Lilburn, GA

While preparing for my new blog (snicker, snicker... teasing it now) I ran across an interesting PDF. 

Lilburn, GA commissioned a real estate analysis to look at ways to revitalize the city.  Some of the recommendations have already been undertaken.  In fact, the family went wandering on one of the new walking trails across from the recently upgraded park, playground and city complex. 

So, diving in to the plan (69 pages!) there are some pretty cool things to learn.  These would be especially good for entreprenuers and prospective shop owners, as well as developers and property investors.  While looking over the current business propfiles, RCLCO (the company that performed the study) also showed which types of businesses were needed or desired to best suit the direction the City of Lilburn wishes to go. 

Specifically, in downtown Lilburn (Old Town Lilburn) the city would like to keep going in the direction of the small shops and local services.  Currently there are several antique shops, and what seems to be missing is a local coffee house.  They also see a need for restaurants and perhaps a local pizza place. 

On a larger scale, there is a need for residential development and perhaps some more infill close to town (walking distance).  There is also the possibility of a rail station (if there is a link between Atlanta and Athens via light rail, look for a station in Lilburn... GREAT opportunity if that happens). 

For people considering a move to the area, it is nice to know the future plans of the city, and how those could affect property value and demographics.  Overall, I like the direction that the city wants to take.  Of course, the execution is the important part.  So far, I have been on one of the new greenways, the Camp Creek Greenway.  It is very nice.  I am going to have to check to see how the development of the other greenways is coming along.  Also, the city Park and recreation area is very nice. 

It is obvious that the City of Lilburn is taking these improvements very seriously.  That is a great sign... and clue that it might be a good time to look at Lilburn for a business or investment opportunity.

THE INFORMATION BELOW IS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF LILBURN GA.

http://www.cityoflilburn.com/index.asp

Join us for a Memorial Day celebration on Monday, May 26 from 4 to 6 PM in Lilburn City Park. Bring your low-back lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy this tribute to those lost while serving our country. Patriotic selections will be performed by various entertainers, including the Gwinnett Community Band.

Come join us for a Memorial Day Celebration.

At Lilburn City Park.

May 26, 2008 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow,

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky,

The larks, still bravely singing, fly,

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead.

Short days ago,

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved and now we lie,

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe

To you, from failing hands, we throw,

The torch, be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us, who die,

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow,

In Flanders Fields.

Bring your lawn chairs and or blankets and join us as we remember those who

fought and died to keep us free.

Sponsored by the City of Lilburn, Task Force Patriot, and the Lilburn Woman's Club

Memorial Day Celebration

Lilburn City Park

May 26, 2008

4:00 - 6:00 p.m.

THE INFORMATION BELOW IS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF LILBURN, GA.

http://music-on-main.org/home.html

Music on Main Returns!

Date: Saturday, September 6, 2008

Location: Lilburn City Park

Please join us as we start the fun of planning the 2008 version of Music on Main. More great food, live music, entertainment and just plain fun are in store for this annual favorite event.

We are always looking for energentic folks who want to participate in planning and implementing this great event so if you are interested in volunteering at the event or want to serve on one of the planning committees, please contact any of the event chairs listed below. We'd love to have you join us!

We have also started our sponsorship drive as well as the collection of items for the silent auction, so there are many, many ways for you to contribute to this community event.

Get involved!

2008 Music on Main Committee Chairs

Beverly Wylie - Dream House Dierdre Hill - Lilburn Community Carl Maynard - Business Community / LBA

The 4th annual Bekrmar Jazz Festival and Taste of Berkmar will be held this coming Saturday from 5-9 p.m. Entertainment includes the Sam Skelton Quintet. Samples of food from various restaurants will be available as part of the Taste of Berkmar. The Jazz Festival itself is free and the Taste of Berkmar is $10 for 12 tickets to the various local restaurants that will showing off their stuff.

Please come and support the Berkmar and Liliburn community by coming to this event. It is fun and safe for the whol family. Check out www.berkmarband.com for more info.

Jamie Parker

Snellville Realtor

Atlanta Homes

We all know about the stock market crash of 1929. Bubble heads have tried to compare the run up in housing prices to the stock market crash for the last several years. Maybe they have a point... maybe not. This isn't about that. This is about what people DON'T know as often.

When I looked up the crash, one of the very first lines was this... "The market did not return to pre-1929 levels until late 1954,^[3] and was lower at its July 8, 1932 level than it had been since the 1800s." Source...

But, the part that gets glossed over is that in order for that to be true, one would have had to have bought the Dow 30 at its very peak. If one bought at the beginning of 1927, they would have recovered before the eve of World War II (only to get hit again as the world moved to war). They would have recovered again fully by mid 1945. That would be eight and a half years earlier. Eighteen years.

If one had made their buy in 1923, they would have been fully recovered by 1934. So, that means the recovery was inside of 11 years for those folks, rather than the 25 years for the people at the tippy-top of the market.

Keep in mind that the market slid into 1932. It just kept going down. But, if one bought in the beginning of 1931, they would have been fully recovered by 1946. Fifteen years.

What about someone that just got really lucky? If one bought when the market was down, at the end of 1932... 60+% increase in value. Even a buyer at the end of 1931, by 1934 they would have been up by 33% or so.

What does this have to do with real estate?

Part of me wants to say "almost nothing." But, there is a point. Properties are like individual stocks. Local markets are like sectors. And, the best opportunities for huge profit are AFTER THE CRASH. But, before the crash and during the crash aren't that bad. Granted, buying at the top of the bubble sucks. But, the people that didn't buy at the absolute top recovered in a fraction of the time. And the ones that bought before the bottom, but after the bust profited quite handsomely.

There are some serious differences with real estate. To start with, stocks don't make a very good shelter. You can't live in the NYSE or NASDAQ. Next, houses aren't nearly as liquid. So, things move less. The swings aren't as hard or as fast, because the market can't "correct" itself in a few days.

In the case of real estate, while the price correction isn't as fast as a stock correction, it is much less frequent, and the swing won't be as violent. Sure there are people talking about 20% decreases in value... but those are in very limited markets, just like the 95% losses in stocks have always been limited to specific issues. And, seldom is real estate worth nothing. A stock can tank and the company can go away. But, the real estate is pretty much fixed. Not much has truly disappeared without notice...

So, the bottom line is that the best opportunities may be right now. They may have been last month... maybe June. We don't know. What we do know is that the bubble has popped... The bold will profit.