Dunwoody is a northern suburb of Atlanta, and one of the city’s most desirable neighborhoods – sought after as an urban center for dining and shopping. The 13.2 square mile parcel is close to downtown, but maintains a small town neighborhood feel.
The city of Dunwoody didn’t exist until 2008, when the area was officially incorporated after a community-led movement. But even before the community was officially recognized as a city, residents of the area have long identified themselves as living in Dunwoody – not Atlanta. The area has always had a distinctive history separate from the rest of DeKalb County.
Dunwoody’s story goes back hundreds of years, and the area has always been known for thriving commerce. The area was first inhabited by the Cherokee Indian tribe of the Creek Confederation. Because of its proximity to the Chattahoochee River, the Dunwoody area was the largest and busiest trading center in the vicinity. By 1820, Cherokee farms had popped up along the river, and white settlers began to arrive and create homesteads.
Dunwoody is named after Charles Archibald Dunwoody (1828-1905), who was the son of John Dunwoody, one of the founders of the Roswell Manufacturing Company mills in nearby Roswell, Georgia. By 1853, the area had two cotton mills and employed about 300 people – making it the largest cotton factory complex in North Georgia. In order to transport mill products to Atlanta during the Civil War, a railroad was built between Atlanta and Roswell. This was the first line of transportation that linked the Dunwoody area to the city of Atlanta. Though much of the railroad was destroyed in the war, Charles Dunwoody chose to build a new home in the area after the fighting ended.
A new railroad – the Roswell Railroad – was constructed after the war, designed to run between Roswell and Chamblee with a stop in Dunwoody. This line would carry produce from Dunwoody and fabric from the mills in Roswell into Atlanta, and Dunwoody soon developed as a crossroads community. The area continued to grow long after the railroad was shut down in 1921.
Dunwoody is the home to several historic sites, including the city’s oldest building, the Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church, which was built in 1829. The church is home to a cemetery where several of the founding fathers of Dunwoody are buried. Other landmarks include the Cheek-Spruill Farmhouse (1906), Swancy Farmhouse (1889) and Railroad Section Gang House (1880).
Today, the area is known for good restaurants and upscale shopping opportunities. Perimeter Mall, located in the heart of Dunwoody, boasts some of the best shopping in the Atlanta area. Dunwoody is also home to some of the area’s best school districts and draws lots of growing families. Conveniently located at the intersection of GA 400 and I-285, it allows residents to be close to the action, but still enjoy a quieter way of life. It’s an ideal central location when one spouse works up GA400 and the other commutes to midtown or downtown Atlanta.
With a high livability score, Dunwoody offers lots of local amenities and a true neighborhood feel, good schools and high graduation rates, and a stable housing market. The city has a population of about 48,000 residents and is known for its cultural diversity, a strong and connected community, and mix of singles and families.
The area continues to be a hub for commerce, with several corporations making their home there, including State Farm’s new regional headquarters, UPS, Cox Communications, InterContinental Hotels Group, Porsche Cars North America and Peachford Hospital.
Dunwoody continues to be popular with young families looking to upgrade to a larger home, empty nesters who may want to downsize, young professionals who love the easy access to Buckhead and the live/work/play lifestyle, and anyone looking to escape the chaos of the city in exchange for a better quality of life – without giving up proximity to all Atlanta has to offer.
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.
Let’s be honest. When it comes to starting your real estate career, it can take some time to sell your first home and make any money. Just remember, if you work hard and stay consistent, you can become successful with your new real estate career. However, when starting out, you might find that your circle is not wide enough and your Realtor expenses are not so affordable. This is where joining a team can be the best option. The team at Karen Cannon, Realtors offer three major benefits to joining a real estate team:
Training and Support Provided
Congratulations! You studied for and passed your real estate license exam. Now, the real education begins. Real estate is very much a hands-on learning experience. Education is only half the battle. New agents truly benefit from training and support from experienced agents. Joining a team helps you learn the daily activity and best practices that veteran agents benefit from. Plus, you have someone there to answer your questions and advise you in difficult situations. As a new agent, it is tremendously beneficial to have a knowledgeable team as a resource for the many questions you will have. The right team can offer you the support and hands on training to help jump start your career….for example, our team approach offers agents an environment where they can learn and share and collaborate because they don’t compete with each other.
