City Springs District: Sandy Springs’ New Downtown

We have loved seeing the growth of our community over the years. Now the 6th largest city in Georgia, Sandy Springs has continued to evolve as more people call it home. One of the newest additions to Sandy Springs is the City Springs District that opened in May of 2018 and is being dubbed the “new downtown.” It’s located on the corner of Johnson Ferry and Roswell Road and has quickly become a destination for visitors and residents alike. Here’s a brief rundown of what you can expect:

Entertainment

When the weather is nice, the City Green will be bustling with couples and families. This gorgeous four-acre park in City Springs is surrounded by fountains inspired by the beautiful Chattahoochee River. Its many shaded areas are perfect for reading a good book, playing a game of chess or enjoying a picnic. Kids love the interactive fountain and music lovers get to enjoy local and national talent perform on the covered stage.

If you’re looking for more formal entertainment, City Springs is also home to a performing arts center with two theaters that offers entertainment year round. The Studio Theatre hosts smaller productions, conferences and corporate meetings while the Byers Theatre hosts larger theatrical productions. The calendar is filled with exciting shows to check out.

Dining

You can grab coffee with a colleague or meet friends for lunch at one of City Springs’ two popular restaurants. City Bar, located near the performing arts center, is the perfect spot to grab a coffee or a cocktail before or after the show. Flower Child is a restaurant that prides itself on fresh ingredients with a menu that’s made from scratch every day. There are three more restaurants scheduled to open in City Springs: Nam Kitchen, The Select, and Cafe Vendome.

While it is still in its infancy, City Springs is already proving to be a popular go-to spot for Sandy Springs residents. The next time you’re looking for something to do on a sunny day, check out City Springs. You won’t regret it!

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and North Atlanta. We live, work and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else. And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the surrounding areas, call us at 770-352-9658.

Sandy Springs: A Picturesque Community Designed to Bring People Together

Sandy Springs is popular with residents and visitors alike due to an abundance of local eateries, access to premier shopping venues and family-friendly activities. Its many outdoor recreation spaces make it the perfect destination for family fun. And, all that southern charm isn’t lost on the movie industry – Sandy Springs is a popular film production destination.

Premiere Parks & Green Space

Sandy Springs has over 950 acres of park and nature areas with one of the most popular being the Morgan Falls Overlook Park. Built in 2010, Morgan Falls Overlook Park was the first new park built by the city after its incorporation. It features several picnic areas, an expansive playground, walking trails, a boat dock and gorgeous views of the lake.

Chastain Park is a 260-acre park nestled in south Sandy Springs and known for its outdoor amphitheater. In addition to hosting a popular summer concert series, Chastain offers state-of-the-art recreational facilities like a walking trail, horse park, swimming pool, golf course, baseball complex and tennis center, in addition to a traditional park and playground areas.

The Abernathy Greenway Park was recently named by Atlanta Magazine as an attraction on the ‘Best of Atlanta 2014’ list. The playable art park is a playground for kids of all ages – one filled with real art to play on, play with, or inspire imagination. The art was curated from more than 100 submissions from artists all over the world.

Take the family out for an educational outdoor experience with a trip to the Big Tree Forest Preserve. The preserve was once a threatened urban forest. Now 20 acres is owned by the city, with the remaining 10 acres owned by the state of Georgia. The area features beautiful trails and scenic views, and a sanctuary for plant and wildlife. Visitors are encouraged to enjoy the peaceful habitat as they walk the trails designed to protect the surrounding natural resources.

Hop in a kayak or canoe and spend the day paddling the legendary Chattahoochee River, or take a hike on the trails of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The river and recreational area bring families from all over the world to enjoy All About: Sandy Springs 12 the outdoors. Island Ford Park at Chattahoochee River is a hiking trail providing amazing views of the river and a chance to explore the park’s forest and caves. It’s a kid-friendly and beginner-friendly two-mile trail that everyone can enjoy. You can also get an up-close look at the wildlife as this trail has more deer, turtles and geese than any other area in the Chattahoochee River Recreational Area.

The City Springs District is Sandy Spring’s newest mixed-use development featuring a performing arts center, green space, retail and residential area. You will be able to plan an evening filled with shopping, delicious foods, and entertainment. The development contains more 20,000 square feet of space dedicated to shops and restaurants. The City Springs Performing Arts Center will bring Broadway-like entertainment with shows like Hairspray and Elf the Musical. And the City Green features picnic space and interactive water features for kids to play.

