About Clarke County, GA

In Athens -Clarke County, GA, for the week ending Aug 30, 2009 the real estate market looks like this:

There are 1583active listings of which 1323 are residential, 19 are farm and land. This is a decrease of 16 listings from the previous reporting.

There are 143 listings under contract. This number is down 4 from the previous period.

There have been 17 closed sales duiring the period of Aug 24- Aug 30, 2009, all of which were residential. This is 8 more closed transactions than 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.

Only four more days until the first football game of the 2009 season!!

In the South, SEC football is king. Brides plan their weddings around it and even the hosts of the opening day dove hunts consider the time of the game of their favored team!

Here in Athens, GA, as a household divided, I'll be anxiously watching the Georgia Bulldawgs play Oklahoma State in the afternoon while Paul will be chewing his fingernails over Alabama and Virginia Tech in the evening.

Paul & Hairy Dawg share a special moment in anticipation of SEC football kickoff this Saturday.

Please let us know if we can help you with any real estate needs in the Athens, GA area.

Local Real Estate Agent Earns Professional Designation to Help Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

Athens, GA - RE/MAX Associate Jerri Stracener, Associate Broker of RE/MAX Associates - Athens in, Athens, GA, has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation after completing extensive training designed to assist homeowners facing foreclosures and to help home buyers in purchasing a distressed property.

"Jerri's dedication in earning the CDPE designation demonstrates her willingness to not only help troubled homeowners in the Athens area, but it shows a commitment to help the community recover from this recession," said Faye Kemp, Broker. "Seasoned real estate agents like Jerri, and nearly 7,500 RE/MAX Associates who are already CDPE certified, know that specific training is essential in helping families buy and sell homes."

Athens has seen its fair share of foreclosures - over 200 were reported in August according to local newspaper foreclosure listings. According to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), more than 45 percent of U.S. existing home sales in the fourth quarter of 2008 were foreclosures and short sales. In a short sale transaction, a lender allows the homeowner to sell their property for less than the mortgage amount, to avoid the foreclosure process.

"In this market, more than ever before, home buyers and sellers appreciate working with a professional real estate agent who is qualified and trained to navigate through the short sale and foreclosure process," said Stracener, who has more than 15 years of experience in the real estate business. "I'm excited to use the knowledge gained through this course to help Athens families stay in their homes."

The Distressed Property Institute, based in Boca Raton, FL, offers the CDPE designation and was founded by dynamic real estate veteran Alex Charfen. In March, RE/MAX Chairman and Co-Founder, Dave Liniger, encouraged all real estate agents to obtain the CDPE designation. In less than sixty days, nearly 5,000 RE/MAX agents took the two-day course. There are more real estate agents from RE/MAX with the CDPE designation than from any other real estate company.

For more information on the Distressed Property Institute and CDPE, visit www.StopForeclosureAthens.com. To contact Jerri Stracener or to look for properties available in and around Athens, visit www.MovingToAthens.com .

Contact: Jerri Stracener, 706-296-4395 or jerri@movingtoathens.com

Athens, Georgia is best known for "The Dogs" (Georgia Bulldogs, that is) but this weekend, August 29th, Athens will host an exciting art event.

Two wonderfully creative and very diverse artists from Venezuela will be exhibiting their work at the Lyndon House Arts Center.

Carlos Solis, a native of Venezuela, specializes in surreal oil paintings. His vision and use of textured media is something you just have to see for yourself. Please visit Carlos's web site and you'll see what I mean. Carlos has been selling his paintings here in Atlanta and also painting wall murals for upscale clients. He has been featured in several art magazines.

Stanley Bermudez was born in New Orleans, but grew up in Venezuela. His wonderful use of color and shapes is something that I have never seen before. Please take a minute to visit Stanley's web site as well. You will see how vibrant and alive his work is, and you will want to see more!

These artists are very different in style, but very similar in their lust for life.

There will be a celebration to kick off the Gallery show.

If you have ever known anyone from Venezuela, then you know they are people who love to party! This evening will be no exception. Good food, music, and good people will make this one enjoyable night.

The date is Saturday August 29 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Lyndon House Arts Center, South Gallery 293 Hoyt Street in Athens Georgia

Please call (706) 613-3623 fro more information or directions.

The showing will run through October 31, so if you can't make it Saturday for the opening, you owe it to yourself to make a trip before the show is over.