Tina Fountain

Moving can prove to be an extremely exciting - and stressful - time for both you and your family. How you prepare for this move, whether it's across town or across the country, will likely play a large role in how well you and your family deal with the transition and all the changes that come along with it.

New jobs, new schools, new surroundings and new friends will all become an issue at some point for most people, so planning ahead and making the transition a smoother one will benefit everyone in the family and will hopefully make the move a positive one in your lives.

The following list of suggestions will help you prepare for a move, as well as the changes that go along with it:

• Prepare your children ahead of time by keeping the lines of communication open and involving them when it comes to decision making. Keeping your children abreast of the situation and being upfront and honest about the move and the changes it will bring will better prepare your children and will allow them to feel more in control of the situation.

• You may want to bring your children to your new home several times, if possible, and allow them to voice their questions, concerns or suggestions. Touring your new neighborhood with your children may also help, as this often calms the fear of the unknown.

• Frequently ask for your children's input when making decisions and use this time to make family decisions regarding your new home. Although you may certainly not agree with all of your children's suggestions, they will feel appreciated knowing that they have a voice in the situation.

• For younger children, you can begin talking with them about their new home on a frequent basis to better prepare them for the move. You may also want to count down the days on the calendar until the move, or make your own countdown and involve the children by allowing them to mark each day.

• For yourself and your spouse, you can make the move less stressful by planning ahead. That may include reserving a moving company or a moving van ahead of time for the move, packing boxes of things that you don't use on a regular basis, and clearing out the clutter that you can sell, donate or toss.

Now is a great time to have a garage sale! Clearing out excess clutter before a move will lessen the stress of packing and moving, and will make the process a much easier one!

Use this opportunity to once again involve the children by asking them to donate their old toys and clothes.

Organizing and packing boxes of off-season clothing and items, holiday decorations and rarely used items, such as china and crystal, will allow you to remain ahead of the game when it comes to packing.

You can also prepare for your move by coordinating your old and new utilities. Finally, consider scheduling turn on/shut off dates ahead of time to save yourself a considerable amount of stress.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Cobb County Real Estate.

You have painstakingly maintained the interior of your Atlanta home, and it sure does show. But what if the outside of your home has been neglected in the process?

Selling your Atlanta home is often a fine art, and luring buyers into your home is the first part of the process. Curb appeal can - and often does - affect how well a home will sell, so tending to your home's exterior should be in the forefront of your mind when selling your home.

The good news is that many of things you can do to spruce up your Atlanta's home exterior are fairly inexpensive.

The following tips can guide you when improving your home's curb appeal:

• Stand at the front curb and examine your home. Is the paint peeling? Is the address sign visible and attractive? Are there low-hanging tree branches blocking the home? Viewing your home from the curb is the easiest way to allow you to see your home from potential buyers' eyes.

• A good place to start is your lawn. Pull weeds, seed bare spots and trim the edges, near the driveway and walkway.

• Pay attention to your plant and flower beds by pulling weeds, trimming back plants and shrubbery and laying down a layer of mulch. You may also want to consider adding more plants or colorful flowers to further add interest to your front yard.

• Choose easy-care, native plants for your plant beds, as these often require less water and less maintenance, and will be appreciated by potential buyers.

• Consider painting your home's trim and shutters if they look worn. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a home's curb appeal.

• Replace your mailbox, light post, address sign or porch light to instantly update the area.

• Consider painting your front door and installing new hardware. A beautiful front door will instantly catch the attention of potential buyers. If it is in your budget, you may also want to consider purchasing a new front door, as well.

• Make sure the handrail to your front steps is secure and attractive. Also check for uneven concrete or asphalt on your driveway, steps, walkway or front porch that could pose as a tripping hazard for visitors.

• Patch any cracks in your asphalt and have uneven concrete repaired by a qualified concrete contractor.

• Trim back any overhanging branches from the front of your home, if necessary. Consider calling in a tree service to handle this if you have several trees to be trimmed.

• Add a splash of color to your porch by placing several pots of colorful annuals near the front door. A wreath on the door also immediately adds a feeling of hominess to this area.

