Team Rich Richardson

Adorable Cottage Available in Great Lakes Neighborhood in Downtown Decatur

richhomes — Thu, 17 May 2012 19:19:37 +0000

316 Superior Avenue

Here’s your chance to buy in Great Lakes, one of downtown Decatur’s favorite neighborhoods, at a value price.

316 Superior Avenue, Decatur is a charming brick cottage in outstanding condition and is ready for you to move right in. It’s also ready to expand when the time is right. You will fall in love with the hardwood floors, fireplace, arched opening, built-ins, original hardware, separate office space, and updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Cook a gourmet meal at home or walk less than a mile to Decatur Square for dinner. Permanent stairs take you to a huge attic that provides potential for expansion, and the full basement offers tons of storage. After walking home from nearby Clairemont Elementary, the whole family can play in the flat fenced backyard!

Justin Landis – 404-803-0471

Park Avenue Co-Op Sells for Record $52.5 Million Dollars

richhomes — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:04:04 +0000

Wow! Is $52.5 million too much to pay for an 8 bedroom, 10 bathroom co-op? Not at 740 Park Avenue, home to several high profile residents. This New York City home has 2 libraries, 6 terraces and views of Central Park. And, the taxes alone are about $1.5 million.

Photo courtesy of Realtor.com

The building was built in 1929 by James T. Lee, the grandfather of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and is still considered the best of the best in New York real estate.

What Can You Get for $500,000 in Buckhead?

richhomes — Fri, 11 May 2012 17:57:39 +0000

How much home can you get for $500,000 in Buckhead?

If you’ve always lived in Atlanta and love Buckhead, or if you’re new to the city and are looking for a home, here’s a sampling of what you can get for $500,000 in Buckhead. Depending upon whether you want to be close to extraordinary shopping and exciting nightlife, or if you prefer a private, wooded neighborhood off the beaten path, there’s a selection of homes for sale. Of the homes priced around $500,000, you can get anything from a gorgeous 5 bedroom home on a cul-de-sac in North Buckhead to a traditional home in Garden Hills with easy access to Midtown and downtown Atlanta.

Based on the listings in the multiple listing service, there are 26 non-distressed, single family homes listed for sale* in Buckhead that are priced between $475,000 and $525,000. Here’s a sample of the properties listed for sale. Or, click here to see all of the properties in Buckhead between $475,000 and $525,000.

*(current as of 5/11/2012)

4254 Glengary Court (North Buckhead) :: $525,000

5 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
Year Built: 1979
Elementary: Sarah Rawson Smith
Middle: Sutton
High: North Atlanta

2323 Hurst Drive (Peachtree Hills) :: $499,000

4 bedrooms, 2 full baths, 1 half bath
Year Built: 1938
Elementary: E. Rivers
Middle: Sutton
High: North Atlanta

617 Woodward Way (Memorial Park) :: $499,000

4 bedrooms, 3 full baths
Year Built: 1940
Elementary: Morris Brandon
Middle: Sutton
High: North Atlanta

Get Information About Homes For Sale in a Snap

richhomes — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:02:37 +0000

It’s easier than ever to see what homes in your neighborhood are worth or what they’re selling for. Whether you’re in the market for a new home or you just want to see the value of homes in your neighborhood (or any neighborhood), all you need to do is pull out your iPhone and snap a picture. A new iPhone app called HomeSnap* can give you an estimate of the price of the home, details about square footage, number of rooms, area school ratings and info on similar homes for sale.

While this tool is fun and impressive and can be useful when investigating possible purchase options, its information may not always be complete or accurate. So have fun and look around, but call us when you’re ready to see those homes that you’ve been snapping pics of.

Justin Landis – 404-803-0471

*HomeSnap can be downloaded for free from the iTunes App Store.

Atlanta Food Truck Park and Market Comes to Atlanta

richhomes — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:50:10 +0000

The west side of Atlanta is an even more fun, desirable place to live now that the Atlanta Food Truck Park and Market is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

Located at 1850 Howell Mill Road in Atlanta, the park is convenient to Loring Heights, Underwood Hills, and Home Park. The park offers 15 rotating food trucks, a weekend farmers market, live music and an artist farm. There is plenty of free parking as well as seating and covered dining areas to sit and enjoy your food.

Some of the participating trucks include Sweet Auburn BBQ, Honeysuckle Gelato, Nana G’s Chik-n-Waffles, Yum Yum Cupcake, and Tex’s Tacos. Food trucks and food vendors vary daily, so check the calendar on their website to see when your favorite trucks and vendors will be there.

The Atlanta Food Truck Park and Market is another great addition to this already vibrant, thriving neighborhood.

You can see homes for sale in some of the neighborhoods surrounding the Atlanta Food Truck Park by clicking on one of these easy searches.

Home Park Homes under $150,000
Home Park Homes $150,000+
Loring Heights Homes under $350,000
Loring Heights Homes $350,000+
Underwood Hills Homes For Sale under $350,000
Underwood Hills Homes $350,000 – $500,000
Underwood Hills Homes $500,000+

And, of course, once you find your new home, call Justin Landis at 404-803-0471 to see the home.

