safely enforce social distancing guidelines.
With beautiful iron doors, surrounding canopy trees and natural lighting, the venue’s gorgeous details and open space is transformative to create ideal spaces for events of different styles and functions. As a one-stop shop venue, 42 West provides on-site designers and planners to aid clients through every phase of event planning and guide them in creating the best layout and look for their event. With a depth of event industry experience, Pelissier utilizes her background to ensure 42 West includes elements to efficientl...
President of Sales and Marketing for Liberty Communities Lurae Davis is in the studio today for today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the builder’s upcoming projects and available communities. “Our purpose is to be able to build new home construction that’s affordable but keeping the idea simple,” said Davis. “We don’t do a lot of bells and whistles in the home, like a lot of upgrades and options, because we want to keep the homes affordable. But I like to say we are giving you the palette to be the artist and put your home together." Davis has been in the new home industry for 23 years with a background in construction. Liberty Communities focuses on building new homes with a simple design that are well-constructed and affordable for consumers. To ensure homes are affordable, Liberty Communities does not typically offer upgrades or customization options to avoid increased costs. The builder encourages its homebuyers to take advantage of the home’s simplicity to make the space their own and add personal touches.
Liberty Communities has experienced many changes and incredible growth during the pandemic. Currently, there are several new communities across metro Atlanta with move-in ready homes available to close in 30 to 45 days. There are also multiple decorated models open at various communities which are available for touring. Liberty Communities is also in the process of expanding to South Carolina and Alabama.
Villages at Harris Creek in West Point, a newer community from Liberty Communities, offers an amazing location just 30 minutes from both Atlanta and Columbus. Residents at Villages at Harris Creek have convenient access to I-85, the Kia Assembly Plant and a growing West Point area with local shopping, dining and outdoor activities. Priced from $247,990, this community is comprised of 54 homes, and offers several move-in ready homes.
Started in 2020, Liberty Square Park is the builder’s Hampton community which is now adding 90 new homesites. This popular community includes homes with three to five bedrooms, and it offers a great location with close proximity to the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Coming this fall, Southern Hills in McDonough is introducing a new line of homes with an abundance of added features. This community offers about 200 new homesites for buyers. Located near I-75, as well as great local dining and shopping including Tanger Outlets, Southern Hills features a fantastic central location.
In Newton County, Liberty Communities has four communities including Twin Lakes which is priced from $277,990 and made up of 90 homes. Also available in the area, Bridgemill provides one or more acre homesites with spacious homes priced from $285,990 that feature timeless brick exteriors and convenient side entry garages.
Liberty Communities currently offers great homebuyer incentives up to $4,000 towards closing costs with preferred lenders including New American Funding which the builder partners with. The two companies have been working in conjunction to provide easy homeownership for Southeast buyers over several years. “The thing I really love about New American Funding is they are so creative with our buyers. They make sure to give them different options,” said Davis. The Liberty Heroes incentive is available for healthcare workers, police officers and military personnel. It provides an extra $1,000 toward closing costs. Liberty Communities created a new incentive of $1,000 for Heroes of the Highway which rewards truck drivers that helped deliver much-needed supplies during the pandemic.
To learn more about Liberty Communities, visit www.LibertyCommunities.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
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President and CEO of the Atlanta History Center Sheffield Hale is in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the exhibits and amenities offered to preserve and study Atlanta history.
Hale has a background in law and practiced in Atlanta for 16 years. For 10 years, he also served as the chief counsel for the American Cancer Society. Hale has acted as CEO of the Atlanta History Center for nine years after serving as Chair of the Board for the establishment.
The Atlanta History Center aims to connect people, history and culture to create a stronger Atlanta community. The museum is home to one of the largest collections of civil war artifacts in the nation as well as 33 garden acres, Swan House, an 1860s farmstead and the Atlanta Cyclorama. “People aren’t aware that we have these kinds of amenities,” said Hale. “The biggest thing I would say to describe the Atlanta History Center is surprise, because there’s so many different ways you can enter and understand." Rain or shine, the Atlanta History Center provides multiple options to explore its facilities both indoors by browsing its many exhibits or outdoors by strolling through the gardens and rock quarry. Visitors can also view Swan House, a 1928 historical estate filled with its original 18th-century furnishings, or take a walk through Smith Family Farm, which includes Atlanta’s oldest farmhouse surrounded by a restored farm with heirloom items. There is an abundance of ways to discover different facets of the Center, and often more than one visit is required to experience all that it offers, including permanent and changing displays.
Just two years ago, the Atlanta History Center added the Atlanta Cyclorama, a larger-than-life panoramic painting of the Battle of Atlanta, as well as new surrounding exhibits. Contrary to beliefs that the Cyclorama provides a Southern vision of the Civil War, the painting was produced in 1886 by a Milwaukee-based team of German immigrants to depict a Union victory and was intended to tour in Northern cities.
Due to the pandemic, the Atlanta History Center has strongly embraced social distancing guidelines to ensure safe visits for all guests. Currently, all of the Center’s events have transitioned to virtual experiences including free author talks, educational tours and online programming for Juneteenth. In the future, the Center plans to implement a combination of both in-person and virtual events to provide greater access to the public.
To learn more about the Atlanta History Center and the exhibits it offers, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.atlantahistorycenter.com for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and the Atlanta History Center are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
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Director of Operations at SQ4D Kirk Andersen is in the studio for today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Introduced as, "the coolest guy in construction" by co-host Carol Morgan this promises to be a fun episode focused on 3D printed homes and the innovation that Kirk is bringing to the industry. A lively discussion of 3D printed houses, the additive manufacturing process used to create them and the benefits of this innovative construction technology for the home building industry is worth a listen (or a read below).
With a mission to create affordable housing worldwide, SQ4D seeks innovative alternatives to traditionally expensive building practices to reduce costs and building time for new home construction. As opposed to subtractive manufacturing where metal is cut down to create materials, SQ4D specializes in additive manufacturing by using a deliberate amount of material which is stacked and layered to deliver parts. “This technology has been around for years and years, so let’s apply it to construction," said Andersen. "This allows us to provide shelter faster, safer and cheaper." Hindered by the restrictions of costly local building codes, Andersen and his business partner sought to innovate their building process by using automation to dramatically cut expenses. In 2018, SQ4D began practicing with a small-scale 3D printer to produce small walls and test different patterns. Eventually using a much larger 3D printer, it was able to print a 500 square foot construction built with concrete, which was one of the world’s largest 3D-printed structures at the time.
SQ4D continued to gain experience with 3D printing and were able to develop their patent-pending Autonomous Robotic Construction Systems technology to complete impressive builds. Over a period of eight days and 48 hours of print time, SQ4D developed a 1,900-square foot model home, currently the world’s largest 3D printed home. Using their groundbreaking technology, the build only required three people to oversee the construction of the home.
SQ4D has also listed the first 3D printed home in the country for sale in Riverhead, New York. They strategically chose to utilize eco-friendly concrete for their build as it is a cheap and abundant material that efficiently creates stronger, safer structures. SQ4D also has future plans to build with recycled materials and geopolymers to create homes that are increasingly sustainable and environmentally friendly.
Ideally, the 3D printing method will streamline the process from architects and engineers to the builder for a faster and more effective building method. With SQ4D’s 3D printers, users are able to instruct machines to deposit their material wherever it is needed, creating a smooth process for home customizations and developing floorplan layouts. Currently, SQ4D’s ARCS technology is capable of constructing 42% of the home including foundation, slab and the walls. Not only can 3D printing significantly cut time and costs, but it also presents the opportunity to make construction sites considerably safer.
To learn more about the incredible ARCS construction technology developed by SQ4D and its pioneering new home projects, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.sq4d.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and SQ4D are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,
Director of Sales at Eastwood Homes Joan McGinn is in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association’s (HBA) 2021 Atlanta Parade of Homes.
McGinn has been in the real estate and new home building industry for the past 20 years and is currently working with Eastwood Homes and is also a member of the Parade of Homes Committee. Starting back in 1977, Eastwood Homes is a private home building company based in the Southeast and is new to the Atlanta market. Eastwood Homes entered the Atlanta market just one year ago and has already sold out its first community and has five new communities in the works.
The Parade of Homes is the largest annual spring showcase of new homes across metro Atlanta taking place in April and May. The event features a wide variety of homes and townhomes in a diversity of styles, locations and price points and is free, self-guided and open to the public.
The 2021 Atlanta Parade of Homes takes place on the weekends of April 24-25, May 1-2 and May 8-9. The Parade will take place on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. This year, homebuyers are given the chance to take free, self-guided tours of over 50 homes scattered throughout metro Atlanta. This hassle-free event requires no registration and allows attendees to come and go as they please, visiting as many homes as they would like.
The Atlanta Parade of Homes utilizes a scattered-site layout for this year’s events. The Parade has a variety of different builders participating, all throughout the metro Atlanta area. From townhomes and single-family homes to active adult communities and lavish estate homes, there is a wide selection of home types and prices to view. No matter where you live in Atlanta, you’ll be able to find a parade community close to your area. “It’s a great opportunity for consumers looking to buy a new construction home, or if you’re just interested in checking out the latest design trends and seeing what our wonderful decorators have done to some of our model homes,” said McGinn. “It’s just a great opportunity to be able to see in person the things you might’ve been ogling online and dreaming about.” To help plan your route for the upcoming Atlanta Parade of Homes, check out two of the easy-access resources provided to make the event run seamlessly. First, visit www.AtlHomesParade.com to see a comprehensive list of homes and builders participating in the Parade. Additionally, you can download the ATLHomesParade App, available in the App Store or Google Play Store. There are so many different homes and places to visit during the parade. To help make the best use of your time, download the app before the parade start date and start mapping out those routes!
To help make the Parade even better for years to come, the Greater Atlanta HBA wants to hear what you think! All attendees will have the opportunity to share their opinions about what they do and don’t like about each home and its individual features and styles. Vote for your favorite homes and get entered to win a variety of fabulous prizes! The 2021 Atlanta Parade of Homes door prizes include:
An outdoor centerpiece for keeping family and friends warm outdoors even when the temperatures drop. Donated by Haven Design Works A Ring doorbell to answer the door and check-in on home at any time from anywhere! Donated by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association The IQ Panel 2 to keep you connected to an ecosystem of devices, giving you control over your entire home. Donated by Phoenix Systems
After the Parade, your votes will be counted to determine which home builders will be awarded titles including Best Overall Home, Best Master Suite/Bath, Best Kitchen and more!
The 2021 Parade of Homes Gold sponsors include New American Funding, Offerpad, Nelson & Galbreath,
Lifestyle Director at Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes Nicole Jurovics is in the studio for today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses world-class amenities for active adults, current and upcoming projects within the community, activities and so much more!
Before coming to work at Cresswind Georgia Twin Lakes, Jurovics was the lifestyle director at Cresswind Peachtree City for three years. Jurovics parallels her job responsibilities to that of a cruise director and notes that event planning and activity coordination have always been at the forefront of her career. She was the co-director of a southeast yoga conference, as well as the head booking agent responsible for organizing events and festivals. “Between entertainment and lifestyle, I’ve sort of been playing in that arena for a long time, so this is really a good fit,” said Jurovics. Upon completion, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes will be a 1,300 home active adult community. Centered around lifestyle, location and home quality, this new age-restricted community has it all. A variety of home plans offer personalized living options with a host of state-of-the-art amenities.
The Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes resident-only clubhouse will offer a variety of indoor and outdoor amenities. The SmartFit Training Center with cardio, weights and EGYM Smart Circuit training offers a fun and easy way to stay active indoors, while the largest pickleball complex in Georgia is perfect for mild temperatures. Other opportunities for fun and fitness include an indoor pool with lap lanes and spa, walking trails, tennis courts and more.
Residents spur their creative passions at the arts and crafts room and catch up with friends in the lounge and casual seating spaces throughout. Multiple event spaces and an event lawn act as the perfect locations for community-wide events, gatherings and parties!
Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes always has plenty of activities planned for its residents. From relaxing yoga and Tai Chi classes taught by professionals to fun arts and crafts, there is something for everyone. Recently, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes residents worked to create fun and unique St. Patrick’s Day wreaths to decorate their brand-new homes.
To learn more about the stunning homes at Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes, the world-class amenities for active adults and plenty of future opportunities for fun, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.kolterhomes.com/new-homes/active-adult-community-cresswind-georgia.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Kolter Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atl...
Executive Director of HomeAid Atlanta Mandy Crater is in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses their annual Essentials Drive, 20th anniversary, upcoming projects and more.
HomeAid Atlanta’s mission is to build new lives for families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the metro Atlanta area. In its efforts to build lives for those experiencing homelessness, HomeAid builds, renovates and maintains facilities for organizations that provide shelter and programs for the homeless population in Atlanta. “A good portion of the people experiencing homelessness in metro Atlanta, which on any given night could be 5,500 people, are women and children, or about 40%,” said Crater. “There are a lot of people out there who need our help and we’re actually concerned, that on the tail end of the pandemic, it might get worse. To help these people in need, HomeAid Atlanta is hosting its 20th Annual Essentials Drive. Taking place from April 1 to May 5, 2021, the fundraiser is HomeAid’s annual community-wide drive held to collect “essentials” for families with infants and toddlers who are experiencing homelessness. Essential items include diapers, baby wipes and more. Since 2002, HomeAid Atlanta’s Essentials Drive has collected over 1,350,000 essential baby items, assisting hundreds of moms and babies in the metro Atlanta area.
Diapers and wipes are not only extremely expensive for families in need but are also hard to come by through assisted programs. No state or federal child safety-net program allocates dollars specifically for the purchase of diapers. With babies needing changing up to 12 times a day, the estimated cost for diapers is $70 to $80 a month per infant. The annual Essentials Drive helps to gather up these necessary items and provide them to women and children who are experiencing homelessness in Atlanta.
This April, HomeAid Atlanta invites you to help metro Atlanta mothers and children by joining the 20th Annual Essentials Drive. There are many ways to get involved:
Host an Essentials Drive drop-off site at your place of business (open to the public) Coordinate a drive among your friends and coworkers at your office, church, school, or civic organization Donate unopened packages of diapers and wipes in person or online via HomeAid registries at Target and Amazon Donate gift cards Volunteer to sort, count, and pack donations Sponsor the Essentials Drive
In addition to the ongoing Essentials Drive this April and May, HomeAid Atlanta is also excited to celebrate its 20th anniversary! To help commemorate this milestone year, the organization is hosting a big party at Brand Vaughn Lumber. This is a spacious 3,300 square foot-warehouse with big roll-up doors to allow for plenty of airflow and proper social distancing. There will be a band, food and drinks to help celebrate the organization and the thousands of lives improved by the impactful nonprofit organization.
To learn more about how to get involved with the Essentials Drive, the 20th Anniversary celebration and HomeAid Atlanta, visit www.homeaidatlanta.org. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above for all the details and more information on upcoming and ongoing projects.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and HomeAid Atlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfoli...
President of Artisan Built Communities Stephen Haines is in the studio for today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several upcoming phases, events and amenities planned at the Georgian and NatureWalk, two luxury, resort-style master-planned communities.
Haines is an all-around family man, having been married for 25 happy years and a father to seven children and lots of pets! When he isn’t spending time with his loving family, Haines is running Artisan Built Communities. The company is based on creating homes that offer the value people are looking while also staying within their budget. “We feel like we just give a little bit extra,” said Haines. “When you look at our architecture, when you look at the features we put inside our homes and what we surround ourselves in our communities. We have top-shelf amenities in all of our communities. We know that people love to be connected to nature, connected to great amenities and feel comfortable in their own homes so we try to provide all of that.” Artisan Built Communities is in the process of delivering 280 homesites in 2021, having already delivered 32. The builder also has an upcoming phase coming online soon with an additional 20 homesites. The goal of delivering 280 homesites will be possible through new homes at both the Georgian and NatureWalk communities.
In Artisan Built’s new communities, homes will feature state-of-the-art appliances provided by the builder’s partnership with Samsung and Deako Switches. As people move more and more towards smart home lifestyles, the appliances and switches within new Artisan Built homes make the transition that much easier.
As the summer approaches, residents at the Georgia and NatureWalk are gearing up to enjoy the resort-style pools. The pools offer fun-filled twisting slides, water buckets, water features and more. In addition to the luxurious pools, Artisan Built Communities also offers playgrounds, tennis courts, nature trails, a clubhouse and so much more! Active Adults also have plenty to look forward to with exclusive age-restricted amenities.
The Georgian is gearing up for a brand-new phase ready to be released this summer called The Frog. Backing right up to the world-class 18-hole championship golf course, residents get the full country club lifestyle.
To learn more about Artisan Built Communities, visit www.discoverartisan.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Artisan Built Communities are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest,
Director of Operations with Feld Entertainment Jayme Dalsing is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several exciting and fun-filled events coming to Atlanta this spring and summer on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Dalsing has been with Feld Entertainment for the past 20 years, working with several different properties and productions. Feld Entertainment owns and operates several touring properties, including Disney on Ice, Ringling Brothers, Monster Jam, Supercross, Jurassic World Live Tour, Marvel Universe LIVE and much more. The worldwide leader in producing and presenting live touring entertainment, Feld Entertainment specializes in bringing shows and fun to cities all around the world, especially Atlanta!
Starting this April, Monster Energy AMA Supercross is coming to Atlanta. On April 10, 13 and 17, join the premier off-road motorcycle racers for three races. This intriguing and enticing sport has plenty of history in Atlanta, from races at the Super Dome to the Atlanta Motor Speedway. For a fun-filled show complete with unbelievable jumps, speeds and moves on two wheels, visit www.supercrosslive.com and get your tickets for the upcoming show in Atlanta.
Disney on Ice is also currently touring around the United States and will be in Atlanta from April 15 through the 25 at the Infinite Energy Arena. This family fun-filled, action-packed event is a favorite that can’t be missed. Every show offers an extraordinary adventure filled with award-winning music, stunning costumes and state-of-the-art special effects. Visit www.disneyonice.com to be a part of the magic this April.
Monster Jam has been hitting major cities, touring for the past few months and is gearing up for a show in Atlanta. This exciting show is stock full of incredible tricks from some of the most famous trucks in the world, including Grave Digger®, Max-DTM, El Toro Loco® and more. In addition, seven of the competitors coming to Atlanta this summer have broken world records! To find out when Monster Jam is going to be near you, visit www.monsterjam.com.
Feld Entertainment is actively working with local, state and federal protocols to ensure the safety of its attendees during shows. To help combat the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus), the entertainment organization adheres to guidelines and precautions set by the individual cities of the stops on their tours.
To hear more about what is coming to Atlanta in the upcoming months, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.feldentertainment.com for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Feld Entertainment are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Kelly Allison, southeast divisional vice president of New American Funding. The group discusses why now is a good time to buy a home.
New American Funding was built to serve the community by helping individuals achieve homeownership. The company believes achieving homeownership is a great way to establish wealth within a family or an individual. “We are just having a really good time right now, with all of our builder partners, our Realtor partners, our customers and serving homeownership,” said Allison. “It’s what we love to do! It’s our mission, it’s our passion and we are just super excited to get to do it in the Southeast.” When a new homeowner with New American Funding closes on a home, they make their final payment to New American Funding. The reason this is so important is that not only does the lender serve its client from the beginning to the end, but it also helps to establish a relationship. New American Funding prides itself on keeping customers for life. Because of excellent customer service, communication and benefits, New American Funding customers are frequently repeating clients within the organization. “At New American Funding, rest assured that your loan isn’t going to be sold two or three times after you close,” said Allison. “You are our customer for life, and we look forward to taking care of you.” Only four months into 2021, New American Funding is already having an outstanding year. It is such a good time to buy a home and begin building wealth for your family. Because interest rates are starting to go up after a period of historically low rates, now is one of the best times to buy a home! Inflation rates are on the rise, which means interest rates will start to rise along with it. To take advantage of the low-rate environment before the inflation rates start to rise, potential buyers should look into buying now.
For anyone not quite ready to buy a home, New American Funding specializes in educating buyers, especially first-time home buyers. This means any potential homeowners who have questions, concerns or inquiries, the team at New American Funding is ready to help in any way possible. From answering questions and solving issues before they arise, to focusing on buyer education, the company is ready to help anyone achieve homeownership however possible.
To learn more about why now is a good time to buy a home and how New American Funding can help, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.NewAmericanAtlanta.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a gu...
Program Director for Start:ME Erin Igleheart is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, along with Start:ME graduate and owner of Tutu Maniac DeAndrea Byrd. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group gathers to discuss the Start:ME program and its impact on its participants on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Igleheart has a background in finance and consulting but has always had a deep love for communities and a respect for the people who make a community strong and vibrant. Igleheart began with Start:ME over four years ago as a project manager and transitioned to program director about a year ago.
Start:ME is a free small business training program that helps to connect potential business owners with others, while also giving them the tools they need to succeed to build a business. The 14-session experience offers training by Emory’s Goizueta Business School and has helped to accomplish:
257 small businesses served 79% of alumni actively operating 75+ Start:ME mentors 556 jobs created 30 brick and mortar stores $11.7 million in annual revenue 69% led by women 84% led by people of color
Byrd is the owner of Tutu Maniac, a business that specializes in children’s birthday parties. The parties range in theme from painting parties to tea parties to tutu parties for girls ages three to 11. Byrd graduated from Start:ME last year and was the recipient of a grant.
Start:ME grew out of research conducted by Dr. Peter Roberts at Emory. He noticed there was a significant gap in the number of micro-businesses per capita in underserved communities. This means fewer people are opening and operating local small businesses. “We know that entrepreneurs need three things in abundance to really be successful,” said Igleheart. “They need business knowledge, they need supportive networks that they can draw upon and they need capital to get started. We also believe that entrepreneurial talent, passion and spirit are equally distributed across the population, but access to some of that knowledge, networking and capital is not.” Because of these gaps, Start:ME was created to serve communities around metro Atlanta and help its members become business owners. The organization partners with local nonprofits to build programs to serve local needs and spur entrepreneurs. Start:ME also sets up its participants to succeed in a variety of economic clients, even in the midst of a global pandemic.
Byrd opened up her store-front shop right at the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Because of the social distancing and self-isolating protocols enacted to help slow the spread, brick and mortar businesses were taking a hit. Byrd quickly adjusted to the circumstances and created a party in a box! This product offered Byrd's same creative party planning expertise in a socially distanced new packaging. The boxes include party supplies and ideas for the perfect get-together.
Over the course of the three-month program, Start:ME is centered around building business knowledge and creating connections. Throughout the process, students meet with both customers and competitors to gather insight and better prepare themselves for life after the program.
Start:ME offers an entrepreneurial journey through 14 informative, hands-on sessions. The sessions start off with courses titled Kick-Off, IMPROV & Introductions and Business Storytelling and end with Small Business Tradeshow, Practice Loan Interview and Pitch Night. “One of the best things I got from Start:ME is the connections and the friendships,” said Byrd.“I’m still friends with people I met in Start:ME and I still speak to the mentors.” After the 14 sessions, the Start:ME team continues to support its alumni with mentor office hours, workshops, pop-up markets socials and more. After graduation, Start:ME strives to continue to help businesses grow, evolve and thrive.
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio is excited to release its iconic 1,000th episode! To celebrate this milestone, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick recap some of their favorite interviews, guests and occurrences over the past 10 years producing their informative and fun-filled podcast.
The duo starts off this celebratory episode by acknowledging everyone that has made Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio so successful over the past decade. From the phenomenal editing crew to the team at Denim Marketing that handles writing show notes and posting to social media, there is a large network of professionals working to keep Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio running smoothly. In addition, the co-hosts thank all of the wonderful guests, both inside and outside the home building industry, for always having news to share with listeners.
Since Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio’s conception on October 11, 20011, the podcast has been the recipient of several prestigious awards, including:
2013 AVA Digital Gold Award for Audio Production/Radio/Podcast 2013 Gold Hermes Messenger for Radio/Podcast 2013 Silver OBIE from the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association for Best Audio/Video 2014 Phoenix Award from the Public Relations Society of America, Georgia Chapter for Best Podcast 2015 Gold OBIE from the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association for Best Audio Spot
While the outbreak of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has changed the way the show operates since March 2020, the podcast is still thriving and continuing to garner fantastic professionals in the real estate industry and around Atlanta. Co-host and President and Founder of Denim Marketing Carol Morgan alludes to an exciting new guest joining the show in the upcoming months. The real estate professional is based outside of Atlanta and works in 3D printing houses. “The pandemic has given us opportunities that we wouldn’t have had in the studio,” said Morgan. “We have a show coming up featuring somebody that is printing 3D houses. He’s not in Georgia, he’s not in Atlanta, he’s not anywhere nearby. We wouldn’t have been able to get him in the studio, but we can certainly get him on Zoom!” Over the past several years, Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio is delighted to have been backed by several fantastic sponsors. Currently, the podcast is proud to be sponsored by New American Funding. New American Funding and its incredible team of professionals are frequent guests on the show, always providing informative and helpful interviews to educate listeners on the most straight-forward way to achieve homeownership.
The real estate podcast has also opened up many doors for various projects throughout the years. Currently, co-hosts Morgan and Schnick are working on a marketing video series to inform viewers about several “marketing must-haves.” The series of short videos are released monthly and feature a member of the Denim Marketing team discussing a current marketing trend. These short, easy-to-understand videos offer helpful tips and tricks to stay successful in any industry. Learn more about the Marketing Thread here.
This 1,000th recap episode features a series of testimonials from past guests on the show, including industry leaders Founder and CEO of NterNow Lynn Davis, General Manager of Milesbrand Kelly Fink, Executive Director of HomeAid Atlanta Mandy Crater, Southeast Divisional Vice President of New American Funding Kelly Allison and more!
To hear more stories, testimonials, recaps and laughs, be sure to listen to the full 1,000th episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio above.
Never miss a show by downloading Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on your favorite podcast app or by downloading shows from iTunes here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/atlanta-real-estate-forum-radio/id477116735?mt=2.
To learn more or to be a guest on the show and join the next Radio lineup, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360, ext.
Executive Director of Computer Museum of America Rena Youngblood is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several can't miss exhibits, fun-filled summer camps and an exciting in-person event!
Youngblood is the first Executive Director of the Computer Museum of America. Before joining the museum team, she worked in education and association for over 10 years. She was with the Georgia Charter School Association for seven years and then moved on to the National Teacher’s Association for five years. In January of 2020, Youngblood fell in love with the potential of the museum and started working with the nonprofit.
The mission of the Computer Museum of America is to preserve, educate, inspire and empower. The museum is designed to help everyone – children and adults – remember how far we have advanced with technology in a relatively short amount of time. Located in Atlanta, the museum offers a look into the past and a glimpse of the future of computing.
Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the Computer Museum of America had to make several changes like many other businesses in the world. During this change, the museum shifted its focus internally. While visitors were not allowed to attend the museum, the staff of the Computer Museum of America worked to upgrade the design and layout of the building to better prepare for when people could return.
The Computer Museum of America is gearing up for its first event planned to take place on April 29, 2021. Bytes, Brews and Bourbon is the first of many after-hours events. Taking place on Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., the event will have live music from The Bourbon Brothers, delicious light appetizers, adult beverages for purchase and the unveiling of a new exhibit. The new exhibit will feature computers from movies.
The museum currently has several fun-filled and informative exhibits for attendees to peruse. The Timeline of Computer History offers a complete timeline of artifacts from the digital past through today. Highlights include Datapoint 2200, Altair 8800 and an original Apple 1, as well as Atari 2600, Gameboy, Nintendo, Commodore 64 and so much more! The entire timeline has over 2,000 points of interest.
Another fascinating exhibit at the museum is A Tribute to Apollo 11. This immersive exhibit offers viewings of an animated documentary, Getting to the Moon and Back, as well as several types of computers NASA used. The exhibit also features dioramas of scenes from Apollo 11-17.
A Tribute to Apollo 11 joined the museum after the 50th anniversary of the mission in 2019.
The Supercomputing exhibit at the Computer Museum of America offers an extensive collection of supercomputers. This exhibit illustrates the impact of these machines on daily lives from weather predictions to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
The most recent exhibit from the Computer Museum of America is The Enigma Machine. Used by the Germans in World War II, this machine was designed to secure communication between military personnel.
Around 40,000 Enigma machines were created, and it is estimated that less than 300 are currently intact today.
Gearing up for the summer, the Computer Museum of America has four week-long camps planned in the upcoming months. Attendance in the summer camps will be capped at 10 campers per class. The Full STEAM Ahead summer camp is designed for fourth- through eighth-graders. Each day, campers will take on one of the elements of STEAM, progressing through science, technology, engineering, art and math. Running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, the camp is expected to have tons of fun activities, experiments and learning opportunities. To register for one of the summer camps, visit www.computermuseumofamerica.org/calendar.
In addition to the 35,000 square feet of museum,
Business Development Manager with New American Funding David White is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Townify, the new technology designed by New American Funding to help Realtors manage leads on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
White has been at New American Funding for almost five years. He loves working at New American Funding because of the family-like atmosphere of the company. White also enjoys the satisfaction of helping so many families achieve homeownership every year!
New American Funding is a family-owned business based out of California and is dedicated to helping families and individuals improve their quality of life through achieving homeownership. The company currently operates in 43 different states across the country.
New American Funding believes that one of the most important aspects of serving its customers is through proper communication. This is especially important during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Because of this, the organization has worked hard to ensure proper channels of communication are always available.
New American Funding recently launched a new mobile application and website called Townify. Townify helps to give Realtors up-to-date and accurate information at all times. The app is a full CRM and aids agents in managing leads and listings. With options like open house sign-in for automatic leads, branded marketing materials for social media, virtual open house capabilities and more, the app is a Realtors one-stop-shop! Townify is specifically developed to help with lead management, milestone tracking, task organization and prospect management all in one easy-to-use app.
New American Funding created this completely free website and application to help ease the jobs of Realtors. Almost five years in the making, Townify has all of the best and most efficient features, fully optimized for all devices.
To learn more about Townify, visit www.townify.com or download the app in the App Store or Google Play Store.
For more information on what New American Funding is doing to continue its communication efforts, contact David White at 404-580-1969 or visit www.NewAmericanAtlanta.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Executive Director of CURE Childhood Cancer Kristin Connor is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses CURE Childhood Cancer, how the nonprofit helps families and children, the impact of the pandemic on the organization and more on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Connor is an Atlanta native. She attended Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate education and then earned a law degree from the University of Georgia (UGA). After graduating from UGA, Connor went on to practice law for 10 years as a business litigator for a Midtown firm. “I sort of think of all that as training for what I ultimately moved on to do,” said Connor. “In 2001, my youngest son was born with cancer. I didn’t know that could happen until then and that was a life-changing experience. It really exposed me to the world of kids with cancer that I had never seen up close and personally.” Connor’s son had an aggressive cancer on his spine at birth and was declared cancer-free in 2003. He is now 19 years old and a college student. Connor is extremely thankful for the outcome her son and family had but was changed by the experience forever. She realized that there was very little being done about childhood cancer on a national level. As she learned more about the gap in public knowledge towards the issue, she was motivated to help the cause as much as possible.
Connor took a leave of absence to pursue work with a national nonprofit that addresses childhood cancer. After almost two years, CURE approached Connor about its growing organization. CURE was looking to take its nonprofit to the next level with the help of Connor and her skill set. Fifteen years later, she is still with the company, helping it thrive and spread awareness to make a difference in children with cancer.
CURE Childhood Cancer was founded in 1975 by the first pediatric oncologist at Emory University, Dr. Abdel Ragab. At the time, there was no research budget, a lack of basic tools and patients receiving transfusions in closets. Dr. Abdel wasn’t even able to diagnose different types of pediatric leukemia in patients to prescribe the best course of action. Because of this, he knew things had to change. With the help of the Tri Delta Atlanta Alumnae chapter, enough money was raised to create CURE Childhood Cancer. “I love the organization because it is just extremely mission-focused,” said Connor. “We focus only on cancers which affect children. I certainly didn’t know it before we went through it, but those are very different than cancers that affect adults. Our primary mission is to advance research which is specific to those cancers that affect kids and to help families through the journey.” Since CURE’s conception in 1975, it has raised millions of dollars to advance research for childhood cancer, as well as lobbied for life-changing legislation and supported thousands of childhood cancer patients and their families. When Connor joined CURE 15 years ago, it operated on a budget of around $850,000 with a total staff of three people. Now, the nonprofit has 20 employees and a budget of over $8 million.
CURE Childhood Cancer has a strong partnership with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Through the partnership, CURE has helped to bring innovative and state-of-the-art technology to Atlanta. The technology is focused on the genetic makeup of cancer and works to target and attack the genetic issues involved with children with cancer. This very precise technology was funded by CURE Childhood Cancer.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, healthcare operations have looked very different. At first, only one designated parent was allowed to stay with a child while receiving treatment for his or her cancer. In addition, children and their parents were separated with no outside interaction. This means no therapy dogs, group sessions,
Managing Partner Chris Goode and Partner Paul Van Slyke with Goode Van Slyke Architecture are in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several past and upcoming projects, as well as what sets this architectural firm apart on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
The GVSA Building Courtyard and Supper Club
Goode Van Slyke Architecture is coming up on a huge milestone, celebrating 25 years in business. Opening its doors in 1996, the company focused primarily on building educational k-12 buildings. This eventually grew into more buildings that would also include higher education structures such as colleges and universities.
As Goode Van Slyke Architecture became more popular, the company started to receive requests for special projects as well, including new homes and office spaces. The firm was also selected as one of the groups for the design of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Today, the company is well-known for completing several different types of projects around Atlanta, including museums, performing arts centers, healthcare facilities, hotels, event centers, multi-family developments, justice centers, fire stations, churches, stadiums, aquatic facilities, studios, city development and much more!
The GVSA Building Street Art Exterior
Composed of a team of 25 stellar architects, the average builder experience length at Goode Van Slyke Architecture is 17 years. This means its projects move forward with efficiency, care and detail-oriented approaches. The firm is also used to working on several different types of projects and knows the ins-and-outs of the architectural world with anything from residential homes to massive sports stadiums.
As one of the four firms working on the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Goode Van Slyke Architecture was able to design a big portion of the home field for the Atlanta Falcons and the Atlanta United FC. This monumental, lifetime structure demanded high-end quality on a compressed schedule. The architecture team worked very well to help complete the complicated $1.5 billion+ project.
On the other end of the building spectrum, Goode Van Slyke Architecture recently completed work on Seven88 West Midtown, a new high-rise residential condominium in West Midtown. This 23-level residential and retail development has been very well-received and is selling fast. Additionally, the architecture firm is working on another mixed-use facility in Alpharetta near Avalon. This facility offers a hotel, office space, retail, fitness centers and more. Goode Van Slyke Architecture will also start work on several projects for the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Atlanta Gas Light Regional Business Center exterior
Currently, Goode Van Slyke Architecture is working on several affordable projects. The firm prides itself on always partaking in projects that have a positive impact on the surrounding community. Projects include taking nonutilized properties and turning them into places for people to work. This includes work on the Huff Trail and The Fairmont. The Fairmont was a nonperforming building that was turned into a space for events, work and more.
Fairmont Interior
Other ways Goode Van Slyke Architecture works to give back to the community is through education. The firm partners with several of the schools it works with. This includes going into schools and talking to kids, mentoring high school students, inviting students to shadow and learn about architecture, providing interactive and hands-on work for grade school kids and much more. The firm also donates school supplies yearly to King Elementary.
While business continues to be successful for Goode Van Slyke Architecture, the company has seen several changes over the past year due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus pandemic). Building design changes were implemented in projects to help keep eve...
President and Founder of the Abbie DeLoach Foundation Jimmy DeLoach is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how the Abbie DeLoach Foundation began, who it supports and how to get involved on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Jimmy DeLoach grew up in Garden City, Georgia and graduated from The University of Georgia (UGA) and Georgia State University (GSU). While attending UGA, DeLoach played football and continued his athletic career after graduation as a coach at GSU. While in this position, he helped lead his team to two 1-AA National Football Championships. After coaching, DeLoach went into business with his brother for 35 years, running Tidewater Landscape in Savannah.
DeLoach had two children, Abbie and Annie. Annie is currently 25 and a physician’s assistant at Mercer University in Atlanta. In 2015, DeLoach’s youngest daughter Annie called him with the tragic news of a seven-vehicle wreck that caused the deaths of five nursing students. One of the lost was 21-year-old Abbie Lorene DeLoach, Jimmy DeLoach's oldest daughter.
Abbie DeLoach would have been on the frontlines today if it were not for her tragic passing. April 22, 2015, was meant to be a day that five Georgia Southern nursing students would long remember, as they completed their clinical rotations, but due to a delay on I-16, it became a monumental day that included a horrific tragedy. In response, the Abbie DeLoach Foundation was created in April 2016.
Now moving into the sixth anniversary of Abbie’s passing, the Abbie DeLoach Foundation continues to support nursing students, student athletes and many others. Nearly $1 million has been presented in scholarships and grants since the foundation’s inception in 2016, and the next class of scholarship recipients will be announced this April. The foundation accepts donations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and is headquartered in Savannah. “The vision of the Abbie DeLoach Foundation was based on a promise that I made to myself when I was an assistant coach in 1984 at GSU,” said DeLoach. “I saw how much giving a scholarship can change a person, giving the opportunity to be exposed to a different environment. An environment of higher education, of hope, of you can be anything you want to be in life if you were willing to compete and work hard. After Abbie’s tragic passing, I knew I had to find a way to open door for students who wanted a better future.” The foundation had its first class of scholarship recipients in 2017 with 6 students. In 2020, the scholarship recipient class grew to 22 students. The Abbie DeLoach Foundation contributed almost $1 million to organizations that have become partners, including GSU, Savannah State University and UGA. Scholarships go to nursing students, student athletes and mission trips.
The foundation was built on three personalities of what Abbie represented: competitiveness in sports, compassion for people who need medical attention and a love for Jesus Christ. Through these pillars, the organization has sent nurses on medical mission trips to various parts of the world, encouraged athletes to work hard year-round and much more. “She [Abbie] was a competitor in the classroom, in sports and with friends,” said DeLoach. “Abbie had an attitude of ‘you eat 7 cookies, I can eat 10; you made a 84 on an exam, I can make a 92.’ She knew her strengths and weakness within her talents. She was never afraid to tell you the truth. Abbie knew Jesus Christ as her Lord. She knew there was a specific plan for her life, and she wanted to live it out daily.” Due to the implications of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, several aspects of the organization adapted over the past year. The annual scholarship luncheon in April is now virtual. The organization also had two trips planned for medical missions to Zimbabwe and Ecuador but those will be canceled.
Chief Marketing Officer with Georgia Multiple Listing Service (MLS) John Ryan is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how the 2021 housing market compares to 2020 and how the market will look for the remainder of 2021 on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Ryan has been with Georgia MLS for 28 years and is responsible for the marketing side of the company, including branding, communications and membership. Ryan works to grow the membership of the company not only across the state of Georgia but also all across the Southeast. “Having been with the company 28 years, I’ve been able to see a lot of changes really take place in the real estate industry,” said Ryan. “I’ve been able to see the rapid changes taken place over the last 10 years. This industry and this marketplace has expanded tremendously. So, that is what I try to bring to the company and try to bring to this membership."
Georgia MLS is the state’s largest real estate marketplace, both in transactions and sales volume. It provides technology services to brokers, agents and appraisers. With over 4,000 brokerage offices and more than 45,000 agent subscribers, Georgia MLS has a large geographical footprint spanning the entire state of Georgia. Georgia MLS is also the predominant listing service in the Atlanta area.
2020 started off breaking records. Sales and transactions were up in January and February when compared with the previous year. Experts expected a steady year in the housing industry, but then the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic hit in March. At this point, no one was sure what to expect during the remainder of 2020.
As a company, Georgia MLS took a step back and tried to see the bigger pictures. Experts within the organization took steps to help maintain an active marketplace for buyers and sellers through technological, financial and political terms. To help achieve this, the company waived all brokerage fees from April through August. This was done to help alleviate financial concerns for brokers during the backlash of the pandemic. Other policies included waiving withdrawal fees due to COVID-19 concerns and extending holds. Technological fields were also added, including virtual tours. “2020 was a record-breaking year,” said Ryan. “The market responded and we had three consecutive months of over $4 billion worth of transactions and sales volume through MLS. We had the single greatest month of sales volume in July. Really it’s a testament to how resilient to how resilient the agents and the brokers were to adapt to consumers.” With over 135,000 transactions through Georgia MLS, 2020 saw several record-breaking statistics. Transactions were up 8.8% year-over-year. Even more, over $40 billion in transactions occurred in 2020, most of which were done virtually.
While the 2020 numbers were impressive, the trends continue with even more gusto in 2021. The first two months of 2021 saw even higher numbers than January and February of 2020. If trends continue, 2021 should be a fantastic year for the real estate industry.
Another trend Georgia MLS notes is the median home price. Increasing almost $25,000 to $280,000, the median home price in the Atlanta area is up more than 9% across Georgia. In January, there was a slight down-tick in median sales price, but that number is expected to rise again as the year goes on due to the low housing inventory.
The number of active residential listings in January 2021 versus January 2020 is down 109%. Currently, Georiga MLS reports on eight different property types. Across all property types, there are 25,663 listings available. Of these listings, 10,000 are residential, 8,200 of which are available. This is down severely from January 2020 which saw close to 19,000 available listings.
To learn more about Georgia Multiple Listing Services and Ryan's predictions for the 202...
Associate Director for Communication and Operations with Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University Carol Beck is in the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the center’s 21-Day Compassion Challenge designed to help individuals explore the power of compassion and learn how to practice it on a daily basis.
With a Masters of Fine Arts in Filmmaking, Carol Beck started her career in the film industry as a college filmmaking professor before spending 20 years as a self-employed line producer and media professional. Her experience as a long-term contemplative practitioner and her strong producer skillset impressed Emory University who recruited her for her current position in January 2014.
The Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion is a mini-unit within Emory University, but not an academic department. While it does offer programs for students and faculty, most of its work is done externally through three main programs. SEE Learning offers a K-12 curriculum that helps kids learn to be more compassionate, improve attention, gauge thinking and skills that aren’t typically addressed in the everyday curriculum. The center also offers a very unique program called the Emory Tibet Science Initiative which teaches a robust science curriculum to Tibetan monks and nuns in refugee settlements in order to train future contemplative collaborators. Of course, the center also offers its popular Cognitive-Based Compassion Training (CBCT) which is aimed to help people expand their compassion to be more inclusive.
Not only should compassion be inclusive, but it should also be sustainable. The best way to get acquainted with compassion and build upon your skills is to participate in the center’s 21-Day Compassion Challenge! This three-week challenge is designed to help people recognize their capacity for compassion and learn how to practice it every day. Throughout the challenge, participants explore several topics covering the power of compassion.
The Compassion Challenge kicks off on March 6 at 10:30 a.m. with a Facebook Live celebration. Following the kick-off, participants enjoy experience guided meditation in multiple languages with facilitators from around the world, panel discussions, entertainment and inspirational messages from The Dalia Lama, Richard Gere and others. The challenge serves as a great introduction to the science and practical aspects of compassion while also helping to create a happier, kinder and more inclusive society.
When registering at www.compassionshift.emory.edu, participants will have access to bite-sized structured exercises along with reminders and inspiration, as well as mini-instructional videos and guided meditation. A convenient online journal is also provided for self-reflection. Lessons are easy to incorporate into daily life and even easier thanks to fun active challenges that get participants to practice compassion in the real world.
According to Beck, there are three components to compassion: affective (feeling empathy), cognitive (realizing other’s feelings) and action (having a want to help). On an individual level, research shows many great physical benefits for showing compassion. Not only does it reduce inflammation, but it also helps with depression and anxiety. Compassion also helps to improve our sleep, makes us resonate with feelings, allows us to shift perspectives and makes us more likely to act. Socially, compassion has a powerful ripple effect that occurs unconsciously. Saying please, thank you, hello or simply smiling at someone are all simple ways to show compassion to others and shift the culture.
To learn more about Communication and Operations with the Center of Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University and its 21-Day Compassion Challenge, listen to the full podcast above. You can also visit www.
Marketing Manager with New American Funding’s Southeast Division Kell Pastush is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several unique marketing strategies from New American Funding that further enhance communication and customer service efforts from the company.
Kell Pastush has been with the New American Funding team for about four years. Starting off as a loan officer assistant, Pastush began her career with New American Funding learning about various sides of the industry and different ways to support her team.
New American Funding is a family-owned business, dedicated to helping other families and individuals improve their quality of living. Based in California, the business deals in residential home financing. The company operates in 43 different states across the country.
At New American Funding, Pastush is responsible for leading several marketing efforts within the company. One ongoing marketing push from the organization is its partnership with Atlanta’s Best New Homes Show over the past several years. New American Funding sponsors a segment called Mortgage Minute. During the show, loan officers and other team members from the company give brief updates on news and programs from New American Funding. “It’s a great opportunity and a great partnership for us to basically get on air and highlight new programs, mortgage, news and get our brand out there for loan officers,” said Kell Pastush. Another way Pastush and her team at New American Funding work to keep everyone educated on the business and industry is by offering continued education classes. To execute these classes, New American Funding partners with a builder and completes classes at its sales center or model home. The classes offer a wide variety of topics, including social media, blueprints, new construction and more. These free classes not only boost traffic to communities but also allow buyers to learn something new!
New American Funding also uses a co-branding strategy to increase marketing efforts. Immediately after a closing, the sales team will send a client a closing card with the referral partner. Over the next several years, New American Funding will send anniversary, birthday and holiday cards. Additionally, the company sends mortgage statements with the referral partner highlighted on the document. These efforts not only show the client how much New American Funding and its referral partners care but it also keeps them top of mind throughout the life of the loan. “That [the co-branding strategy] is actually the most powerful marketing tool that kind of sets us apart from other competitors,” said Pastush. “Since we are a direct service lender, we are able to communicate to our clients after the transaction. This is the biggest marketing tool we have because we are able to co-brand with our referral partner.” For clients who are still looking for homes, Pastush and her team will send out drip campaigns. These could include tips on what to look for in a new home, dos and don’ts of prequalification, credit advice and more. Once the loan is in process, five automatic emails get sent over time. These emails keep clients informed throughout the entire process of the loan. Coined “milestone emails,” these messages are also co-branded and copy the referral partner. This way, everyone is involved during each step of the loan process. The average buyer stays in a home for seven years. Whenever they are ready to upgrade their home, move to a new city, downsize or even re-finance, New American Funding is always there ready to help. From the monthly emails and cards to informative messages, the company is ready to help, answer any questions and guide buyers into their next move. To learn more about what Kell Pastush and New American Funding have planned for the remainder of 2021, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.
President and CEO of the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) Scott Shelar is in the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the organization and its shift to social media in 2020 due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, as well as the programs it offers to inform people about careers in construction and skilled trades.
While not an Atlanta native, Shelar moved to the city back in 1998 to work on the Paralympic Games. After three years, he decided to pass up on the opportunity to move to Sydney, Australia for the 2000 Paralympic Games and instead chose to put down roots in Atlanta. Construction comes naturally to Shelar as his own grandfather was a residential developer in Florida. He started his career working with Associated General Contractors of Georgia (AGC) where he first recognized the need for skilled workers in construction. Fascinated by this shortage, he joined an opportunity to lead CEFGA where he has been working for 22 years.
The Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) is an organization dedicated to placing people of all ages, backgrounds and genders into work in the construction industry, specifically those seeking to start their careers with entry-level jobs. While the construction industry is incredibly diverse, CEFGA focuses primarily on skill trades and helping people get into careers within the electrical, mechanical, carpentry, plumbing and masonry industries. CEFGA also helps employ people into careers in development, commercial, residential and general contracting.
CEFGA understands that some people have a hard time finding good jobs they truly enjoy. That is why Shelar and the professionals within the organization believe more people should consider careers in construction and skilled trades. Through several of its programs, including Construction Ready, CEFGA can train and place someone in a job in as little as 20 days!
CEFGA is proud of the programs it offers to help bring skilled workers to the construction industry. In partnership with the Arthur M Blank Family Foundation, the Construction Ready Program is an entry-level training program that trains residents in just 20 days while also giving them eight industry-recognized credentials and soft skills necessary for the job. The program played a big role in the construction of Mercedes Benz Stadium and has placed over 1,100 metro Atlanteans into construction-related jobs since 2014. The program recently received a grant that allows it to expand its services statewide to Savannah, Augusta and Athens. The Construction Ready program works with CW Matthews, Turner Construction and other notable businesses. It is currently offered in Cobb County and will be expanding to additional Georgia cities in 2021.
Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, CEFGA experienced forced innovation as it transitioned its events to social platforms. In fact, its annual Career Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center, was cut short at the beginning of March 2020 as the pandemic first began to touch down in the state. This annual gathering is the biggest event hosted by CEFGA all year and would have hosted more than 5,000 students from across the state. According to Shelar, canceling the event was the hardest professional decision he has made.
While the pandemic certainly forced CEFGA to figure out how to connect with people and bring awareness to the industry, it also made the organization more efficient by allowing it to connect with people all over the world, including students, parents and teachers. Back in April, the CEFGA began hosting Facebook Live’s every Tuesday. Hosted by Kayleen McCabe, these 30-minute sessions feature different guests within the industry. Upcoming topics include construction-ready programs, post-secondary education options, technical colleges, women in construction and architecture.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Rockhaven Homes Melanie Mickie is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the 12 new communities and phases ready to open in 2021 on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Mickie has been in the industry for almost 20 years, successfully selling and managing in four different markets across the country. From starter townhomes to luxury single-family homes to active adult homes, Mickie has sold a wide range of properties throughout her career.
Rockhaven Homes has built in the Atlanta metro area for over two decades, selling production, semi-custom and custom homes. Currently, the company is 100% focused on selling production homes. Rockhaven Homes stands apart from other builders in the area for several reasons. First is the open and spacious floorplans that offer upgraded features to fit people’s lifestyle, needs and budget. Additionally, the builder partners with Wilco, allowing buyers to take advantage of a smart home package. The package is exclusive to Rockhaven Homes and features innovative technology and security for buyers to take advantage of. Rockhaven Homes also offers a buyback program. The program allows residents who have been in a home for more than a year to sell their home back to the builder if there is an issue that cannot be fixed by the warranty. “When it’s all said and done, it ensures that we stand by our product,” said Mickie. “That’s what I think really makes Rockhaven Homes stand apart.” 2021 is expected to be an unprecedented year of growth for the builder. With January numbers already showing tremendous incline, the company is set to open 12 new communities and new phases throughout the remainder of the year.
One community coming soon from Rockhaven Homes is Jefferson Downs. This community of single-family homes is priced from the $300,000s and ranges from 2,200 to 3,000+ square feet of finished living space. Located in Jefferson, Georgia, the community boasts 60 homes on estate-sized lots with a host of community amenities. Future residents can enjoy a gazebo, green area and easy access to Historic Downtown Jefferson and 1-85.
Rockhaven Homes has four new communities coming home to the Browns Mill area of Atlanta, including two townhome developments and two single-family home neighborhoods. Located off Jonesboro Road and I-285, this area offers plenty of shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities, as well as quick and easy access to everything metro Atlanta has to offer. Once complete, the four communities will offer over 200 homesites for future residents.
Lakeview at Stonecrest is a new hybrid community in Stonecrest, Georgia that offers both townhomes and single-family homes priced from the $200,000s. Rockhaven Homes is gearing up to open the next phase of townhomes that will incorporate over 120 new homesites. The new phase is projected to open by early March.
To learn more about Rockhaven Homes and the several new communities opening this year, visit www.rockhavenga.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Rockhaven Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Championship Director of the 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship Catherine Clifton is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the upcoming championship, how to get involved and more on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Before settling into her current position, Clifton explored the golf industry for 10 years working on numerous golfing events. Most recently, she worked with the Bahamas Great Exuma Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour. Clifton has now been in Atlanta for the past year and a half working with on the 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship .
The 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is one of five Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) majors. It was built on the history and tradition of the LPGA Championship that started in 1955, making it the second oldest women’s championship in golf.
Since partnering with both the LPGA and KPMG around six years ago, the program has seen six different women hoist the championship trophy. Each winner is currently in the top 20 of the Women’s World Golf Rankings. In addition, the 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship currently offers one of the largest purses in women’s golf at $4.3 million, including $645,000 going to the champion. “It’s really neat to be able to see all of our champions not only be fantastic golfers but to stay in that top 20 in the world,” said Clifton. “We really have some great history and prestige around this championship.” The 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is set to be played at the Atlanta Athletic Club for the very first time. Atlanta Athletic Club has hosted three men’s championships over the past several years, the first being held in 1981. Additionaly, the club hosted the U.S. Open, the U.S. Women’s Open, the Arnold Palmer Cub and the U.S. Amateur.
For anyone looking to volunteer with the KPMG Women's PGA Championship. . . Adult volunteers are required to pay $125.00 in exchange for a volunteer uniform including two custom golf shirts, one jacket and a New Era headwear piece. Volunteers also receive an official KPMG Women’s PGA Championship volunteer drawstring bag, meal and water vouchers and complimentary parking.
To learn more about the 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, visit www.kpmgwomenspgachampionship.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and 2021 KPMG Women's PGA Championship are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iT...
General Manager of Traditions of Braselton Realty Bryan Allen is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the lifestyle, amenities and new home opportunities at Traditions of Braselton on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Allen has lived in Atlanta for the past 38 years. With a diverse professional career under his belt, Allen has a degree in electrical engineering and is a retired CEO from Convergent Media Systems. After working with the company for 31 years, he sold the business and began working with Traditions of Braselton Realty a few years later. He is also a resident at the Traditions of Braselton community and has been in his current position for the past two years. Allen’s typical responsibilities include overseeing development lots, sales, construction and HOA. In addition, Allen is also the president of the HOA board at Traditions of Braselton and on the Architectural Review board.
Traditions of Braselton is located north of Atlanta and just one exit away from Chateau Elan Winery & Resort. Developed in 2004, the community has around 1,500 homesites with about half already built. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the community sold over 120 new construction homes in 2020. Homes at Traditions of Braselton range in price from the low $300,000s up to the high $700,000+. With plenty of options for young families, empty nesters and move-up buyers, Traditions of Braselton has something for everyone! There are currently 18 active builders in the community, offering a wide range of floorplans, prices, interior features, design options and more. Homesites include move-in ready homes as well as lots for custom homes. There are about 90 homes currently under construction with many more to come.
Centrally located in a fantastic North Georgia area, this resort-style community is less than 30 minutes from Athens, Gainesville, Atlanta, the Mall of Georgia and several other metro Atlanta favorites. Current homeowners and future residents of Traditions of Braselton can enjoy the best shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities in downtown Braselton and Jefferson. Blake’s of Braselton, one example of unique local destinations, is a speakeasy-style bar and restaurant, offering outdoor dining, live music, a social atmosphere, VIP benefits for members and more!
In addition, Traditions of Braselton offers one-of-a-kind luxury amenities for residents to enjoy. An 18-hole golf course and club is owned and operated by community members and offers plenty of fun activities, including weekly leagues, bi-monthly events for various age groups and more. In addition, residents enjoy a pro shop and training facility overseen by Jeff Keneko, PGA professional and former instructor at Dave Pelz Golf Schools.
At the center of the community, Traditions of Braselton houses an owner’s clubhouse that recently saw a $1.3 million renovation. Boasting a chef’s kitchen with two industrial-style sub-zero refrigerators, a 75-inch flat-screen television, several tables and chairs, a conference room and a 24-hour fitness center, the clubhouse is perfect for any and all events!
Summers at Traditions of Braselton are never boring at the Junior Olympic swimming pool and splash zone. The newly resurfaced pool deck offers plenty of lounge and shade seating for relaxing on warm summer days. In addition, the pool is adjacent to a fun-filled playground for kids to enjoy.
Staying active is easy at the tennis courts. Traditions of Braselton houses six lighted tennis courts with covered spectator pavilions and stadium seating. A brand-new pickleball court is also available for residents to take advantage of. For a little more competition, consider joining the ALTA league within the community.
Families with children are sure to love the convenient access to local schools.
Executive Director of Park Pride Michael Halicki is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses various efforts by Park Pride to keep Atlanta beautiful through enhancing its hundreds of parks and greenspaces on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Halicki worked with several environmental organizations before landing with Park Pride. His current job as executive director with the nonprofit keeps him busy, but in his free time, Halicki can be found with his wife and children or taking pictures in various parks around Atlanta to display on Instagram and Facebook. “Seeing the impact that the organization has in bringing the community together, getting to a point where people know their neighbors and get together to enrich the community, is something that really sets Park Pride apart,” said Halicki. “It is a part that I have really come to appreciate over time.
Park Pride is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that encourages communities to activate the power of parks. Formed in 1989, Park Pride is the only nonprofit organization in Atlanta working to improve the parks and green spaces throughout the city. With a mission of contributing to the overall health and well-being of Atlanta, Park Pride has helped raise millions of dollars to support hundreds of parks over the past 30 years.
Composed of 13 staff members, Park Pride works throughout Atlanta, as well as in Tucker and Brookhaven. Halicki and his team work with these local governments to find ways to connect the communities with their parks.
The organization operates on a widespread level by creating "Friends of the Park" groups. These groups get involved in parks nearby and work on several service projects to raise the quality of the area. Park Pride receives grant funding to allocate to these groups for park improvements, including beautification efforts, trails, playgrounds and more. The grant funding is designed to be used by the individual groups to use at their discretion. This way, Friends of the Park are able to closely define what their park or greenspace needs the most. As members of the community, Friends of the Park spend the most time in these areas and can establish what the greatest need is at the time. “We believe that a great park is not something that is defined by a landscape architect or a park professional,” said Halicki. “Neighbors define what is a great park for them. Neighbors also change in terms of the demographics of the people that live around them. A park that might’ve met the community’s needs at one point might change as different families move in.” Parks play an instrumental part in keeping communities connected, healthy and happy. From water parks and dog parks to playgrounds, walking trails and rolling fields, Atlanta parks play a number of important roles in the lives of its citizens. Recently, the importance of parks has grown even more as a result of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Studies show that attendance at parks is not only up as much as 60%, but that the same people are visiting multiple parks in the area.
Over the past 30 years, Park Pride has established several different programs to keep the organization running and working efficiently. One program, the fiscal sponsorship program, was designed so people could raise restricted money for their specific parks through Park Pride. That money raised helps to unlock money from foundations to support larger parks as well, including Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Beltline. In addition, Park Pride helps these smaller Friends of the Park groups write grants to earn even more money for their parks. The grant money can be used towards whatever specific needs each park group has. “Part of Park Pride’s magic is that we believe your good idea throughout the community is the big idea,” said Halicki. “We’re not there to tell communities what they need,
Owner and CEO of Haven Design Works Donna Mathis is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several hot 2021 design trends, as well as recent and upcoming projects from Haven Desing Works on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Mathis spent her entire career in the design industry so far, working alongside builders the whole time. After studying interior design at the University of South Carolina and the American Intercontinental University, Mathis began working with a large national model merchandising firm. After several years of learning the trade and gaining experience in the industry, she launched DMD Studios. This company later grew to become a national, award-winning firm. In 2013, Mathis joined forces with fellow designer, Lisa Giles. The two created Haven Design Works. “I love design, and I love the possibilities that design brings to builders to help them tell their story,” said Mathis. Located in Suwanee, Georgia, Haven Design Works has been in business for eight years and works with several clients up and down the East Coast. Working in every major city along the coast, Haven Design Works collaborates with builders and developers across a wide range of projects, including master-planned communities, community clubhouses, model homes, model parks, amenity centers and more.
In 2020, Haven Design Works earned several awards at the Annual OBIE Award ceremony. The OBIE Awards, presented by the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council (SMC) on behalf of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA), recognize outstanding achievements within the homebuilding industry and serve as the premier awards given in the Atlanta new home construction industry. Haven Design Works won the following awards at the 40th Annual OBIE Awards:
Community of the Year and Best Amenity Package – Gold Winner Single-Family Builder, Detached $1 to $1.2 Million – Gold Winner Best Interior Merchandising, Detached $300,000 to $399,000 – Gold Winner Best Interior Merchandising, Attached, $299,000 and Under – Gold Winner Best Interior Merchandising, Attached, $299,000 and Under – Silver Winner
Haven Design Works partnered with Jim Chapman Communities, Chathambilt Homes, Traditions of Braselton and Paran Homes to sweep the board, winning awards for merchandising model homes and amenity centers.
Mathis does not have a specific type of client she looks for when taking on new design work. From small builders to master-planned community amenity centers, Haven Design Works has the skilled team and wide-spread portfolio experience to take on a variety of project types. For Mathis, the perfect client is someone who has a vision she can help bring to life. “I call it the special sauce,” said Mathis. “To me, the special sauce is when you can partner with your builder and you help them tell their story and help them sell their product in a way that buyers can get and relate to.” Looking forward, Mathis anticipates a big trend for 2021 to include joy. This feeling is something that was scarcely lacking in 2020 due to the effects of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. Looking for patterns, colors and pieces that reflect joy and happiness, Mathis plans to incorporate a variety of design elements into her work in 2021 that reflect the feeling of joy. From soft circular shapes to bright delightful hues, Haven Design Works has a goal of bringing joy and happiness to projects in the 2021.
