Paul Renton ABR e-Pro's Blog

More people moving for positive reasons than recession

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:09:39 -0500

Half of people surveyed by Relocation.com moved to improve their living situation. This is a huge improvement from last March when the majority of people moved due to the recession.

•26% moved to live in a bigger or better home

•24% moved into a better neighborhood

•12% moved to be closer to family or friends

•9% moved into an area with a lower cost of living

•6% moved due to a change in marital status

•3% or less for each of the following: school, job loss, retirement, or foreclosure

For Further Questions feel free to contact us.To check Your Local Market Data go to Your Market Snapdshot For further information about Metro Atlanta. orIf you have a Real Estate need in Atlanta trust the Full time Local professionals at Team Renton Keller Williams. For Free Home Search for Metro Atlanta go to http://www.servingdouglasvillehomes.com

On August 20, the first phase of the credit card bill that was approved in May took effect.

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:33:47 -0500

On August 20, the first phase of the credit card bill that was approved in May took effect.

Key changes in the way credit cards work include:

1.Customers will now receive 45 days notice,
up from 15 days, before interest rates increase. 2.The minimum balance due can increase by no more
than two times the percentage that it previously has been. 3.Bills must be mailed 21 days, up from 14 days,
before the payment is due.

The balance of the bill's provisions will become effective in February. Until then, consumer advocates' concerns center around credit card issuers continuing to increase rates, lower credit limits, decrease rewards programs, and close inactive accounts. Credit card companies reaffirm these actions are not due to legislation but decreasing credit scores.

This bill intends to help consumers control credit and unknown expenses. As consumers consider buying or selling a home, knowing monthly expenses becomes increasingly important in understanding how much they can afford and are comfortable spending on housing.

Banks Come On We need Some Common Sense and We can Get out fo this Mess

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:08:16 -0500

I wanted to know if anyone else has common sense defying Short sale transactions with the banks right now???

I have 2 deals both initial buyers have walked, BPO and banks appraiaslas are done. 2 new cash offers wanting to close ASAP!!! one is full price offer no closing costs.

Instead of the banks alowing us to change the names and details on the contracts and getting the deal done we are been told we have to submit as new still under the same case number but the whole process will start again.

They will give us nothing in writing to give to the clients but they will say they can take again as long as 3-6 months to review. Review what???? I would love to be taking these said contracts and expiditing them for the bank to get the deals closed. Come on Foreclosure should not be an option neither should negligence!!!

Cash For Clunkers IS Big Success!!!

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:52:46 -0500

"Cash for Clunkers" began July 24 with such overwhelming demand that the program, originally set to expire November 1, burned through funding with amazing speed. In the first week alone, the incredible demand depleted the entire budget of $1 billion. A second round of $2 billion in funds extended the program's life by a few weeks, but the program ended on August 24 with no plans to revive or extend it.

The success of the program has put 690,000 new fuel efficient cars on the road and has saved jobs in the auto industry. In some cases it has even brought laid-off employees back to work. For example, GM announced plans to reinstate almost 1,400 employees and add overtime for a substantial number of existing employees.

The government's $8,000 first time-home buyer tax credit has also seen tremendous success with first-timers making up 30% of all buyers in July. First-time buyers made up as much as half of all buyers in earlier months this year. As the tax credit reaches its expiration, the government may take a similar approach as with the Cash for Clunkers program- declaring it a success and unwinding the program.

FLOOD INFORMATION UPDATE Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:32:30 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

FLOOD INFORMATION UPDATE
Tuesday, October 6, 2009

For the latest information on roads and disaster assistance, please visit:
www.DouglasCountyEMA.com.

Douglas County Debris Removal
   Douglas County and West Georgia Waste are placing dumpsters in community locations - not at individual houses - with the location assistance of FEMA.
   If you need assistance in debris removal, call the Cedar Mountain Landfill at 770.920.4937, extension 105.
   The Cedar Mountain Landfill will be open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. through Saturday, October 17th, to accept debris from the flood at no charge to Douglas County residents (proof of address required), residential customers only (commercial disposal not eligible).
   The Cedar Mountain Landfill is located on Cedar Mountain Road northwest of Douglasville. Cross the railroad tracks at Rose Avenue/Hudson's BBQ, make an immediate right, then an immediate left on to Chicago Avenue. Continue for 3.8 miles (Chicago Avenue changes its name to Cedar Mountain Road) and the landfill will be on your right.
   Remember that we have a recycling center at the Landfill!