Have You Been to Brookhaven Lately?

richhomes — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:08:18 +0000

Town Brookhaven

Have you been to Brookhaven lately? Or, more specifically, Town Brookhaven? Not only is it home to our fantastic Keller Williams Peachtree Road office, it’s also a vibrant retail district that’s filled with shops, restaurants, and urban style apartments. Work out at the enormous, new LA Fitness. Get your grocery shopping done at the fabulous Publix that offers lots of organic options, prepared foods, and sushi. Enjoy lunch at one of the many restaurants, including Newk’s, Flying Biscuit, and Olive Bistro. There are so many options to choose from that it will be hard to decide. Pamper yourself with a mani/pedi at the newly open Nail Talk & Tan. In the evening, catch a movie and dinner at the CineBistro.

Town Brookhaven is a superb destination for shopping and dining. It’s also located within minutes to Buckhead, major interstates and public transportation.

If you’re interested in homes for sale in Brookhaven, we’ve provided these easy searches for you.

Brookhaven Homes $100,000 – $300,000
Brookhaven Homes $300,000 – $500,000
Brookhaven Homes $500,000+
Brookhaven Condos and Townhomes: $100,000 – $300,000
Brookhaven Condos and Townhomes: $300,000 – $500,000
Brookhaven Condos and Townhomes: $500,000+

Call Justin Landis at 404-803-0471 to see homes for sale in Brookhaven.

Metro Atlanta Market Snapshot

richhomes — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 15:14:31 +0000

Here’s a quick snapshot of the metro Atlanta real estate market for the 1st quarter of 2012. While we keep hearing that prices are down, this varies greatly from one neighborhood to another.

The Number of Houses for Sale (Inventory) is DOWN 34% from this time last year

The Number of Houses Under Contract (Pending) is UP 27% from this time last year

The Decrease in Inventory means that we are in a Balanced Market with 5.9 Months of Supply
The Median Sales Price is down 15% from this time last year, but this number varies greatly from one neighborhood to another.

There are more buyers are in the market, but prices are still attractive. They have less houses from which to choose, which means less competition for sellers.

If you are thinking of buying or selling, give us a call today!

New Refi Options for FHA Loans

richhomes — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:51:14 +0000

There’s a new mortgage refinance option for those with FHA loans that can benefit you even if you’re upside-down in your home. The program would lower your interest rate to 4% or below.

There are some criteria you must meet in order to qualify:

Your current home loan must be FHA-insured and must have been put on the Federal Housing Administration’s books no later than May 31, 2009. This is different from the dates you applied for your loan or closed on your house.
You must have been making your mortgage payments on time for the last 12 months.
The refinance must lower your monthly interest payments.

Iif you meet all of the criteria, you get to breeze through the paperwork. Verification of income or employment is not necessary, and a credit check or appraisal of your home is not needed.

The program goes into effect on June 11, 2012.

Contact Mark Daker with Fidelity Bank with questions about the program or to see if you qualify. Click here for Mark’s contact information.

Home Ownership Means Tax Benefits and Credits for You

richhomes — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:56:29 +0000

The clock is ticking, and you have one more day to file your taxes. As you go through the not so fun process, look on the bright side. You can use your homeowner status to get tax benefits and credits that you couldn’t get as a renter. If you’re unsure about how to claim these benefits, be sure to ask your accountant or tax advisor for help.

Here are some of the deductions and credits you qualify for:

Mortgage Interest Deduction

You can deduct qualified mortgage interest on your main home and a second home if you itemize deductions on Schedule A. You must be legally liable for repayment of the loan to deduct the loan interest.

Real Estate Taxes

Real estate taxes are deductible by a homeowner and are shown in Form 1098 which the taxpayer receives from the lender. Form 1098 typically shows the amount of mortgage interest paid, real estate taxes paid, and homeowners insurance paid. Insurance is not deductible on property used as a personal residence even though it appears on Form 1098.

Mortgage Debt Forgiveness

Homeowners who experienced foreclosure on their primary home may be able to exclude the amount of canceled debt from their taxable income. The home must be the taxpayer’s primary residence; the amount of debt forgiven cannot exceed $2 million; and the loan must have been used to buy, build or substantially improve the home.

Don’t Miss Your Favorite Spring Festivals In Atlanta

richhomes — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:22:41 +0000

The arrival of April in Atlanta brings with it a slew of festivals. The wide variety means that there’s something for everyone. Here are some of the more popular festivals this month, but you can find the full schedule of festivals here.

Dogwood Festival
Piedmont Park
April 20th – 22nd
Visit the website for more information.
An Atlanta event for more than 75 years, this festival includes a variety of art, the annual disc dog competition and a kid’s village.

SweetWater 420 Fest
Candler Park
April 20th – 22nd
A free event featuring live music, local art, activities for the kids and much more! Visit the website for more information.

Inman Park Festival
Inman Park Neighborhood
April 27th – 29th
Held during the last full weekend in April, the Inman Park Festival is widely regarded as Atlanta’s most spirited and eclectic festival. Visit the website for more information.