Another hot trend Mathis predicts for the upcoming year is the purging of formal spaces! The alternative to these formal areas are relaxed, cozy areas within a home or living space. Signifying a state-of-mind, this design trend reflects the shift in at-home life due to the pandemic. Mathis predicts a change from mid-century furniture and style that incorporates clean and elegant lines,
Director of Exhibits and Education at the Children's Museum of Atlanta Karen Kelly is the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses a new Mo Willems exhibit, The Pigeon Comes to Atlanta! The group also discusses upcoming events, membership and ways to get involved on this Around Atlanta Segment of Radio.
Kelly has worked with the Children’s Museum for the past 14 years and been an Atlanta resident since 1982. With two kids of her own, Kelly’s work at the Children’s Museum speaks to her both on a professional and a personal level.
The Children's Museum of Atlanta is an interactive, hands-on, minds-on museum for children from 0-9 years of age. The museum not only serves metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia but also accommodates visitors from all over the Southeast region of the United States. Right near Centennial Olympic Park, the World of Coke and the Atlanta Aquarium, the museum is in the heart of the best Atlanta attractions. Pre-COVID, the museum welcomed over 200,000 guests a year. The great hands-on exhibits, permanent exhibits and on-going programming help make this museum a fantastic place for children to come learn, explore and have a good time!
The Pigeon Comes to Atlanta! a Mo Willems exhibit is currently being hosted by the museum. This exhibit is all about the popular book series from children’s author Mo Willems. Featuring characters including Pigeon, Piggie, Elephant and Naked Mole Rat, this exhibit was developed by The Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in conjunction with Willems himself. “One of the things I love about Mo Willems and his work, is he wants to give children great situations to work in, but let them figure things out for themselves,” said Kelly. “So, this exhibit is about some of that embedded into the museum itself. Kids learn about resilience and trying things over and over again and having fun.” Activities for children to participate in at the new Mo Willems Exhibit include launching foam hot dogs at Pigeon, dressing up Naked Mole Rat for a runway fashion show, spinning at the laundromat with Knuffle Bunny, dancing with Elephant and Piggie, trying out Mo Willems art techniques and so much more. “Children learn in all different kinds of ways,” said Kelly. “It matters that its hands-on because children learn through doing, especially at this age. They are natural scientists.” With plenty of opportunities for visual, interactive, auditory and other forms of learning, children from a wide range of ages can greatly benefit while also having fun. The exhibit will be up through May 9, 2021, and the museum is asking that visitors make a reservation online before attending here. Due to the risks of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the Children's Museum of Atlanta is taking several precautions to limit the spread of the virus and keep visitors safe. Face masks are required at all times and the museum is implementing social distancing measures. The museum staff also completely cleans the exhibits and areas three times a day in between sessions.
The Children's Museum of Atlanta has a fantastic membership program for parents to utilize to maximize learning and fun. Memberships include unlimited free entry for one year, 10% off general admission for accompanying guests, discounted admission to select ticketed museum events, invitations to members-only exhibit previews and other additional benefits. To learn more about how to become a member, visit https://childrensmuseumatlanta.org/memberships.
To learn more about permanent and special exhibits at the Children's Museum of Atlanta, visit https://childrensmuseumatlanta.org. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee,
Vice President of Multicultural Lending with New American Funding Frank Fuentes is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Fuentes' journey with New American Funding, multicultural efforts within the organization, 2020 successes, plans for the remainder of the year and more on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio!
Frank Fuentes started with New American Funding 20 years ago. Born and raised in California, Fuentes was born to two hard-working immigrants who moved to the United States in the 1960s. For work, they picked strawberries in Orange County. Fuentes’ mom always told her children that her dream was to provide for her kids so they could work with their brains and not their backs. This saying planted the seed in Fuentes’ head to work within the real estate industry.
As young as ten years old, Fuentes was inspired by finding information through reading, research and discovery. In addition to working several odd jobs over the years, he would read bank and stock information to his family. When Fuentes entered college, he started to focus his learning on real estate. This included economics, finance, legal appraisals and other aspects within the industry.
When Fuentes turned 25, he found New American Funding. CEO and Co-Founder of New American Funding Rick Arvielo put an advertisement in a lesser-known newspaper for a position at the company. The only requirement for the job was the candidate must speak Spanish. Fuentes called Arvielo and accepted the job at New American Funding. He has been with the company ever since!
New American Funding is a privately owned, national direct lender that has a presence in 49 states. The company is a direct seller servicer to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, meaning it works directly with the agencies and has little to no overlinks. The professionals at New American Funding also service a majority of the loans it originates and offers a “make sense” approach to underwriting. “One of the things we are proud of at New American Funding is that we manually underwrite a high percentage of the loans we originate,” said Fuentes. As the first bilingual Latino loan officer with New American Funding, Fuentes helped lead a revolution in the mortgage industry. When he started, there was a tremendous need for Spanish-speaking loan officers. Fuentes was one of the trailblazers who joined the industry to better serve his community and others like it. “The reason Rick Arvielo hired me is because he had the great idea of adding ‘Se habla español’ into a marketing piece that he was mailing out 2,000 – 3,000 of a week,” said Fuentes. “Because of that little blurb he added to the marketing piece, the phones started lighting up and they didn’t know what to do with all those calls. So, here comes Frank Fuentes to handle all the leads!” While there was a huge need for bilingual loan officers in 2000 to bring in Spanish speaking clients, the necessity is still present in 2021. Especially in areas like Atlanta that are considered immerging markets, a bilingual team is essential to providing homeownership to everyone.
In addition to programs and initiatives inside the company, New American Funding also supports the Hispanic market in metro Atlanta by aligning with impactful organizations, including the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals® (NAHREP). Marietta Branch Manager Jose Placesncia, a past president of NAHREP, and Loan Consultant Marco Sanchez, a current member on the Board of Directors of NAHREP, both work with New American Funding to provide homeownership to the Latino community. Learn more about how Plascencia creates homeownership for the underserved community in a previous Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio interview here. “It’s actually very simple, the main reason we align with them [NAHREP] is because their mission is right in line with ours which is increasing ...
Marketing Brand Manager of Boral Stone Division, Allie Roqueta, is in the studio for today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Boral’s new outdoor living brand, Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds. The group also dives into some of the company’s most popular outdoor and indoor products, all of which can be installed by a builder, landscape artist or homeowner.
Boral North America is one of three divisions of the Australian-based international building and construction materials group, Boral Limited. The company’s North American division is primarily focused on construction materials and the manufacturing of high-quality building materials, including, stone, veneer, brick, roofing, siding, windows, shutters and trim.
Roqueta has been working with Boral for three years. She focuses heavily on the company’s digital marketing and brand strategy for its six stone brands, as well as its recently launched lifestyle brand Kindred Outdoors and Surround.
After seeing the effects of the pandemic and homeowners seeking to repurpose their outdoor and indoor living spaces, Boral launched Kindred Outdoor and Surround in Fall 2020. The new brand is developed to help homeowners create different focal points within their homes where they can gather and reconnect safely. Focused on craftsmanship and artistry, these products are designed for both indoor and outdoor spaces and act as statement pieces that can elevate any indoor or outdoor space.
Kindred Outdoors and Surround offers a wide variety of products including outdoor cabinets, outdoor kitchens, outdoor fireplaces, fire bowls and fire pits. The company’s fire bowls are currently the best seller due to their wide variety of color, finish and style options, as well as their low fuel consumption and natural gas or propane options. The new product line also offers signature outdoor kitchen and cabinetry pieces, featuring three setups made of glass, fiber and reinforced concrete that is lightweight and easy to install. These DIY cabinets can be arranged into several unique designs and include everything needed to install. Homeowners can complete any outdoor kitchen area by adding Boral Stone in for a touch of character amidst their own trusty appliances.
Fireplaces and firepits are two other popular options offered by Kindred Outdoor and Surround. The new product line offers two fireplaces with wood-burning and gas-burning options, along with a gas-burning firepit. These two outdoor fire products make it easy for homeowners to enjoy their outdoor space year-round. Of course, Kindred Outdoor and Surround also offers indoor fireplace features such as fireplace surrounds. Designed to emulate natural limestone, this indoor feature frames the fireplace to bring warmth and elegance to any space.
While most products like the fireplaces and firepits can be easily ordered online, shipped and shipped directly, DIY cabinets and kitchens require the help of nearby dealers who distribute their products. Boral works with builders, landscapers and homeowners offering concierge services to help figure out the best design plans, match them with the right products and connect them with dealers nearby for additional design needs.
To learn more about Kindred Outdoors and Surrounds and Boral Stone Division, listen to the full podcast above. You can also visit www.mykindredliving.com to view products and gain inspiration for your new indoor/outdoor living space through the site’s gallery page.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Boral Stone Division are not associated.
Marietta Branch Manager for New American Funding, Jose Plascencia, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how New American Funding serves the underserved, what makes it unique, its recent successes and more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Plascencia has been in the mortgage industry since 2008 and with New American Funding for the past three years. He joined the Atlanta team for several reasons, including the ideals and family feeling the organization provides. Most notably, Plascencia also joined because of the efforts and initiatives in place to provide homeownership to the Latino community. In line with the New American Funding mission, Plascencia believes in providing sustainable homeownership for everyone. “When I mean everyone, I’m talking about the underserved groups, everyone across the board,” said Plascencia. “When I mean sustainable homeownership, we’re not going to loan shark you into a loan with potential for failure. We make sure that we put you with the right product that fits your needs and sets you up for success throughout the life of the loan.” 2020 saw huge successes for New American Funding and Plascencia. The company is gearing up to expand to the growing Cartersville area, and Plascencia was nominated to be part of the Latino-focused leadership program from New American Funding’s corporate office. Plascencia was selected out of thousands of New American Funding employees to be on the leadership team of only five members. “I am super happy and humbled to be able to support and represent the Southeast region,” said Plascencia. Jose Plascencia uses a unique approach when dealing with potential, current and future clients. He believes in treating everyone like family and working to not only earn but to also maintain the trust of his homeowners. In addition, Plascencia is focused on inclusion and serving the underserved in his everyday responsibilities at New American Funding.
One of the many factors that make Plascencia and his team unique is they are all bilingual. Oftentimes, potential clients and borrowers wish to submit information in person as opposed to online. Plascencia believes in doing whatever is most comfortable and easiest for the customer. Because of this, it always helps to have a bilingual team to aid in the lending process. Any person in the Latino community can partner with New American Funding and feel comfortable speaking in either English or Spanish. This strategy is going to be applied in the new Cartersville market as well.
Another program New American Funding practices to be more inclusive and accessible is working with work permits and visas. Plascencia notes that having a work permit means a person is well on the way to receiving a permanent resident card and eventually citizenship. Many other lenders only work with specific visas or United States citizens. Even if these lenders are willing to work with work permits, it is not widely known. This leads to potential homeowners feeling discouraged or uncomfortable applying for loans with just a work permit. Plascencia and his team pride themselves on looking over every case individually and finding out how to help any and all customers achieve homeownership.
With a strong focus on serving the underserved, New American Funding looks at each client as an individual, not a piece of paper with numbers. Plascencia and the other professionals in this business are passionate about helping people, including the Latino community, achieve homeownership in whatever way possible.
To learn more about New American Funding, Jose Plascencia and the initiatives in place to help serve the Latino community, visit www.NewAmericanAtlanta.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
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Government Affairs Director with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA), Codeye Woody, is in the studio. Joined by co-hosts Todd Schnick and Carol Morgan, the group discusses Woody’s new position, what is going on within the GAHBA, how members get involved and more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Woody recently moved to Atlanta from Orlando. He spent seven years in Florida, residing as the Director of Legislative Congressional Relations for Orange County Public Schools, which is the eighth largest school district in the country. After several years working with schools, Woody decided he wanted a change and to help lobby for different issues. He then decided to move to Atlanta and work with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, which also happens to be the eighth largest home builders association in the country! Woody has been in his new position in the GAHBA for the past five months. “Right now, my job is to just be the voice of the members and lobby on behalf of their issues,” said Woody. “There’s a plethora of issues. There might be some communication issues from a county, or it may just be some legislative issue that is coming down. My side is making sure the meetings are coordinated and communicating on behalf of the builders and making sure I’m reaching the right elected official so they can hear our issue.” To Woody, the most exciting part of the job is meeting new people and creating tangible goals to make sure the members are getting the help they need. Currently, Woody is busy handling the tree protection ordinances. He is working with builders to make sure elected officials in Atlanta understand their three priorities, which include fully utilizing the buildable area, incentivizing new planting and economic impact analysis.
To help connect the builders’ thoughts and ideas to the legislators making decisions, the Woody and the GAHBA created a professional ordinance subcommittee. The committee is composed of around five to eight builders in the Atlanta area. Woody arranges the builders and the proper elected officials in one meeting so the members can give a first-hand perspective on their current issues and voice any notable concerns.
Another subcommittee was recently created to help alleviate communication issues between the Planning and Sustainability Department in DeKalb County and the members of the GAHBA. The communication bottlenecks were largely due to members on both sides not knowing who to contact or being in the same place at the same time. Woody created the subcommittee to help compile all the relevant issues and recommendations in one place. This way, the delivery of concerns is streamlined and always given to the appropriate parties.
To learn more about what Codeye Woody is doing as the Government Affairs Director with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit https://atlantahomebuilders.com. Connect with Codeye Woody directly at 678-775-1428 or CWoody@AtlantaHBA.com.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and The Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facili...
President and CEO of Crosby Design Group, Jennifer Crosby, is in the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses recent and upcoming projects, including Seven88 West Midtown, Sunny & Ranney, The Ivy at Ariston and more on today's All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Crosby started the company 21 years ago after graduating from the Art Institute of Atlanta with a degree in interior design. The company now has two studios, a residential design studio in Roswell, and a commercial design studio in Midtown. When not spending time running her company and working with its several prestigious clients, Crosby spends time with her three children and husband on their home on Lake Lanier.
Crosby Design Group is unique in the world of interior design because it captures a broad range of services with two completely different business models and clientele. With experience in both residential and commercial design, Crosby Design Group is the one-stop-shop for all types of clients. On the residential side, Crosby Design Group focuses on builder developments, working to create exterior streetscapes, interior finishes and high-end custom homes. On the commercial side, the design group works with 55+ communities, student housing, multi-family developments, corporate design, retail, hospitality and more.
To finish off 2020, Crosby Design Group completed work on The Ivy at Ariston. This residential apartment community in Buford near the Mall of Georgia offers spacious layouts and wonderful amenities. The interior layout offers a thoughtful design reminiscent of the incredible location right on the Ivy Creek Greenway.
Another recently finished project includes the highly-anticipated Seven88 West Midtown high rise condo development. With inspiration drawn from a Manhattan modern design palette, the Seven88 sales center offers high-performance materials, clean lines and a unique blend of textures and colors. With industrial and modern finishes, the interior design work incorporates mixed materials, including iron, glass brick and concrete to create a sophisticated and clean look. To read more about the design work on Seven88 West Midtown from Crosby Design Group and its awarded success, click here.
To kick off 2021, Crosby Design Group is working on The Exchange @ Gwinnett, a new live, work, play community. This residential development offers over 100 acres of restaurants, shops and entertainment opportunities, including TopGolf Andretti Indoor Karting and an arcade. The development also houses Center Stage at the Town Green for live and streaming events.
In addition to commercial and residential developments, the company recently finished a project with its favorite nonprofit, Sunshine on a Ranney Day. Crosby Design Group partnered with the nonprofit to complete Sunny & Ranney Home Furnishings and Décor. Located in downtown Roswell, this new business sells designer home goods and furniture for home makeovers. Each purchase supports children with special needs. Every purchase from Sunny & Ranney goes directly to Sunshine on a Ranney Day. To read more about the partnership on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, click here.
To learn more about Crosby Design Group and its current and upcoming projects, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.CrosbyDesignGroup.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Crosby Design Group are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2021)
Rebeka and Nathan Self, co-owners of Georgia Glamping Company, are in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group comes together to talk about Georgia Glamping’s one-of-a-kind glamping opportunities, its exciting new campsite locations and fun ad-on options.
Married for 12 years, Rebeka and Nathan came up with the concept for Georgia Glamping after a less than stellar Florida vacation in which their children found themselves more entertained by their I-Pads than the sandy beaches. On the road trip home, the two brainstormed ideas on ways they could get their family to spend time outdoors while still enjoying the comforts of a traditional vacation. Combining Rebeka’s childhood love for camping with Nathan’s appreciation of nice hotels, the couple came up with the idea of creating a business that provides “glamping” opportunities as a brand-new way to escape.
In the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Glamping Company was forced to shut down due to Forsyth County regulations. However, after reopening on May 1, the company experienced a strong demand for glamping opportunities. In fact, from May 1 through the season-closing day on November 30, the company had a 100% occupancy rate compared to a 58% occupancy rate the previous year. After just recently reopening its site for 2021 bookings, the company has been overwhelmed by the responses and continues to look forward to the new year and the new opportunities ahead.
Georgia Glamping Company’s original location is set along the beautiful shores of Lake Lanier at Shady Grove campgrounds. In addition to restrooms, playgrounds and a courtesy dock, the campsite also offer three glamping options including canvas bell tents, canvas safari tents and a retro RV featuring remodeled, modern farmhouse interiors. Each tent offers glampers a true camping experience outside the tent walls and a mini-hotel experience within them. Inside the tents, glampers will find real memory foam mattresses, hotel-style bedding, coffee makers, mini-fridges, air conditioners, heaters, lamps, rugs and other features to create a space that is comfortable and enjoyable for all.
In addition to its Lake Lanier location, Georgia Glamping Company is also excited to introduce two new campsite locations. Located in Henry Country, Iris Lake offers 22-acres of campsites set along a private lake. Here, glampers can experience a peaceful vacation with a non-motorized boating lake, nature trails, a gathering lodge and an exciting new “tabin” experience that combines the best features of a tent and cabin to create a desirable resort-style glamping option. Rebeka and Nathan are also excited to take on four new sites in Augusta at Clarks Hill Lake this coming March, offering even more lakeside glamping experiences.
Of course, the glamping experience wouldn’t be complete without the add-ons. Because roughly 80% of Georgia Glamping’s customers are first-time campers, the company strives to offer a variety of add-on options to allow for a more customized experience. When booking a stay on the website, glampers can choose from a variety of add-ons to enhance their experiences, including kayaks, beach cruisers, gourmet smores kits and much more.
For more information about Georgia Glamping Company and to book an upcoming glamping experience, visit www.georgiaglamping.com. Weekend and fall glamping dates book quickly, so be sure to schedule well in advance!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Georgia Glamping Company are not associated.
Paul Smith, owner of Park Tavern and his marketing director, Pilar Tyson are in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several fun-filled events happening at Park Tavern in Piedmont Park.
Park Tavern is located in Piedmont Park and has been open since the 1996 Olympics. With an expansive patio, two special event spaces and a full-service restaurant and bar, Park Tavern has something for everyone – even the dogs! The spacious patio area accommodates guests and their furry four-legged friends for entertainment opportunities, while the restaurant bar offers an extensive menu, including burgers, salads, sandwiches and sushi. Park Tavern has also seen many planned events, including birthday parties, weddings, holiday parties and other get-togethers.
In addition to its normal event spaces and opportunities for fun, Park Tavern is also hosting its annual Miracle on 10th Street event. Complete with thousands of lights, lighted igloos and festive décor, Miracle on 10th Street at The Rink offers fun cocktails, all-day ice skating sessions, delicious food, cozy fire pits, themed skate nights and so much more.
The ice skating rink is open seven days a week for guests of all ages to enjoy. Priced at $15 Monday through Thursday and $20 Friday through Sunday, The Rink is open for everyone to test their skills on the ice. During the week, The Rink is open from 4:30 p.m. until midnight. Operating hours are extended on the weekend, opening at 11:30 a.m. and closing at midnight. At 8:00 p.m., The Rink hosts Skate After Eight, allowing only kids and adults older than 16 to skate. Miracle on 10th Street at The Rink is open until February 15.
In addition to free skating, Park Tavern partnered with a skating academy company to provide lessons to anyone seeking to sharpen their skills. With a variety of ice skating lessons from adult individual lessons, parent and tot classes, kids sessions and more, everyone is welcome to an informative and fun skating lesson seven days a week. The lessons are hosted by a program led by Olympic Coach Craig Maurizi!
To help keep everyone safe and healthy, Park Tavern is following all state and local protocols from the CDC. In addition, everyone entering the facilities must wear a mask on and off the ice.
For even more fun, Park Tavern recently started its weekly “Wednesdays are A Drag” event. Spotlighting drag queen Aspen York, this fun-filled event offers half-priced bottles of wine with a show. For this event, spectating is free, but if you want to skate as well, a $15 fee is required.
To learn more about the spectacular opportunities for fun and entertainment at Park Tavern, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.parktavern.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Park Tavern are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2021)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
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President and Co-Founder of New American Funding, Patty Arvielo, is in the studio to kick off the New Year with the first Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode of the 2021. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how New American Funding was founded, what it's like to be a woman leader in a male-dominated industry, how the company thrived in 2020, what is to come in 2021 and more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
At the very young age of 16, Patty Arvielo was looking for a job and found a place in mortgage credit reporting. At the time, Arvielo had limited knowledge of the mortgage and loan industry, but she continued to learn and move up the loan processing ladder. Later in 2021, Arvielo will be able to celebrate her 40th year in the industry.
After some time working at one of the largest mortgage companies in the country, Arvielo and her husband decided to create a mortgage banking company. During its creation, Arvielo and co-founder chose to stick to only good, FHA loans. This helped them later on after the mortgage crisis, allowing New American Funding to breakthrough and succeed in the mortgage business. Today, the company employs over 5,000 employees across the country. “Sometimes it’s a little bit of luck, a lot of common sense and a little bit of risk-taking, but not so much that I risk our company by doing loans that don’t make sense,” said Arvielo. In addition to being an entrepreneur and president of a company, Arvielo is also a woman leader in a male-dominated industry. This allowed her to take a look at the industry from a female perspective and work to increase the representation across the trade as a whole. Arvielo works within her own company to address representation issues, supporting several minorities and women. Today, New American Funding is 60% women-employed and 43% minority-employed. “We have a woman owner and a male owner and we have women that feel empowered,” said Arvielo. “I hope that I am teaching every single day that this young generation can look like me, because there isn’t a school of mortgage banking. I take that role very seriously and I know that when I leave this industry it is going to be a lot more diverse.” In addition to employing women and minorities, Arvielo also runs a mentorship program for women in the industry. During the program, women are able to join for a phone call every week for a month. During the calls, Arvielo mentors participants through multiple facets of the industry. These women are also able to stay in contact with Arvielo for future calls, advice sessions and mentorship.
Due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, several businesses struggled to stay afloat in 2020. New American Funding was not only able to survive the year of change and hardship, but also thrive. This means the company was able to continue to provide homeownership to its many clients, as well as support its incredible leadership team of employees. The team at New American Funding heard the news about a potential pandemic in early 2020 and immediately began purchasing laptops and other equipment for its employees to work online. Within 48 hours, the company was completely virtual. This allowed everyone to remain safe, healthy and in a good position to help clients become homeowners.
To learn more about Patty Arvielo and what New American Funding has planned in 2021, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a re-cap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin,
Executive Director and founder of Live Thrive Atlanta, Peggy Ratcliffe, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) on today’s Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Live Thrive Atlanta is an Atlanta-based nonprofit started in 2009 with a vision to create a community that cares about a healthy and sustainable environment. Over the past 10 years, Ratcliffe and Live Thrive Atlanta were able to create the organization's premier program, CHaRM. Prior to opening CHaRM, Live Thrive Atlanta held annual household hazardous waste collections. This included collecting items like electronics, paint, household cleaning products and other things too harmful or bulky to put at the curb. “We realized pretty quickly after having those events that it was a lot more convenient for people, as well as economically feasible to have a permanent drop off facility,” said Ratcliffe. “So, people could actually bring those things throughout the year at their convenience, such as after the holiday, instead of waiting for a once-a-year event.” Ratcliffe understood that people preferred not to crowd garages, crawl spaces, attics and other storage areas in the home with these cumbersome objects. With an annual event, people would have to hold on to these items until the next drop off event. Because of CHaRM, these items no longer have to take up space or become burdens in the home.
Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the average American accumulates at least 25% more waste than during other non-holiday times of the year. To help combat this, CHaRM hosts an annual cleanup proceeding Christmas. This is a great way for families to get rid of any burnt-out Christmas lights, bulky boxes, broken decorations, ribbons, electronics, Christmas trees and other items leftover from the holidays. This service is meant to help households declutter after the holidays, while also finding ways to recycle or reuse items that are otherwise thrown away.
“Unfortunately, Georgia has over 159 landfills, which coincidentally is the same number of counties," said Ratcliffe. “However, that is not per county. We actually have three in DeKalb Coutny. So we have more landfills than any other state east of the Mississippi and that is not a good thing. The more trash that we create that we throw away, we are just filling up those landfills and having to create more.”
CHaRM and the annual Christmas cleanup held by Live Thrive Atlanta are two solutions to help reuse and recycle waste instead of adding to the abundance of landfills in Georgia. By donating waste and trash to CHaRM and the Live Thrive Atlanta’s designated trash clean up programs, Georgia residents can help to drastically cut back on the waste entered into landfills around the holidays.
CHaRM takes any and all electronics at its collection facilities. A common fear amongst electronics owners is the information on these devices. People do not want to throw out electronics that could potentially have vital information on them. Live Thrive Atlanta and CHaRM have a rigorous process to ensure no information is left on these devices. As soon as the electronics are given to the partner facility to recycle, they are put through three different magnetic machines to completely wipe off any information or data. In addition, useful devices such as phones and laptops are donated to students and families in need. The need for these electronics has grown since the beginning of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and the implementation of virtual learning.
To learn more about Live Thrive Atlanta and CHaRM, visit https://livethrive.org/charm. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Taylor Adkins, sales expert with @Ansley Developer Services, joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss Seven88 West Midtown, a new high-end, high-rise condominium building now selling on the Westside of Atlanta. At Seven88, homeowners can experience a low-maintenance lifestyle with a wide-angled view.
Located in Atlanta’s historic post-industrial district, Seven88 West Midtown offers walkability and residences designed to fit the surrounding lifestyle and area. According to Adkins, the Westside is just booming with new developments making it more walkable, more entertaining with more of a neighborhood feel. “Seven88 is special because it offers a luxury option that is low to no maintenance with full-service amenities,” Adkins said. Having lived in a high-rise herself, Adkins believes one of the most important highlights is the team that manages the building’s day-to-day operations, and the team at Seven88 is excited to meet all the homeowners, get to know them and “make their living experience here exceptional.”
Walkability and full-service amenities are also other major highlights of the lifestyle available at Seven88. According to Adkins, as they approach 1.5 years of sales, the team has discovered everyone has unique wants and needs prompting them to add additional amenities and services.
The building is even catered toward homeowners’ best friends with an indoor dog park, perfect for all seasons, with Astro Turf, windows and more, as well as a dog spa for post-playtime baths or groomers to make house calls. Additionally, Seven88 features 24/7 concierge services to work with dry cleaning and car detailing vendors, handle and accept packages including small, large or refrigerated, make hotel or dinner reservations and more.
Additional amenities include:
Lobby with coffee and refreshment bar Clubroom with demonstration kitchen, billiards and lounge Amenity deck with outdoor dining, barbecue and fireplace Resort–style saltwater pool and whirlpool spa State–of–the–art fitness center Bike storage Controlled access parking deck
The building’s prime Westside Atlanta location also puts residents near plenty of popular destinations; Westside Provisions is only a 10-minute walk while Mercedes-Benz Stadium is only a 10-minute drive. The Georgia Institute of Technology is also within walking distance, Hartsfield Jackson-International Airport is 11 miles away and I-75 and I-85, MARTA and the Atlanta BeltLine are all nearby.
When it comes to selecting the perfect condominium at Seven 88, according to Adkins, there are options that “really cater to everyone.”
There are studio condominiums that start from the mid-$300,000s, one-bedrooms starting from the $400,000s, two-bedrooms starting from the mid-$500,000, three bedrooms starting from the mid-$800,000s and, of course, penthouses with a one-bedroom option starting from the $600,000s.
https://youtu.be/gtFQzXdZ31I
The Sales Gallery, located at 930 Howell Mill Rd, Suite A in Atlanta, displays a wide array of available features while multiple model condominiums further display layout options. To learn more, listen to the full interview above, or visit www.788WestMidtown.com to register online for further details.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a re-cap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding is not associated with @Ansley Developer Services and Seven88 West Midtown. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
Traveling might look a little different this year, but people are traveling nonetheless! President of the ATL Airport District Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) Cookie Smoak joins this week’s Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the South Atlanta destination and the cities it serves with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
The ATL Airport District is just 10 miles south of downtown Atlanta and is home to the world’s busiest airport, Georgia’s second-largest convention center, more than 8,000 hotel rooms and destination dining and retail. Founded seven years ago as one of the newer CVBs in Georgia, the ATL Airport District CVB serves the airport’s surrounding areas including College Park, East Point, Hapeville and Union City.
Focused on selling all the hotels and attractions in that area and market the restaurants, its mission is to promote the area for tourism, conventions and generate economic impact.
“We want to put heads in beds; we want to put people in the restaurants; we want to put people in the attractions and fill the convention center,” Smoak said. “The area is growing, so we’re just really excited to have this opportunity.”
According to Smoak, College Park is the fourth largest historic home district in Georgia and the entire four-city district is home to many major businesses including the Porsche Experience Center, which is the manufacturer’s largest investment outside of Germany, Chick-fil-A headquarters and the Delta Flight Museum, to name a few.
“During the past 6, 7 months, everything has kind of stopped and halted, but not so in the Airport District,” Smoak said.
Recently, J Presso Coffee and Bakery, a small, family-owned coffee shop, recently reopened in Hapeville, as well as Grub Fresh Bowls and Wraps, Your Pie Pizza, Moe’s Southwest Grill and Pit Boss BBQ. Realizing that restaurants bring people together, the ATL Airport District keeps visitors up to date with restaurant openings and available take-out, delivery and curbside services.
https://youtu.be/ALk4w6a5o-A
With its ever-growing list of unique shops, microbreweries, dining options and outdoor spaces, the ATL Airport District offers a thriving culture influenced by big city life. To learn more, listen to the complete interview above or visit www.ATLDistrict.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and ATL Airport District are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
President and Co-Founder of Beacon Management Services Lisa Simmons is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses what the management company does, the type of clients it services, how it sets itself apart from other management services and more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Simmons has been in real estate for several years, starting with a large commercial real estate development company located in Atlanta. Simmons has worked on a number of fantastic commercial real estate properties, as well as retail properties throughout metro Atlanta. In 2003, Simmons earned her sales license and started working for Beazer Homes for five years. After the housing crisis in 2008, she redirected her career toward management and in 2011 co-founded Beacon Management Services.
Beacon Management Services is a property management company specializing in community associations or homeowners associations (HOA). Beacon Management represents several different kinds of properties including HOAs, condominium associations, commercial properties, mixed-use developments and more. Beacon Management Services works in every major county throughout metro Atlanta from the urban core to the suburbs.
Currently, Beacon Management Services is working with several well-known clients including Century Communities, Lennar Homes, D.R. Horton, Jim Jacobi, Walton Communities and Kolter Homes, to name a few. With experience not only with small-custom builders but also nationally-known companies, Beacon Management Services has the skills, reputation and experience to take on all types of clients. “Generally, we’ve gotten more and more builder business as the years have gone by and now we have quite a large portfolio of new homes and new home construction,” Simmons said. “We’re busy with new construction and we’re busy with condo development. There is a lot of that taking place in Midtown especially.” Currently, Beacon Management Services is managing over 35,000 units and was recently listed by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of the top 10 management companies for the fifth straight year. “We’re really proud of the growth but it’s been organized and controlled growth, it’s not growth for growths sake,” Simmons said. “We want to do an excellent job for all of our customers and for our clients, so we just don’t take any property unless we know we can do an exceptional job there.” With plenty of first-hand experience with builders, Beacon Management Services not only understands the sales and management side of the business but also the construction aspects as well. Because of this, it can better predict potential issues and take strides to solve them before they even arise. In addition, Beacon Management knows how to make every new homeowner feel welcome and at home in their new community.
https://youtu.be/I9cR6IjqwaY
To learn more about Beacon Management Services, be sure to listen to the full interview above or visit www.beaconmanagementservices.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a re-cap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Beacon Management Services are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
Lauren Abernathy, senior director of marketing with The Battery Atlanta, is in the studio for this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group talks about the exciting holiday events taking place at The Battery Atlanta, as well as those coming soon in 2021.
The Battery Atlanta serves as a lively live, work, play and stay environment that is home to everything from offices and hotels to dining and shopping destinations. Prior to coming on board at The Battery Atlanta, Abernathy spent nearly 25 years in the retail marketing industry where she became experienced in program development, public relations and strategic marketing. Since taking on the role of Senior Director of Marketing, she has loved building The Battery Atlanta from the ground up and turning the park’s gameday fan experience into one that takes place 365 days a year.
While the baseball season is one of the best times of the year to visit The Battery Atlanta, the holiday season ranks pretty close up there as well. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Battery Atlanta has traded its traditional Santa experience in lieu of Santa’s Post Office present by Truist Park. At Santa’s Post Office, children can hand deliver their letters to Santa and chat with him from a distance while parents take photos of the interaction. From the “Elves on Duty” posters to the gingerbread scents, The Battery Atlanta and Truist Park has put thought into all of the details to ensure Santa’s Post office is a magical experience for all who attend.
Looking towards the new year, The Battery Atlanta is thrilled to open two new highly anticipated venues: ASW Distillery and Fat Tuesdays. Abernathy also mentioned that Papa John’s will be taking over 60,000 square feet of office space for their corporate headquarters, meaning even more people will get to experience The Battery Atlanta and all that it has to offer. In a year where everyone has worked so hard to do so little, Abernathy is looking forward to starting this new chapter in 2021 and getting back to creating experiences for visitors to enjoy on gamedays and every day.
More 2021 announcements from The Battery Atlanta are coming soon! To learn more about Santa’s Post Office or these other exciting upcoming events, visit www.BatteryATL.com or follow @batteryATL on social media.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and The Battery Atlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Pat Wilson joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to share some exciting news! For the eighth consecutive year, Georgia is again ranked No. 1 for business by Site Selection Magazine.
Tasked by the governor and general assembly, the GDEcD is the state’s sales and marketing component focused on attracting new business investment, aligning workforce education and training with in-demand jobs, promoting the expansion of existing small businesses and industry, attracting tourists to the state, determining new markets for Georgia products and promoting Georgia as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as preparing and mobilizing state resources for economic growth.
According to Wilson, 95% of the jobs in the state are small businesses, and its 12 international offices help local companies with on-the-ground advice and links into new markets. Serving as the home base of 18 Fortune 500 companies, Georgia also supports a $2.9 billion economic impact from film and in 2019, $10.8 billion in aerospace exports. Additionally, as a $66 billion industry, tourism typically supports nearly 500,000 jobs statewide.
Having served under three governors over the past 10 years, Wilson recalls 2009 and what it was like coming out of the Great Recession. According to Wilson, the state of Georgia had shrunk its budget from $21 billion to $16 billion and the unemployment rate was in the teens. “Things were looking rough because we had been so reliant on the construction industry in this fast-growing state,” Wilson said. In an effort to not merely come out of the recession but to grow from it, the state and general assembly opted out of raising taxes. “In fact, we’re going to lower taxes on energy costs used in manufacturing,” Wilson said. “We’re going to create an environment for the state to really grow our businesses. Through that, they laid the groundwork to be named the No. 1 state in the nation for business and we’ve now held that ranking for an unprecedented eight years.
“We’re really excited about that because it shows a commitment from leadership in the state and the business community in the state to continue to move Georgia in the right direction. What comes out of that are jobs and opportunities for Georgians.” The No. 1 ranking was determined by a number of factors. According to Wilson, site selectors do all the legwork for companies comparing site availability, workforce and logistics network, all the things that make a company prosper in the long run. “The site selectors weigh all that out and give a recommendation to companies on where they should ultimately locate,” Wilson said. “Half of this ranking comes directly from site selectors and the other half is based on criteria and input [related to] workforce data, transportation and infrastructure, ease of permitting, really all the things that make a successful business climate.
“So, they come up with a score and Georgia was ranked No. 1 again for the eighth year in a row. The fascinating thing is that we actually share it with North Carolina this year. It’s the first time in history they (Site Selector) have had a tie.” Some good news for such an unprecedented year? In the first four months of the state’s fiscal year, it welcomed almost 12,000 new jobs, according to Wilson. That’s a 45% increase from last year amongst a pandemic! To learn more about GDEcD, call 404-962-4000 or visit www.Georgia.org.
https://youtu.be/Io_IYdFFGgQ
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a re-cap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Traton Homes, Amy Kessler, and Chairperson with Cobb Christmas, Mark Riggans, are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the annual Cobb Christmas drive, who the organization helps, how to get involved and more on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Traton Homes is a family-owned business founded in Cobb County in 1971 and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2021. Traton Homes’ corporate office is located in Marietta, but the builder offers stunning new townhomes and single-family homes all around Cobb County and throughout the metro Atlanta area.
Cobb Christmas is one of the oldest nonprofits in Cobb County, dating back to 1963. With a goal of helping low-income and working families during the holiday season, Cobb Christmas provides gifts to children from one through 15 years of age. Each child receives at least three age-appropriate toys to celebrate the Christmas season.
Eligible families include low-income residents of Cobb County with children ages one to 15 who do not receive any other source of holiday assistance. Each family that participates is given an appointment to receive toys and food at the annual distribution. This distribution is manned by the hundreds of volunteers that help make Cobb Christmas possible.
With tasks including sorting and selecting food and toys for families, the volunteers are an integral piece in Cobb Christmas. The organization is completely run by volunteers, allowing a majority of all funds to go directly back to the Cobb County families in need.
Traton Homes has partnered with Cobb Christmas for over 15 years. To help support the organization, Traton Homes reaches out to its various partners, vendors, lenders, sales centers and other connections to collect monetary donations and toys. Traton then uses the donations earned to fill an entire Cobb County transit bus with toys to support Cobb Christmas. Over the years, Traton Homes has donated thousands of toys to the organization. “Our home is here in Cobb County and we just love supporting the local community help raise money for this effort,” said Kessler. In addition to creating a higher need this holiday season, the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic has also changed the way Cobb Christmas operates. This year, a rigorous process is used to clean, sanitize and select all toys that come through the warehouse. In addition, volunteers are following several prescreening and social distancing protocols to purchase, sort and select toys. “We operate on about a $35,000 budget each year,” said Riggans. “We buy a big portion of our toys in bulk, but we could not do it without our partners like Traton Homes. We buy the bulk, but they supply the stuffed animals, cars, trucks and other ‘one of’ things. That really brings it home for them [the kids].” To learn more about Cobb Christmas and find out how to donate or volunteer, visit https://cobbchristmas.net. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
To learn more about Traton Homes, visit www.tratonhomes.com or call 770-427-9064.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, Traton Homes and Cobb Christmas are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has m...
On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Kelly Allison, southeast divisional vice president of New American Funding. The group discusses the lender’s steadfast commitment to customer service and how it shapes its programs based on direct customer feedback.
Dubbed the mortgage company ‘built by the customer, for the customer,’ New American Funding provides retail lending throughout the Southeast. Purchasing a home is one of the largest purchases people make in their entire life and, according to Allison, New American Funding wants to ensure it provides a 5-star experience during such a special time for families when they are purchasing a home or refinancing to lower their payment.
With customer retention as its No. 1 focus, New American Funding knows customer satisfaction is the key to keeping clients and that is how the lender builds not only trust but loyalty and sustainability to move forward. Customer satisfaction survey responses are taken extremely seriously at New American Funding. “It’s critical to our growth, it’s critical to our improvement,” Allison said. “It’s always good to know what’s working well and what we’re doing right, and we need to know what we need to improve on.” In a world of instant gratification, homebuyers want to know exactly where their loan is in the approval process without waiting for return calls, so after receiving such feedback on customer satisfaction surveys, New American Funding developed an app for its customers to login 24/7 and follow the progress of their loan right on their device.
According to Allison, after launching the app to its customers, overall customer service satisfaction increased by 15%, and year-to-date of the 9,000+ families New American Funding served in 2020, 98.4% said ‘Yes, I would recommend New American Funding to a friend, family or coworker,’ and that is the biggest honor to New American Funding. “I’m humbled to work side by side with this team,” Allison said. “They have a passion not only to homeownership, but they have a passion for customers.” Listen to the full interview above to learn more and to hear client testimonials from recent customer satisfaction surveys. For more information regarding New American Funding and available home loan products, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a re-cap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Anthony Rodriguez, Aurora Theatre co-founder and producing artistic director, and Juan Unzueta, director of cross-cultural programs, are in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group comes together to discuss the theatre’s creative solutions to COVID-19 precautions, as well as upcoming shows taking place this holiday season.
Based out of historic Downtown Lawrenceville, the Aurora Theatre has been entertaining the Gwinnett County community for 25 years. The theatre center offers a wide range of entertainment opportunities that include children’s programming, comedy nights, main stage productions and cabaret shows. While this past year certainly hasn’t been easy for the theatre, it has provided Rodriguez and his team insight into how and why they do what they do, along with the opportunity to further their connections with theatre donors, patrons and staff.
When the COVID-19 pandemic first started, Rodriguez knew they would have to get creative to keep things running. The theatre began this creative effort by pouring into their digital series by offering free play readings, weekly storytimes for kids, improv games and even paint and sip events. However, as the pandemic’s outlook began to look more long term, the theatre switched over to one-person streamed shows as its newest endeavor. By filming on multiple cameras and using editing skills, the theatre was able to produce full show content for audiences at home to stream. These streamed productions not only showcase the creativity of the theatre staff but also their talent as everything is produced in-house. The ongoing pandemic may have changed a lot of things for the Aurora Theatre, but its annual Christmas Canteen is not one of them. This year, the incredible holiday event will take place at the Bowl at Sugar Hill, an outdoor seating venue that has the capacity to hold 2,000 people normally and 500 people socially distanced. In this variety show, audience members will enjoy everything from comedy to dancing to music and more. Patrons will bring their own seats and will be separated into pods in order to follow social distancing protocols. In addition, there will be no intermission in an attempt to prevent large gatherings. Even the actors on stage will be following guidelines with face shields, prior COVID-19 testing and limited on-state interaction. In addition to its annual Christmas Canteen, the Aurora Theatre will also be offering community members the opportunity to choose their own Christmas adventure with two other exceptional performances. Performed by Rodriguez himself, the one-man Charles Dickons’ A Christmas Carol will take place in-person on the main stage which limited capacity and social distancing in place. This production will have nine different performances taking place between December 16 and December 23. For those who’d feel more comfortable watching from home, a one-man production of This Wonderful Life will also be available for streaming.
Listen to the full radio episode to learn more about the Aurora Theatre's new COVID-19 safety measures and the exciting new theatre expansions in 2021! For more information about the Aurora Theatre, its upcoming holiday productions and how to support the organization, visit www.auroratheatre.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Aurora Theatre are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (December/2020)
Known for his quick wit, trendy bowtie and complete understanding of the housing industry, President and Chief Economist of Graphs and Laughs, Elliott Eisenberg Ph.D., is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group kicks off December’s Radio lineup by discussing the 2021 economic housing forecast, the results of the 2020 election, the impact of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the economy and so much more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Eisenberg earned his Ph.D. in housing economics over 20 years ago and has been working in the housing industry ever since. With a wide scope of service, including over 10 years with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), Eisenberg sought to engage and educate even more industry professionals through public speaking. This passion kickstarted a career that ultimately lead to Graphs and Laughs. “My only regret is not going out on my own earlier,” said Eisenberg. “It’s fun to be your own boss.” Graphs and Laughs is a company designed to merge useful information about economics with plenty of laughter and fun. Eisenberg continually educates a wide variety of professionals in the homebuilding industry by offering humor, jokes and plenty of laughter to keep everyone entertained. Eisenberg travels all over the country sharing his economic forecasts and quick wit to help people understand and remember economic concepts. “Things that people find generally boring, I try to bring to life with some semblance of humor, funny slides and just my own weird personality,” said Eisenberg. With a new administration taking office in 2021, Eisenberg discusses the possibilities for the upcoming year. One big factor that will make an impact on the new year is the state of Georgia. There are currently two runoff elections scheduled to take place in early January. The two senate seats up for grabs in Georgia could end up splitting the overall Senate majority in Washington, D.C. If this is the case, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris is responsible for breaking ties. While this is a possibility, Eisenberg thinks this will mainly only help President-Elect Joe Biden with his cabinet nominations. Because the House and Senate are so evenly split, Eisenberg does not think any major social or economic policy getting passed is reasonable.
Despite the several political uncertainties, Eisenberg is confident the housing market will remain steady moving into 2021. Single-family home sales are on fire and it seems like the main factor slowing down the market is an inability to build houses fast enough. That being said, Eisenberg does see the new home sales starting to plateau and level out leading into 2021. Eisenberg also says the housing industry is the healthiest single sector in the United States economy right now. “I think we are probably beginning to reach the plateau of what we can physically produce as a country in terms of single-family construction,” said Eisenberg. “It would be nice to produce more, but I don’t think we can. But we can sustain this level for some time as the COVID numbers decline and as people rearrange their housing situation.” The COVID-19 pandemic has helped the housing industry see a huge surge. After the initial shutdowns in early 2020, a surplus of demand hit the housing market in the summer and fall months. In addition to the overflow of demand from previous seasons, more families than usual are finding a need to buy a new home. Now, a home must incorporate a gym, a school, a hangout area, a relaxing retreat and so much more. Being home more often has helped families see a need for more from their homes. In addition, the average family is spending less on services, allowing for an increase in budget for goods. This means an ability to spend more money on a higher mortgage for a new home.
To learn more about the current economic environment,
Amanda Sutter, executive director of Visit Marietta, and Trevor Beemon, executive director of Cobb Landmarks, are in the studio for today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group comes together to discuss the upcoming Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour and how this popular event will be structured differently this holiday season.
Founded in 1982, Visit Marietta serves as a destination marketing organization for the City of Marietta. Its goal is to promote the city as a premier travel destination in the metro Atlanta area by showcasing the various hotels, restaurants, attractions, theatres and parks that make Marietta so great. Established in 1980, Cobb Landmarks strives to preserve the past for the future by maintaining historic sites and buildings that are significant to the area. This enables these historic locations to continue sharing stories and creating a sense of community for everyone to enjoy.
The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour originally started 34 years ago as a collaboration between Cobb Landmarks and the Marietta Welcome Center to provide visitors an inside look into some of the city’s historic homes. Each year, historic districts are rotated to highlight a different Marietta neighborhood and grouping of homes. Owners of these historic residences who sign up to part of up to be on tour decorate their homes for the season and open their doors up to the community. Approximately 2,000 attendees tour the homes every year. In addition, attendees have the opportunity to tour a number of other historic landmarks such as churches, sanctuaries and museums. This year, the annual Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour will look a bit different than in years past. Due to participants' concerns regarding large crowds entering their homes, the tour has now been structured as an outdoor walking tour of the historic Cherokee and Church Street districts. While attendees may not be able to step inside the home’s interiors, they will be able to admire the home’s beautifully decorated exteriors. This year, a few new additions will be added to the event to enhance the experience even further. These include a walking scavenger hunt and the ability for attendees to vote for their favorite homes based on a variety of exciting categories. While the typical Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour takes place the first weekend of December, this year’s attendees have the entire month to peruse the historic district and the stunning homes participating in the event.
Beginning November 28, tour booklets will be available for purchase for $25 per booklet. These can be purchased at the Marietta Visitors Center or the William Root House Museum. Each booklet will provide photos of the homes on the tour, the official home names, the date built and other historic background information provided by the homeowner. The booklet will also include several coupons for attendees to use at participating vendors around Marietta Square.
For more information about Visit Marietta, visit www.visitmarietta.com and for more information about Cobb Landmarks, visit www.cobblandmarks.com. To learn more about the Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour, head over to www.mariettapilgrimage.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, Visit Marietta and Cobb Landmarks are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of the products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portf...
On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Kelly Fink, vice president of marketing for The Providence Group. The group discusses the builder’s recent OBIE Award wins and new intown and metro Atlanta communities nearing closeout, as well as those coming in the New Year.
With more than 20 years working in the new construction industry, Fink brings extensive knowledge to The Providence Group in terms of marketing, social media and digital sales. Currently, The Providence Group builds in six metro Atlanta counties with over 15 new home communities actively selling. Priced from the $300,000s to $900,000s, homes boast condominium, townhome and single-family layouts designed to match any lifestyle.
Recently, The Providence Group received 11 OBIE Awards at the annual gala. In addition to recognition for outstanding building designs, interior merchandising and social media, Pratt Stacks was named the 2020 Attached Community of the Year. Priced from the high $300,000s, this new intown condominium community located in historic Grant Park is set along the Atlanta BeltLine across from shopping and dining at Beacon Atlanta. Condo designs range from 1,318 to 2,236 square feet of living space with two-to-three bedrooms, two-to-three baths and one-car garages. Having sold more than 80 condos already, a new phase at Pratt Stacks was recently announced due to high demand from Atlanta homebuyers.
Additionally, The Providence Group has experienced preliminary sales success at Ellington, its newest Suwanee community of single-family homes and townhomes. In fact, during the first VIP weekend of sales, 15 homebuyers Made Space for Life at Ellington. With townhomes priced from the mid-$300,000s and single-family homes from the mid-$400,000s, Ellington has a lot to offer with its prime, gated location within Peachtree Ridge High School District, as well as its wide assortment of community amenities including a pool with cabana, pocket parks throughout and a walkway to Peachtree Ridge Park.
Also located in Gwinnett County, Greysolon is about a mile from downtown Duluth. This new townhome community features two-story designs with front-entry garages, as well as three-story townhomes with rear-entry garages. Walkable to shopping and dining, Greysolon is selling fast with only presale opportunities currently available.
Another community proving to be popular amongst homeowners is Glendale Rowes in Decatur located within desirable Clarkston. Set within the Atlanta perimeter, Glendale Rowes is a gated community with three-story townhomes priced from the mid-$300,000s. With limited fall move-in dates currently available, the decorated model townhome is open daily for tours.
Another townhome community selling fast is Pruitt Walk in Smyrna. Walking distance from Truist Park and The Battery, Pruitt Walk offers a small-town, intimate community feel while still remaining close to major destinations. Starting from the high $300,000s, townhomes feature charming fenced front yards and two unique products: three-story, rear entry townhomes and front-entry townhomes. Due to fast sales, the model townhome is currently for sale.
Now selling in the final phase, Towns at North Decatur features stunning townhomes from the high $300,000s to $400,000s. Residents enjoy convenience to Decatur Square, Emory University and Emory Village, as well as I-285 for an easy morning commute. With only two townhome buildings remaining and the decorated model townhome open daily, The Providence Group is offering $7,500 toward closing costs on select move-in ready townhomes.*
Following the success of Harvest Park and now Ellington in Suwanee, The Providence Group recently announced new townhomes coming soon to Suwanee Towneship. Preliminarily priced from the mid-to-high $300,000s, this new Suwanee community is projected to open mid-December with two- and three-story townhome ...
Mandy Crater, executive director at HomeAid Atlanta, and Maria Riggs, the 2020 Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council (SMC) chair, join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the upcoming Silent Auction and Holiday Party benefiting HomeAid Atlanta. Different from years past, the 2020 Silent Auction will feature online-only bidding, allowing attendees to participate 100% virtually if they wish.
With a ‘Back to the Future’ theme, this year’s festivities will be held on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek. From 6 to 9 p.m., in-person attendees will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, desserts, a flashback photo booth, retro music and special performers.
Donations from the expected 60 to 70 auction items will benefit HomeAid Atlanta. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2021, HomeAid Atlanta is the designated charity of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA), and the Silent Auction will lead the organization into the New Year continuing to help Atlanta’s homeless population.
“Our mission is to build new lives for families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the metro Atlanta area,” Crater said. “We do that by partnering with our friends in the homebuilding industry, such as Atlanta SMC.”
According to Crater, that partnership has helped HomeAid Atlanta complete 142 projects, saving nonprofits more than $5 million. Project scopes vary from new construction builds, renovations and basic maintenance.
Through Wednesday, November 25, 2020, interested parties can donate silent auction items including vacation trips, rentals, airfare, electronics, art, gift cards, sporting event tickets, jewelry, golf outings, event tickets, sports memorabilia and unique gift baskets. Remaining sponsorship needs include a Cocktail Sponsor.
Donors will receive recognition at the silent auction and in the HomeAid Atlanta newsletter, as well as a tax-deductible donation receipt. Additionally, the Greater Atlanta HBA is accepting cash donations for HomeAid Atlanta. Checks should be made payable to the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.
Event sponsors include Grand Sponsor Atlanta’s Best New Homes Show, Cocktail Sponsor Atlanta Gas Light, Ice Sculpture Sponsor StrucSure Home Warranty, Photobooth Sponsor McMichael & Gray and Entertainment Sponsors SR Homes, Infinitee Marketing, Comcast and Contractors Best Pest Solutions.
The Atlanta Athletic Club is located at 1930 Bobby Jones Drive in Johns Creek. Dress is business attire and cost to attend or access the bidding site is $45 for HBA members and $55 for non-HBA members.
To register to attend or receive the online details to bid online, click here or visit www.AtlantaHomeBuilders.com. For questions or to sponsor the event, contact Emily Raymond at 678-775-1446 or ERaymond@AtlantaHomeBuilders.com.
To learn more about the latest HomeAid Atlanta projects and ways to contribute, listen to the full interview above or visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org.
Established in 1980 to enhance sales and marketing capabilities and reputation of those who represent the HBA, the Atlanta SMC is comprised of sales and marketing professionals in the homebuilding industry. Atlanta SMC is dedicated to developing a higher level of professionalism in the general membership through education and exchange of ideas as well as promoting education, programs, membership, awards and charity.
Interested in becoming part of the Atlanta SMC? Download your membership application by clicking here.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding, HomeAid Atlanta and Atlanta SMC are not associated.
Vice President and Managing Broker of Engel & Völkers’ Atlanta North Fulton and Buckhead Atlanta Division, Kelly Stephens, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several initiatives in place for continued success during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Stephens, a Georgia native, has been selling real estate and brokering new homes and resell homes in Atlanta since 1998. She has been with Engel & Völkers for the past four years. Engel & Völkers has two Atlanta locations, one in Buckhead on Peachtree and another next to The Avalon in Alpharetta.
Adjusting to life during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Engel & Völkers has made several changes and adaptations that it does not plan to do away with, even when business returns to normal. The convenience and wide variety of options now available for buyers and shoppers is unparalleled and makes the entire home buying experience more accessible to a wider variety of people. While in-person options will become available again as soon as it is safe, Engel & Völkers plans to use a hybrid of options to best suit its buyers.
When the pandemic first became an issue in the United States, Engel & Völkers did see a 20% dip in sales, but these numbers quickly turned around. By May and June of 2020, the company was experiencing record-breaking months. These numbers have remained consistent even into the fall months.
In addition to in-house programs created to help buyers, Engel & Völkers has also started heavily partnering with the 19 iBuyers in Atlanta, including Zillow and Open Door. These programs allow clients to easily find homes, accept offers and get into homes faster. It is especially convenient inn the climate surrounding the pandemic.
Engel & Völkers has also partnered with over a dozen builders in the metro Atlanta area. The company understands the building side of the industry and is able to help in a variety of ways at every step of the process. Another partnership Engel & Völkers is proud of is its cooperation with is New American Funding. “Kelly Allison and her team at New American Funding are amazing for our builder clients,” said Stephens. “What they offer, how they get deals through and are just creative. Basically, during this COVID environment, they had some unique programs for people to get in [to homes] and I just can tell you enough they are a resource.”
To learn more about Engel & Völkers, visit www.evrealestate.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Engel & Völkers are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for At...
President and CEO of Advocates for Children Rachel Castillo joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Cartersville-based nonprofit and its many available services for children and families who have been the victims of abuse and neglect. There are a variety of ways people can help Advocates this holiday season through volunteering or donating needed items and funds.
By offering multiple layers of personal care through an array of programs aimed at reducing the incidence of child abuse, Advocates currently serves 11 Northwest Georgia counties providing safety, comfort and hope to more than 8,000 children, youth and families every year. “Our focus is really on those children and families who have been victims of abuse or neglect,” Castillo said. “Our mission is to strengthen our community through education, advocacy and prevention, so the families can be free from child abuse.” The organization’s flagship program is the Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter, a residential program for at-risk youth including those who have been neglected, abused and/or sexually exploited or who have run away and are homeless. The shelter program’s goal is to provide safe, stable housing within the community by partnering with non-abusive parents, foster parents, relatives and adoptive families while preserving community ties.
With the capacity to house up to 13 children ages 10- to 18-years-old, the Flowering Branch Children’s Shelter has a dedicated staff to provide round the clock care every day of the year. Services include trauma-informed case management, individual and family counseling, youth development activities and social and independent living skills, as well as assistance with achieving a high school diploma, GED and college entrance.
Another well-known program of Advocates is Safe Place, a national program serving as the first step in helping at-risk or in-crisis youth. Kids can access help and supportive services by going to a Safe Place location at surrounding gas stations, fire stations, fast food restaurants, libraries, bus stops and grocery stores that display the vibrant yellow and black Safe Place signs.
Additionally, RISE, a new independent housing program for youth ages 18 to 24, is celebrating its first anniversary this year. RISE expands the organization’s capacity to assist youth who age out of the foster care program or lose family support upon becoming a legal adult. Aimed at helping young people who do not have a permanent home, obtain and maintain housing, RISE also helps them become self-sufficient and grow into successful, independent adults.
Given the new normal surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, Advocates has had to pivot how it operates. While many organizations immediately shifted gears and contributed to other front-facing emergencies, Advocates experienced a different kind of emergency response. “We lost some funding in the beginning and we had to cancel some of our large events that were major fundraisers for us, so that has been one of the biggest impacts,” Castillo said. “But through it all, we never stopped any of our services. We decided that our services were so critical that we were just going to keep going forward.” An easy way to help Advocates during the holidays is to help contribute requested items to the Wish List, such as gift cards, games and toys. House gifts and general donations are also a great way to support Advocates.
https://youtu.be/khhIA9hJE8w
To learn more about Advocates for Children and ways to help or contribute, visit www.AdvoChild.org, or connect via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606.
Owner and Operator of Womack Custom Homes and Womack Commercial, Matt Womack, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Womack's two companies, as well as several projects currently in the works on today's All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Womack is a third-generation builder and developer. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, Womack entered the homebuilding industry with a majority of his work located in Cartersville, Ga. Womack graduated from Cartersville High School before attending the University of Georgia to obtain a degree in finance. Upon graduation, Womack went to work with one of the largest home builders in the country, D.R. Horton. He then moved on to work with a smaller custom builder outside of Atlanta.
After Womack and his wife had their first child, the couple decided to move back to Cartersville. At this point, Womack and his brother started looking for work on their own. What started as small remodel projects turned into the larger custom builds and commercial work the company is known for today.
Womack Custom Homes started as a historical remodel company but progressed to encompass several different facets of the homebuilding industry, including custom homes and inventory homes. Currently, Womack Custom Homes is building at the Encore at Etowah. This 55+ active adult community is located in Cartersville. Four homes have already closed in this new community. Womack Custom Homes is also building in The Waterford, a community located in Cartersville on the Etowah River.
The Waterford home project is a beautiful craftsman-style home in the works for a young couple looking to move into the area. Womack Custom Homes surveyed the home and drew up plans for the homeowners. Paying close attention to incorporating desired features while also staying within the budget, Womack Custom Homes is nearing completion with the approval of the happy homeowners at every step. This home boasts a highly sought-after owner’s suite on the main with an additional three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms throughout. Right around 2,800 square feet, this home offers plenty of unique custom features, including a one-of-a-kind mudroom.
Womack Commercial focuses on commercial work in and around Bartow County. Recently the company completed several projects renovating and rebuilding select interior areas of businesses around town, including bathrooms, kitchens, carpeting, painting, drywall, acoustical ceilings and more. Womack Commercial is currently working to add a few break rooms and work areas to an existing warehouse for a company in Bartow County.
This growing family-owned and operated business is always looking to add on to its experienced and dedicated staff, as well as help with any custom home or remodeling needs. To learn more about how to join the team or to start your custom home project with Womack Custom Homes today, visit www.WomackCustomHomes.com or reach out to Matt@WomackCustomHomes.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Womack Custom Homes/ Womack Commercial are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Sales Manager with Jim Chapman Communities and Southwyck Homes, Lynnsey McCarter, is in the studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Jim Chapman Communities and Southwyck Homes' partnership in two metro Atlanta 55+ communities on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
McCarter has been in the real estate industry in Georgia since 2008. Because of the climate surrounding the housing market crash, McCarter got involved with foreclosures at Wachovia National Bank, where she handled properties up and down the East Coast. After Wachovia experienced a merger, McCarter decided to branch out and handle foreclosures from an agent standpoint. After having children, McCarter transitioned into the new construction side of the industry, working with several builders including Beazer Homes. Most recently, McCarter has settled with Jim Chapman Communities.