City of Douglasville Debris Removal
   For City residents, the City Sanitation Department will pick up items damaged as a result of the flooding. If you live within the City limits and have water-damaged items, contact the City Sanitation Department at 770.920.3005 or e-mail to sanitation@ci.douglasville.ga.us.

City of Douglasville Road Updates:
www.ci.douglasville.ga.us

Douglas County Road Updates:
www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com
   New Openings:
Capps Ferry Road Bridge over the Chattahoochee River
Pool Road between Berea Road and Post Road

Free Assistance

For help with debris clearing, re-building, removing belongings, call the United Methodist Church Disaster Relief Help Desk at 678.533.1443.
For help getting the mud out of your house, call Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief at 1-800-460-6881.
Affected residents can call 211 or 678.623.2859 for local assistance from United Way agencies and volunteer groups registering with United Way. Volunteer organizations can also call 678.623.2859 to donate time, labor, materials and money.

Contractors
   There is no such thing as a FEMA construction contractor. FEMA provides funds to individual homeowners and businesses to help recover but does not hire contractors. Beware of people representing themselves as FEMA contractors. Get their "business" card and report them to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department at 770.949.5656.
   Please use Douglas County contractors and businesses for your repairs. Check them out with the Better Business Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, or the County. If you use a local business, then you know where to find them if you have problems later on. Out-of-town contractors will be long gone.

Call the Sheriff's Office
   The Douglas County Sheriff's Office asks that you call them at 770.949.5656 to report anyone seen looting any damaged home or any suspicious people or activity in Douglas County, particularly in the flood-damaged areas.

Volunteers Needed to Read to Children Thursday
   To assist with early literacy efforts and to get books into the hands of children, United Way is partnering with Jumpstart to read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to over 70 pre-school and elementary school classrooms in Douglas County this Thursday, October 8th. To volunteer to read in a school this Thursday, please call the United Way of Douglas County at 678.623.2861 or e-mail hnutter@unitedwayatlanta.org.

We only send emails to people who signed up for the newsletter through www.celebratedouglascounty.com or who requested to be signed up by phone.

Market Comment - Week of October 5th, 2009

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:54:17 -0500

Market Comment - Week of October 5th, 2009

Mortgage bond prices rose last week pushing mortgage interest rates lower. Consumer confidence came in weaker than expected helping rates rally Tuesday morning. The ADP employment release showed more job losses than expected. The employment report Friday morning confirmed the ADP payroll data indicating the US economy shed 263,000 jobs in September.

For the week, interest rates fell by about 7/8 of a discount point.

Another round of Treasury auctions hits the market this week. Solid foreign demand will help rates remain the same or improve. Signs that foreign demand is diminishing will not bode well for mortgage interest rates. Weekly jobless claims set for release Thursday will carry a bit more weight than usual due to the lack of other economic data.

Economic Factors
Economic Indicator	Release Date Time	Consensus Estimate	Analysis
3-year Treasury Note Auction	Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009	None	Important. $39 billion of notes will be auctioned. Strong demand may lead to lower mortgage rates.
10-year Treasury Note Auction	Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009	None	Important. $20 billion of notes will be auctioned. Strong demand may lead to lower mortgage rates.
Consumer Credit	Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009	Down $9.5 billion	Low importance. A significantly larger than expected figure may lead to lower mortgage interest rates.
Weekly Jobless Claims	Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009	None	Moderately Important. A measure of employment. Job weakness may help rates improve.
30-year Treasury Bond Auction	Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009	None	Important. $12 billion of bonds will be auctioned. Strong demand may lead to lower mortgage rates.
Trade Data	Friday, Oct. 9, 2009	$33 billion deficit	Important. Affects the value of the dollar. A falling deficit may strengthen the dollar and lead to lower rates.

