Cheryl Dukes - Vinings Fine Homes and Short Sales

Welcome back. I'ts been a couple of months since I've been by here. But I've got about 16 good reasons. As a Realtor selling "dream" homes in Vinings, GA, it is always a pleasure to help people buy and sell some beautiful places and live in their "dreams".

But the real beauty of real estate is that it has allowed me to give back through a nonprofit foundation I founded and funded a year ago -- The Colored Rocks Foundation -- www.coloredrocks.org:

Given the unacceptably low high school graduation rates among young men of color in Georgia, The Foundation works to improve graduation among this group by awarding the Colored Rocks Prize. The truly rewarding thing about this prize competition for Georgia high school senior men of color is that we identify the "Rocks" -- those students who have excelled and who have distinguished themselves, and then THEY commit to helping their struggling peers get to the finished line.

We recently announced 16 finalists as "Colored Rocks" and they are some of the most impressive young men who measure up to the best in the country. Stay tuned, as they will be announced to the public soon.

What does this have to do with real estate? Well, as adults, we have many dreams (such as buying and selling dream homes), but we also have dreams at all stages of our lives. It is a blessing to be able to help further dreams at this stage -- the dreams of our youth. I would never have dreamed real estate would allow me to do this. Feel free to add some "give back" stories of your own.

I took my 4-year-old out on New Year’s Eve to see the Christmas holiday lights before they were taken down and put away for another year (although in the Atlanta area, people seem to make an event out of it and leave their lights up way too long; some of them never bother to take them down at all from one holiday season to the next).

We got some fantastic shots and returned home safe before the revelers came out – my son with the Fuji throw-away camera he got for Christmas and me with my new wide angle Sony Cybershot DSC-WX9 which I bought for myself for Christmas, although I did not use the wide angle panoramic tool; In all my haste to get the pictures and get out of there before the neighbors ran us off, I forgot I had that fancy option (which would have allowed me to capture all 5 homes in the cul-de-sac instead of just 3 of them). I can hardly wait to get my next long master bath to shoot just so I can use that feature.

The winner of the best Christmas lights award – residential division – is this cluster of 5 homes in a cul-de-sac in the Vinings Vintage subdivision in Mableton, GA. They went all-out and the final production was truly magnificent.

I’m not so sure who the winner of the best camera award was – the Sony pictures seem to be not-so-crisp. (Of course that could be due to the camera operator and not the camera itself.)

I hope you enjoy the shot I took of the winners above. Do you have a favorite Christmas lights picture of your own? I hope 2012 is a year filled with many lights for all of you. Happy New Year!

1010 Midtown Atlanta GA. Viewpoint Condos. Spire Atlanta. -- Wake up to breathtaking views. Fall asleep while gazing at Atlanta’s skyline. Walk a few blocks or hop on the train to your downtown office. Choose from among more than 80 restaurants. Stroll to your choice of entertainment venues. Midtown Atlanta Condos with Views are where the action is.

These 3 skyscrapers – 35 floors at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA, 36 floors at Viewpoint Condos and 28 floors at Spire Atlanta offer floor-to-ceiling walls of windows and panoramic views. The rooms are open and airy, and there’s just something that makes you happy about being in an environment with so much extended outdoor space.

The design and architecture at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA are admirable. If there is a problem, it is 1) that only half of the building gives you a spectacular view. The other half faces the Lowes hotel - another skyscraper that sits directly across the street. And 2) the prices in this building are higher than they should be and this may be why the building has sold only half of its 400+ units. The good news for prospective buyers at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA is that the units are more spacious than the units of other high rise condos AND the 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA developers should be willing to wheel and deal to get the remaining units sold.

You’ll find a similar situation at Viewpoint Condos and Spire Atlanta, but to a lesser extent. These sister buildings sit across the street from each other, but most units have side views that don’t feed into their neighboring windows. And their prices are more in line with today’s market, and competition from the flood of foreclosures and West Midtown Atlanta short sales buyers have to choose from. Consequently, Spire Atlanta is sold out and Viewpoint Condos has only 1 new construction unit remaining. This makes it easier for existing Viewpoint Condos owners and Spire Atlanta owners to resell their units as a Midtown Atlanta Condo with Views, even if they have to go the short sale route.

These skyscrapers with their walls of windows let you play the game of how far can you see?