Jim Chapman Communities has been building homes for over 22 years in the metro Atlanta area. With the ever-changing field of real estate, the builder decided to shift its focus towards rental home communities. Two of its big award-winning neighborhoods, Nestledown Farm and The Overlook at Old Atlanta, have welcomed Southwyck Homes into the communities. Southwyck Homes was the business partner of Jim Chapman in the original development of the two communities. “We are very, very excited to have two well-known industry leaders in the community,” said McCarter. Southwyck Homes is an award-winning Atlanta based company with 45 years of homebuilding experience. It is known for building homes with bright open spaces and its custom craftsmanship.
Nestledown Farm in Cumming has five inventory homes ready for quick move-in. This gated 55+ community is only one mile from downtown Cumming and conveniently located near the best dining, shopping, healthcare and entertainment opportunities in the area. This community near Lake Lanier also has a stunning clubhouse with gathering spaces, a catering kitchen, fitness room, outdoor pool, pickleball court and community garden!
The Overlook at Old Atlanta only has one single-family home from Jim Chapman available. This community is conveniently located off Old Atlanta Rd and near parks, major thoroughfares and healthcare facilities. In addition, this gated 55+ community features highly sought-after primary suite on the main floorplans. Homes at The Overlook at Old Atlanta are priced from the $540,00s for single-family homes and from the $420,000s for villas.
To learn more about the homes available from Jim Chapman Communities, visit www.jimchapmancommunities.com. Also be sure to listen to the full interview above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Jim Chapman Communities/ Southwyck Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (November/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlan...
Southeast Divisional Vice President with New American Funding, Kelly Allison, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the New American Dream Initiative on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Allison serves the Southeast for New American Funding and has been in the industry for 20 years. Prior to that, Allison worked in the new construction industry for several years. “I have a real passion for homeownership and for serving our communities throughout the Southeast,” said Allison. New American Funding is a residential lender with locations all throughout the country, spanning across 43 different states. Its president and founder, Patty Arvielo, started New American Funding with the hopes of serving the underserved. As a Latino woman, Arvielo felt a real need to get involved in the industry and serve the Latino community by creating a platform for this specific group of people. Today, New American Funding has served over 50,000 families just in 2020.
Despite the current climate surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, New American Funding is continuing to thrive and provide homeownership to many. The company continued forward with determination and reevaluated several of its programs, including down payment assistance programs.
Another program New American Funding has been promoting this year is the New American Dream Initiative. Established in 2016, the New American Dream Initiative is designed to raise awareness and increase homeownership in African American communities. Through boosting homebuyer confidence with consumer education, New American Funding is working to educate and inform the community. “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development did a study in 2018 and it showed that homeownership resulted in higher graduation rates, better health, net family wealth, more community involvement, decrease in crime, higher voting participation, better parks and just a sense and feeling of stability and pride,” said Allison. Through the New American Dream Initiative, New American Funding is working to not only provide homeownership to the African American community but also to create better lives for its borrowers.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
To learn more about New American Funding or the New American Dream Initiative, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta. You can also listen to the full interview above.
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Marketing Manager of FIA Surety, Steve Golia, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses FIA Surety’s services and approach, as well as what surety bonds have to offer homebuilders and land developers over other bond types.
With over 40 years in the bonds business, Golia knows his bonds inside and out. According to Golia, FIA Surety is an interesting bond firm that specializes in surety bonds, primarily for site land developers and contractors, to guarantee the performance of public work contracts. Very few bond companies continue to write surety bonds, but FIA Surety seeks out this business to provide developers the opportunity to protect themselves and their finances. The company is currently based out of New Jersey but is licensed in Georgia along with several other states along the East Coast. Surety bonds are a form of guarantee provided by an insurance company. When it comes to homebuilders or land developers, this is usually issued for the benefit of local jurisdiction such as townships. Typically, these bonds only concern the construction of public improvements that are required by the local planning board. On subdivisions or work sites, this can include various conditions such as parking lot size, retaining basins, curbs, lighting, sewers, electricity and more that are not part of residential construction but instead considered site work. There are several ways townships can secure obligation, including holding cash or providing an irrevocable letter of credit. However, surety bonds provide developers what those options can’t offer - protection and cash reserve. Surety bonds act as a third party when disputes arise between the township and developer. If the township finds an issue with the developer, they can file a claim with the Department of Surety which will then consult with the developer about the issue before having them pull money out. FIA Surety is there to serve as the guarantor between the two parties, ensuring that the client handles their problems themselves without encountering any financial losses. This provides the opportunity to affect the outcome of the claim they wouldn’t otherwise have with other bond types.
Even throughout the coronavirus pandemic, FIA Surety has remained busier than ever, thanks to adjustments made with meetings and documents being handled electronically. One thing the company and developers are taking advantage of recently is the opportunity to improve cash position. They do this by using a surety bond to recover cash tied up in a township in which they did not use a bond. Developers are quickly finding out that the process of inspection and approval from a township is slower than expected. Not only is their money tied up, but the township will often hold the bond over the developers’ heads should something go wrong. Switching over to a surety bond, developers can simply pay a renewal premium and continue to have access to their cash.
To learn more about FIA Surety and their bond services, visit www.fiagroup.com or contact Steve Golia directly at 856-304-7348. Also, be sure to listen to the full podcast interview for additional details.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and FIA Surety are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees.
Director of New Development with Walton Communities, Matthew Teague, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the brand-new apartment homes at Chattahoochee Riverside.
Teague is originally from Atlanta but left to attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. Upon graduation, he pursued a career in politics in Washington, D.C. for six years. After this, Teague returned home to Atlanta and started working for Walton Communities in the leasing department. As the economy picked up around 2010, Teague moved into the home office to help with new development and has been there ever since.
Walton Communities was founded in 1989 with the core mission of providing affordable housing. Since opening in the late 80s, its scope has expanded to encompass market-rate communities, as well as senior living. Currently, Walton Communities has about 30 communities across Georgia. Communities range in location from Midtown, Marietta and Acworth, all the way to Augusta and Gainesville.
Chattahoochee Riverside
Chattahoochee Riverside is one of Walton Communities’ newest apartment complexes, composed of 26 brand new apartment homes on the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The community offers 2,000 feet of riverfront views right outside the front door.
Located just inside the perimeter, this luxury apartment community is only minutes from the best Atlanta has to offer, including Midtown, Buckhead and The Battery Atlanta. In addition to a superb location, this community has access to fabulous amenities including the Woodland Trail Gardens, two dog parks, two pools, next-door access to the Chattahoochee Coffee Company and more.
Homes offer state-of-the-art features, including quartz countertops, Moen fixtures, nine-foot ceilings, custom walk-in closets, roll-up solar shades and more. The apartment homes also boast highly sought-after smart home features like remote access door locks, thermostats and light switches. “It is a generational property for sure,” said Teague. “It is truly special, and Walton is a little bit different than a lot of multi-family properties where we tend to own our properties for a very long time. This one in particular will always be in our family. It’s not somewhere where you’ll move into and then a few months later you’ll get a note on your doors saying ‘Hey, Walton is gone, we’ve been replaced.’ We are in the apartment business because we love people, and we love our residents. We just want to take care of people.” To learn more about Walton Communities and Chattahoochee Riverside, visit www.chattahoocheeriverside.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
https://youtu.be/YYY9wxTE1o8
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Walton Communities are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Metro Atlanta Regional Account Manager of James Hardie Building Products, Tucker Donnelly, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses a variety of James Hardie products available, as well as what makes its building products so unique.
Donnelly has been with James Hardie for almost four years. He started off working primarily with custom and semi-custom builders in the metro Atlanta area. Recently, he has transitioned to focus on the production of national builders and the Georgia market as a whole.
James Hardie Building Products is a leader in fiber cement siding. This product is installed in over 8 million homes from coast to coast across the United States. James Hardie Building Products is known for avoiding the “one size fits all” approach, instead, looking at the needs of each individual home in unique climates and locations. “If you want to install a piece of siding in Denver or if you want to have a piece of siding in Atlanta, Georgia, those two climates and regions are very different,” said Donnelly. “We have products that are specifically designed to standup to Atlanta weather, so hot humid conditions, lots of sun, pests like carpenter bees and woodpeckers. So, it is engineered specifically to perform in our climate here.” HardiePlank is the bread and butter of the company, but it also offers several other products for homes, including HardiePanel, HardieTrim, HardieShingle, HardieSoffit, and more. Each product line also offers a variety of different colors and styles. The products come with a 15-year color warranty, saving plenty of painting time in the future. The James Hardie lines offer minimal-maintenance products, typically only requiring a soft wash once a year.
Despite events surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, the Atlanta housing market has continued to remain steady and even grow. Because of this, James Hardie is still experiencing steady business. Workers are adhering to several guidelines to keep everyone safe during the pandemic.
To learn more about James Hardie Building Products, visit www.jameshardie.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
https://youtu.be/WZV4SUXawLQ
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and James Hardie are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
CEO and Co-Founder of Rivet, Meredith Harris, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the Rivet communication app and how it is helping the new construction industry organize information and finish projects more efficiently with its variety of useful features.
Harris worked in the tech industry her whole career, starting back in 2007. She worked with various companies, including Microsoft, prior to landing with the neighborhood hub app, Nextdoor. At Nextdoor, Harris worked to build projects for local businesses. This task is what got her interested in the construction industry and communication in general. With a focus on the homebuilding industry and its participants, Rivet helps to facilitate communication between all individuals or parties involved in a project. This includes real estate agents, homeowners, subcontractors, vendors and anyone else that collaborates on home builds. Projects run best when communication is transparent and Rivet is helping to do just that by providing an organized space where everyone can communicate, record documentation and maintain a more collaborative work environment. Rivet offers several app features to help simplify communication between construction project participants. The automated follow-up feature allows individuals to set follow up reminders for both themselves and others, while the automated upload and sort feature helps workers to upload photos to be auto sorted into relevant projects based on the location of the photo. The app also has a feature that helps with language barriers by translating messages between English and Spanish in real-time, as well as a location service that uses geofencing to help notify when workers enter and leave the worksite.
According to Harris, the app is continuing to develop based on customer needs. The team at Rivet is currently working on building out geofencing services for easier accessibility, as well as coming up with ways for users to use tagging to more easily find and access information. Rivet is still in its beta phase and is free to download at www.joinrivet.com/download. The app will be closing its beta phase towards the end of November, meaning interested businesses and organizations are encouraged to contact the Rivet team at help@joinrivet.com to help with setup and onboarding.
To learn more about Rivet and its project communication hub, visit www.joinrivet.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full podcast interview for additional details on Rivet’s innovative project communication features.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Rivet are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
On this All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Ming Richardson, managing partner and compliance broker with Maximum One Realty Partners, and Alan Richardson, broker/owner with Maximum One Realty Partners. Standout talking points include the group’s newly announced healthcare coverage for its 1099 employees, as well as available training programs and how they are educating the clients they serve through their partnership with New American Funding.
A 100% commission brokerage, Maximum One has five South Atlanta offices in Conyers, McDonough, Newnan, Fayetteville and Atlanta near Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. While serving as a full brokerage service, Maximum One has a transactional cost, saving agents more money than a traditional real estate office. The brokerage firm is all about its agents and does whatever it can to ensure they are well taken care of. One new offering for agents includes healthcare through Clearwater Benefits, which specializes in 1099 employees and is 20% cheaper than those on the open market.
At Maximum One, agents are also provided with incredible benefits in the form of professional training and continued education. It is important to protect the industry with knowledgeable clients who can not only generate sales but also better serve its clients. Making sure the community is well served is a huge part of the group’s mission, which they achieve by staying on top of real estate, keeping up with trends and following market shifts. This way, they can make accommodations while negotiating and putting in paperwork for clients.
In addition to making sure its agents are informed, Maximum One also emphasizes the importance of educating agents’ clients. Through its Contract-to-Close educational program, the brokerage offers classes geared toward homebuyers to help them gain an understanding of the proper procedure for buying a home. These courses go over terminology, rights, due diligence and other topics that will help them to make the best decision for their new home. A home is often one of the biggest purchases a person can make and Maximum One feels it is responsible for setting expectations for homebuyer clients.
Even more services are offered by Maximum One through its strong partnership with New American Funding. The brokerage firm enjoys working alongside New American Funding for its incredible products, effective communication, genuine care for clients and overall knowledge. As a local lender, New American Funding can help Maximum One agents on a more personal level. Together, these two companies are helping to aid agents and help provide clients with a piece of the American Dream.
To learn more about educational services offered to agents and clients by Maximum One Realty Partners, listen to the complete interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Maximum One Realty are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Sales Consultant with Kolter Homes, Chris D'Amico, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Kolter Homes is a privately owned company based out of Palm Beach County in Florida. It builds in over 15 communities throughout Florida, and in several communities throughout the Southeast. Kolter Homes builds in the greater Charlotte area, on the South Carolina coast and in Georgia. “The same type of active adult communities we build in are branded as Cresswind,” said D’Amico. “Wherever you see a Cresswind on the Kolter website, those communities are always geared towards or targeted for active adults.” Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is a gated community of around 1,300 homes. Since opening for sales about four months ago, the community sold over 100 homes. Phase I is almost completely sold out, and Phase II is scheduled to be ready for sales in November. Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes recently welcomed its first families in the community’s inventory homes.
The five-star amenities at Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is one of the several factors that continue to draw in potential homeowners. One of the main amenity highlights, the pickleball court, recently began construction. Eventually, there will be over 30 courts. A 27,000 square foot clubhouse is also in the works, complete with indoor and outdoor pools, a state-of-the-art fitness center, aerobics, card rooms, billiards, art studios and more. In addition, the clubhouse is right on the lake, meaning future residents can enjoy fishing, kayaking and other water activities. “On top of all that, we have a full-time lifestyle director,” said D’Amico. “She’s there right now to get things rolling. She’s already started to plan events with the homeowners and customers that are under contract. This is something that people can look forward to for many years to come. There will be groups and clubs to joins, concerts, dinners, dances. The calendar is full of things to do at Cresswind.” Located in Hoschton and 50 miles north of Atlanta, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is just off I-85. Residents can enjoy easy access to both the city and the mountains while living in a quaint, rural setting. With a downtown area filled with entertainment opportunities, several restaurants to try and incredible health care facilities within minutes, Hoschton is the full package for active adults.
To learn more about Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes, visit www.kolterhomes.com/new-homes/active-adult-community-cresswind-georgia. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Kolter Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders,
President of Parkland Communities, Inc., Jim Jacobi is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Jacobi’s experience as a land developer, as well as his new home building company focused on satisfying missing middle housing demand with build-to-rent communities, Parkland Residential.
Jim Jacobi’s background began in land planning/engineering before transitioning to working with large regional builders nearly 20 years ago. After working his way up in the home building industry, Jacobi started his own company JH Homes in 2007 where he focused on land and development. After selling the company to Taylor Morrison in 2015, he took some time off before starting up both Alliance Engineering, Parkland Communities Inc. and now the brand-new Parkland Residential.
Despite the impacts of COVID-19, Parkland Communities and Parkland Residential continue to remain strong. Parkland Residential is working on over 1,000 lots with hopes to zone, permit and move forward with development by the end of the year. According to Jacobi, his companies are doing a great job at integrating technology into work for the long-term, and are excited about the way the housing market is unexpectedly taking off despite the downturn.
Jacobi’s newest homebuilding company, Parkland Residential is designed to fill the missing middle housing demand with affordable build-to-rent communities. For the company’s first community, Parkland Springs, Jacobi purchased 4.5 acres of land and figured out a way to get extra density to make commercial land prices work for residential. The development of this community is moving along quickly with asphalt being laid in the next two-to-three weeks, permitting to begin soon and foundation to start later this month.
Located in Lawrenceville in the coveted Peachtree Ridge High School District, Parkland Spring’s community of 658 stacked townhomes will offer a variety of amenities including community parks, a large dog park and a playground for the kids. The community will also have an amenity share with an adjacent residential townhome where renters can enjoy a sparkling pool and cabana. Community completion and move-in are expected for May 2021.
The term “missing middle” refers to housing that helps satisfy affordable needs. Home prices continue to steadily rise, leaving younger couples and millennials very few options of homes where they can live affordably and conveniently live. Jacobi is dedicated to providing these individuals with good quality housing at an affordable rate in desirable locations. Through repurposing darkened commercial lots with Parkland Residential, he is able to revitalize the land while providing additional opportunities for people to affordably live.
To learn more about Parkland Communities Inc. and Parkland Residential, visit www.parklandco.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full podcast interview for additional details on this exciting new build-to-rent concept.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Parkland Communities, Inc. are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (October/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops inno...
Branch Manager of New American Funding’s metro Atlanta office, Kim Arrington, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses New American Funding’s platform along with the exciting things it is doing for the community through its New American Dream initiative on today's All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
In addition to serving as a branch manager for New American Funding, Arrington also plays the role of mom, wife and mentor. She is heavily involved in the community where she works with the young women of the local chapter of Tau Alpha Delta Christian sorority, as well as several local recovery groups and within her church ministry. In both her personal and professional life, Arrington strives to educate, empower and encourage others from a spiritual, physical and financial level.
New American Funding is a lending platform across the Southeast that is dedicated to building positive relationships and confidence through lending practices. The company covers a wide variety of financial products including FHA loans, conventional loans, USDA loans, jumbo products, niche products, down payment assistance and much more. Even during the pandemic when several community products were suspended, New American Funding continued to consistently offer financial assistance.
One of the biggest differences between New American Funding and other lenders is its continued support from beginning to post-closing. According to Arrington, New American Funding is not just there to see clients receive their keys. They are there to forge those relationships, provide post-closing information and ensure their clients have an experience that they feel good about.
Also separating New American Funding from other lenders is its implementation of tangible assistance. While many lenders turn away clients who don’t prequalify, New American Funding sits down with these clients to create a blueprint action plan for moving forward. This plan includes takeaways such as a timeline, budgeting plan and resource referrals.
The goal of the New American Dream initiative is to formulate a tangible product to implement in the community on how to best serve and best reach clients. From Arrington’s experience, the majority of her clients tend to come from minority backgrounds who may not have access to financial literacy. Through the initiative, New American Funding is stepping into the community forefront to provide opportunities for financial education to educators, students and a variety of market sectors including law enforcement, military and medical professionals.
Through the New American Dream initiative, booklets are provided along with programming that provides the opportunity for clients to look at their credit and create a plan without having to be embarrassed or face judgment. New American Funding works one-on-one with clients offering a reality check on where they are, as well as highlight a variety of tools and resources that they can take advantage of. This initiative not only provides clients with an educational backing but also allows them to become more comfortable with the loan process.
To learn more about New American Funding, visit www.newamericanfunding.com, or contact Kim Arrington at kim.arrington@nafinc.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full podcast interview for additional details on how New American Funding is serving the community through their New American Dream initiative.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin,
President and CEO of FMLS Jeremey Crawford, and Jennifer Pino, president of Atlanta Realtors Association and vice president and managing broker of the Buckhead office of Atlanta Fine Homes, are in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discuss the change in market activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as ways FMLS is helping brokers and managers adapt to the current market environment.
FMLS, or First Multiple Listing Service, is not only the first local listing service in the Greater Atlanta Area but is also first in the nation. Serving over 47,000 brokers and agents, the company helps buyers and sellers transact real estate on a daily basis by providing them with the products, services and training necessary to help them do their jobs. Over 110 years old, the Atlanta Realtors Association serves over 10,000 members and is the largest association in the state. Atlanta Fines Homes is a boutique brokerage with four offices in Atlanta that focuses on primarily luxury real estate.
COVID-19 has undoubtedly affected the real estate market both positively and negatively. While the normal spring season has pushed off due to the pandemic, it is now as hot as ever. According to Crawford, FMLS experienced a record best with over 9,000 properties transacted which is up 12% from last year. Now that we are seeing the market catch up to last year in total properties transacted, Atlanta stands as the third hottest real estate market in the nation.
Pino has also experienced this real estate demand with her team at Atlanta Fine Homes. Interest rates are at an all-time low meaning homebuyers can afford much more house for the same amount of money as before. The combination of astronomically low interest rates and people realizing there is a need for more space in the home has resulted in a surge of people wanting to buy. The lack of inventory has buyers clambering for these properties. This has created a surge of work for the agents and brokers.
While agents and brokers have faced challenges over the past few months, they have also quickly adapted and embrace technology in the form of virtual showings, tours and open houses via platforms like Facebook Live. According to Pino, the biggest challenge has been low inventory. This is causing sellers to be less likely to make repairs and buyers to feel pressured to make decisions. While basic fundamentals still apply, including condition and price, Pino's agents are working harder than ever to get both parties on board and ready to close.
With the changing market and world of leasing and rentals, FMLS is helping agents and brokers to expand. FMLS has recently added support for commercial leases, as well as added residential rental. This allows agents to help buyers find property through FMLS, while simultaneously facilitating property managers earning extra commission by listing rentals. Property managers can also work with brokers and agents to put rentals into FMLS. This saves property managers money and gives them more marketing/listing views while also allow agents to earn alternative revenue.
To learn more about FMLS, visit www.fmls.com. To learn more about the brokerage services offered at Atlanta Fine Homes, visit www.atlantafinehomes.com. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above for more details regarding the market, as well as additional tips for brokers and agents.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and FMLS or Atlanta Fine Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show.
Senior Vice President of Newport, April Stammel, and Executive Vice President, Kevin Murphy, are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Newport's South Downtown Atlanta restoration project on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Newport is a real estate investment and development group founded in Hamburg, Germany. For over 25 years, Newport was operated in Europe, with the goal of eventually expanding into the United States market. In 2016, the company planted a United States headquarters in Atlanta. After searching the area for a perfect place to start his first project, the CEO of Newport settled on South Downtown Atlanta. “Over the 10 city blocks that they walked, they saw rundown buildings and boarded up windows, but beautiful historical architecture, a really incredible street grid very familiar to a European and a ton of opportunity,” said Stammel. Over the course of eighteen months, the Atlanta team began buying up as many privately owned buildings in the area to accumulate over 80% of the property in their selected grid. Currently, the team has switched its focus towards redeveloping and restoring the buildings and the area.
Most of the buildings are over 100 years old. The team is working to preserve the buildings while also creating unique and functional properties. In addition to buildings, Newport acquired several parking lots and empty spaces. Part of the restoration process includes turning these spots into walkable connections to other parts of Atlanta, including Five Points, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and other local hotspots.
Newport recently announced its plans to break ground on 222 Mitchell Street. This project is a 300,000 square foot holding that was originally built as an office building and bank headquarters. The plan is to restore the area to its original intent, creating class A office space in the Downtown area. 222 Mitchel Street also includes 70,000 square feet of retail and 20,000 square feet of rooftop spaces. The rooftop is to be used as a restaurant and special events location with a stunning view of the surrounding city.
* UPDATE June 28, 2021 ** Ohio-based Pins Mechanical will be the first tenant at Newport’s 222 Mitchell Street.
Pins Mechanical Co. Atlanta is expected to open in early to mid-2023 and will mark the ninth location for this fast-growing social destination. The 25,000- square-foot open air location will feature many elements of its sister brand, 16-Bit Bar+Arcade, as well as an expansive outdoor courtyard, rooftop patios, three full bars and Pin's signature duckpin bowling.
The seven-story building at 222 Mitchell has been empty for nearly 20 years and provides an ideal location for the Rise Brands team to pursue its mission of revitalizing iconic buildings and breathing new life into historic neighborhoods. The location was once home to the Citizens & Southern Bank and combines a 1909 brick building and two mid-century modern buildings to form the largest existing structure in Newport’s revitalization effort in South Downtown. The entire project aims to redevelop eight blocks of historic buildings and bring in office space, restaurants, arts and entertainment venues to the renovated structures while adding new residential and hotels to the area.
“Newport’s strategic vision for South Downtown Atlanta completely aligns with our efforts to help revitalize and build business in the communities where we live and work,” said Troy Allen, Rise Brands founder. “We are thrilled to be part of this community and beyond excited to fully engage and entertain the people of Atlanta.”
Pins Mechanical Co. started in Columbus, Ohio. Whether it’s duckpin bowling, arcade games or bocce ball, Pins brings “Old School” entertainment, local beer and creative craft cocktails together to redefine how time should be spent with friends.
Vice President of Business Development at Outhouse, Kevin Weitzel, is in the studio for today's episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Outhouse’s outsourcing services, as well as the effects COVID-19 has had on the way home builders market to audiences, design products and conduct sales onsite.
Weitzel has worn many interesting hats throughout his career. As a former professional cyclist, he served as an Olympic alternative in 1988. He also served as a United States Marine for eight years before entering into sales within the cycling/bicycle industry. Just five years ago, Weitzel was introduced to the home building industry through a friend who owned Outhouse. He has been working with the outsourcing company ever since and is enjoying being a part of the homebuilding industry.
Based out of Arizona, Outhouse is an outsourcing agency that provides home builders with a variety of marketing and design services that companies often prefer not to do inhouse. As a small company, Outhouse aims to spearhead as much as possible while working on the leading edge of technology. The company is known for inventing the interactive floor plan over 18 years ago and was also the first to make the interactive tool mobile-friendly.
According to Weitzel, COVID-19 hasn’t played a huge impact on the company itself, but it has changed the needs of the home builders it works with. As a result, the company has been riding the wave alongside the pandemic by helping builders come to speed with new technology. While builders have always used services like interactive floor plans and marketing features, the ongoing pandemic has forced them to rely on these tools in order to stay relevant in our new virtual world.
Outhouse’s three main focuses include product design, online marketing and onsite sales. When it comes to product design, the company can do anything from designing plans to full plan management. In addition to providing online marketing through interactive floor plans, Outhouse also offers other tools such as interactive sales kiosks, interactive site plans, virtual tools, animations and renderings. For home builders looking to develop and produce collateral for their onsite sales centers or model home, Outhouse has a full commercial pressroom to help them do that and more.
Interactive marketing tools go further than just providing an image of the home. Within these interactive plans, builders can incorporate other tools like live pricing and note features that help homebuyers better visualize the space and get an idea of affordability. Through these tools, builders are likely to have more leads coming in with much easier closings. Of course, proper implementation of these tools is key to success. Weitzel recommends making sure they are placed on the site where buyers can access them with just two-to-three clicks.
Going into 2021, Weitzel has several ways home builders can get more out of their marketing budgets. One suggestion is to utilize Matterport’s 2D static floor plan. This is tool is practically free and is especially useful for custom builders or builders with spec homes. Weitzel also encourages homebuilders to stop minimizing the effects of their marketing budgets with 2D home renderings. Clients today expect 3D images and builders want to make sure their product is being viewed in a positive light.
To learn more about the outsourcing services offered by Outhouse, contact Kevin Weitzel at kevinw@outhouse.net or visit their website at www.outhouse.net. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify.
President of TempSmart Staffing Solutions, Rich Davis, and Atlanta Division Manager, Scott Doig, are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how TempSmart got started, the services it offers and why it is a great staffing solution for many builders in the area on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Davis has over 25 years of experience in the home building industry. Working his way from on-site sales to sales and marketing management, all the way up to the executive vice president, Davis knows the ins and outs of several different aspects of the new home building industry.
Doig came to TempSmart about two years ago from Berkshire Hathaway. Doig is a licensed Realtor with several years of experience. However, before venturing into the real estate industry, Doig spent 30 years with Bank of America. While there, he specialized in contract negotiation and relationship management.
Davis created TempSmart in 2008 after the housing market crash. The company expanded, originating in Charlotte, North Carolina and spreading throughout the Southeast. TempSmart currently has several locations in three different states. “The purpose of our company is to provide professional, temporary staffing and placement specializing in the new home industry,” said Davis. “The bulk of our business is supplying on-site sales assistance to our builder clients who have gone through extensive onboarding training.” With a goal of providing builders with highly-qualified individuals with extensive backgrounds in real estate, the typical employee is a licensed Realtor with many years of experience selling new homes. TempSmart helps with new home sales assistants, administrative support, general office assistance, full-service staffing and more.
Although TempSmart offers temporary staffing, if a company or organization finds a good match, the position can become permanent. This means a full-time permanent position could come out of the temporary placement. "We've got several examples of clients who used to manage their entire staff internally," said Doig. "But, they came to realize that it is far easier, and even cheaper, for them to just manage your full-time staff and let us provide talented professional staffing to fill in the gaps created by vacation, sick days, days off and other time where they might be facing a gap in their staffing." To learn more about the several services and staffing solutions offered by TempSmart, visit www.tempsmart.biz. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episode on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and TempSmart Staffing Solutions are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Interim Department Chair of Architecture at Kennesaw State University, Ed Akins, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the innovative changes COVID-19 has brought to the classroom, the architecture curriculum and the built environment in which we live.
Originally from southeast Georgia, Akins attended Georgia Tech for his undergrad and graduate degrees in architecture. While there, his role as a teaching assistant introduced him to the world of teaching and shifted his professional path in an exciting new direction. After graduating, Akins continued to teach while also working professionally with Smith Dalia Architects. In 2009, he began teaching at the then Southern Polytech University as an Associate Professor. He continued teaching through the university’s merger with Kennesaw State University and was recently appointed Interim Department Chair of Architecture within the College of Architecture and Construction Management.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and the challenges it has brought to both education and architecture, Akins is excited about the problem-solving initiatives happening as a result. According to Akins, the architecture curriculum continues to be questioned in a way that keeps his students innovated and moving forward. Having leaders of the built environment and sustainability within the region has also been an incredible luxury that the students can use to their advantage. Overall, Akins is inspired by his students’ resilience, patience and ability to apply design thinking to multiple realms including single-family residential, hospitals and government structures. Although COVID-19 has brought its challenges, the architecture students at KSU are truly flourishing in this new environment.
It’s no surprise that the pandemic has changed the way architects think about design, especially when it comes to maintaining safety and air quality. Akins continues to encourage both his students and his fellow industry professionals to embrace these changes, learn from them and use innovation to move forward. When it comes to single-family residences, Akins states that there are a lot of changes being made regarding efficiency and resiliency with the biggest call to action being home affordability. In the Atlanta region, there is a need for equity, inclusion and the awareness that everyone deserves affordable housing. If we can be inclusive in our built environments, architecture and cities, then we can begin to understand the position of others.
Another innovative idea emerging in Atlanta architecture is the elimination of auto-centric designs. When a developer is looking at a property, they often have to accommodate for the auto-centric lifestyle. This includes compromising land and aesthetics in order to plan for parking decks, lots and other auto-centric elements. Today, architects are looking to take on a more transit-oriented approach by constructing buildings that encourage the use sidewalks and public transportation. Not only does this encourage more face-to-face connections within public space, but it also allows that money spent on parking to be used in different ways.
To learn more about the Kennesaw State University College of Architecture and Construction Management department, visit www.cacm.kennesaw.edu.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Blue Gypsy Inc. are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
Owner of Blue Gypsy Inc. and National Online Sales Counselor Trainer, Leah Fellows, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick the group discusses Fellows' company, as well as the highly anticipated results of the 2020 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report conducted by Blue Gypsy Inc., Denim Marketing and Melinda Brody & Company.
Fellows has been working in the real estate industry for 14 years. Prior to joining the trade in 2006, she was a sailboat captain, a dive instructor and a backpacker for 13 years. By accident, Fellows joined the real estate track and hasn’t looked back since! In 2007, Fellows became an online sales counselor for a builder. After three years, she left and started her own company.
Blue Gypsy Inc. started as a remote sales counselor business that specialized in social media, newsletters and other online marketing strategies. After a few years, Fellows started traveling to builders in the area to train workers to become online sales counselors themselves. “That perfect client is someone that really knows they need to change,” said Fellows. “They know they need to change and they’re willing to make a commitment from the top down. They understand that online sales is important, it’s the very top of the lead generation funnel.” Fellows’ online sales program creates a way to track and hold individuals accountable for the various leads brought in by marketing efforts. Lead generation is key, but the follow-up process is just as important. To help prove the impact follow up has on lead conversions, Fellows created an interactive mystery shop survey.
In conjunction with Denim Marketing and Melinda Brody & Company, Fellows helped create the 2020 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report. This report compares the follow-up efforts of 50 different home builders over the span of 30 days. The report showed that 58% of builders had online sales counselors (OSC), while 42% did not. Of the group that had OSCs, 97% were responsive to online inquiries and leads. Over 50% of the builders without OSCs were less responsive. “When you don’t funnel all your leads to one source first, and you scatter them across, you’re not seeing how the entire process is being handled and working,” said Fellows. The report also found that time between lead generation and follow up was significantly longer in builders without OSCs. The longest wait time for a follow-up email was 11 days, while the longest wait time for a follow-up phone call was seven days. The report outlines how inefficient waiting is and the devastating results it has on sales.
To learn more about the findings of the 2020 Online Homebuyer Mystery Shop Report, download the report here. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview below.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Blue Gypsy Inc. are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment,
Oceanic Resort Condos of America’s (ORCA) Marine Superintendent and Senior Captain, Tim Levensaler and Director of Condo Sales, Mark Boyd are in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the organization's new mega yacht condo project, Larga Vida.
The idea for Larga Vida came about when a group of likeminded maritime people got to discussing the idea of gutting small, luxury cruise ships and converting them into private condo properties. A similar concept where people owned apartments on a large ship came about a few years ago but was rather limited due to its constant travel schedule. The Larga Vida dissolves this problem by allowing residents to own a condo docked at the Port of Miami. The yacht will cruise the Caribbean and neighboring islands three-to-four days a month, as well as an extended two-week trip to South and Central America once a year. The location for the longer destinations will be chosen by the condo owners through their HOA.
If cruising around on a mega-yacht wasn’t enough to draw you in, the amenities are sure to seal the deal. The Larga Vida offers a wide range of activities found on traditional cruise ships including lounges, nightclubs, a hot tub, a beauty salon, a gym, a massage studio, a medical center and inflatable boats perfect for scuba diving and beachcombing. Meals are provided for purchase daily with special Friday night dinners featuring gourmet chefs from upscale Miami restaurants. While these amenities are luxurious and superb, it’s Larga Vida’s submarine that puts it over the top. On the weekend, an experienced pilot will take passengers below seas to explore the underwater world.
Spanning nearly 300 feet, the Larga Vida will feature 50 refurbished condo suites. Several steps have been taken to ensure safety amid the coronavirus pandemic including a crowd infrared geothermal system for temperature readings while onboarding, as well as saliva testing for diagnosing COVID-19 cases. Free masks will be provided to residents and every staff member will be certified to clean the ship to CDC guidelines.
One of the biggest advantages of the yacht's business model is that it allows residents to enjoy an exciting cruise-like living experience while the actual cruise lines are down due to the pandemic. While initially seen as an incredible retirement solution, Larga Vida is also expected to be popular among the many young millennials working in Downtown Miami and those fleeing the COVID-19 unrest of big cities like New York. Those looking for an alternative to purchasing a traditional beach or lake house are also sure to love the unique mega-yacht experience for family trips or year-round living.
Larga Vida’s mega-yacht condos are officially open for sales with an expected move-in date of December 2020!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and ORCA are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Virtual Color Consultant with Sherwin-Williams, Katy Scallan, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several state-of-the-art new products, as well as the highly-anticipated 2021 Colormix Forecast on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Scallan has been with Sherwin-Williams for over 10 years. With a bachelor’s degree in interior design, Scallan has been able to make herself useful in several different roles within Sherwin-Williams. Now as a virtual color consultant, Scallan oversees the 30-minute free color consultations with customers. Because of COVID-19 (coronavirus), Sherwin-Williams had to adjust and adapt to continue to help its customers achieve their color needs. The virtual color consulting sessions are one of the big additions the well-known paint company enacted.
Sherwin-Williams is the industry paint leader in the United States with over 150 years of experience. In addition to being an industry leader in paint products, the company is also a leader in color confidence. Sherwin-Williams has several stunning showrooms consisting of studios with hundreds of unique color options. “You have no project without color,” said Scallan. “You can paint and if it’s not quite right with the color, its hard to live with or you have to spend a lot of money to redo it. We can’t discount color and that’s where we really set ourselves apart.” Sherwin-Williams came out with two one-of-a-kind products this year. The first is the Emerald Designer Edition. Emerald is the top-of-the-line interior and exterior paint. It has fantastic coverage, durability and enhances color choices. The Designer Edition goes above and beyond to add to quality to any interior project and offers over 200 new colors specific to the product.
The second new product is the Emerald Rain Refresh. This is an exterior paint that is the first self-cleaning paint product on the market. Every time it rains, the product expels any dust and dirt accumulation. This is especially helpful in the South where pollen and red clay are abundant. It is also useful on white or lighter colored exterior homes.
Each year, Sherwin-Williams comes out with a unique forecast to reflect upcoming global color, design and pop culture trends. Recently, the 2021 Colormix Forecast was released. One of the big updates is warm gray color schemes with the addition of brighter colors. “Grays are going to be around for a while,” said Scallan. “Things are moving towards a warm gray, which is a gray with a little bit of a brown or beige undertone. It is transitioning very slowly. Grays, warm grays, whites and light airy colors are really the new neutrals.” Showcasing the theme “Rhythm of Color”, these upcoming palettes create a unique balance between “fast and slow”, “quiet and expressive” and “virtual and physical”. To read more about the Sherwin-Williams 2021 Colormix forecast on Atlanta Real Estate Forum, click here.
To learn more, make sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.sherwin-williams.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Sherwin-Williams are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America...
President of Artisan Built Communities, Stephen Haines, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined y co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Artisan Built Communities’ new Model Home Park and Design at Nature Walk at Seven Hills and its upcoming grand opening event.
Prior to becoming president of Artisan Built Communities earlier this year, Haines spent over 20 years in the homebuilding industry serving in positions that include Vice President of John Weiland Homes and Neighborhoods, Division President of Meritage Homes and Division President of Beazer Homes. Haines is glad to be a part of Artisan Built Communities and is looking forward to incredible things the company has planned.
Artisan Built Communities believes that everyone should love where they live. Each of their communities brings together great architecture, amenities and nature to create a place that homeowners can enjoy without having to leave home. Amenities include water park-inspired pools, tennis courts and miles of scenic walking trails. At Nature Walk at Seven Hills, homeowners in the community’s active adult section enjoy their own private amenities and events in addition to the others already available.
In addition to their incredible amenities, Artisan Built Communities is also proud to introduce its brand-new Model Home Park and Design Center at Nature Walk later this month on September 12! Anticipated to be the best model complex on the west side of Atlanta, the Model Home Park will feature three fabulously designed model homes showcasing each product line offered within the community. These plans include the Rabun from the Active Adult Series, the Dalton from the Farmhouse Series and the Savannah from the Estate Series. Each model home is meticulously designed and are located all in one location for one-stop home shopping.
Along with the three model homes, the brand-new Design Center will also be located within the Model Home Park. Here, all the choices homeowners need to make for their new home can be found in one comfortable space. Previously, selections were made through notebooks in a 10X10 room. The new updated Design Center boasts 250 square feet of space filled with cabinets, hardware and other home features that homeowners can see and touch in person. A 55-inch television will be available to demonstrate features as well.
To celebrate the new Model Home Park and Design Center, Artisan Built Communities will be hosting a grand opening event Saturday, September 20, 2020, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Nature Walk at Seven Hills. Two food trucks will be serving up delicious eats, a live band will be playing music and several of Artisan Built Communities’ vendors will be onsite to answer questions regarding home features, technology and more. With over 600 people expressing interest already, Haines encourages interest attendees to sign up here through EventBrite.
With the new Model Home Park and Design Center comes a variety of exciting updates to all three of the builder’s home series. Listening to homeowner feedback. These updates include oversized showers with benches in the Rabun plan, as well as newly redesigned kitchens and bathroom options in the Savannah. In keeping up with homebuyer interest in Smart Homes, new tech options are also now available such as Samsung SmartThings appliances, wireless security systems, remote-controlled door locks and eco switches.
To learn more about Artisan Built Communities and its new Model Home Park and Design Center, visit www.discoverartisan.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Artisan Built Communities are not as...
Marietta Branch Manager with New American Funding, Jose Plascencia, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several ways New American Funding is helping the Latino community achieve homeownership, even in the midst of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Plascencia has been in the mortgage industry since 2008 and with New American Funding for the past two years. He joined the Atlanta team for several reasons, including the ideals and family feeling the organization provides. Most notably, Plascencia also joined because of the efforts and initiatives in place to provide homeownership to the Latino community.
One of the many factors that make Plascencia and his team unique is they are all bilingual. Oftentimes, potential clients and borrowers wish to submit information in person as opposed to online. Plascencia believes in doing whatever is most comfortable and easiest for the customer. Because of this, it always helps to have a bilingual team to aid in the lending process. Any person in the Latino community can partner with New American Funding and feel comfortable speaking in either English or Spanish.
Another program New American Funding practices to be more inclusive and accessible is serving customers with several different types of work permits and visas. Many other lenders only work with specific visas or United States citizens. Plascencia and his coworkers also pride themselves on looking over every case individually and finding out how to help any and all customers achieve homeownership.
With the goal of helping as many people as possible achieve homeownership, New American Funding has started to accept credit scores as low as 580. The professionals at this mortgage lending company understand the hardships surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic and how potential homeowners are experiencing external circumstances that might be negatively impacting their credit score. “One of the reasons its 580 on FHA loans is because New American Funding services its own loans,” said Plascencia. “We’re not going to be a mortgage company that sells it to an ABC servicer or broker. It gives us the flexibility to accept the lower-end credit scores.” With a strong focus on serving the underserved, New American Funding looks at each client as an individual, not a piece of paper with numbers. Plascencia and the other professionals in this business are passionate about helping people, including the Latino community, achieve homeownership in whatever way possible.
To learn more about New American Funding and the initiatives in place to help serve the Latino community, visit www.NewAmericanAtlanta.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (September/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Co-Founder of Thread ATL, Matthew Garbett, is in the studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by host Todd Schnick, the group discusses Thread ATL’s unique mission to advocate for good urbanism and how the organization is working to make a difference in communities throughout Atlanta on this episode of Around Atlanta Radio.
Garbett moved to Atlanta 20 years ago with full intentions of moving back to New York or Washington D.C. While in the city for grad school, he wrote his thesis about how city designs shape people’s decisions on travel. Prior to this, Garbett had never heard of urbanism, but he soon fell in love and became involved in his local neighborhood association in Old Fourth Ward. When he isn’t busy managing an independent grocery store full-time, Garbett wanders the city of Atlanta thinking of new ways to make it a better place for people to live.
Thread ATL started 7 years ago when Garbett and other urbanists began talking in a Facebook Messenger group which they nicknamed “The Thread”. Officially founded four years ago, Thread ATL serves as a nonprofit aimed at influencing Atlanta’s planning decisions toward a focus on good urbanism. The organization regularly breaks stories about new developments, as well as provides education about what good urbanism looks like. This includes its most recent initiative focused on educating the public about the racial and social injustice implications of good urbanism in the city. In Atlanta, there are over 242 neighborhoods with the majority having their own neighborhood association. Each of these individual associations has the power to voice their opinions regarding the planning of developments where they live. Unfortunately, in many lower-income neighborhoods where major developments are taking place, this does not always happen. Thread ATL is firm on listening to neighborhood and civic associations. By empowering and informing these communities through their work, the individuals within it are able to advocate for themselves and make their voices heard. One concern for good urbanism is the need for reliable public transportation. In Atlanta, a negative stigma surrounds MARTA, stemming from its initial route formation which brought low-income people into high-income neighborhoods to do house cleaning. According to Garbett, the fastest way to improve Atlanta’s public transportation system is to increase bus frequency, revise bus routes and improve the quality of the stops. The city also needs major involvement from council members, elected officials and celebrities who can influence these stigmas.
Also impacting good urbanism is the availability of affordable housing. Atlanta has always been known for its affordability, but it doesn’t factor in that everyone has to own a car. Thread ATL believes that everyone should have access to affordable housing where they can age in place and have access to daily conveniences. Some ways to change this include increasing the variety of housing types available (apartments, single-family, etc.) and changing how property taxes are done so that legacy residents and their children can afford to stay.
To learn more about Thread ATL and how to become engaged in your community, visit its blog at www.threadatl.org or send an email to info@threadatl.com. You can also connect via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Read Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Thread ATL are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
Managing Editor of HomeLight, Caroline Feeney, is in the studio today along with Andy Peters of The Peters Company for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by host Todd Schnick, the group discusses HomeLight’s most recent Realtor survey, as well as the real estate market as a result of COVID-19.
Andy Peters, an Atlanta real estate broker and team owner of The Peters Company, started the production group with his wife back in 2008 through Keller Williams. Wearing many hats, Andy is also a qualifying broker for three Keller Williams offices throughout North Atlanta. Over the course of the past few months, he has seen the resilience of the real estate market and has taken note of the new market trends on both the agent and buyer side.
As a real estate technology platform, HomeLight works to make the process of buying and selling a home a more frictionless process for everyone involved. Through a variety of services including their proprietary agent matching and simple sales platforms, the company is able to successfully achieve that goal. HomeLight regularly performs a Top Agent Insights Survey to take polls of industry trends and to keep up with what is happening in the market. In their most recent survey, agents were surveyed on a bi-weekly basis for three months during the moths of April through June to determine the state of the real estate.
During peak pandemic in March and April, agent optimism took a huge plunge dropping from 76% to 56%. However, come May, optimism rebounded above pre-pandemic levels to 82%. Both Caroline and Andy agree that this is likely due to the combination of low-interest rates encouraging homebuyers to buy, as well as the industry’s ability to adapt to change. Agents have had to become creative in these times in order to create an environment all consumers feel comfortable in. Through communicating plans with clients and adopting new methods such as virtual tours and meetings, agent have been able to find much more success than expected. The survey also revealed that the top two motivators for people wanting to move during this time include a need for more space and the desire to buy versus rent. People are using their homes in new ways and realizing they need more space for life, while others simply want more privacy and control. Andy has seen these moving motivators with his own clients, adding that the new remote working environment has also provided many with the opportunity to move out of the city center and reevaluate where they want to live.
According to the survey, the biggest home preferences shaped by COVID-19 include home office spaces. As long-term remote working becomes more prominent, homebuyers are wanting more ergonomic setups. Along with a rising need for home office spaces, there has also been a desire for other lifestyle features such as media room, pools and covered outdoor porches. For homebuyers looking to sell their homes, some home features offering the highest return on investments include home offices (87% ROI), walk-in pantries (77% ROI) and double ovens (71% ROI).
For more information on The Peters Company, visit www.ThePetersCompany.com. To learn more about HomeLight, or to read the complete survey results, visit their blog at www.homelight.com/blog.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and HomeLight are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion,
Co-Founder and Community Engagement Director of Giving Kitchen, Jen Hidinger-Kendrick, is in studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Giving Kitchen’s mission, its creation and how it helps the community.
Hidinger-Kendrick and her late husband were both from Indianapolis, Indiana. After graduating college, the pair took a road trip around the country and ended up settling in Atlanta. With a vast background in the foodservice industry, the couple reflected on their experiences and how they could use their knowledge to add more depth to their lives. In January of 2009, Hidinger-Kendrick and her husband started inviting strangers into their home to enjoy five-course meals prepared, cooked and served by the couple. “We ended up calling it [the dinner club] Prelude to Staplehouse,” said Hidinger-Kendrick. “Staplehouse being this restaurant we wanted to one day open. We hosted these supper clubs and a few parties over the course of four years, almost every weekend. It was a really great grassroots way for us to learn about our community, the city and the people around us and give them an opportunity to know our style.” In 2012, Hidinger-Kendrick’s husband was diagnosed with stage-four cancer. Within weeks of the diagnosis, the community of Atlanta rallied behind the couple and organized a fundraiser complete with live music, auctions and more. The goal of earning $75,000 was surpassed and the community ended up raising over $250,000 for the couple to use to stay afloat. “That’s really what ignited the idea and inspiration around our nonprofit Giving Kitchen,” said Hidinger-Kendrick. Giving kitchen is a nonprofit organization based out of Atlanta but is a state-wide agency. The organization offers emergency assistance to food service workers in crisis. In the beginning, the Giving Kitchen was focused on providing financial assistance to restaurant workers in Atlanta. Over the course of several years, Hidinger-Kendrick listened and began to further understand the needs of her clientele. In addition to financial assistance, Giving Kitchen created a “stability network” which connected people with service providers, including mental health professionals, housing stability, food resources, legal services and more. The nonprofit has helped over 420,000 professionals working in the state of Georgia.
Giving Kitchen has awarded over $300,000 since COVID-19 and over $3,000,000 since its conception eight years ago.
To learn more about Giving Kitchen or how to get involved, visit thegivingkitchen.org. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Giving Kitchen are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities...
Sales and Marketing Manager of Piedmont Residential, Shelby Feinberg, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new home communities and opportunities from Piedmont Residential.
Feinberg has been with Piedmont Residential for over seven years, and in her current position for six years. Piedmont Residential is a new construction home builder that builds around 300 new homes a year. The homes are built-in and around metro Atlanta and primarily for first-time buyers. Recently, it has branched more into active adult buyers, as well as move-up buyers. “We really over the last 12 years have tried to work with our product to bring anything to the table in an affordable way to meet any buyers' needs,” said Feinberg. Brannon Ridge
Located in Oakwood, Ga, Brannon Ridge offers three unique floor plans ranging from three to four bedrooms and 1,805 to 2,210 square feet of living space. Each plan offers two bathrooms and a spacious two-car garage. Located in the esteemed West Hall school district, Brannon Ridge has several family-friendly amenities, including a large open green space, athletic field and pavilion.
Turner Village
Turner Village in Holly Springs, Ga offers the latest in lakeside living. With easy access to outdoor recreation, dining and shopping, as well as the scenic Lake Allatoona, Turner Village is the perfect community for any adventurous family. Turner Village has several one-of-a-kind floorplans to choose from, each with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a two-car garage. Homes are priced from the high $200,000s to the low $300,0000s and offer the best of Woodstock and Atlanta amenities nearby. Turner Village is also a low-maintenance community of beautiful single-family detached homes for maximum enjoyment.
Pritchard Park
Pritchard Park is a Piedmont Residential community coming soon to the Kennesaw, Ga area. Designed for easy-living, this maintenance-free community will feature homes around 2,100 square feet and ranging in price from the high $200,000s to the mid $300,000s.
To learn more about Pritchard Park and to join the VIP list, visit www.piedmontresidential.com/new-home-communities/homes-kennesaw-ga-prichard-park or call a new homes specialist at 678-977-2200.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Piedmont Residential are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Laura Shaw, the executive director of Paint Love, is in the studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum. Joined by host Todd Schnick, the two discuss Paint Love and its mission to bring extraordinary arts programming to youth facing poverty and trauma on this segment of Around Atlanta Radio.
After graduating from Boston University with a degree in community engagement, Laura knew she wanted to work in the nonprofit sector. With a background in dance and experience working with a company that performed in schools across Memphis, Paint Love seemed like the perfect career. After moving to Atlanta, Laura started working for Paint Love as a pro-bono grant writer and eventually moved her way up to executive director in 2019.
As a nonprofit organization, Paint Love helps bring art programming to children facing poverty and trauma in order to provide them with a creative, empowering and artistic experience that will help them imagine a future without being limited by certain circumstances. The organization partners with both Title 1 schools and youth-serving nonprofits, as well as professional artists who volunteer their time to help lead a variety of projects. These artist volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds ranging from jewelry making and mural painting to glass blowing and screen printing.
Projects are not only fun but also trauma-informed. Under normal circumstances, the organization hosts onsite programming at schools and youth centers with a staff that includes a Paint Love personnel and a professional artist. The projects and programming created are designed around the demographic and often have intentional themes such as self-worth, collaboration and community building. Through these themes and art projects, the children are able to enjoy a fun project while also gaining world skill that they can use in other facets of their life.
Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Paint Love has had to shift its work dynamic dramatically. While fundraisers and programming were originally canceled in the beginning of the pandemic, the organization has since adapted and changed courses. One of the biggest impacts of the pandemic for Paint Love is that their demographic is now larger along with the need for accessibility to even more creative outlets.
One of the changes the organization has made includes switching its programming to a virtual platform and creating art projects that use materials that can be easily found around the house. As part of its virtual programming, the organization has even made a series of guides featuring specific topics with coordinating art projects. These guides are available through their website for anyone looking to create intentional conversations through art.
Paint Love is largely funded by individual contributions, as well as grant funding and corporate sponsorships. If you would like to learn more about Paint Love and contribute to its mission, visit www.GoPaintLove.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Paint Love are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application.
Founder and CEO of PadSplit, Atticus LaBlanc, is in the studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by host Todd Schnick, the two discuss the current problems in today’s housing market and how PadSplit is helping to combat them through affordable housing options.
Atticus has worked in the real estate industry on both the commercial and residential sides for the entirety of his career. With a mission to create a legacy for good in the world, he used his experience as an entrepreneur, real estate investor and property manager to start PadSplit three years ago. Its mission is to help solve the affordable housing crisis.
PadSplit believes those who serve our communities should have the opportunity to affordably live within them. The company serves as a shared housing marketplace between those in need of affordable housing options and housing providers. Some of these housing providers are homeowners with spare rooms, while others are investors who have rental properties. The company takes all the work out of the process for the housing providers by taking care of the day-to-day property management tasks including collections and payment processing, resident relations and more.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further pulled back the curtain on the affordable housing crisis as the country faces mounting job losses and financial insecurity. Many of the professionals that serve our communities don’t have the stability in their housing to afford disruptions to their income or work environment. Over the course of the pandemic, it has become apparent that affordable options aren’t widely available in many communities. Luckily, this sudden realization is slowly turning into a rise for change.
Despite the challenges the pandemic has brought to the housing market, there has been an increased sense of community surrounding the company. According to Atticus, the pandemic has brought in many new housing providers. In today’s market, there is not a huge demand for investors to buy. Instead, they are opting to rent out their current properties in order to not only get the best possible return but to help out those within the community during these difficult times.
Along with the services above, PadSplit recently launched a new partnership initiative. Called Starting Point, the program allows nonprofits who work with vulnerable populations to access PadSplit rooms through a streamlined experience. The nonprofit partner effectively underwrites the cost of housing for up to 12 months in order to give these individuals a place to stay as they work toward greater financial independence.
As the company grows, PadSplit hopes to continue educating communities on how affordable housing is within everyone’s best interest, as well as to provide affordable housing to brand-new housing markets in the near future.
For those looking for housing, interested in providing housing, or simply want to learn more, visit www.PadSplit.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and PadSplit are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information,
Founder of Five Loaves Atlanta, Aisha Robinson, is in studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Five Loaves Atlanta and its mission to provide plant-based meals and everyday essentials to Atlanta’s homeless community on this segment of Around Atlanta.
Prior to Five Loaves Atlanta, Aisha Robinson experienced different levels of homelessness. After eight years of staying at hotels and living in and out of apartments, she was finally able to find a stable place to live. Realizing that she was able to make it out of her situation, Aisha made it her mission to help make life easier for those in the same position that she was once in herself.
The concept of Five Loaves was created when Aisha had the idea to host a vegan potluck for the homeless and low-income population in Atlanta. When nobody would commit to joining in, Aisha took it upon herself to cook and deliver 13 plates of food. Not long after, urban farms and a meal prep company began pitching in through donations. With these generous donations, as well as the help of her mom and two children, Five Loaves is now able to deliver an average of 200 meals a week to those living in low-income Atlanta neighborhoods.
According to Aisha, one of the biggest problems many urban areas face is food deserts. Several communities within the city don’t have convenient access to large grocery stores where fresh and healthy foods are readily available. Plus, with MARTA not running as regularly due to COVID-19, many of the individuals living in these food deserts have to rely on nearby corner stores that don’t always have the healthiest options. For this reason, Five Loaves Atlanta is committed to providing healthy, organic and non-GMO foods that are both tasty and nourishing.
In addition to providing healthy and delicious meals, Five Loaves Atlanta also donates hygiene items, blankets, clothing and other everyday essentials. Aisha collects these items from local thrift stores, dollar stores and personal donations and keeps them in the car to distribute to those in need.
Due to the pandemic and current economic situation, there is an increased need for the food and essentials that Aisha and Five Loaves Atlanta provides. For those interested in donating, contact Aisha via email at arobinson@fiveloave.com. All physical donations can be picked up in a contactless fashion to ensure safety for everyone involved.
To learn more about Five Loaves Atlanta’s mission and ways to donate, be sure to listen to the full interview above, and visit www.fiveloavesatlanta.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Five Loaves Atlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (August/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities,
Atlanta Division President of Davidson Homes, Reagan Anderson, is in studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Courtney Stewart and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Davidson Homes' entrance into the Atlanta market, what to expect in the rest of 2020 and into 2021 and more on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Anderson, originating from Texas, has been in the homebuilding industry for over 20 years. In 2005, Anderson made the move to Georgia, joining the Atlanta market. During the past 15 years in Atlanta, Anderson has worked with national, local and private builders, gaining experience in several sectors of the home building industry. Davidson Homes currently builds in Huntsville, Nashville and Raleigh, and recently joined the Atlanta market. This Huntsville-based company is privately owned and began in 2009. “It’s kind of unique, something starting, up especially in the homebuilding business, in 2009,” said Anderson. “As we all know, that wasn’t a very good time for home builders, so it was a brave move on the owner’s part. That’s how he runs the business on a day-to-day scale. Coming into Atlanta, it’s a big hub with a lot of economic growth ahead of it. We are here to be successful and serve the market in whatever capacity.” Davidson Homes is dynamic and unique in several aspects of the business. It has an in-house architectural department. This allows the experts and builders to look at the land and figure out how to make it work. This building comany has the flexibility to create a variety of different homes in several locations. With price points from the mid $200,000s to the mid $800,000s, Davidson Homes offers something for everyone. From first-time buyers to move-up buyers, this builder has a product to fit any family’s needs.
In addition to a wide range of price points, Davidson Homes also has several floor plan options. On the smaller end, homes are built as low as 1,500 square feet, and on the higher end, up to over 6,000 square feet.
In addition to new homes for sale, Davidson Homes also offers a rental platform called Evergreen Living. It plans to introduce rental properties to the industry over the next several years. This allows for further customization and adaptation for buyers and renters in the area.
The builder that asks “why not” instead of “why,” Davidson Homes jumped at the challenge to enter the Atlanta market, despite the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. With experience thriving during economic downturns by creating a business during the housing crisis of 2008, Davidson Homes is equipped with the skills, knowledge and expertise to continue to provide an excellent product to the market. “As far as real estate goes, all signs point to being really, really healthy,” said Anderson. “There is not a lot of inventory out there, and there is opportunity, especially with the pandemic giving us a little bit of a different take on things. People want to get out and get space, so we targeted those areas for land acquisition.” Davidson Homes decides not to box itself into one specific market. Instead of choosing to build in either a lower price point or high-end homes, this building company does it all and everything in between. Serving a wide group of people is one of the many things that makes Davidson Homes unique from other builders in the area.
To learn more about Davidson Homes, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit davidsonhomesllc.com/states/georgia.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Davidson Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the sho...
Co-hosts Todd Schnick and Carol Morgan welcome two guests, Rodney Tumlin and Steve Westmoreland, on today’s Around Atlanta Radio episode. Tumlin is the youth education coordinator for Trout Unlimited and Westmoreland is the conservation chair for Trout Unlimited. Tumlin and Westmoreland discuss the purpose of Trout Unlimited and some of the many programs that have been implemented by the organization on this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Trout Unlimited is a cold water conservation organization with a mission of enhancing, creating, maintaining and protecting cold, clean, drinkable and fishable water. The organization works diligently to maintain cold water ecosystems and has enlisted the help of the youth of today with multiple programs. “As our population grows we see more and more issues that crop up in our water sheds and environment,” said Westmoreland. “Mr. Tumlin and myself are not as young as we used to be, so getting the youth of America involved is going to be our future. It’s up to them to run this thing down the road.” A program in which Trout Unlimited has seen great success is its Trout in the Classroom program. Students work with trout eggs over the course of a school year, keeping them in chillers and observing the growing process while keeping journals, doing chemical tests on the water and eventually releasing them in the spring. The program has had profound impacts on students. “When they get to see a creature develop from a fertilized egg into an adult I think they understand the problem in trying to keep a cold water species that needs very clean, high oxygen levels of water alive,” said Westmoreland. “It instills a need in them to look after our water systems and our environment that flows into our water systems.” The Trout Umlimited Costa 5 Rivers program started in 2011 with the goal of keeping young people engaged in fly-fishing as they enter adulthood. The program began at North Paulding High School and has since expanded to 100 college across the nation.
