Last night was horrific for the city of Atlanta. As the SEC Basketball Tournament was going on inside the Georgia Dome, a F2 tornado was reeking havoc on our beautiful Downtown. It all but destroyed the CNN building, ripped off the facade on the Phillips Arena, and damaged the roof to the Georgia Dome. That is only a few of the instances that happen. And this went on as the SEC Basketball playoffs took place in the Georgia Dome. The Dome sustained ample water damage and the tournament had to be moved to Georgia Tech's facilities to finish play.

With that said, the last report we heard last night was astonishing as only 9 people were hurt and none were life threatening. Even though the storm did not pick on the civilians, it did pick on buildings, trees, and cars. With that said, the last figure that I heard was in the neighborhood $100 million. And, that was just last night.

Today, as I am writing this, more storms are rolling across the Metro Atlanta area just north of where I reside in Roswell and tornadoes have been spotted touching down by officials. I really hate to hear what damage they will be doing. The pictures are from downtown streets showing the damage that was bestowed on our city last night. As we sleptm, crews worked to clean up the mess and get our fair city back in working condition. Buildings were damaged, hotels windows blown out, car windows destroyed, and a building left collapsed. As quick as the storm arrived, it also left. I do have to say that the city officials handled the crowd control well and made sure that people were taken care of. I was going to attached a lot of pictures, but instead I decided to give you a few videos instead. Thanks for the emails from all of our friends in the rain.

*Update* since typing this it has been told to me that there were 2 deaths in all of this, but I can not confirm if it was from last night or today's storms.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact Danny or Rich of the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approved in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@homeamericamortgage.com or call us @ 770-998-1964.

Fayetteville, Georgia is a suburb located 22 miles south of Atlanta, Georgia and is in Fayette County. It's population is approximately 14,000 strong. It is called home to both Lee Hyde of the Myrtle Beach Pelicans and Ryan Schwartz of the Winthrop Eagles. There are several stars that called Fayetteville home, and these are two of the up and coming that you can watch out for.

Now, if this sounds like a place that you would love to move or just get more information on it, you can click on one of the links that I have provided, or you can contact me, or you can contact Brande Bradford of Bradford Realty Group in Marrow, Georgia and she would be glad to help get you going in your home search. Brande is the owner of Bradford Realty Group. She can be reached at 770-961-5520 in her office.

With that said, if you are in need of mortgage financing, contact Rich or myself by clicking the link to the right. We are here to service your needs today. We have many loan programs for you to choose from.

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approved in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@hammtg.com or call us @ 404-354-1115.

Norcross, Georgia is a small suburban city that is located 16.6 miles northeast of Atlanta in Gwinnett County. It's population is 9,887 people.

Even though Norcross is a smaller community in the Suburbs, there are many things to do in this city. With Atlanta only a short drive away, it is not far fetched to go and do things in the big city.

If driving is not on the agenda, you can still find things to do keep you busy in Norcross.

Norcross was founded in 1866 by John Thrasher. Thrasher named the town after his good friend Jonathan Norcross, the fourth mayor of Atlanta. Thrasher himself had been an early settler of Whitehall, but left in 1842. The site of Whitehall is now in downtown Atlanta, just southwest of the city center. Thrasher has a park that was named after him. The park is still maintained and offers a lot of green space for you to play in. Flint Hill Mansion is also another attraction in Norcross. It is 170 years old and has been useed as a special events place place since 1986. It is owned and opertated by Magic Moments, Inc and some of the uses are weddings, corporate events, and meetings and can cater for up to 350 guest.

As for restaurants, Norcross has a lot to offer also. From Thai to Chinese to Mexican to Italian to American, you can find what ever it is that you are looking for. Norcross has all the chains that you love as well as the independent ones. Pappadeaux is a great seafood restaurant an is a great place to dine.

Once dining is done, a night out on the town might just be the ticket. There are adult things to do as well as many family activities that one can find in Norcross.

If working in a small suburban city is your cup of tea, Norcross is home to some business that choose to Headquarter outside the big city limits. Internet Commerce Corporation is a publicly traded corporation that is located in Norcross. Access Payment Solutions is a private family owned corporation in Norcross that handles credit card payments for companies all over the area.

Also, schools and places of worship are easily located in the city as well and can be found for whatever your needs are.

Shopping is also a nice treat as Norcross has recently opened The Forum.

So, if Atlanta is your destination, but you want the suburban life, then check out Norcross today.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approved in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@hammtg.com or call us @ 404-354-1115.

Sandy Springs, GA is a quaint little city that actually just recently became it's own city. It lays just outside the Atlanta border and straddles I285. Sandy Springs is where I go to work daily. It is truly a business mecca for outside of Atlanta.

