Photo Credit: Instagram/jenbrookerphotography

Sandy Springs: The Warmth & Independent Spirit of the Modern South

The Sandy Springs community embodies the spirit of the modern south. It’s a friendly, welcoming community with hundreds of independently owned shops and restaurants, and more than 950 acres of parks and natural areas.

Sandy Springs is Georgia’s sixth largest city and the second largest city in the metropolitan Atlanta area. It was incorporated in 2005, although efforts to incorporate began as early as 1966 when the city of Atlanta attempted to annex the area. Sandy Springs residents fought for 40 years to form their own government, and when the time came, 94% of residents voted for incorporation.

Photo Credit: Instagram/jenbrookerphotography

Before 2005, residents relied upon county government for the provision of services. When they formed their own government, they chose a non-traditional Public Private Partnership (PPP), contracting private companies to perform the majority of services, so that nearly half of the city staff is employed by a private company. This PPP model is widely regarded as an example for other local governments, with city leaders from around the globe – including China, Japan, Korea, Finland and others – visiting Sandy Springs to learn the model. Since the incorporation of Sandy Springs, several other metro cities have formed (Dunwoody, Brookhaven, Peachtree Corners, Milton and Johns Creek), all using a form of the Public-Private model.

With roots dating back to the 1800s, Sandy Springs began as a watering stop for Native-Americans who frequented the bubbling springs in the area. Settlers moved in, and in 1842 the Austin-Johnson House – now the oldest house in Sandy Springs – was built.

The community remained rural until the mid-1950s. In the 1960s, Interstate 285 and the first phase of GA 400 were opened, connecting Sandy Springs to metro Atlanta and initiating a housing boom that brought new residents and major land development. Today the city, which is 38-square miles and borders Roswell and Atlanta, is home to more than 101,000 residents. It is also home to more Fortune 500 companies per capita than any other city in the country.

Sandy Springs is the healthcare mecca of Atlanta, with three hospitals, hundreds of physician practices, multiple outpatient centers, and support services. The area, often called Pill Hill, is home to the largest medical center in Georgia.

One thing that sets this community apart is the true sense of belonging it offers. Residents of Sandy Springs love the city and are very involved in the community. They pride themselves in creating the city they wanted, and fought hard for. Residents love that Sandy Springs is a pocket of traditional southern charm, boasts one of the most innovative systems of service delivery in the country, and has a personality all it’s own.

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.

Dunwoody: A Destination for Shopping, Culture & Outdoor Adventures

Known for award-winning restaurants and world-class shopping, Dunwoody is also rich in culture and a hotspot for business. It’s known as one of Atlanta’s most desirable suburbs due to the variety of activities available.

Superior Shopping
Perimeter Mall is located in the heart of Dunwoody and contains more than 1.5 million square feet of the hottest stores, including Von Maur, Dillard’s, Macy’s and Nordstrom. It offers some of the best shopping around Atlanta.

You’ll find locally owned boutiques mixed with well-known favorites at Dunwoody Village Shopping Center. It’s home to more than 40 stores, including Marlow’s Tavern, Village Burger, Starbucks, Brusters’ Ice Cream, Pure Bare, Carbonara Trattoria and Karen Cannon, Realtors.

Orchard Park Shopping Center is a large, service-oriented center anchored by one of the top 10 Kroger stores in the Atlanta area. You’ll also find Lauderhill’s Jewelry, Los Rancheros Restaurant and Jett Ferry Dental Group.

A well-positioned strip center with a strong daytime population, Williamsburg at Dunwoody Shopping Center is home to Verizon, Jersey Mike’s, Atlantis Natural Foods, East 48^th Street Deli, Orange Theory Fitness and Jett Ferry Cleaners.

Mt. Vernon Shopping Center is an attractive center located behind the historic Dunwoody Farmhouse. Here you’ll find Sprouts Farmers Market, Chase Bank and CVS.

Accessible Outdoor Space
Dunwoody is home to 7 public parks and more than 170 miles of green space. The city’s signature park is Brook Run, a 103-acre park containing walking trails, a children’s play area and a Veterans Memorial.

Brook Run is home to the Dunwoody Farmer’s Market every Saturday from May to October. Here you can find organic olive oils, jams, crepes, baked goods and desserts, alongside fresh, seasonal produce, free-range meats and cheeses. The market also hosts kids’ activities, wellness seminars and composting and gardening instruction.

Brook Run Dog Park is two wooded acres available for off-leash play. The dog park is entirely fenced and is maintained by volunteers on regularly scheduled clean up days.

Dunwoody Community Garden at Brook Run Park grows organic food and fosters community. Twenty-percent of the produce grown there is donated to charity.