With over 30 programs implemented across the nation, Trout Unlimited in making a difference in thousands of lives and in the environment.
To learn more aboutTrout Unlimited, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit georgiatu.org. To contact Rodney Tumlin, email rtumlin1@hotmail.com and to contact Steve Westmoreland, email Stevewestmoreland1@gmail.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Georgia Trout Unlimited Cleanup are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum con...
Randy McMichael, managing partner of McMichael & Gray in Atlanta, is in studio for today's episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group gathers virtually to discuss how McMichael & Gray got started, where it is headed and how it differs from the competition on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Randy McMichael, Atlanta raised and grown in Snellville, Ga., went to the University of Massachusetts for one year, and the University of Georgia for three. He then continued his education and received a law degree from Mercer University. Currently, McMichael is happily married with four kids and a dog!
McMichael & Gray was opened back in 2006 by McMichael and his business partner, Ed Gray. At the time, the company only had four employees and was mainly a builder-based business. The company experienced two years of a high wave, until the recession in 2008. Because of the economic crisis, the business had to cut back to only two employees. They spent that time honing their craft and building relationships. “I think when you’re in it, it’s one of those things where you’re not sure how you’re going to get out of it, but when you get out of it and look back you’re better for it,” said McMichael in regard to the economic crisis of 2008. Fortunately, the housing market crash ended, and the country began to flourish economically. Currently McMichael & Gray has 180 employees, 26 offices. It focuses on the role of consultant and advisor first and foremost. The professionals at McMichael & Gray are not just there for the closing, they want to approach everything with a service and consulting mentality and closings will follow. Without the customer, no one would have a job. “If that’s the only goal [closings], you’re missing the bigger picture which is the service piece and the consulting piece,” said McMichael. “If you focus on those and how to help people, more than likely you will win more than you lose.” Because McMichael & Gray began in a national crisis, it is equipped to handle disaster and curveballs. Because of this, it is still able to remain in business and continue to help its customers amidst COVID-19 (coronavirus). The first phase of operating during the pandemic was learning how they could deliver products to lenders so they can do their job and transfer property from sellers to buyers. They had to learn how to even get to the closing table.
After that, McMichael & Gray started staggering closings to keep people separated, extended hours to give people more opportunity to come in at different hours, doing curbside closings, offering power of attorney with no charge and audio/video closings. With the audio/video closings, customers are not even required to come in to meet in person.
McMichael ended the interview with a few tips and tricks for potential clients. First, if the lender, agent or closer (McKnight & Gray) are sending something to you, read it! It’s important and critical to the closing. Second, if you have a question, ask it! There are no bad questions. Finally, wire your money early and confirm that you are dealing with the entity you think you are.
The experts at McMichael & Gray are forward-thinking and service-oriented, offering a great marketing team. They are always trying to figure out what they can do better to consistently improve. To learn more about why McMichael & Gray is right for you, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.mcmichaelandgray.com, reach out on Facebook or call 678-373-0521.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and McMichael & Gray are not associated.
Linda Hartsfield, volunteer coordinator with The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup is in studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the origin of The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup, how to get involved and more on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
About three years ago, Hartsfield retired from the Corp of Engineers after 41 years of service. She was a park ranger for about 35 years, where she worked on Allatoona Lake. She was also there for the conception of The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup which she followed throughout her career. Once Hartsfield retired, she continued to work with the organization that helps the community and Lake Allatoona.
The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup was organized back in 1986. The project manager at the time was very involved with scouting. He knew scouts loved to volunteer and earn patches for community service. This allowed for the Cleanup to have a host of volunteers upon its creation. The scouts rose to the challenge and over 4,500 participants gathered to help. In addition to scouts, other volunteers helped with the cleanup and various corporations donated to help the cause. In 2019, The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup won the Keep Georgia Beautiful award, along with several other esteemed awards over the years.
Before The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup was created, there were not enough resources and funding available to clean the 270 miles of shoreline and 12,000 acres of lake. In addition to its vast size, there were several areas of lake and shoreline that was not easily accessible. Over the years, the organization has collected tons of trash. In the first year, the group collected over 35 tons of trash. With the dedication and support of the organization, the amount of trash that needs to be picked up has drastically decreased to just over six tons of trash last year. “If you teach the kids, then they will eventually evolve into being responsible citizens about not trashing the environment,” said Hartsfield. “It has gotten a lot of people evolved, as well. Not only the community around or adjacent to the lake and the scouts but also just people who use the lake to participate on an annual basis.” The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup is an annual event that is open to any and all volunteers. Anyone looking to get involved and volunteer their time should visit www.lakeallatoonaassoc.com/the_great_allatoona_clean_up. The next cleanup is scheduled for October 3, 2020. Make sure to listen to the full interview above to learn more about The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup and how to get involved.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and The Great Lake Allatoona Cleanup are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities,
Terri Gelman, President of E&T Horizons, parent company of DecoTeak and Design by Intent, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several innovative products and product lines from DecoTeak and Design by Intent on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Gelman started her career in sales but decided to take a break from the workforce to have and raise her four children. As her children got older, Gelman returned to her career and began working for a small company that designed furniture. The company grew into what E&T Horizons is known for today with the popular DecoTeak and Design by Intent products.
DekoTeak includes over 250 products in its current line. The more popular products include small units for the shower, ranging in size from 18 to 24 inches. DekoTeak ensures its products range in size from compact for small compartments, to 36 inches for larger homes. The products have several features to be more accessible to a wide range of customers, including handles and height differences.
In addition to the popular shower furniture from DekoTeak, the sustainable company also provides a wide range of teak outdoor furniture. In the wake of COVID-19 (coronavirus), more people have been staying at home and practicing social distancing protocols. This is one of the reasons the outdoor teak garden benches are so popular this season. This piece of furniture, along with other outdoor essentials, are selling incredibly fast.
Design by Intent is the newest brand from E&T Horizons. This state-of-the-art product offers wall-mounted shower seats, shower chairs and shower benches. These sitting options also offer convenient grab bars, armrests, towel racks and other accessories to help with accessibility and design. Launched with the wall-mounted seating from Design by Intent is a plastic shower stool. Designed to stand apart from other stools with a “medical feel,” these stools are not only functional but also eye-catching and trendy with a faux-wood finish.
To hear about other products from E&T Horizons, including products in the new lines from DecoTeak and Design by Intent, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.decoteak.com/pages/design-by-intent.html to learn more.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and E&T Horizons are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick welcome George Dusenbury, the State Director of Georgia and Alabama for The Trust for Public Land, on today’s episode of Around Atlanta Radio. Dusenbury discusses past and upcoming projects of The Trust for Public Land.
Before working for The Trust for Public Land, Dusenbury graduated from Emery Law School, worked for Congressman John Lewis for 10 years and served as the Executive Director of local nonprofit Park Pride for six years. He was recently elected to the Decatur City Commission and lives in Decatur with his beloved wife and two children.
The Trust for Public Land is a national organization founded 50 years ago in San Francisco. The mission of the organization is to preserve land and build parks for the public to enjoy. The organization has 30 offices around the country, has put nearly 5,000 parks into public ownership, preserved 3.7 million acres of land, created 500 parks and helped put over 9 million people within walking distance of a park.
The Trust for Public Land has many exciting campaigns and projects in the works.
10-minute walk campaign
The goal of this campaign is to get mayors and communities to endorse the idea that every person should live within a 10-minute walk from a park. “Fundamentally we believe that everybody should live within a 10-minute walk of a park,” Dusenbury said. “If you look at how parks improve public health, it’s never been more true than now with COVID-19, it relaxes you, it lowers your blood pressure, it increases your mental capacity and people close to parks are also more apt to exercise. Parks also strengthen communities.” The Trust for Public Land has maps on its website where people can find the parks that are closest to them and it is actively working toward building more parks with its 10-minute walk campaign.
School Yard Program
The Trust for Public Land is working with Atlanta schools, Park Pride and Urban Land Institute to engage school kids and communities to envision what their schoolyards can be. The organization will open two schoolyards this year and hope they will serve as community gathering spaces.
Cook Park
Located on Atlanta’s west side, this 16-acre piece of land used to have 160 families living near it. In 2002, a flood displaced the families and the land sat vacant. The Trust for Public Land started a project in 2015 to open Cook Park on the land, which will eliminate the threat of flooding and serve as a recreational place for the community. “It’s been a challenging project with flooding and there were some contaminated soil issues, so the city largely took the lead in cleaning that up,” Dusenbury said. “But it’s going to be a great amenity for the community and for the city.”
Climate-Smart Cities Program
This program collects data on demographics, topography and land use to figure out where communities should be making investments in parks to adapt to climate change and flooding. The program helped locate Cook Park to make sure the park has the most impact in the shortest time frame.
Chattahoochee River Project
The Trust for Public Land just launched an effort to create a camp and paddle trail in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Area. Visitors will be able to spend four days and four nights paddling and camping their way through metro Atlanta.
Ways to show support
Those seeking to support the endeavors of The Trust for Public Land can support the Great American Outdoors Act, which will fund land and water conservation for national parks, forests and state parks as well as provide $9.5 billion to reduce longstanding maintenance backlogs in public lands. People can contact their member of Congress and urge them to support it.
At the state level, one can visit the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ website to learn more about and support its updated outdoor recreation plan.
Lastly, at the local level, The Trust for Public Land encourages people to ...
Vice President of sales and marketing at Knight Homes, Biff Driver, joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on Radio for the first time. Driver discusses Knight Homes' developments and what makes its communities stand out from the competition on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Driver joined the home building and real estate industry in 2000. He has been in and out of sales and management, but his passion is in new home sales. Founded over 40 years ago, Knight Homes has since sold over 8,000 homes.
Knight Homes builds primarily south of Atlanta and in 2018 was awarded Builder of the Year by Metro South Chapter of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. The company has already closed on 400 homes this year and is expected to grow 30-40% this year despite COVID-19.
The quality of Knight Homes is what makes it stand out from the competition. “I’ll put us up against any of the competition,” said Driver. “When you walk in their home and then our home it feels like walking into a starter home and then a custom home. I know that sounds big, it’s big talk, but we can back it up.” Knight Homes has many communities already established in the metro Atlanta area, with several coming soon.
Towne Center
Starting at a price of $205,900, this new gated community is located in Hampton, Georgia a few miles from the Atlanta Motor Speedway. These three- to four-bedroom homes barely have in the framing and are already selling due to the attractive price point and convenient location.
Barnsley Farms
Priced from the $500,000s, this community of high-end Craftsmen and Farmhouse style homes is located in Senoia, widely considered the “film capital of Georgia.” These homes have a nice custom look with farm sinks, shiplap walls, covered porches and more within their 3,000 to 4,000 square feet of living space. Residents enjoy proximity to Peachtree City, Sharpsburg and Newnan.
Atkins Place
Starting at $372,900, these large upscale homes are located in Fayette County and sit on 1+ acre wooded homesites. Ranging from a spacious 3,200 to 4,000 square feet of space, these homes are sure to impress with the gourmet kitchens, over-sized owner’s retreats and fine craftsmanship that exude a custom feel.
Coming soon
Knight Homes has an astounding 39 neighborhoods in production. Coming soon is a new townhome community in Cherokee County, along with Peppertree in Newnan, Traditions at Crystal Lake in Hampton and more.
COVID-19
Knight Homes has been utilizing Zoom and digital technology in light of COVID-19 (coronavirus), as well as providing hand sanitizer, masks for agents and more. Despite the toll the pandemic has had on many businesses, Knight Homes continues to do well. “With our price point we feel like that’s been the reason we’ve been able to be successful through this downturn,” said Driver. “People want to get out of different housing and into their own home.” For more information on Knight Homes and its communities, visit www.KnightHomes.com or call their online sales counselor at 678-577-9086.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Knight Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility a...
Executive Vice President of Traton Homes, Clif Poston, is a veteran on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Today he is welcomed back in studio by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick. Poston discusses Traton Homes communities in Cobb County that are selling quickly and the impacts of COVID-19 on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Poston has worked with Traton Homes for almost 28 years. His father started the business in 1971 and since then the company has built almost 11,000 houses in the state of Georgia and around the southeast. One of Traton Homes’ keys to success is narrowing in on the best locations for building and living. “Location, location, location is where the magic always happens,” said Poston. “Trying to provide the right blend of locations with the right product at the right price is what we’ve really been focusing on.” Emphasis on location has led Traton Homes to develop several active adult and townhome communities in desirable locations that best suits its client’s needs.
1825 Stilebroro
Traton Homes has found success in active adult communities, and that rings true for 1825 Stilesboro. Located in Marietta, there are only nine houses left in this moderately priced, convenient community. It has been well received, and Traton Homes will be breaking ground soon on another very similar community right across the street.
Courtyards at Camden
Another Traton Homes active adult community, Courtyards at Camden, is located in West Cobb and contains an astounding 95 home sites. Priced from the mid-$300,000s, this community is rich with amenities including a clubhouse to be opened in the next 60 days.
Edgemoore at Milford
Located minutes from the East-West Connector in Marietta, Edgemoore at Milford features 94 luxury townhomes priced from the $270,000s. With a plethora of amenities and a prime location, this community has been selling fast.
Mangêt
Keeping with the theme of a prime location, Mangêt is within walking distance to the historic Marietta Square. The single-family detached homes have been a huge success, with half of the homes sold already. Priced from the high $300,000s to low $500,000s, this in-town neighborhood is quaint and desirable.
Grammercy Park
Just like Mangêt, Grammercy Park is extremely close to Marietta Square. This two-story townhome community has 31 lots and an attractive price point that helps it join the list of Traton Homes quick sellers.
Logan’s Walk
Logan’s Walk is a Traton Home community that is coming soon to Smyrna. Priced from the upper $300,000s, Logan’s Walk will be close to the best shopping and dining in downtown Smyrna. Sales are targeted to open in late July or early August.
Traton Homes has implemented every possible measure to ensure the safety of its employees and customers during the current pandemic. Employees are wearing masks and encouraging customers to do so. In addition, Traton Homes is keeping everything sterilized and virtual tours can substitute in-person tours. Despite the pandemic, Traton Homes has continued to see steady business and sales. “Right now, it seems the supply is low and the demand seems to be high,” said Poston. “It feels like this pandemic has made people believe in that homeownership dream even more, they want to have their little patch of space.” For more information on Traton Homes and its fabulous communities in Cobb County, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.TratonHomes.com to explore the several homes available now or in the near future.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Empire Communities are not associated.
Marketing Director for Empire Communities in Atlanta, Jenny NeSmith, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new home opportunities in the best metro Atlanta communities.
NeSmith has been with Empire Communities for over six years. Empire is a builder and developer involved in all sectors of the home building industry. Based in Toronto, Empire Communities currently has locations all around North America. It is also one of the largest private home builders in North America. Currently, Empire Communities is staying busy building and selling in several well-known areas around metro Atlanta.
Harlow
Harlow is located just down the road from Old Roswell and features historic Charleston-inspired homes. This community offers eight unique townhome plans to choose from, ranging from two to four bedrooms, up to three-and-a-half bathrooms and between 1,940 to 3,400 square feet. Homes at Harlow are priced from the low $400,000s and are currently ready for move-in. To discover why living in Alpharetta’s premier townhome community is right for you, take a virtual tour today.
Halcyon
Halcyon is another new home community in Alpharetta composed of townhomes and single-family homes. Future residents can browse through six expertly designed floor plans with either three or four bedrooms and two-and-a-half or three-and-a-half bathrooms. Ranging in price from the high $400,000s to the mid $600,000s, Halcyon has something for everyone. In addition to beautifully crafted homes, residents also get to enjoy fabulous amenities, including a private green space, entrance to the Big Creek Greenway and Halcyon’s retail opportunities that feature the best shopping, dining and entertainment locations in the area. To learn more, visit the website or take a virtual tour of the Camden model home.
Albright
Located in Vinings, Albright is composed of just 29 homesites for future residents. With a modern, sleek design, the homes at Albright are sophisticated and beautiful. In addition to stunning exterior elevations and seamless floorplans, Albright is also located within just a short distance of several local restaurants, shopping destinations and outdoor trails. Priced from the $400,000s, Albright offers the Ravenal plan that features three bedrooms and three-and-a-half-bathrooms. For a virtual tour of the Ravenal model home, click here.
To hear more about what is in store for Empire Communities, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.empirecommunities.com/atlanta to explore the several new home communities in the metro Atlanta area.
To learn more about the products and services offered by New American Funding, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Empire Communities are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (July/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Piedmont Park Conservancy is humbled and grateful to see the Park thrive as an outdoor retreat for the people of Atlanta. The Conservancy is committed to bringing resources to the community when they need them most.
Although many of the park programs have been impacted by COVID-19 (coronavirus), the Conservancy has adapted its offerings to engage Atlanta citizens.
The Green Market, a local farmers market, is operating in a new temporary location behind Park Tavern with social distancing guidelines to keep customers safe. The summer camp and field trip programs have been put on hold for health and safety, but the Conservancy’s Programs team has pivoted to creating quality online content to help keep children engaged and learning throughout the summer through a new Instagram page @piedmontlearns. Piedmont Park’s venues are offering elopement packages so celebrations of love don’t have to wait. As always, the Conservancy’s Operations team is on the ground keeping the Park green, beautiful and safe.
Piedmont Park has existed for over 100 years and has been through many difficult times. The resiliency and adaptability of beautiful, open green space is never more evident. The Conservancy is thrilled to see so many new visitors experience the power of green space on their mental and physical health.
The Park is a great place to run or walk, walk your dog, throw a frisbee, play kickball, fly a kite, practice yoga, read a book, have a picnic and much, much more. It is also a great place to get in tune with nature with still social distancing.
The Piedmont Park Conservancy invites all of Atlanta’s community to visit the Park and engage in our programs. Visit piedmontpark.org for maps, directions, programs, alerts and more.
Piedmont Park was featured earlier this year on the January 30, 2020 edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Inspiring Life in the Heart of Atlanta with Piedmont Park Conservancy, featuring Amy Risher, Director of Marketing and Communication for Piedmont Park Conservancy.
For more information on giving back, membership, how to get involved, upcoming events and more at the Piedmont Park Conservancy, visit www.PiedmontPark.org. You can also call 404-875-7275 during park office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Make sure to listen to the full interview posted above!
President and founder of Graphs and Laughs, Elliot Eisenberg, Ph.D., is known for his quick wit, bowtie and understanding of housing and economics. Dr. Elliot Eisenberg a.k.a. the Bowtie Economist joins us in studio for Episode 923 of Atlanta Real Estate Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the current housing industry, where the economy is going, what Graphs and Laughs is and much more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Elliot Eisenberg began working in the housing industry in 1996 and from 2000 to 2011, was involved with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). In 2005, Eisenberg began public speaking as a way to engage with and educate industry professionals. This job kickstarted a career in which Eisenberg was able to go out on his own and create Graphs and Laughs.
Graphs and Laughs is a way to combine useful economics with a lot of laughter and fun. Eisenberg helps inform and educate professionals in the homebuilding industry by keeping them entertained with many jokes and lots of humor. Elliot Eisenberg travels all over the country giving economic forecasts and explaining concepts in an easy to learn, absorbable and memorable way. “I was thinking about making it Laughs and Graphs at first, because it almost sounds better,” said Eisenberg. “But I am an economist first and foremost, so the graphs had to come before the laughs.” Recently, Eisenberg has focused on the current recession due to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The economic recession in 2008 was more focused on the housing industry which took the biggest hit. The economic regression due to COVID-19 is more complicated because it concerns health and a pandemic. “This time, housing is just collateral damage along with auto, restaurants and other sectors,” said Eisenberg. “But it turns out that housing is doing really, really well and it is remarkable. You look at all kinds of data – pending sales have turned around; new sales are picking up – but mortgage sales are the best indicator. You can’t buy a house without a mortgage.” When COVID-19 became an issue in the United States, the rate at which people were obtaining mortgages plummeted. It was down 34% in four weeks at the beginning of March. Since the initial decrease, the rate of consumers applying for mortgages has gone straight up. Now, the number of mortgages being obtained is up almost 20% when compared with recent years. This is a 50% rise in just a few short months, creating a classic V-shaped recovery. Housing is one of the few industries able to pull this off.
While the housing industry is booming, this is not a valid representation of the rest of the economy. Housing is a much smaller sector than it was before the crash in 2008, and therefore cannot be used to project where the economy as a whole is going.
One question that most businesses and industry professionals are curious about is how long the economy will take to recover after COVID-19. While no one has a concrete answer to this, Eisenberg does have his predictions. Economists classify a recession as the economy getting worse. As soon as the economy stops declining, we are no longer in a recession anymore. Because of this, Eisenberg thinks the current recession is behind us. He predicts that the recession due to COVID-19 only lasted four months, ending in June. This four-month recession would be the shortest in history.
While the recession was short, Eisenberg predicts the recovery to take much longer. During the first three months of 2020, we experienced a 5% decline in GDP annually, or 1.25% quarterly. Because GDP generally grows at about 2.25% per year, we experienced a sharp decline so far in 2020. If the trend continues, Eisenberg says the decline could equate to a four to five-year loss of real GDP. Eisenberg also predicts that the best-case scenario offers a full recovery by the end of 2022. This means by the end of the fourth quarter in 2022,
Southeast Divisional Vice President of New American Funding Kelly Allison is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Allison discusses her career, the direction of New American Funding, forbearances, additional services and more on today's All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Allison has been in the mortgage industry for over 20 years, with 14 years of new construction experience, as well. She always had a true passion for learning more about the process in which her customers went through to obtain their mortgages. Allison’s interest continued to grow over the years and she eventually jumped ship to focus more on the mortgage side of the industry. “I love what the mortgage industry represents to families,” said Allison. “Every time we put a family in a home, it goes beyond that. If a child grows up in a home with a mortgage, they are more likely to get better grades, have long-term friends, be involved in their community, go to college, grow up to vote and be positive contributors to society.” For Allison, the mortgage industry represents helping to provide homeownership and create better home environments for as many families as possible. Helping a family establish itself in one place with security is what New American Funding is all about. New American Funding is a national lender, currently in 43 states. It was created almost two decades ago with a goal to create diversity and inclusion, helping everyone from established homeowners to first-time buyers.
Despite the events surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, New American Funding continues to implement programs and resources to help its clients earn homeownership. Allison describes the forbearance process and how it could either help or hurt homeowners. Forbearance allows for a temporary postponement of mortgage payments as an alternative to foreclosure. The guidelines and requirements for forbearance with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have recently shifted and continues to work in favor of the customer. Allison clarifies that forbearance is not a stop of payments, but rather a postponement that does have to be made up. This is a detail that is not always expressed explicitly to homeowners but is something New American Funding always tries to educate its clients on. “During this time, it has brought us to a new level of what we do in creating homeownership,” said Allison. “We are taking the bottom line out of it and we are really letting the why and the result of the emotional impact it has come through.” To learn more about the products and services offered by New American Funding, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Director of Sales for Brock Built Homes, Trisha Howard, is welcomed back in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Howard discusses new Brock Built Homes communities, an exciting partnership with Atlanta Mission and the impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the homebuilding industry on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Howard has over a decade of experience in the home building and real estate industry and is passionate about sales and sales training. Howard made it her mission to help her team reach personal and professional goals while changing families’ lives by helping them earn homeownership.
Founded in 1984 by Steve Brock, Brock Built Homes is a family-owned company, renowned in Atlanta for its Craftsman style homes and for pioneering untapped areas. In the 1990s, Brock Built Homes was the first company to invest in West Midtown and the company actively looks for more Atlanta areas to invest in.
Communities
Brock Built Homes has several beautiful communities that are currently selling in West Midtown, including West Town, West Highlands and West Side Station. Each community has its own perks, personality and offers spectacular prices. Brock Built Homes recently created a master-planned community in Castleberry Hill named Castleberry Station. Priced in the high $300,000s, the community is selling quickly.
Giving back
While building homes is what it is known for, Brock Built Homes always strives to give back to the community as evidenced by their recent partnership with Atlanta Mission. Atlanta Mission is building a new homeless shelter that will add almost 100 beds for homeless citizens in the area. Brock Built Homes helped Atlanta Mission acquire a bigger reach and gain more donations to break ground on the shelter by giving away a home to one lucky lottery winner. “It’s not just about us improving the quality of our buyers’ lives, it’s about, how we improve the city of Atlanta and how we play our part and give back” said Howard. “In most of the homeless shelters today, there are certain requirements that prevent certain families from getting in. This is a low-barriers shelter that really opens up help for a whole new demographic. This was our chance to partner with them, so we gave them the home.” COVID-19
Like every other socially conscious company during this time, Brock Built Homes has adjusted their processes and business plan in response to COVID-19. Howard discusses the changes she believes are here to stay in the industry. “I think the biggest impact COVID has had on all of us is implementing tools that we use to help buyers shop differently,” said Howard. “It’s changed buyers’ shopping behavior permanently.” Tools Brock Built Homes implemented that are permanent include options of virtual home tours, a website chat feature, virtual appointments and 3D video tours. Homebuyers are now using these tools as a first step in the home buying process, deciding what they like and ruling out options from the comfort of their own home.
To learn more about Brock Built Homes, call 404-351-7555 or visit www.BrockBuilt.com today.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Brock Built Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made...
Broker-Owner of Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team, Tamra Wade, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Wade’s business, the types of new communities available, agent training, where her company is going and more on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Wade has been in the real estate industry for over 20 years, starting in new construction in Atlanta. After being on-site for seven years, Wade ventured into management. She managed a small builder in the area and eventually switched to the resale side of the industry. Wade joined the Re/Max team and started bringing in small and mid-size builders to join the group. Within the last two years, Wade opened up her own Re/Max brokerage. “I wanted to be able to offer Realtors some options,” said Wade. “If they were doing new construction and were in between neighborhoods, they could switch over to resale and vice versa. Resale agents who want to test the waters with new construction can do that, too. All of our agents go through multiple certifications, so we make sure they know what they are doing. We try and do a little bit of everything.” The Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team has several communities all over the metro Atlanta area at a variety of price points. Starting in the $100,000s and going up into the $800,000s, there is something for everyone. In addition to a variety of prices, Wade also represents homes featuring ranch plans, townhomes, two-story homes and more. Everyone from first-time buyers to executive buyers can find a home suitable for their needs.
Tamra Wade Team is unique because it has the ability to take over all the sales and marketing for the builder. This allows the builder to focus on what they love to do which is building houses. Wade offers contract coordinators, brokers, sales agents, marketing representatives and more to help with the day-to-day marketing.
For an agent that is new to the industry, the Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team offers a 40-hour agent boot camp. This course is conducted by Wade and another sales agent. In addition to the training camp, Wade takes the agents to two national designations that are required to have for residential construction. They then understand how houses are built, marketed, sold and followed up on. Every single agent onsite with Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team has these designations.
To learn more about what the Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team offers, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.tamrawade.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Re/Max Tru and Tamra Wade Team are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Joshua Bellows, president and CEO of Pure Maintenance of Georgia, is on-air for this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Bellows addresses concerns regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) including sterilization and disinfecting services available from Pure Maintenance.
With a master’s degree in international business and finance, Bellows spent much of his career in the international business industry where he managed a German machinery company, as well as worked with venture capital and technology firms doing natural gas conversions for types of diesel and vehicles. Prior to becoming president of Pure Maintenance, he worked with a technology company where he manufactured and engineered a variety of products and services for a range of commercial, residential and government clients.
Local to the state, Pure Maintenance offers both commercial and residential sterilization and disinfection services along with odor removal and mold remediation. Before the coronavirus pandemic began, Bellows stated that his company was primarily doing mold remediation projects. However, today’s new normal and the need for safer environments has provided the company with many new lines of businesses and customer needs.
In the past few months, as businesses have begun reopening, they have seen a dramatic increase in requests for sterilization and disinfection services. So much in fact, that the company created its own ongoing coronavirus treatment and dropped prices in half to allow for more affordable access.
The sterilization and disinfection treatments use the company’s patented dry-fog technology, a hospital-grade, non-toxic sterilant, that is used in hospitals and kills pathogens such as viruses, mold and bacteria in a very short amount of time. The product base consists of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide that is turned into small particles. Those particles create the fog that is released into large areas to fill microscopic spaces including corners and fabric surfaces.
Because of its natural components, the dry fog treatment is also safe for food preparation surfaces, requiring no wipe-down in between. Following the dry fog treatment, Pure Maintenance places an antimicrobial on all surfaces for added protection. This antimicrobial attracts viruses and bacteria to kill them for up to 90 days after the treatment.
The product used in treatment is non-toxic, free of any harsh chemicals or heavy metals and approved by both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Particles evaporate approximately 38 minutes after the treatment is complete and leaves no residual scent or residue. Bellows recommends maintaining this sterilization every 90 days, or more frequently depending on the size of the space and amount of high-contact areas.
To learn more about Pure Maintenance of Georgia and the sterilization services they offer, including mold removal, mold inspections and testing, disinfection and sterilization, coronavirus treatment and odor removal, listen to the full interview above, or visit www.PureMaintenanceOfGeorgia.com.
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city grea...
Senior Manager of Marketing Strategy with Aprilaire Lisa O'Connor is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how to achieve cleaner air inside the home on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
O’Connor, originally, from Madison, Wisconsin, moved to the Atlanta area with her husband and children. Aprilaire was founded in 1954 in the midwestern region of the United States. At the time, the company was responsible for creating a technology associated with humidification. The product was designed to spread humidity throughout the entire home by being placed on the HVAC system. This was especially helpful during the dry, winter months. Aprilaire specializes in selling products throughout the United States, creating systems for several different environments and weather types. “Our whole focus is creating healthy air in the home,” said O’Connor. “We believe that is a great way to create happy and healthy families. We also believe the best place to start is with healthy air.” Aprilaire has several product categories, including ventilation, air purification, dehumidification and humidification. Putting these systems together creates a healthy home environment. It also helps to make people less susceptible to catching colds, viruses and other diseases when this system is in place in the home.
Now more than ever, consumers are concerned with healthy air and clean living. Ever since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, Aprilaire has seen a huge increase in interest and purchasing of its clean air systems. It has also seen a large uptick in website traffic with homeowners looking to educate themselves and learn more about how air purification systems work. “The first thing to do is take the time to gain an understanding of the air inside and outside of your home,” said O’Connor. “It does matter where you’re located. Some people who live in a more rural area have beautiful fresh air outside their home, while people who are located near an interstate or in an urban area might not have great air to bring inside the home. There are products built for both of those environments.” In addition to understanding the air inside and outside of the home, O’Connor also advises homeowners to get to know their HVAC system. It’s important to understand what type of system you have and what type of technology is available to help your home run more efficiently and cleaner.
To learn more about Aprilaire and how to achieve healthier and cleaner air inside the home, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.Aprilaire.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Aprilaire are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream fo...
Gabe Chatham, vice president of Chatham Neighborhoods and the 2020 president of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA), is in-studio for today’s Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Chatham discusses the upcoming Atlanta Parade of Homes and what attendees can expect from this year’s home lineup.
Founded by Chatham’s grandfather when he returned from serving in World War II in 1948, Chatham comes from a family of home builders now dating back three generations. What started out as a home built for his new family became a product of interest within the community. This interest led his grandfather to start the building company that stands strong today. As vice president, Chatham works alongside his father, two brothers and several members of his extended family. The family is honored to have the opportunity create new homes across the metro Atlanta area and continue the legacy that Chatham’s grandfather built within the community.
Chatham also currently serves as this year’s President of the Greater Atlanta HBA. His father held the position back in 1985 and Chatham is privileged to have the same opportunity to serve the organization’s many members consisting of associates, builders and developers. With all of the unique challenges that this year has brought, Chatham has remained focused on helping the organization’s members stay working and the industry remains essential. This includes continuing forward with the annual Parade of Homes.
Initially planned for April, the free, self-guided 2020 Atlanta Parade of Homes will take place the next three weekends of June. Airing on the side of caution, participating builders are taking extra precautions to make the event a safe environment for attendees.
This year’s Parade will feature tours of more than 100 homes, making it the biggest year the organization has seen. Homes on the tour fall into a variety pricepoints ranging from entry-level homes ideal for first-time homebuyers to large estate homes in exclusive neighborhoods. Each home showcases the latest and greatest in terms of style, floorplan and interior design, providing many remodeling ideas for those not necessarily looking to buy.
To help out first-time attendees, Chatham recommends downloading the ATL Homes Parade app from the app store. The app provides a list of each home on the tour along with a detailed description. Using the app, attendees can search homes based on location, as well as pricepoint to help them maximize their home tour experience.
When touring each home, attendees can also use the app to vote on features within each home. These votes will not only be used to award the winning builders, but it will also enter attendees into a giveaway for a chance to win incredible prizes donated by the event’s sponsors.
To learn more about the 2020 Atlanta Parade of Homes, listen to the full interview above, or visit www.ATLHomesParade.com. To learn more about Chatham Neighborhoods and view its latest home projects, visit www.ChathamLegacy.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on the Radio page.
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlant...
Randy Schiltz, president of Magnolia Residential Properties and t-Olive Properties, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Schiltz' company and Villa Magnolia, the brand-new Italianate-inspired community of single-family detached homes on this All About Real Estate Segment of Radio.
Schiltz has been involved in residential construction in Atlanta for over 25 years. Learning the trade from his father, Schiltz gained enough experience in the industry to start is own business and work with regional builders in the area. He now builds around seven to 10 custom homes a year, each averaging around 7,000 square feet.
Magnolia Residential was formed as an offshoot of t-Olive Properties, which is a completely custom home building product. While t-Olive gives the customer the option to pick every single design aspect of the home, Magnolia Residential is semi-custom. Schiltz offers several packages for homebuyers to choose from and customize. This second company still provides custom homes, but with a less demanding approach.
Magnolia Residential Properties is currently working on the Villa Magnolia project. Villa Magnolia is a detached home development of 26 homes in Alpharetta. These homes offer an Italianate style that faces a central sidewalk, or muse. The muse takes residents directly into Wills Park. This park has a swimming pool, tennis court, dog park and more for residents to enjoy. Located on 299 South Main Street, Villa Magnolia is walkable to downtown Alpharetta and everything the metro Atlanta city has to offer. These homes are priced from the high $500,000s to the low $600,000s. “The idea was to bring the Italianate inspired architecture to Alpharetta,” said Schiltz. “It’s a different look. It’s not something that has been seen in Alpharetta.” Magnolia Residential Properties offers dozens of customizable options for the homes at Villa Magnolia. Everything is prepackaged and ready to pick for any future buyers. Homes feature four bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, GE Café series appliance package, soaking tub in the master bathroom and more.
To learn more about Villa Magnolia, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.toliveproperties.com/magnolia
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Magnolia Residential Properties are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (June/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Senior Director of Marketing for The Battery Atlanta, Lauren Abernethy, is in studio for today’s segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several things to do at The Battery Atlanta, upcoming events, changes due to COVID-19 (coronavirus) and more.
Originally from Jacksonville, Fla., Lauren has lived in Atlanta for nine years. She is a graduate of Mars Hill University in North Carolina, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in communications/ public relations and art with a minor in business management.
Abernethy has over 20 years of experience in program development, public relations and strategic marketing for property management across the Southeast with Simon Property Group serving in various positions including, Regional Vice President of Marketing, The Mills; Director of Marketing and Business Development of Lenox Square in Atlanta; West Town Mall in Knoxville, Tenn.; St.John’s Town Center in Jacksonville, Fla., Melbourne Square in Melbourne, Fla.; and Biltmore Square in Asheville, N.C.
The Battery Atlanta is a lifestyle center that is very focused on experiential opportunity. Activities and venues of all types are present at The Battery, including The Escape Game, Live at the Battery Atlanta, Garden and Gun Club, a nail salon, a boxing club, residential properties and so much more. The Battery Atlanta is suited for sports fanatics, families, college students, active adults and anyone else who enjoys spending time in Atlanta. The Battery Atlanta is also well-known for its wide variety of chef-inspired restaurants and cuisine, including:
Wahlburgers – Fresh burgers, housemade condiments and vegetarian options Yard House – American-style made from scratch daily + over 100 draft beer options PH’EAST – Asian street food offering an array of Asian dining options Antico – Pizza inspired by Giovanni Di Palma Superica – A classic “Mex-Tex” inspired eatery
“We pretty much run the gamut of all the types of food,” said Abernethy. “We have a great selection of chefs on the property. We have everyone’s food choices covered.” Abernethy and the rest of the team at The Battery are cautiously optimistic about baseball. They believe there will be baseball in some type of capacity in the future. The Battery Atlanta is home to Truist Park, the playing field of the Atlanta Braves.
Coming up, The Battery has several events still planned throughout the summer. While most events have new guidelines and restrictions to help ensure social distancing protocols, many events are still taking place. The farmer’s market is expected back this month, while the Children Series is still in the planning phase. Abernethy and the other staffing members at The Battery Atlanta are working to continue most summer events for Atlantans to enjoy while remaining safe during the process.
Some Battery Atlanta events are on-going with self-isolation protocols in place. Mondays were formerly the day for yoga at The Battery, and members are still participating virtually. Virtual yoga happens every Monday night and will still be an option in the future for anyone unable to attend in-person meetings or for other occurrences like rain or storms.
To hear about other events occurring this summer, plans for reopening and more, make sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.batteryatl.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and The Battery Atlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010.
South Atlanta Sales Manager Broker for Georgia for Adams Homes, Judy Mapp, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new communities in and around the metro Atlanta area on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Mapp has been in real estate for over 20 years. An Atlanta native, Mapp currently lives in Decatur with her large, close-knit family. Mapp has experience with both residential and new home construction, working with several builders in the metro Atlanta area. Around 2008, she returned to school to earn a degree in financial forensics. She returned again a few years ago to obtain a master’s in marketing.
Adams Homes is operated by a family-owned builder with an excellent team behind him. The Atlanta division was reopened in 2016 and has been thriving ever since. Mapp joined the Atlanta team along with the relaunch of this northern Georgia sales branch. Adams Homes was originally created by Wayne Adams in 1991 in Florida. With an emphasis on a team mentality and customer service, Adams Homes builds all over the South East, creating homeownership with purpose. Adams Homes currently has several projects in the works in the metro Atlanta area.
Wesminster Hills
Wesminster Hills is a luxury new home community in Spalding County. This quiet estate home community offers everything for a peaceful and relaxing lifestyle, including a serene wooded location, access to The Club at Shoal Creek tennis and golf center, large homesites and more. Wesminster Hills also offers easy access to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the Candler Field Museum, Camelot Theatre, Mop Dot Escape Room and so many other Griffin, Ga. favorites. Priced from the $240,000s, homes at Wesminster offer both ranch and two-story floor plans.
Lakeview Townhomes
For buyers looking for an incredible townhome community in Morrow, Ga., look no further! The brand-new townhomes at Lakeview include a variety of unique floorplans offering up to four bedrooms and three bathrooms. These homes also boast back patio and front porch options, perfect for relaxing outdoors during warm summer nights! These townhomes are priced as low as the $140,000s and allow residents to take advantage of incredible metro Atlanta location.
Spivey Village
Spivey Village is a private, active-adult community in Jonesboro. These homes are located just south of Atlanta for convenient day trips into the city and just over three hours from Savannah for fun weekend getaways. To help residents fully enjoy every minute of living at Spivey Village, this low-maintenance gated community offers several amenities including a million-dollar clubhouse, game room, media room, fitness center, swimming pool and more. The homes at Spivey Village offer a wide range of two-story homes and is priced from the $190,000s.
In addition to building beautiful homes in and around the metro Atlanta area, Adams Homes has also entered into a fantastic partnership with New American Funding. This preferred partner has been in business with Adams Homes since the first opening of the Atlanta branch several years ago. “It is so wonderful having their commitment,” said Mapp. “Just making sure that we always have what we need for our buyers to move forward and get into a new home. From the time we started in 2016 to now, they have been instrumental to making sure our customers are happy.” For more information on Adams Homes communities, make sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.adamshomes.com/homes-for-sale-atlanta-ga/.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify.
CEO and Founder of NterNow, Lynne Davis, and Chris Hartley, 40 under 40 Professional Builder Magazine, are in studio for this special edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses best practices and everything NterNow on this special All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Davis was a residential Realtor for over 20 years. She was finding it hard to get people in to tour homes around the housing market crash in 2008. It was these extenuating circumstances that helped her come up with the idea for NterNow. The software used in NterNow helps potential buyers tour a home on their own. It also allows Realtors to keep track of interested parties.
Hartley has been in the real estate industry since 2003. He works with public and privately-owned homebuilders across five different states. Currently in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Hartley believes in the power and usability of technology in the home building industry. He finds the use of technology not only important but also necessary in today's everchanging home building and real estate industries. Hartley is also a huge proponent of NterNow. “I’m a huge fan of NterNow and that’s no secret,” said Hartley. “I’ve been a fan and a user of their services for over three years. What I loved about the product is it was changing the business to allow people to buy or preview homes the way they wanted to.” Hartley noticed that in sales, buyers don’t normally want to talk to sales representatives or agents until they are ready to buy. NterNow allows buyers to look through and tour homes on their own time and reach out to the agent when they are ready. This process not only helps buyers have a more personalized, care-free and comfortable home shopping experience, but it still allows NterNow to hold onto information and leads from buyers.
Once a potential buyer enters a home, the lead information is automatically deployed to the sales agent. This means it is up to the sales agent to determine how to proceed and nurture the lead. Hartley implements a unique strategy to help convert these leads into sales. First, he recommends making the home noticeable and distinguishable from other homes for sale. Using the bright orange NterNow sign is a great way to draw attention to the house for sale, while also letting people know they can tour the home on their own. Next, Hartley gives the buyer space. He feels the home shoppers appreciate the space and don’t need sales agents hovering when trying to make the decision. Hartley also recommends ensuring your website notes that homes are available for touring through NterNow’s instant, home-access system without assistance. “Ninety-eight percent of buyers are online before they come tour the community,” said Hartley. “They know when they are touring that day that they have a home they can preview. People don’t need to look at NterNow as a replacement to the sales team, but rather an enhancement or an additional member of the sales team itself.” It is impossible for members of a sales team to work 24/7. While they do commit long hours to home sales, NterNow allows for additional hours of operation, including weekends and holidays. Hartley had two move-in ready homes available on the same street as four other move-in ready homes from different buyers. Both of Hartley's homes sold before any of the other homes, and this is most likely due to people being able to tour the homes during hours unavailable to the other houses for sale. “I remember one particular Fourth of July last year,” said Hartley. “We had 36 NterNow tours and we sold 6 of those homes within a week. That makes NterNow a member of the team.” NterNow not only helps turn visits into leads, but it also creates a better home buying experience for everyone involved. To get the full inside scoop on everything NterNow, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.nternow.com.
Chris Laumer-Giddens, a principal with LG Squared, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Laumer-Giddens discusses his background, how he became involved with LG Squared, the types of products and services available and more on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Laumer-Giddens knew he wanted to be an architect since kindergarten. This dream only intensified as he grew older and began working with his dad who worked in the building industry. Laumer-Giddens’ father introduced him to building techniques and alternative, ecofriendly materials. His father also introduced him to a “belt and suspenders” approach to the company, meaning if there are two different ways to approach a task, they do both. Laumer-Giddens earned a bachelor's degree in environmental design with a focus on architecture at the University of Colorado Boulder, a master's in architecture from the University of Colorado Denver and a certificate of historical preservation at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. In 2010, Laumer-Giddens joined his wife’s company and has been there ever since.
LG Squared started in 2006 in Tampa, Fla. It is a one-stop-shop company including architecture, construction, interior design and building science consulting agency. Known for a high-performance product, LG Squared focuses on healthy living, clean homes and ecofriendly green building. Not only does LG Squared build beautifully crafted homes that run smoothly and efficiently, but the buildings are created to last a lifetime with as little maintenance as possible.
The experts at LG Squared are concerned with the long-term functionality and durability of a home. This is one of the many reasons it is set apart from other competitors in the industry. One approach that is unique to its process is how they handle solar power. Instead of spending too much money, and even potentially wasting money on the installation, LG Squared waits almost two years to make sure it is done properly. They monitor the energy consumption of a family and use it to provide a completely customized and unique approach to energy-efficient homes. “Our first step, before we even talk or think about solar power, is to put our time and money into the building enclosure,” said Laumer-Giddens. “We make sure its using as little energy as possible and monitor how much energy someone uses over a year or two.” To learn about the several other products, services and approaches from LG Squared, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.lgsquaredinc.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and LG Squared are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Business Development Director of Panoramic Doors, Calais McGuinness, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, McGuinness discusses several unique products available for purchase, why Panoramic Doors is superior to other door systems and more on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
McGuinness is an Atlanta native who grew up and went to school in the Georgia state capital. Relocating to a metro Atlanta area, McGuinness currently resides in Canton with her husband and son. She has over 15 years in the home design and building industry, and most recently, McGuinness opened the first East Coast location for Panoramic Doors.
Panoramic Doors is an alternative to a bi-folding door system. It is a sliding and folding door system with no hinges, meaning no space is lost in the room. It also allows for a builder or homeowner to manipulate the door placement for maximum customization. The system itself works the same way across its many products, but there are several different ways to apply it. Panoramic Doors offers door and window products for builders and designers to utilize. The company supplies vinyl, aluminum and laminated vinyl systems to choose from. Each system also offers a variety of price ranges.
In addition to functionality and aesthetic features, Panoramic Doors also offers convenience in its products. When a Panoramic door is completely open, you still have the option to pull a retractable, pleated screen across the entire opening. When the door is closed, the screen only takes up about six inches, but when it is open, the screen covers the entire opening, working to protect from bugs, debris and other unwanted outdoor objects. This is one of many features included in the Panoramic door system that offers comfort and convenience to homeowners.
Panoramic Doors has a showroom in downtown Atlanta that offers potential customers a great opportunity to come see, feel and test out the product in person. In addition to the in-person store, the company is also very active on social media and displays videos online for clients to take advantage of. This is especially important and useful during social distancing surrounding the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic.
To hear more about Panoramic Doors, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also learn more on the website at www.PanoramicDoors.com. To connect with McGuinness Directly, visit the showrooms section of the website or reach out on social media. She can be found on Facebook at @CalaisMcGuinness and on Instagram at @PanoramicATL.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Panoramic Doors are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlant...
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Economic Development at Chattahoochee Technical College, Jason Tanner, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Tanner discusses the several different options available at Chattahoochee Tech, new programs, his role in the college and so much more on today's Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Starting his career in higher education as an English professor, Tanner knew he was teaching a required course for most incoming students. While several students were passionate about the class, it was only a stepping stone to more desired classes for students embarking on other majors. This was one of the factors that helped Tanner discover his passion for teaching at a two-year college. Tanner began working at a community college in the area and had the opportunity to teach a myriad of different types of students. Not only were there regular college students following a traditional path, but the classroom also contained high school students looking to get a jumpstart on higher education and older adults seeking to return to school.
After teaching English for several years, Tanner eventually eased into a more administrative role. Before landing his current role, Tanner was the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Chattahoochee Tech. Now, Tanner is in charge of overseeing and supervising all academic instruction at the college.
Chattahoochee Tech is the largest of Georgia’s 22 technical colleges. Chattahoochee Tech educates almost 10,000 students a semester and services six different Georgia counties. The college is also composed of 15 to 20% dual-enrollment students. While several traditional four-year colleges in the state of Georgia are a part of the University System of Georgia, a separate system oversees most of the two-year technical colleges in the state. The Technical College System of Georgia encompasses these schools.
In addition to traditional diplomas that require two years of instruction, Chattahoochee Tech also offers several certificates. These programs are specialized and can be completed in as little as eight weeks. One example is a certificate of truck driving. The associate degrees offer a wide range of courses from accounting to welding, in addition to all the normal core classes like English and math. “We prepare students for what we call middle-skill careers and jobs,” said Tanner. “Those are the things that don’t require a full four-year degree like engineering, but do require more than just a high school diploma or the equivalency.” To learn more about Chattahoochee Technical College, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.chattahoocheetech.edu.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Chattahoochee Technical College are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
President and CEO of FMLS Jeremy Crawford is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Crawford is back to discuss several service enhancements, give a market update and share his forecasts for the housing industry on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Serving over 47,000 brokers and agents in the greater Georgia area, FMLS combines its real estate services with technology to help buyers, sellers and the community as a whole. Going on its 60th year of operation, FMLS was the first multiple listing service in the nation and was created by a group of brokers. Crawford is an East Tennessee State University alumnus with over 20 years in the MLS industry. In addition to his current position at FMLS, Crawford has also been CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, COO of the MLS in San Jose and the CIO of the San Diego MLS. “We are really trying to help the brokers and agents in today’s shifting environment for buying online services,” said Crawford. Before adjustments had to be made because of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, FMLS offered three storefront locations for brokers and agents to visit and gather various materials and resources. Now, the company has arranged a way for these industry professionals to order all the required tools and services online. This includes appraisals, key services and more. This new system supports social distancing protocols and helps to protect everyone involved at FMLS.
In addition to updating several products, FMLS also has older services that are even more useful in the current climate than they have been in the past. One platform specifically is a down payment resource that is getting used by several agents and brokers. This platform searches several programs available nationally to help in down payment assistance. This allows for buyers, including first-time buyers, to find programs to help cut housing costs.
FMLS has also been busy analyzing the current housing market and future trends. Typically, the trends and patterns in the housing climate is looked at and studied on a month-by-month basis, but due to the unique circumstances surrounding COVID-19, trends are now being analyzed daily. So far in 2020, while the way buyers and sellers are conducting business is very different from years past, the housing industry is staying on trend with late 2019 and doing well. When looking at the number of mortgage applications coming into the major city markets, Atlanta is the second least affected mortgage application area in the nation. It trails only behind Dallas.
To get a more in-depth analysis on the housing industry, get a comprehensive market update and hear about other products from FMLS, make sure to listen to the full radio interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and FMLS are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Hannah Palmer, coordinator with Finding the Flint, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how Finding the Flint was created, the benefits the organization has on the entire community, where the project is headed and so much more on this segment of Around Atlanta Radio.
Palmer is a Georgia native and has grown up in the Atlanta airport area where she still resides. After a lifetime living in the airport area, Palmer has noticed several changes to the community and its surrounding space. Palmer notes that the airport seems to swallow up several parts of the land surrounding it, slowly taking it over. It was this realization and fascination that lead her to write her book, “Flight Path.” Her book written in 2017 is part memoir, part investigation on the impact of Hartsfield Jackson on the surrounding area. “I’ve seen a lot of destruction from the airport,” said Palmer. “But more than that, the book is kind of forward-thinking. I discuss what the airport means to Atlanta and how we can start to balance the benefits of having the airport with an increased quality of life here on the Southside.” Because of her work and research on airport development, Palmer was approached by several conservation groups who had been studying the Flint River. This Georgia river starts in the east airport area and flows over 340 miles to the Florida state line. One group was interested in getting a team of people together who were familiar with the area to talk about the future of the river and how to preserve the headwater.
This led to the Finding the Flint project. In conjunction with the Conservation Fund and American Rivers, two nonprofits who specialize in conservation and river preservation, Palmer became the coordinator for this extra special project. The project also received help from other Atlanta groups including the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) to help with funding.
The project focuses on finding areas where development is happening around the airport, as well as areas where the Flint River headwater is either hidden or neglected. The group then proposes ideas for parks, trails, greenspace, redevelopment, sustainable options and more. This helps bring the headwater back into the lives of people in the surrounding area. “It’s kind of like combining economic development of the Southside with environmental restoration,” said Palmer. “We’re trying to bring value back to areas that are brushed off or ignored.”
Finding the Flint works in small, medium and large spaces. Not only does the group have short-term goals like helping the community understand the importance of the Flint River and leading them to these areas, but the project also includes several long-term plans as well. Long-term planning includes the redevelopment of large-scale areas in the airport vicinity. Palmer aids in the progression of both short-term and long-term plans by educating the public, allowing them to rediscover the Flint River and the excitement it entails.
To learn more about Finding the Flint, the Flint River or how to get involved with the initiative, visit www.FindingTheFlint.org. Also, make sure to listen to the full interview above to get the full inside scoop on this incredible Atlanta organization.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Finding the Flint are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing por...
Business Development Manager with New American Funding, David White, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses what makes New American Funding unique, some of the new products and services offered and who benefits the most from using its service on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
White got started in the industry over seven years ago all the way in California. He has been in the Atlanta market for the past five years after making the big move from the West Coast to the East Coast half a decade ago. Once in Atlanta, White began working as a loan officer assistant and worked his way up to management. He always had a strong focus in real estate and dealt with purchase volume, servicing the real estate business, keeping Realtors and clients a top priority and more. “Kelly Allison with New American Funding in Atlanta recruited me over to her team, and it has been an absolute blessing ever since,” said White. “We’ve done some incredible things in my years here are New American Funding in Atlanta, Georgia. New American Funding is a full-service direct mortgage lender company with several products and services designed to help its clients and loan officers. The business focuses on helping its clients save money while also providing homeownership to people every day. With programs in place to help buyers with credit scores as low as 580, New American Funding is set up to help buyers on a wide spectrum.
New American Funding currently has a completely free application called Townify. Townify is a CRM system that helps its realtors and builder partners get a live look at the loan process. Users can send their customers prequalification applications, as well as information on closing date times, signings, progress tracking and so much more. Now, New American Funding and its partners can stay on top of the loan process from start to finish.
Another quality unique to New American Funding is its dedication to referral partners. All referral partners are put on the mortgage statement for homeowners to see every single month. This combined with several other tactics like sending out holiday and birthday cards, is just one of the many strategies used by New American Funding to ensure its partners are well looked after and cared about – even after closing! “As we know, that mortgage statement has a 100% open rate,” said White. “Everyone opens their mortgage note every single month. They are able to see right there the builder or real estate partners on the note.” The technology and customer service strategies put in place by New American Funding are designed to not only help its referral partners, but also the consumers. All processes are set up to be user-friendly for anyone who might need to use the product or services offered. Whether it’s a young Millennial making a first-time home purchase, or an older couple looking to downsize, New American Funding is equipped to help and make the process as easy and seamless as possible.
To learn more about everything happening at New American Funding, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (May/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc....
Executive Director of HomeAid Atlanta Mandy Crater is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses HomeAid Atlanta initiatives to help the homeless community, the mission that guides its community outreach the ongoing Essentials Drive ending soon.
Crater recently celebrated her fifth anniversary with HomeAid Atlanta in April and is excited to continue her important work with the organization. Crater has been in the homebuilding industry for most of her life, starting her career working with the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association and moving on to the construction industry after that. In addition to her role as Executive Director at HomeAid Atlanta, Crater is also a proud mom of two children.
HomeAid Atlanta's mission is to build new lives for homeless families and individuals through housing and community outreach. The organization and its supporters achieve this through several different approaches. One of the main ways HomeAid Atlanta helps end homelessness in the area is partnering with professionals in the building industry to identify nonprofits that build houses and provide resources for homeless people in the greater Atlanta area. “We put the builders together with the nonprofits that are helping people to get into stable housing,” said Crater. “We get discounts, donation and expertise to help those nonprofits build whatever they need to expand their capacity, do more outreach and more. We are all working together to get people into stable housing. It’s a great way for builders to give back to the community.” Part of the HomeAid Atlanta mission focuses on community outreach. That is why every year before Mother’s Day, the organization hosts its annual Essentials Drive. The Essentials Drive is a community-wide drive to collect diapers and wipes. About 40% of individuals experiencing homelessness in the Atlanta area are mothers, many of whom have young babies. This drive is focused on helping these homeless mothers and babies who don’t have other safety nets or support organizations to fall back on in their time of need.
This year, the Essentials Drive is running a little different than normal in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. HomeAid Atlanta created individual shopping lists for all of its nonprofit partners who are ready to help moms and babies. It also recruited Amazon to help with the deliveries to continue practicing social distancing and self-isolation protocols. Everyone who wants to help can use Amazon Smile to donate essential supplies can do so online.
So far, eight out of 23 service providers have their needs met. This means there are several nonprofit partners with shopping lists uncomplete. To help ensure everything on the list gets purchased and delivered to the homeless moms in the Atlanta area in time for Mother’s Day, be sure to check out the full list of HomeAid’s service partners. Visit the link here to view the list and find their clickable links to individual shopping wish lists.
After selecting the items to put in the cart, visit smile.amazon.com and select HomeAid Atlanta, Inc. as the charity of choice. After paying for the items, be sure to invite others to donate and take part in providing mothers and babies with the items they need and deserve.
To find out more about any of the ways to help in the 2020 Essentials Drive, listen to the full interview above. You can also contact HomeAid Atlanta Director of Community Outreach Karen McLane at 678-775-1450 or karen@homeaidatlanta.org. You can also visit www.HomeAidAtlanta.org.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify.
President and CEO of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) Jeremy Crawford is in studio on today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new product updates and launches from FMLS on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Serving over 47,000 brokers and agents in the greater Georgia area, FMLS combines its real estate services with technology to help buyers, sellers and the community as a whole. Crawford is an East Tennessee State University alumnus with over 20 years in the MLS industry. In addition to his current position at FMLS, Crawford has also been CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, COO of the MLS in San Jose and the CIO of the San Diego MLS.
In early March, FMLS began the switch to operate almost entirely virtually in response to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak. All but a handful of essential workers began to work remotely to serve their clients and the industry’s needs. The few workers who still work in an office setting to complete their key tasks are being well looked after and adhering to several social distancing and isolation protocols. FMLS is proud to announce that no employees have contracted coronavirus due to their careful procedures and the efforts of all employees and management.
In addition to remaining safe during the pandemic, FMLS prides itself on continuing to provide stellar customer service five days a week, live chats for agents and the same historical products to all agents and industry professionals. In addition to the several products and services still offered by FMLS, the organization has also updated many of its products recently.
FMLS was the first multiple listing service in the nation to launch, in conjunction with the real estate portals and broker and agent website providers, a build to support virtual open houses, as well as support simulated broker and agent caravans. This allows for the agent to have a live stream virtual open house in the Atlanta area. This also helps everyone to adhere to the social distancing and self-isolation protocols.
All the live stream platforms are set up to record the virtual tours. This allows for potential buyers to look back at the tours for reference, or to compare houses through virtual touring.
Another product recently launched exclusively by FMLS is Home Beat. This feature helps agents keep their previous buyers and sellers up-to-date with what is going on in their neighborhoods. With Home Beat, agents can set up an automatic comparable market analysis that keeps everyone updated on how their properties are doing compared to other properties.
FMLS has several other product updates and launches in 2020 so far. To learn more, make sure to listen to the full interview above. Also, make sure to tune into Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio later this month to get another update from Crawford. A full Radio lineup can be found here.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and FMLS are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.
Program Specialist for World Languages and Global Workforce Initiatives with the Georgia Department of Education, Patrick Wallace is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Wallace discusses the broad scope of his job, why knowledge of other languages is especially important in the current climate and more in today’s Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Wallace oversees the 216 school districts in the state of Georgia in the area of world languages. This includes more than 550,000 students learning a language across the state. Wallace serves and supports the administration, as well as the students with day-to-day activities such as curriculum questions, articulation questions, hiring and finding talents across Georgia.
Wallace is also involved in several programs, including the Georgia Seal of Biliteracy. The Georgia Seal of Biliteracy is an insignia students have the opportunity to receive upon graduation that recognizes them for high proficiency in a second language. Another program Wallace is involved with is the International Skills Diplomacy program. This organization is a unique program that started in 2015. It consists of international businesses recognizing leaders in the school system who have a global or international focus on their education. A third program Wallace dedicates his time to is the Dual Language Immersion Initiative. This program seeks to teach students in two different languages throughout the day. The goal is to have students immersed in two separate languages every day in school.
Apart from the many programs Wallace is involved in supporting and overseeing, he also spends his time meeting with other international agencies and departments to work with and grow the international community in Georgia. This includes outreach to non-English-speaking families to complete tasks such as interpreting, translating and clarifying objectives. “These are all the things that go into my wheelhouse,” said Wallace. “It’s quite a large area, but it has never been boring. The job has always been exciting with plenty to do. There is a tremendous amount of progress happening in global education in Georgia.” Wallace believes that the understanding of several different languages and cultures is especially important during current times. With the incredible amount of uncertainty and fear surrounding the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, several countries are experiencing similar repercussions and consequences of the virus. The knowledge of other languages and the ability to interact with different cultures experiencing a similar way of life due to outside influences is increasingly important. “We also need to have that cooperation within the context of our society to be able to work with people from different backgrounds,” said Wallace. “I constantly hear from business professionals again and again how collaboration and communication are increasingly important.” These ideals are fostered in the world language classroom where Wallace and his organization are working to improve knowledge, skills and interaction between nations. In addition to the advantages on a global scale, learning a second language can also be beneficial for a number of other reasons. Cognitive and academic advancement is a huge value to students who learn a second language, as well as higher empathy and understanding levels.
To learn more about Patrick Wallace or the World Languages and Global Workforce Initiatives, visit the link here. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and the World Languages and Global Workforc...
President of Sales & Marketing of Liberty Communities, Lurae Davis, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new communities in a variety of different price points all over the metro Atlanta area on this All About Real Estate Radio segment.