Professionals

Obtaining a mortgage is often a confusing task that can also lead to frustration. The reason for the confusion is due to the fact that mortgage financing is complex. The good news is that this complexity provides consumers with options and choices best suited to fit their needs.

Everyone's financial position is unique. Some people have large cash reserves that can be used for down payments while others want to get into a home with little or no money down. Credit ratings vary from person to person. In addition, future plans vary. Some people plan on staying in their home for the rest of their lives while others only plan on staying for a few years.

These facts alone make comparing your mortgage to your neighbor's based on rate alone a flawed endeavor, yet many people attempt to do so. Admittedly, everyone wants a good deal. Keep in mind that comparing rates is just one component of the entire mortgage. Other variables include the term, down payment requirements, income qualifications, credit ratings, reserve requirements, current debt, prepaid points, and many more.

A mortgage professional is able to take all of these variables that are unique to each individual and help a person obtain the mortgage loan that works best for their situation. The service they provide is time consuming and complex. However, the rewards of dealing with a professional carry forward throughout a borrower's life. Making wise financial decisions today helps to pave the way for a safe and secure future.

Are You Going To Give Up or Keep On Trying???

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:10:58 -0500

So Many times it is easy to give up, especially when there is no real long term pain associated with the failure. But what if there was?? Would we keep trying, do things differently. Reduce our House price because the kids education is worth more?? Be honest with our clients and their expectations even if it means not getting the listing.

What do we truly gain if we quiton what that little voice is telling us we know we should really do.

This guy has no choice and every reason to quit but he doesn't.

Good News Bad News - Week Report

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:31:37 -0500

Unemployment is now at 9.8%...so when you go to the store this weekend, count all the people... nationally that 10^th person is unemployed. And it won't improve for a while. We've lost so many jobs that if we added jobs at the rate we did from 2002 until 2007, in 5 years we'd still be at 7-8% unemployment. I count my blessings EVERY day. But, don't let this get you down... the Atlanta market is one of the BEST in the nation for housing....and speaking of housing -- which in my opinion will lead us out of this recession -- we have some good news.....

The Case-Shiller Index came out this week and while house prices nationally show a decline from 2008, the month to month stats show a majority of the cities have home prices maintaining or increasing in value. So house prices are starting to go back up. In other good news for housing, pending home sales came in far above expectations as people take advantage of the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. And there is strong sentiment in DC that this program will be extended for six months. Email or call your senator or representative!

This week, because of unemployment and a week economy, rates dropped again into the 4's, ranging between 4.5% and 5.25% depending on credit, points and program.

For Further Questions feel free to contact us.To check Your Local Market Data go to Your Market Snapdshot CheckOut the latest Douglas county happenings and for further information about Metro Atlanta. If you have a Real Estate need in Atlanta trust the Full time Local professionals at Team Renton Keller Williams. For Free Home Search for Douglasville or Metro Atlanta go to http://www.servingdouglasvillehomes.com

Flood Disaster Assistance - Information Update

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 06:27:48 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

FLOOD INFORMATION UPDATE - Friday, October 02, 2009

For the latest information on roads and disaster assistance, please visit:
www.DouglasCountyEMA.com.

Douglas County Debris Removal
   The Cedar Mountain Landfill will be open 7 days a week from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. through Saturday, October 17th, to accept debris from the flood at no charge to Douglas County residents (proof of address required), residential customers only (commercial disposal not eligible).
   The Cedar Mountain Landfill is located on Cedar Mountain Road northwest of Douglasville. Cross the railroad tracks at Rose Avenue/Hudson's BBQ, make an immediate right, then an immediate left on to Chicago Avenue. Continue for 3.8 miles (Chicago Avenue changes its name to Cedar Mountain Road) and the landfill will be on your right.
   Remember that we have a recycling center at the Landfill!
   If you need assistance in debris removal, call the Cedar Mountain Landfill at 770.920.4937, extension 105.

City of Douglasville Debris Removal
   For City residents, the City Sanitation Department will pick up items damaged as a result of the flooding. If you live within the City limits and have water-damaged items, contact the City Sanitation Department at 770.920.3005 or e-mail to sanitation@ci.douglasville.ga.us.