Cost Effective
In real estate, you have to spend money to make money. A real estate career is an investment. Being a Realtor comes with its fair share of expenses, and a lot of them are upfront. Brokerages and your local board will charge you a wide range of fees that may include board dues, MLS fees, office space, marketing, and broker fees. However, joining a team will provide you with the opportunity to share these fees, if not eliminate some of them all together. This is not the case with many teams – they have to pay these fees but they are on a team. Our model is VERY unique. Working with a seasoned agent will also provide you with leads (this is not the case for many) that are incredibly expensive and hard to come by as a new agent. Also, not having to pay Zillow or Realtor.com for leads will definitely keep some extra money in your bank account.
Expands Your Sphere of Influence
Networking is a huge part of having a successful real estate career. Your sphere of influence will expand once you join a team. If you find the right fit, you will have consistent opportunities to network and meet more clients. As a new agent, you might be assigned to handle the lease clients at first. This will help you build your database and give you the repeat clients that you so desire. Your renters will turn into buyers, and hopefully those buyers will be listing with you.
Anderson and Karen Cannon, started Karen Cannon Realtors with a simple vision in mind – to build a team and provide for their agents. At KCR, our Realtors concentrate on providing the best service to our clients because they have the support of a team behind them. Learn more about joining our team today! https://karencannon.com/contact-us/
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.
Home safety is an important topic for buyers, sellers and Realtors. Since January is National Radon Action Month, we would like to help you eliminate radon out of your home so that you and your family can have safer, healthier air to breathe. It’s important to us that all current and future homeowners know the dangers of radon as well as the preventative measures to take.
Educate Yourself and Others
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 21,000 Americans each year. The EPA highly recommends that all Americans test their homes, schools, and other buildings for radon. Exposure to radon can be a highly dangerous health risk. Testing the levels of radon in your home, school, or workplace can go a long way to preventing exposure. If a high radon level is detected in your home, there are measurable steps to you can take to fix the problem to protect yourself and your family. Encourage family and friends to test their homes as well.
Test Your Home
Radon cannot be tasted, smelled or seen; but it could still be present in your home. EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon. Testing is easy and inexpensive. To further educate yourself on testing your home as well as how to obtain a user-friendly Radon test kit, we encourage you to visit www.Epa.gov.
Find a Radon-Resistant Home
If you are considering buying a new home, speak with your Realtor about looking for homes where the builders used radon-resistant new construction. Also, building radon-resistant new homes is an option. Using the necessary techniques to prevent radon from entering a home is practical and straightforward for any builder. It’s a highly effective and inexpensive way to offer families a benefit that could reduce their risk of lung cancer. One of the best things you can do to prevent you and your families’ exposure is to get radon gas out of our homes right away. It would be considered an environmentally responsible plan of action that will help reduce the chances of lung cancer. Making sure your home is as green as possible is the best way to combat radon. Especially, since it enters the home from under the ground.
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.
Have you started searching for a home? The home buying process is an exciting step that can also seem overwhelming at times. Finding a knowledgeable agent goes a long way and you’ve come to the right place with Karen Cannon Realtors.
However, there are some initial things you can do to better prepare for the process.
Do the Research
The average consumer today is savvier than ever before. The Internet provides a wealth of information. This can definitely be utilized by searching online to find the areas you want to live in. Narrow your search to a few neighborhoods/communities that you would find to be the most ideal for you to live in. Finding the right home and having a savvy agent help you win the deal in a competitive situation will make the home buying process a lot easier.
Have Clarity
Having a clear understanding of what you’re looking for in a home is crucial. This is the most important part of your preparation. There is a lot of time and money invested in a home purchase, so prepare accordingly. This will make your home shopping experience much more efficient and will give you a goal setting strategy for you and your Realtor to work together on. It will also help avoid a situation where you fall in love with a home that doesn’t delete your needs. Preparation before getting started will always increase your odds of having a smooth transaction.
Consider the Future
What are your long-term goals with regards to this purchase? Perhaps, you are looking for a starter home. Or maybe you are downsizing due to your newly acquired empty nester status. The bottom line is your long-term plans will help dictate your purchasing choices. One of the most common oversights in buying a home is failing to consider how it fits into your long-term plans.
