Athens, GA

Yesterday we were welcomed at an opening event for the modern, stylish boutique Hotel Indigo which has recently opened here in Athens, GA.

We were impressed with the sleek yet comfortable design of the LEED certified hotel.

The Phi Bar & Loungs is a great place for people to meet and mingle.

The courtyard features a bandstand for entertainment.

Another attraction in the courtyard is a fireplace. If the weather isn't suitable for being outdoors, there is also a club located on the ground floor.

The king rooms have a luxurous feel.

Living area in one of the suites at Hotel Indigo

Guests can quickly print boarding passes at the business center.

From the lobby, past the art gallery, you will find the fitness center.

You will find Hotel Indigo at 500 College Avenue just a few blocks from the University of Georgia and convenient to the many restaurants and bars in the entertainment district of downtown Athens, GA. It's a nice alternate to the standard hotel that will appeal to many visitors in Athens.

If you'd like more information about Athens, GA or the surrounding area or on local housing, please contact us.

All pictures are the property of Diane Boykin.

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Sep 20, 2009 the real estate market looks like this:

There are 1579active listings of which 1321are residential, 18 are farm and land. This is an increase of 6 listings from the previous reporting.

There are 161listings under contract. This number is up 8 from the previous period.

There have been 9 closed sales duiring the period of Sep 14 - Sep 20, 2009, 7 of which were residential and 2 farm and land. This is up 4 closed transactions from the previous period.

For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page.

Note: All data is taken from the Athens Area Association of Realtors MLS system and accurate as of one day after the reporting period. Athens-Clarke County market data includes the City of Athens, the town of Winterville and the remaining areas of Clarke County.

This coming Saturday is "Free Day" at all Georgia State Parks and Historical sites. In celebration of National Public Lands Day, we can enjoy free parking, free fishing and free museum admission all day long. There will be plenty of ranger programs and volunteer projects, as well as some terrific scenery to behold.

There are several Georgia State Parks within a short drive of Athens and the surrounding communities of Watkinsville, Bogart, Winterville, etc. The closest are:

Watson Mill Bridge State Park

650 Watson Mill Road Comer, GA 30629

Fort Yargo State Park

210 S. Broad Street Winder, GA 30680

Hard Labor Creek State Park

5 Hard Labor Creek Road Rutledge, GA 30663

Victoria Bryant State Park

1105 Bryant Park Road Royston, GA 30662

For a list of Georgia State Parks and Historical Sites near you just click on the Georgia State Parks Website. Have a great Saturday at the park of your choice.

For more information on what is going on around Athens, GA and the surrounding communities, or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. You can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in and around Athens Ga please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page.

Trying to decide whether to purchase a home or not? If so, you might want to move quickly. The $8000 Federal Tax Credit, for first time home buyers, expires at midnight, Nov. 30, 2009. Likewise, the Georgia Tax Credit for Home Buyers, of up to $1800.

The federal first time home buyers credit (for buyers who have not owned a home in 3 years) is 10% of the purchase price of a home, up to a maximum of $8000, whichever is less. That means, if you purchase an $80,000 home, or higher, you will get the full credit. If you purchase a lower priced home, say $70,000, you will qualify for a $7000 credit.

The Georgia home buyers tax credit is 1.2% of the home purchase price, up to a maximum of $1800, whichever is less. Purchasers of homes costing $150,000 or more will be eligible for the full credit. The home has to be a single family home that was on the market prior to May 11, 2009.

There are only 74 days left from today in order to get those credits. In reality, that means you will need to have picked a home and reached an accepted offer within the next 30 days or so. It will take a few weeks to get your loan funded, and, there will probably be a rush of last minute buyers all wanting to close before the end of November. Plus, there is the Thanksgiving holiday that will further reduce the number of days in which to get all of the paperwork and closing tasks completed.

So, if you are seriously considering purchasing a home, now is the time to move.

For more information on either the Federal or the Georgia State tax credit programs, or to find that home and have an experienced Realtor guide you through the entire process, give me a call at 706-207-5290. Or, you can click here to email me with your questions. To search for homes in Athens and the surround communities and neighborhoods in Clarke, Oconee, Barrow, Oglethorpe, Madison and Jackson County please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page. If you are interested in selling your home in the same area, or, would like to find out the value of your home, what is going on in the local market, or just have another real estate question, please feel free to contact me by phone or email.

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Sep 13 2009 the real estate market looks like this:

There are 1573 active listings of which 1323 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 4 listings from the previous reporting.

There are 153 listings under contract. This number is up 10 from the previous period.

There have been 5 closed sales duiring the period of Sep 6 - Sep 13, 2009, all of which were residential. This is down 3 closed transactions from the previous period.

For more information on Athens, GA or if you are interested in buying or selling your home there, please call me at 706-207-5290. Or you can click here to email me with your inquiries. To search for homes in Athens, please visit my website The Athens Real Estate Page.

Note: All data is taken from the Athens Area Association of Realtors MLS system and accurate as of one day after the reporting period. Athens-Clarke County market data includes the City of Athens, the town of Winterville and the remaining areas of Clarke County.