City of Douglasville Road Updates

Chapel Hill Road - contract awarded to Butch Thompson Enterprises for work starting immediately; 800' of the northbound lane required to be removed and replace; expected re-opening in mid October
Creekwood Drive, Arbor Station - engineering being completed; no re-opening date yet set
Prestley Mill Road/Slater Mill Road - engineering being completed; no re-opening date yet set
Cindy Drive, Rolling Hills - engineering being completed; no re-opening date yet set
Rose Avenue - road expected to re-open by October 7th
Parkway Circle, Arbor Station - contract awarded to Carr Contracting for work starting immediately; one lane of traffic open
Arbor Parkway, Arbor Station - street is open but will be closed for repair work after Parkway Circle repair work is completed for traffic flow

Road Updates
Please visit www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com for the latest list of road closures in both Douglas County to www.ci.douglasville.ga.us for updates in the City of Douglasville.
Georgia Highway 166 at Anneewakee Creek will be closed for approximately one year since the bridge is going to have to be completely replaced. This bridge is located approximately 1/2 mile west of the Y where Georgia Highways 92 and 166 converge near Boundary Waters Park.

Opened Today: Mack Road at Deer Lick Park

FEMA Community Relations Staff in Douglas County
FEMA Community Relations staff is visiting homes throughout the County to assess damage and to ensure that citizens are getting the help they need. They will be wearing official FEMA shirts and have official FEMA identification badges.

Graham Bingham - driving a dark gray Subaru Forester, tag number GA ARF1907
Mike Bridges - driving a red Mazda, tag number GA AWE8507
Sally Fenley - driving a grey Toyota Corolla, tag number FL 711LYU

All official FEMA representatives have official FEMA identification and most likely will be wearing FEMA apparel. If someone represents to you that they work for FEMA or have been contracted by FEMA, ask for identification. If they don't have official identification, call 911 and report them. Give 911 their car description, car tag number, and person description.

Latest Disaster Assessment Statistics from the American Red Cross for Douglas County
   Homes Destroyed: 153
   Homes with Major Damage: 120
   Homes with Minor Damage: 34
   Homes Affected: 10

If you had storm or flood damage to your home or business, please register for FEMA and other assistance. Call 1-800-621-3362, log on to www.fema.gov, or walk in to one of the Disaster Recovery Centers at the following locations that are open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.:

Disaster Recovery Center
Lithia Springs 1st United Methodist Church
3711 Temple Street at North Sweetwater Road
Lithia Springs, GA 30122

Disaster Recovery Center
Heritage Baptist Church
8800 Rose Avenue at Selman Drive
Douglasville, GA 30134.

Call 211 or 770.614.1000 for non-government/charitable/Church assistance and for locations where affected residents can receive other assistance such as clothing, food, water, etc.
For help with debris clearing, re-building, removing belongings, call the United Methodist Church Disaster Relief Help Desk at 678.533.1443.
For help getting the mud out of your house, call Georgia Baptist Disaster Relief at 1-800-460-6881.
Beginning Monday, October 5th, affected residents can call 678.623.2859 for local assistance from United Way agencies and volunteer groups registering with United Way. Volunteer organizations can also call 678.623.2859 to donate time, labor, materials and money.

Water
The Boil Water Advisory has been canceled. The water is safe to drink and to use.

Volunteers Needed to Read to Children Next Thursday
To assist with early literacy efforts and to get books into the hands of children, United Way is partnering with Jumpstart to read "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" to over 70 pre-school and elementary school classrooms in Douglas County this Thursday, October 8th. To volunteer to read in a school this Thursday, please call the United Way of Douglas County at 678.623.2861 or e-mail hnutter@unitedwayatlanta.org.