Diverse Artists on Display

Sandy Springs showcases local talent with several art galleries that show off local artistry that you can admire and take home. One of the oldest arts center in Fulton County, the Abernathy Arts Center, is an educational center that hosts monthly exhibits to display the work of its students and faculty. It also offers a variety of classes, summer camps and an annual artists market. The center’s events calendar is always filled with something new and exciting for art lovers of all ages to enjoy.

The Chai Gallery of Fine Arts specializes in unique art ranging from mixed media to lithographs. The gallery began after founder Mark Jaffe and his wife started purchasing art from the cruises they took. The art they purchased began as a way to preserve vacation memories, but Jaffe soon discovered an opportunity to buy one of-a-kind work and sell it below retail prices to art lovers. Art can be purchased in the gallery or in the online store offering more than 300 pieces.

Twin Brother African Art & Jewelry is a quaint boutique located in central Sandy Springs that offers a unique shopping experience inspired by the unique culture of the African content. The shop has antique pieces of ceremonial value, including figurines, masks, beaded work, and large sculptures. Its founders, the Biteye brothers, opened the store as a way to help educate and expose others to the colorful culture Africa has to offer.

Fall Maintenance Tips For Your Home

While we love the beautiful colors of fall and the family-friendly festivals here in Atlanta, we can’t help but think that winter is quickly approaching. As fall prepares us for the frigid winter temperatures to come, we often head to our closets and basements to pull out the boots and heavy coats. But it’s also time to prepare our homes to bear the weather, too. Winter can be very unpredictable and can wreak havoc on not only your home but your wallet, too. Here are 6 maintenance tips you can do this fall to prepare your home for winter:

Clean Gutters and Downspouts:

Once most of the leaves have fallen, clean out gutters and downspouts (hire a helper if you are not comfortable on a ladder). Clogged gutters during rainstorms can cause water to pool and damage your roof or siding.

Check Safety Devices:

At least once a year, do a top to bottom review of your home’s safety features. This is also a good time to gather the family together for a review of your fire evacuation plan.

Test smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors; replace batteries as needed.
Check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher and replace if needed
If you haven’t checked your home for radon, fall is a good time to do so — as the weather gets cooler and windows stay shut more often, radon is more likely to become trapped in your home.

Care for Trees and Shrubs:

While we admire the beautiful orange, red and yellow leaves, they won’t last long. When they do start to fall, they can quickly blanket your lawn. While you’re raking them away, inspect the trees close to your home or power lines and give them a good trim, if needed, to prevent falling limbs from causing a power outage. If you have trees near power lines, be careful! Call a professional if you are concerned.

Check the Exterior of Your Home:

While you are outside, take a walk around your home to look for any signs of damage to the roof, siding, and foundation. Spotting any damages early can help you plan financially and schedule repairs prior to winter. You should also check for any tiny gaps that little critters might be able to crawl through to keep warm. Fill those holes and cover large gapes securely to keep wildlife out.

Protect the Pipes:

While we may be in the south and freezing temperatures are few, we still need to protect our pipes when those frigid temperatures come. Protect your pipes from freezing temperatures (below 32°) by shutting off water to exterior faucets. Be sure to drain hoses and store them indoors.

Schedule a Chimney Cleaning and Heating System Maintenance:

If you have a fireplace in your home, make sure that it is cleaned, maintained and working properly now before you turn it on in the winter. And before turning the heat on in your home, make sure to change out the filter in your furnace. If you notice anything not working properly, connect with an HVAC professional prior to winter. Be sure to add a chimney cap if you don’t already have one — it will stop critters from crawling down your chimney!

Don’t get overwhelmed by these preventative maintenance tips. You have a few months to tackle everything on this list; take it one step at a time.

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and North Atlanta. We live, work and play here, and our agents are hand-picked for their connections in the community. Our clients know about homes coming on the market before anyone else. And our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about selling your home, or are interested in moving into Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or the North Atlanta area, call us at 770-352-9658.

Roswell: A Fit for Foodies, Arts Lovers and Outdoor Explorers

Close to the hustle and bustle of the city, but far enough to offer suburban living at its finest.

Roswell is a unique community that has been recognized nationwide for all that it offers its residents. From world-class shops and restaurants to professional theatre, this historic city is one of Atlanta’s most desirable suburbs.

Unique Shopping and Eating Opportunities

Home to award-winning restaurants and one-of-a-kind shops, Roswell offers something for everyone. If you’re looking for the latest fashions and those on the hunt for rare antiques, this city has it. Built along the ruins of the historic mills off Highway 9, Roswell Mill offers several upscale boutique shops.