Make it a point to maintain your home's exterior on a frequent basis, as potential buyers could be viewing your home at any time.

You hard work and effort will surely pay off in the form of better offers and more visitors!

 Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Vinings Real Estate.

It is no wonder that companies would choose Atlanta as their convention destination. Word-class shopping, fine dining, museums, theaters and plenty of attractions are just the beginning of what this Southern wonder has to offer.

Southern hospitality, an excellent ground transportation system, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and plenty of outstanding hotels make Atlanta a fine choice for visitors and residents alike. Combine that with perhaps the finest convention center conglomerate in the country, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, and you have all the ingredients for a spectacular corporate destination.

Why use the Georgia World Congress Center as your Next Corporate Destination?

Located in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the Georgia World Congress Center Authority includes the Georgia Dome, Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia World Congress Center and several other related facilities. These facilities have been the springboard for generating much of Atlanta's economic income and for providing a better quality of life for every Georgia resident.

The Georgia World Congress Authority now ranks among the top five largest convention destinations in the country, as well as one of the best sports and entertainment campuses in the world.

The Georgia World Congress Center was open for business in 1976 and at that time was considered to be one of the country's premier convention facilities, with 350,000 square feet of exhibit space. Since that time, the Georgia World Congress Center has grown to over 1.4 million square feet of exhibit space. It also boasts the best technology, amenities and services.

In fact, the Georgia World Congress Center is capable of handling some of the world's largest telecommunication, computer and technology trade shows and conventions with ease.

The technical services staff at the Georgia World Congress Center is capable of handling live addresses, award shows, and formal banquets, and can coordinate any kind of advanced lighting and sound needed during an event. In addition, each room of the Georgia World Congress Center is designed with the best built-in AV services.

Levy Restaurants, the exclusive food service provider to the Georgia World Congress Center, is capable of providing the finest cuisine for any size event. The Levy offers an eclectic array of menu options, and can work with its guests to coordinate custom menu planning, as well.

Exceptional Services and Amenities

A full array of services and amenities are designed to accommodate attendees' every need.

• Concierge - The concierge desk offers tourism information and also includes tourism brochures. The knowledgeable attendants of the concierge desks can answer questions, make recommendations and even make reservations at some of Atlanta's finest restaurants.

• FedEx Kinko's Business Centers - Two, full-service business centers provide a spot at which to copy, fax, bind, scan and print. A great selection of office supplies are also found here. Additional services include computer access, a notary, UPS, Federal Express and US Mail delivery.

• Starbucks - Multiple Starbucks coffee stands, as well as permanent facility, offer attendees refreshments, pastries, confections and coffee-related accessories and equipment.

• Cyber Center - A free cyber center provides a spot at which to conduct research, communicate with co-workers and check email via a high-speed Internet connection. It includes four workstations, as well as a private conference room.

• Wireless Hotspots - Wireless hot spots, which are located throughout the common areas of the center, including all restaurants and eateries, allow attendees to access the Internet at any time.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Cobb County Real Estate.

Many of today's condominiums and planned unit developments are governed by Homeowners Associations, otherwise known as HOAs. Before you purchase a home that is part of an HOA, you should first carefully research it to determine if it is best type of living arrangement for you.

HOAs are often developed as a way to enforce rules and restrictions regarding the community, the homes within the community and the members of the community. HOAs are also used to maintain, improve or repair common grounds and amenities throughout the community.

Research the HOA

When you purchase a home in an HOA community, you will have to pay HOA fees. Depending on the community, these fees can be paid once a month or once a year. The services and amenities covered under each HOA will differ, so make it a point to carefully read the HOA covenants, conditions and restrictions, often referred to as the CC&Rs.

CC&Rs may limit the type of improvements or modifications you can make to your home, or can limit the number of pets you have. The CC&Rs are often too restrictive for some homeowners, which is why it is important that you carefully review them. You should also carefully read the Homeowners Association bylaws, as this will detail how the association is to operate for your community.