Douglas County Happenings This Weekend

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 08:24:13 -0500

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND

Thursday, October 1st: "Douglasville Celebrates Photography" and "Images of Shaanxi" Exhibit Opens at the Cultural Arts Center
6 p.m. Opening Reception, Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ On view through October 30th
GALLERY TALK AND TOUR: Sunday, October 4th, 3 p.m., with Ed Krebs and the China Bridge
8652 Campbellton Street, 770.949.2787, www.artsdouglas.org

Friday, October 2nd: "Movies in the Park" at Clinton Nature Preserve
At Dark: "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" ~ Free Admission, Open to the Public ~ Bring your lawn chair or blanket
a program of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners through its Parks and Recreation Department

Saturday, October 3rd: St. Theresa's Catholic Church Fall Festival at Clinton Nature Preserve
10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ Food, Entertainment, Fun and Games, Raffle
Lynne Cole, 678.838.9760

Saturday, October 3rd: Midway Methodist Men's BBQ
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Church, 1930 Midway Road ~ $8 per plate, $5 children's plate
James Austin, 404.578.5608

Saturday, October 3rd: New Manchester Elementary School Fall Festival
11 a.m. - 3 p.m., at the School, 2242 Old Lower River Road ~ Moonwalk, Slide, Games, Cake Walk, Silent Auction, Food and Drinks ~ $8 admission
New Manchester Elementary PTA, Lara Deatherage, 678.294.5770

Sunday, October 4th: Blessing of the Animals at St. Julian's Episcopal Church
3 p.m. at the Church, 5400 Stewarts Mill Road ~ Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ Celebrating the life and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi ~ Public is invited to bring their pets for a blessing ~ You do not have to be a member of the Church
Rev. Stewart Tabb, 770.949.9949

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HAPPENING SOON

Tuesday, October 6th: "ABC: Abstract - Baroque - Collages" Exhibit of Citizen Talent Opens in the Courthouse Gallery
4:30 p.m. Opening Reception, third floor, Douglas County Courthouse ~ Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ On view through October 29th
a program of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners through its Department of Communications and Community Relations

Tuesday, October 6th: Upward Basketball and Cheerleading Evaluations
For children 1st - 6th Grades ~ Register at Central Baptist Church or West Metro Church of God ~ Basketball for Boys and Girls, Cheerleading for Girls Only ~ Evaluations at West metro Church of God on October 6th and 9th
770.942.9492, register on line at www.cbc-douglasville.org

Wednesday, October 7th: Monthly Testing of the Weather Sirens/Weather Warning System
12 noon, throughout the County, weather permitting ~ monthly test that sounds the sirens and does not mean that severe weather is approaching

Saturday, October 10th: Scouts to Clean Dog River ~ Come Join Them!
8 a.m., Riverwalk Community Recreation Facility ~ Part of Rivers Alive, a program of the Adopt-a-Stream Program and Keep Georgia Beautiful
James Hembree, 770.843.6215, www.RiversAlive.org

Saturday, October 10th: 2nd Annual Vulcan Materials Toys for Tots Motorcycle Ride
8:30 a.m., Vulcan Materials, 25 Old Rock Quarry Road, Villa Rica, to begin a 50-mile escorted ride ending at Quaker Steak and Lube, Arbor Place Mall ~ $20 single/$30 double
Kathy Key, 770.459.3582

Saturday, October 10th: Rabies Vaccination Clinic to Benefit Douglas County 4-H
9 a.m., Douglas County Courthouse Parking Lots ~ $10 per pet, limited to 170, pre-pay by Thursday, October 8th to guarantee your shot
UGA Cooperative Extension, third floor, Douglas County Courthouse, 770.920.7224

Saturday, October 10th: 1st Annual West Georgia Outdoor Beer Festival to benefit Camp Twin Lakes
12 noon, Taco Mac, 7397 Douglas Boulevard ~ Beer Tasting, Music, Prizes ~ Must be 21 to attend the outdoor event

Saturday, October 10th: "Dancing Under the Stars" Street Dance for the American Diabetes Association
6 p.m., O'Neal Plaza ~ $5 per person, $15 for families ~ Live Bands, Food and Drinks, Games, Info on Diabetes Wellness, Diet and Prevention
Becky Lewis, 404.751.7874

Saturday, October 10th: Courage Concert at Tributary to Benefit the Wounded Warrior Project
7 p.m., Tributary Founder's Park, 9914 Ashford Green Way ~ Good Music, Good Beer, Good Company, Good Cause ~ Tickets at the Gate ~ Tributary Fall Festival All Day ~ Open to the Public
www.woundedwarriorproject.org, Sara Skinner, 678.213.3659