At The Historic Town Square, residents can window shop along historic storefronts, finding boutique stores, art galleries, and antique shops. Along Canton Street, restaurants, sidewalk cafes, and art galleries abound.

Plum Tree Village offers a variety of shops, which include a Bilthouse boutique store similar to Anthropologie and Uniquities, which offers European décor along with cafes and restaurants.

The Roswell Town Center is a small mall that houses a variety of stores and entertainment options, including a movie theater, mini golf, and a whirly ball court.

In addition to the boutique shopping, you can find neighborhood shopping centers, too. There’s a variety of national chain stores such as Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Publix, Walmart and The Home Depot. Whether someone is looking for a few things for dinner or a lawn tool, the area centers offer you a variety of stores that people know and trust.

Where Nature Abounds

Nestled along the Chattahoochee River and Vickery Creek, the city offers over 900 acres of public green space in 13 parks. Several parks provide the community areas for baseball, softball, soccer, and tennis.

Part of the National Parks Service, Roswell’s portion of the Chattahoochee River Recreation Area includes nature trails and running paths at the site of the historic mills.

At the Chattahoochee Nature Center, you can enjoy wildlife programs, hiking, environmental classes, flowers and more. The center offers rehabilitation services for a variety of animals and guest can get up close and learn more about the animals. All About: Roswell 12 Nature enthusiasts will find several activities at Azalea Park along the Chattahoochee River. Here residents can canoe, kayak, fish, picnic, hike along riverside trails, and play in a playground.

Next door, Riverside Park lets residents enjoy access to the river. They offer a canoe/ kayak launch, fishing areas, playgrounds, river access, hiking trails, multi-use trails and picnic areas.

For those looking for a place to run, Big Creek Park offers hiking and jogging trails along the creek. Biking is also allowed on the paved trails.

Hikers will also enjoy Old Mill Park, which offers hiking and walking trails. Town Square offers a picnic area and a town green used for concerts and other outdoor events.

Waller Park offers a recreation and fitness center as well as classrooms, meeting rooms, picnic area, a playground and creek access.

Why You Need A Real Estate Agent To Help Buy Or Sell Your Home

When it comes to buying or selling a home, many people believe that they can do it on their own. However, the decision could be costly and cause a lot of headaches. Homebuyers and sellers need a professional agent on their side to be an advocate for them throughout the process and after closing. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that 87% of buyers purchased their home through a real estate agent, and real estate agents represented 89% of sellers. And in a 2017 Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers, only eight percent of recent home sales were For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) sales. This is the lowest share recorded since the report started in 1981. FSBOs typically sell for less than the selling price of other homes listed with an agent.

There are many benefits to hiring a Realtor, both mentally and financially. Here are the top three benefits we hear about from buyers and sellers:

Local Market Expertise

Homeowners who decide to list without a real estate agent tend to struggle with setting the price. Often, homeowners put a high price tag on the house because of what they think their home should be worth. The danger here is the emotional attachment and bias a seller has towards their home. Realtors look beyond feelings and think through things objectively. They possess expert knowledge on current market conditions that helps them set a fair and objective price. This experience helps owners get the most for their home without scaring away buyers. An agent will also be able to ensure that buyers have an understanding of a home’s true value. Pricing a home correctly in this market will help you maximize the value vs. setting a price too high and having to lower it later on.

Professional Connections

Real estate agents can act as a resource during every step of the buying or selling process, and often have a list of preferred providers who they have worked with in the past that they can recommend. This can include mortgage brokers, appraisers, inspectors, lawyers, landscapers, contractors and many more. Hire the right agent and you’ll tap into a list of vendors to help you. It’s in the best interest of the agent to make sure that the home buying or selling process goes smoothly so that you are more likely to refer him or her to a friend.

Neighborhood Familiarity

Good agents know the ins and outs of the neighborhoods where they work. For buyers, an agent can guide you in finding the right home in a specific area. They are familiar with factors like the age of the homes, school ratings, traffic/commute details, and accessibility to shopping or public transportation. For sellers, agents will know which areas are selling well and which areas are not. Agents should know the values and have dates to price the home correctly. They will be able to realistically help you evaluate a home’s value. Also, good agents have local connections that can help you find homes before they come on the market, which is especially important in this low inventory market.

At Karen Cannon, Realtors, we are local real estate experts for Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and North Atlanta. We live, work, and play here, and we hand-pick our agents for their connections in the community. Our highly effective marketing program allows us to shorten the number of days on the market. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about buying or selling your home, call us at 770-352-9658 or email us info@KarenCannon.com