Research the HOA Fees

Your HOA fees can range greatly from one community to the next. Some HOA fees are as little as $50 a month, while others can be as much as $500 a month. This amount usually reflects the amenities offered, such as swimming pools, tennis courts and fitness centers. It is also one of the perks of paying HOA fees.

Understanding HOA Restrictions

Although many view HOAs as being too restrictive, it is important to understand that the restrictions, rules and covenants are designed to maintain the home values in the neighborhood.

For example, a patio home community may have strict rules regarding what color you can paint your home's exterior. This is because, should one homeowner choose to paint his or her home a bold color, the uniformity of the neighborhood would be defeated, and property values would fall.

Some of the other restrictions homeowners in HOA communities may face include the number of cars that can be parked in the front of the home, the type of holiday lights that can be put up and the type of landscaping permitted.

Some communities that charge HOA fees have a world of amenities to offer their residents, including parks, playgrounds, walking trails and shopping areas. The HOA fees go toward maintaining these areas and providing residents with a superb level of living.

Also, keep in mind that each community will have its own set of HOA rules, regulations and fees, so if you don't find what you're looking for in one community, you can always research another.

If you view an HOA as a protection of your investment and as a pass to the community's amenities, you can soon understand why so many people live in HOA communities.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Marietta Real Estate and Cobb County Real Estate.

Although Atlanta has its share of great, suburban neighborhoods, many of the communities within the downtown area best display Atlanta's rich past and the splendid future that lies ahead:

Georgia State

A great array of commercial establishments can be found throughout the Georgia State neighborhood. This area is a prime spot for office space, retail outlets, and institutional establishments, including the Grady Memorial Hospital and Georgia State University.

The constant activity of both the hospital and the university has made this community a hot bed of activity during all hours of the day and night.

Woodruff Park is also a welcomed addition to this community, as it serves a relaxing, outdoor area for office workers, hospital staff and students.

Memorial Drive

Memorial Drive is a fine example of Atlanta's revitalization. This area serves as a corridor and separates Atlanta's government district, Grant Park and East Atlanta, which therefore has made it a hotbed for investment in recent years.

Many of the older buildings, such as public housing projects, have been redeveloped into mixed-income communities, which have encouraged a wide array of people to flock to this area.

A new loft development near Oakland Cemetery also provides the chic, urban living that many Atlanta professionals, young families and empty nesters are looking for.

South Central Business District

As one of the oldest sections of Atlanta, the South Central Business Districts packs loads of charm and history. In addition to serving as a gathering place for city, state, and federal government offices, the South Central Business District boasts a great array of hip, loft residences which used to serve as 19th century hotels, department stores and commercial buildings.

Northside Drive Corridor

The Northside Drive Corridor is another hot spot for real estate activity. Located near the Georgia World Congress Center, the Georgia Dome and the residential neighborhoods of English Avenue and Vine City, this area is no longer simply a corridor to downtown Atlanta.

A newer development in the Northside Drive Corridor is the Northyards Business Park, which is a huge business park with large, mixed-use building and residential projects.

Marietta Artery

Marietta Artery, which once served as an industrial corridor along the Western and Atlantic Railroad, experienced a steep decline in the 1960s and then a strong revitalization over the past few years.

Many of the old buildings were renovated and rehabilitated, and now serve as office buildings, residential lofts, chic restaurants and trendy art galleries.

Many developers are now focusing in on the Marietta Artery. As a result, this area has seen a flurry of activity as of late, with interest in Marietta Artery real estate taking center stage.

Downtown Atlanta is one area of the country that should never be underestimated. Residential lofts, mixed use developments and plenty of commercial establishments are appearing where industrial buildings once stood.

Outstanding urban communities are attracting Atlanta residents from every walk of life, and are redefining what urban living is all about.

One thing's for sure when it comes to Atlanta: Revitalization is the key to Atlanta's success, and will remain that way for many years to come.

Tina Fountain Realtors, an Atlanta Real Estate company serving the entire metro Atlanta area including Buckhead Homes For Sale and Midtown Atlanta Homes For Sale.