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Government Meetings and Notices

Douglas County Board of Commissioners: www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com
Douglas County Courthouse, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville ~ 770.949.2000
Work Session: Monday, October 5th, 10 a.m., Commissioners' Conference Room, Third Floor, Courthouse
Commission Meeting: Tuesday, October 6th, 10 a.m., Citizen's Hall, Courthouse
Commission Meeting televised live on dctv23 and simulcast live on www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com
NO PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD MEETING FOR OCTOBER DUE TO THE LACK OF APPLICATIONS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

City of Douglasville Mayor and Council: www.ci.douglasville.ga.us
City Hall, O'Neal Plaza at Church Street, Historic Downtown Douglasville ~ P. O. Box 219, Douglasville 30133 ~ 770.920.3000

Douglas County School System: www.douglas.k12.ga.us
9030 Georgia Highway 5 at Gurley Road (next to Hunter Park) ~ P. O. Box 1077, Douglasville 30133 ~ 770.651.2000

CHARACTER WORD FOR THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 5TH: RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY
Respecting the authority of others in official positions

Thursday, October 8th: Annette Winn Elementary Parent University Workshop Series
Making the Grade, Grades 3 - 5 - grade-level workshop to help parents understand what their child will be learning and how they can help ~ 6 p.m. at the school for parents
Denine Pope, 770.651.3148

Thursday, October 8th: North Douglas Elementary Workshop Series
How to Help Your Child with Writing Skills - learn quick tips to help your child improve writing skills ~ 8:30 a.m. at the school for parents
Susan McCoy, 770.651.4828

Thursday, October 8th: Stewart Middle School Workshop Series
Internet Safety for Students and Parents ~ learn how to be safety conscious while on the Internet ~ 6:30 p.m. at the school for parents
Denny Bridges, 770.651.5460

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Douglas County Chamber of Commerce: www.douglascountygeorgia.com
6658 Church Street, Douglasville ~ 770.942.5022
Thursday, October 8th, 8 a.m., Coffee and Card Exchange, Jones-Wynn Funeral Home, Midway Road at Fairburn Road
Tuesday, October 20th, 12 noon, Public Safety Appreciation/Heroes Luncheon, Downtown Douglasville Conference Center

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Flood Disaster Assistance - You Must Apply Now

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 07:51:26 -0500

A FEMA/GEMA agent stopped by our house today and gave us this information to give to our neighbors who had flooding. I've copied it for you to share with your clients/friends/neighbors in case they haven't had the opportunity to get in touch with FEMA. There is no guarantee they will get assistance.

FEMA and GEMA

DISASTER ASSISTANCE

IS AVAILABLE NOW

If you sustained losses or damage in one of the counties declared a federal disaster area following the September 18 storms and flooding, you may be eligible for federal and state disaster aid.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, TO APPLY BY PHONE OR TO CHECK ON YOUR CLAIM, CALL:

1-800-621-FEMA (3362)

TTY 1-800-462-7585 (FOR THE SPEECH-OR- HEARING IMPARIED)

APPLY ON-LINE:

www.disasterassistance.gov

Please have the following information available when you call:

· A phone number in case they need to call you back

· Social Security number

· Current mailing address

· Address of the damaged property

· Brief description of damages

· Insurance information (if you have insurance)

YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE, BUT YOU MUST APPLY

Douglas County Road Updates

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:03:32 -0500

Road Updates: Wednesday morning, September 30th
Traffic is bad due to the closed roads throughout the County. Please know that the Douglas County Department of Transportation is working 24/7 to re-open as many roads as possible as soon as possible. At the height of the disaster, about 170 roads were closed. That list is now down to 57.