Know your Financial situation
Another consideration that some homebuyers tend to underestimate is the financial responsibility of owning a home. Perhaps, the only consideration buyers will think about is their mortgage payments. If you have been renting, or even living at home, you might lose sight of the additional expenses of owning a home. HOA dues, appliances, furniture, taxes and insurance will have to be factored in. These are all important things to consider when putting together your home buying budget.
After you consider these 4 factors, make a list of pros and cons to take to your Realtor. Keep in mind that at the end of the day it comes down to doing what is best for you and your family when deciding where to live. Making sure to convey that to your Realtor upfront will pay dividends.
Contact Karen Cannon Realtors today to get the process started. We have great lenders and others to help our clients, people we consistently use and trust – we will guide you through this process to ensure that you have the best possible home buying experience.
When you’re buying or selling a home, it’s crucial to work with a qualified real estate agent. Not just a professional, but an amazing agent and a market expert. So how do you ensure you’re hiring an amazing real estate agent?
There are currently more than two million real estate professionals in North America.1,2 With so many options to choose from, how does a prospective home buyer or seller choose the right agent or broker? According to the National Association of Realtors®, trust and reputation are the top deciding factors consumers use when hiring an agent.3
But how do you measure trust and reputation … and what criteria can be used to help you make your decision?
In this guide, we’ve outlined the top attributes that amazing agents possess, as well as the questions you can ask to make sure you’re working with the right market expert to achieve your real estate goals.
5 ATTRIBUTES OF AN AMAZING AGENT
As we mentioned above, not all real estate professionals are the same. And it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the options and information about working with real estate professionals to buy or sell your home. In fact, many real estate markets are oversaturated with agents.
To help you understand what makes top agents and market experts stand apart from the competition, following are five key attributes of an amazing agent:
A Pricing Specialist
If an agent has their real estate license, they know the basics of the transaction process. They know what goes into buying and selling a home. However, there’s a difference between knowing the process and navigating it for an ideal result. This ideal result often means buying or selling a home for the best price.
For buyers, amazing agents have a strong understanding of market trends, competition, and how to make your offer attractive to sellers. They can help you identify and secure a deal to ensure you get the home you want, within your desired budget.
If you’re selling a home, market experts have experience pricing homes optimally for the market, and creating pricing plans to minimize the time spent selling the home. This will help you sell for your desired price, and avoid costs like additional mortgage and utility payments.
Takeaway: Whether buying or selling a home, pricing can be tricky. Market experts can help navigate best-possible pricing strategies, and also secure the home you want within your budget.
An Effective Time Manager
It’s common to underestimate the amount of time it takes to buy or sell your home. The average real estate agent may not be utilizing the latest tools and technology to make the transaction easier and more cost effective for their clients. Market experts have tools and strategies at their disposal to minimize the amount of time you spend on the process.
For sellers, market experts can make sure you only deal with qualified buyers, not the “window shoppers” who can waste your time. We also utilize the latest marketing practices to advertise and price your home effectively, ensuring it gets sold quickly.
When looking to buy a home, inexperienced agents may waste your time by showing you homes that are not a good fit for you. A market expert knows how to prioritize your needs and wants to find you the ideal home within your budget. They also know how to spot “red flags” and can steer you away from homes that are likely to turn up major issues in a real estate inspection, saving you time and money.
In addition, well-networked Realtors can gain access to the hottest listings before many websites do. Their extensive professional networks can help identify “pre-list” homes before they’re officially on the market. This can be invaluable in a highly-competitive real estate market.
Takeaway: Even a well-intentioned agent may not have the skills, tools or technology to make the experience easy for you. There are lots of hidden activities that may take up unexpected time, and a market expert will save you time and energy.
A Market Insider
While most agents can pull market stats about a neighborhood, community or city, they may not understand important trends or developments that would affect your transaction. These can include the state of the school district, issues with a homeowner association, new businesses in the area, zoning rules or trends in home prices.
Market experts live and breathe local real estate and know the trigger points for buying and selling in this market. We also stay current on effective marketing and negotiation practices, resulting in our track record of success.
