Watkinsville, GA

After a really long, hot summer, we have been rewarded with an unusually long fall. Some years it seems that we go straight from summer into winter with just a few days of real fall, but this year it cooled off right after Labor Day and we have had a long stretch of cool, mostly dry weather. The trees in my neighborhood, Hickory Hill, have popped with color in the last few days. It reminds me of the song, "Let's go out in a blaze of glory".

Recently, a couple of our Hickory Hill Subdivision neighbors invited us over for a "honey extracting party". They keep bees in their backyards and also take their hives to the north Georgia mountains for a time each summer for the sour wood honey. They called us over a couple of weeks ago to witness (and help with) the honey extracting. It was an interesting process and a lot of fun (until you got to the 100th frame). There are quite a few backyard bee keepers here in Oconee County, GA.

After removing the frames from the hives, the first step is to slice open the honey comb.

Then the frames are placed into the extractor which spins and causes the honey to flow out of the comb and into the bottom of the extractor.

This is honeycomb from where the comb is sliced open. Honey drains from this and some of it can be added to jars of honey. When cleaned it can be used for making things like beeswax candles.

We had quite a few people helping at various times throughout the process.

The honey and home made biscuits were a hit with the children.

This Saturday, May 7, will be the first Tour d'Oconee bike ride, otherwise known as "Tame the Lion" due to the shape of the map outline.

Sponsored by the Oconee County Cycling Organization, the ride will depart from Rocket Field (200 2nd St.) in downtown Watkinsville, GA at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday. There will also be shorter options of 15, 25 and 35 miles and great SAG stops, so everyone can participate. The whole town is excited about the ride and there will be live entertainment at Watkinsville's First Friday celebration on Friday evening starting at 6:00 p.m.

Here's the catch - you need to register by midnight on May 5 (registration is $45). For more information and registration go to http://www.active.com/cycling/watkinsville-ga/the-tour-doconee-2011

Come and see what beautiful scenery we have in Oconee County and what a great place it is for cyclists.

Concerts at Ashford Manor in downtown Watkinsville, GA, under the stars are always magical.

This year Ashford Manor's Concerts on the Lawn won't just be on Monday evenings. Concerts begin this week on May 4 with Grogus (Latin, Jazz and Salsa)

May 18 (Wednesday) Abbey Road Live, Beatles Tribute)

May 30 The Splitz (Motown)

June 15 (Wednesday) Deja Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young Tribute

July 2 (Saturday) The Athens King (Elvis Tribute)

July 30 (Saturday) Sons of Sailors (Jimmy Buffet Tribute)

Sept. 5 Half Dozen Brass Band (traditional horns)

Sept 21 (Wednesday) Randall Bramblett Band (Soul, Funk, R&B)

Oct . 5 (Wednesday)A Tribute to Santana

Oct. 19 (Wednesday) Packway Handle Band (Old Time Bluegrass)

Tickets can be purchased online at www.amconcerts.com or at the gate. The gates open at 5 p.m. and music starts at 6 p.m.

As always, you can reserve a table, bring your own chairs or blankets and picnic and even the kids if you want. Everyone always has fun!

What happenned in 2010? 2010 was a challenging year for real estate across the country. While Watkinsville Ga did not escape those challenges the presence of the University of Georgia in neighboring Athens and an unemployment rate that remained well below both the state (often the lowest in the state) and national averages kept the real estate market a little bit more stable than in many areas of the country as well as Georgia.

The numbers: Chart 1, below, shows how the 2010 residential real estate market faired against the 2009 market as far as total sales and Days on Market. In 2009, there were 169 residental units sold. In 2010 that number increased by almost 9% to 184 units. During the same period the percentage of sales that were foreclosures also increased in 2010 over 2009. In 2009 there were 27 foreclosures, or about 16% of the total sales volume. In 2010 there were 50 foreclosures or about 27.2% of the total sales volume. The good news however is that almost 75% of the volume were "organic" sales, or sales of homes by the owner or builder. In 2011 foreclosures and short sales will more than likely make up they same or higher percentage of the total sales volume.

The average time to sell a residential property (Days on Market, D.O.M.) , in Watkinsville Ga showed a positive movement by declining form 222 days in 2009 to 198 days in 2010, an improvement of about 11%.

Chart 1

Chart 2 below shows the direction of both average and median sales prices in Watkinsville Ga. The average sales price declined about 13.5% from $312,537.00 to $270,614.00. The median price declined about 9% from $263,500.00 in 2009 to $240,000.00. The decline in both median and average prices were most likely driven by a combination of the increased percentage of foreclosures along with the numer of first time buyers trying to take advantage of the federal income tax credit during the first six months of last year.

Chart 2

What does 2011 hold? 2011 will probably be almost as challenging as 2010 was. Foreclosures and short sales are expected to become a larger part of the market. Prices are expected to suffer some decrease, at least during the first 6 months of the year. The forecast is for prices to stabilize during the second half of the year.

For those that want, or need, to sell their homes for reasons other foreclosure, the good news is that, as the numbers for 2010 indicate, "organic" sales of homes are still happenning and the larger part of the Watkinsville GA market. However, they need to be both priced competitively and be in a condition considerably better than foreclosure or short sale properties in order to get that higher price.

All chart information is derived from data in the Athens Area Association of Realtors® multiple listing service (MLS).