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Atlanta’s metropolitan appeal, luxury homes, pleasant climate, accessibility to transportation, and variety of things to do attracts many celebrities to call our city home. Below are just a few names you will recognize who have made
Atlanta their home base.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Article taken from the Atlanta Business Chronicle, April 20-26, 2007
Fifteen Georgia companies made the Fortune 500 list for 2007, and Atlanta ranked No. 3 in the nation among cities with the most Fortune 500 headquarters.
Fortune compiles its annual list of the biggest and best businesses based on 2006 fiscal and calendar year financial performance, focusing on revenue.
- The Home Depot Inc.(NYSE:HD) dropped from a ranking of 14 in 2005 to 17 in 2006, with $90.8 billion in revenue.
- United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE:UPS) moved up one spot to 43, with $47.5 billion in revenue last year.
- The Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) achieved a 94 ranking, compared with a ranking of 89 in 2005. It had $24.1 billion in revenue for 2006.
- Moving from 120 in 2005 to 118 in 2006 is Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. (NYSE:CCE), which had $19.8 billion in revenue.
- Delta Air Lines Inc. (Pink Sheets: DALRQ), which will soon emerge from Chapter 11, fell one spot to 136 with $17.2 billion in revenue.
- Columbus-based insurer Aflac Inc. (NYSE:AFL) went from 151 in 1005 to 164 in 2006, posting $14.6 billion in revenue.
- Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) generated $14.4 billion in revenue in 2006, but it still fell three spots to 168.
- SunTrust Banks Inc. (NYSE:STI) jumped 34 spots to 183 with $13.3 billion in revenue last year.
- Genuine Parts Co. (NYSE: GPC) drove up one spot to 244, with $10.6 billion in revenue.
- Calhoun-based carpet and tile company Mohawk Industries Inc. (NYSE:MHK) moved ahead 23 spots to 304, posting $7.9 billion in revenue in 2006.
- Consumer products company Newell Rubbermaid Inc. (NYSE:NWL) dropped 11 places to 343 on the list, with revenue of $6.7 billion.
- Beazer Homes USA Inc. built itself a home at 420 with $5.6 billion in revenue, compared with a ranking of 429 in 2005.
- AGCO Corp. (NYSE AG) fell from 399 in 2005 to 421 in 2006, with $5.4 billion in revenue.
- BlueLink Holdings Inc. (NYSE:BXC) ranked 456 with $4.9 billion in revenue , compared with a ranking of 387 in 2005.
- Energy company Mirant Corp. (NYSE:MIR), which emerged from bankruptcy in 2006 and posted $4.7 billion in revenue, ranked 474, up from 479 in 2005.
Meriting mention are 11 other Georgia-based companies (with rankings) that made the Fortune 1000: Synovus (NYSE: SNV) at 514; Superior Essex Inc. (Nasdaq: SPSX) at 661; Exide Technologies (Nasdax: XIDE) at 679; AGL Resources Inc. (NYSE:ATG) at 717; Spectrum Brands Inc. (NYSE:SPC) at 729; Georgia Gulf Corp. (NYSE GGC) at 754; Graphic Packaging Corp. (NYSE:GPK) at 766; Acuity Brands Inc. (NYSE:AYI) at 769; Rock-Tenn Co. (NYSE:RKT) at 822; Gold Kist Inc.(Nasdaq:GKIS), which is now part of Pilgrim’s Pride, at 824; and Flowers Foods Inc. (NYSE:FLO) at 889.
Atlanta placed third among cited with the most Fortune 500 headquarters, behind New York and Houston.
“For the sixth year in a row, Atlanta has ranked third on the Fortune 500 list. Even during a slow national period, metro Atlanta has made a strong showing on every measure of economic health - job growth, population growth and housing starts,” and Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “Atlanta’s robust and diverse economy gives our region a strength that continues to attract new business and talent.”
The metro region account for about two-thirds of Georgia’s economy, 72 percent of the state’s job growth and 72 percent of its population growth.
When conversing with real estate professionals, you will often find that when they talk about buying real estate, they will refer to your purchase as a home. Yet when you are selling property, they will often refer to it as a house. The reason for this is the fact that buying real estate is often an emotional decision, but when selling real estate you need to remove emotion from the equation.
