Just Listed! Cumming,GA
June 16, 2009
Want more information on this home? Just Click Here -> 2865 Tattersall Court
Free Kids Fishing Events June 6th
June 1, 2009
Take your kids fishing this weekend!! There are multiple free events for kids to go fish this Saturday. Take advantage of good weather and have a great time outdoors! Did I mention it’s free!!
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AmicalolaStatePark | Kate Ruka Program Staff706-265-4703 | June 67-11 | Little Amicalola Creek | Dawson | 15 m NW of Dawsonville via GA 183 & 52, follow signs | Ages: 15 years & under. “To Temp a Trout” event; $3 park pass required.Pre-registration @ 7am. |
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USFS | Jim Wentworth706-745-6928 | June 69 – Noon | Winfield Scott Lake | Union | On Hwy 180 between Suches & Vogel State Park | Ages: 16 years & under; Trout Fishing |
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USFS | Mike Brod 706-782-3320 | June 69 – Noon | Tallulah River | Rabun | Hwy 76, turn on Persimmon Rd at fire station, 4 miles turn left on Tallulah River Rd, 2 miles to campground | Ages: 2 – 15 years old; Trout Fishing; Prizes and refreshments |
A little closer to home… I also just heard Jones Bridge Park is having a kids fishing event on June 6th as well.
Go to www.gofishgeorgia.com for more info.
Higher Taxes in Gwinnett County Pros/Cons
May 30, 2009
From the Gwinnett Daily Post
PRO: Board of Commissioners decision key to doing the peoples buisness
By Charles Bannister
“Government is the people’s business,” Ronald Reagan remarked. “And every man, woman and child becomes a shareholder with the first penny of tax paid.”
Reagan’s comment dates back 42 years to his inauguration as California governor. But it describes pretty accurately how we approach managing Gwinnett County government and its $1.7 billion annual budget.
Our county commissioners, administrators and department directors run county government like a business – and we focus every day on the fact that we are accountable to 800,000 resident shareholders.
I think Reagan would be particularly proud of our conservative spending and the fact that the county has rolled back property tax millage rates over the past 12 years by 3.98 mills, or 26 percent. The other commissioners and I are proud of this record as well, and we are united in a commitment to continued fiscal prudence.
Earlier this year, in fact, we made $40 million in budget adjustments – including cuts and fee increases – and implemented the first reduction in work force in county history. We’ve also worked hard to create a rational plan for Gwinnett County’s future, developing and adopting our 2030 Unified Plan.
But we have known for several years now that 2009 would be the year when the county’s operating costs would outpace our revenues – and that was before the economic downturn. As a result, the Board of Commissioners is considering the extent to which the property tax millage rate should increase to fund county operations in 2009 and beyond.
The county’s overall property tax rate is 31.77 mills. More than two-thirds of that amount goes to the school system and state government and to retire various bond issues. Less than one-third goes for county operations, including police and fire services, courts, parks and recreation, transportation, health and human services, libraries, and planning.
To continue funding those operations at appropriate levels, we need to raise county taxes between 2.87 and 3.31 mills, depending on where a property is located. As a result, the average tax bill (based on a $200,000 home) would increase about $16 a month, or about $194 annually.
Even with the increase, the county portion of property taxes will be lower than it was 12 years ago. And there are not many things you can say that about. Consider a trip to the grocery store a decade ago compared to today.
We recognize that we’re going through one of the most difficult economic periods of our lifetimes and that any millage increase will be tough.
But the alternative is tougher: making even deeper cuts in the budget would weaken many of the services, programs and infrastructure that make Gwinnett a great place to live and work.
The millage increase being proposed will:
• Enable much-needed police, fire and emergency department staff increases that will keep Gwinnett County safe by putting 372 more police officers on the streets and cutting ambulance and fire response time by staffing five new stations through 2013, which will save lives and save residents money on home insurance.
• Continue our model economic development program and fund infrastructure improvements along the Interstate 85 corridor that will increase property values and encourage businesses to locate in Gwinnett – a return on the county’s investment that helps keep residential taxes low over the long term.
• Help us maintain our commitment to preserving greenspace and move ahead with long-range plans for a park system that the National Recreation and Park Association named the best in the nation.
These actions position Gwinnett County to bounce back quickly from the recession and lead the local recovery.