Davis has been in the real estate industry for over 25 years, starting when she was just 10 years old. Davis has focused on new construction for the past 20 years, dedicating over two decades of her time and experience to the industry. After spending several years at D.R. Horton, Davis transitioned to her current position at Liberty Communities.
Liberty Communities’ main focus is providing a fantastic product at an affordable price. The professionals are currently executing this by focusing on their “independent” or entry-level homes. These are the homes priced from the $190,000 to the $230,000s. In addition to the independent level product, Liberty Communities also offers a second level of homes in the Providence Series. The Providence Series features homes above $250,000. “That is the market that we found that was missing in the Atlanta market,” said Davis. “The buyers that were looking for homes under $250,000.” Moving forward, Liberty Communities is excited for several new communities opening up, as well as new products allowing for buyers to close within 30 to 45 days. River Walk Farms, a community with a waterpark, is opening starting from the low $200,000s, and Ashley Glenn is opening soon starting in the $300,000s. Liberty Communities is pleased to continue offering a wide range of communities at several different price points.
Ashley Glenn is a community in Pike County. The homes offer four to five bedrooms, master on main and ranch floor plans. Homes in this community boast several upgradable features including the brand-new game day porch. This add on is designed to allow residents to cheer on their favorite teams with the whole family with features such as outdoor television setups and fireplaces.
College Heights, another new community priced from the low $200,000s, is selling fast. The homes offer three to five bedrooms and up to three-and-a-half bathrooms. This community also features a beautifully decorated model home to tour, allowing for future residents to get a better idea of their future home.
Liberty Communities is in a partnership with their preferred lender, New American Funding. For several years, the two established companies have been working together to provide homeownership for buyers all over the Southeast. “They are always willing to step up and help our buyers quickly and efficiently,” said Davis. “We can get them qualified and into a new Liberty Community home with their assistance. Also, anything they can do to help the buyers is always offered. They have great communication with our buyers, allowing them to feel comfortable during the whole process.” To learn more about the several communities offered by Liberty Communities, visit www.LibertyCommunities.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Liberty Communities are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc.
Randall Fox, festival director with the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, is in studio for this Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Fox discusses the creative ways the event organization is continuing to support local artists and bring the community together.
A nurse practitioner by trade, Fox worked in trauma for 25 years before diving into the events industry. Now as the festival director of the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces (AFFPS), Fox works to share his passion for the arts through exciting events aimed at supporting the local art community.
The Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces is an organization built and designed with the focus of supporting artists by holding events and festivals that connect them to the public. As a community-oriented organization, the AFFPS works closely with the community and surrounding neighborhoods to support local artists and help them make a living. Art festivals occur throughout the year, providing these local artists with a unique opportunity to interact with the public and gain exposure for their craft.
Due to COVID-19 and social distancing measures, many of AFFPS’s spring arts festivals have been postponed. With no art festivals taking place, many local artists have lost opportunities to promote and sell their work. Despite these circumstances, the AFFPS has continued to look for opportunities to communicate and bring the community together. Luckily for them, social media is allowing that to happen! Rather than using social media to promote the festival, the AFFPS is promoting individual artists by sharing photos of their art and links to their websites through its Facebook and Instagram pages.
In addition to sharing artists and their products through social media, Fox and the AFFPS are also encouraging the artists to give back to the community and show that everyone is in this together. With so many people at home trying to find things to do, several of the artists have reached out to members of the community to offer virtual painting or drawing lessons. Fox believes that just because everyone is physically distanced, doesn’t mean the community can’t continue to come together to support one another.
For those looking to keep up to date on the rescheduling of AFFPS’s spring art festivals, visit www.affps.com for a complete list of events and dates. Each individual art festival has its own website with further details regarding the event. You can also listen to the full interview above for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Lynne Davis, founder and CEO of NterNow is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the success NterNow has experienced during the coronavirus crisis. Davis' patented on-demand home access system has helped several companies and individuals in the building industry continue to gather leads and generate sales.
Over 10 years ago, Davis was working as a Realtor and was struggling to sell a few houses inside the Atlanta perimeter. This was right around the time of the Great Recession, and Davis was worried about the homes of her builder and others. It was this worry that helped her realize joining technology to the industry could immensely help sales. “I could figure out who those people were who were pulling all my flyers, but not calling me to see the house,” said Davis. “If I offered them immediate home access, maybe they would bite, and I could figure out who these prospects were.” Since Davis was in college, she knew she wanted to be an entrepreneur. While working her first job, she took night classes at Syracuse to help earn a degree in entrepreneurial science. This passion for starting her own business and being a lifelong learner helped her establish the pieces to start NterNow.
NterNow is all about self-service. The company allows for homes to remain locked until interested buyers are ready to tour through the model and move-in ready homes by themselves. The customer is able to view these homes more comfortably and without pressure while touring alone. NterNow is also able to gather information from these interested buyers through the identity verification process. This information can be sent to the sales agent for a follow-up. “Today’s consumer has been moving the building world towards self-service for a long time now,” said Davis. “The rise of virtual and augmented reality where people can envision themselves in the comfort of their own home and social and things like Pinterest that allow people to create their homes are all dreaming platforms for a new home.” NterNow is not designed to take the place of onsite sales agents, but rather aid in sales and allow for alternatives to touring homes. All homebuyers are different and have different needs and wants when it comes to purchasing a home. NterNow allows for flexibility and the ability to offer different options. It is also extremely useful and beneficial during the current COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. People can maintain social distancing while still touring homes and searching for their future dream home.
NterNow is positioned to continue to help home builders through the coronavirus crisis. For more information, call 678-910-1811 or visit www.NterNow.com. You can also listen to the full interview above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and NterNow are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Eric Broadwell, event director with GA 400 Century Ride, is in studio for this episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Broadwell discusses the annual 100-mile bike race starting on GA 400 on today's Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Broadwell started his career as an aerospace engineer before moving on to IT and eventually landing in cycling advocacy. Broadwell and his kids raced bikes, and he quickly realized the interaction on the roads was not up to par with certain safety standards. This led Broadwell to go out into the community to educate and inform other cyclers on safety and fun! In addition to his work with cycling advocacy, Broadwell is also on the Board of Directors at Cobb EMC, a private pilot and works to flip houses and planes. A jack-of-all-trades, Broadwell is extremely active in several facets of the community!
The GA 400 Century Ride is a 100-mile bike race starting with three miles on GA 400 and leading down Highway 9. The whole race only disrupts traffic for 30 minutes, allowing for the most convenience and safety for both cyclists and drivers. In recent years, the GA 400 Century Ride also took on an incredible charitable organization, Emory Heart and Vascular Center. This newly formed center is one of the many charities benefiting from the race.
While the race is designed to be 100 miles upon completion, there are several alternative race routes for cyclists of all experience levels. The shortest race is nine miles and is named the “I Did it” ride. There are also 26, 44 and 60-mile options for varying skill levels. The race with the most participants is usually the 60-mile race.
This event has been growing over the past 12 years and saw 1,600 participants in 2019. The organizers of GA 400 Century Ride expect over 2,000 participants in the 2020 race. In addition to the race, the event offers plenty of live music, free beer and free lunch. There will also be vendors all around the area to interact with.
The event is set to take place on June 28 at 7:00 a.m. Anyone interested in signing up or participating in the event can visit www.GA400Century.com. You Can also listen to the full interview above for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and GA 400 Century Ride are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jerry Thompson, CEO of StrucSure Home Warranty, and Vice President of Sales Eastern Division Cindy Huber are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several products and services available through StrucSure Home Warranty, how the business got started and what sets it apart from other home warranty services. Started in 1997 in Colorado, StrucSure has grown to become a national business and one of the top warranty providers for new homes in the United States. With home warranties in almost every state, StrucSure Home Warranty’s ability to grow and expand over time is one of the many reasons its dedication to providing products and services to homeowners and new home builders.
StrucSure Home Warranty’s core product provides 10-year insurance-backed structural home warranties for home builders. With several other products available for remodelers, repair contractors and other specialized experts in the business, StrucSure is available and ready to help everyone in the home building industry. “We offer these warranties to homebuilders and they can then offer them to their buyers,” said Thompson. “Then the buyers feel comfortable about buying their home. It’s their investment of a lifetime and can be quite an emotional purchase.” The most popular product from StrucSure Home Warranty, the 10-year warranty, covers all major structural defects. This includes failure in any low-bearing part of the home, such as the foundation, the floor joists or the roof trusses. Any issue in the home that is deemed unsafe, unsanitary or unlivable is covered in the warranty. This helps protect new homeowners when they move into their brand-new homes. The last thing buyers want to worry about is additional expenses after a new home purchase.
Another popular product from StrucSure Home Warranty is the two-year warranty. This product backs up the other builder warranty for the first year. When you buy a new home, a builder offers a one-year workmanship and materials warranty. This helps with smaller inconveniences that might need to be fixed in the home like squeaky floors and leaky windows. StrucSure stands behind the builder and steps-up to help fix these things. “We differentiate our selves based on quality, service and price,” said Thompson. “What differentiates us the most is the service. We are competitive on pricing, as good or better on coverage, but our service is where we really take our pride. We provide world-class service for our customers.” For more information on StrucSure Home Warranty, visit www.strucsure.com. You can also listen to the full interview linked above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and StrucSure Home Warranty are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
Co-founder and COO of Grubbly Farms, Patrick Pittaluga is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how Grubbly Farms came into fruition, the impact it has on the environment and the benefits of Grubblies on this Around Atlanta segment of radio.
Pittaluga started Grubbly Farms right out of college with his cousin, Sean Warner. Starting school with a desire to pursue engineering, Pittaluga eventually switched to a degree in business. This, combined with his entrepreneurial spirit and a click-bait article about how everyone will most likely be eating insects by 2030, helped start Grubbly Farms.
In the U.S. alone, there is about 52 million tons of food waste every year that goes into landfills which then becomes methane gas. The concept behind Grubbly Farms was created when cofounders Pittaluga and Warner realized instead of going into landfills, this food waste could be fed to grubs. The grubs can then aid as a source of protein for any animal. Chickens, fish, dogs, cats, goats and several other farm or domesticated animals can incorporate grubs into their protein-dependent diet. Grubbly Farms specializes in chicken feed, offering a well-rounded snack or meal for these farm birds. “We launched our product, Grubblies, which is made of whole, dry black soldier fly grubs,” said Pittaluga. “They are an alternative to meal worms and a USA grown product.” Grubblies offers 50 times more calcium than mealworms and are packed for protein. One handful of Grubblies has more calcium than five pounds of mealworms. This means stronger eggshells and healthier feathers in chickens. It also offers a great taste that chickens love. Not only are Grubblies great for chickens, but they are just as good for the environment. The grubs used in Grubblies feed off of food waste, helping to reduce the amount of methane gas released into the atmosphere. The ingredients in Grubblies are also safely and sustainably harvested on FDA-approved grub farms. “It’s also important because chickens were and are still moving from farm animals to actual pets,” said Pittaluga. “People are naming them, they’re buying them toys, treats and spending money on them just like dogs and cats. Chickens are starting to become part of the family, so people are becoming more aware of what comes in chicken food and what their pets are eating.” To learn more about Grubbly Farms or to get started with Grubblies today, make sure to visit www.GrubblyFarms.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Grubbly Farms are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a g...
Glenn and Bernie Drake, brokers and owners of Drake Realty, are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses how Drake Realty was created, how it works today and several of its many services. The owners and brokers with Drake Realty also dive into some of their favorite programs offered by their trusted partner New American Funding on today’s All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Drake Realty is celebrating 30 years of business this year and recently marked the occasion with a brand-new logo. Starting in a basement over three decades ago, Drake Realty has grown to accommodate over 700 agents in the current, thriving businesses it is known as today. “Our philosophy is we are facilitating agents,” said Glenn Drake. “We are letting them do their job and whatever they need to do to be successful in real estate.” Drake Realty is a full-service real estate company in the metro Atlanta area. The owners and brokers at Drake Realty pride themselves in supporting any buying, selling, investing or business needs for the real estate industry. There are currently eight offices spread out across Georgia, with seven offices in the Atlanta area and one on Lake Oconee.
In addition to the full-service real estate business, Glenn and Bernie Drake have also been hard at work developing a mobile app to help change the way realtors and title companies transfer earnest money. Bank Shot, the app created by Drake Realty, enables users to complete real estate transactions via their smartphone. This development allows brokers to connect back to their agency and enter in key pieces of information about the transaction. Now, agents can deposit and send money via the mobile app whether it is earnest money, commission or security deposits.
“Bank Shot was developed because we saw a need in the marketplace within our own business,” said Bernie Drake. “When contracts became electronic, we noticed that the sense of urgency to get earnest money to us was declining, even though its in the contract that there are specific times when it needs to get to the broker and when the broker needs to deposit it.” Drake Realty understands that real estate is built on good relationships and partnerships. That is why they partner with New American Funding. In addition to the several one-of-a-kind programs offered by New American Funding, the team has an incredible group of professionals and experts ready to make the buying and selling process easier. “I have never worked with anyone that truly speaks the language of customer service, facilitates agents in what they need and actually lives the brand besides Kelly and her team at New American Funding,” said Glenn Drake. “I wouldn’t work with anyone else; they are just that good at what they do.” To learn more about Drake Realty, visit www.DrakeRealty.us. You can also listen to the full interview above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Drake Realty are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.
Dr. Amy Stevens, a licensed professional counselor with Georgia Military Women and a member of the board of Vetlanta, is in studio for today’s Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio episode. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Stevens participated in this Around Atlanta segment of Radio to discuss her motivation for starting the group, how the group helps veterans and ways to get involved.
Stevens is a proud Navy veteran with 11 years of active duty experience and four years in the reserve. After she received a medical discharge, Stevens went to work for the U.S. Department of Labor. She retired from her position with the Department of Labor and then became the director of psychological health for the National Guard. Stevens held this position from 2009 to 2012. This position was especially important because it was during the time when several deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan occurred. “It really connected me back to the military community, which I kind of walked away from as many women will do,” said Stevens. “That is why I started Georgia Military Women online on Facebook in 2012.” Steven heard many different perspectives and accounts of issues from the members of the National Guard. She realized there were still several problems with the system regarding women, some of which have been problems since the early 1980s. Georgia Military Women was created as an avenue for women to come together in a safe and protected place. The professional and social space is a place for military women to share resources, benefits and support.
Georgia is ranked fifth in the nation for the number of women veterans, with over 80,000 veterans. There are 38,000 women veterans in the Atlanta area alone, about 20,000 of which receive some type of service from the Atlanta Veterans Association. Several of these women have found comfort and support in Georgia Military Women.
Georgia Military Women is composed of several demographics that represent Georgia well. Ages of the veterans spread from women in their 20s to women over 65. The group is also made up of several different ethnicities and backgrounds.
To learn more about how to become involved in Georgia Military Women and learn about the several benefits available to members, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit the Facebook page.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Engel & Völkers are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (April/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Shirley Gary, licensed partner and CEO of Engel & Völkers Buckhead Atlanta and Atlanta North Fulton, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Gary discusses her process at Engel & Völkers, as well as the several communities and builders she represents.
Gary, an Atlanta native has been in real estate for over 30 years with a strong focus on new construction. She started her career working directly with builders for 20 years, before branching off and purchasing an Engel & Völkers franchise about six years ago. She started with the first market in Buckhead Atlanta and helped it grow from an 800 square foot state to a 5,000 square foot state. Gary also opened a second Atlanta location in North Fulton. Between the two locations, the company has about 110 advisors.
One Engel & Völkers builder, Rockhaven, has 12 communities currently open and plans to open five more this year. These single-family homes range in price from the high $100,000s to the low $300,000s, targeting the first time homebuyer market. Even with several outside factors playing into the market regarding coronavirus, Rockhaven homes are selling fast. This builder has not seen a slowdown in homebuyers. To see more homes by Rockhaven, visit www.rockhavenga.com. “I think with the interest rates being what they are, regardless of the current environment, if you are able to get into a new home, first time homebuyers need to take advantage of that opportunity,” said Gary. “This is such an affordable time to buy.” Jim Chapman Communities, another Engel & Völkers builder is currently working on several active adult communities. Like several other builders concerned with the safety of their buyers, Jim Chapman Communities is switching to appointment only. Make sure to go to www.JimChapmanCommunities.com to explore a few of their several metro Atlanta communities before calling to schedule a personal one-on-one tour. “We try to be that expert and be that partner for builders,” said Gary “With our depth of experience and the number of people we have on site that also have experience in new homes; we know we bring the right people and the right team to help builders.” One thing that sets Engel & Völkers apart, is when they bring in a marketing team, they set up long term relationships. In addition to external partners and resources, the company also has long relationships with builders. Some builders started with Engel & Völkers when they were creating their first homes and remain with them today after 500 homes. The experience level and partnership of Engel & Völkers is unique and highly sought-after.
One contributor to the success of Engel & Völkers is their preferred partner New American Funding. Like Engel & Völkers, New American Funding has several highly-trained, resourceful and personal staff to help make them successful. Gary needed a lender that helped with problems instead of making them, working to create solutions and answers. This, in addition to the several years of experience they have with builders in the Atlanta market is one of the many reasons Engel & Völkers decided to partner with the experts at New American Funding.
To learn more, reach out to Shirley Gary at www.shirleygary.evrealestate.com or 404-213-4299. Gary prides herself on always having an open door policy and returning all emails and phone calls the very next day. Also, be sure to listen to the full interview linked above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Engel & Völkers are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show.
CEO, Founder and Alpha Dog of Canine Pet Rescue, Carla Brown is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Brown is welcomed on this Around Atlanta segment of Radio to discuss her organization, what to look for when adopting a dog, success stories, upcoming events and more.
Brown, a Georgia native, grew up in Dalton and attended school in Macon. After graduating from law school, she made her way to Gwinnett County and has resided there ever since. Brown practiced law in Gwinnett County for 14 years and then proceeded to the Bench as a state court judge. In 2009, Brown started Canine Pet Rescue.
Canine Pet Rescue is primarily a German Shepherd rescue facility but often takes in other dog breeds when necessary. With a goal of saving German Shepherds and other dogs from high kill shelters in the South, Canine Pet Rescue is a nonprofit organization with over 10 years of experience. “I was doing a little of all-breed rescue,” said Brown. “I had a passion for German Shepherds because they are my favorite breed, so I ended up bringing in more and more of them. Then I realized all-breed rescues are not adequately trained to bring in German Shepherds. They aren’t set up to take them in, train them or place them. They are more difficult dogs than others, and it is a more difficult placement. I felt like they deserved more time and attention than they were getting.” Due to Brown’s passion and expertise with German Shepherds, her adoption efforts slowly transitioned into a mainly one breed rescue facility, Canine Pet Rescue. In 2019, the facility brought in over 150 new dogs, and around 125 dogs were adopted. All dogs that pass through the facility are spayed/neutered, current on vaccines, microchipped and on flea and Heart Worm preventative prior to placement.
In January of 2019, Canine Pet Rescue was involved in aiding a puppy mill rescue. They were able to take in and place 30 puppies rescued from a puppy mill. The puppies were all rehomed to loving and caring families, many of which still send updates on the growth and training of their new furry friends.
When looking for reputable dog rescuers, the first thing to consider is whether or not they are licensed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture. Next, ensure the rescue has a 501c3 status, to guarantee all donations are going to the betterment of all dogs within the facility’s care. Also, make sure to find out about the medical records. There should be bloodwork, Heart Worm testing, vaccine workups and more to make sure the dogs are not only being well looked after, but their individual medical needs are met and accounted for. “All the basic care that we provide our dogs, the rescue should have already done before the dog was adopted,” said Brown. “The dog should be in good health, or if it came into the rescue with a physical condition, it should be on a road to good health with a road map for the adopter to have to keep the dog on track.” Canine Pet Rescue is currently getting ready for one of their most popular annual events, Bikes, Barks and Barbeque. Going on its tenth year, this fun-filled event was proposed by an adopter over a decade ago. The event starts with a bike ride that ends at Brown’s farm. After the bike ride, everyone gathers at the farm for a barbeque cookout. The barbeque is joined by dog demos, vendors, bouncy houses and other fun activities. Plus, all dogs are welcome!
To learn about any of the events hosted by Canine Pet Rescue, find volunteer opportunities and meet some of the puppies available for adoption at www.CaninePetRescue.com. You can also listen to the full interview above for more information!
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606.
Owner and Managing Partner of Maximum One Executive Realtors Kenneth Storey is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Storey is on this All About Real Estate segment to discuss how the company operates and several unique advantages Realtors have by working with his team, including 100% commission.
Storey, an Atlanta resident since 1984, is a proud husband, father and business owner. Storey and his wife Monica opened their branch of Maximum One Realtors over three years ago and currently have offices in Alpharetta, Buford, Cumming, Duluth, Dawsonville and Gainesville. Originally started in 2007, Maximum One Realtors has 23 offices, eight franchises and over 1,500 agents. In metro Atlanta, the real estate company specializes in several different types of homes including single-family, condos, townhomes and even commercial. “We try to serve everything and everyone,” said Storey. “In Atlanta, you have to do a little bit of it all to supply the needs of your customers, so we try to do that.” The Atlanta market is currently seeing tremendous growth nearing the end of the first quarter of 2020. In addition to the growth in Atlanta, the entire Southeast is also experiencing an upward trend. Maximum One Realtors is a hybrid company, taking the best of traditional real estate and agent centricity. Focusing on broker support, training and agent needs helps this real estate company offer unique advantages to agents. In addition, it also offers over 200 hours of CE classes each month for free. “We are really excited to see the growth,” said Storey. “We are excited to see how we are expanding. We just opened our Duluth office about two days ago. Seeing our brand expand as only a thirteen-year-old company and watching it become one of the fastest-growing real estate companies in the country is really exciting.” Agents working for Maximum One are offered unique benefits ensuring they take home a majority of their commission. In addition to the $48 they pay monthly to be a member of the hybrid organization, they only pay $310 per sale. This is much lower than the 30-40% taken from other companies, meaning agents take home almost 100% commission. The $310 is also capped out at $6,000. For agents, that means only the first 20 deals are charged. Deal number 21 is completely free and 100% commission is earned. “Our belief is if our agents are doing the lion’s share of the work, they should keep a lion’s share of the profits,” said Storey. “Our simple philosophy is we help you save more, we help you learn more, so we can help you earn more.” Maximum One Realtors is committed to offering several resources for agents to take advantage of. Not only do they offer 24/7 assistance, but each agent joining the team gets a mentor to help with the first three sales of their homes. This ensures everything runs smoothly and the new agent is familiar with the process. The company is also one of the only real estate companies that has its own app. They are able to utilize the mobile application to help clients get a better picture of the price points of individual neighborhoods.
When Maximum One Realtors first started, they met with the experts at New American Funding and were able to team up. The real estate company joined forces with New American Funding due to the several unique and helpful tools provided to agents. “They have great service, and some of the things they do for real estate agents are even more incredible,” said Storey. “When you use them as a loan office as a real estate agent, they put your picture on the mortgage statement. Now you are on their mortgage for seven years, and when it comes to buying and selling, they are going to think of you. And that was all for free.” To learn more about Maximum One Realtors, visit www.maxoneinfo.com or call 770-835-4311. You can also listen to the full interview linked above.
Executive Director of Wholesome Wave Georgia, Will Sellers, joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the organization, the impact it has had on metro Atlanta, and several projects currently in the works. Join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on today’s exciting Around Atlanta Radio segment.
Sellers is a native to Georgia, with his family history in the Peach State dating back to the early 1900s. Sellers joined Wholesome Wave by pure happenstance. He started working on the city of Atlanta’s Urban Accordance in 2013, and opportunities started to follow! “It became a phenomenal opportunity for me,” said Sellers. “I was looking to have an impact, build community and help our neighbors in need. I have a real passion for this kind of work and am always happy to talk about it. I love the work we do at Wholesome Wave.” Wholesome Wave Georgia was founded by a group of five citizens in 2009. After the big recession in 2008, this group of citizens came together and decided it would be beneficial to help their neighbors in need. People who are not necessarily going hungry, but who might not have enough food to make it through the week or month are a target market of Wholesome Wave. With these ideas in mind, the group of citizens began working with Wholesome Wave’s corporate office in Connecticut to bring the organization to Georgia.
Wholesome Wave Georgia started in the East Atlanta Farmer’s Market and has since grown to incorporate more than 60 farmer’s markets statewide. Snap recipients, formally known as food stamp recipients, are able to go to a farmer’s market in the area and purchase fresh, locally grown food. Not only do these farmer’s markets across Georgia accept the Snap cards, but Wholesome Wave doubles the purchasing power of each swipe up to $40 per visit. In 2019, Wholesome Wave was able to participate in over 10,000 EVT transactions. “Many people have the ability to shop where they want to shop and buy what they want to buy,” said Sellers. “The issue with our neighbors in need is when they open a wallet, they have to make a very different food choice. That choice tends to be packaged, high in fat and high in sodium to increase shelf life. Of course, they would love to buy that nice kale or beautiful fresh carrots, but sometimes when they are looking at the bottom line, they have to make a different decision.” Wholesome Wave Georgia doubles the purchasing power of EVT purchases to help families in need make the most of the money they have and continue to make better food decisions. Not only does it help families in the immediate future, but it also helps to instill lifelong healthy habits in children to help counteract several jarring statistics in Atlanta, including:
1/3 of metro Atlantans are obese regardless of income 1/4 children in metro Atlanta live with food insecurity 2/3 adults in metro Atlanta does not consume the recommended two-and-a-half cups of vegetables or fruit per day
Another way Wholesome Wave Georgia helps to make the lives of Georgians healthier is by going to neighborhoods and working with key stakeholders, like farmer's markets, to build community. It serves long-term residents by helping establish a sense of community and belonging.
The Urban Food Forest in Brown’s Mill, the largest food forest in the nation, is a source of pride amongst Atlantans. The Food forest provides a wide variety of fresh produce available to the public. Located in one of Atlanta’s many food deserts, or areas without a grocery store within two to three miles of residential areas, the Urban Food Forest is another project Wholesome Wave helps with, in conjunction with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
To learn more about Wholesome Wave Georgia, how to get involved and the impact of the organization, make sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.WholesomeWaveGeorgia.org for more information.
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Broker and Owner of Peggy Slappey Properties, Peggy Slappey, and Marketing Director, Julie Slappey, are in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses several new home communities in the growing Barrow County area. The group also dives into several current and upcoming new home community projects on this week's All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
Peggy Slappey prides herself in not only being a wife, mother and grandmother, but also in her efforts to give back to the community whenever she can. As a third-generation real estate professional, Peggy grew up in the industry and is no stranger to the type of work she handles on a daily basis.
Peggy Slappey Properties originally began as a new home community. Today, the business is committed to all real estate needs at every stage of a client’s life. With approximately 40 agents equipped and cross-trained in both new home sales and general brokerage, they are some of the best and most knowledgeable in the business. “I think it’s definitely something to boast about,” said Julie. “We've been in business for 38 years. To have that legacy, and to be third-generation, is a big testament to who we are and what we mean to the community.” Northside Commons, built by Brightview Homes and Vision Home Crafters, is a beautiful new home community in Barrow County. Located just outside of downtown Winder, Northside Commons is a gated swim, clubhouse and maintenance-free community. The neighborhood is composed of two-story single-family homes and ranch-style condos. Homes here range in price from $179,000 to $220,000. Attracting a wide range of buyers, Northside Commons hosts first-time home buyers and experienced homeowners.
St. Ives, another Barrow County Community is built by Ashlyn Homes. Focused on Millennial buyers, this community boasts creative and unique homes throughout. All the homes in St. Ives are nestled on beautiful wooded homesites with three sides brick exteriors.
Another community currently being sold by Peggy Slappey Properties is Lake Rockwell. This community near Chateau Elon is built by RHG Homes and Lab Homes. Lake Rockwell is a quaint community with a throw-back hometown feel. Homes are equipped with the popular three-car garages and oversized homesites. The two builders at Lake Rockwell have been with Peggy Slappey Properties for over 25 years, and have proven their reliability, trust and dedication. There are only about eight homes left at Lake Rockwell, most of which are basement homesites.
Mini Farms at Rockwell Farms is in the development stage. This community of mini-farms is accepting of all families with cows, chickens, horses, goats and all other farm animals. Both master-on-main and two-story plans are available in this community.
To learn more about the current and upcoming projects by Peggy Slappey Properties, make sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.psponline.com for more information.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Peggy Slappey Properties are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative techn...
Marketing and Public Relations Manager of Marietta Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center, Courtney Spiess in studio on today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Spiess discusses the best parts of Marietta, including the several events that occur at historic Marietta Square, on today’s Around Atlanta segment of Radio.
Spiess moved to Atlanta from Columbus, Ohio about two years ago. She began her career in Georgia at a public relations agency. One of her many clients worked in tourism, the same industry she worked with while in college. Looking to get back into tourism, Spiess interviewed for a job with the Marietta Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center. “I promote Marietta as a tourism destination,” said Spiess. “We promote the food scene, the art scene, museums, the history and more!” The Marietta Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center is located right off Marietta Square. Housed in an old train depot, the Bureau and Welcome Center is in the middle of everything Marietta has to offer. The physical location of the Bureau and Welcome Center is mainly used as an information center. The organization is designed for people to come in to get brochures, maps, dining guides and any other collateral that could be helpful during a Marietta visit. The organization is also the most knowledgeable source of information for all things Marietta. Any and all questions about the historic city can be answered at the office.
Taste of Marietta is one of the many events that take place throughout the year at Marietta Square. This highly popular annual gathering always takes place on the last Sunday in April. The Taste of Marietta food festival is in its 27th year of operation and is always looking to add new food and fun segments. Last year, the festival welcomed a cooking demonstration stage. Taste of Marietta usually has around 75 unique restaurants present. “The great thing about Taste of Marietta is it’s actually free to the public, so there are no entry fees or tickets,” said Spiess. “You pay at the booths for food. This is great because as families or individuals come along, they can mark their budgets for the day. Meaning it can be as extravagent or inexpensive as you choose.” In addition to several food options, Taste of Marietta has various other activities for visitors to partake in. Live music is going on at all times on two separate stages. For families, there is a kid’s zone with lots of fun activities for younger children, including a bouncy house. The dedicated Taste of Marietta sponsors are also scattered around the festival with fun games and giveaways.
Marietta is great at offering events that last year-round. One of the favorites amongst locals is the Farmer’s Market. This weekly event takes place every single Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. From May through October, there is a second Farmer’s Market to take advantage of on Sundays.
The fun never ends in Marietta. To learn more about this live, work, play metro Atlanta area, visit www.VisitMariettaGa.com. You can also listen to the full interview above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Marietta Visitors Bureau and Welcome Center are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America s...
Jillian Pritchard Cooke, founder of Wellness Within Your Walls, is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Cooke is on this segment of All About Real Estate to discuss her unique business, explain the certification program and talk about past projects.
Cooke started as an interior designer over 30 years ago, with most of her experience being in homebuilding. She has worked all over the country, including New York and the West Coast. Her time working on the West Coast led to training and exposure to several sustainability and green thinking concepts well before it became a national conversation. Cooke moved to Atlanta in 1983 and became the head of five separate design studios in cities all around metro Atlanta. This process taught her all about regional design and different process builders use.
Several years ago, before Wellness Within Your Walls was created, Cooke was diagnosed with a rare form of tissue cancer. The cancer was later confirmed to be a result of environmental issues. After the diagnoses and findings concerning the origin of the disease, Cooke made the decision to figure out the specific environmental causes that led to the illness. This launched Cooke farther into the sustainability and wellness side of interior design and homebuilding. “There are only a few times where the home is very, very toxic,” said Cooke. “There are ways to dissipate the toxins by making wise choices. That led me my new calling in life. With over 30 years in interior design, I started to create Wellness Within Your Walls.” Wellness Within Your Walls is designed to help builders, designers, architects, specifiers, manufacturers and others involved in home building to come up with alternative ways to create houses. While the company is designed to help members of the home building team, the number one concern is for the consumer.
Offering a wide range of certifications tailored to the design and build process, Wellness Within Your Walls allows consumers to easily find healthier homes more efficiently. The company certifies people, places, products and programs.
Wellness Within Your Walls focuses on every single aspect of the home building process, all the way down to insulation. Because of the debate surrounding several products and methods used, including spray foam, rock wall and fiberglass, Wellness Within Your Walls believes in only using a GREENGUARD Gold Certification insulation. This is just one example of many details that go into creating a healthy home built from the inside out.
Wellness Within Your Walls recently certified its first home: the Chōwa Concept Home. Members of the Chōwa team in Las Vegas reached out to Cooke, believing their house met all of the certification requirements. The Chōwa Concept Home was designed to focus on the new wave of homebuyers wanting to spend their money in ethical ways. Everything in the Chōwa Concept Home is sustainably sourced, with any waste put towards a recycling program.
To hear about other projects the Wellness Within Your Walls team has worked on, including certified people, places, products and programs, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.WellnessWithinYourWalls.com for more information on the ground-breaking business.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Wellness Within Your Walls are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfol...
Director of Park Visioning at Park Pride Andrew White is in studio for today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Radio. Co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick welcome White on this segment of Around Atlanta Radio to discuss the Park Pride initiative, past and ongoing projects and ways to help the community.
White is a registered landscape architect who moved to Georgia 10 years ago. White originally moved to Georgia to attend graduate school for landscape architecture at the University of Georgia. After earning his degree, he moved to Atlanta and has been in the city ever since.
Park Pride is a nonprofit organization celebrating 30 years of operation. The organization works with several communities to help and elevate spaces around Atlanta. The Georgia capital has over 350 parks within its limit, meaning Atlanta residents can visit a new park every day for almost an entire year. The abundance of parks in the city not only helps to provide a beautiful and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy, but they also aid in several health benefits for those who visit as well. “Parks are good for people,” said White. “It’s good for their health, parks help lower blood pressure and they are good for stress. Thay are also good for the community. Parks are a place where people can come together, meet neighbors and strengthen those social bonds. Parks are also great for the environment. They are good for the water, they help lower the temperature and keep the air clean. There are a number of benefits that come from parks.” Park Pride has several programs to help aid in its goals of keeping Atlanta beautiful. One program, the Park Visioning Program, acts similar to a grant program. Instead of granting money, it grants professional design programs free of charge. This helps community groups stay on the same page and articulate a shared vision for their specific neighborhood park. Park Pride also has a Volunteer Program, Grant Program and various other support programs.
Park Pride recently wrapped up a project in Kathryn Johnston Memorial Park. This three-and-a-half acre-park is a multipurpose area that experiences a lot of localized flooding in the surrounding spaces. Years ago, the streams adjacent to the park were used as a deposit for waste, making them de facto sewers over time. Eventually, the streams were covered and built on top of, leaving nowhere for runoff and excess rain to go. Katheryn Johnston Memorial Park helps to capture stormwater and takes it offline, helping low-lying areas from being overwhelmed by runoff.
Park Pride is currently helping support Mattie Freeland Park. This small green space only occupies less than an acre of space and was recently transformed by the community. Members of the neighborhood saw a rundown lot filled with old cars and junk and transformed it into a beautiful park for everyone to enjoy. The community has been working to develop this city greenspace for almost 13 years, and recently joined forces with Park Pride to turn it into a real City of Atlanta park.
In addition to smaller local park projects, Park Pride is also working on a much larger scale initiative. In conjunction with the City of Atlanta, the nonprofit organization is working to double the Atlanta greenspace overtime. “This is the citywide comprehensive plan,” said White. “The purpose of that plan is to really set the priorities for the parks department for the city of Atlanta and to help them strategically think about everything from new acquisitions to operations and maintenance to staffing. Park Pride is working with them on the community engagement piece of that.” Because Park Pride has been working in Atlanta for 30 years, they have an extensive network of supporters. The organization has several park boosters and supporters that work in their own neighborhoods. Park Pride can leverage this support to help communities' voices be heard.
To learn more about Park Pride or to find out how you can help,
Managing Partner of Jones Pierce Studios Frank Wickstead is in studio on today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for this segment of All About Real Estate Radio, Wickstead dives into how Jones Pierce Studios was created, how it uniquely operates and various projects currently in the works.
Wickstead started his academic career in architecture and gradually moved towards general contracting. After spending various summers in high school and weekends in college working in construction jobs, Wickstead gained an affinity for the construction industry. This led his professional career in design to shift to design building.
Jones Pierce Studios began about three years ago when Wickstead reached out to an old friend, Brian Jones, who leads Jones Pierce Architecture. Wickstead asked if Jones wanted to add on a construction and client representation division to the firm. After many conversations and negotiations, Jones and Wickstead Partnered to create the design-build firm Jones Pierce Studios.
Jones Pierce Studios is known for creating and completing projects that are sustainably driven. The expert builders and designers with the firm understand the importance of a sustainable home and the advantages that come with it. “Sustainability is the benchmark,” said Wickstead. “Years into my career, I found myself selling sustainability as a feature. But when it came to cut back to meet budgets, it started with the sustainability features. So, we started adding it as our baseline.” In addition to being sustainably driven, Jones Pierce projects are also architecturally driven. Because Jones Pierce Studios was created by joining construction with architecture, their approach and execution to home building products is unique. The design and specification come first in architecturally driven projects. “We are starting to attract people with the same frame of mind,” said Wickstead. “People that are going to be focused on their client, sustainability and architecture. The latest of these groups we’ve attracted is LG Squared. Jones Pierce Studios is currently working on a project in collaboration with LG Squared. The home is considered to be in the upper echelon of home sustainability. This unique product starts with performance and works its way backward. Based on the client’s budget, the home plan starts with sustainability in mind and then moves on towards finishes. This means the interior of the home won’t be as posh as other home projects typically within this price range, but its sustainability features will be far superior.
To learn more about Jones Pierce Studios and hear about how its process differs from other builders, be sure to listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.JonesPierce.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Jones Pierce Studios are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (March/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Jeremy Garlington advisor of commercial sales with PIETRA Luxury in Stone is in studio on today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the various products and projects available by PIETRA Luxury in Stone on this segment of All About Real Estate.
Garlington, an Atlanta resident for over 30 years, has an extensive background in consulting, marketing, branding and leadership. At PIETRA, Garlington is responsible for ensuring the brand is represented appropriately in many facets of the industry. Garlington also works very closely with Tina Vercelote, Managing Partner at PIETRA, and a highly accomplished professional with over 20 years of experience in design and development.
Based in metro Atlanta, PIETRA is a luxury natural stone company. With access to some of the finest natural stone through a long-term relationship with Antolini, an Italian manufacturer and a widely respected global brand, PIETRA has become one of the top luxury natural stone distributors. “We hosted an event in October with about forty designers in Atlanta,” said Garlington. “There were people walking around asking us if our products were truly natural. It looks like someone painted on some of the features, but it’s actually all-natural. It’s straight out of the earth!” PIETRA offers countertops, backsplashes, accent walls and more. Other accent pieces are also possible as well, with several recent projects featuring outdoor kitchens, pool rooms, above cabinet spaces and more. PIETRA also has unique projects in the works or beginning in the near future. For the first time in North America, there will be a house with a natural stone perception wall. This accent piece changes as the viewer walks from the left and right of the wall.
While a majority of PIETRA’s projects are residential, they also supply materials and finish projects for commercial spaces as well. One example of commercial projects PIETRA has worked on in the past is the W Hotel in Atlanta.
PIETRA has done an excellent job establishing itself as a brand. Working with designers, architects, builders, fabricators and owners, PIETRA consistently creates new connections within the Atlanta market and is spreading its product throughout the perimeter and the South East.
While several products look out of reach for buyers in the area, PIETRA is known for having inventory at a variety of price ranges. Offering manageable pricing is one-way PIETRA creates luxury styles in homes at a competitive price point.
Because PIETRA works only with 100% natural stone, no two products are exactly the same. Every project is one-of-a-kind and cannot be replicated. This means when a consumer purchases a PIETRA product for their home, it won’t be found anywhere else.
Another aspect that sets PIETRA apart from other businesses is its use of Azerocare. This next revolution in natural stone is a treatment for natural stone that protects without affecting the colors and characteristics of the product. First of its kind, Azerocare offers protection from etching and staining caused by acid-based food elements, oil, fat and grease. The product also doesn’t react to UV-rays and increases the hardness of the material by 50%. On top of protecting the product, Azerocare acts as an antibacterial treatment, meaning only a little neutral soap and water is needed to clean the area. The use of this one-of-a-kind product ensures that not only will residents have incredible surfaces in their new home, but that they won’t deteriorate over time due to daily wear and tear.
To see examples of the PIETRA Luxury in Stone products or to learn more, visit www.PIETRALuxury.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee,
President of Level Craft Construction, Virginia Van Lear joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on today’s episode of All About Real Estate Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the phases of a Level Craft Construction project works, where it builds and more.
Level Craft Construction is a full-service design and build firm. This means it helps homeowners from start to finish on new home projects. Level Craft only builds inside the Atlanta perimeter with a focus on Decatur, Oakhurst, Virginia Highlands, Morningside, Druid Hills, Emory, Midtown and Avondale Estates.
With over 20 years of experience, Level Craft has been creating beautiful spaces since 1996 and is a 100% woman-owned business. Van Lear and her business partner Debbie Hollonbeck both have backgrounds in art. Being a woman-owned business with an art background helps with the overall aesthetic of Level Craft homes. Not only are these homes built well, but they also look fantastic and take smaller details into consideration. Where to store the stroller, dog toys and hairdryer are all things brought up in planning, along with bigger impact items. “Women definitely have an advantage in many ways,” said Van Lear. “One of the things that is important when building or renovating a new home is communication. I think females do communicate a little bit better. Homeowners need to be educated along the way, and sometimes it can be very emotional. We have a lot of processes in place to help with communication” Level Craft works in phases. The initial phase consists of homebuyers meeting with Van Lear and Hollonbeck. During the first meeting, everything from budget and time frame to design needs and wish lists is discussed. After that, architectural plans are decided on and finalized.
The second phase begins when the experts at Level Craft schedule a subcontractor meeting at the new home site. More planning and bidding take place until the best price is found. At this point, the total cost is decided and approved. Then, a contract gets signed!
The third phase is short and sweet. During this step of the home buying process, a building permit is pulled by a member of Level Craft. If the future homeowner would rather hire an expeditor themselves, that is also an option.
Phase four is when the real fun begins. During this penultimate step, the building begins! Level Craft assists with all selections including paint, design details and finishes. The homeowner gets to choose every detail throughout this phase with the guidance of the Level Craft experts. The Level Craft Construction team is also onsite every day for inspections, management, materials, walkthroughs and more!
The final phase consists of one last walk through to make sure everything is finished to the exact specifications of the homeowner and their initial plan. After everything is confirmed, a quick and thorough cleanup ensues, and the house is handed over!
Throughout the entire building process, the Level Craft Construction team is there for guidance and support. They are also transparent and upfront about any costs, delays and bumps in the road. This means when a homeowner gets the keys to their brand-new custom home, there are no surprises! “We don’t try to use jargon that our homeowners don’t understand,” said Van Lear. “We explain everything to them, and we actually become a kind of family. Most of these builds last between six to nine months, and after that they have a one-year warranty, so we pop up into their lives again! We want to have a relationship with them that is a friendship, as well as a business relationship.” For more information on Level Craft Construction, visit www.LevelCraftAtlanta.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Director of Sales and Marketing of Fortress Builders Colby Henson is in studio on today's episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by Henson to discuss several communities in the works and ready for sale by Fortress Builders.
Fortress Builders is a business composed of local builders and developers in Cobb County. With a combined experience of over 50 years, Fortress Builders is no stranger to the home building industry. Fortress started off developing downtown Marietta, and eventually expanded to several other metro Atlanta areas, including Kennesaw and Acworth. “Our core concentration has been in Cobb County,” said Henson. “We live, work and spend our money there, so it seemed like a good place to put our product and build houses to create a sense of community to see as we drive around in our own neighborhoods.” Fortress Builders creates a wide variety of homes but has focused on active adult communities for the past few years. Mount Calvary, a 55+ active adult community currently in the works, is located in Marietta and will consist of 41 homes, a clubhouse with gym, private walking trail and a community fireside area upon completion. Located off Mount Calvary Road, this community is priced from the high $400,000s and offers its residents everything from unique amenities to a superb location.
Another active adult community by Fortress Builders is Barrett Preserve. This 55+ community is priced from the $300,000s and is composed of 41 homesites. Barrett Preserve offers a cozy fireside pavilion, as well as easy access to retail shopping, grocery stores, restaurants and retail all around Town Center Mall and Marietta Square. This community is also only minutes from Kennesaw Mountain for anyone looking to utilize the extensive trail systems and historical sites. Barrett Preserve is currently in the closeout phase and only has four opportunities left.
Fortress Builders is also building near the East-West Connector only minutes from Vinings, Smyrna, I-285 and SunTrust Park. Peacock Park is another fabulously located Cobb County community priced from the $300,000s. The homes at Peacock Park offer rich interior amenities including quartz or granite countertops, tile baths, extensive hardwood flooring and covered patios.
To learn more about Fortress Builders and their incredible communities around metro Atlanta, listen to the full interview above or visit www.BuiltByFortress.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Fortress Builders are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form.
David Hagan, sales manager with Smith Douglas Homes, joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on today’s episode of All About Real Estate Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group dives into the unique products offered by Smith Douglas Homes, where to find these homes and how they are different from other types of homes in and around the metro Atlanta area.
Hagan, a Savannah native, moved to Atlanta almost two years ago with his wife of 27 years and three daughters. Hagan is no stranger to sales, as he has worked in sales leadership roles dealing with new homes for over a decade. Hagan was first introduced to the Atlanta Market about seven years ago when he was asked to judge the OBIEs. Presented by the Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council, the OBIE Awards are the premier awards given to those working in the Atlanta new home construction industry.
Smith Douglas Homes has over 40 years of experience building new homes. Widely recognized for constructing quality homes at affordable prices, Smith Douglas builds in several favorable areas in and around metro Atlanta, as well as North Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. “One of the things we pride ourselves in, and one of the things our founder has said over the past 40 years, is ‘your home, your choice within reach’,” said Hagan. “That means going to where the buyer wants to be while placing emphasis on within reach. We like to focus on making new homes affordable for these buyers.” The median price of new construction homes in the Atlanta market is around $265,000. Often, buyers think finding a price below $200,000 is impossible. Smith Douglas has positioned itself where they can not only offer prices in that range, but it can do it well with the construction of high-quality homes. Smith Douglas offers several townhomes and single-family homes ranging from the $100,000s to the $300,000s. In 2019, 20% of the homes sold by Smith Douglas Homes were under $200,000.
Currently, Smith Douglas Homes is building in over 30 different communities around the metro Atlanta area. A majority of the homes in these communities are single-family ranch-style homes. The builder has distinguished itself amongst other popular builders in the area by perfecting the single-level homes as opposed to two-story homes. Single-story ranch-style homes are increasingly popular across various demographics.
To see the several unique floorplan options available and to learn more about Smith Douglas Homes, visit www.SmithDouglas.com. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Smith Douglas Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest,
Sherry Gasaway, publisher at KNOW Atlanta, is in studio for another episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick as they interview Gasaway on this Around Atlanta edition, and get the inside scoop on Atlanta’s hottest relocation guide.
Gasaway, an Atlanta native, started in real estate advertising over 27 years ago in the Atlanta market. After a few years in the industry, she got the opportunity to work with KNOW Atlanta and has worked at the magazine for the past 15 years. “I thoroughly love what I do,” said Gasaway. “Every day is something different! From learning about new things in Atlanta to meeting builders, I really enjoy this role as publisher.” KNOW Atlanta is a resource for companies and Realtors moving people to metro Atlanta, as well as individuals moving to the Atlanta area themselves. The relocation guide found its start almost 35 years ago due to major companies like Home Depot and Coca-Cola drawing in other businesses, workers and residents to Atlanta. “There was no internet or literature on how to welcome people to the city,” said Gasaway. “From a human resource standpoint, Atlanta really needed something to answer basic questions like what’s the weather like? What housing opportunities are there? How are the schools? The guide was created to answer these questions and more to help those people moving to Atlanta.” KNOW Atlanta not only produces a physical magazine for those in need of relocation guidance, but it also provides all its content online as well. Past issues and articles appear on the website for anyone who wants to dive deeper into what Atlanta has to offer.
Gasaway discusses several topics covered in the magazine, including key drivers that help people make the decision to move to Atlanta. For families with children, education and school systems are always at the top of the list. Public schools get looked at frequently, but many people moving to the area don’t realize there are over 200 private schools in the area. Several articles on the website and in the KNOW Atlanta magazine break down the advantages of education opportunities throughout Atlanta.
Another big category movers look into is affordability and housing options. When looked at regionally, Atlanta is still considered very affordable to many people looking to relocate. Gasaway also talks about the wide variety of housing options in Atlanta. Whether it’s location, price, size or style, an abundance of housing options are available ITP or OTP.
Learn more at the full interview above! To stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in and around Atlanta, visit www.KNOWAtlanta.com. Also, catch up with the Winter issue of KNOWAtlanta Relocation Guide. Request your copy of the new issue here.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and KNOW Atlanta are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta ...
Mike Smith, owner of Harcrest Homes, joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on today’s episode of All About Real Estate Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses multiple Harcrest Homes available in Sterling on the Lake, as well as other communities and custom projects built by Harcrest Homes.
Mike Smith, a Georgia native, grew up in Conyers before attending Georgia Southern University. After earning a degree from the local university, Smith started a career in homebuilding to create homes for other Georgia residents.
Harcrest Homes was originally founded in 1977 by Carl Riden. Smith began working for Riden in 1991 and eventually formed a partnership with the previous owner in 1998. Riden retired in 2004, leaving Smith the sole owner of Harcrest Homes.
Harcrest Homes builds in Hall, Forsyth and Gwinnett County areas. Harcrest Homes’ largest subdivision project is in Sterling on the Lake in Hall County. In addition to building in larger neighborhoods and communities, Harcrest Homes also builds custom homes all around metro Atlanta. Most products range in price from the mid $400,000s to upwards of $1 million. Homes typically range in size from 3,000 to 4,000 square feet.
Sterling on the Lake in Flowery Branch holds over 2,000 homesites. Harcrest Homes just recently opened a model home at The Preserve at Sterling on the Lake. The model home features the Waterstone plan and is the third model home the builder has opened in the past three years. Homesites in the preserve range in size, averaging over one acre of spacious land.
The Sterling on the Lake model home is situated on a one-acre homesite and starts from $579,900. The home features five bedrooms and four bathrooms spread across 3,600 square feet. The second floor boasts the master’s suite, along with a vaulted bonus room.
Harcrest Homes is also building in Royal Lakes. Located in Hall County, Royal Lakes is a quiet golf course community. Only one Harcrest Homes opportunity remains in this community. The final homesite is a lake lot with clubhouse access.
To stay up-to-date on the latest Harcrest Homes projects or to get started building a custom home with Mike Smith, visit www.HarcrestHomes.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Harcrest Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Michelle Jenkins, president of HomeBilt, is in studio on today’s edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick welcome Jenkins on this All About Real Estate Segment and discuss the latest projects with HomeBilt.
Jenkins has been in the Real Estate industry for about 25 years, starting in on-site sales and growing to become the president of a production home building company. She started another home building company in 2009 and sold it after a few years. She then began HomeBilt in 2017.
HomeBilt builds homes in and around the metro Atlanta Area. It provides custom homes, as well as quick move-in homes for potential buyers. As a woman-owned company, HomeBilt experiences unique insights other builders might not have. “Having insight from a woman’s perspective in things that are important in the design of the home helps,” said Jenkins. “The importance of kitchen and the master bedroom gets emphasized, as well as smaller things such as storage, special areas and visual areas within the home. These spaces make it feel like a home.” HomeBilt completed its most recent project in Hapeville. This project consisted of several single-family homes, all priced up to the mid $300,000s. The convenient location of these homes places them near Hartsfield Jackson International Airport and just outside of Atlanta. This allows for convenient city interaction, with a quiet, laid-back lifestyle. Every single home in the project sold before construction was completed.
HomeBilt is currently working on another project in the Woodland Hills area. The homes in this space are priced from the low $800,000s to the high $900,000s. These large single-family homes feature farm-style exteriors.
Another community HomeBilt is building in is Foster Park in Madison. This community is located close to the downtown historic district of it's charming town. Only a short three-to-five-minute walk is all it takes to find the best shopping and dining opportunities in Madison.
To learn more about HomeBilt, visit www.HomeBiltGa.com. Also make sure to listen to the full interview above to hear about other HomeBilt projects and services.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Meritage Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (February/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Jonathan White, division president of Atlanta at Meritage Homes, is in studio on today’s episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the multiple Meritage communities in progress or now selling in and around metro Atlanta. White also gives insight on the builder’s commitment to energy efficiency and Operation Homefront on this All About Real Estate segment of Radio.
White has been in the building industry for almost 16 years, and with Meritage Homes for the past two years. Originally from Florida, White began his career working in several Florida markets such as Orlando and Jacksonville. Most recently, White spent six years in the Houston market before settling in Atlanta in early 2018. White spent about half of his time in his home building career in land acquisition and development. After gaining years of experience, he shifted his focus to the overall management side of the industry. White also worked for eight years as a civil engineer.
Meritage Homes stared in 1985 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Currently operating in 17 divisions across nine different states, Meritage is a top ten national builder. “Our core purpose is to enrich lives by building the American dream,” said White. “We are guided by six core values which are start with heart, integrity above all else, develop to empower, think strategically, build value and play to win. We really do live by those values.” Meritage came to Atlanta in 2014 and has evolved over the past six years, growing into a top ten builder in the area. For the seventh consecutive year, Meritage has been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its superior building practices. It was awarded the Energy Star Partner of the Year in sustained excellence.
Meritage Homes builds a wide range of products in and around the metro Atlanta area. Products include two-story front-loaded townhomes, three-story rear-entry townhomes, 40-to-50-foot-wide single-family homes, two-story rear-entry bungalows and more. Homes range in size from 1,600 to over 4,000 square feet.
“Right now, we really focus on three rungs of the homeownership ladder,” said White. “First-time buyers, first-time move-up and move-down buyers are the primary focus of who we serve. Our price points range from the mid $200,000s to the low $500,000s. We really see the largest growth opportunity in the under-served first-time buyer market and the move-down buyers, so we intend to focus our growth in those areas.”
Meritage Homes is currently selling in several of its new home communities. Highland Overlook near the East-West Connector is a three-story front-and-rear-entry townhome located in Smyrna. With only 68 homesites, this intimate community offers convenient access to various metro Atlanta favorites. Twelve homes are available now at Highland Overlook and priced from the low $400,000s.
Willowcrest is the newest Meritage community, only just opening at the end of 2019. This community of single-family homes in Mableton is priced in the low $300,000s. Another fantastically located community right next to Smyrna, Willowcrest has three separate product lines. Forty-foot single-family homes, 26-foot front-load entry townhomes and 24-foot detached bungalow homes all reside in this community. Willowcrest also comes with an amazing amenity package.
A third community White highlighted in his interview is Winding Creek in Stockbridge. This community will provide 117 wooded lots with convenient access to I-75. Priced from the mid $200,000s, homes in this community will feature up to 3,020 square feet, four to five bedrooms, two to three bathrooms and a two-car garage. Winding Creek homes offer one of four unique floorplans.
Meritage Homes has these three incredible communities, as well as several more communities located around Atlanta. One distinction that separates Meritage from other home builders is its commitment to ener...
Director of Marketing, Communications & Public Relations of Piedmont Park Conservancy Amy Risher is in studio today. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, Risher discusses her position, the organization and upcoming events at Piedmont Park on this episode of Around Atlanta Radio.
Risher moved from Savannah to the Atlanta area over ten years ago and has lived in and around metro Atlanta, including near Piedmont Park. Consistently found in Piedmont Park, on the Atlanta BeltLine, at the Farmer’s Market or at other local favorites, Risher is no stranger to the latest happenings in Atlanta.
The Piedmont Park Conservancy serves to preserve and enhance Piedmont Park. The organization works to add value to Piedmont Park, ensuring everyone has a pleasant experience while in the beloved Atlanta attraction. Piedmont Park is spread out over 200 acres of land and has existed in Atlanta for over 100 years. Prior to its creation in 1904, Piedmont Park was a forest turned into farmland and home to the 1800s Cotton State Exposition. “It has seen a lot of evolving over the years,” said Risher. “It really does play a big role in the history of the park. It has been a gathering place for political movements, some of our largest festivals and cultural gatherings. It’s the home of the Jazz Festival, Dogwood Festival, Arts Festival and Pride.” Piedmont Park is home to various events throughout the year. The Conservancy hosts many events including free yoga, Doggy Dash and 5k, a Farmer’s Market and history tours. While the Piedmont Park Conservancy is responsible for a large number of events taking place in the park, other community groups and organizations bring fun to the central Atlanta location as well. Unofficial gatherings also take place including family reunions, ultimate frisbee games and the occasional Corgi meetup! “One of the things the Conservancy focuses on is trying to consult on any events we have and event management,” said Risher. “We are always there to advocate on leaving some of the park passive and event-free. There are usually over 100 acres available to the public at all times.” Areas that do not typically see events include most of the dog parks and trails. The northern part of Piedmont Park houses the Carriage Trail for people to utilize for bike riding and running. This trail is almost always open to the public.
For more information on giving back, membership, how to get involved, upcoming events and more at the Piedmont Park Conservancy, visit www.PiedmontPark.org. You can also call 404-875-7275 during park office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Make sure to listen to the full interview posted above!
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Piedmont Park Conservancy are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers,
Director of Marketing with Monte Hewett Homes Dina Gundersen is in-studio on today’s All About Real Estate episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses the latest projects, promotions and incentives from Monte Hewett Homes.
Monte Hewett Homes has been building homes in and around Atlanta since 2000, and Gundersen has worked with the company for 16 out of its 20 years of business. With the purpose of building great homes and communities all around Atlanta, the team at Monte Hewett Homes not only loves the building process but also helping to make the dreams come true for many happy homeowners in North Georgia.
Plateau West Plateau West is a community of 18 modern, distinctly crafted townhomes in West Midtown. The townhomes in this community feature incredible rooftop views of the Atlanta skyline, modern finishes and walkability to a duck pond and the Atlanta BeltLine. Plateau West also offers a beautifully decorated model home for sale. Winner of a 2019 Gold OBIE Award, the model home is located at 436 Trabert Avenue NW in Atlanta.
The Park at Historic Roswell The Park at Historic Roswell is located within walking distance to downtown Roswell. Enjoy a quiet escape at this community of beautiful townhomes while exploring the timeless history of Roswell. One-of-a-kind shops and restaurants decorate Canton Street, the walkway adjacent to The Park at Historic Roswell. In addition to the multiple walkable activities, festivals and nightlife, this community is also near the Cultural Arts Center, a beautiful library and the Chattahoochee Nature Center.
Halcyon Halcyon is an excellent new live, work, play community in South Forsyth County. Positioned on an upbeat and idyllic 135-acre gathering place, Halcyon is an innovative community featuring public art, endless entertainment, creative loft offices, modern hotels and beautiful residences. The community-centric location offers endless walking trails and paved pathways connecting residents with everything Halcyon has to offer. Monte Hewett Homes is currently building village homes and townhomes at Halcyon with a beautifully decorated model home already complete. Open daily for tours, potential homeowners can visit the sales center Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5:00 p.m.
To learn more about Monte Hewett Homes, visit www.MonteHewettHomes.com. You can also listen to the full interview posted above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Monte Hewett Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Foru...
Co-Founder of Orchestra Noir Keisha Rodgers is in studio today to discuss her Atlanta-based nonprofit orchestra. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group discusses Orchestra Noir’s successful three years of operation, as well as their collaborations with famous hip-hop artists and past events on today’s Around Atlanta episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Keisha Rodgers, originally from New Jersey, attended Temple University to pursue a degree in communications. After graduation, she worked for the School District of Philadelphia to help with the art-based after school programs. Rodgers managed two separate centers and then moved to Atlanta to continue her work at the Georgia Department of Education in the Communication Department. After becoming accustomed to life in Atlanta, Rodgers and her husband Jason Ikeem Rodgers, a classically trained musician and conductor, decided to start Orchestra Noir. “Orchestra Noir is the Rosetta Stone of orchestral music,” said Rodgers. “It bridges traditional classical music like Beethoven with music from our African American culture.” When Orchestra Noir was first created, it only had seven musicians. The group hosted an event to gain interest and support. The first event only saw 100 people but continued to grow every gathering. The second event brought in over 300 people. By the end of the first year, Orchestra Noir was able to sell out Center Stage to over 800 people. At this point, the group was collaborating Bryan-Michael Cox, Grammy-winning producer and DJ. Cox is responsible for producing albums of well-known artists including Usher, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and Toni Braxton. Currently, Orchestra Noir is composed of 40 musicians.
