Dan Benefield

North Decatur, Georgia, is a small shopping district made up of four quadrants at the intersection of North Decatur Road and Clairmont Road. Grocery stores, restaurants, merchants, and offices are found at that location.

Take Clairmont Road approximately 1 mile South, and you dead end into the Old Courthouse in the heart of Downtown Decatur. Take Clairmont Road approximately 1 mile North, and you will be at the Atlanta VA Hospital.

Take North Decatur Road approximately 1 mile West, and you find Emory University and Emory Hospital. Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta is also located in very close proximity to Emory University.

Apartments, condominiums, and single family detached neighborhoods are all located within walking distance of North Decatur. North Decatur is not within the City Limits of Decatur, & consequently the property taxes are lower.

Centrally located in unincorporated DeKalb County, North Decatur is an area that Benefield Realty Company has served since 1948. If you would like to browse properties in the area, click here. Using zip code 30033 will aid you in your search. Feel free to email or call if I can help you in any way.

Homes in Kanawha Subdivision, Stone Mountain, Georgia

Kanawha Subdivision is located in the prestigious Smokerise area of DeKalb County, Georgia. The neighborhood is made up of large luxury homes on large rolling lots and is situated conveniently between Stone Mountain Park and Tucker, Georgia. Highway 78 is just minutes away and is one of the main arteries feeding the eastern suburbs into Atlanta.

Homes in Kanawha are just 5 minutes away from Tucker, 5 minutes away from Stone Mountain Park, 15 minutes away from Decatur, and 25 minutes away from Downtown Atlanta. The subdivision is in unincorporated DeKalb County and is served by Smokerise Elementary, Tucker Middle, and Tucker High Schools. Emory University, Georgia Perimeter College, Agnes Scott, Georgia State, and Georgia Tech are all colleges that are an easy commute from Kanawha. Hospitals serving the area are Emory, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, DeKalb Medical Center, and the Atlanta VA Hospital.

Located in the back side of Kanawha you will find the Smokerise Golf & Country Club, a very prestigious facility for residents of the Smokerise area. Golf, tennis, swimming, & dining are all available there.

This executive community, like a lot of other areas throughout the country, has suffered some throughout the current recession. In this neighborhood that typically sees prices from $500,000 to upwards of one million dollars; today the savvy buyer may find a few REO properties in the $300,000 range. Built throughout the 1980's and 1990's, no two homes are exactly alike here, but all are loaded with high end features.

If you have an interest in seeing some of the homes in this lovely community, I would appreciate the opportunity to show you some of them. If you would like to browse own your own, just click here: Browse Homes

Welcome to the good life.

Here you will find a list of recent sales in Glenwood Estates, Decatur Georgia. Glenwood Estates is a great neighborhood that is within walking distance to Downtown Decatur. Served by the city schools of Clairemont Elementary, Renfroe Middle, and Decatur High School, the subdivision is ideal for both families and empty nesters.

Here is some of the recent activity:

209 Glendale Ave. SOLD 4/16/2010 for $712,000 after 12 days on the market.

136 Pinecrest Ave. SOLD 4/29/2010 for $335,000 after 14 days on the market.

241 Mount Vernon Dr. SOLD 3/26/2010 for $309,000 after 204 days on the market.

418 Glendale Ave. SOLD 5/11/2010 for $335,000 after 4 days on the market.

As you can see, demand is still strong in this neighborhood. If you need help finding the best home for yourself, call Dan today. If you'd like to just browse own your own, click here: Search Here

If you need help getting your home SOLD in the Decatur area, call Dan today.

So today I was working with some buyers. A male and a female. We looked at a number of houses. Eventually we end up at a vacant house.

There appears to be a little bit of interest on the buyers' part so I tell them there is plenty of time, browse the property some more, and this time I'll stay out of your way. I go to the kitchen and begin reading the sellers disclosure. Male goes to the basement. Female standing in the foyer.

Suddenly, I hear " bam bam bam bam bam" , someone loudly knocking on the front door. Female comes quick steppin it into the kitchen and tells me there's a crazy man banging on the front door. Male stays in the basement.

After taking a minute to regain my composure, I ease my way toward the front door. Looking through the peep hole I am able to size the fellow up. He didn't look too intimidating to me so I open the door.

"Good afternoon sir", says the man. "I have been trying to reach you at home. I am with the census bureau and we've noticed you haven't filled out the census". I then explain to the man that I don't live there, and furthermore, the house is vacant. "Do you know if the house was vacant on April 1^st?" says the census taker. "No I don't" says me. I then explain to him that I am not the agent on the sign in the yard, and that he could call him and get the information he needed. He writes down all the contact info for the listing agent and walks away happy.

Turns out, he really wasn't a crazy man. He just sort of looked the part.

Looking to buy or sell in the metro Atlanta area? Let me help you find just the right home. It's always an adventure. :)

Sell With Owner Financing or Lease?

When the market gets tough some sellers get creative. After all there is more than one way to skin a cat. Sometimes, as a last resort, you begin to consider offering owner financing your home, or, short of that, just leasing your property out until the market improves.

Let's look at the pros and cons of each.

Owner finance pros:

•· You get a higher return on your money than you would on a CD or savings account.

•· The buyer is more apt to take better care of the property knowing that it is his/hers.

•· You can sell the note for a discount should you decide you need the cash.

•· Repairs & all other property maintenance & burdens are the buyer's responsibility.

Owner finance cons:

•· In the event of a default, a foreclosure is more difficult than an eviction.

•· You will still have a considerable amount of record keeping to do.

•· Your cash is still tied up (unless you sell the note at a discount)

Leasing pros:

•· You can get tax benefits through depreciation.

•· You can generate income.

•· An eviction is easier than foreclosing should it become necessary.

•· You still own the property to do with what you wish when the market changes.

Leasing cons:

•· Most tenants do not take as good of care of the property as an owner would.

•· You are still responsible for repairs & other burdens.

•· Your property taxes & insurance may go up.

•· Your equity (cash) is still tied up in the property.

There are other additional things that come into play when disposing of property, but these are just a few things to think about. My personal opinion? I would go for leasing property. I know that can be a real pain, but it is nowhere near as painful as having to foreclose on someone that has filed bankruptcy.

Just something to mull over. Have a great day folks.