I like to tell people to think of your house as a marketable commodity: property, real estate. Your goal is to get others to see it as their potential home, not yours. If you do not consciously make this decision, you can inadvertently create a situation where it takes longer to sell your property.
The first step in getting your home ready to sell is to de-personalize it and always price it properly. Condition, location and price are the three things that are factors in selling your home. Be sure it is in pristine condition, the location is “fixed,” and the price is reasonable, as it is the factor that will bring you buyers.
Senior Vice President, Managing Broker
Sandy Springs office
Native Californians find next best thing to beach home
Woodstock home exudes coastal style
Published on: 04/19/07 Landlocked Atlanta wasn’t exactly where George and Nancey Enell envisioned themselves living when they said their vows barefoot on a California beach almost 10 years ago.So when they moved to the rolling hills of Woodstock after George’s transfer to become a senior architect of advanced decisioning at TransUnion, the credit reporting company, they surrounded themselves with the relaxed seaside setting that would help a couple of lifelong shore lovers feel right at home.
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Frank Neimier/Staff |
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| Nancey Enell relaxes in the great room of the Woodstock home she shares with her husband, George. |
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“You can take the girl away from the beach, but there’s a lot of beach in the house,” said Nancey, 45, now retired from her job in neonatal intensive care. “Surfing is the thing I miss the most.”
Every facet of the Fernwood Creek house George, 44, and lifelong surfer Nancey bought last October for $500,000 offers a connection to their former life by the sea. Breezy wicker furniture perches lightly among paintings and photos of coastal locales. Magnificent shell specimens gleaned from favorite shorelines grace surfaces in every room.
Native Californians, the Enells gravitated to the authentic Craftsman styling of the charming cottage they stumbled across while looking for nearby Mountain Park.
“When we walked in the door, I said, ‘I want this one,’ ” Nancey recalled.
The couple was delighted to learn that housing dollars go a lot further in Atlanta than in California. And they were pleasantly surprised to learn that Georgia’s geography allows for decorative flourishes, such as the great room’s coffered ceiling, which are uncommon on the West Coast because of earthquake protection.
An enthusiastic cook, Nancey enjoys the open flow of the kitchen, its granite counters and its subway brick backsplash.
“We liked that the kitchen didn’t have an island to bump into,” Nancey said.
Georgia’s winter weather has been a bit of an adjustment for a couple accustomed to the perennially toasty climate of Southern California, but the Enells are looking forward to the warmer months ahead when they can spend more time on the screened porch and the discreet patio out back. Already the outdoor areas are bedecked in beachside colors awaiting a summer sun to reflect their jeweled brilliance.
Since Fernwood Creek is a conservation community, built to preserve wide swaths of green space, there’s lots of room to roam with Casey and Disney, the family dogs. Fernwood Creek is marketed by Jenny Pruitt & Associates New Homes Division.
The Enells are looking forward to roaming more widely around metro Atlanta, visiting the attractions and getting acquainted with the community they now call home.
So what was at the top of their must-see local attractions? The Georgia Aquarium, of course.
Not letting the overcast weather ruin their fun this past Saturday, members of our management team along with various agents from our Buckhead, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek offices joined in the festivities at the 42nd annual Atlanta Steeplechase.
According to its web site, the Atlanta Steeplechase, the region’s premier spring social event, combines unmistakable style, entertainment and fellowship with the thunderous and exhilarating sport of steeplechasing at Kingston Downs each year. The quiet Northwest Georgia countryside comes alive with jockeys in colorful silks, powerful thoroughbreds and carefree spectators gracing the majestic course during an unforgettable day of racing and fun.
Pictured above (L-R): Rob Owen (Buckhead Broker), Dan Parmer (Interim President & CFO) and Barbara Murr (agent)
Excerpt taken from CNNMoney.com 4/17/2007
With eye toward environment, longevity, roofing gets back to nature.
With American’s new found concern over global warming, and the age old desire to stretch the dollar as far as it can go, more and more buildings are going green, literally.
The number of buildings with green roofs - rooftops covered in hearty plants like sedum and prairie grass - grew 25 percent last year, according to the industry association Green Roofs for Healthy Cities.
