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.

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

Sandy Springs: Southern Charm Just Minutes From the Big City

Incorporated in 2005, Sandy Springs is home to about 101,000 people, and is known for its traditional southern charm and hospitality. It is one of the most picturesque areas of metro Atlanta, both because of the gorgeous homes and tree-lined streets, and the 22 miles of shoreline on the Chattahoochee River that runs through the city. Close to Atlanta, but with a spirit all it’s own, Sandy Springs has always been independent and unique.

Visit Sandy Springs

Here are a few of Sandy Springs’ most desirable areas:

Downtown

Although it’s not a typical downtown, the area bounded by Abernathy Road to the north, I-285 to the south, Sandy Springs Circle to the west and Hildebrand Drive to the east is defined by residents and local businesses as ‘Downtown Sandy Springs.’ This is the location of the actual sandy springs that the city is named after. The springs can be found in Heritage Green, a four-acre city park operated by the non-profit Heritage Sandy Springs. The city has long-term plans to create a mixed-use municipal complex in the Downtown area, and to add more roads to the district in a more traditional street grid pattern. The new Sandy Springs City Hall will be complete in the summer of 2018, and this area – called City Springs -is expected to become the heart of the city. The new civic and cultural center will be home to city offices, a performing arts center, a theater, meeting space, both retail and residential spaces and underground community parking.

Riverside

Riverside is the western district of the city, on the border of Cobb County. It runs along the Chattahoochee River and is a residential area marked by winding, hilly roads. Riverside is an affluent area of Sandy Springs, and is home to the top-rated public schools in the area.

Dunwoody Panhandle

This is a residential area bounded by the Dunwoody city limit to the south, the Chattahoochee River to the north, Georgia 400 to the west and the Peachtree Corners city limit to the east. The community’s name comes from the fact that it is wedged between the river and Dunwoody, forming a geographic panhandle. This is a unique area of the city, and had been considered part of Dunwoody for many years. Many residents of this area still refer to their address as Dunwoody.

Perimeter Center

This is a commercial and business district surrounding the Perimeter Mall. Although about 40% of Perimeter Center, including the mall, is located in Dunwoody, the western 60% of the area is in Sandy Springs. This is mostly comprised of office buildings and Pill Hill, a collection of hospitals and doctors’ offices. The popular Hammond Park is also located in this area.

North Springs

This community is the northernmost area of the city, and is defined as the space west of Georgia 400, east of Brandon Mill Road and the Chattahoochee River, and north of Abernathy Road.

Sandy Springs ITP

A portion of Sandy Springs extends inside the perimeter to the Atlanta city limit. This area is affluent and centers around scenic, mansion-filled single-lane roads. It’s home to Chastain Park and Chastain Amphitheater, as well as excellent schools.

Powers Ferry Landing

Powers Ferry Landing is a business district just east of the river crossing.
Sandy Springs residents love their city and share their passion by staying active in the community through citizen volunteer programs. There is a long-held belief that Sandy Springs is a friendly gathering place, and part of the charm has always been the community spirit found within the city and the welcoming attitude of its residents.

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.

updating kitchen, kitchen renovation, kitchen DIY, kitchen update

Five Signs That it’s Time to Upgrade Your Kitchen

When you’re thinking about selling your home, there are many things that you may need to upgrade or repair. A home’s kitchen has a big impact on the price a buyer is willing to offer, so when it’s time to sell, your kitchen is the first place to look for improvements that could be made. The kitchen is the new family room, and a prospective homeowner is going to give the kitchen a thorough look. Often, it is the one room that will make a difference in whether an offer is made or not.

Use this guide to help determine whether your kitchen is due for an upgrade.

Reasons to Remodel or Upgrade Your Kitchen

You see a lot of damage or wear. No one expects the kitchen to look brand new, but if you have mold, water damage, peeling countertops or stains on the wall, you should be willing to make repairs. Prospective buyers will open cabinets and look at the countertops. Mold will be a turnoff, as will water damage. Consider new countertops or remediation if needed.
The counter space is small. Older homes tend to have less counter space. Today there are more appliances that tend to live on the counter, so buyers will want more space. If counter space is limited, consider adding an island.
Your appliances are old. Whether they were original to your home or just haven’t been replaced in several years, consider upgrading. New appliances are more attractive and may help to increase the value of your home.
Your kitchen is high maintenance. Do you spend time cleaning linoleum floors that still look grimy or does your kitchen have lots of tile with deep grout that must be maintained? These things will discourage a buyer who is looking at your home. You may want to replace them with lower maintenance materials.
Your décor is outdated. Older homes tend to have unique layouts that were deemed progressive and stylish at the time they were built. Not only can range islands be burdensome when working in the kitchen, but they can also be dangerous if your kitchen gets a lot of traffic. Sometimes a poor layout can also create a lack of cabinet space, which needs to be addressed.

Find a Good Contractor

If the results of your examination indicate that it’s time to make some changes, you may need to find a kitchen remodel contractor. Be sure to work with a licensed and experienced contractor to ensure that your upgrades go well and help increase the value of your home.

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 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, call us at 770-352-9658.