The largest skate park in the metro Atlanta area, Brook Run Skate Park covers 27,000 square feet and has a variety of skate terrain for various skill levels. It was designed to accommodate entry-level skaters, as well as more advanced “street skaters.”

Located inside Brook Run Park, Treetop Quest is an obstacle and zip-lining course with 52 obstacles and 12 zip-lines in 4 courses. There is also a low ropes course for kids, and a Net Trampoline, the first of it’s kind in Georgia.

Murphy Candler Park spans 135 acres, and offers walking tails, a lake, a swimming pool, sports fields and a picnic area.

The Dunwoody Nature Center is a can’t-miss interactive playground in the open woods, featuring hammocks, tree swings and bubbling brook. Every summer the Center hosts the Annual Butterfly Festival. Three huge tents are set up and filled with hundreds of free-roaming butterflies for visitors to observe.

Dunwoody is also home to Big Trees Forest Preserve, a 30-acre scenic preserve with trails and streams winding through it.

The Arts Abound
Established in 1975, The Spruill Center for the Arts is a private, non-profit organization that offers classes, exhibits and outreach programs for seniors, youth and those with special needs. For more than 40 years, the Center has been providing arts enrichment to the greater Atlanta community.

The Spruill Education Center (inside the Center for the Arts) provides more than 800 visual arts classes annually to more than 5,000 students of all ages and ability levels. Disciplines taught include ceramics, decorative arts, drawing, fiber arts, glass, jewelry, mixed media, mosaics, painting, photography and sculpture.

The Spruill Gallery (inside the Center for the Arts) hosts several exhibitions each year in a variety of mediums, including the Holiday Artists Market. The gallery is also home to one of Dunwoody’s landmarks, the popular EVERYTHING WILL BE OK mural.

Dunwoody’s favorite non-profit theatrical group, The Stage Door Players, puts on quirky shows that allow audience members to participate in the production. The group puts on a full season of six shows, and is currently in its 36^th season.

Family Friendly Fun
4^th of July Parade
The annual parade, sponsored by the Dunwoody Homeowners Association and the Dunwoody Crier Newspaper, is one of the biggest events in town. Thousands of Dunwoody residents turn out to watch the marching bands, floats, clowns, animal units and local celebrities. Local organizations, businesses, churches, schools and individuals build floats, decorate cars, dress in costumes, ride bikes, pull kids in wagons, play music and wave flags as they march through town. The Dunwoody July Fourth parade is the largest in the state of Georgia. In years past, the parade has attracted more than 2,500 participants and 32,000 spectators!

Lemonade Days
The Lemonade Days Festival takes place in Brook Run Park in April. It’s the largest annual fundraising event for the Dunwoody Preservation Trust and all proceeds from the festival are used within the community for historic preservation and education. The event features more than 30 full-scale carnival rides, inflatables, a petting zoo and more than 20 food and beverage vendors. There’s also a 5K run, and three days of center stage performances, including the popular Dunwoody Idol contest. This is a signature Dunwoody event that is not to be missed.

Dunwoody Art Festival
This Mother’s Day Arts Festival is the largest festival in Dunwoody and takes place at the Dunwoody Village. The festival attracts top artists from across the country to showcase their works for purchase. Each year, more than 60,000 people attend to check out the amazing handmade jewelry, sculpture, painting, homemade soaps, baked goods and home décor. The event was named “Best New Event of 2010” by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association.

Tap Into Georgia Beer Festival
This rain or shine event features beers from across the state of Georgia. More than 25 local breweries are included – some well known and others smaller craft brewers. The festival is held at Brook Run Park and residents bring lawn chairs to take advantage of this outdoor party!

Dunwoody has a strong sense of community and lots of activities for residents and visitors alike. The big city of Atlanta is just 10 miles away, but many find they never need to make the trip. Dunwoody has all the amenities, in a true neighborhood setting.

Six Simple Steps to Increase Your Home’s Value

Thinking of selling your home? Buyer demand is high while inventory is at an all-time low, so you want to make sure you take advantage of market conditions and get the most for your home. Before placing your house on the market, there are simple steps you can take to increase the value of your home – ranging from quick, affordable changes to small renovations.