Moreover, building with intensive green roofs, which generally have larger plants or grasses as opposed to the ground cover-like sedum or other succulents, increased by 110 percent.
The numbers are still small. Leslie Hoffman, executive director of the sustainable development organization Earth Pledge, said 300 roofs went green in the U.S. last year, the average of which was 5,000 square feet.
Easing the burden on the environment is partly driving this trend. Experts say a green roof can save up to 10 percent on a building’s energy costs, mostly by keeping it cool during the summer and reducing the burden on air conditioners.
Plant-covered roofs also help absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reduce the effect of rediant heating from cities, ease the burden on city storm water systems by drastically absorbing rain water runoff, and can boost the efficiency of solar panels by 15 percent.
Cost is a big barrier for many people.
Christian Werthmann, a Harvard landscape architecture professor, said a basic green roof, using just succulents and rocks, can cost as little as $6 a square foot and go up from there.
A big reason landlords decide to green up a rooftop is structural: protective plants and the material they grow in can more than double a roof’s lifetime, Werthmann said at a recent green roofs conference at the New York Botanical Garden.
Year to date in the Buckhead market (area 21 in the First Multiple Listing Service), Jenny Pruitt & Associates, REALTORS, has produced both the lowest days on market and the highest average sales price.
When reviewing numbers for single family housing only, Jenny Pruitt & Associates has only 48 days on the market on average; the next lowest Atlanta real estate firm has 57 days on the market. Also, Jenny Pruitt & Associates has the highest average sale price for single family housing in the Buckhead market, with an average sale of $1,234,190. The next highest average sale price is $1,069.647.
When combining the single family sales with the condominium sales in the Buckhead market, Jenny Pruitt & Associates continues to have the highest average sales price at $750,650, and the lowest average days on market at 60.
Source: Trendgraphix
Excerpt taken from Realtor Magazine.com
By Barbara Ballinger
They’re not just for artists anymore. Lofts appeal to buyers of all ages and incomes, fueling rehabs in cities and new construction in the subu
rbs.
Lofts have come a long way from the days when they housed struggling artists in abandoned industrial buildings. Authentic lofts - with their high ceilings, open spaces, and expansive windows - are fetching prime prices in former warehouse districts, while developers churn out new variations of the popular style in cities and suburbs across the country.
But as consumer demand for loft-style homes continues to soar, some observers say the modern versions aren’t a true fit with the classic lost style. Purists question whether it’s even accurate to call these new developments “lofts.”
Renegade Beginnings
When manufactures moved out of large cast-iron buildings in New York’s SoHo district in the 1950s and 1960s, struggling artists moved in. At the time, the typical loft had 10-foot to 15-foot ceilings, thick plaster or brick walls, few or no interior doors and walls, cast-iron columns, and factory-size windows.
Artists found lofts to be affordable and exciting places to pursue their art while enjoying the urban life, says authors Marcus Field and Mark Irving in their book Lofts (Seuil, 1999). Unfortunately, living in lofts was against the law until 1975 because most city districts were zoned for either all-commercial or all-residential use, says Henry Smith-Miller, a New York-based architect who moved into a loft in 1971. “It was rare to have mixed used,” he says. But for some people, the legal barriers only heightened lofts’ appeal.
“There was a wonderful outlaw quality about living in these places,” Smith-Miller says.
When city officials threatened eviction, artists responded with threats to boycott exhibiting their art in New York and go to other cities, says Smith-Miller.
The strategy worked, and over time more people - not just artists - flocked to lofts and in cities far beyond New York. “These were renegades who didn’t want suburban living,” says Smith-Miller.
Senior Vice President, Managing Broker
Cobb office
Excerpt taken from Marketing: VOX, 4/5/2007
20ltd launched this week selling no more than 20 items at a time, each of which highly exclusive and only available in small numbers, according to Springwise.
Goods currently available are 10 white buffalo-horn sunglasses priced at around $5,900 and five hammocks covered in cashmere and black fox fur that will set someone back about $18,000.
The British retailer is backed by private investment and will operate solely online. Calling itself an “etailer of authentic, ingenious, beautiful and unexpected things,” 20ltd hopes to reach a global audience.