If you choose to visit one of these Midtown Atlanta Condos with Views at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA, Viewpoint Condos or Spire Atlanta, be careful. Once you’ve viewed 270 degrees of Atlanta from your living room, bedroom, kitchen or balcony, you may never want to go back to living in a home with 4 walls again.

If you would like to buy your own home with a view at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA, Viewpoint Condos or Spire Atlanta, OR if you would like to consider some other Midtown Atlanta Condo with Views, OR if you own a home at 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA, Viewpoint Condos or Spire Atlanta and want it sold, call me at 770-475-1130 x4486.

Copyright Cheryl Dukes, Solid Source Realty, Inc. - 2011 All Rights Reserved, Midtown Atlanta Condos with Views – 1010 Midtown Atlanta GA, Viewpoint Condos, Spire Atlanta. This is the final in a series about interesting places to live in and around Atlanta. (See previous posts about Glenwood Park, EdgewoodAtlanta, Guilford Forest, Country Club of the South, Atlantic Station, One Ivy Walk and The Manor Golf and Country Club.)

The Manor Golf and Country Club, Alpharetta GA - Just after Fulton County blends into the Cherokee County line, you'll find yourself contained within the city of Alpharetta and in Georgia's most affluent suburb, Milton GA -- where rolling hills, green country acres and small lakes pop up alongside a collection of storybook mansions. Only thirty miles north of Atlanta’s city center, this Alpharetta community of world-class amenities and magnificent homes leaves nothing to be desired. Welcome to The Manor Golf and Country Club.

New Construction Kitchen Ready For Finishing

To describe The Manor Golf and Country Club as a luxury estate community is to not give it its full due. It is indeed one of the premier, exclusive Country Club retreats in Georgia. The setting is serene with an occasional golf cart zipping in and out of paths winding through back yards and darting across sidewalks, while both competitive and recreational players navigate the championship Tom Watson Signature golf course. Indoor-outdoor swimming, indoor-outdoor tennis and playgrounds nicely complement the lavish mix of homes featuring southern plantation and European architecture.

There are several phases to The Manor Golf and Country Club Homes, all gated and guarded. In the newest phase, Manor North, the homes are scaled down a bit. But then there is the Manor Estates section where The Manor Golf and Country Club Homes are large and lavish.

If you’ve ever wondered what the Chandler mansion on the long-running soap All My Children must resemble in real life, with all its separate wings and hidden rooms, this must be it. Homes in The Manor Estate section of The Manor Golf and Country Club have more wings than even the Adam Chandler clan would know what to do with. These are the closest things to modern day castles that you’ll find in the Atlanta area; completely opulent homes (like this one) sitting right on top of the golf course with golf and mountain views, ample space and acreage, motorcourts, fountains and many custom extras, well worth their $½ -$2.5 million dollar price tags.

Modern Day Castles?

The Manor Golf and Country Club offers several homes at drywall stage waiting to be finished by future homeowners. And if you want to build your opulence from the ground up, you’ll have much to choose from as well, as there are currently more empty lots than there are built homes. Plus, there are several opportunities to pick up a bank owned property or a short sale at discounted prices.

If you have kids, you’ll love the fact that this community feeds into some of the top tier schools in Georgia. Milton High School, Hopewell Middle School, and Summit Hill Elementary are each ranked among the state’s top 30 schools in their grade levels (placing them all in the top 8% statewide). If you enjoy horses, the Holbrook Farm Equestrian Center is about a ½ mile from the development with available stalls.

Large green acreage, space between neighbors, golf, tennis, swimming, lakes, excellent schools, lavish well-priced homes and the look and feel of a world-class resort make The Manor Golf and Country Club one of the most desirable retreats in a Georgia Country Club setting.

If you would like to view a home for sale at The Manor Golf and Country Club, OR if you own a home at The Manor Golf and Country Club and want it sold, call me at 770-475-1130 x4486.

Copyright Cheryl Dukes, Solid Source Realty, Inc. - 2011 All Rights Reserved, Georgia's Most Affluent City? - And The Winner Contains The Manor Golf and Country Club. This is number 7 in a series about interesting places to live in and around Atlanta. (See previous posts aboutGlenwood Park, EdgewoodAtlanta, Guilford Forest, Country Club of the South, Atlantic Station and One Ivy Walk.)