1. Make the outside of your home look as good as you can. You don’t have to hire a professional landscaper. Instead, look for any areas where the landscaping is overgrown. Some simple pruning and trimming can go a long way. Remember, the outside of your home is the first thing that potential buyers and the appraiser will see. We also recommend fresh pine straw or mulch, pressure washing your walkway and driveway and adding some annual plants for color.
2. Enhance the lighting in your home. You can add things such as brighter light bulbs, removing heavy drapes that do not let in natural sunlight, and keeping your blinds open. To make a small room seem brighter, use a high wattage light.
3. Complete the maintenance that you may have neglected. Check the insulation levels in the attic; repair plumbing leaks; fix a rotted stair or rail on the porch; make sure that windows open, or replace broken screens. Buyers will notice these as detractors, and it may lower their bid.
4. Examine your front door. Is it welcoming? Does the doorbell work? An inviting entrance will make a great first impression. In fact, many buyers will decide on their interest level in the home within the first seven seconds.
5. Paint your walls a neutral color. Buyers want to imagine a blank slate. At the very least, touch up areas of the walls the have marks or chipping paint.
6. Spruce up your bathroom and kitchen. While you can add new fixtures, there are smaller changes that will resonate with buyers. Deep cleaning helps. Remove stains, clean any mold, mildew or soap stains. Replacing peeling or stained caulking can help the bathroom look cleaner and brighter.

Contact An Agent Today
When you’re ready to list your home, let us help you find ways to boost the value. We’ll guide you through the home selling process, working to protect your interests every step of the way.

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 for the homes we list. We’ve even put homes under contract sight unseen!

If you are thinking about selling your home, call us at 770-352-9658.

Dunwoody: A Strong Public School System for Students of Any Age

Dunwoody is known as home to some of the best public schools in Dekalb County. Many families choose this desirable address due to the school districts. Many of the area schools are STEM schools, and offer Discovery programs for high achievers. No matter what age your children are, there’s bound to be a good fit at one of the outstanding area schools.

Elementary Schools

Austin Elementary School
At Austin, instructional programs are designed so that each student is challenged, but experiences success and develops a good self-image. The faculty employs innovative teaching strategies and cooperative learning, and children are exposed to the total curriculum. Austin received the 2017 Student Achievement Platinum Award for the highest performing schools from the Governor’s office. This is the third consecutive year that the school has received a SSAS (Single Statewide Accountability System) Award. Austin is building a new school facility, which will be completed in August of 2019.

Programs offered at Austin include:

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
Chess Club
Student Council
Media Squad
Odyssey of the Mind (develops creative thinking and problem solving)
I-BAT (provides students with academic, physical and social support)
Aftercare Program (homework help, fitness activities, and enrichment clubs)

Vanderlyn Elementary School
At Vanderlyn, they stress a positive and challenging educational environment, designed to inspire life-long learning, international thinking, and productive citizenship.

Programs offered at Vanderlyn include:

STEM
Media Center
Math Team
Reading Bowl
After School Activities (Chess Club, Dance Club, Track Team)
Social Media Policy for Students
After School Extended Day Program

Dunwoody Elementary School
Dunwoody is a safe and supportive environment designed to develop a desire to learn, an appreciation for diversity, and an understanding of the world in which we live. Students are encouraged to think creatively.

Programs offered at Dunwoody include:

STEM
Media Center
Clubs and Activities (Chess, Dance, Singing)
Reading Bowl
Hebrew Enrichment Classes
Extended Day Program
Social Media Policy for Students
Spanish and French Afterschool Classes

Chestnut Charter Elementary School
At Chestnut, educators believe in collaborating between home and school to educate the whole child. The goal is to develop young people who are enthusiastic, knowledgeable, well rounded, physically active and thoughtful.

Programs offered at Chestnut include:

STEM
Chess Club
Library Club
Garden Club
Media Center
Social Media Policy for Students
After School Extended Day Program

Kingsley Elementary School
The mission of Kingsley is to establish and strengthen relationships between home and school in order to promote high expectations of students, staff and parents. Educators aim to provide a nurturing and creative environment for the students.

Programs offered at Kingsley include:

Student Council
Media Center
Social Media Policy for Students
After School Extended Day Program

Middle and High Schools

Peachtree Charter Middle School
Peachtree follows the state curriculum, but as a charter school, they have been given County and State approval to move beyond the syllabus and further enhance education based on student’s needs. They foster teamwork with students to help them reach their personal and academic goals.

Programs offered at Peachtree include:

STEM
Athletics (volleyball, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, football, track, cross-country, gymnastics, lacrosse, wrestling, softball, tennis)
Yearbook
Art Club
Band
Jazz Club
Drama Club
Mathletes
Student Government
Odyssey of the Mind
School Newspaper
Snowboarding Club
Media Center
Social Media Policy for Students

Dunwoody High School
Dunwoody’s vision is symbolized by the acronym Wildcat PRIDE: Personal Responsibility In Developing Excellence. Educators strive to help students learn to be productive members of an increasingly diverse society.