“20ltd combines planned scarcity with niche curation: the polar opposite of Amazon.com, which offers everything for everybody, 20ltd narrows it down to a limited selection of limited edition goods for a limited group of very affluent consumers,” writes Springwise.
Ever wanted your master suite to come complete with its own pool? Or wanted to have 22 bathrooms, all adorned with marble floors and counters? Well, if you have $140 million lying around, this UK home (only a 15 minute helicopter ride from Heathrow Airport) can be yours. When it comes to the most luxurious properties around the globe, the price tags are as unique as the pads. In this YouTube video, Forbes.com takes you on a tour throughout one of the most expensive homes in the world.
This is part one, of a series of some of the most expensive (and the most luxurious) homes in the world. Check back periodically, to see the rest of the series!
Purchasing real estate is a complex and major transaction with many details to be handled. In the majority of cases, the seller will be represented by an agent. It makes sense for the buyer to have a professional working for their best interest as well as the same level of representation.
A buyer’s agent is responsible for protecting the buyer’s interests and will negotiate on behalf of the buyer. Research by the National Association of Realtors has shown that a prospective buyer who uses a buyer’s agent will find a home faster and will examine more properties than consumers who do not use a buyer’s agent. In addition, agents can often negotiate a more favorable contract than the buyer’s attempt to negotiate on their own behalf.
State law prohibits a broker from representing a buyer as a client without first entering into a written agreement with the buyer under O.C.G.A. 10-6A-1 et. Seq.
Broker - Customer
- Broker does not represent the customer in a legal or agency capacity.
- Can perform only ministerial acts, some examples include: providing contracts, acting as a scribe in the preparation of form contracts and identifying property.
- Broker cannot provide input or advice and cannot protect your interests because you are not being represented.
Broker - Client
- Evaluate the specific needs and wants of the buyer and locate properties that fit those specifications.
- Educate the buyer on local traffic patterns, area amenities, home values and any customs or nuances related to the purchasing process.
- Assist the buyer in determining the amount that they can afford through the pre-approval process and show properties in that price range and locale.
- Assist in viewing properties - accompany the buyer on the showings, or preview the properties on behalf of the buyer to ensure that the identified specifications are met.
- Research the selected properties to help the buyer make an informed decision prior to making an offer to purchase the property.
- Advise the buyer on structuring an appropriate offer to purchase the selected property including a review of market data.
- Negotiate on behalf of the buyer to secure the identified property at the best possible price and terms - keeping the buyer’s best interests above all others.
- Promote the best interests of the buyer throughout the transaction.
- Assist in securing appropriate financing for he selected property.
- Provide a list of potential qualified vendors (e.g. lenders, movers, attorneys, inspectors, etc.) if these services are needed.
Vice President of Career Development
Sandy Springs office
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/01/07
Metro Atlanta’s relatively dynamic housing market makes the city a mecca for home builders, even in the midst of a worrisome national slump in home sales.
New first-time home buyers arrive in the city every day, generating a lucrative pool of potential new home sales. This and factors such as inexpensive land and affordable homes make Atlanta’s housing market something of a national anomaly.
But Atlanta is prone to some of the same contractions that have beleaguered the national housing scene. Foreclosures are putting more homes on the market, houses are taking longer to sell and builders are dropping prices to generate more sales.
“Atlanta still has solid fundamentals,” said economist Patrick McPherron of Economy.com. “But I think Atlanta will be facing some problems as well. There is no market that is safe.”
Unlike most metro areas around the country, Atlanta supports a panoply of home builders who jockey aggressively for buyers of starter houses under $250,000, which account for a majority of home sales here.
Real estate analyst Steve Palm of Smart Numbers, a database that provides information to home builders, called Atlanta’s home market “extremely fragmented.”
“The builder with the most market share has about 3 percent,” Palm said. “It’s not like that in other markets.” David llis, executive vice president of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association, said the top 10 builders in metro Atlanta control about 18 percent of the new-home market.
In other markets, he said, the market share of top companies is much higher. In Orlando, the top 10 builders command almost 50 percent of the market and the top builder controls almost 12 percent of the market, according to the latest figures from the National Association of Home Builders.
But in Atlanta, where 2,000 builders provide housing for a growing population, small, local builders hold their own against the national companies like Pulte, D.R. Horton and Centex.