For sellers, we understand what features of your home and neighborhood are assets in the selling process. And for buyers, we share a deep understanding of market factors, including school and neighborhood quality, crime statistics, speed of sales and more.
Takeaway: Getting relevant and specific market knowledge can be difficult and time consuming, which is why many real estate agents don’t have it. Whether you’re buying or selling a home, an experienced real estate agent is often the best source of information about a city, neighborhood, or even street … we’re literally conducting market research every day.
A Strong Negotiator
Amazing agents truly set themselves apart in their ability to negotiate. Unfortunately, a large portion of agents don’t commit their full time to increasing this key skill.
Real estate negotiations can be challenging, even for seasoned professionals. It takes skill, experience and a knowledge of how to fight for your client’s best interests. While any agent can enter negotiations to buy or sell a home, they may not know the effective strategies to exit those negotiations with the result you want.
Experienced Realtors focus on negotiation as a key skill. We understand what to do before entering negotiations (establishing the upper hand to set up the best outcome), as well as during the process (when to offer or accept concessions).
Takeaway: Many agents can feel the stress of the negotiation process, and may agree to terms of the buyer/seller. Working with a market expert will help ensure you get the best deal, not just the fastest deal.
An Effective Closer
Closing a deal fast is often a good thing. For buyers, it means you found the home you wanted quickly. For sellers, it often means you can avoid the added expenses of mortgage and utility payments, and maximize the value of your home sale.
However, an agent solely focused on speed can make decisions that aren’t in your best interests. Top real estate professionals know how to not only achieve your real estate goals quickly, but in the right way to avoid potential pitfalls.
Just like negotiations, the paperwork and process of closing a real estate transaction are complicated. And they can be overwhelming for the average agent who hasn’t handled a lot of transactions. Sales contracts, property disclosures, occupancy agreements and even lead paint records need to be executed with precision. Your agent not only needs to be familiar with these, but also stay current on any changes in requirements or regulations.
Market experts have a strong understanding of real estate contracts, timelines, clauses and contingencies within the closing process. In fact, avoiding pitfalls during the closing process is where many sellers find an experienced Realtor is a huge asset.
Takeaway: Many agents don’t have a firm understanding of contracts. Because a real estate transaction often involves a significant investment, even a small mistake can mean serious trouble. With that in mind, it’s often best, and most responsible, to work with a true market expert.
5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT
So how do you know if you’re working with an amazing agent?
The first step would be to “shop around.” Many people work with the first agent they come across without a firm understanding of their level of experience. It’s always a good idea to interview a number of agents before selecting one. If you’ve gotten referrals from people you trust, then you may only need to interview 2-3 agents.
However, it can be tough to know what to ask in the interview process. Here are some questions that can help you qualify the best agent to help you achieve your real estate goals:
Can you send me some information about yourself?
Look for professionalism and consistency. What are their professional accomplishments? Also, try to identify how they approach their work. Look for a business person who has a strategy and solid support system. If they’re a newer agent, ask about their team’s dynamic and accomplishments.
How long have you been in real estate?
The average Realtor has 10 years of experience4. But while longevity is important, even more telling are the number of transactions they have closed or been involved in. So feel free to also ask: “How many homes have you sold in this area?”
What will you do to keep me informed?
Do you want daily or weekly reports from your agent? Will the agent be able to meet these expectations? Determine how much communication you want, and then find an agent who will give you the attention and time you want and deserve.
Can you provide me with further resources I may need?
From market reports and pricing trends to school performance and crime statistics, top agents have resources at their disposal. In addition, market experts have built strong relationships with their extended team of professionals, and can often get expedient service or be able to “cash in a favor” for you should a need arise.
Seller only: Can you share with me your plan to market my property?
Many agents will simply put your home in the MLS and wait for it to sell. An amazing agent should have a detailed plan of how to get your home exposure on social media, to their local networks, and more.
GET STARTED
Now that you’re armed with the 5 Attributes of Amazing Agents and the Top Questions to ensure you work with the best possible real estate agent, you’re ready to start interviewing agents.
We’d love an opportunity to win your business. Schedule a free consultation with us to find out how true market experts can help you achieve your real estate goals!
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.
