About Decatur's Downtown Decatur

Decatur Holiday Bonfire & Marshmallow Roast

You're invited to the Holiday Bonfire and Marshmallow Roast. It's Thursday, December 16th, 2010 from 7 to 8 pm in downtown Decatur GA. It's also the last day of Terrific Thursdays in Decatur for the season. Be sure to stop in many of the shops and restaurants while you are there. They will be open late.

The 10' x 10' bonfire will be on the Square. Enjoy the holiday music and visit with Santa. This free event is open to the public. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

This event is just another thing that makes Decatur GA a great place to live, work and play.

If you are thinking of of buying or selling real estate in or around Decatur, GA contact Realtor Jen Bowman, Broker Associate & e-PRO with Keller Williams Realty at 404-456-5024.

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Holiday Events in Decatur Georgia - Decorate Decatur Community

Grab your outdoor lights, garland, and yard "art" and get ready for the annual Decorate Decatur Contest!

On December 19th, 2010, judges will drive through Decatur and pick their 10 favorite homes, as well as one favorite business and one favorite neighborhood. There will also be one "overall" winner that will receive the Commissioners Cup from the Decatur City Commission.

If you are planning to join in on the fun, all you have to do is pull the decorations out, flip on the lights and call 404-371-9583 to give your address and alert the Decatur judges that you will be participating in the contest.

To view the previous winners, visit the Decorate Decatur web page.

Also, if you really want to get in the holiday spirit, there are quite a few more activites in Decatur this year:

Holiday Tour of Homes on December 3 - 4

The Decatur Holiday Bonfire and Marshmellow Roast will be in the Decatur Square on December 16th

Breakfast with Santa on December 18th, 2010.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Decatur GA?

Decatur is now one of the most popular Atlanta neighborhoods for new families and hip, young professionals. Residents in Decatur have a real sense of community and take great pride in their neighborhoods, thanks strong neighborhood associations, top-notch public school system and festivals that bring in thousands of people from around Metro Atlanta. If you are looking for a solid real estate investment, Decatur should be at the top of your list!

>>> Search FORECLOSURES for sale in Decatur GA

>>> Homes for sale in Oakhurst GA

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Thank you for visiting our Decatur Real Estate Blog!

Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Decatur GA Real Estate Agent - Nest Atlanta Real Estate Group

The Nest Atlanta Team is part of Ian Marshall Realty,
specializing in Intown Atlanta Real Estate, Condos, Lofts and Historic Homes

CALL US ANYTIME AT 404.432.1844

4th ANNUAL AJC DECATUR BOOK FESIVAL STARTS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Sponsored by the AJC, NPR, Dekalb Medical, Agnes Scott College (and many more), Downtown Decatur will be the center of the literary world from September 3 - 5, 2010.

The AJC Decatur Book Festival will feature lectures and signings from 300 national and local best-selling authors, representing all genres of books. In addition, you'll find poetry readings, live music, cooking demonstrations and great food.

Whether you're 7 years old or 77, there will be something for everyone.

>>> CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE LABOR DAY FESTIVAL

Hope to see you there!

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Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Decatur GA Real Estate Agent - Atlanta Home Search Team
The ATL Home Search Team is part of Keller Williams Realty

CALL US ANYTIME @ 404.432.1844

If you are thinking of buying a home and securing an FHA Loan, this is a must read...

Effective October 4, 2010, FHA will be making changes to their Mortgage Insurance Premiums. As you know, borrowers currently pay 1.75% of their loan amount upfront which is called Upfront MIP. Additionally they pay .50% to .55% of their loan amount annually (actually paid in 12 installments with their monthly payment).

The new MIP (mortgage insurance premium) structure will require an Upfront MIP of only 1% of their loan amount. The downside is that their annual MIP will increase to .50% to .90% paid on a monthly basis.

Give Me An Example of How This Impacts MY Wallet

Here is an example of how the changes will impact FHA borrowers:

Loan Amount: $250,000

Upfront MIP: Currently $4,375

As of October 9, 2010 $2,500

Upfront cost is $1875 less BUT when the homebuyer sells or pays off the loan, part of this cost is refundable to the borrower

Monthly MIP: Currently $115 per month

As of October 9, 2010 $188 per month

Cost is $876 more per year

No portion of this monthly MIP is refundable to the borrower

What Is The Real Impact?

When an FHA homeowner sells their home, they are entitled to a refund of the unused portion of their Upfront MIP. The borrower is not entitled to any refund from the Monthly MIP they pay to FHA each month. So shifting the revenue stream paid to FHA from the Upfront MIP to the Monthly MIP is actually a win for FHA as less of the MIP paid by the borrower will be entitled to a refund.

The IRS allows homeowners to write-off the cost of mortgage insurance as long as their income is less than $110,000 per year. Shifting some of the MIP from Upfront to Monthly will actually give the homeowner a greater write-off on their tax return.

Higher monthly MIP will increase the borrower's Debt-To-Income ratio and, in theory, make it slightly more difficult to qualify for the loan.

Net Effect: I believe the net effect to the borrower is negligible. Basically, these changes shift revenue within the government. FHA will enjoy higher revenues to offset their tremendous losses while the IRS will decrease their revenues as homeowners have greater mortgage insurance write-offs.

If you have questions about the new FHA guidelines and/or would like to get started with your Atlanta home search, please call Kerry Lucasse anytime at (404)432.1844.

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Thank you for visiting by our Intown Atlanta Real Estate Blog!

Posted by: Kerry Lucasse - Atlanta GA Real Estate Agent - Atlanta Home Search Team
The ATL Home Search Team is part of Keller Williams Realty, specializing in Intown Atlanta real estate including Virginia Highland, Candler Park , Grant Park and Oakhurst neighborhoods.

CALL ANYTIME AT 404.432.1844

Looking for a great summer event for the whole family? Come on out to the Decatur Beach Party on June 18th, 2010. The fun starts at 5pm and runs through midnight.

The entire square is closed off to nothing but foot traffic. Vendors set up shop with all kinds of food, soft drinks, beer, & more. Bands will be performing in the pavillion and on the main stage. One of the streets will be literally turned in to a beach as sixty tons of sand is brought in and spread, in addition to kiddie pools. Childrens activities include face painting, boardwalk games, & more.

This years tickets are $6.50 in advanced or $10.00 at the gate. Children 12 and under are free, with a limit of 2 children per paying adult. Coolers, glass, & pets are not allowed. Advanced tickets may be purchased online by clicking on the following link:

BUY TICKETS HERE

You can enjoy dancing in the streets to the beach music tunes of Terry Lee and the GT's, or just bring your beach blanket and take in all the ambience. Click on the following link for a sample of the bands previous performance:

BEACH PARTY MUSIC

The Decatur Holiday Inn is located just 1 block away for anyone who may want to stay the night. The Beach Party this year promises to be an event not to be missed. I hope to see you there!

Be sure and visit the Decatur Business Association at http://decaturdba.com/dba_events_calendar.php for a calendar of events throughout the summer and fall.

Everything Is Greater In Decatur!