“There are lots of smaller builders taking up market share,” Ellis said. Atlanta-based Beazer Homes, the nation’s ninth-largest home builder among public companies, doesn’t even appear in the list of the metro area’s top 10 builders, while regional companies such as John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoods and McCar Homes do.
Please click on the following link for the entire story: atlanta-housing-market-remains-healthy.doc.
Karen McRae recently won the Chairman’s Service Award at the Leading Real Estate Companies conference, held in California. This award was presented to Karen for outstanding leadership and contributions she made for Leading RE in 2006. Congratulations Karen!
Leading Real Estate Companies of the World(TM) represents 650 of the foremost local and regional brands in residential real estate, with 5,500 offices and 160,000 sales associates in the U.S. and 25 other countries. Collectively, these firms sell 1.4 million homes annually valued at $400 billion, more than any national brand or franchise.
As soon as Jenny Pruitt listings are posted to jennypruitt.com, the listings are immediately accessible from the websites of the top real estate firms in the world through our network’s “RELO Home Search” program, offering nearly two million listings online.
Leading RE has the highest concentration of brokers among the top 500 residential firms in the country, according to research source REAL Trends .
Karen serves as Senior Vice President, Director of Relocation and Business Serves for Jenny Pruitt & Associates.
One thing you must know about the NEW 2007 Georgia contracts!
Most contracts written for home purchases in Georgia contain a financing contingency whereby the agreement upon the buyer obtaining a loan for at least a portion of the purchase price. Historically, the buyer had up until the date of closing to be approved for any loan to which the agreement was subject. In cases where the loan was denied within the final days before closing, there was tremendous stress, inconvenience, and financial loss for the seller.
In an effort to level the playing field, the Georgia Association of Realtors has modified its contract. The buyer now has a negotiated period of time, referred to as the Financing Contingency Period to determine if he or she has the ability to obtain the loan described int eh contract. If the buyer does not have the ability to obtain the loan, the buyer must present to the seller a letter of loan denial prior to the end of the financing contingency period. If the buyer does not provide the seller with the required letter of loan denial, the loan is deemed approved and the financing contingency is removed from the contract.
So, what does this really mean? Essentially, it is more important than ever to work with a knowledgeable and well-trained REALTOR® as well as a reputable lender. Together, your home buying team can negotiate the best terms for you, while guiding you so that you are meeting the obligations of your contract.
Senior Vice President, Managing Broker
Johns Creek office
J. Craig King, President & CEO of JP King Premier Auctioning Firm in Gadsden, Ala. was mentioned in our previous post on Home Auction Firms.
Excerpt taken from Luxury Real Estate.com
J.P. King Auction Company, Gadsden, Ala., has been named the exclusive auctioneer for Who’s Who in Luxury Real Estate®, whose member brokers represent more than 100,000 agents throughout the United States and abroad.
The agreement reflects the growing acceptance of luxury-property auctions and the success of recent sales on which the two organizations have partnered, according to Brian Losh, CEO at Who’s Who and principal broker of Ewing & Clark, based in Seattle, Wash.
“Over the past three years, as the preferred auctioneer for Who’s Who, J.P. King has repeatedly demonstrated the value of the auction methods and their commitment to the highest level of service. We have especially been pleased with their marketing capabilities and their ability to form strong relationships with our members and their clients. As a result, they are now our exclusive auction company, and we’re extremely pleased to announce this agreement,” said Losh.
The agreement also reflects J.P. King’s commitement to the success of Who’s Who and its members, said Craig King, president of J.P. King.
“Who’s Who is on the leading edge when it comes to marketing luxury real estate for sale, and the organization’s member brokers have been very quick to recognize the benefits of the auction methods and the situations in which it can work toe the benefit of their sellers. With this agreement, our commitment to their success is stronger than ever,” said King.
Excerpt taken from National Public Radio’s (NPR) Morning Edition on April 2, 2007
NBA star Karl Malone and cosmetics titan Mary Kay Ash are just two who sold their luxury homes through a Gadsden firm. The town is home to at least four companies that auction homes for the rich and famous. Why Gadsden?
Click here to listen to NPR’s podcast.