We will be conducting public information forums and public hearings on these tax increases over the next couple of weeks, and we strongly encourage you, as taxpayers and shareholders in Gwinnett County, to attend, learn more, and let us know what you think.
Gwinnett County is strong because of the businesslike and fiscally conservative way we’ve managed government during prosperous times. We have made great advances, but we now must find a way to sustain that progress.
CON: Higher taxes hurt during recession
By Dave Williams
As mayor of Suwanee, I can attest firsthand that local governments are profoundly affected by these challenging economic times. I can also promise that the Suwanee City Council is doing everything in its power to hold the line on taxes.
People are hurting. Many have lost jobs or taken pay cuts. Businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. Nonprofits are trying to survive. Everyone seems to be doing whatever they can keep costs down. Well, not everyone.
Earlier this week, our Gwinnett County Commissioners announced their plan to raise your property taxes by more than 25 percent – 30 percent if you live in a city – so they can expand their 2009 budget by about 10 percent over their 2008 budget. We don’t have the exact figures because they still won’t publish the budget they adopted March 3.
You see, even though we’re nearly halfway into the fiscal year, without their budget document, the public is being kept in the dark. Our commissioners are ballooning county government in the worst economy anyone can remember.
Forty-three million of this enormous $87 million property tax increase isn’t even planned to be spent in 2009 – they’re socking it away in something called “working capital reserve.” Our commissioners have decided it’s better to overtax you and hoard those dollars than for you to pay your mortgage, health care or for your kids’ education.
Under the guise of public safety, our commissioners have hatched a curious plan to hire 170 more officers to start patrolling inside cities that are already policed effectively by the cities. This wasteful and dangerous duplication will require another $17 to 20 million of your money in new taxes – can’t know for certain without the budget. Sheriff Butch Conway calls their scheme a “terrible mistake.”
Growing the size of government in these economic times is exactly the wrong thing for any elected body. It’s quite obvious that our commissioners are oblivious to the reality that the rest of us face. We’re cutting back, yet they’re expanding their county largesse and sending us the bill. And it’s going to be a whopper.
State law requires our commissioners hold three public hearings at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center before they set these new tax rates. Two are scheduled for Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day. The third is June 2, after which the county will vote on the new tax rate.
I plan to attend all of them, and hope you will, too.
Have we learned anything from the county’s recent “trash plan” episode? This time, will we make our voices heard to our elected commissioners before they take action on this outrageous tax hike?
If not, brace yourself for a doozie of a county tax bill.
Dave Williams is the mayor of Suwanee.
For more information about Gwinnett County’s property tax millage and the public hearings, visit www.gwinnettcounty.com.
Rates on the Rise!
May 30, 2009
This week mortgage rates crested to their highest levels since Dec. 1, 2008. This means that any of you that have been on the sidelines just lost 5% purchasing power.
Any home buyer that has been ”waiting ” on interest rates to drop further have made a poor decision. Rates in the 4’s are gone, and now all we can do is sit back and watch to see how far they will go up and how quickly they will increase.
I urge any of you who still want to buy a home in this market to contact me about working with a lender who will lock your interest rate without a property. It could save you thousands of dollars while you continue to look for that great deal! I would also use this opportunity to make sure you have an updated approval letter. Due to the recent rise in mortgage rates, many of you may no longer qualify for the amount indicated in your initial approval letter.
Georgia Homebuyer Tax Credit Signed into law!
May 27, 2009
HB 261 was signed into law on May 11, 2009 by Governor Sonny Perdue! We applaud House Sponsor Ron Stephens (Savannah), House Ways and Means Chairman Larry O’Neal (Warner Robins) and Senate Chairman Chip Pearson (Dawsonville) for their tireless efforts in the passage of this important legislation. Unlike the federal tax credit, the Georgia credit is not limited to first-time homebuyers, and there are no applicable income limits. The amount of the credit is 1.2% of the purchase price up to $1,800 spread over three years. The credit is only available to buyers of eligible single family residences who close between June 1 and November 30 of 2009.
Just one more reason to go out and buy a home!
Family fun for all!
May 6, 2009
Take advantage of great summertime events provided by our Department of Natural Resouces!
