andrea re

How does your city/town rate for -- walkability???>

There is a great new service out there that tells you and all your possible vistors /buyers -- how "WAlk Able" your city or town is!!

This is a great site -- you can enter your zip code -- or seller address and see how it rates. I checked mine for savannah,ga -- huntingdon location and found out we had a walk score of 87-- not too bad out of 100. Didn't find a 100 score but ran out of time--to keep checking other cities.

If you check historic savanah-- for various addreses you get diff. walk scores-- bay st. vs. broughton--but all these areas are super walk able -- regardless of the score you see -- you will love walking the streets.

Walk score is based on ease of walking to shopping , entertainment, and other venues--espec. great in this era of eveyone conserving on eveything -- especially gas!! ck it out www.walkscore.com And see how your location rates-- I found it fascinating.

If you are thinking of Savannah:::

I also know some great walking tour companys to help you see Savannah "by foot"and up close and personal.-- one of the best is www.savannahdan.com - which operates out of Beautiful Johnson Sq. --reservations required. Great walking tour. (tell Dan I told you to contact him --because he stays booked-- so you can have a special/great tour with him). There are also the ghost tours which are popular!!

As an aside if you are planning to visit Savannah-- the Bull Street corridor -- is considered the" best walking street " by several national publications. So many historic property's to see on the walk-- artist galleries, shops, the law office of Sonny Seiler ( lawyer in The bk-- owner of the GA.Bull dog) the end of bull is forysth Park.

So come visit us. I will be happy to show you our great town or make some recomendations-- on places to stay, play and enjoy our great city.

Do not hesitate to contact me -- I love telling people how great Savannah is and what are the latest happenings-- fyi-- upcoming is the 20th annual Jazz festival in Forsyth Park in late sept. A great open air venue w/ multiple jazz groups playing every night from thurs. to sat.

If you are interested in jazz or anyting else Savannah -- let me know!!---andrea

Well it is official!! Disney will be shooting their new movie w/ Miley Cyrus ( daughter of Billy Ray) "The Last Song" in Savannah, Ga. --shooting is scheduled to start in June -- but have already met with some of the production people who are in town and looking for places for short term rentals. Finding places will be a challenge --since there are not to many short term rentals that are furnished and the ones that are - operate as Vacation get aways w/ weekly price structures-- but it will be a fun challenge.

So one of my thoughts-- what is the value of a movie production to a community in economic and visiblity terms---ie. "what is a movie worth"?? We have had several made here-- most notably--- Forrest Gump, The General's Daughter, Bagger Vance - ( I was out cking there shooting locations--for a chance to see someone !!) and I think the one that put us on the map-- Midnight Night in the Garden of Good and Evil--- the town "is excited"--street closing will be a pain, and how many Cyrus fans will flock here to try and get close and catch a glimpse.

The next 3 months --while they are shooting here should be interesting-- they are scheduled to start June 1, 09---but the hype/vibes are all ready starting. As an Fyi -- for those of you not familiar--Miley was in the movie -- "Hannah Montana: the movie"---a disney hit. The Last Song is based on a script by Nicholas Sparks --story line-- rebellious girl who is sent to live w/ her estranged father over the summer.

Book and film to be released simultaneously---Let's hope it, the movie and savannah are a hit!!!

Here's to filming a movie !! More attention and a lot of real estate sales-- wouldn't that be wonderful !!

Here in savannah we are on a count down ----as i type in the am--3/15--we are only --2 days away from the 135th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The town is already streaming with vistors all decked in assorted colors of green and a variety of interesting green outfits! The Fountain in Forysth park has ben died green and is still sporting the green. The days leading up to the parade are full of pre-parties, and days of parties!! This week is party time--for better or worse.

The parade starts @ 10am on the 17th and will wind thru the historic sq.s. starting on Abercon and working it's way up and across bay street and then south again where it will disband. River st, and City Market will be the hub of "go green" for drinking and entertainment.

The celebration here is considered #2 in the nation--with a large Irish catholic population that settled here back in the 1800's. Along with St Pat's festives-- we also have -the start of the Historic Savannah home tours, beg. 3/26/2009 and the music festival which brings some of the best music/voices you have ever heard. And it features the American Competion for best vocalist---to find it all go to: www.savannahnow.com

Hope you can join us in March for some of the best events --and entertainment --you won't be dissapointed!! GO GREEN!!!

Thinking of getting away?? Need a get away? Then, Join us in savannah for our 74th annual Historic Tour of homes, sponsored by the Historic Savannah Foundation and the Women of Christ Church.---Event Date--3/26-29.

So you don't miss out, their website is www.savannahtourofhomes.org Where you can book hotels,tickets and find out more information. In this 3 day event, there is something for everyone. tTours of private homes in different parts of the historic district, garden tours, tours of ardsley park homes, and special lectures. Each day has a different selection of homes to preview. So ck. out the site. But don't delay tickets always sell out fast.

I will once again be a head host for one of the homes on Thursday march 26, a great restored home @ 220 e.gordon st. dating back to 1870. It has side porches, gated garden, ground level living area, and 2 floors above containing a top of the line kitchen, parlor, dinning room, sitting room and bedrooms on the 3rd floor.

The weather should be great--the azealas beginning to bloom (it has been cold here lately) and the weather perfect for walking and seeing a part of history--cobblestone streets, squares, and moss draped trees. The timing also overlaps with the beginning of the savannah music festival--so you might want to stay a few extra days---ck. out all the march/april savannah happenings at www.savannahnow.com -

So come visit us --and if you get over taken by our charm-and would like to have a vacation home here, or relocate --give me a call and I will show you --what's available in the realestate market.--andrea

Read an interesting commentary today in the March 09 issue of Esquire "The Best of Times" by David Granger. In his short column--he was saying if you were among the "93% with a job these are dam good times". His points--gas is under two bucks, you can buy a new car at half off w/0%, or a new home since prices are so depressed. He went on the say --Tables are available in the vast majority of excellent resturants, airports are less crowded,etc. "All in all, it's easier to live a more enjoyable life right now than at any time in recent memory-...if we can just convince ourselves to do so"Mr. Granger said.

He does have a few points--but is this the best of times.?? Especially for those of us trying to weather a real estate market that hasn't been seen for the last 20yrs, foreclosures at an all time high, the unemployment rolls swelling--and -I think we have dwindled well beyond "93%" employed. And that doesn't count us real estate agents or others on commission that can't even draw unemployment as things have gone south!

The best of times--maybe if you have money to pump into the economy, but if there are no sales, or paychecks for workers there is no money to pump. And the worst thing Congress did under their new stimulus package was to limit the tax rebate to first time home buyers---we need everyone buying--to move things forward.

I am hopefull that Obama--can get things going and provide a new energy to turn things around.

Best of times?? I'm holding my breath-(or not) -what about you-??--