Sandy Springs is accessible through Roswell Road or through GA 400 if you do not like all the lights. In my case, I travel south from my home and take GA 400 down to my exit and get off. It is anywhere from a 15 to 30 minute commute according to what time I leave. So, let's take a look at what Sandy Springs, GA has to offer you.

With that said, local business is the flavor of Sandy Springs. Now, do not get me wrong, there are some major businesses there, but it is the little shops that are thriving in Sandy Springs. As usual, all these pictures are active and you can click on them to get transported to the websites that they coincide with. From bookstores to nail salons, Sandy Springs has them all.

In the case of nature, or maybe getting back to nature, Big Tree Preserve is definitely an easy trail that you will want to check out. It explores the Power's Branch, a tributary of the Chattahoochee River and a ridge above the river. The land runs adjancent to Roswell Road and the trail has some wonderful views of the river.

This is by far not the only outdoors attraction is Sandy Springs. With that said, I could not even possibly make a dent in all they have to offer, so click on the pick to the right and you will be directed to a web page dedicated just for that. As you will be able to tell, there are plenty of activities to get out and get some fresh air.

Now, if religion is on your mind, and you need a place to worship, there are many outlets for that in Sandy Springs including something for the kids.

As for the hungry person in you, there are some great dining experiences here also. From El Azteca, to The 285 Line, to the Little European Bakery, there is something for everyone to enjoy. And, it does not stop there. The main chains are around too for you to enjoy.

Sandy Springs also has great educational centers. From their elementary schools, to the middle schools, to the high schools, you will find a top notch system in place. The education does not stop at the schools as Sandy Springs has a vast array of public Libraries.

Now, I am sure that there is a lot that is left out here, but I want to share a couple of photos that you can see all around Sandy Springs. These have no hyper links, so need to click on it. Thanks for taking a walk with me today through Sandy Springs and yall come on down and visit us, ya hear. To the left is a picture of a sculptured turtle that can be seen around almost all the government buildings here. On the right is a Sandy Springs sign.

About the Author

If you are in the market to purchase a home or even refinance an existing loan and you want a loan officer that will walk with you every step of the way, then contact the Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage today. We can have you pre-approved in as little as 4 hours. You can visit our website or send an email to thorntonteam@hammtg.com or call us @ 404-354-1115.

Atlanta, Georgia is big for sports for sure, but that is not all that we are known for. Sure we are home to the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball, the Atlanta Falcons of the Nation Football League, the Atlanta Hawks of the Nation Basketball Association, and the Atlanta Thrashers of the Nation Hockey League.

But, we do not stop there. There are many sights to be taken in here. Lets break it down is sections.

SPORTS:

Atlanta is well know for sports. We have the Braves, the Falcons, the Hawks, and the Thrashers, but it does not stop there. You can take in a Nascar race at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Atlanta was home to the 1996 Olympics. We have many tennis venues around the Metro Atlanta Area. We have vast participation when it comes to amateur softball and baseball. Youth sports is huge in the greater Atlanta area. We are also home to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as well as Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College which each have athletic teams. GPC has one of the best soccer teams in the nation and proved that last year as the played for the national championship and lost on an Overtime Kick.

Nightlife:

Alicia Bridges said it best when she sang "I Love the Nightlife". Atlanta has a vast array of nightclubs that one can take in. Regardless of your flavor, Atlanta probably has it. From sports bars, to strip clubs, to gay or lesbian clubs, to singles clubs, to pubs, or clubs for the swingers; there is something for all when it comes to the Atlanta's Nightlife. If live music is your thing, there are clubs that will cater to that as well. Or, if you want a Martini and cigar bar, we can accommodate that for you too.

Diversity:

Atlanta has a very diverse population. We encompass and cater to all different types of people from African-Americans to Jewish to Native Americans to Hispanic to Asian. We also do not discriminate based on sexual orientation as Atlanta is home to many Gays and Lesbians. The diversity in Atlanta makes it a great place to live as you can learn about many cultures and different walks of life and how they coexist in a major city.

Shopping:

Atlanta is home to many shopping malls and a ton of mom and pop shops. There are three really nice urban malls in Atlanta. They are Atlantic Station, Lenox Square Mall, Phipps Plaza. If you get into the greater area of Atlanta, it is much more vast than this. If you are here to shop, Atlanta definitely can help you spend some money.

Amusement Parks & Attractions:

If amusement parks are your thing, you can make a day of it riding roller coasters at Atlanta's Six Flags over Georgia or cooling off at Whitewater Park. Or if animals is your thing, you could spend a day a Zoo Atlanta or take in a tour at the Georgia Aquarium. There are many other attractions that you can also take in.

Dining:

All the pictures above are active and will take you to the appropriate websites.

If you would like to see more on our great city, then check out these 2 post by Rich Dansereau of The Thornton Team at Home America Mortgage. He takes it to another level.

Atlanta's Historic Ansley Inn Bed and Breakfast

Back To Nature : An Urban Tale