Over the past three years, Orchestra Noir has collaborated with many popular artists and music groups, including hip-hop stars Migos and Two Chainz. The group also appeared in a music video. Not only does Orchestra Noir perform at the local venue, Center Stage in Atlanta, but the group also works events such as weddings, galas, parties and anniversaries. Orchestra Noir performed at Cardi B’s birthday party, as well as an album release party for TI. The group also appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” OWN Network’s “Greenleaf,” Steven Spielberg’s “Amazing Stories” and BET’s “Boomerang.”
Orchestra Noir is responsible for a “side-by-side” program. This program offers young student musicians the opportunity to learn alongside musicians in the orchestra. The students attend orchestra practices and sit next to their musical counterparts in the professional orchestra. The entire group then plays as if they are one big orchestra. This allows for the students to learn with the professional musicians in Orchestra Noir. “The kids love it,” said Rodgers. “They feel important and it gives them a whole different experience to music.” To learn more about Orchestra Noir or to find out how to get involved, visit www.OrchestraNoir.com. You can also contact someone at the nonprofit directly at info@orchestranoir.com or 770-802-8149.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Orchestra Noir are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
Regional Partner of North Georgia Peter Michelson and Director of Market Development of Alair Homes Shane Duff are in studio today. Joined by co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick, the group convened for today’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss Alair Homes.
At the core, Alair Homes is a custom home and remodeling company. Started by a husband and wife in 2007, Alair Homes started off as a small, family-owned custom home building service. After a tremendous amount of success due to carefully planned project execution and transparency, Alair Homes grew quickly in the first year of operations. After the success of a third location ran by a friend across the country, the owners of Alair Homes realized with the help of like-minded and hard-working individuals, they could expand their company while also remaining true to the core values implemented at the beginning. In 2012, Alair Homes started to grow into the franchise it is today, expanding to eventually reach 94 offices, over 120 owners and over 500 project managers worldwide. “That was the birth of Alair Homes as is it is today,” said Duff. “They realized we can really build this better together. Two minds are always better than one.” The Atlanta location for Alair Homes is located in downtown Decatur. The Alair model has a project management focus at its core. This means the project manager leads the client through the entire process of project planning all the way through to construction. Due to the incredible focus on hands-on management, Alair Homes only builds within five to six miles of Decatur. This ensures that everyone involved in a new home or remodel project is easily accessible and available. In addition to the hands-on nature, Alair is also known for creating beautiful and unique homes. “Every project we do is custom,” said Michelson. “Every client’s project is a prototype because we only do it once.” In 2020, Alair is looking to expand its presence in North Georgia. Its goal is to identify three phenomenal builders who care about their clients, employees and trade partners and who embody “living better starts here.” The Alair team is looking for three builders who want to scale their business and join the franchise to better serve all of North Georgia. Because Alair represents it’s core ideals and motivations in every aspect of the home building process, finding partners is a selective process. While Alair is looking for three builders, they are also looking for more clients to bring into the mix. “What is so unique about the experience our clients have at Alair is the client control process,” said Michelson. “Everything is fully transparent. We believe in the relationship with our clients and that the experience of building and developing their project is equally as important as the quality of the work and transparency that goes into it.” To learn more about how to get started building a custom home or remodeling project with Alair Homes in Decatur, visit www.AlairHomes.com/decatur. You can also listen to the full interview above.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Alair Homes are not associated. Click here to view the terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
Jo Jenkins, owner of JJ Bilt is in studio for today’s All About Real Estate Radio segment. Join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick as they discuss the latest with JJ Bilt on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Jenkins, a 20-year resident of Atlanta, has a background in recreational therapy and sports marketing. After working in the sports and therapy market for a few years, she chose to step back from her career and raise her kids. After her children were older, Jenkins decided to return to the workforce and work in the building industry. She started with Home Built in the design department, choosing various design options for new homes. Jenkins was asked to stage a home after her expertise was noticed, and she fell in love with the work. After staging homes for other builders, she decided to start her own home staging company.
JJ Bilt is a staging company that works with new home builders to stage new homes to sell. After new homes are built Jenkins and her team stages the main living areas including living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms and master bedrooms. Jenkins adds in beautiful decorations and furniture to create a cohesive living space to help potential homebuyers imagine a future in a new home.
While Jenkins mainly works with new home construction builders, she has recently branched out to help Realtors stage homes to sell as well. After meeting with a builder or Realtor client, Jenkins visits the home and does an initial walkthrough where she takes a look at the space and gets an idea of what design options would look best in the given area. She then gathers the furniture and decoration she needs and returns to the home to stage it to sell. “There are research and statistics that show staged homes sell about 87% faster than homes that are not staged,” said Jenkins. “I’ve staged two homes recently. One sold within three weeks, and the other sold within four weeks. One of those homes had been listed for several months before it was staged.” Although Jenkins and the team at JJ Bilt will take on all kinds of projects, her favorite is new homes. These homes tend to have unique spaces like alcoves or hidden spaces that provide a staging challenge. Jenkins not only welcomes the challenge but also enjoys figuring out the best way to stage these fun spaces.
To find out more about JJ Bilt, email Jo Jenkins at jo@homebiltga.com
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes on our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and JJ Bilt are not associated. Click here to view terms and conditions of products mentioned during the show. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.branch.newamericanfunding.com/Atlanta.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Sales & Marketing Manager of Piedmont Residential Shelby Feinberg is in studio with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick. Feinberg goes into detail on the latest happenings with Piedmont Residential, including its newest 55+ active adult communities.
With the mission of building affordable homes, Piedmont Residential builds mainly for first-time buyers. Recently, the company has branched out towards 55+ active adults. To help keep homes affordable, Piedmont Residential builds basic layouts with plenty of customization options for future buyers. This allows everyone to stay on budget, while also allowing for the addition of unique upgrades along the way. “You can take a four-bedroom home that starts in the $220,000s, and you can add options to bring it all the way up to a $300,000s home,” said Feinberg. “Or, that $220,000 four-bedroom spaces is a very livable, move-in ready home.” Building in several cities and counties around Georgia, you can purchase a Piedmont Residential home in Cherokee, Paulding, Newnan and Hoschton. In the communities, available for all types of buyers, future homeowners have almost ten unique floorplans to choose from. These plans offer a wide set of desirable features including master on main plans, ranch style homes, flex space and three to five bedrooms.
Pickens County is also home to the newest 55+ community available. Piedmont Village is an active adult community in Jasper, Ga. This community offers the Augusta and the Waterford floorplan and starts from the $220,000s. The first plan is a ranch-style home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The second plan is a three-bedroom home with two stories and a master on main layout. Both homes feature a built-in covered patio, perfect for outdoor living! “We are talking about them more as a cottage-style product,” said Feinberg. “They nestle in so well in the mountain scape of jasper. We are really excited about what is to come at Piedmont Village in 2020.” Another active adult community by Piedmont Residential is High Shoals. This established community is welcoming Phase II and is now taking presales. Interested buyers are encouraged to visit the beautifully decorated model home available for viewing onsite. The model home features the incredibly popular Turnbridge floorplan.
To find out all about what’s going on with Piedmont Residential, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit www.PiedmontResidential.com.
Never miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes at our Radio page.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and Piedmont Residential are not associated. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technology, including the GoGo LO mobile application. For more information, visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Mary Fernandez, the special events and volunteer coordinator at Historic Oakland Foundation is in studio for this edition of Around Atlanta on Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick discuss the Oakland Cemetery with Fernandez. The group touches on special events, tours, history, beauty and more at Oakland Cemetery.
As the special events and volunteer coordinator, Fernandez handles two major facets of the Historic Oakland Foundation. The first area, special events, is where Fernandez helps bring visitors in to the cemetery. Helping the public get intrigued and introduced to the cemetery is a big part of coordinating special events. The Historic Oakland Foundation has five large-scale special events, including Sunday in the Park, the Run Like Hell 5K, the Capturing the Spirit of Oakland tours, Illumine and Tunes from the Tombs. In addition to other smaller events that take place over the course of the year, these five large-scale events draw in large crowds and are often sold out soon after sales open. If you are interested in any of the events or want to know how to participate, visit www.OaklandCemetery.com/events. The second part of the special events and volunteer coordinator position held by Fernandez is overseeing volunteer organizations. “None of the special events would be possible without our volunteers,” said Fernandez. “We have almost 300 active volunteers at the cemetery and they volunteer in many different capacities like leading tours and helping with special events. Truly, Oakland couldn’t do what it does without its volunteers.” Historic Oakland Cemetery was founded around 1850 and rests on 48 acres of open land. It was Atlanta’s first public greenspace and also a Victorian garden cemetery. Designed with the living in mind, the Victorians created a space that would allow them to visit and spend time with their deceased loved ones. Because of the initial design and intention, the Historic Oakland Cemetery has open spaces for picnics, beautiful greenery and opportunities for recreational use. “Victorians had a much more intimate relationship with death,” explained Hernandez. “Death happened in the home and deceased loved ones were normally cared for by their family members. So, that boundary between life and death was much more blurred than it is today.” Oakland Cemetery has a rich and complex history that beautifully reflects the city in which it is situated. Infused with Atlanta history and southern culture, Oakland Cemetery is not only stunning, but also historic and impactful.
The next event taking place at Oakland Cemetery is on Valentines Day. Happening on February 14, 2020 from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m., Love Stories of Oakland Cemetery is a fun-filled date night in the cemetery. Complete with a tour through the gardens, tales of love stories past and complementary hot chocolate and desserts, Love Stories is a one-of-a-kind date night for the upcoming holiday. Tickets go on sale January 9, 2020 and spaces are limited.
To learn more about the Historic Oakland Foundation and Oakland Cemetery, visit www.OaklandCemetery.com. Also make sure to listen to the full interview above.
Don’t miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio! Subscribe to the podcast here. You can also get a recap of any past episodes at our Radio page
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and the Historic Oakland Foundation are not associated. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times.
First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS), formed by a group of brokers 62 years ago, helps exchange listings between Realtors while offering cooperation and compensation to help buyers and sellers connect with each other through the agents of their choosing. FMLS is currently serving over 45,000 brokers and agents in Georgia. President and CEO of FMLS Jeremy Crawford is in studio to discuss his position, the company and the various services offered by FMLS. Join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this episode of All About Real Estate Radio.
Jeremy Crawford has been the president & CEO of FMLS since February of 2019. Crawford graduated from East Tennessee State University with a degree in computer science with a technical background. Crawford has extensive experience working with multiple listing services (MLS) all around the country, including San Diego and San Jose. Before Crawford became the president and CEO of FMLS, he worked as the CEO of the Real Estate Standards Organization, which is a nationwide nonprofit data standards entity.
FMLS ended 2019 on a high note, standing about 2% up from the previous year regarding the number of dollar volume transacted in real estate. Crawford noted that the 2019 market was very healthy, and the 2020 market is expected to follow a similar trend. Crawford also touched on the Atlanta housing inventory as of early 2020. “As far as looking at the current inventory, we typically look at how the inventory would look if there were no new homes listed today,” explained Crawford. “So for the Atlanta market, if you are inside the perimeter, you’re looking at two to three months of inventory. If you’re at the Greater Atlanta market, you’re closer to four months of inventory. That means if no new homes were listed today, in four months we are completely out of inventory.” Historically, Atlanta inventory has been closer to six months. Crawford explains the adjustment can be attributed to many different things. One reason the inventory is lower than in the past is the price of new construction homes. It is more affordable to buy a presale home than it is to buy a new construction home in most markets. A big demographic realizing the affordability issues with new homes are Millennials. “Millennials are now in their big homebuying spur and buying their first-time homes,” said Crawford. “We are seeing a little bit of an inventory crunch on the first-time homebuyer inventory. The good news is the FHA raised their limits, so we hope that will help out those millennial first-time buyers get into some homes that were slightly unaffordable before. And with the interest rates holding down at 3.8 to 4.5 percent, we are hoping that will help with the affordability of new homes as well." Crawford also expanded on how the inventory will impact the 2020 market, and the market predictions for the upcoming year. Based on large brokers and economists in the industry, FMLS is expecting a similar year to 2019. Interest rates are projected to remain steady throughout most of 2020, while inventory will most likely remain constrained with new construction ramping up. Although the inventory is lower, more showings and homes under contract were present in 2019 than in 2018.
Listen to the full interview above. To learn more about FMLS, visit www.FMLS.com. You can also visit their YouTube channel to access informative videos geared towards agents and brokers, as well as training videos for Realtors.
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Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. New American Funding and FMLS is not associated. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
Scott Lange, executive director of AWARE Wildlife Center joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in Studio. Born and raised in Atlanta, Lange started his career as a civil engineer. After losing interest in the field, he returned to school to seek an education in law. Lange practiced law for seven years, during which time he joined the board of directors at AWARE. When the previous executive director returned to private practice, Lange stepped in to cover the position temporarily while the board searched for a new director. After some time in the position, Lange secured the spot permanently.
AWARE Wildlife Center is a wildlife rehabilitation center for injured or orphaned native Georgia wildlife. The main goal of AWARE is preparing native animals to return to nature at full strength with a good quality of life. If any animal is unable to return to their home due to permanent injury or illness, AWARE keeps them to use as educational ambassadors with its education program.
AWARE currently has 25 animal ambassadors at the facility. Every Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m., AWARE opens its doors to the public to visit the ambassadors and see the facility for free! In addition to onsite education, AWARE Wildlife also goes to schools, churches, festivals and more to educate the public on Georgia native wildlife.
“We try to educate folks about peaceful coexistence with wildlife,” said Lange. “We figure we took about 1,300 patients in 2019, but we could probably save thousands more if we can communicate to people that there are ways to coexist with wildlife and not have to kill them because we freak out.”
Although Lange handles the office side of the organization, there is a willing and capable team always ready to help with the animals. AWARE currently has six animal care staff members and over 100 regular animal care volunteers. While the expert staff oversees and guides everything at AWARE, the volunteers get to do most of the hands-on work including feeding, cleaning and medicating. At any given time, the facility holds 200-300 animals seeking care. Volunteers sign up for five-hour weekly shifts to help care for the abundance of native Georgia wildlife seeking help.
The most common animals AWARE takes in are baby possum. Being America’s only marsupial, possum babies often remain in their mother’s pouch until they are old enough to leave. When a female adult possum dies, there is a chance babies are still alive and in the pouch. When babies are found in these pouches, they are brought into AWARE. In 2019, AWARE saw over 300 possums come through the center.
Set apart from other facilities in the state of Georgia, AWARE takes almost every single species of native Georgie wildlife. The only exceptions are bears and adult deer. State regulations mandate that the facility cannot accept bears into the facility. Adult deer are not accepted due to a stress condition called capture myopathy. This condition causes deer to have extreme stress and can even lead to death due to confinement. Although these two animals are not accepted into AWARE, everything else is fair game – even alligators!
For anyone looking to volunteer and get involved with AWARE Wildlife Center, go to www.AWAREWildlife.org. The organization relies heavily on volunteers and asks for a weekly five-hour commitment from any dedicated helpers ready to help Georgia native wildlife!
Make sure to listen to the full interview above! If you’ve missed an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, click the link here to catch up on the latest in Atlanta Real Estate and Around Atlanta.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfo...
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio’s sponsor for 2020 joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick in this New Year’s Day Radio episode. Southeast Regional Manager of New American Funding Gina Spearman is in studio to discuss the company and the new sponsorship.
Spearman is a 25-year veteran of the mortgage lending business and a business partner of Kelly Allison for 20 years! Three years ago, Spearman, Allison and the rest of their team joined New American Funding to help grow the southeast market. “I think what we’re most proud of is the fact that we have really been able to provide homeownership in so many communities throughout the southeast,” said Spearman. “We are honored and proud to say that along with a lot of our great referral partners, Realtors, builders and the homebuying community that we provided homeownership for over 8,000 families in 2019.” New American Funding realizes that providing a mortgage is a transaction, but also understand it is a process that provides homeownership and helps fulfil dreams. New American Funding is a national and direct lender, meaning they hold the mortgages themselves. In most cases, buyers and borrowers make payments directly to New American Funding as opposed to a bank branch or chain. Spearman dives into the benefits of being a direct lender including the following.
Customer Service Accessibility and Interaction with the Original Loan Officer Referral Partners Appear on Mortgage Statement Increased Branding for Referral Partners Stability and Peace of Mind for Borrowers
New American Funding serves several market sectors due to its abundance of resources and the product mix available to them as a national organization. From serving the first-time homebuyer who needs extra guidance, to helping clients with an in-house rescore program designed for borrowers who have had a rough time or extenuating circumstances, New American Funding handles a myriad of different cases. Priding themselves in being a one-stop-shop, New American Funding can handle any and all lending needs. “We try to put our money where our mouth is,” said Spearman. “If we say we are committed to homeownership to those that are deserving, then you have to have the tools and the resources in-house to make that happen. You can’t be a cherry picker and just provide loans to people with an 800-credit score with 20 percent down.” Not only does New American Funding provide all conventional loans including FHA, VA and USDA, but it also offers any down payment assistance programs available in the market. One of the more popular products, especially among first-time homebuyers, is the 100 percent financing program.
To find out more information on New American Funding and to find out how to take advantage of its spectacular lending products, visit www.NewAmericanFunding.com. You can also listen to the full interview by clicking above.
Miss an episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio? Visit the link here to catch up on the latest in Atlanta Real Estate and Around Atlanta.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee, License #22564. NMLS ID #6606. Subject to borrower and property qualifications. Not all applicants will qualify. Corporate office 14511 Myford Rd., Suite 100, Tustin, CA 92780. Phone: (800) 450-2010. (January/2020)
Broker Solutions, Inc. DBA New American Funding 14511 Myford Road, suite 100 Tustin, CA 92780 is not licensed in all states. Not all applicants will qualify. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice. NMLS 6606. For complete State licensing information call 888-369-6455.
New American Funding is a family-owned mortgage lender with a servicing portfolio of over 123,000 loans for $30.4 billion, 198 branches, and about 3,100 employees. The company offers several niche loan products and has made Inc. 5000’s list of Fastest-Growing Companies in America six times. It has a state-of-the-art career training facility and develops innovative technolog...
Formed in 1996 by two women, one a breast cancer reconstructive surgeon and the other a fly angler guide, Casting for Recovery offers women fighting breast cancer a free weekend retreat. Participant Coordinator Diane Minick and Participant Meg Morris join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss Casting for Recovery and how it helps women with breast cancer.
Casting for Recover is a unique nonprofit organization that strives to better the quality of life for women with breast cancer. The group uses a combination of breast cancer education, peer support and the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. With a mission of offering opportunities for women to find inspiration, discover renewed energy for life and experience healing connections with other women and nature, Casting for Recover serves women of all ages and in all stages of breast cancer treatment. The program is also completely free to participants. “The whole goal is to provide an opportunity for women who are recovering from this disease to not only have the experience of the exercise that it gives them, but also to have an instant support group with all the other ladies that are in attendance,” said Minick. Casting for recovery is represented in every state in the United States, with some states having several groups or chapters. The organization has spread internationally with groups in Europe. Along with a wide scope of locations to seek support, this nonprofit also hit its mark of serving over 10,000 women this year.
“We are all about trying to provide a free weekend retreat for these ladies and treat them in a way that makes them feel completely special, and maybe helps them forget about the fact that they are dealing with this disease,” said Minick. The application process for any woman wanting to get involved is simple. Go online to www.CastingForRecovery.org and then click to become an applicant. After filling out an online application, applicants are chosen at ranhttp://www.CastingForRecovery.orgdom to participate in the Casting for Recovery program.
To hear more about the program, what it entails and how to get involved, listen to the full interview above. You can also visit the website here to learn more and donate.
To hear more from Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, click here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Traton Homes Amy Kessler joins co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Kessler started in the Atlanta market back in 2001 as an onsite agent. Since then, she has worked for other Atlanta builders, worked as a general agent and most recently worked as the vice president of sales for a local active-adult builder. Kessler was a sales agent at Traton Homes back in the late 2000s and returned to work as the vice president of sales and marketing. She is in studio today to discuss Traton Homes and some of their most popular metro-Atlanta communities.
Traton Homes was founded in 1971 by two brothers and is one of metro-Atlanta’s oldest homebuilding companies. It is also one of the most innovative, combining traditional building practices with the passion of the latest systems and styles. It has full-feature townhomes, single-family estate homes and active-adult neighborhoods.
1825 Stilesboro Located in Marietta, 1825 Stilesboro is one of Traton Home’s first active-adult communities in metro-Atlanta. Currently writing contracts, this 55+ community is already over 50 percent sold. The community is located adjacent to extensive hiking and running trails over the 2,900-acre Kennesaw Mountain area. Perfect for active adults who love to spend time in nature, but don’t necessarily want to drive to stay active, these amenities are located right outside the front door!
Courtyards at Camden Another 55+ community, Courtyards at Camden is off Mars Hill Road in the West Cobb area. This community offers beautiful ranch homes with an incredible amenity package including a pool, a clubhouse, a fire pit gathering area and a game lawn. These homes are priced from the mid $300,000s.
Parkside East This community is now open for sales and includes two-story townhomes priced from the $299,000s and into the $300,000s. Another great community for gathering, Parkside East has pocket parks, a fire pit area and a pavilion. Located in East Marietta, Parkside East has a beautifully decorated model home with onsite agents seven days a week.
Mangêt Traton Home’s newest community Mangêt is located in the historic Marietta’s renaissance district. Within walking distance of Marietta Square, Mangêt offers 36 single-family detached homes and are priced from the mid $300,000s. The homes at this community offer timeless architecture and stylish interiors.
Traton Homes is concerned with giving incredible homes at an affordable value. Currently, the organization is focusing on building quality homes in the $200-400,000 price range. To discover “Altogether More” with Traton Homes, or to learn more about their incredible metro-Atlanta communities, visit www.TratonHomes.com. You can also read more about them on the Atlanta Real Estate Forum website here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
As a 10-year small business owner in Gwinnett County, Sammy Baker has the business experience to make a difference for Gwinnett County and Georgia at the State Capitol. Baker joins Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss his company, Contractor’s Best Pest Solution, and upcoming run for the Georgia Senate.
In addition to founding and owning Contractor’s Best Pest Solution, Baker has been involved in the homebuilding industry for 26 years.
“I see a real challenge with builders trying to build houses at an economical cost,” Baker said. “We have design elements now that local control is really taking over.”
Examples of such design elements include putting garage entries on the rear of the home or the use of specific types of shingle or siding or requiring homes be four-sides brick. According to Baker one county has even decided that slab homes aren’t good.
“They are really causing, by the design element, the cost of housing to really go up,” Baker said. “It starts with the architect that has to draw it and redraw it and redraw it to get it to fit their design element bills.”
According to Baker, these new laws are causing the prices of homes to increase $30,000 to $40,000, per house. This increase cuts people out of the American dream by offering minimal entry-level product to homebuyers.
In an effort to get more involved and help provide solutions for workforce housing and related issues, Baker is running for Georgia State Senate District 45 in Gwinnett County. Baker’s campaign platform focuses on several issues:
Term Limits for Legislators
Baker believes in a government run by private citizens, not by special interests, and will work to pass legislation limiting state legislator terms.
Term Limits for Commissioners
Baker will also work on a hyper-local level to limit the terms that Gwinnett County Commissioners can serve to two terms.
Leadership to Keep Gwinnett’s 287g in Effect
In opposition to liberal Democrats to end the program, Baker will support to keep Gwinnett County’s 287g program, which keeps illegal immigrants who are arrested, off the streets.
Smaller Government to Protect Homeowners
As a conservative and small business owner, Baker believes that local and state governments should not limit homeowners’ rights, and he will work to protect Gwinnett homeowners from big government.
“I’m going in with a goal and a mission of certain things I would really like to work hard on,” Baker said. “I think once I get those things accomplished, then somebody younger than me needs to come in [with] some new ideas to help our state. I think if you stay in there too long, I think you lose your way, and I don’t want to lose my way.”
To learn more about Baker’s vision and leadership plan, listen to the complete interview above. Visit www.ElectSammyBaker.com to donate or volunteer to put up a yard sign, host a meet and greet, make phone calls or knock on doors.
For complete details regarding Contractor’s Best Pest Solution including residential services and construction solutions, visit www.CallContractorsBest.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event,
HomeSmart Realty Partners offers a one-stop-shop approach to real estate. The company has the ability to serve as a source for real estate, mortgage closings and personal insurance needs. Managing Broker and Owner Rick Musto and Vice President of Operations Paul McParland join Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlants Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss HomeSmart Realty Partners.
Founded in 2000 in Scottsdale, Arizona by a husband and wife team, the company has been thriving for almost two decades. In 2010, the couple decided to franchise, expanding to 29 separate states with almost 20,000 agents. Currently, the fastest-growing franchise in real estate space in the country, the franchise expanded to Georgia and nearly doubled in only a year. The projected growth is expected to continue and expand to all 50 states by the end of next year.
Paul McParland is in charge of training all the real estate agents that come through the company. All the training is facilitated through the brand-new learning center that just opened up this year. This high-tech facility is also where the company offers free CE classes to Realtors, regardless of their affiliation. Realtors from all over, including Keller Williams and Berkshire Hathaway, attend these classes offered by HomeSmart Realty Partners. “It’s very important to train and educate our agents,” Musto said. “It’s not just get a license and know how to do real estate. It’s critical and a huge part of our model. It includes the back-end training that we do.” For the Atlanta region, HomeSmart Realty Partners have agents all over the metro-Atlanta area. They service the metro area, as well as the North Georgia region.
Located at 9755 Dogwood Road Suite 250 in Roswell, you can learn more about HomeSmart Realty Partners by visiting their onsite location, by calling 404-419-1004 or going to www.HomeSmart.com. You can also listen to the full interview posted above.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Masud Olufani, Atlanta based multi-disciplinary actor and artist, joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss his career and his new exhibition at Hammonds House. Visual arts was something Olufani has been engaged with since he was four years old and has been developing ever since. When Olufani got to high school, he mainly acted for fun and as a way to pass the time. This hobby eventually turned into a career and a passion.
During his time in grad school at the Savannah College of Art and Design, Olufani accepted modeling jobs on the side to earn extra money. He also acted in local plays. One of his first was an Atlanta play called “The Meeting.” This local production was about a fictitious meeting between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X. The play received good reviews, and from there, Masud Olufani obtained an agent. He then stumbled through various auditions before landing his first role in Devious Maids. Things took off from there for this Atlanta artist.
“Stage is my first love,” commented Olufani when asked about his favorite form of art. “It’s the immediate response you get from the audience. When you can look in somebody’s eyes and tell when you got them and that they will go on the journey with you. That’s really gratifying.”
While still performing on stage, Olufani has also acted on television over the years. His most recent project is a news and talk show called Retro Report. Olufani is the co-host of this PBS program, along with Atlanta Journalist Celeste Headlee. The show takes a look at historical news stories through a contemporary lens. One example is a story on Colin Kaepernick. The two co-hosts tied the report back to black athletes kneeling during the 1960 Olympic Games. This shows that he was not an anomaly.
Retro Report wrapped up its inaugural season and Olufani has shifted his attention to his art exhibition at Hammonds House in Atlanta. Hammonds House is an art museum located in historic West End with the goal of preserving, exhibiting, interpreting and increasing public awareness of the contributions of visual artists of African descent. Olufani’s exhibit, titled Translocation and Transfiguration, will be at Hammonds House for display. “Translocation being the movement of a person or people from one place to another. Transfiguration being this kind of notion of transcending or transforming based on your interaction in this new place and this new experience,” said Olufani when asked about his exhibit. “This exhibition is really about exploring those two themes visually through the cultural lens of the African American experience.” Olufani spent his undergrad at Morehouse College, where Hammonds House was the most accessible art space to attend. He spent a lot of time walking the corridors of Hammonds House and became aware of the foothold in the cultural landscape of Atlanta. After being inspired at a young age at Hammonds House, Olufani finds it to be an honor and a privilege to be able to share his art work with the community through this medium.
“Everyone has a story to tell. I think one of the greatest gifts we can give to one another is to bear witness to each other’s stories,” said Olufani. “And to realize that ultimately, any one’s story is part of the larger story of humanity.”
For more information on Hammonds House and their current exhibits, visit www.HammondsHouse.org. You can also read more on Masud Olifani and see examples of his past work at www.masud-olufani.com. To hear the full interview, listen to the podcast above.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes...
The missing middle continues to be a hot topic as it pertains to housing, but the missing middle also applies to commercial spaces. Principals of Track West Partners Matt Widmaier and Brett Merrill join Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss their firm and latest project at 400 Bishop.
Track West Partners is a full-service real estate firm focused on development in the Atlanta-area’s commercial, retail, multifamily, office and mixed-use spaces. Comprised of three diversely skilled principals, the firm is uniquely positioned to add value to neighborhoods through thoughtful development opportunities.
Currently under construction, 400 Bishop neighbors Georgia Tech’s pool of 26,000+ students and the growing millennial workforce in Midtown Atlanta. The seven-story, loft-office commercial project is located near Atlanta Station on Bishop Street.
“400 Bishop was really birthed from the idea that there’s really a missing middle in the market on the West Midtown area,” Widmaier said. “You’ve got a lot of very high-profile, fantastic, office/mixed-use developments that are coming out of the ground right now, and you’ve also seen a resurgence of adaptive, reused product, both of which have garnered a lot of attention.”
According to Matt, there is still a sizable group of tenants that want to move in close to the talent pool, close to Georgia Tech, that don’t really have a place if they don’t fit into one of those two categories. 400 Bishop is an opportunity to provide a space for those tenants to come to, both in the new building environment, but maybe not at the same highwater rent marks that larger locations are demanding.
With 130,000 square feet of loft office space available, 400 Bishop features 14- to 18-foot floor-to-floor heights with direct access from the parking garage, building signage rights and three unique floorplates ranging from 7,000 to 10,000 and up to 30,000 square feet. Amenities at 400 Bishop will include exclusive tenant balconies, onsite food, beverage and entertainment on the first floor, rooftop terraces and 52+ restaurants, 18+ shops and six hotels all within a 1-mile radius.
Conveniently located off Peachtree Street and Northside Drive, 400 Bishop also offers easy access to I-75 and I-85 as well as Buckhead, West Midtown, Midtown, Downtown Atlanta and East Cobb.
With tenants expected to begin moving in at the end of 2020 into early 2021, construction is currently underway at 400 Bishop. To get the scoop on what else to expect at this new project, including dining options and a brewery, listen to the full interview above.
For complete details, visit www.TrackWestPartners.com to learn more about the firm.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Centennial Olympic Park hosts a variety of events and activities throughout the year and a family favorite is back for the holiday season. Senior Sales Manager with the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) Authority Adeola Sokunbi and Marketing Specialist with GWCC Authority Parker Hendricks join this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the International Winter Wonderland at Centennial Olympic Park.
GWCC Authority is the fourth largest combined convention, sports, and entertainment campus in North America with over 220 acres of event space between GWCC, Centennial Olympic Park and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Centennial Olympic Park served as the central hub during the 1996 Olympics and has continued to offer attractions and activities throughout the years for the whole family.
Through January 5, 2019, Centennial Olympic Park is the centerpiece of downtown Atlanta’s holiday cheer as the GWCC Authority presents an International Winter Wonderland. Home to the Chinese Lantern Festival and the Atlanta Christkindl Market, the Park will showcase its Olympic legacy with an international holiday experience featuring live entertainment, cultural food and interactive activities.
The Chinese Lantern Festival themed ‘Into the Wild’ this year, will feature stunning, handcrafted lanterns of more than 25 various kinds of both land and sea animals, including portrayals of endangered species to spotlight the importance of animal protection. Click here to buy tickets.
Free to attend, the German Christmas Market, or Christkindl Market, will feature up to 80 Bavarian-style wood chalets surrounding the fountain of rings. In addition to holiday caroling entertainment, this event creates the authentic German holiday experience with traditional German food vendors, beverages and handcrafted products including ornaments, nutcrackers and toys. Click here for complete details.
Centennial Olympic Park is located at 265 Park Avenue West NW in Atlanta.
To learn more about combo and discount tickets for surrounding attractions, such as Skyview Atlanta and the College Football Hall of Fame, listen to the full interview above. Get in the holiday spirit and mark your calendar to visit the International Winter Wonderland at Centennial Olympic Park. Click here to learn more.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Originally founded in 1941 in Denmark, Velux is a worldwide roof, window, skylight and sunlight manufacturer. Territory Representative Brant Hurdelbring joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week's All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss Velux and its various products available.
A graduate of Georgia Southern University, Hurdelbrink went to school to become a history teacher. After a few years of teaching, he switched his profession to sales. With over 20 years of sales experience and 7 years at Velux, Hurdelbrink was thrilled to talk about the wide variety of products and services available.
One product the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio guest and co-hosts discuss is the No-Leak Skylight. A popular request amongst homeowners, the biggest concern with skylights is leakage, which is a common problem. The experts at Velux created a special flashing kit to go along with its skylights to guarantee a leak-free installation and usage. The product comes with a 10-year no-leak guarantee. The product is simple to install, and most builders, roofers and remodelers are very familiar with the installation process and can incorporate them into new homes or old construction projects. Velux also has 5-star installers ready to complete the process.
Another popular Velux product is the Sun Tunnel Skylight. Sun Tunnels are a cost-effective way to add natural light to darker or less vibrant areas of the household. This product is a tubular daylighting device that brings daylight into a home. The company also introduced a solar night light last year. The solar night light goes inside the Sun Tunnel and allows for light even when the sun is down! In addition to the convenience, efficiency and quality of living that goes along with Sun Tunnels, homeowners are qualified for a 30% federal tax credit on the total cost of the installation.
To learn more about Velux products and services, listen to the full interview above or visit www.VeluxUSA.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Founded in 2010, What Now Media Group has grown to be recognized as the leading news source for retail, restaurant and multifamily openings and closings in the Atlanta area with over 1.5 million readers. Founder Caleb J. Spivak joins Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the group’s second market in Los Angeles as well as share updates on What Now Atlanta.
Spivak kicks off the show by announcing that in addition to What Now Atlanta, What Now Media Group has officially launched What Now Los Angeles. The goal of both What Now online publications is to “get the scoop” and yet-to-break news in relation to local real estate, retail and dining news in the Atlanta and now Los Angeles areas.
“As time has gone on, we have really found that our niche is in some of the smaller brick and mortar businesses that a lot of the larger publications don’t report on,” Spivak said. “We’ve really focused on, as an organization, being a resource to new and growing businesses in the markets that we serve, and seeing how we can help them as a mouthpiece to open and grow to the next level”
When it comes to getting to that breaking news first, Spivak explains that the What Now team is dedicated to pounding the pavement and sifting through various permit applications, liquor licenses and neighborhood planning unit meetings, demanding information from the folks involved in planning these brick and mortar businesses and doing it in a cooperative but relentless way.
There are openings and closings on a daily basis in the Atlanta area, which is really the focus of What Now Atlanta (Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb and some of the surrounding counties). According to Spivak, what they have noticed is that restaurants are not staying open as long as they used to, but that’s not necessarily an issue.
“These restaurateurs are opening to great fanfare, and there’s kind of this opening push where they’re the hottest restaurant and everyone flocks to them, and then they get their regulars that hang out and come back week after week of month after month or day after day depending on how loyal they are,” Spivak said. “But then something new opens and that same ‘we’ve got to check out what’s next’ mentality is applied and there’s a drop in traffic.
“What we see a lot of restaurateurs in Atlanta doing is constantly reinventing themselves and even within their existing restaurant spaces, closing down [previous] concepts and opening something new, or signing leases that are not as long term as what we’ve seen in the past, so that they can be a little bit more flexible,” Spivak said.
Additionally, What Now Media Group also covers breaking retail news throughout the Atlanta area. North Fulton has seen a lot of success with its innovative mixed-use retail spaces including Avalon (which celebrated its 5th anniversary in October 2019) and newly opened Halcyon and Alpharetta City Center.
“[Real estate developers] are quickly realizing with the increase in online shopping, the only way to get folks to our centers, to drive business for our retailers, which is how we profit through rent, is to create an experience, and so that’s what’s happening at centers like Halcyon, Alpharetta City Center [and] Avalon,” Spivak said. “Intown [examples include] Ponce City Market and Colony Square, which is under a ‘re-imagination’ as North American Properties puts it, and what’s happening over at Westside Provisions District.”
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about multifamily developments near Ponce City Market and Old Fourth Ward. To learn more about What Now Media Group and subscribe to the email list for Atlanta news, visit www.WhatNowAtlanta.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program.
Higharc is reinventing new home design for the digital age with its breaking-edge technology that aims to simplify the oftentimes confusing homebuilding process. Co-Founder and Director of Visualization Thomas Holt joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss this new startup and what it offers to both homebuyers and home builders.
Inspired by the agonizing design and construction process currently being used in custom home design, Higharc aims to serve as a digital architect for customers, allowing them to create customized architectural plans for their homes. Coming from a background of working in video games, Holt’s role as the visual director is to combine the fun and engagement you get out of video games with the visualization of how to represent a home in 3D and 2D, allowing homebuyers to explore, understand and experience the home that they’ve been designing.
The design process begins by going to Higharc.com. Once on the site, homebuyers are guided through an interview process similar to one they would go through if they sat down with an architect. Based on that information, the program acts as a digital architect by generating designs for a home that meet the homebuyer specifications and allows them to explore the design in both a 3D and 2D format, as well as make further customizations. From there, Higharc puts the homebuyer in touch with a trusted and qualified, high-quality builder that uses Higharc’s builder-ready plans and help guide them through the process of bringing their dream home to life.
The Higharc team is comprised of a diverse mix of talents and expertise. Founder and CEO Mark Minor comes from a background of 3D printing and startups, while the other two founders, who work for Autodesk, are involved in the generative design process where thousands of designs are simulated and then quantitively evaluated. In addition to the founders, the company also consists of a number of programmers and builders who all bring a different angle to the process and are extremely passionate about the problem they are solving in home design.
While there has been a lot of interest from homebuyers, Higharc understands the relationship with the builder and aims to make it equally as beneficial. One way they have been doing this is by making sure they are pairing the buyers with a home builder from the very beginning and expanding the network of qualified, high-quality builders. Through this network, other builders can see the value that Higharc provides as far as software and prequalified customers.
While custom home builders have been the primary client showing interest and becoming partners, Higharc has also been approached by several regional and community-sized home builders who are attracted to its advantages. These advantages include the opportunity for customization and a streamlined process that happens in real-time. It also serves as a great sales tool as it offers not only visualization but also estimating costs. From the builder’s standpoint, the program actually reduces design costs and allows them to offer a value that other companies can’t compete with.
Higharc recently started its pilot stage in North Carolina and is now expanding pilot testing to Georgia. Right now, all customers are part of the pilot program where they are receiving an incredible deal while also helping Higharc further develop the program. Once out of the pilot stage, the program will have a variety of pricing models based on value, purpose and customization.
For now, Higharc plans to continue to build on their pilot program and expand on them to create a building rollout. For those interested in learning more about Higharc or those who would like to be a part of their early pilot program, listen to the full interview above or visit www.Higharc.com to sign up to take part in the future of digital architecture.
Founded in South Florida in 2009, Granite Garage Floors quickly followed with a second location in Atlanta in the following year. Granite Garage Floors General Manager Nick Carberry joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on a bonus All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the company’s purpose and incentives.
Over the past 10 years, the team at Granite Garage Floors has expanded all over the country. This company offers professionally installed, industrial-quality garage, basement and patio flooring options to residential customers. After 12 to 13 years of working in corporate America, Nick met Granite Garage Floors Owner Alana Mishkoff during a sabbatical and took over the Atlanta operations after further meetings and negotiations.
Builders in and around the Atlanta area create beautiful homes with fabulous interiors and exterior finishes, but the garage often gets forgotten. The largest piece of the garage goes untouched until Granite Garage Floors steps in. Upgrading the garage floor is an easy add-on that adds tremendous value to a home. The garage is also the new front door due to residents parking in this covered space to enter the home, instead of walking around to the front exterior door.
Overtime, garages get mucky and cluttered. With a cleanup and upgraded flooring, what was once a stressful eyesore can become a beautiful showpiece. The experts at Granite Garage Floors use the best materials and products to ensure the floors last a lifetime.
About two-thirds of the installation team's time is spent on prepping the floor, an imperative part of the flooring process that many other competitors often glance over. After an arduous prepping process, the team works to apply the primer and base coat before distributing decorative flakes by hand. This step requires extreme attention to detail as the group makes sure the floor looks as close to glass as possible. Once the floor looks perfect, the team applies a final protective coat and cleans up!
In a few short days, a garage can go from being just a place to store old tools to a stress-free and beautiful addition to any new home. To learn more about Granite Garage Floors, listen to the full interview above or visit www.granitegaragefloors.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Nationally recognized Beazer Homes builds houses and communities that families are proud to call home. VP of Sales and Marketing Melanie Mickie joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s latest new Atlanta communities and limited-time savings.
Built on a solid family foundation, Beazer Homes has been building new homes across the country for more than 25 years but, according to Melanie, the company’s history truly began in the 1600s by an English builder named George Beazer.
“Over nine generations later, the Beazer family and name continues to stand for quality homebuilding, craftsmanship and innovation,” Mickie said. “In terms of Beazer being rooted in our communities, although we’re a nationwide company, our focus is on the individual communities. We strategically build each community to be near places that our customers care about, so that your home is more than a house.”
Specifically, in the Atlanta new home market, Beazer Homes is building everything from starter townhomes to single-family homes and move-up single-family homes. Later in 2019, Beazer Homes also plans to add 55+ communities to its Atlanta lineup. Beazer communities are located throughout Atlanta and Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Fulton and Gwinnett counties.
One community located in the Buckhead area of Atlanta is Morningside Towns. Priced from the $460,000s, this collection of three-story townhomes offers home designs ranging from 1,880 to 1,892 square feet with three-to-four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. Residents enjoy an easy commute thanks to the community’s intown locale and easy highway access, as well as a community pool.
Townhomes are also available at White Oak at East Lake in Decatur. Priced from the $300,000s, townhome designs range from 1,873 to 2,468 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space with three-to-four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths. Popular shopping, dining and outdoor recreation options are all nearby for residents to enjoy.
Alternatively, single-family opportunities are available from the $420,000s at Mountain Park Overlook in Woodstock. Ranging from 2,816 to 3,489 square feet of living space, home designs offer plenty of space to grow with four-to-five bedrooms and three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half baths. Residents enjoy plenty of popular shopping, dining and recreation options nearby.
With even more room to accommodate a growing family, newly opened Enclave at Daves Creek features single-family homes ranging from 2,826 to 3,719 square feet of impressive living space in a desirable Cumming, Georgia locale. Homes start from the mid-$400,000s and feature five bedrooms and three-and-a-half to five-and-a-half baths. Residents enjoy easy access to golf and park destinations as well as popular dining options.
For a limited time, Beazer Homes is also offering special homebuyer savings. Listen to the full interview above to learn more or click here to see the full list of offerings from Beazer Homes throughout the Atlanta area.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form.
Senior and active-adult living is on the rise, and that demographic is taking advantage of the services and maintenance-free lifestyle those new Atlanta communities provide. One Street Residential Managing Partner of Development Brendan Barr joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the company’s vision and latest projects with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on a bonus All About Real Estate episode.
Originally founded in 1986, One Street Residential provides communities that exceed the needs of its residents to give them a great home and lifestyle. The builder’s flexible renting and leasing options are for the discretionary renter that has the ability to own a home but chooses to rent for a variety of reasons. According to Barr, that household demographic is growing every year.
Barr explains that senior housing is always four groups:
Fee-simple homeownership, maintenance-free Traditional independent living, age-restricted environment, limited healthcare but mandated food plan Congregate care retirement community that allows aging to happen in place at the same facility A higher level of acuity that includes memory care and more hands-on assistance
One Street Residential categorizes itself as the fifth group, a multi-family program design conceived for a 55+ older consumer in mind that for a variety of reasons, such as flexibility, will choose to sign a 12-month lease rather than maintain a 30 or 15-year mortgage commitment.
“We always like to say that we’re in the active-adult living business versus the housing business because we focus on lifestyle,” Barr said.
One Street Residential currently offers opportunities throughout Atlanta and the surrounding areas including Fayetteville, Johns Creek, Lawrenceville, Peachtree City, Tucker and Woodstock, to name a few. Not only does OneStreet Residential manage the community buildings, but it also provides lifestyle enrichment to foster a sense of community at each OneStreet Residential managed property.
To learn more about new Atlanta communities from One Street Residential including popular Hearthside and newly opened EVOQ Town Flats in Johns Creek, listen to the full interview above or visit www.OneStreetRes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Artisan Built Communities, located in Dallas, Georgia, builds homes master-crafted by tradesmen who take pride in their work. Each Artisan Built community is known to house incredible amenities and embrace nature. Designed for active adults, singles and families, there is something specific for everyone. Artisan Built Communities President Stephen Haines joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s latest new home opportunities and incentives.
NatureWalk at Seven Hills in Paulding County is one of the largest master-planned communities in the Southeast. Composed of five separate neighborhoods, each section is designed to cater specifically to a certain group of people to make the most out of community living.
Stratford Artisan Built’s flagship neighborhood in NatureWalk is Stratford. This active adult 55+ community offers ranch-style homes priced from the mid-$200,000s. The HOA covers many of the regular landscaping and maintenance needs in this neighborhood, ensuring their active adults can enjoy their day-to-day lives worry-free.
Inverness Inverness is a recent addition to Rosemont at NatureWalk. These homes are perfect for growing families, boasting two-story traditional homes starting from the low $300,000s. Inverness residents enjoy access to all amenities provided by Seven Hills including the wide nature trails that wander through the woods.
North Farm North Farm is the newest neighborhood in NatureWalk at Seven Hills. This community is completely farmhouse-inspired, featuring oversized front porches and big yards. These two-story ranch homes with a classic Americana feel are designed to be more affordable, priced from the high $200,000s.
Click here to learn more about new homes and neighborhoods from Artisan Built Communities throughout the metro-Atlanta area, or listen to the full interview above.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick welcome the Atlanta BeltLine Communication and Media Relations Manager Jenny Odom to this week’s Around Atlanta segment. After volunteering between five and six years, Jenny was brought on board as a full-time employee and has worked on the Atlanta BeltLine project for over 7.5 years.
The Atlanta BeltLine is a project 20 years in the making with plenty of progress planned for the future. Upon completion, the project will include over 22 miles of light rail transit, 33 miles of trails and 1,300 acres of parks. Every year, different elements of the master plan are brought into fruition, connecting Atlanta through intricate trail systems and public parks.
The Atlanta BeltLine currently has five trails and seven parks complete with more on the way. The Eastside Trail completed last summer, is a 3-mile path starting in Monroe Drive in Midtown and ending on Memorial Drive. This popular trail connects neighborhoods in South Atlanta to each other and the Old Railroad Corridor through 11 convenient access points.
Starting this month, lights and upgraded security systems are being extended to certain trails, and the North East Trail is beginning construction. In addition to extensive trails and parks, The Atlanta Beltline is also home to the south’s largest outdoor art exhibition, affordable housing and economic development.
Upon total completion of the project, Atlanta residents can expect:
33 miles of multi-use urban trails $10 billion in economic development 30,000 permanent jobs 46 miles of improved streetscapes 1,100 acres of environmental cleanup
Not only is The Atlanta Beltline working to connect the city by bringing it together as a community, but it is also helping the town grow economically, environmentally and physically. To learn more about The Atlanta Beltline, listen to the full interview above or visit www.BeltLine.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Founded in 1978 by brothers Perry and Scott Knight as house framers, family-owned Knight Homes has now built more than 25 communities and 6,300 homes in some of the most sought-after areas. Knight Homes Vice President of Operations Farrell Middleton joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s latest new home opportunities and incentives.
Primarily building on the southside of Atlanta, Knight Homes also offers its new homes in Forsyth, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties, Warner Robins and Auburn, Alabama.
Currently, the builder has 24 active communities in Atlanta, four in Warner Robins and two and Auburn. Some are in closeout stages, while others are just opening, so there are options for homebuyers looking in varying times of the process. Coming soon in spring 2020, Knight Homes is expected to open 13 new communities in the Atlanta area and two more in Auburn.
McDonough, Georgia
Starting at $180,900, West Park at Avalon features single-family homes offering 1,590 to 2,413 square feet of living space with three-to-four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three baths and zero- to two-car garages. Homes boast gourmet kitchens with granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and more.
Named for the year McDonough, Georgia was founded, 1823 features traditional two-story and ranch-style single-family homes priced from the $274,900s. Convenient to McDonough Square, homes feature 2,150 to 3,166 square feet of living space with three-to-five bedrooms, two to three-and-a-half baths and two- to three-car garages.
Locust Grove, Georgia
Currently, Knight Homes has four new communities available in Locust Grove. Recently opened, single-family homes at Kingston start from the $307,900s and offer 3,050 to 4,000 square feet of living space with four-to-five bedrooms, three-to-four baths and three-car garages.
New Locust Grove homes are also available at Berkeley Lakes. Priced from $209,900, homes range from 1,717 to 3,846 square feet of living space with three-to-five bedrooms, two to three-and-a-half baths and two- to three-car garages. Residents enjoy convenience to historic Locust Grove as well as community amenities that include a swimming pool with cabana, playground, multi-use field, bocce court and lake.
In addition to limited-time savings ranging from $5,000 to $7,000, Knight Homes also offers A Knight Heroes discount for all military and first responders, as a thank you for your service and the contributions you make to the community.*
Click here to learn more about new home communities from Knight Homes throughout the Atlanta, Warner Robins and Auburn, Alabama areas, or listen to the full interview above.
*Contact a Knight Homes on-site agent for complete details, terms and conditions.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Visitors at the Gwinnett County Public Library have access to a plethora of resources that enrich and inspire the community. Gwinnett County Public Library Marketing and Communications Manager Dee Driver joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Library’s many programs and activities.
With 15 locations throughout the county and up to 95 programs a day across all locations, Gwinnett County Public Library offers something for essentially everyone.
“We’re more than just a library, we’re a community hub,” Driver said. “We’re the place where you gather to learn about your community, yourself and to better yourself.”
Librarians no longer sit behind a desk; they immerse themselves with the visitors. Gwinnett County Public Library and its offerings go beyond typical storytime and book exchanges with resume classes, career online high school and more.
In terms of what is available for high school students at Gwinnett County Public Libraries, according to Driver, one of the most popular annual programs is the Teen Film Challenge. This program allows teens to make their own film and edit and produce it at the library. Entries range from 2-minutes to 30-minutes and have even had celebrity judges participate.
Also popular, the fashion design program offers a 6-week Fashion-Runway-type course followed by a finale fashion show with participant-designed clothing on display and celebrity judges.
Perfect for teens and adults on the go, Gwinnett County Public Library also offers digital apps for iOS and Android Devices. This collection of apps, all accessible with an active library card, offer the ability to download and read ebooks, learn a new language, review upcoming events, extend rental due dates and more.
Additionally, Gwinnett County Public Library offers Career Online High School, a program for adults that have aged out of the public school system (typically 21+) and want to earn their high school diploma. Taking anywhere from 1 year to 18 months, the most recent class contained 17 graduates.
The number of programs and resources available to Gwinnett County residents from the Library is beyond impressive. Listen to the full interview above to learn more about available programs and activities including Adulting: 101 and the AARP Defensive Smart Driver Course, or visit www.GwinnettPL.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Recognized as a major issue in many cities, homelessness is defined as anyone living on the streets, moving between temporary shelters including the homes of friends, family and emergency accommodations or living in private boarding houses without a private bathroom. The HomeFirst Gwinnett initiative Director Matt Elder joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the program and its efforts in the county.
Formed as a collaborative partnership between the United Way of Greater Atlanta, Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and The Primerica Foundation, HomeFirst Gwinnett strives to develop a strategic, coordinated approach to addressing homelessness in Gwinnett County by better connecting services for those in most need.
Recent reports have shown that Gwinnett County has one of the largest homeless populations in the state. Because of this, and the fact that the county did not have any operating homeless facilities, local leaders determined in 2018, that homelessness in Gwinnett County specifically required immediate attention.
Sparking from the support if its initial founding partners, the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and The Primerica Foundation, more than 40 additional community partners now support the HomeFirst Gwinnett initiative to create more effective, efficient systems for helping those in need of assistance with housing.
The HomeFirst Gwinnett Initiative seeks to accomplish the following action items:
Drafting of Homeless and Affordable Housing Strategic Plan Implementation of the Gwinnett County Coordinated Entry System Establish Homeless Assessment Centers Identification and Development of Affordable Housing Options Administer Gwinnett County’s Homeless Point-in-Time Count
Following the initial step of drafting a strategic plan, the initiative plans to implement a coordinated entry system in 2020, providing a one-stop-shop to connect people in need of housing with the providers and resources that are currently available in real-time. The current resources simply provide contact information of places that could potentially have a room available, while the new system will be able to provide immediate solutions to those in need.
With the successful establishment of Homeless Assessment Centers and the results of Gwinnett County’s Homeless Point-in-Time Count to be released within the next month, it is evident HomeFirst Gwinnett is effectively accomplishing its action items.
To learn more, listen to the full interview above or visit www.UnitedWayAtlanta.org/program/homefirst-gwinnett.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Founded in 1979, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners established the Fulton County Arts Council to enhance the quality of life of Fulton County Residents. Fulton County Arts & Culture Director Lionell Thomas joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the organization’s mission and upcoming activities.
“The most interesting part of my job is being able to juggle the creativity with handling the political part of the process and making sure that everyone benefits from arts and culture and has an opportunity to enjoy everything we have to offer in Fulton County,” Thomas said. “We have a wide array of arts activities going on.”
According to Thomas, the mission of the Fulton County Arts & Culture is to further the arts and culture in Fulton County. The organization’s job is to explore ways to improve the quality of life, using art as a conduit for making life better for residents.
Thomas explains arts and culture are important to the community because it connects us with one another. It helps people escape everyday life and fill a possible void while also preserving culture for future generations.
National Arts and Humanities Month is October 24, 2019, and to celebrate 40 years of creative leadership, Fulton County Arts & Center is hosting a variety of activities throughout the month. Click here to see the full schedule. To explore volunteer opportunities or to learn more, call 404-612-5780 or visit www.FultonArts.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio Co-Hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are thrilled to welcome rookie guests to this week’s All About Real Estate segment. EMC Homes CFO Donovan Haag and Sales Manager Jaclyn Riddle join the show to discuss the builder’s mission and new Atlanta home communities.
Focused on improving the homebuying experience overall, the mission of EMC Homes is to help you achieve the dream of homeownership by offering well-constructed, quality new homes at affordable prices. With nearly 20 new home communities throughout the metro Atlanta area, homebuyers are sure to find a home that fits their lifestyle at an affordable price point.
Moriah Woods, located in Auburn, Georgia, features single-family homes from the mid-$200,000s. Homes sit on half-acre to 1-acre homesites and range from 1,910 to 3,248 square feet of living space with three-to-four bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half baths and two-car garages.
EMC Homes is also building new homes at Barrington Estates, an established community of new Sugar Hill homes. Priced from the $200,000s, homes offer 1,855 to 2,895 square feet of living space with three-to-five bedrooms, two-and-a-half to three baths, two-car garages and basement options available.
The builder is also working on a three-home infill project in Braselton. Perfectly located near downtown Braselton, this collection of homes features ranch floor plans with 1,910 square feet of living space with three bedrooms, two baths and a two-car garage. With only three opportunities available, each priced at $234,900, these homes will not be available for long.
EMC Homes also has several opportunities coming soon and pre-selling now. Priced from the mid-$200,000s, Iris Glen is located in Loganville, Georgia. Homes boast 1,900 to 3,248 square feet of living space with three-to-five bedrooms, two-to-four baths and two-car garages.
Belmont Hills will feature new Commerce homes from the low $200,000s. Ranging from 1,742 to 2,138 square feet of living space, homes feature three-to-four bedrooms, two to two-and-a-half baths and two-car garages.
As an added bonus, homebuyers looking to move quickly can enjoy up to $8,000 toward closing costs on select quick move-in homes.* To learn more about EMC Homes including its efforts to provide affordable housing in some of the area’s most sought-after locations, listen to the full interview above or visit www.EMCHomesGA.com.
*Valid on contracts written 10/1/2019 through 10/31/2019. Some restrictions apply. See New Home Specialist for details.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Computers have undoubtedly evolved from their humble beginnings to the lifeline super machines they are today. Computer Museum of America (CMoA) Founder Lonnie Mimms and Vice President Karin Mimms join this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the museum’s mission, artifacts and exhibits with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
What initially started as an effort to collect and protect vintage computers has evolved into one of the world’s most all-inclusive collections of computing artifacts, helping preserve the history of computing for generations to come. CMoA serves as a permanent record of the computer evolution process and the market experiments that drove discovery forward.
Visitors of all ages enjoy engaging exhibits that share stories and highlight artifacts throughout the history of computing. In addition to temporary pop-up exhibits, CMoA has loaned rare artifacts to other museums including the Smithsonian Institution.
Current exhibits include:
A Tribute to Apollo 11 Beginning with an animated documentary, Getting to the Moon and Back, A Tribute to Apollo 11 shows the type of computers that NASA used from an IBM 3420, a front panel of an IBM 360, modular computer systems and more. Completely immerse yourself in the history of Rocketry, the race to space and 3D views of space from the Apollo missions.
Supercomputing: Vanquishing the Impossible Serving as a tribute to the father of supercomputing, Seymour Cray, this exhibit displays more than 70 supercomputers showing weather predictions, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and more. From the iconic Cray1A and Pixar Machine, Sun Microsystems, to the Connection Machine 2 and a life-size mural of the IBM summit.
Timeline of Computer History
Beginning with the catalysts of the digital age including an abacus, slide rules, a rotary telephone and a transistor radio, this exhibit takes you through the decades with its artifacts of the digital past that include a Datapoint 2200, original Apple 1, the infamous RadioShack TRS80, a rare Apple Lisa 1, Gameboy, Nintendo, Commodore 64 and more.
Byte Wall Magazine Collection A true display of nostalgia, CMoA also features a complete collection of Byte magazine covers including special editions. Step back in time and see how Byte Magazine covers told stories and moved to a product catalog. Two original Robert Tinney artwork covers are on display in the collection.
The computer museum offers a fun, thought-provoking way to learn about the digital age. To learn more about CMoA including its unique artifacts, plans to expand and more, listen to the complete interview above or visit www.ComputerMuseumOfAmerica.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Premier custom home builder and luxury renovation company Highlight Homes offers a variety of services and products for both homeowners and homebuyers in and around Atlanta. Highlight Homes Principal Tony Pourhassan joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the firm’s unique projects and an upcoming master-planned community in Woodstock with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment.
As one of Atlanta’s premier custom builders and luxury renovation companies, Highlight Homes provides an unrivaled customer experience. Services include:
Custom Home Construction Semi-Custom Home Construction Luxury Whole-Home Renovation Commercial Construction Land Development Architectural and Interior Design
Highlight Homes communities are located throughout Buckhead, Brookhaven, Chastain Park and Dunwoody with an upcoming master-planned community in Woodstock.
Recent projects include a pop-the-top remodel where a 1,400 square-foot ranch home on a partial basement in Brookhaven is now a 4,000 square foot home. The first of its kind for Highlight Homes, this flagship remodel now features an upper level, two-car garage and dual owner’s suites, perfect for multi-generational living. A pool and cabana in the rear complete this charming home.
Highlight Homes also has a luxury duplex project coming soon to Atlanta. Located near Atlantic Station, each unit is about 2,200 square feet on full basements with 1,150 unfinished space and a 2-car garage. Set in a prime Midtown location, each unit is priced at $750,000 and includes luxury appointments throughout.
Another unique project to intown Atlanta, Highlight Homes is working on a teardown project in Historic Buckhead near North Stratford Road. This stunning modern, French-country-style home boasts 5,500 square feet of living space with five bedrooms, six-and-a-half baths, a full, unfinished basement, three-car garage and wine cellar.
This home also features a finished third floor for a multi-use area, typically the attic space, that will allow for extra square footage and an elevator that services all four levels. As an added bonus, the home sits on a flat homesite to accommodate a pool house, cabana and recreational area.
Most notably, Highlight Homes will soon begin work on a master-planned community in Woodstock. As one of the biggest projects coming soon to the Atlanta area, it has taken 4 years to get planning, engineering and zoning completed. Final approvals are expected soon to begin the first of the master-planned community’s five phases.
This 2,350-acre project rests among gentry slopes and creeks and, upon completion, will feature:
3,400 single-family homes 200 lofts over commercial and retail space 350 luxury apartments 400 townhomes 250 active-adult ranch homes
At the heart of it all will be a city center, similar to Avalon and Atlantic Station, with:
500,000 square feet of commercial and retail space 200,000 square feet of office space A central lawn for community gatherings and events
The entire development will also boast 50 miles of walking, hiking and walking trails that interconnect all phases with 40% greenspace.