One Ivy Walk Vinings GA! - One of the most interesting and beautiful places to live in the Atlanta area is One Ivy Walk Vinings GA, a 7-year-young mixed-use gated community of luxurious European-inspired townhomes. Office, retail and restaurant space round out this community and make it a popular destination to live, work and play. This dynamic community is just far enough outside of Atlanta’s northwest perimeter to avoid Atlanta’s high taxes, and just on the inside fringe of popular and prestigious Vinings. It looks like a bunch of apartments on top of retail space at first glance, but no, no, no, make no mistake - One Ivy Walk Vinings GA is much much different than that.

Distinctively designed architecture featuring a mix of brick and hardiplank exteriors, along with a variety of elevations, colors and textures is solid construction, built by the award winning John Wieland and reminiscent of a vibrant town square or New Orleans French Quarter.

Scene from a Puzzle

The living quarters at One Ivy Walk Vinings GA are actually multi-level homes that are spacious, loaded and very beautiful. The homes that present the face of the community sit on top of a full smorgasbord of small businesses, including services for accounting, income tax, insurance, education and business consulting, eye care, art instruction, care for women and dental aesthetics. Plus, there is a dance studio, chiropractor, florist, attorney, clothing boutique, cleaners, nail salon, hair salon and fitness studio. You will also find right outside your front door, brands like J.Christophers, Little Azio, Precious Cargo, The Dinner A'Fare and South City Kitchen.

If you visit one of these businesses in the evenings or on weekends, you’ll get a glimpse of some of the residents who live on top of these store fronts with their doors wide open, hanging out on their balconies and soaking up the vibrant atmosphere. It almost reminds you of a scene from a puzzle set in a European town.

If you prefer a quieter, more discreet atmosphere, you can choose one of the interior homes nestled completely inside the gates, surrounding the centrally located club house, pool and fitness center. There is even a small pocket dog park which helps keep both the dog lovers and dog haters happy.

Scene from a designer book of Fine Homes

These are houses – attached homes according to the rulebook; okay – townhomes if you insist, but houses nonetheless, with up to 4500 square feet of the finest appointments and innovative features you will ever find in a home. Fun things, like private elevators inside the home are included, along with one or two car garages, high end finishes, spacious, eat-in kitchens with islands, stainless appliances, double ovens, granite countertops and walk-in pantries. And yes, there is a butler’s pantry, keeping room and formal dining space too.

Also inside, you’ll find a fireplace, berber carpet, wrought iron spindles, wainscoting on window seats, solid oak flooring, 3 or 4 bedrooms, 3 or 4+ baths with pedestal sinks or designer bowls, and ridiculously oversized master baths – large enough to be someone’s living room – with his and her changing areas, linen closets and medicine cabinets, plus Jacuzzi tubs and double seated showers. You’ll also find laundry rooms with sinks, built-in shelving, and walk-in closets. How does all of this fit inside a townhouse, you ask? – By using 3 or 4 levels with mini basements or media rooms at the terrace level AND finished bonus space on the top levels (which make nice guest quarters or extra bed space).

With covered entry porches, foyers that hide the rest of the house, wide 4 ½ feet interior steps (6 feet wide steps just inside the foyer), skylights, and huge decks or patios, you begin to feel the quality of these homes as soon as you get out of your car. No corners have been cut and nothing has been left out.

Who wouldn’t want to own a dreamy house (I mean townhouse) at One Ivy Walk Vinings GA? I can’t imagine anyone not enjoying the comfort and beauty offered by the homes in this upscale community. If you can afford this luxury and want the convenience of a lock-and-go lifestyle, this is the place to be.

There are many different floorplans. Most nondistressed homes are currently re-selling at the $400,000-$500,000 price point. There is an HOA fee of $250 per month. If you would like to consider purchasing a home at One Ivy Walk Vinings GA or if you own a home that you would like SOLD at One Ivy Walk Vinings GA, call me at 770-475-1130 x4486.

Copyright Cheryl Dukes, Solid Source Realty, Inc. - 2011 All Rights Reserved, One Ivy Walk Vinings GA - One of the Most Interesting and Beautiful Places. This is number 6 in a series about interesting places to live in and around Atlanta. (See previous posts about Glenwood Park, Edgewood Atlanta, Guilford Forest, Country Club of the South and Atlantic Station.)