JAKES Day
Saturday, May 9, 2009 10 AM – 2 PM
Smithgall Woods Conservation Area and Lodge – Helen, GA
http://www.gastateparks.org/net/content/go.aspx?s=97.0.0.5
The statewide list of kids fishing events can be found on the website, here:
http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/documentdetail.aspx?docid=413&pageid=1&category=fishing
Get paid to buy your new home!
May 4, 2009
Many first time home buyers are not aware that you can get paid to buy your first home!
Special Tax credits paired with buying the right home could earn you up to $9,000 just for buying a house. You also have the opportunity to get money to make repairs on some homes you buy that need a little work.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
- The tax credit is for first-time home buyers only. For the tax credit program, the IRS defines a first-time home buyer as someone who has not owned a principal residence during the three-year period prior to the purchase.
- The tax credit does not have to be repaid.
- The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $8,000.
- The credit is available for homes purchased on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.
- Single taxpayers with incomes up to $75,000 and married couples with incomes up to $150,000 qualify for the full tax credit.
The New Georgia Incentive for Purchasing a HUD home is a $1,000 Allowance paid to owner-occupant buyers who go under contract on a HUD property within its first 30 days on market.
This Program is only available to owner-occupant buyers; investor buyers not eligible
- Buyer financing type is irrelevant
- Eligible properties are new listings which have a list date of June 4, 2008 or later.
- Please note this incentive is available for new listings only; properties which were/are on market and re-list after June 4 are not eligible for the incentive.
- Contract must be received and executed within 30 days of property’s initial list date
When a HUD Home is listed as “INSURED-Repair Escrow” it means that one can purchase the property with FHA-Insured Financing BUT it doesn’t meet ALL FHA “Minimum Property Standards” (MPS) and that funds sufficient to fix whatever needs fixing to bring the property up to MPS must be Escrowed by the Lender. HUD listings should tell the prospective Buyer what work needs to be done before buying the property and the amount of money that needs to be placed in Escrow at Closing to provide for getting the needed work done within 90 days of the Closing!
The amount of money needed for the “Repair Escrow” is ADDED to the Buyer/Borrowers’ loan amount, so the Buyer/Borrower actually pays for the needed repairs. And the Buyer/Borrower–now Homeowner–gets the work done AFTER closing and pays for it out of the “Repair Escrow” Account! In today’s market its an advantage to be able to finance these repairs into your loan if you don’t have the cash to do it yourself. Take advantage of the low interest mortgage rate instead of paying for repairs with a high interest credit card.
HUD Home purchases are complicated, sometimes confusing, often contradictory! A prospective Buyer/Borrower for a HUD Home needs an EXPERIENCED Realtor such as myself AND Loan Officer to help him/her “through the maze”! By “experienced” I mean a Real Estate Agent and a Loan Originator who has worked a number of HUD Home sales before–and is familiar with the problems and solutions that may occur within each transaction with this government agency!
Taking advantage of these programs can save you thousands, provide money for repairs, give you up to $8,000 that does not have to be re-paid and move you into a home for as little as $100 down! Buying a HUD home at low market prices will also be an investment in your future. It’s all a matter of pairing these programs together to take full advantage of what is being offered to today’s home buyer.
Give me a call today so I can help you take advantage of these great opportunities. Be sure to take a look at some of the HUD listings I have posted under my listings!
Its no scam! Its Uncle Sam!
Suwanee,GA City Hall Grand Opening
March 24, 2009
Looking for some fun entertainment this weekend?
Suwanee will be celebrating the grand opening of city hall on March 28, 2009! Festivities will begin at Town Center Park at about 2:30 p.m. with a community photo; approximately 1,500 people will help the City create a human aerial art image that will be photographed via helicopter. Participants, who were required to register in advance, may begin signing in and receiving their commemorative t-shirts about 1 p.m. More details will be emailed to registered participants.
The official ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. followed by an open house – or open City Hall, in this case. Entertainment will be provided throughout the grand opening celebration by students in the North Gwinnett and Peachtree Ridge high school fine arts departments.
Dacula,GA Great HUD Home For Auction
December 2, 2008
Don’t miss this great opprtunity to place your bid on a fantastic HUD home located in Dacula,GA
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 2.5
Year Built 2005
Schools: Dacula
This home is on a daily bid and offers are accepted and reviewed at the end of each day. Call me today to schedule an appointment to view this home and place your bid!
678-781-7418