Highlight Homes strives to deliver imaginative interiors, extraordinary exteriors, superb custom homes and luxury renovations designed specifically with your family in mind. To learn more about Highlight Homes and its upcoming projects, listen to the complete interview above or visit www.HighlightHomesGA.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Autumn is synonymous with fall festivals and the Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival has become a crowd favorite! Director of Operations Joe Kopitz with Kennesaw State University’s Department of Event and Venue Management joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss this year’s upcoming festivities on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Presented by Zaxby’s, the 7th Annual Owl-O-Ween Hot Air Balloon Festival returns Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 to the Kennesaw State University Sports and Entertainment Park. From 6 to 11 p.m. on Friday and 4 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, attendees will enjoy hot air balloons, multiple entertainment stages, balloon glows, tethered balloon rides, a silent disco, craft beer garden, costume contests and free activities for the kids.
As night falls, hot air balloons illuminate the event’s backdrop for a visually stunning fall event. Entertainment can be found throughout with more than 120 performing artists, a Costume Catwalk Party, sports bar and more. A separate area for kids features the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Kids Stage with kids’ bands, dance performances, interactive shows and free activities to include inflatables and crafts.
Tickets for the event are available for purchase in advance, but a limited number of tethered hot air balloon ride tickets are only available for purchase the day of the event for $15 – so arrive early! Tickets for children ages 3 to 12 are $6, general admission for children 13 and older and adults are $14 and VIP tickets are $49 for children and $79 for adults.
The Kennesaw State University Sports and Entertainment Park is located at 3200 George Busbee Parkway in Kennesaw. See the full event map here. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit www.Owl-O-Ween.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
When it comes to buying a new home, homebuyers seek two things: a prime location and a home builder, like SR Homes, they can trust to build a quality product. On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, SR Homes Vice President Robert Matthews joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the builder’s vision and latest projects in the metro Atlanta area.
Recognized as a top Atlanta home builder, SR Homes creates semi-custom homes in prime locations including DeKalb, Gwinnett, Hall, Forsyth, Fulton and Oconee counties. SR communities feature sought-after amenities and the quality construction SR Homes is known for.
“As our volume has gone up, we still try to keep the semi-custom, the quality of construction and we always try to put the buyer first,” Matthews said. “If you look at our website, it says the ‘builder focused on you’ so as we’re drawing new plans and creating new concepts, we always want to do it with the buyer in mind.
Perfect for a game day retreat, SR Homes currently has new homes in Athens available at Lakewood, only five minutes from the University of Georgia campus. Unlike any other community in the area, Lakewood offers a traditional community feel with manicured, tree-lined streets, lakefront homesites coming soon in Phase II and a variety of home designs including ranch, main-level owner’s suite and traditional two-story to accommodate an assortment of homebuyers. Homes at Lakewood start from the $300,000s. Click here to learn more about Lakewood including limited-time savings up to $20,000 any-way-you-want-it.*
Limited time fall savings are also available at Montebello, a new Cumming community from SR Homes. Priced from the $400,000s, Montebello offers two distinct sections of homes with low maintenance ranch and main-level living options in The Grove to accommodate move-down buyers and empty nesters while a combination of home designs including ranch, traditional two-story and main-level living are available in The Proper to appeal to growing families and young couples. Current savings at Montebello include $6,000 in design options and closing costs.*
SR Homes is also building new homes in Gainesville at Gates at Limestone Creek. Priced from the low $300,000s, this charming, gated community is located just minutes from downtown Gainesville and ideal for a combination of homebuyers including retirees and young couples seeking an intimate setting to retreat to after a long day without sacrificing convenience to popular destinations and activities.
Homebuyers looking to remain even closer to the big city should visit Camden Hall, priced from the low $600,000s, and Ellsworth, priced from the mid-$500,000s, both new Johns Creek communities.
Keeping with being the Builder Focused on You, many SR Homes communities are a part of the home builder’s smartTRAC Program®, which enables homeowners to “fuse connectivity and interoperability together to seamlessly and remotely manage their connected homes from anywhere, at any time, on any screen in real-time,” and the energyTRAC Program®, which provides added value and energy savings to homeowners.
To learn more about SR Homes and available incentives at its metro Atlanta communities, visit www.SRHomes.com.
*Pricing and savings subject to change. See an SR Homes specialist for complete details.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta r...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October. TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation Executive Director Rebecca Cowens-Alvarado joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the organization’s mission and upcoming events on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Founded in 2003, TurningPoint is a non-profit, 501(c)3 community-based healthcare organization providing specialized and evidence-based rehabilitation for women living with, being treated for and surviving breast cancer. Rehabilitation services include physical and massage therapy, counseling and nutritional analysis. This combination of services provides each woman with hope, education and support, all within an atmosphere of wellness. Most services are complimentary, while a financial assistance program is available to allow all patients access to care.
The organization’s mission is to improve the quality of life for women with breast cancer by providing, promoting and advocating dedicated and evidence-based rehabilitation. Supporters of TurningPoint are invited to attend the annual Pink Affair, coming up on Saturday, March 28, 2020, at InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta.
Funds raised at The Pink Affair will support TurningPoint’s delivery of reduced-fee and complimentary services, community education and healthcare provider education. InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta is located at 3315 Peachtree Road NE in Atlanta.
To learn more about TurningPoint, including events and activities coming up for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, listen to the full interview above or visit www.MyTurningPoint.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Anyone that has shopped for a home online throughout the Southeast, has more than likely heard of First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS). President and CEO of FMLS Jeremy Crawford joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the company’s many impressive offerings to agents.
Founded in 1957 and celebrating its 62nd anniversary in 2019, FMLS serves as the premier data services provider for Georgia real estate professionals. The company has grown from serving its native Georgia roots to now serving the Southeast as a whole including Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee and the Carolinas.
Currently, FMLS serves more than 45,000 real estate professionals throughout Georgia with more than 20,000 active listings spread across 159 Georgia counties.
Real estate agents that are members of FMLS enjoy supreme exposure and coverage for their clients thanks to the many available services such as free CE training classes, 24/7 Customer Support, informational YouTube videos, instructor-led webinars and an extensive online Knowledge Base.
Perfect for the broker on-the-go, FMLS also offers a variety of mobile options for scheduling showings and accessing property data. FMLS listings are boosted by plenty of photos, virtual tours, current statistical data and reports, tax data, outstanding mapping functions and direct agent-to-agent showing capabilities and more.
To learn more about the full offering of innovative products and services available to FMLS members, listen to the full interview above or visit www.FMLS.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Known for building a quality product with a quality team, David Weekley Homes is currently focused on expanding within the 20+ new home markets it serves. Atlanta Division President Eric Price joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio for a bonus All About Real Estate segment to discuss its new Atlanta homes and involvement in the community with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
From Historic Kirkwood and the Marietta/Smyrna area to Alpharetta and Milton, David Weekley Homes offers a variety of products in sought-after locations. One community located in Woodstock, Heritage at Towne Lake, is about half sold out with roughly six quick-delivery homes available now. Priced from the mid-$300,000s, the single-family homes at Heritage Towne Lake offer 1,780 to 2,535 square feet of living space with seven home designs to choose from. This gated, 55+ community offers a low-maintenance lifestyle to its residents.
Nearby in Marietta, low-maintenance, single-family homes are also available at Marietta Township. Priced from the $366,000s, homes offer 1,771 to 2,561 square feet of living space in a gated setting. With six single-level designs to choose from, there are plenty of options for active-adult buyers.
Only three opportunities remain at The Reserve at Old Atlanta, a community of single-family homes in Suwanee. Starting from the $637,000s, homes offer 3,355 to 3,614 square feet of impressive living space. Time is running out to join this family-friendly, Forsyth County community.
Additionally, New Smyrna homes are now selling at Enclave at Belmont Commons and Enclave Belmont Cottages. Belmont Commons features single-family designs from the $388,000s ranging from 1,722 to 2,495 square feet while Belmont Cottages features detached townhomes from the $339,000s with 1,502 to 1798 square feet of living space. Residents of this gated community enjoy an impressive amenities package that includes a pool and cabana.
David Weekley Homes also features a combination of single-family homes and townhomes at Hargrove, a new Decatur community. Starting from $456,166, townhomes feature 1,657 to 2,160 square feet of living space while single-family designs offer 2,260 to 2,741 square feet of living space from the $546,159s.
The home builder also prides itself on its community involvement. Most recently, the David Weekley Care Group partnered with HomeAid Atlanta to construct access and handicap ramps on area homes. Coming up, the Care Group will collect non-perishable items and turkeys for the Thanksgiving season.
To learn more about new communities coming soon from David Weekley Homes and agent and buyer incentives, listen to the full interview above. Click here for more information.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
With evolving generations and new homebuyers entering the market, innovative designs and convenient locales are crucial in the new home industry. McKinney Builders Partner Jim Beveridge joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss its latest project, the first active-adult community in Newnan, as well as share updates on popular communities.
The Gardens at Arbor Springs serves the first active-adult community in Coweta County with 71 homes within the charming Arbor Springs Plantation neighborhood. Homes boast cottage-inspired, single-level plans with traditional, yet modern, finishes. Residents enjoy a low-maintenance lifestyle with community-maintained lawns and courtyards. As the first active-adult community in Coweta County, 80% of the community population must be 55+, but the remainder can be any age.
Keeping with the latest innovations, McKinney Builders has implemented geothermal energy in roughly 100 homes. About 300 feet below ground, temperatures remain fairly constant year-round, on average 65 degrees in Georgia. A geothermal system typically consists of an indoor handling unit and a buried pipe system that capitalizes on those constant temperatures to more efficiently and cost-effectively heat and cool the home.
A geothermal system costs around $17,000 extra, but the government immediately gives back around $7,000 to $8,000 as a 30% dollar-for-dollar reduction. From there, homeowners save about $100 each month on energy costs for the life of the home. A sound investment to say the least.
To learn more about McKinney Builders, including its latest work at Pinewood Forest in Fayetteville and The Cottages, which are walkable to the University of West Georgia, visit www.McKinneyBuilders.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Built by South Haven Builders and designed by Serenbe Planning & Design, the 2019 Serenbe Designer Showhouse is officially open! South Haven Builders Partner Shane Roach joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio for a bonus All About Real Estate segment to discuss the 6th Serenbe Designer Showhouse and upcoming projects.
In partnership with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Magazine, the 2019 Serenbe Designer Showhouse is perfectly located in Chattahoochee Hills at Mado and features peaceful, wooded views. Atlanta’s top interior designers have come together to transform its 3,300 square feet of thoughtfully designed, three levels of space with four bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths.
Beginning on Thursday, September 19, with a preview party and running through Sunday, October 13, visitors may tour the Serenbe Designer Showhouse Thursdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $20.
Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the Art Farm at Serenbe. Art Farm is an art complex at Serenbe that provides a place to bring people together in support of the arts, with the belief that art in everyday life can create a greater understanding of the world.
Private group tours are also available Monday through Wednesday by appointment only. Email Quinn Nygren at Quinn@Serenbe.com to learn more.
The 2019 Serenbe Designer Showhouse is located at 301 Mado Lane in Chattahoochee Hills. To learn more, visit www.SerenbeShowhouse.com.
To learn more about South Haven Builders including an upcoming new home community in Roswell, listen to the full interview above or visit www.SouthHavenBuilders.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Peachtree Residential builds stunning luxury new homes across prime North Atlanta locations. Peachtree Residential President Alec Rickenbaker joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the company’s three decades of success and new home communities.
Located in North Fulton County, Canton Street Commons features single-family homes and townhomes from the low $600,000s to $800,000s. The unique location of Canton Street Commons allows for quick access to Hwy 9, Old Milton Parkway, and GA 400 as well as the significant employment base at Windward. Excellent shopping is just minutes away at Avalon and North Point Mall.
Also in North Fulton County, Muirfield Park features luxury single-family homes priced from the $800,000s in a gated setting. Residents enjoy convenience to the Trophy Club golf course and Bell Memorial Park as well as Northwest Fulton Schools. Already more than 50% sold out, the decorated model home is currently available for sale.
Homebuyers looking to join the Norcross, Gwinnett County area should look no further than Adams Vineyard, a collection of single-family homes priced from the $560,000s. Homes boast oversized front porches and historic details that are complemented by modern, open-concept home designs with views of the community greenspaces.
Also located in Gwinnett County, Duke Reserve features three townhome designs including a main-level owner’s suite plan. Residents of this gated community enjoy convenience to everything Peachtree Corners has to offer. The two-story townhome designs offer two-car garages, upper-level attic storage, four-sides architecture and 2,390 to 3,400 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space.
Another community from Peachtree Residential is St. Michaels Bay located in Cumming, Georgia. In addition to lake access, this new master-planned Forsyth County community offers an impressive amenities package that includes a gated entrance, private covered marina with courtesy dock, lighted tennis courts, “The Bay Club” clubhouse with fitness center and billiard room, Jr. Olympic swimming pool, a playground and hiking and nature trails. Homes at St. Michaels Bay range from the $400,000s to $700,000s.
Known as the builder who provides superior service and exquisite craftsmanship, Peachtree Residential is constantly evolving home designs to accommodate today’s homebuyers. To learn more about Peachtree Residential including its new Tiburon home design, listen to the complete interview above or click here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Thanks to the emergence of Do-It-Yourself (DIY) and home improvement shows, homeowners no longer shy away from updating home décor and design features. Bradley Hall, president of award-winning residential design firm Hall Design Build, joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio for a bonus All About Real Estate segment to discuss the company’s process and involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA).
Hall Design Build offers custom homes in East Cobb in addition to mid-to-major renovation projects throughout Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and surrounding areas. Known for working with some of Atlanta’s finest craftsmen, Hall Design Build is also involved with the Greater Atlanta HBA, the Atlanta Remodelers Council, NARI and Guild Quality.
Projects with the firm follow a three-phase design process.
Phase I The Hall Design Build interior designer goes out to the site to create an “as-built” plan, take measurements and talk with the client to get a feel for which direction they want to go. From there, the client comes to the office to review the proposed plan options. Upon completion, Phase I results in a floor plan.
Phase II The second phase dives into the details of the plan such as appliance and window options. The project manager will go onsite to meet the engineer and if a wall has to come down, determine what kind of beams and footings need to go in place where. All selections are made in this phase so that, upon completion of Phase II, everything can be compiled to assess the budget spend.
Phase III In this final phase, modifications are made to fit the project within budget. This final assessment allows the firm to offer a guaranteed price, draft a customer agreement and begin the work.
In addition to being hands-on and involved in its projects, the firm’s industry involvement makes Hall Design Build stand out from the rest. Bradley took on revitalizing the Atlanta Remodelers Council as its Chairman at the beginning of 2019 and, in short, has succeeded!
The Atlanta Remodelers Council is dedicated to the specific needs, issues and education of the remodeling industry and related industry specialists. The Council provides access to valuable policies, practices and education to support quality building practices as well as networking, education opportunities and included membership in the National Association of Home Builders Remodelers Council.
Those interested in getting involved should join the Council on Tuesday, September 17, 2019, for the Remodelers Council Luncheon: Certified Business Coaching. Hosted at Moda Floors and Interiors in Atlanta, featured speaker Jeff Lovejoy will discuss leveraging your time and increasing efficiency. Click here to learn more and register.
To learn more about Hall Design Build, listen to the full interview above or visit www.HallDesignBuild.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Radon is a colorless, odorless gas prevalent in many homes in North Georgia and has been linked to several cases of lung cancer. UGA Radon Educator Derek Cooper joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss how to detect, prevent and mitigate radon in a home with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
Radon is both a gas and an element. It is also one of the noble gasses, meaning it is non-reactive but also radioactive. This means that when it gets into a home, it doesn’t interact with objects around it, but it does break things down. As it breaks everything down, it releases radiation into the home. When this radiation is breathed in by residents of a home, it can eventually lead to lung cancer. Because this gas is invisible and does not react with other things in a home, the only way to find out if it is present is through testing.
Cooper explains the many different types of tests that are available and where to get them. The most common type of test is a do-it-yourself kit for homeowners that is hung in the home for about a week. After the time is up, it is sent to a lab for testing and results are returned within one to two weeks. Long-term testing is also available and follows the same process, except the test stays in a home for three months to a year. The long-term test is more expensive and takes a significant amount of time, but it monitors the radon patterns over an extended period of time to get a more accurate representation of the issue. This test is normally done as a follow-up to a short-term test. A third option is a continuous radon monitor that works 24/7 in a home and is connected to an app. This option provides peace of mind to all homeowners and allows for constant monitoring.
Radon is a growing issue in North Georgia due to the conditions in which it arises. Radon comes from uranium which is naturally produced in granite. Because of the large amounts of granite in Georgia, the amount of radon released into the air is high. This becomes a problem for homeowners when it travels up through the soil and into the bottom level of a house, becoming trapped inside. Radon issues are seen in all types of homes including high rises, single-family homes, old homes, new homes and townhomes. The only type of home that is not affected by radon are those on a pier with open air underneath.
Although radon is a serious issue and leads to 820 lung cancer related deaths annually in the state of Georgia, it can be treated and does not make a house uninhabitable.
“You can always fix a radon problem, it’s like a leaky roof,” said Cooper. “There is always a solution. It’s not this mythical beast that you should fear. Just think of it as another part of the home inspection and something to get fixed for a safe and healthy home.”
To learn more about radon, how to detect it and what to do if you find it in your home, listen to the full interview above or visit radon.uga.edu.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show,
Adrenaline-charged family fun is returning to Atlanta next weekend at Infinite Energy Arena! Monster Jam's® Krysten Anderson, the first and only female Grave Digger® driver, joins this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the upcoming action-packed event with co-host Todd Schnick.
Created by Krysten’s father Dennis Anderson back in 1981, Grave Digger is one of the most decorated Monster Jam trucks in the world. Perfect for thrill-seeking families, the Monster Jam Triple-Threat Series features athletes in world-class vehicles racing and showing off freestyle tricks, donuts, wheelies and more. Athletes battle in three different vehicles (Monster Jam trucks, Monster Jam Speedsters and Monster Jam ATVs) to win the most points in competition groups – and fans award the points!
Each event tests the resourcefulness of the athletes as they push their machines to the limit. The point leader will receive an automatic bid to the cherished Monster Jam World Finals to compete for the World Champion title.
Events include:
Racing (Timed) – An obstacle course competition where the fastest to complete the course is the winner. It showcases the driver’s ability and the truck’s agility.
Two-Wheel Skills Challenge – Monster Jam drivers will have multiple opportunities to perform the best stunt, bringing at least two wheels into the air. This is a judged competition.
Donuts – Trucks perform in designated flat areas with the objective to rotate the truck as many times and as quickly as possible. This is a judged competition
Racing (Head-to-Head) – Competitors report to a starting line. On a green signal, the trucks head along a prescribed course to a finish line with first to legally complete the course advancing in the competition. Winners will advance until two trucks remain with the finals determining the racing champion. Racing may be preceded by qualifying to establish brackets.
Freestyle – Competitors perform tricks and stunts throughout the floor area in a designated time. This is a judged competition.
Beginning on Friday, September 13, 2019, visitors will have four total opportunities to attend Monster Jam in Atlanta:
Friday, September 13, 2019
7 p.m.
Saturday, September 14, 2019
1 p.m. with Pit Party from 10:30 a.m. to noon 7 p.m.
Sunday, September 15, 2019
1 p.m. with Pit Party from 10:30 a.m. to noon
Infinite Energy Arena is located at 6400 Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth. Tickets start at $20. To learn more, listen to the full interview above or click here for complete details.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) utilize self-imposed taxes from local commercial businesses to improve and enhance local communities. Gwinnett Place CID Executive Director Joe Allen joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss local redevelopment and streetscape projects with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
Gwinnett Place CID is a self-taxing district where the commercial property owners voluntarily self-tax themselves. They elect a Board of Directors and those additional property taxes are allocated to accelerate infrastructure improvements, security enhancements and economic development incentives.
The Gwinnett Place CID is really the one working with partners, the county, the state and the Chamber of Commerce to expedite mobility, quality of life and redevelopment strategies in Gwinnett’s central business district at Gwinnett Place.
For example, one project the Gwinnett Place CID is involved in redeveloping is Gwinnett Place Mall. Unfortunately, of five anchor department stores, only three remain open with the other two being vacant. Beyond “Stranger Things” filming its third season there to create its Starcourt Mall, Joe describes Gwinnett Place Mall as a “shell of its former glory.”
With the expectation that retail shopping will never return to what it was in the 80s and 90s, Joe explains that Gwinnett Place CID’s intention is to transform the old into something that is necessary and needed in the 21st Century.
“We’ve got to develop a plan [and] we’ve got to stop hoping because hope is not a strategy,” Allen said. “And that’s where I challenge community leaders and others. Work with the CID [and] let’s develop a plan and let’s make it happen.”
To learn more about Gwinnett Place CID and its latest projects, listen to the full interview above or visit www.GwinnettPlaceCID.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Local home builder associations are an excellent way for home builders and associates to get involved within the residential construction industry. Executive Officer with the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (HBA) Corey Deal joins a bonus All About Real Estate episode of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the added value joining the association provides its members and upcoming events with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
The Greater Atlanta HBA serves nine counties in the metro Atlanta area. Up from 938 members in 2017 to 1,065 in 2019, the Atlanta association is the eighth largest in the country with a focus on:
Networking Education Advocacy Community Service
In addition to networking and educational opportunities, local associations also advocate for the industry, making sure that housing remains a priority in the public policy arena. Government Affairs Director Stephen Davis serves as the boots on the ground with a focus on local government including county commissions, city councils, school boards and more.
The Greater Atlanta HBA is also host to several exciting events such as the Annual Membership Appreciation Event and the OBIE Awards. On Thursday, September 26, 2019, members are invited to the Greater Atlanta HBA office for the Board of Directors Meeting from 4 to 5 p.m. followed by free food, drinks and live music at the Membership Appreciation Event from 5 to 8 p.m. The Greater Atlanta HBA office is located at 1 Dunwoody Park South, Suite 200 in Atlanta.
The Atlanta Sales and Marketing Council (SMC) and the Greater Atlanta HBA are also hosting the 39th Annual OBIE Awards on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the Georgia Aquarium – a bye week for University of Georgia football fans. This formal affair is the perfect way to celebrate outstanding accomplishments in homebuilding, remodeling, marketing and personal achievements within the new home construction industry. Click here for complete details including ticket information.
To learn more about upcoming events, educational opportunities and more, listen to the podcast above or visit www.AtlantaHomeBuilders.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
It is always exciting when someone finds their fit in the residential construction industry! On this week’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by RedBrick Homes & Development Owner Jim Cheeks to discuss the company’s origin and affordable housing in Atlanta.
RedBrick Homes & Development is a developer and builder of single-family homes in the Atlanta area. With a degree in Zoo Animal Management, the company’s owner has certainly had an interesting road to residential real estate.
Following his work at Seaworld in Orlando, Jim went back to school for an associate degree in entrepreneurial management and began working in whole-sale diamond sales. From there, Jim worked for the Department of Planning at Atlanta City Hall on the economic development team before the 1996 Olympics with the intention of improving the city areas around Olympic venues, many of which were in transitional neighborhoods.
Post Olympics, Jim’s boss invited him to venture out and join him in developing land in the Summerhill neighborhood near the Olympic Stadium (Turner Field), his first taste of working in residential real estate. This last endeavor lead Jim to go out on his own to create RedBrick Homes & Development and build three single-family homes in its first year!
Jim’s work throughout the Great Recession focused on affordable housing. “Affordable,” can mean everything from low-income individuals to houses that are priced lower than the average in a higher-priced neighborhood.
“To me, that’s what affordability means,” Jim said.
In the last few years, RedBrick built 25 homes in the Mechanicsville area just south of downtown. According to Jim, this project was the first low-income housing tax credit used for a single-family project in the state.
The turning point in affordable housing in Atlanta was the re-approval of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) about one-and-a-half years ago. Once legal citywide, the new ordinance allows ADUs in R-4, R-4A and R-5 zoning districts. According to TinyHouseAtlanta.com, guest houses are allowed in all zones, but once someone lives there for more than 90 days, a “guest house” is then considered an ADU.
There are only so many ways to increase density witin cities: build smaller single-family homes or build apartments. The new ordinance allows for someone to build a duplex home plus one to two ADUs in the backyard, perfect for rentals or multi-family living.
“Zoning is ultimately one of the major arrows in the quiver on increasing affordable housing,” Jim said. “Across-the-spectrum affordable, not just low-income affordable housing.”
To learn more about the zoning updates, affordable housing in Atlanta, the Missing Middle and RedBrick Homes & Development, click here or listen to the full interview above.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Home builders are continually innovating their products to include the latest trends such as color palettes, pendant lighting, even energy efficiency. Local home builder Almont Homes Vice President Scott White joins a bonus All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the company’s 50 years of success and energy-efficient Right Choice home communities.
Almont Homes offers a number of home designs to accommodate a variety of homebuyers including ranches, traditional two-stories, main-level owner’s suite options and townhomes. Keeping with innovation and energy-efficient living, Almont Homes partners with Jackson EMC and its exclusive Right Choice home program at a number of its communities.
Perfectly located in sought-after Buford, homes at The Fields at Mountain View feature open-concept designs with ranch and traditional two-story options ranging from 2,400 to 3,200 square feet with four-to-five bedrooms. Features include hardwood flooring, trendy hardware and lighting fixtures, gourmet kitchens with decorative backsplashes, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances and two- and three-car garage options.
The Fields at Mountain View is also a part of the Right Choice home program from Jackson EMC and include guaranteed energy savings. The stringent certification process ensures that each Right Choice home is, on average, 20 to 30% more energy-efficient than typical new homes.* As an added bonus, each Right Choice resident receives the lowest residential rate from Jackson EMC, saving an additional 5% on average annually.
Additionally, Jackson EMC provides two outstanding warranties to Right Choice homeowners: The Energy Usage Warranty and the Comfort Guarantee. The 1-year Comfort Guarantee guarantees that rooms within each part of the home stay within 3 degrees of the thermostat setting, while the 3-year Energy Usage Warranty assures that cooling and heating usage will not exceed a predicted amount.
Almont Homes also offers new-home opportunities at Sierra Lake in Cumming. Upon completion, this amenity-rich, gated community will feature 227 homes from the low $400,000s. Residents enjoy a resort-style pool, clubhouse, soccer and play fields, walking trails throughout, creeks, a 15-acre fishing lake with docks and plenty of serene, nature-inspired scenery.
Another community by Almont Homes, Sophia Downs is located within the top-ranked North Gwinnett High School district. Comprised of 80 oversized homesites priced from the low $400,000s, this community offers both traditional two-story, ranch and main-level owner’s suite designs. Community amenities will include walking trails that span across 25 acres throughout bocce courts and firepits, creating opportunities for residents to enjoy outdoor recreation and activities close to home.
Almont Homes also has two new Right Choice communities coming soon: Mountain Creek near Hamilton Mill in Gwinnett County and Fox Creek near Chateau Elan in Jackson County. Listen to the complete interview above or visit www.AlmontHomes.com to learn more about move-in ready and closeout opportunities.
*Ask your Jackson EMC representative for complete warranty terms and conditions.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
When it comes to building new homes, knowledge and experience go a long way! Craftmark Towns President Brad Smith joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss its new Canton and White homes with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
A North Georgia native, Brad has been in the building industry for more than 15 years, building a strong homebuilding reputation throughout the area. Brad and his team offer 40 years of combined experience, striving to build affordable, custom home options for the average family.
Currently, Craftmark Towns is building 29 standalone cottage homes at The Spires at Berry College, a new low-maintenance retirement community located at Berry College in Rome, Georgia. Set to open in 2020, this innovative development will feature townhomes and cottage homes, elegant dining options with chef-made cuisine, wellness and fitness centers and onsite healthcare services. The cottage homes will feature ranch designs with 1,500 to 2,300 square feet of living space on slab homesites.
Craftmark Towns is also building its quality new homes in White, Georgia along the Cherokee and Bartow County lines at Willow Ridge. Priced from the mid-$300,000s to low $400,000s, homes offer 1,800 to 2,200 square feet of living space in a quiet, rural setting.
The builder is also offering new Canton home opportunities at Little Bear and Hidden Springs. Priced from the $400,000s, homes at Little Bear offer 2,800 to 2,900 square feet of living space and sit on 1-acre+ homesites with basements available. Comprised of 50 total homes, only 18 opportunities remain at this conservation community with its many greenspaces and walking trails.
Hidden Springs, perfectly located in sought-after Holly Springs, is a new townhome community priced from the $180,000s to $200,000s. Townhomes at this entry-level community offer 1,500 to 1,600 square feet of living space with upgrade and basement options available.
To learn more about Craftmark Towns or Brad’s involvement with the Greater Atlanta Home Builder Association’s as the Cobb/Cherokee Chapter President, listen to the full interview above or visit www.CraftmarkTowns.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
As co-living continues to grow in popularity, we are thrilled to see the trend increasing throughout Atlanta! Domos Co-Living Principals and Co-Founders Derrick Barker and Daniel Alexander join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the powerful feeling of home and community co-living provides.
“Domos is a company that was started to create a market-rate solution to the affordable housing crisis,” Barker said. “Ultimately, in this country, and really world-wide and definitely in the City of Atlanta, we are losing more affordable units than we are gaining.”
The company was created so that regular people can live in the places where the economic and social opportunities and excitement exist in the city, and to address the way that urban communities are actually organized today.
According to Barker, about 1/3 of Atlanta renters live with roommates. They are getting married and having children later in life and they are moving to the suburbs for lower rates.
Alexander explains that co-living is individuals living in micro-communal spaces. The “living” takes place in what would normally be a common living area. In the typical DOMOS co-living environment, you would have a three- or four- or five-bedroom unit with ensuite bathrooms and closets, and then the common living areas, such as the living room and kitchen, are considered shared spaces.
Co-living environments also offer curated community space such as communal working spaces and the typical things you would see in a Class A apartment. The biggest difference of a co-living building is that you only pay for the space that you use versus paying for the entire space.
Domos is building communities that are a cross between student housing and dorms and luxury resort living. DOMOS Co-Living spaces feature the best of both worlds with housekeeping, included utilities, popular amenities and even shared common goods such as paper towels, detergent, etc.
Currently, Domos offers co-living opportunities in Atlanta at Englewood and Memorial. Englewood, in the early design and pre-construction phase, is perfectly located along the Atlanta BeltLine between Boulevard Crossing Park and Chosewood Park off Englewood Avenue. Comprised of 130,000+ square feet, Englewood will feature 270+ beds.
Memorial, also in the design and pre-construction phase, is coming to Reynoldstown. This project will feature 88,000+ square feet with 200+ bedroom opportunities.
To learn more about Domos Co-Living and its housing options in Atlanta, listen to the full interview above or visit www.DOMOSCoLiving.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
After building in the Atlanta area for more than a decade, private home builder Edward Andrews Homes (EA Homes) is excited to announce its new strategic partnership with Empire Communities out of Canada. EA Homes Marketing Director Jenny NeSmith joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s new venture and coming soon communities including much-anticipated Halcyon in Alpharetta.
Previously, EA Homes has built its quality-construction homes throughout the metro Atlanta suburbs, but recent data research has pointed the builder to shift its focus to more intown projects. As of March 2019, EA Homes joined with Empire Communities based out of Canada to better serve the Atlanta market. Thanks to shared visions, family-oriented values and strong community-building strategies, EA Homes and Empire Communities are stronger together.
“[This new partnership] allows Edward Andrews to continue growing in this Atlanta market,” NeSmith said. “We have a fantastic partner in Empire and we’re looking forward to expanding our growth in these urban [markets].”
Some examples of this intown growth are Westside in West Midtown and another property in Old Fourth Ward, both expected in early 2020. The Old Fourth Ward development, in particular, will be walkable to Ponce City Market and offer a product in a location that EA Homes, and now Empire, have never offered before!
One exciting project opening soon is Halycon in Alpharetta. Empire Communities will make its Atlanta debut at Halcyon with new townhomes from the $400,000s and single-family homes from the mid-$500,000s. Expected to open for sales in early October, Halycon offers an innovative alternative to a mixed-use development with 135-acres of gathering space, wonderfully-curated shops and chef-driven restaurants – all at the doorsteps of its residents.
New home opportunities priced from the low $400,000s are also coming soon to Albright in Smyrna. Comprised of only 29 homesites, Albright is an exclusive opportunity to live near The Battery Atlanta and Vinings Jubilee, easily accessible via the Silver Comet Trail. Shopping, dining and entertainment are all just a short bike trip, share ride or quick drive away!
In addition to Halcyon in Alpharetta and Albright in Smyrna, EA Homes has several new home communities coming soon to Atlanta and the surrounding area. To learn more, visit www.EAHomes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Hazardous and recyclable materials tend to stack up in households over time – and Live Thrive Atlanta offers a sustainable solution. Live Thrive Atlanta Executive Director and Founder Peggy Ratcliffe joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss its Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) initiative and upcoming fundraiser.
Founded in 2009, Live Thrive Atlanta is a nonprofit organization working to create a community that cares about a healthy and sustainable environment. CHaRM is a permanent drop-off facility striving to improve overall environmental health by inspiring reuse and diverting thousands of household hazardous waste, bulky trash and other hard-to-recycle items from Metro-Atlanta landfills and water systems.
CHaRM benefits the community in many ways:
Easily accessible, convenient location Accepts a broader range of items than typical curbside recycling Offers educational sessions about the importance of properly disposing of hard-to-recycle items Keeps hazardous materials out of our air, water and soil
Common materials that should be handled or disposed of properly include:
Paint Tires Hazardous Chemicals Electronics Styrofoam Metal Mattresses Textiles Single Stream Cooking Grease Glass
The permanent CHaRM facility, located at 1110 Hill Street SE in Atlanta, is open Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Live Thrive Atlanta also hosts a monthly popup collection site known as Buckhead CHaRM Day at Peachtree Church at 3434 Roswell Road in Atlanta. Remaining Buckhead CHaRM dates for the year include August 31, September 28, October 26 and December 7.
As a nonprofit organization, Live Thrive Atlanta and its CHaRM initiative prosper under donated funds. The upcoming CHaRM’ing Evening at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center will feature live music provided by Yacht Rock Revue. For $40 attendees will enjoy live music, heavy hors d’oeuvres and two drink tickets. On August 16, price will increase to $50 and on September 17 the price will increase to $60. Sponsored by Global Imports, attendees will also have the opportunity to enter into the raffle for a 3-year lease on a 2019 BMW i3 for a $100 per entry.
To learn more about the CHaRM’ing Evening with Live Thrive Atlanta, visit www.CharmBMW.org. For complete details regarding Live Thrive Atlanta and CHaRM, listen to the above interview or visit www.LiveThrive.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Affordable housing in Atlanta has been a hot topic of conversation since real estate took an upward turn following the Great Recession. PadSplit Founder and CEO Atticus LeBlanc joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Atlanta-based company’s mission and purpose.
Dedicated to providing attractive, reasonably priced and accountable housing for residents and workers throughout the region, PadSplit offers fully furnished housing options that include utilities, internet and laundry service for one fixed affordable rate.
"Our mission is leveraging housing as a tool to create financial independence," LeBlanc said. "It's not looking at housing just in a vacuum – it’s looking at housing expenses, transportation expenses, utility expenses.”
Beginning with one of LeBlanc’s own properties, PadSplit takes existing single-family homes and apartments and divides them into individual bedrooms that share common living areas such as the kitchen, living room and washer/dryer.
To enjoy PadSplit amenities, residents, referred to as “members,” must apply and submit to a background check. Weekly dues average $137 a week and cover internet, utilities and laundry.
While many co-living options cater more toward millennial and technology professionals, PadSplit is envisioned for people living paycheck to paycheck looking to save up to buy a home, further their career or achieve another life goal.
Since its inception in 2017, LeBlanc has united with other real estate investors and expanded into six Atlanta-area communities. Comprised of 60 total houses and apartments, PadSplit now has about 330 units. The company aligns incentives between property owners seeking socially accountable investments, workers seeking affordable housing in Atlanta and community leaders looking to reduce traffic congestion and provide more reasonably priced housing.
To learn more or to apply with PadSplit, visit www.PadSplit.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) are a well-established model in metro Atlanta to design and fund improvements to sidewalks, traffic intersections, signage and landscaping. On today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Chamblee Doraville CID Chairman and Jim Ellis Automotive Group President Jimmy Ellis discusses the goal of developing transportation projects that improve mobility, access and safety to patrons and area residents.
The Chamblee Doraville CID is a self-taxing district comprised of commercial property owners of its respective cities. The CID assumes planning and taking action to improve the overall community. In general, CIDs enhance property values and allow commercial business and property owners to determine how funds are allocated within the district, leveraging their resources to attract public funding.
Beginning in 2018, Chamblee and Doraville commercial property owners came together with the intent of forming a CID to provide leadership and support, ensuring long-term positive outcomes benefiting all area owners, businesses and residents, specifically related to mobility in the area.
Two MARTA rail stations, Peachtree-DeKalb Airport and a decent roadway system anchor the surrounding commercial districts to include Peachtree Boulevard, Buford Highway, Downtown Chamblee and Downtown Doraville.
Chamblee Doraville CID projects will include:
Sidewalk and safety improvements along Peachtree Blvd and Buford Highway Multi-Use Trails Gateway beautification projects Intersection improvements Advance Chamblee and Doraville Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Plans Engage MARTA and influence the DeKalb Transit Plan in 2018 Undertake planning with Georgia DOT regarding Interstate 285 projects
The Chamblee Doraville CIDs will work with the cities and commercial business owners to implement plans that best benefit the district. Residents and employees will enjoy improvements to auto and pedestrian safety, expanded transit options and less bottleneck traffic congestion. In fact, a plan to connect Chamblee and Doraville’s commercial areas with communities, schools, parks and other attractions is already underway!
Currently, the Chamblee Doraville CID is supported by:
Jimmy Ellis, Ellis Automotive Larry Callahan, Pattillo Industrial Real Estate Vince Riggio, Trinity Development Matt Oppenheimer, Halpern Enterprises Valerie Voyles, Ed Voyles Automotive Allan Gutierrez, Urbana Realty Bob Voyles, Seven Oaks Gary Matthews, Parkside Partners Carter Sechrest, Tripoli Management Inc.
The Chamblee Doraville CID will serve as a voice for commercial property owners throughout the community. To learn more about joining, contact Dan Reuter at 404-229-3734 or Contact@DanReuter.com. To learn more, listen to the complete interview above or click here.
For more information regarding CIDs throughout the metro Atlanta area, visit www.PeachtreeGatewayPartnership.com.
https://youtu.be/RPSlvrdpoM8
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact fo...
Real estate, whether it is residential or commercial, is a hot topic in Atlanta, and Serta Simmons Bedding (SSB) recently opened its newest headquarters at Assembly Yards in Doraville. Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are joined by SSB Vice President of Corporate Communications Noreen Pratscher on this week’s All About Real Estate segment to discuss its new metro Atlanta location.
Recognized as the largest manufacturer and distributor of mattresses in North America, SSB is best known for its two best-selling brands: Beautyrest and recently merged Tuft & Needle. The new 210,000 square-foot facility was selected because of its convenience to public transportation and the opportunity to house both the corporate headquarters and research and innovation facility under one roof.
Before the new site, the SSB team was split up between three different locations in Atlanta, one location outside of Chicago, one location in Phoenix and one location in Canada. This new locale puts everyone together in one, cohesive space.
Though typically an item purchased in-person at a retail storefront, consumer shopping for mattresses has even changed over the years. Thanks to the Tuft & Needle merger, Serta and Beautyrest products will soon be available online for purchase, similar to the way Tuft & Needle products currently are. Consumers can purchase a mattress online and have it delivered to their home within a matter of days.
Previously the site of the General Motors Plant, Assembly Yards is a 165-acre mixed-use development featuring a film studio, workspaces, dining options and residential units. From individual, civic or corporate, this one-of-a-kind hub is designed to specifically meet the needs and desires of its residents and neighbors.
To learn more about Serta Simmons Bedding and its brand offerings, visit www.SertaSimmons.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Intended to spotlight the best of metro Atlanta including communities, events and more, this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio certainly does that! Beacon Management Services President Lisa Simmons and BlazeSports America Board of Directors Chairman Andy McNeil join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss Lisa’s upcoming Mount Kilimanjaro climb benefitting nonprofit BlazeSports America.
In 2018, Lisa completed the 25-mile, Rim-to-Rim trail at the Grand Canyon in support of BlazeSports America, returning this year to climb the highest African mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. Beginning August 12, 2019, Lisa’s 8-day trek will raise awareness of BlazeSports America as well as funds to support athletic programs for disabled athletes and new wheelchair and track equipment.
In the midst of Lisa’s training to hike the Grand Canyon, she began to entertain doing something positive in conjunction with the hike and raise money for a nonprofit.
“When I started researching all the different nonprofits out there, then it suddenly came to me, wouldn’t it be interesting if I could hike for someone who couldn’t?” Lisa said. “One thing led to another…and I found BlazeSports America.”
Formed after the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, BlazeSports America focuses on changing the lives of children and veterans with physical disabilities through adaptive sports. Since its inception, the group has worked with nearly 1 million participants.
Committed to changing lives through sports and recreation, education and training, BlazeSports America helps to create an equal playing field for all. The organization sees firsthand the incredibly positive impact adaptive sports can have on people with physical limitations on and off the field.
BlazeSports America is supported in a variety of ways including monetary donations, corporate partners and customized license plates.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Over the years, active-adult and 55+ communities have become a hot topic in the Atlanta real estate market. Kolter Homes Senior Vice President of Georgia Tony Adams joins this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss Cresswind, a unique active-adult community concept by the award-winning home builder.
Cresswind is the flagship, resort-style active-adult community by Kolter Homes with eight locations throughout the Southeast and more opening soon. The Hallmark of Cresswind communities is “Living better longer through fitness, nutrition and relationships.”
Kolter Homes currently offers three Cresswind communities in Georgia:
Cresswind at Lake Lanier in Gainesville Cresswind Peachtree City in Peachtree City Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes in Hoschton
Georgia’s best-selling active-adult community, Cresswind at Lake Lanier sits directly on the lake and features homes from the $400,000s to $600,000s. Less than 15 opportunities remain at this popular Gainesville community.
The only active-adult community located directly in Peachtree City and currently one of the top-selling active-adult communities in the Atlanta market, Cresswind Peachtree City was recognized with several OBIE Awards from the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association at the most recent award ceremony. Priced from the upper $200,000s, homes at Cresswind Peachtree City offer convenience to the airport, downtown Atlanta and everything Peachtree City has to offer.
Interested homebuyers are invited to attend the grand opening of Phase IV on Saturday, August 3at Cresswind Peachtree City. Attendees will have the opportunity to tour the 11 new model homes as well as the amenity center.
Another new Georgia community from Kolter Homes, Cresswind Georgia at Twin Lakes is a gated, active-adult community coming in 2020 to Hoschton. Located within the master-planned Twin Lakes community, Cresswind Georgia will include 1,300 homes and an expansive amenity center.
For more information regarding Cresswind communities in the metro Atlanta area, visit www.Cresswind.com. To learn more about new home opportunities from Kolter Homes throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, visit www.KolterHomes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
A key aspect of new home communities is the management of day-to-day operations – but how should that responsibility be handled most efficiently? Community Management Associates (CMA) Division Manager Cathy Green joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the property management services available from CMA.
Named the top management company in Georgia for 15 years in a row, CMA now operates roughly 900 Homeowners Associations (HOAs) throughout Atlanta, Augusta, Birmingham, Chattanooga and San Destin.
CMA, known for providing first-class customer service, cutting-edge technology and proactive, experienced property management, offers solutions for a variety of Associations: large or small, mid-rise or high-rise condominium, co-op or master-planned community. To best serve its communities, CMA managers receive intensive training in property management and customer service.
Every CMA-managed Association benefits from the CMA business model in several ways by implementing efficiencies to streamline operations while minimizing costs and maximizing results, managing day-to-day community issues with minimal Board involvement and discovering/fixing potential community problems before they become major issues.
CMA provides peace of mind to Associations and community Boards by supervising fiduciary responsibilities, daily operations and property management services. Large-scale communities even have onsite managers to oversee landscaping, amenities and potential complications.
At its core, CMA is a boutique-style property management company offering solutions and services based on individual budgets for communities ranging from 20 to 2,200 homes. To learn more, visitwww.CMACommunities.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Over the years, Atlanta has transformed into a technology hub. In fact, Atlanta Tech Village is the fourth largest tech hub in America! On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, DreamHouse President John Whatley joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the DreamHouse concept and upcoming projects.
Originally located at Atlanta Tech Village, DreamHouse strives to be the world’s fastest-growing network of smart short-stay and group-service apartments. DreamHouse makes it possible to live alongside other like-minded young professionals keen to connect, collaborate and socialize.
DreamHouse operates an exclusive network of shared and service apartments designed to offer standardized stays and experiences. Rooms are available at a reasonable price and offer access to sought-after amenities, technology and experiences.
The organization provides standardized rooms at hotels and apartments with popular features that include a connected community, modern furnishings and wi-fi with 24-hour customer service support. Renters also enjoy access to the DreamHouse App for booking units and ordering beverages and room services.
All rooms include:
Business-class internet Smart-home appliances All-inclusive rent Access to an exclusive network of spaces, events and partner companies
The company’s goal is to Make the World a Home and offer the best service apartments and working and retails spaces wherever they are located. Listen to the above interview to learn more about the living choices, leasing options and where to find DreamHouse next.
Visit www.StayDreamHouse.com to learn more.
https://youtu.be/A56WwB-6jBI
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Considered the future of the professional workforce, young professionals make up a significant portion of today’s skilled job workers. On this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, GeorgiaForward Board Member and Young Gamechangers Alumni Ben Andrews joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss GeorgiaForward and Young Gamechangers' impact on young professionals and the areas they serve.
GeorgiaForward is an organization that has been around in Georgia since 2010 with its headquarters in Atlanta. This non-profit, non-partisan organization tackles various policy issues throughout the state as well as helps create a talent pipeline of young professionals across the state and build a network for them.
GeorgiaForward offers a number of programs, the most well-known being The Forum, an annual gathering of thought leaders and idea generators from schools, business, non-profits, government and civil societies across the state who explore and discuss emerging trends and the future prosperity of Georgia.
The Forum’s success led to an additional program’s formation within Georgia Forward: Young Gamechangers. Designed to create change in communities across Georgia, this program brings the state’s best and brightest under 40 to one Georgia collective to develop “big idea” recommendations to some of the community’s most persistent challenges.
One thing that makes Young Gamechangers different from other young professional groups that for the most part focus on networking overall is the hands-on aspect of it – it is a leadership action program first and foremost. The program’s goal is to make an apparent impact on its host communities and bring young minds into the public domain as respected problem-solvers and idea-generators.
Interested young professionals must apply to be a part of the group with the total cost being $400 per participant. The Young Gamechangers are selected into classes to work on a different focus community each year with about 1/3 of the class being from the metro Atlanta area, 1/3 being from rural Georgia and the remaining 1/3 being from the host community. Since 2012, focus communities have included:
Americus/Sumter County Dublin/Laurens County Douglasville/Douglas County Augusta/Richmond County LaGrange/Troup County Milledgeville/Baldwin County Albany/Dougherty County
This year’s 2019 class is currently working in Monroe/Walton County.
Listen to the full interview above to hear more about what specific issues the Young Gamechangers have addressed thus far. Communities may apply to host Young Gamechangers. Email Kris@GeorgiaForward.org if you would like your community to be considered for a future program.
To learn more about Young Gamechangers, click here or visit www.GeorgiaForward.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
From the architect and design stage to the hands-on construction, so many hands play a part in building a new home. Roger Caldwell, principal with Caldwell-Cline Architects and Designers, joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the group’s process and homebuilding in Atlanta.
Though according to Caldwell, the company’s main focus is building custom homes, Caldwell-Cline offers a variety of options within homebuilding including both commercial and residential projects. The art of custom homebuilding allows the Caldwell-Cline team to meet the needs of an individual homeowner with innovative solutions that utilize the entire lot space.
Caldwell-Cline also works with local and national home builders on townhome and single-family home designs. This fluctuation between custom and speculative new homes allows Caldwell-Cline to incorporate popular, most-desired custom home features as well as take into consideration the future marketability of the home if that is a concern to the homeowner.
The Caldwell-Cline team is involved from initial design and throughout the construction process including selection of materials and colors, thus permitting them full creative control to deliver a home that is designed to meet the needs of not only the client but the local market as well.
The same house that sells in Roswell would more-than-likely need adjustments to sell in Marietta such as the front elevation style and interior appointments. Home builders are having to innovate product to appeal to shifting audiences including millennials and Generation X.
“A huge portion of our custom market are people that are going from a 9,000-square-foot house down to a 4,000-square-foot house,” Caldwell said.
Homebuyers are willing to pay the price and sacrifice space if it puts them closer to where they want to be and/or eliminates daily hang-ups (maintaining a large yard or home).
Additionally, Caldwell-Cline also plays a part in constructing community town centers that encourage walkability and convenience for its residents. For example, Holly Springs is currently working to revitalize and create a town center space that residents will enjoy spending free time with plans for a public amphitheater and mixed-use space to include dining and retail selections below and residential spaces above.
To learn more about Caldwell-Cline Architects and Designers including philanthropic efforts with Habitat for Humanity and homebuilding in Atlanta, listen to the full interview above or click here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
The City of Atlanta is not only known for its thriving city center but also the exciting metro area. The City of Dunwoody Director of Economic Development Michael Starling and Discover Dunwoody Executive Director Katie Williams join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the city’s newest developments on the Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio.
Though considered a destination for a while, the City of Dunwoody has officially been a city for about 10 years. Its mission is to provide superior services to its citizens and support the largest economic manufacturer in the Southeast by planning in a careful and thoughtful manner. The City of Dunwoody will continue to support and nurture a community dedicated to the preservation of family, education, religious institutions and the environment.
The City continues its booming growth with the addition of the new State Farm buildings. Once complete, the three buildings will house 8,000 employees in roughly 2 million square feet of space. Serving as one of three major hubs, the other two being in Dallas and Phoenix, the Dunwoody location was specifically selected for its accessibility to public transit. MARTA not only provides convenience to Atlantans but also major businesses looking to move here.
Another exciting development coming soon to Dunwoody expected to break ground in 2019 and directly across from the Dunwoody MARTA Station is High Street. This 42-acre project in the heart of Center Perimeter will feature around 3,000 residential units and 500,000 square feet of retail space. This energized public realm will feature more than 200 events throughout the year for both residents and visitors of the 400-room hotel.
Dunwoody is constantly evolving to offer its residents the best shopping, dining and entertainment options in the area. To learn more, visit www.DunwoodyGA.gov. To schedule your next visit and see the full lineup of events from Discover Dunwoody, click here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
With 25 years of experience building luxury new homes in Atlanta, it is safe to say Monte Hewett Homes has a strong understanding of what Life Well Built is all about. On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Chief Experience Officer with Monte Hewett Homes Kelly Kingsfield joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the design-focused builder's process and its latest projects.
Enclave at Chastain, a new single-family home community perfectly located in North Buckhead, features just 30 upscale homes nestled among tree-lined streets and bordered by Nancy Creek and the Blue Heron Nature Preserve. Residents enjoy convenience to Chastain Park, Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza, as well as walkability to award-winning Sarah Smith Elementary and more than 20 dining destinations. Homes are designed in a “contemporary transitional” style with a modern, open-concept vision and open-air terraces.
Three decorated model homes, located at 4124 Haverhill Drive in Atlanta, are open daily for tours. Contact 404-459-6080 for more information.
Another new intown community from Monte Hewett Homes is Plateau West. Conveniently nestled in the Loring Heights community in Westside Atlanta, homes at Plateau West offer stunning skyline views of Atlanta from their cozy rooftop terraces. Designed with a unique, modern vision, this distinct collection of 18 townhomes puts residents in the heart of shopping and nightlife of West Midtown and the Westside District. Walk to popular shopping and dining options or take a short drive to Buckhead for further exploration.
The decorated model home, located at 436 Trabert Avenue NW in Atlanta, is open daily for tours. Contact Agents Paula Burr and Jim Peavy at 678-460-0709 to learn more.
In addition to offering its quality new homes throughout Atlanta, Monte Hewett Homes also builds in North Fulton and Forsyth counties with construction underway at Halcyon and The Wesley. Offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of Sandy Springs without sacrificing easy access to the Buckhead shopping and dining district, The Wesley offers a lifestyle of quiet convenience. Additionally, Halcyon in Alpharetta will serve as its own oasis featuring shopping, entertainment and more.
Monte Hewett Homes continually builds its thoughtfully-designed new homes in sought-after intown and metro locations. To learn more, listen to the complete interview.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
School’s out and family activities are in! What better place to explore than the iconic Zoo Atlanta? On this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond King is back with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to highlight a new attraction coming soon to the oldest cultural institution in Atlanta.
Zoo Atlanta continues to contribute to field conservation programs for wildlife and global wild places including Africa, Asia, Central and South America and Georgia. Contributions include monetary funding to outside conservation organizations that share a similar mission as well as providing Zoo Atlanta staff for fieldwork, research and education programs and community outreach programs around the world.
Since 2014, Zoo Atlanta has been working on a massive project to enhance both visitors’ experience and the livelihood of the animals living there. Known as the Grand New View, this project will open in three phases:
African Savanna Savanna Hall Grand Entry Plaza
Specifically, the African Savanna has the largest impact on animal life at the Zoo and the way visitors interact with the animals. All life is connected in the legendary landscape of the African Savanna – even here at home! This first phase will introduce new habitats for African elephants, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, warthogs, meerkats and, a new species at the zoo, Southern white rhinos.
Elephants will enjoy more than triple the space of their former habitat with elements specifically designed for elephant well-being and enrichment while giraffes, zebras and ostriches will share a large habitat adjacent to the elephant environment. The white rhinos will enjoy a newly designed home in the former elephant habitat.
The Zoo’s conservation efforts are funded by donations and volunteers. From sponsoring an animal, contributing to the endowment fund or simply volunteering, no effort is considered too small. In fact, 25 cents of every admission ticket to Zoo Atlanta benefits wildlife programs.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about the remaining two phases coming soon to Zoo Atlanta including the new event venue at Savanna Hall. For more information regarding the African Savanna grand opening, admission pricing, hours and exhibits, visit www.ZooAtlanta.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Homebuyers are looking for specific criteria when it comes to buying a new home and value, convenience and walkability continue to top the list! Fortunately for McKinney Builders, that’s its specialty! On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, McKinney Builders Partner and Principal Jim Beveridge joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the builder’s latest new Atlanta homes.
Evolved from being a small, custom home builder to becoming a medium-sized home builder, McKinney Builders is projected to deliver 35 to 40 homes in three-to-four communities with roughly $18 million in sales.
McKinney Builders has worked on several projects throughout the Atlanta area and one, in particular, is Serenbe in Chattahoochee Hills. Based on the Biophilic Model of planning, this 1,000-acre wellness community is served by five popular restaurants (the Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop, The Farmhouse, The Hill and Yumiko Sushi and Halsa) with more coming soon, a bookstore, a 25-acre organic farm and seasonal farmers market, original shops, art galleries, beautiful stables, The Inn at Serenbe, an extensive spa, year-round arts events, goat yoga and, of course, happy residents.
McKinney Builder has built 60 highly-amenitized homes at Serenbe in a variety of designs including Modern Shotgun homes a.k.a. tinyhomes. Originally an innovation experiment, this enclave of six tinyhomes sold within 30 days!
McKinney Builders is also contributing to the collection of homes at Pinewood Forest, a unique development that is similar to a master-planned community, but on a larger scale – a master-planned town, if you will. Directly adjacent to Pinewood Atlanta Studios in Fayetteville, Pinewood Forest is a mixed-use development serving about 5,000 people.
Upon completion, this destination community will feature 700 single-family and 600 multi-family homes such as townhomes, condominiums and apartments. Manicured sidewalks lead residents to popular shopping and dining locales while community amenities include a 51% greenspace, a forest preserve, 15 miles of walking trails, a pool, sports court, performing arts center, ponds, a spa, an amphitheater and Piedmont Wellness Center with fitness space.
Continuing the theme of walkability, McKinney Builders also builds at The Village at Williams Park, a new Smyrna community near Smyrna Market Village. Designed by Southern Living’s Julie Holloway, these homes boast modern, open-concept designs with generous, gourmet kitchens with islands, breakfast rooms overlooking the family room and multi-purpose third levels.
McKinney Builders prides itself on putting “Quality First” and sharing a common goal of creating beautiful, quality homes and communities for all of its clients. To learn more about the above-mentioned new Atlanta homes and more information on the builder including its philanthropic efforts with Operation Finally Home, listen to the full interview or visit www.McKinneyBuilders.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes,
The construction worker shortage has been a major concern in 2019, but thanks to organizations like the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA), the need for quality construction skills training in Georgia is steadily being met with realistic solutions. CEFGA President and CEO Scott Shelar joins co-hosts Mandy Holm and Todd Schnick in the latest All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Atlanta nonprofit.
Celebrating 26 years, CEFGA was created in 1993 by leading construction presidents and CEOs as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. The group offers a variety of programs to provide both short-term and long-term solutions for the skilled labor shortage. In fact, CEFGA is the largest National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER) Accredited Training Organization in Georgia with more than 70 accredited training and education facilities throughout the state.
CEFGA Programs include:
The K12 Pipeline The K12 Pipeline is designed to help Georgia students build a rewarding career in the construction industry while also building a sustainable workforce for local companies. The Pipeline includes a statewide network of high school construction programs that teach entry-level skills and provide nationally recognized NCCER credentials to over 7,000 students annually.
Participants in the K12 Pipeline also enjoy access to the CareerExpo, one of the nation’s largest exploration events for students. With more than 9,000 in attendance on average, employers have an opportunity to meet the future workforce and share work opportunities.
Construction Ready Construction Ready is a short-term, boot camp style program that helps employers find trained, screened, entry-level talent immediately. Since its launch 2 years ago, Construction Ready has trained and placed over 400 metro Atlanta residents into full-time positions, with a 90-day retention rate of more than 80%.
While Construction Ready is a free, 4-week program, it is primarily funded by government and private foundation support, and additional industry backing is always needed to amplify the impact of the program. Click here to learn more about contributing to CEFGA and its programs.
Listen to the full interview above to hear about CEFGA’s part in building Mercedes-Benz Stadium and upcoming events such as the Craft Pro Champions Awards Breakfast, or visit www.CEFGA.org for complete details.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
The Atlanta BeltLine continues to be a hot topic in relation to Atlanta real estate and having a real estate partner is essential to sorting through the varying options to find the perfect fit. Brightstar Compass President Pauline Miller joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick for the All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the latest projects now selling and coming soon to the Atlanta BeltLine area for Atlanta homebuyers.
Brightstar Compass provides a full range of sales and marketing services to Atlanta builders and developers. From one single-family home to high-rise condominiums and master-planned communities, the Brightstar Compass team has the expertise.
One community now selling in Historic Old Fourth Ward is Stacks on Daniel by Epic Development. This charming collection of five modern townhomes start from the $500,000s and boast open-concept designs with gourmet kitchens, double balconies and rooftop terraces to take in the stunning skyline views of Atlanta. This walkable community offers easy access to dining options on Edgewood, breweries, the Atlanta BeltLine and more.
Epic Development is also building new Atlanta homes at R. Town Stacks in Reynoldstown. Only two homes remain at this collection of four modern luxury new homes. Conveniently located just steps from Madison Yards, the Atlanta BeltLine and Krog Street Market, residents enjoy life in the heart of all Reynoldstown has to offer. Priced from the $700,000s, homes feature rooftop terraces with fireplace and half bath while interior appointments include hardwood flooring throughout and Bosch appliances.
Another new home community now selling in Atlanta is Vernon by TerraCraft Homes. Comprised of 20 single-family homes, this charming community is priced from the $500,000s and nestled right in Ormewood Park, just steps from the Atlanta BeltLine, Glenwood Park and the Memorial Drive Corridor. Each home is carefully designed for each homesite, then accented with unique exterior and interior details.
Homebuyers looking to join the vibrancy of Midtown Atlanta, should look no further than J5, a new intown condominium community priced from the $600,000s to $1 million+. J5’s prime location between Juniper and 5th streets provide an urban synergy that blends with vitality and serenity. Residents enjoy a walkable lifestyle convenient to Piedmont Park, the Atlanta BeltLine, Ponce City Market and Virginia Highland. Additionally, J5 features an impressive amenities package that includes a pool, fitness center, club lounge and courtyard with greenspace.
To learn more about Brightstar Compass or its latest projects, visit www.FollowBrightstar.com or email Pauline at Pauline.Miller@Compass.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Innovation is the name of the game when it comes to Atlanta’s hottest attractions, but sustainability is also a recurring trend. Volkstuin Founder Andrew Lundstrom joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment to discuss the newest popular destination in Austell.
Though a “cool urban farm” at its core, (Volkstuin means “people’s garden”) this unique community is so much more than that, serving as a gathering spot where community and creativity meet.