Programs offered at Dunwoody include:

23 AP classes offered
The Academy of Finance
Mass Communications
Engineering and Technology
Air Force ROTC
Athletics (volleyball, baseball, basketball, cheerleading, fencing, football, track, cross-country, gymnastics, lacrosse, wrestling, softball, tennis, swimming, golf)
Marching Band

Dunwoody’s innovative public schools are one of the top reasons families choose to call this area home. Many of Atlanta’s best private schools are also in close proximity. The diversity of the area is reflected in the curriculums and teaching styles offered here, as is the sense of community that binds Dunwoody residents.

Dunwoody: Home to Atlanta’s Best Suburban Neighborhoods

Dunwoody has a population of about 48,000 people, and is known for it’s ethnic and cultural diversity. The median age in the community is 37, with many young couples moving to the area to start and grow families. While Dunwoody is known for it’s shopping and dining, the city also has 7 major parks and more than 170 acres of green space. Just 10 miles outside of Atlanta, Dunwoody residents experience the small town lifestyle while still remaining ‘inside the Perimeter’ and close to Atlanta.

Here are a few of Dunwoody’s most desirable areas.

Dunwoody Village
This is the heart of historic Dunwoody, with Colonial Williamsburg architecture and a true sense of place. The community centers around the Dunwoody Village Shopping Center, which was built in the 1970s and gave the district its name. The shopping center set the tone for the unique architectural identity of the area, and all other construction since then has followed suit. Dunwoody Village is home to the iconic Dunwoody Farmhouse. Originally built in 1906, the restored farmhouse is home to many community events and a landmark in the area.

Perimeter Center
This community formed around the Perimeter Mall when it was built in 1971. The mall was built at the intersection of two major highways, GA 400 and I-285, and the surrounding neighborhood spans the Fulton county line into Sandy Springs. The construction of the mall spurred the development of major office, residential and commercial development in the area, which is also accessible via the Dunwoody Transit Station for the MARTA public transit system. Perimeter Center is one of metro Atlanta’s largest job centers, employing hundreds of thousands of people. State Farm recently built a regional headquarters here, and more development of condos, shops and restaurants is planned to encourage the ‘live, work, play’ lifestyle in the Perimeter area.

Georgetown
The Georgetown area developed in the early 1960s and is a walkable area with lots of ‘live, work, play’ options. Both single-family residential subdivisions and a retail district are located here. Overdevelopment in Georgetown was one of the main reasons for the push to incorporate the city of Dunwoody. This area is located near I-285, bordering the city of Chamblee.

The Branches
This popular swim and tennis neighborhood is located between Mount Vernon Road and Spalding Drive. Part of the neighborhood is in Dunwoody, and part of it is in Sandy Springs. Residents here can enjoy the Branches club, situated on six wooded acres with creeks. The club includes a clubhouse, two outdoor pavilions, a swimming pool, tennis courts and a playground.

Wyntercreek
The Wyntercreek subdivision boasts Colonial Williamsburg style brick and wood homes, shaded by mature leafy green oaks, magnolias and dogwoods. Just a 10-minute walk from shopping, dining and retail, this 30-year-old neighborhood is a favorite with those looking for close-in living without the hassles of a long commute. Wyntercreek is an active neighborhood with a Swim & Tennis Club, and lots of parties and social gatherings.

Redfield
One of Dunwoody’s most desirable neighborhoods, Redfield is a community for all ages. This is a pedestrian friendly area within walking distance to restaurants, grocery stores, banks and other services. The neighborhood also has a Swim & Tennis club.

Winters Chapel
This district is named after Winters Chapel, which has been a fixture in town since the 1870s. Winters Chapel is also the name of the main road through the area, which was an important 19th century route connecting Decatur and Roswell. This district is a prime location for light commercial and retail development. It’s also home to two large parks connected by sidewalks. One is a ¾ mile long linear park running along the Twin Lakes water reservoir that is popular with runners. The other, Windwood Hollow Park, offers tennis courts, a children’s play area, a picnic pavilion and a walking trail. Winters Chapel is located along Dunwoody’s border with the city of Peachtree Corners.

Tilly
The Tilly area is home to Georgia State University’s Perimeter College campus, and to Dunwoody’s signature Park – Brook Run. Brook Run offers wooded walking trails, a children’s ply area, a dog park, a Veterans Memorial, and a community garden.

Dunwoody offers residents big-city convenience and amenities, without the big-city price tag. It’s a place of ease and livability, with a strong sense of community and culture. It’s no wonder that this area is one of the most coveted in metro Atlanta.

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.