Inspired by Container Park in Las Vegas, Volkstuin is a development completely constructed out of shipping containers. Visitors enjoy a variety of amenities such as private office space, 24-hour access, a farm fresh local market, deli sandwiches, uber fresh salads, free wifi, shave ice, craft beer bar, social events, networking parties and gardening workshops, to name a few.
Visitors are invited to visit this weekend for two great barbecue vendors: Hawg’s Best Friend and Circle Smoke BBQ. Beginning Saturday, June 14 and Sunday, June 15 from noon to 9 p.m., the menu is sure to impress with small bites, sandwiches and Volkstuin-inspired dishes.
Perfectly situated just 15 miles West of Atlanta, Volkstuin is located at 2710 Jefferson Street in Austell. Volkstuin is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. To learn more, listen to complete interview above or click here.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Top Atlanta home builder The Providence Group makes it easy for homebuyers to Make Space for Life in its variety of new Atlanta homes. The Providence Group VP of Marketing Kelly Fink joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s latest projects.
The Providence Group currently has more than 15 new home communities throughout Cherokee, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, Forsyth and Gwinnett counties. One community, walkable to downtown Woodstock in Cherokee County, is Mason Main. This charming new townhome community is priced from the $370,000s and features three-story designs with finished terrace levels, two-car garages and expansive outdoor living areas. There are currently move-in ready opportunities at Mason Main, perfect for those looking to enjoy everything Woodstock has to offer in the summer or families wanting to get settled before the new school year.
The Providence Group also offers new single-family homes in Cherokee County at its recently opened gated community Idylwilde. Featuring designs that appeal to both growing families and move-down homebuyers, Idylwilde offers ranch, traditional two-story and basement homesites from the mid-$300,000s. Boasting a farm-like appeal, Idylwilde will feature community amenities to include a clubhouse, pool, pickleball, walking trails and greenspace.
Additionally, The Providence Group is building new Atlanta homes at Pratt Stacks, Towns at North Decatur, The Views on Ponce and Westside Village. Perfectly located in Grant Park across from Beacon Atlanta, Pratt Stacks is a new condominium community starting from the high $300,000s. With over 20 condominiums already sold preceding the model home’s July grand opening, this community is already impressing new home shoppers in Atlanta.
New home opportunities are also available at Towns at North Decatur, a charming collection of three-story townhomes priced from the $400,000s. Located just 2 miles from the Decatur Square, Towns at North Decatur offers residents a private escape without sacrificing convenience to popular destinations and activities.
Recently opened and surrounded by shopping, dining and recreation options, The Views on Ponce is another intown community that is walkable to Ponce City Market and the 17-acre Old Fourth Ward Park. This collection of four-story townhomes is priced from the $900,000s and offers an unbeatable lifestyle with rooftop terraces and stunning views.
Currently, The Providence Group is highlighting closeout phases and communities throughout several metro areas during the Hurry Home event:
Brookmere at Johns Creek – Townhomes from the $370,000s in Johns Creek Chelsea Walk – Townhomes from the $500,000s in Alpharetta Cresslyn – Townhomes from the $370,000s in Johns Creek The Enclave at Suwanee Station – Townhomes from the mid-$300,000s in Suwanee Roswell Towneship – Townhomes from low $400,000s in Roswell The Townes at Chastain – Townhomes from the $470,000s in Sandy Springs Traditions – Single-family homes from the $500,000s in Cumming
For more information regarding new Atlanta homes from The Providence Group, visit www.TheProvidenceGroup.com or call or text the New Home Navigator at 678-472-0411 for personalized service in your new home search.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the...
Few attractions stand the test of time in major cities, but Zoo Atlanta is celebrating 130 years in 2019 and proud to serve as Atlanta’s oldest cultural institution. Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Raymond King joins this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the Zoo’s conservation efforts and upcoming attractions with co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
Zoo Atlanta directly contributes to field conservation programs for global wild places and wildlife in places such as Africa, Asia, South and Central America, as well as Georgia. Contributions include monetary funding to outside conservation organizations that share a similar mission as well as providing Zoo Atlanta staff for fieldwork, research and education programs and community outreach programs around the world.
“Too often people think of Zoo Atlanta as just an attraction, but we’re much more than an attraction,” King said. “We’re there to save wildlife and their habitats. That’s what motivates 99 percent of our team to come to work every day.”
Most recently, in 2018, the Zoo announced a new partnership with Conservation South Luangwa, a nonprofit group based in Zambia. The organization works to protect African elephants and other wildlife affected by illegal wildlife trafficking. Conservation South Luangwa uses anti-poaching patrols, trained detection dogs and aerial surveillance to identify and prevent black-market animal trade.
The Zoo’s conservation efforts are funded by donations and volunteers. From sponsoring an animal, contributing to the endowment fund or simply volunteering, no effort is considered too small. In fact, 25 cents of every admission ticket to Zoo Atlanta benefits wildlife programs.
Zoo Atlanta will also be opening an all-new African Savanna this summer as the first phase of the Zoo’s Grand New View project. The African Savanna will introduce new habitats for African elephants, giraffes, zebras, ostriches, warthogs and meerkats. Elephants will enjoy more than triple the space of their former habitat with elements specifically designed for elephant well-being and enrichment while giraffes, zebras and ostriches will share a large habitat adjacent to the elephant environment.
Listen to the above interview to hear more about the Zoo’s most popular exhibits and Conservation Projects. To learn more about Zoo Atlanta including admission pricing, hours and exhibits, visit www.ZooAtlanta.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
On this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Premier Residential Builders Co-Founder Harold Trip joins co-hosts Mandy Holm and Todd Schnick to discuss the builder’s involvement in the Right Choice home program from Jackson EMC and its available energy-efficient metro-Atlanta homes.
Specializing in single-family homes from the $200,000s to $500,000s, Premier Residential Builders offers new home opportunities throughout Gwinnett, Jackson and South Hall counties. What truly makes the builder unique is that each home and floor plan is custom designed and filled with extras and upgrades that other home builders do not typically offer as standard features.
Another impressive feature that Premier Residential Builders includes in several of its new home communities is the Right Choice certification. The exclusive Right Choice home program from Jackson EMC offers energy-efficient construction that exceeds ENERGY STAR guidelines, making the home 20 to 30 percent more efficient than standard homes.
With a Right Choice home, you get:
Guaranteed Energy Savings The 3-year Energy Warranty guarantees heating and cooling energy costs will not exceed a specified amount each year
Guaranteed Comfort The 1-year Comfort Warranty guarantees that each zone will stay within 3 degrees of the thermostat setting
Energy-Efficient Construction Confirmed by high-tech, third-party performance testing
Jackson EMC's Lowest Rate Jackson EMC offers Right Choice residents its lowest residential rate, savings homeowners an additional 5 percent on average per year. This efficiency comes from high-quality construction methods and energy-saving equipment, including:
Effective insulation High-performance windows Tight construction Electric heat pumps ENERGY STAR lighting and appliances
Throughout the entire construction process, technicians inspect for proper air sealing and duct installation and pressure test the duct system.
To learn more about the Right Choice home program and the certification process, listen to the interview above. Visit www.PremierResidentialBuilder.com to explore energy-efficient metro-Atlanta homes from Premier Residential Builders.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Wednesdays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Hollywood and Burbank in California are most well known for their multiple TV and film studios and as hubs for the entertainment industry, and Pinewood Forest is providing a similar vision on the East Coast! Pinewood Forest President Rob Parker joins this week’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the live-work-play community taking shape in Fayetteville, Georgia.
Directly adjacent to Pinewood Atlanta Studios, the second largest movie studio in North America, Pinewood Forest is a mixed-use development serving about 5,000 people. According to Parker, the idea started as a company town for the film industry, which has never been done before.
“Hollywood didn’t develop that way; Burbank didn’t develop that way, they just kind of happened and it really was the Wild West,” Parker said. “We are actually intentionally building a town for creatives [not just the film industry].”
Pinewood Forest will feature 700 single-family and 600 multi-family homes including apartments, condominiums and townhomes. Homes range from the low $300,000s to nearly $2 million and all are within a block of the community park.
Manicured walkways connect residents to their favorite shopping and dining destinations. Community amenities include 51 percent green space, 15 miles of trails, a forest preserve, a performing arts center, pools, sports courts, a fishing pond, frog pond, gardens, an amphitheater, a spa and Piedmont Wellness Center with fitness space.
Visit the Pinewood Forest Sales Center, open daily, at 290 Heatherden Avenue in Fayetteville. To learn more, visit www.PinewoodForest.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
The High Museum of Art, an Atlanta treasure, attracts visitors of all ages, serving as a leading art museum in the Southeastern United States. On today’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, the High's Head of Museum Interpretation Julia Forbes joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the museum and its Greene Learning Gallery.
Always offering visitors something new to see, the museum currently has over 1,400 works of art on view and ever-evolving exhibits. As a part of the museum’s 50-year-long commitment to having a dedicated space for families in its galleries, the High opened a new installation of the Greene Family Learning Gallery in October of 2018, doubling the space’s size.
The Greene Family Learning Gallery serves as a place where families can explore their creativity together in fun activity areas. These discovery activity areas are inspired by some of the most popular objects in the Museum's collection.
“Families want to make personal meaning together,” Forbes said. “They want to build a memory; they want something they can talk about and they want to do something together.”
Originally founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, the High received its first permanent home in 1926, when Mrs. Joseph M. High donated her family’s residence on Peachtree Street. Perfectly located in Atlanta’s arts district in Midtown, the High is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center. In 2010 it had 509,000 visitors, 95th among world art museums.
The High Museum of Art is located at 1280 Peachtree Street NE in Atlanta. To learn more about the Greene Family Learning Gallery, listen to the full interview above. Visit www.High.org for complete details regarding hours, current and upcoming exhibits and more.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Affordable intown housing is a recurring hot topic as well as the mission of CityScape Housing! On today’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, CityScape Housing Co-Owners Robb Jones and Ralph Cook, Jr. join co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the firm’s vision and latest projects.
Described as an open-ended, real estate firm, CityScape focuses on producing multifamily and single-family home developments by using an investment strategy to acquire, develop and redevelop intown communities located in the urban markets of the southern United States.
One example of this is Preston Hills, a new inside-the-perimeter (ITP) community from CityScape Housing. Located in South Atlanta just off Cleveland Avenue, Preston Hills is convenient to a number of social, civic, cultural and sporting amenities of downtown in addition to business centers, government offices and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Homes at Preston Hills range from 1,600 to 2,400 square feet of living space and boast open-air porches, hardwood flooring, rich molding and trim details, hard-surface kitchen countertops, elegant fireplaces and smart-home technology.
To visit Preston Hills from I-75 North, take Exit 241 to Cleveland Avenue and turn left, then take another left onto Old Hapeville Road and the community will be on the left in less than a mile. To visit from I-75 South, Take Exit 241 to Cleveland Avenue and take a right, then a left.
Listen to the full interview above for complete details regarding Preston Hills and CityScape Housing. Click here to learn more about the simplified buying process or visit www.CityScapeHousing.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Every city, unfortunately, has impoverished areas with at-risk youth, but thanks to varying programs and nonprofits, those youth have an outlet and a way out. Bright Futures Atlanta Co-Founders Gail and Phillip Ross join this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the program’s many offerings with co-hosts, Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick.
Primarily focused on helping youth of limited resources on Atlanta’s Westside, Bright Futures Atlanta provides educational, spiritual and familial support. Formed in 2002, the organization helps its youth to become productive members of society and peer role models through year-round programs.
Thanks to the upcoming opening of its new Community Campus, the organization will soon make an even bigger impact. Sprawled across 2 acres, the 10,000-square-foot facility will accommodate over 120 students for additional programs.
Bright Futures Atlanta also offers summer camp programs in an effort to prevent students from spending the summer in unstructured homes lacking in positive influence and opportunities. The summer camp program emphasizes peer relationship development, self-confidence and soft skills.
“One of the main focuses of Bright Futures Atlanta is to expose the kids outside of the regular concrete, crime and chaos that they’re used to their whole lives,” Phillip said.
Once summer has ended, participants return to Bright Futures Academy, a home school academy established to provide superior education to middle- and high-school children.
Additionally, beginning in the fall 2019 semester, the school will now offer dual enrollment in conjunction with Atlanta Technical College. According to Phillip, the best trajectories for their students are through technical and career education to give students the opportunity to get involved in trades.
Thanks to donations from individuals, foundations and corporations, Bright Futures offers its programs at no cost to its participants. To learn more, visit www.BrightFuturesATL.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
So much of the homebuying process can be impacted by a well-decorated model home. This factor is the reason the Haven Design Works (HDW) team created thoughtful spaces that serve as strategic marketing tools for new home builders. On today’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Haven Design Works Owner Donna Mathis joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the firm’s vision and latest projects.
HDW is an award-winning interior design firm celebrating its 6th anniversary in 2019. The firm specializes in model homes, clubhouses and sales environments. Local to Atlanta, HDW creates stunning model homes and clubhouses along the East Coast. From working as far North as Chicago and as far south as Sarasota and South Florida, HDW has certainly made a footprint for themselves.
“We really enjoy working with builders on their branding and helping enhance their story, and then we work to make their story come to life,” Donna said.
Primarily, HDW works with mid-size and large-volume builders and developers on their single- and multi-model homes, sales centers and community clubhouses. Amenities have become such an important consideration, specifically in the Millennial and 55+ age groups. According to Donna, the 55+ buyer tends to lean more new lifestyle choices while Millennials are seeking out amenities that they have had previously in apartments in condos.
HDW works to showcase a builder’s specific vision and inspiration to potential buyers. "It’s never design for the sake of design!"
To learn more Haven Design Works and its latest projects, listen to the full interview above. Visit www.HavenDesignWorks.com for more information regarding services from Haven Design Works including model home design, space and furniture planning and jobsite visits.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Over the years, Atlanta has become known for several different things including its diverse musical heritage, sports teams, Southern hospitality and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest passenger airport. Atlanta has even grown to include several cultural destinations including Hammonds House Museum, recently named the No. 4 Best Museum in Atlanta by TimeOut Atlanta.
Hammonds House Museum Executive Director Leatrice Ellzy joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the museum’s extended Dandy Lion: (Re)Articulating Black Masculine Identity exhibit as well as other upcoming events and volunteer and donation opportunities.
Originally created as a pop-up photography exhibition in Harlem, Dandy Lion: (Re)Articulating Black Masculine Identity was curated by Shantrelle P. Lewis and is on display through May 31, 2019, at Hammonds House Museum. Dandy Lion features 88 pieces which highlight the current expressions of the Black Dandy phenomenon in popular culture.
The first full exhibition of its kind, Dandy Lion spotlights young men who defy conventional and uniform understandings of Black masculinity by mixing Victorian-era fashion with traditional African dress sensibilities. Using their self-fashioned bodies as sites of resistance, contemporary Black dandies are complicating modern narratives of what it means to be Black, masculine and fashionable in the 21st century.
Set in an 1872 Victorian-era house, the museum is appropriately named for its former occupant Dr. Otis Thrash Hammonds, a prominent Atlanta physician and patron of the arts. Located at 503 Peeples Street SW in the West End neighborhood of Atlanta, the Hammonds House Museum is a museum for fine African American art.
With a mission “to preserve, exhibit, interpret and increase public awareness about the contributions that visual artists of African descent have made to world culture," the non-profit museum focuses on artistic excellence, culture and community.
To learn more about activities and events at Hammonds House Museum, listen to the full interview above or visit www.HammondsHouse.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
So much of what makes a house a home is the personalization details a homebuyer selects and the ability to do so at an affordable price point is often a challenge. Eastwood Homes Atlanta Division President Steve Atchison joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment to discuss the builder’s focus and upcoming new Atlanta homes and communities.
“We really try to focus on what the customer wants, and what the customer wants is some flexibility these days,” Atchison said. “A lot of the homes that customers may go out and shop today and consider buying, they’re built by builders that do build a very good quality product, but they don’t really offer a lot of options.”
According to Atchison, many builders use their program and ability to purchase at lower prices to eliminate certain options, but one thing Eastwood Homes does that makes it unique is that its team does not have annual goals or objectives that reduce options, which allows homebuyers the ability to truly personalize their home.
Currently, Eastwood Homes has new Atlanta homes available in Dacula and coming soon to Flowery Branch. Cambridge, a new Flowery Branch community of 130 homesites, will feature new single-family homes from the high $200,000s to low $300,000s. Home designs will range from 2,400 to 3,400 square feet and feature two-car garages. Community amenities will include a pool and cabana.
New homes are also coming soon to Dacula at Windsor Knoll. Priced from the low $300,000s, this collection of 50 single-family homes will sit on oversized homesites and feature 2,600 to 3,400 square feet of living space with brick and stone exteriors, stunning kitchens and spa-like baths with options that include screen porches, sunrooms, optional third floors and more.
Additionally, Eastwood Homes has been selected by Kolter Homes as a builder for new master-planned, active-adult community Twin Lakes coming soon to Hoschton, Georgia.
Eastwood Homes prides itself on providing new homes that are Built with Care! Listen to the above interview to learn more about Eastwood Homes and its energy-efficient home designs, or visit www.EastwoodHomes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Atlanta is filled with locations and destinations that make it special, and the High Museum of Art is one of them! The High Museum Head of Museum Interpretation Julia Forbes joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the museum and the European Masterworks: The Phillips Collection.
Located in Atlanta, the High Museum of Art is a top art museum in the Southeastern region. Perfectly located in Atlanta’s arts district in Midtown, the High is a division of the Woodruff Arts Center. In 2010 it had 509,000 visitors, 95th among world art museums.
Originally founded in 1905 as the Atlanta Art Association, the High Museum of Art received its first permanent home in 1926, when Mrs. Joseph M. High donated her family’s residence on Peachtree Street.
Currently on display at the High as its only Southeastern stop, the European Works: The Phillips Collection showcases the revolutionary collecting approach of Duncan Phillips with 75 paintings and sculptures. Phillips is most known for opening the first museum of modern art in the United States in 1921 and serving as the founding director of The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC.
Beginning with 19th-century influences and moving through the present, Phillips initiated his mission to define modern arts and its origins by adding a gallery to his family’s Georgian Revival home. Phillips brought artists together from different places and times to “trace their common descent from old masters who anticipated modern ideas,” by grouping works by their aesthetic nature.
On display now, The European Works: The Phillips Collection will be on display through July 14, 2019. Click here to learn more about pricing or visit www.High.org to explore the complete offerings available at the museum. Listen to the complete interview above to hear more about the European Works: The Phillips Collection and the permanent collections on display at the High.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
The All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio is intended to spotlight and showcase innovators in the homebuilding industry. In this week’s episode, Invitation Homes Vice President of Operations Shanna Cooke joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the “Make it Home” Show House in Atlanta, the builder’s effort to provide budget-friendly design tips and techniques to both renters and buyers.
Invitation Homes serves as the premier home leasing company in 17 markets across the country. In Atlanta alone, Invitation Homes has over 12,000 homes for lease throughout the metro area making it the organization’s largest service area and still growing.
“We love Atlanta because it’s such a thriving city,” Cooke said. “People are moving here for a high quality of life and a strong economy!”
According to Cooke, the city offers a diverse workplace with job growth and the house formation well above the national average. For those choosing the leasing lifestyle, Invitation Homes is a great option.
“We offer quality, updated homes that are professionally managed and maintained,” Cooke said. “Homes are in great neighborhoods and in close proximity to good schools and work.”
In an effort to make each Invitation home feel like a “forever home,” Invitation Homes has partnered with six top designers to help develop affordable, lease-friendly décor tips that anyone can replicate to make their leased house a home! Beginning on Wednesday, May 15 and Saturday, May 18, attendees may attend a variety of workshops related to interior design and explore the Show House. Click here to see the full schedule.
To learn more about Invitation Homes and the Make It Home Show House, listen to the above interview or visit www.InvitationHomes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
From family activities and live music to philanthropic efforts that bring communities together, there is always something going on Around Atlanta worth knowing about! HomeAid Atlanta Executive Director Mandy Crater joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the non-profit’s 18th Annual HomeAid Essentials Drive – going on now!
Hosted by HomeAid Atlanta, the designated charity of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association (GAHBA), the Essentials Drive is an annual community-wide collection to deliver “essential” items, such as diapers, baby wipes, baby food and baby formula for homeless infants and toddlers. Held in conjunction with Mother’s Day, the Essentials Drive is celebrating its 18th collection in 2019, providing a great opportunity to help homeless mothers and their babies.
What items are collected?
Diapers (size 1 to 5) Pull-ups (size 4 and 5) Baby wipes Baby food (stage one to toddler) Formula Infant laundry detergent Monetary donations and gift cards (ex. Target, Walmart & Babies-R-Us)
Can I donate online? Yes! HomeAid Atlanta has online baby registries at Amazon and Target. Cash donations are also accepted.
Are any items not accepted? Unfortunately, used items may not be accepted. All items must be new and in original packaging.
Where do the collected items go? All donations will be distributed to local nonprofit organizations that serve homeless families and children throughout Atlanta.
The Essentials Drive continues to be successful thanks to the support of Atlanta residents, having collected over a million essential baby items in its 18 years. Through Tuesday, May 7, 2019, donations to the Essentials Drive can be given at several public drop-off locations throughout several Atlanta and metro Atlanta. Click here to find a drop off location near you.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about the organization’s additional efforts including Care Days, homebuilding projects, renovations and more. For additional information, contact the HomeAid Atlanta Director of Community Outreach Karen McLane at 678-775-1450 or Karen@HomeAidAtlanta.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Atlanta-based Heatherland Homes has earned a reputation for building exceptionally designed homes with state-of-the-art construction in sought-after locations throughout the Atlanta area. On today’s All About Real Estate edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, Heatherland Homes President James Nash joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the builder’s latest projects.
One community now selling single-family homes and townhomes in Marietta, Georgia is Marvelle. Priced from the high $200,000s, Marvelle offers an unbeatable lifestyle just 1 mile from the Historic Marietta Square and the many dining, shopping and entertainment options available there. The Sales Center at Marvelle, located at 146 Gunter Street in Marietta, is open daily.
Also located in Marietta, Promenade at the Square will feature single-family homes from the high $300,000s. Perfectly located near the Marietta Square, Promenade at the Square offers the perfect live-work-play lifestyle with impressive community amenities that include a pool and cabana. Homebuyers have five home designs to choose from ranging from 2,550 to 3,060 with four-to-five bedrooms and three-and-a-half to four-and-a-half baths.
Another new home community coming soon to Marietta is Logan Park. Perfectly located in East Cobb and walkable to Kell High School, Logan Park will feature just 22 single-family homes on oversized homesites from the low $400,000s. Logan Park is located at 5990 Lee Waters Road in Marietta.
Listen to the full interview above with James Nash for complete details. Call or text the Tamra Wade Team at 770-502-6230 to learn more about new home opportunities from Heatherland Homes, or visit www.HeatherlandHomes.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick are thrilled to welcome MomoCon Founder and Co-Chair Jess Merriman and Co-Chairman Chris Stuckey to this week's Around Atlanta episode! Who doesn’t love an all-ages geek culture convention?
Born from the dedication and hard work of a small group of devoted people, MomoCon is celebrating its 15th anniversary as a convention split between animation, comics, gaming and costuming. With more than 35,000 unique and over 100,000 turnstile attendees at the 2018 convention, the 2019 event is expected to host more than 38,000 unique visitors during its 4-day run.
MomoCon will host so many speakers and activities, that it will not shut down day-to-day. That’s right, the convention will run 24 hours a day from May 23 through May 26 (Memorial Day weekend). MomoCon will bring fans of Japanese Anime, American Animation, Video Games, Comics and Tabletop Games together to celebrate their passion for cosplay and costuming. Attendees also enjoy exploring the massive exhibitors hall and meeting celebrity voice talent, designers and writers behind popular shows, comics and games.
This year’s festivities will also offer an exciting event at The Georgia Aquarium – an all-ages option or a 21-and-up after party with a DJ, dancing, scenic views and cash bars.
Click here to see the full list of speakers and celebrity guests. Registration fees vary based on the number of days attending. Visit www.MomoCon.com for complete details regarding the full schedule, hotel accommodations and more.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Staying true to its roots, the All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio highlights the movers and shakers in Atlanta real estate – and that’s exactly what Kaplan Residential is doing across the Southeast! On this week’s episode, Kaplan Residential Partner Nate Kaplan joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to discuss the developer’s latest new Atlanta home projects.
Kaplan Residential is a third-generation, multi-family development firm. Founded from chicken farmers, the Kaplan family began with building single-family homes and subdivisions and eventually they became the first builders in the country building Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) throughout North Jersey.
Since Kaplan Residential entered the Atlanta market in the 1980s, it has been a part of many well-known developments including Waterford on Piedmont, Cosmopolitan at Lindbergh and Square One.
More recently, Kaplan is working on a new high-rise development, Generation Atlanta. This 17-story high-rise of 336 residential apartments coming soon to Atlanta will also feature 279,000 square feet of retail space. The first development of its kind, the building will feature a Prescient light-gauge steel structural system, reducing the costs by 20 to 25 percent in comparison to a concrete frame and helping comply with the City of Atlanta’s affordable housing efforts.
A variety of floor plans are available at Generation Atlanta including studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms, complete with first-class amenities such as a pool deck with trellis area and fire pit, an indoor sky deck with multi-screen theatre, a duck-pin bowling alley and rooftop lounge with outdoor theatre. Residents will also enjoy an onsite fitness center and yoga studio with state-of-the-art equipment.
Thanks to its prime location, residents will never be short on things to do outside of their community with the World of Coca-Cola, Georgia Aquarium, National Center for Civil and Human Rights, Mercedes-Benz Stadium and over 400 dining options and work destinations all at their doorstep.
Generation Atlanta is projected to open in Q1 and Q2 of 2020 next year.
Listen to the above interview with Nate to learn more about the strategy and potential hurdles building in such a tight-knit city like Atlanta can present.
Visit www.KaplanResidential.com to learn more and see the full list of communities currently available from Kaplan Residential throughout Atlanta, Savannah, Fort Lauderdale, Charlotte and Charleston.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is an organization whose sole purpose, according to its mission statement, is “to empower people to choose how they live as they age.” AARP Georgia Advocacy Manager Melissa Sinden joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s Around Atlanta segment to discuss the group’s various efforts throughout the state.
“A lot of people think AARP and they think of insurance and discounts, and while we do that, [we] also do a whole lot more,” Sinden said. “What we do is advocate on behalf of the 50+ [community]…and their best interests.”
AARP has operating offices in every state as well as DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Offerings include financial security, fraud watch and prevention, caregiving, driver safety, free tax prep and more!
As Advocacy Manager, Sinden heads several initiatives on behalf of Georgians, one being bringing broadband to rural areas.
“It’s the idea that a lot of people don’t have access to high-speed internet, or what’s commonly referred to as broadband,” Sinden said. “The efforts this session, as well as in previous sessions, have been to expand that access.”
One important piece of legislation passed in this current session, according to Sinden, allows Electric Membership Cooperations (EMCs) to become broadband providers. What that means, is now they can get into those rural areas where they are already providing services!
“You may have heard at the federal level that Congress has allocated some funds for states to expand broadband, this now makes those [EMCs] eligible for that money,” Sinden said. “So, it’s kind of a win-win and we’re hoping that it amounts to a lot more people having the access.”
This new development, as it pertains to the 50+ community, means maintaining family connections, combating social isolationism and access to Telehealth (virtual medical care via telephone or video when traveling is not a convenient option, if at all).
Additionally, AARP offers its members several benefits, with a focus on the following specific programs:
Fraud Prevention Caregiving Advocacy Volunteer Opportunities
Listen to the above interview to learn more about the efforts the AARP Georgia team is working toward or visit www.AARP.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
New home construction is always evolving thanks to brilliant minds thinking forward – and Imery Group is one of them! Imery Group CEO Luis Imery joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick on this week’s All About Real Estate segment of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio to discuss the builder’s vision and latest projects.
With a mission to strategically develop land and living spaces in a way that creates ecological, economic and social value to all stakeholders, EarthCraft builder Imery Group offers new home construction, renovations and energy ratings. In fact, homes from Imery Group are among the 1 percent of builders in the nation that can demonstrate a higher level of excellence with DOE Zero Energy Ready Homes.
One development currently in the works is Hog Mountain, a walkable, master-planned community that is meant to revive the family farm and front-porch setting while also preserving the natural surroundings.
Once complete, this 66-acre development will feature a mixed offering of 85 new homes, including townhomes and single-family homes, as well as a town village featuring small, community-sized amenities that will include a gourmet grocer, coffee shop, corner ice cream or local restaurant along with small office spaces and civic establishments like a small school and church, enhancing the community’s walkability to save time and reduce traffic.
To learn more about The Imery Group and its energy-efficient efforts in Athens and the surrounding metro Atlanta area, listen to the interview above or visit www.ImeryGroup.com.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
Practicing your green thumb in a big city such as Atlanta is certainly difficult, but Wylde Center not only makes it possible, it also makes it fun with educational programs, community gardens and events. Wylde Center Executive Director Stephanie Van Parys joins Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio for this week’s Around Atlanta segment to discuss the many contributions the nonprofit organization makes in the community.
Founded in 1997, based on a need to offer opportunities to experience nature in Atlanta’s urban environment, Wylde Center offers educational programs, events and greenspaces that actively engage youth, families and individuals throughout their environment and community to develop skills in sustainable urban living, environmental science, organic gardening and nutrition.
The organization’s growing popularity is a result of the community’s participation and commitment, resulting in the operation of now five greenspaces throughout four different Decatur and Atlanta neighborhoods. These spaces are open year-round to the community for events and educational programs.
Additionally, Wylde Center offers one of the largest youth science and environmental education programs in the metro area that includes Healthy Living by Healthy Growing at the Decatur Housing Authority, Atlanta Farm to School, Decatur Farm to School and field trips and science programs.
Those interested in getting involved with Wylde Center – this weekend is your chance! Join 2,000 attendees from metro Atlanta and the surrounding areas to shop Wylde Center’s Plant Sale Festival featuring a varied assortment of vegetables, herbs, annuals, native plants and fruit trees! The festival lasts from Friday, April 12, 2019, through Sunday, April 14, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.
Listen to the full interview above to learn more about Wylde Center, including volunteer opportunities, or visit www.WyldeCenter.org.
A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com.
Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
How can the captivating paintings of Thomas Kinkade inspire home builders? On today’s All About Real Estate episode Co-Owner of Brockton Construction Joe Hafif explains to listeners the unique charm and character that Brockton Construction uses to revive Old-World craftsmanship and style.
Hafif began his career in construction in the 1980s with little-to-no knowledge of the real estate and homebuilding industry.
“I went in not even knowing what a mortgage was,” he states. “I just knew that I wanted to be a real estate tycoon.”
In the 1980s, Hafif and a friend bought 40 acres of land and developed a subdivision. Being young and new to the industry, he built what the experts told him to build. He describes the end product as disappointing because he was offering his customers the same cookie-cutter homes that every other builder in the area offered.
When the market crashed in the last 1980s, Hafif transitioned his career to financial services and insurance. “I vowed that if I ever built homes again, it would be my way,” he explains. “I couldn’t explain what I wanted to build and what was developing in my head. Walking through the mall one day I noticed a Thomas Kinkade painting and thought, wow, this guy is painting exactly what I’m thinking.”
As any aspiring real estate tycoon and home builder, Hafif is always interested in what other builders are developing. “One thing I always seem to notice is the lack of charm and character; the Old-World warmth is missing,” he states. “Every home is built like a Hollywood movie set – a nice front but all the same.” For these reasons, and many more, Brockton has three set standard beliefs: curb appeal is mandatory, not everyone wants to live in a McMansion and it shouldn’t cost $1 million dollars or more to live in a beautiful home.
In addition to a very appealing and eye-catching exterior with fully functioning shutters, four-sided stone and arch doors, Brockton also incorporates unique materials and construction methods into their homes. Hafif states during the interview that the majority of clients are downsizing and don’t want to maintain a home. He also breaks down some of the methods and materials Brockton uses to ensure low-maintenance. “We put on a synthetic slate roof that will last 50 years, we use cement boards – stained not painted, and we use a Brazilian wood that is so strong it has to come pre-drilled.”
Brockton also pledges to always provide useful interiors for homeowners. The interior of Brockton built homes are designed to make homeowners feel warmth with details such as shiplap ceilings, epoxy finished floors, lots of beams on all levels and a very open floor plan. “When you first walk into one of our homes, you look up 32 feet into the air,” describes Hafif.
Tune into the interview with the podcast link above to learn about how you can view Brockton’s decorated model home in Dawsonville. He also discusses future plans, such as building incredible steel framed homes on the coast in hurricane areas!
For more information on Brockton, to view floor plans and a gorgeous gallery, visit www.brocktonconstruction.net. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. ______________________________________________________ The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans.
Housing and transportation costs are often the two largest expenditures for Atlanta residents. Unfortunately, for those who need affordable housing, it is often located outside of the urban core, driving up transportation costs and negating the savings on housing. On today’s special All About Real Estate episode, Darion Dunn, Managing Partner of Atlantica Properties joins us to discuss how transportation and affordable housing go hand-in-hand in Atlanta, plus he talks about OWN DeKalb, a unique program designed to help those currently renting to become homeowners, and enlightens listeners on the work that Buckhead CID is focusing on.
Dunn is an Atlanta native with over 15 years of experience in civil engineering design and project management. In 2010, Dunn and his brother founded Atlantica Properties, a real estate investment and property management company with a mission to empower individuals by establishing thriving, holistic communities. Focusing on workforce housing in emerging markets, Atlantica Properties acquires and manages single-family and multifamily properties in metro Atlanta. Dunn also oversees the planning and implementation of capital projects at the Buckhead CID.
“I am blessed to pursue two of my greatest passions in life, transportation and affordable housing,” states Dunn. “Every day I can find new opportunities to focus on both and have a great impact on the people of Atlanta. Atlantica Properties is focused on solving the affordable housing crisis and Buckhead CID puts a lot of time into transportation adjustments and improvements. It all affects how we live!”
In addition to managing Atlantica Properties and serving on the Buckhead CID, Dunn recently launched OWN DeKalb, a unique program designed to help those currently renting in metro Atlanta to become homeowners. “The way we acquired these 72 homes from DeKalb County was by pitching the fact that we wanted to be landlords for as little time as possible,” explains Dunn. OWN DeKalb will provide current renters who want to stay in their home with the guidance and resources needed to purchase the home at fair market value with little money down and a monthly payment similar to their current rent amount, and work with each renter and provide them with a Licensed Realtor, a preferred list of lenders, down payment assistance and access to other resources.
Tune into the interview with the podcast link above to learn more about the population issue in Atlanta that is causing an affordable housing crisis. Dunn also provides mind-blowing statistics for the Atlanta region that will take place within the next 20 years! He also talks about the “missing middle,” a popular term being thrown around in the housing industry.
To learn more about Atlantica Properties, visit www.atlanticaproperties.com. For updates on the multi-mobile elements that Buckhead CID is adding to Peachtree, Piedmont Road, Lennox and more, visit www.buckheadcid.com. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. ______________________________________________________ The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form.
Doraville, GA, once known as “the plant” is quickly becoming Atlanta’s version of Grand Central Station. Dave Schmit, Principal at Schmit and Associates and Strategic Partner with The Integral Group joins us on today’s All About Real Estate episode to discuss the redevelopment of the old General Motors factory site in Doraville and give inside details on what’s next.
Schmit jokes that he is one of the few people who pursues what he studied in college. His early career involved management of complex construction projects including pulp and paper mills, petrochemical plants, retail centers and office buildings. In Atlanta, he is best known for his work in the home building industry. As president of Colony Homes, he grew the company from building 200 homes per year to nearly 1800 homes annually. He later leveraged his expertise to join the executive team at Morrison Homes, aiding the company in becoming the 29th largest builder nationwide in 2003. From 2003-2009, he was president of Marathon Land Company, an organization formed to develop mixed-use projects in the Atlanta area. In the years since, he has served as Principal of Schmit and Associates LLC and a strategic partner of the Integral Group.
It’s been eleven years since General Motors shut down the plant in Doraville, located inside the Perimeter near Spaghetti Junction. Many who pass by simply see a vacant eyesore, but for years action has been happening behind the scene. During the interview, Schmit lays out a timeframe to give a big-picture view of the detailed work that has been put into the 165 acres, “From 2008 to 2011 there were plenty of companies that wanted to purchase the plant. In 2014, we purchased it for $50 million through a private transaction and it took three years from saying yes, we’re interested to actually getting it,” he explains.
“The first year we took down the building, reclaimed and repurposed over 100,000 tons of red iron. We wanted to not fill landfills. The second year was entitlement and planning how we would work with the city. The third year moved into sales force and infrastructure phase and now the beginning part of the grid is in and that’s what supports the next phase.”
Overall the redeveloped site will have three general districts. On the backside of the property is Assembly Yards where loading docks, ruins of walls and rails are left to create a West Midtown industrial feel. Closer to I285 is the Campus district, home to traditional office space, fortune 500 and business. The third district, Commons, is centered around a park featuring residential low-rise apartments and homes. Currently, Assembly Yard is the entertainment district where several movies and Netflix series are filming and will soon be home to Serta Simmons Bedding national headquarters. “Within a short time, the GM site will be transformed into a walkable mix of office buildings, housing, stores and restaurants,” states Schmit. “The site is also a hub of connectivity and easily the most connect hub in the Southeast.”
Tune into the podcast with the link above to hear many more interesting details about the GM plant’s redevelopment or visit www.assemblyyards.com. For more information on Schmit and Associates and The Integral Group visit each of their sites at www.schmitassociates.com and www.integral-online.com. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. ______________________________________________________ The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing,
Whether it’s raising money for lung cancer research, keeping kids off tobacco or fighting for laws that protect the air we breathe, there’s one organization in Georgia that is dedicated to saving lives. On today’s Around Atlanta episode, Executive Director of The American Lung Association Melissa Bauer shares the many programs offered to those suffering from lung disease.
Bauer has a background in corporate finance and eight years ago she took a leap of faith and joined the nonprofit industry.
“I wanted to do something more and give back,” Bauer said. “I enjoy seeing the seeds we plant and watching them grow.”
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. Their work is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families, and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases.
“This organization was originally founded in 1904 and the mission was to eradicate TB,” Bauer said. “Once TB was no longer a social issue, the organization focused more on lung and air quality.”
While there are many happy statistics to share, such as smoking cessation being at an all-time low, there are still many issues that need to be addressed. Kids are still developing asthma, lung cancer in women has actually increased over the last 30 years and despite the improvements in Atlanta, air quality is still struggling.
Special events, like the recent Power of Breath, Women’s Fashion Luncheon is one of the many ways The American Lung Association in Georgia provides necessary resources and funds to people battling and living with lung diseases. Power of Breath is an event solely focused on Women Leadership and Empowerment. Why women? Most people don’t know that lung cancer is the No. 1 cancer killer of women. The rate of women dying from the disease has increased 79 percent in the last 40 years, and since the mid-1970s, lung cancer diagnoses among women have been on the rise. Even more shocking, thirty percent of the women diagnosed with lunch cancer have never smoked.
“By educating women, we expand our impact and increase the likelihood that women will not only make healthy decisions for themselves, but also for their families,” Bauer said.
A unique event taking place at 8 a.m. April 27 at Promenade Atlanta is the annual Fight For Air Climb event. “This is my favorite event where individuals partake in a unique vertical run challenge,” explains Bauer. “There are 38 flights of stairs, 845 steps. It’s a competitors and completers event where everyone can achieve their own sense of personal accomplishment.” Bauer also explains how even the fittest runners are humbled by the experience. “By flight 25, you realize that you’re struggling to breathe and this gives you an idea of what some people are dealing with every day of their life.”
Over 1,295,850 people suffer from a lung disease in Georgia, and while the Lung Association’s job is never done, they are working every day to give people options for better lung health and much more.
For more incredible events taking place in 2019, and to learn more about The American Lung Association visit www.lung.org. You can also tune into the show with the podcast link above! ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. _____________________________________________________ Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio...
While demographics and economics are driving the housing market in metro Atlanta, in the back of every home builder’s mind is the troubling concern of how they can secure lots for future development. On today’s All About Real Estate episode, Founder of Parkland Communities, Jim Jacobi, joins us to talk about what makes the company successful, plus new communities coming soon to Atlanta’s most desirable locations.
Jacobi is a self-made entrepreneur with an extensive career in residential development. He graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in Landscape Architecture and started his career working for some of the most respected land planning and engineering firms in Atlanta. In 2005, he created Parkland Communities and since has designed and developed over 10,000 lots, all while establishing a stellar reputation. In 2007, he helped found JEH Homes, where he helped grow the start-up company into one of the most successful and top 10 largest homebuilders in Georgia.
Jacobi is also part owner of Alliance Engineering + Planning, LLC, founded in 2016 as a consulting engineering company that serves clients throughout the Southeast. “This company helps foster the land development side of the business and we do it a little different than most companies,” states Jacobi. “Builders bring us projects and want us to help them save on costs. If we don’t have one more project this year, we will already have triples in size by the end of 2019.”
Parkland Communities is a privately-owned multifaceted real estate development and investment firm in Atlanta. “At Parkland Communities, we focus on land and lot developments,” explains Jacobi. “We are organically sourcing new deals and providing lots to the builder community.” To do this, the company uses the latest market data, technology and established relationships to strategically secure new development opportunities in Atlanta’s most desirable locations.
Currently, Parkland Communities is developing 292 single-family homes in Dacula, one of the hottest markets in Atlanta. The community will provide affordable entry-level homes in a perfectly located spot across the street from Alcova Elementary school. The community will all feature centralized amenities such as a pool, clubhouse and tennis courts. Also, developing in Dacula is Hinton Farm, a conservation subdivision that is planned for 160 homes and conveniently located in the heart of Dacula with direct access to Dacula Elementary School.
One of Jacobi’s favorite projects is located on South Main Street in downtown Alpharetta, the unique Villa Magnolia. Jacobi is helping build out the community and is excited to feature a product brand-new to the area. “Villa Magnolia will offer classic, Italianate architectural elements with double front porches and a rear deck, as well as European-styled interiors,” states Jacobi. Sales begin in April 2019, and with little opportunity left in this area of Alpharetta, the community is expected to sell out fast!
In addition to the exciting new developments, Parkland Community also created build-for-rent products. “We analyzed the market where sales prices are and created unique products that are in-line with mortgage payments,” explained Jacobi. “We find small projects in the best High School districts and offer affordable living. It’s hard to find affordability in this market and we can offer it with no strings attached!”
Whether you’re a builder interested in working with Parkland Communities or a homebuyer or renter looking for a home in Atlanta’s most desirable locations, tune into the podcast with the link above. More information can also be found at www.parklandco.com. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient an...
What if you could dip your toes into real estate investing without putting too much capital at risk? There are tons of Atlanta residents, and millions across the world, who are interested in investing but lack of trust in banks and Wall Street and lack of funds often hold them back. Serial entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Groundfloor, Brian Dally joins us on today’s Around Atlanta episode to discuss the unique financial product that levels the investment playing field for individuals who don’t make over $200,000 a year or have over $1 million in assets.
Dally has been a serial entrepreneur since 1996 when he created his first website while attending law school. In 2013, Dally met security’s law visionary Nick Bhargava and together they formed Groundfloor. “We realized that as we looked at the market for saving and investing, there was a really important missing piece for people,” states Dally. “There are a whole lucrative set of securities and investments out there that 95% of us don’t get access too.”
Groundfloor is a peer-to-peer real estate lending platform for fix-and-flip properties open to non-accredited investors. The company specializes in lending for single-family or small multi-family home rehabilitation and renovation loans and provides access to short-term, high-yield returns with a minimum investment of as little as $10. The low minimum investment opens up direct access to private real estate deals to everyone and allows them to spread their risk among many individual projects if they choose to do so.
During the interview, Dally explains how Groundfloor finances real estate projects by raising capital from a large number of investors, also known as crowdfunding. “As a real estate crowdfunding platform, Groundfloor allows you to actually own something - whether it’s a piece of a fund or loan,” states Dally. “For a little as $10, you have the power to own a piece of your investment. There was no way to invest without a large sum of money until now.” He also states, “People are making a killing compared to savings and retirement accounts. Just last year our investors made an average of 10.73% back on their investments.”
As an online marketplace, Groundfloor brings together individual investors looking for short-term lending investments and borrowers looking for short-term financing for their real estate projects. The borrowers get access to more flexible, faster and cheaper capital than a traditional bank or hard-money lender. While investors get access to short-term, high-yield investments offering returns that typically range between 6% and 14%, depending on the risk grade of the specific loan. Groundfloor currently has some Grade G loans on their platform with projected returns as high as 25%. “Our mission, in short, is to help open up real estate investment opportunities to everyone, “states Dally.
Groundfloor investments are offered nationwide and the company is continuously developing new real estate credit products. It is also the first and only real estate lending marketplace open to non-accredited investors. If you’re looking for access to real estate investments but aren’t interested in rehabbing a home or dealing with Wall Street, tune into the podcast with the link above!
For more information on Groundfloor and the loans and interest rates offered, visit www.groundfloor.us. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. _____________________________________________________ Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes.
Rocklyn Homes is committed to building homes that Atlanta buyers will love today and for years to come. They take pride in providing quality-built homes with desirable features in great locations, all while ensuring buyers receive an outstanding value. TR Adams, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Rocklyn Homes joins us on today’s All About Real Estate episode to talk more about being one of the top five homebuilders in Atlanta and explains why they choose to build Right Choice™ homes.
Adams is a real estate expert with over 30 years of experience. Twenty of those years were spent in new home sales, marketing, construction and product development. Adams attributes his successful career and extensive knowledge to the training and coaching he’s received throughout the various aspects of the industry.
Rocklyn Homes is a family owned company that prides itself on producing every home as they would their very own. The company was created with a unique vision and passion to build a beautiful, well-constructed home at a reasonable price, and blend spacious interiors with an aesthetically pleasing exterior. “There are three generations working at Rocklyn Homes and not many builders and companies can say that these days,” states Adams. “Rocklyn Homes’ success and reputation for being a top builder is a testament to everyone in the company. We’ve gotten this far because of the amazing people that work for us and the great systems we have in place.”
Rocklyn Homes builds across metro Atlanta in a variety of neighborhoods from Decatur and DeKalb to Gwinnett, Fulton and Rockdale. Ellis Pointe in Rockdale is a new and popular townhome community less than five minutes from Stonecrest Mall, Wal-Mart and Interest 20. Prices for the award-winning home plans in this community begin at the very affordable and low $200,000s.
The majority of product produced is townhomes ranging from $210,000 to $220,000, attracting first-time homebuyers, millennials, empty-nesters and anyone who desires the convenience that a townhome community offers. They also build single-family homes ranging from $200,000 to $500,000. “The new trend of producing townhomes is a niche that we have fallen into over the last five-to-eight years,” explains Adams. “Rocklyn dived into finished townhome lots when other builders didn’t want them, and in my opinion, that put us as leaders in town. We want to be the builder known for putting product out there that is affordable for single moms with kids, millennials, or empty-nesters.”
In one of Gwinnett County’s hottest areas, Rocklyn Homes has developed a community at the southern tip of the Appalachian Mountains that offers amazing amenities and Right Choice homes. Residents of Horizon have the luxury of choosing from eight home designs that are stylish, classic and best of all, energy efficient. From three-to-six bedrooms and two-to-four baths, each home is spacious and customizable to fit the needs of the entire family. “It was a very easy decision for us to choose Right Choice homes because buyers appreciate the guaranteed savings, the warranties, and the overall way it’s built into the home,” explains Adams.
On average, Right Choice homes are 20 to 30 percent more efficient on heating and cooling costs than standard homes. They know that in order to afford a larger, more spacious home, energy use must be cost-effective.
Tune into the podcast with the link above as Adams gives more insight on Right Choice homes, and also the great promotions and incentives offered by Rocklyn Homes. To learn more about Rocklyn Homes and its opportunities available throughout the metro Atlanta area, including the Right Choice homes at Horizon, visit www.RocklynHomes.com. Click here to learn more about the Right Choice difference.
*Ask your Jackson EMC representative for complete warranty terms and conditions. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atla...
International Women’s Day was officially celebrated on March 8, but we can still feel the girl power in the air! Joining us on today’s Around Atlanta episode is Kari Love, CEO of The Atlanta Women’s Foundation. The Atlanta Women’s Foundation (AWF) is the only public foundation in Georgia dedicated solely to women and girls and Love discusses the many ways the organization acts as a catalyst for change.
Love is a native Atlantan and joined the Atlanta Women’s Foundation six years ago, continuing her 23-year career as a leader in the Atlanta nonprofit and broadcast communities. She began her career at WYAY & WYAI-FM and later moved to WFOX-FM as promotions and marketing director. She joined the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama in 2003, and she was serving as its vice president of corporate development and events before joining the Atlanta Women’s Foundation.
The Atlanta Women's Foundation’s primary role in the community is a grant-maker, providing funds, resources, and evaluation support to nonprofits that provide programs to low-income women and girls to help break the cycle of poverty. “We look at the many barriers that women are facing in our community and we raise money from the community to reinvest into the community with programs that are focused on supporting women and girls,” explains Love. “Some of these barriers include mental health issues, workforce development, financially illiterate, education and child care.”
AWF also provides leadership development through their Women on Board training workshops and Inspire Atlanta. This year will be 19 years that the Women on Board training programs have been in session. These workshops train women to serve on nonprofit boards, understand their roles, the documents and forms, and to gain overall confidence in their abilities. Inspire Atlanta launched on March 8, 2018 – International Women’s Day – and focuses on three main areas: personal development, leadership development, and philanthropic development. It is a comprehensive initiative that provides a unique leadership opportunity to a diverse group of professional women who are looking to ignite their passion for creating positive change for women in Atlanta. “We want to help all women in Atlanta that may have any barrier in their path to success,” states Love.
Tune into the show with the podcast link above as Love details the programs of AWF, plus discusses their unique approach to funding. She gives prime examples of how competitors working as a team make everyone stronger together and how their collaborative success leads to additional funding.
You can help break cycles and build women in our community by joining AWF’s movement. From events, donor societies, leadership programs and more, there are several ways you can transform the lives of women and girls right here in Atlanta. To learn more, visit www.atlantawomen.org. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. _____________________________________________________ Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta edition of Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form here.
Those countless orange road cones, barrels and towering construction cranes often seen straddling Interstate 85 on both sides of the Pleasant Hill Road interchange, may be a little annoying for drivers but they’re positive signs of community improvement. On today’s All About Real Estate episode, Executive Director of the Gwinnett Place CID, Joe Allen discusses the goal of developing Gwinnett’s central business district into a hub for economic and employment activity.
Allen is a Gwinnett native, born and raised. From gift shops to auto dealers, specialty boutiques and more, he has experienced first-hand how Gwinnett Place in Duluth is truly the main business district in the area. “Gwinnett Place was a bustling business district in the 1970s and 80s, and it still is today,” Allen states. “We have 1,900 prominent businesses and household names in the area and then we also have areas that are perfect for redevelopment. Our vision is to make our area the model for an internationally diverse, livable, urban community.”
The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District (CID) is a self-taxing district that uses additional property taxes to accelerate infrastructure improvements, security enhancements, and economic development initiatives. The CID is leading the effort to expedite mobility, quality of life, and economic improvement strategies for the benefit of businesses, employees and visitors to Gwinnett’s central business district.
Why would commercial property owners want to add to their annual tax bills? “The commercial property owners voluntarily self-tax themselves because they know how important redevelopment in this area is,” explains Allen. “They’re taking the future into their own hands!” Because CID improvements are appealing to all citizens, there has been residential population growth in Gwinnett Place as more and more citizens find a walk or alternative route to work or even a walk to local destinations, to be attractive features in their quality of life.
Gwinnett Place CID encompasses the center of commerce in Gwinnett County and is making substantial progress towards providing necessary transportation and infrastructure improvements. With projects such as the construction of Gwinnett County’s first Diverging Diamond Interchange at Pleasant Hill Road over I-85, and the installation of miles of new sidewalks, streetscape elements and landscaping along Satellite Boulevard, Pleasant Hill Road and other roadways, they are surely succeeding. “By 2040, Gwinnett will be the most populated county in Georgia with approximately 1.5 million residents,” states Allen.
The Gwinnett Place Community Improvement District has an annual economic impact of $9.5 billion. Within the last few years, Gwinnett Place's direct economic impact has been approximately $4.5 billion, while the CID is responsible for $5 billion in indirect spending. “We have three top priorities; infrastructure investments and moving projects forward, improving quality of life with efforts such as community patrol, and lead transformation of the area,” explains Allen. “Just last year, we removed 45 tons of trash. Residents and newcomers alike want to be in an inviting area, and we’re making that happen every day!”
Tune into the interview with the podcast link above as Allen details the upcoming transit alternatives and the many projects that will happen in 2019! For more information www.gwinnettplacecid.com. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. ______________________________________________________
One-in-six people live in a food insecure environment and 40 percent of the food produced in the country is never consumed, that is 165 Billion dollars! If food waste were a corporation on the Fortune 500 list, it would rank right after General Motors. With this information in mind, Joe Labriola, Executive Director of Second Helpings Atlanta joins us on today’s Around Atlanta episode to talk about the hunger and food waste epidemic in Atlanta and explain the simple, yet highly effective food rescue program that the non-profit oversees.
Prior to joining Second Helpings Atlanta in May 2015, Labriola was the Vice President of Product Marketing at PGi, the Chief Marketing Officer at Enterprise Information Management and spent 30 years at IBM before he retired in November 2010. Labriola states that somewhere along the corporate career path he realized this was just not feeding his soul and it was time for Career 2.0. When a job posting for Second Helping’s first ever Executive Director crossed his path, he knew he had to take.
Second Helpings Atlanta is a non-profit food rescue organization whose mission is to reduce hunger and food waste in the metropolitan Atlanta area by rescuing healthy, nutritious, surplus food and delivering it to those in need. In 2018, the nonprofit had a hugely successful year and also went through a rebranding process. They conducted over 8,000 food rescues, meaning volunteers rescued nearly 1.4 million nutritious meals and raised the level of awareness so high that they helped fuel their expansion by 22 new donors. Since its launch in 2004, Second Helpings Atlanta's network now includes more than 80 Food Donors, 45 Partner Agencies and over 450 volunteer drivers.
Volunteers at Second Helpings Atlanta rescue nutritious, perishable food (dairy, deli, bakery, produce) and prepared food from over 80 Food Donors and deliver it (free of charge) to a network of over 45 Partner Agencies (food pantries, community meal providers, shelters) who feed the hungry every day. “We use something we developed called our 90 Minute Model, where we connect our volunteers with routes that get them from their home, place of work or worship to a nearby Food Donors, using their own vehicle, where they pick up donated food, transport and deliver it to a Partner Agency and return home in 90 minutes or less,” explains Labriola. “We believe this process gives our 450+ volunteers a high impact volunteer experience that has a low impact on their busy schedules.”
A unique aspect of Second Helpings efforts is that they focus exclusively on healthy, nutritious food because many of the clients of the Partner Agencies are surviving on diets consisting mostly of processed food which can contribute to serious health issues later in life. Additionally, Labriola states, “Because the food we deliver is free of charge, money previously spent to purchase groceries can be re-diverted into providing more core services, allowing our Partner Agencies to make a bigger impact in the community without the need to raise more money.”
During the interview, Labriola states some astonishing facts about highly complex food rescues from large scale event venues such as Mercedes Benz Stadium and SunTrust Park. He also mentions that Second Helpings Atlanta was one of three organizations selected by the NFL to do a food rescue during the events that lead up to the Super Bowl. Tune in now with the podcast link above to hear how many thousands of pounds of food was rescued just from large scale event venues!
To learn more about becoming a Food Donor or Partner Agency, to donate or join Second Helpings Atlanta's community of volunteer drivers, visit secondhelpingsatlanta.org. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program.
Community improvement districts (CIDs) are an increasingly popular method of promoting economic growth in Atlanta, with 29 active CIDs currently and four more in formation. On today’s All About Real Estate episode, Emory Morsberger, Executive Director of Lilburn CID discusses the various economic development plans to make Lilburn an even better place to live. He also explains the formation of CID’s and provides proof that public-private partnerships can be crucial in areas such as economic development and education.
Morsberger has been a real estate redeveloper for 35 years across metro Atlanta. He founded Avalon homes in 1991 and spearheaded the Highway 78 project to improve the declining conditions of the area. He was also heavily involved in the revitalization of downtown Lawrenceville, striping the Square’s old buildings to their original brick and wood floors and transforming it into a bustling destination. Morsberger’s impressive redevelopment continues with transformation projects such as Ponce City Market, Gateway 85 and several other projects across metro Atlanta.
Lilburn CID was formed seven years ago and focuses on “the corridor between two presidents,” as Morsberger describes. The Lilburn CID works dramatically to improve and redevelop the six-mile corridor and is currently in the process of a $28 million road and interchange improvement program. A unique aspect to Lilburn is the three different sections, the south end features the majestic Atlanta mandir, the largest Hindu temple in the U.S., the north side is home to Plaza Las Americas, the largest Hispanic center in metro Atlanta, and the core center is the city of Lilburn, with new facilities and a top-notch school system. “Parkview High School is a great attraction to the area,” states Morsberger. “Families who work at Emory, on or near Clifton Road, have the advantage of an amazing school system and they’re only a 20-minute ride from work.”
Tune into the podcast with the link above to hear about the plans for a convenient shuttle system that will take Lilburn residents to Clifton Road!
During the interview, Morsberger explains the importance of CIDs and exactly how they are formed. Unlike a chamber of commerce, a CID can help fund physical improvements to an area. CIDs generally focus on transportation, physical appearance and safety issues. They partner with city, county, and state agencies to help initiate projects like reconfiguring an intersection or installing sidewalks for pedestrians. In Lilburn, the main focus is road improvements, landscape improvement and economic development. “The idea is that increasing curb appeal and eliminating blight, along with intersection improvements and better traffic light timing, will increase road capacity and make the area more attractive to quality, upscale businesses,” states Morsberger.
Tune into the podcast with the link about to learn more about Lilburn CID and for contact information to connect personally with Emory Morsberger. Visit www.lilburncid.com to learn more about the organization and projects that are happening now. ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. ______________________________________________________ The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a g...
Thinking about buying a new home in Atlanta? Perhaps you’re just curious to see what Atlanta builders and communities have to offer. No matter what the reasoning, the Parade of Homes is the perfect place for a live and in-person HGTV experience. On today’s Around Atlanta episode, Vince Longo, President of Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association and owner of Longo Custom Builders shares details on the upcoming 2019 Atlanta Parade of Homes.
Longo serves as the President of Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association. As the President of the association, Longo helps the HBA achieve its goal of promoting, protecting and preserving home building as a viable economic force in Atlanta. The HBA focuses on advocacy and legislative issues that affect home builders on both the local and state levels. Additionally, the HBA provides education for members to promote a higher standard of professionalism within the industry, partners with HomeAid Atlanta to offer charitable work and hosts networking events to help industry professionals make important connections.
Returning for its second year, the Greater Atlanta HBA is hosting the 2019 Atlanta Parade of Homes. The parade will showcase dozens of award-winning decorated model homes throughout the Atlanta area from Saturday, April 27 to Sunday, May 12 during three weekends of open houses. The numerous decorated model homes are located in the nine Metro Atlanta counties that the HBA serves. “The absolute best way to view the new homes and townhomes throughout Atlanta is by taking a tour,” states Longo. “All materials are 100 percent digital and the tours are self-guided. You’re in charge of the homes and communities you want to visit and there’s no tickets, meeting, starting points – nothing! Visit just one or visit them all, it’s up to you!”
A major attraction for home buyers in Atlanta is that the city’s real estate market is so diverse in its offerings. A wide variety of price points, home styles and communities will be available during the parade of homes, so attendees are sure to get a clear vision of what they are looking for. Each builder will have available homesites and option pricing, so home buyers can choose what is most important for their new home. Intown townhomes, homes for vertical living, suburban home styles, single-family detached homes, luxury custom homes and more are available to tour during the parade of homes.
The parade is free to attend, and the homes will also showcase cutting-edge trends in design, energy-efficiency and smart home technology. The actual staging and decoration of the homes feature on the tour may not be included, but attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite home.
To plan your visit during the Parade of Homes, download the Atlanta Parade of Homes app on the app store and Google Play. For the latest information, regular updates and in-person video and pictures, follow the official Facebook page or visit www.ATLHomesParade.com. More details can be heard by tuning into the podcast with the link above! ______________________________________________________ A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. For more information on Right Choice new homes and Jackson EMC, visit https://RightChoice.JacksonEMC.com. _____________________________________________________ Please subscribe to Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio on iTunes. If you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it. The “Around Atlanta” segment, sponsored by Denim Marketing, airs on Thursdays and is designed to showcase the best of metro Atlanta – the communities, attractions and special events that make this city great. To submit your event, community or attraction to the Around Atlanta editio...