These are estimated repair times, and we hope that repairs can be accomplished earlier; prolonged means more than 2 months. The Douglas County DOT staff is working on roadways and construction contractors are being brought in to work on roads, bridges and culverts. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Anneewakee Road at Anneewakee Creek Bridge: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, approaches undermined
Banks Mill Road at Dog River: 1 -3 weeks repair time, bridge inspection scheduled
Banks Mill Road at Daniell Mill Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, 250' of asphalt missing
Banks Mill Road at Pool Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
Bearden Road off Maroney Mill Road: prolonged closure, road washed out
Berea Road at Mobley Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
Blairs Bridge Road at Sweetwater Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, major scour under approach slabs
Bomar Road (Creekside Manor): 1 - 3 weeks repair time, pavement undermined 3 - 4 feet
Cantrell Road at Five Notch: 1 -3 weeks repair time, 75' of shoulder washed out at headwall
Capps Ferry Road at Chattahoochee River: being evaluated, bridge status unknown, inspections scheduled
Chapel Hill Road at Fowler Field: City of Douglasville has informed us of a 2 - 3 week repair time, but hopes to have it open earlier
Daniell Mill Road Bridge north of Jenkins Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, road and shoulder washed out, exposed piles on bridge
Dorsett Shoals Road at Culvert: 1 -3 weeks
Downs Road between Post Road and Georgia Highway 5: prolonged closure, roadway completely washed out
East Union Hill Road: prolonged closure, roadway completely washed out
Georgia Highway 166 at Anneewakee Creek: prolonged closure, Georgia DOT in charge
Huey Road at Maroney Mill Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, one lane of road is washed out
John West Road near Bright Star Elementary School: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of shoulder and edge of road washed out
Johnston Road at Creek: 3 - 6 weeks, road washed out, bridge inspection scheduled
Kilroy Lane at Yellow Rock Creek: being evaluated
Kings Highway at Bear Creek: 1 - 3 weeks, 150 feet of roadway washed out
Liberty Road west of Banks Mill Road: 1 -3 weeks repair time
Mack Road at Deer Lick Park: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, road is undermined
Mason Creek Road at Mobley Creek: prolonged closure, bridge washed out
Mt. Vernon Road at Woodrow Wilson Park: being evaluated
Mtn. Top Road: being evaluated, 60' of roadway washed out
Nalley Road: prolonged closure, culvert washed out
North Flat Rock Road near North Walton Store Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
North Helton Road at Bluff Creek: being evaluated
North Helton Road Bridge at Dog River: 3 - 6 weeks, bridge inspection scheduled
Old Alabama Road Bridge over Sweetwater Creek: being evaluated, bridge inspection scheduled
Pool Road Bridge at Mobley Creek: 3 - 6 weeks
Pool Road North of Milam Road: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of roadway washed out
Pool Road between Banks Mill Road at Pool Crest Court: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of roadway washed out
Pool Road near Georgia Highway 5: 1 - 3 weeks, road undermined
Post Road south of Ephesus Church Road: prolonged closure, culvert washed out, roadway washed out
Post Road at Dog River: prolonged closure, bridge damage
South Baggett Road between I-20 and Mason Creek Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, 40' of roadway washed out
South Baggett Road between Campground Road and US 78: prolonged closure, culvert washed out
South Helton Road at Liberty Road: prolonged closure, 150' of roadway washed out
South River Road Bridge over Bear Creek: being evaluated
Sherwood Drive: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, roadway washed out
Skyview Drive at Sweetwater Creek Bridge: 3 - 6 weeks, bridge being evaluated
Smokestone Drive at Dorsett Shoals Plantation: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, 200' of pavement floating - one lane now open
Stewart Woods Drive: being evaluated
Timmons Circle, Tyson Road, Nalley Road - closed - open to local traffic only
Tyree Road between Post Road and Liberty Road: being evaluated
Tyson Road north of Railroad: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, shoulder washed out
Union Grove Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
US 78 west of Busbin Court: Ga. DOT estimates re-opening about October 5th
Vulcan Drive Bridge at Beaver Ruin Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
West Banks Mill Road between Liberty Road and Post Road: being evaluated
West Union Hill Road at Dog River Bridge: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, approaches to bridge have to be replaced
West Tyson Road Bridge: 1 -3 weeks repair time, bridge inspection scheduled
Wood Street at Creek Crossing: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
Yancey Road between Central Church Road and Stewarts Mill Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time
Yeager Road Bridge at Carroll Drive: being evaluated
Whitestone Boulevard: prolonged closure, culvert destroyed and road washed out

ROADS PREVIOUSLY CLOSED THAT ARE BEING OPENED WILL NO LONGER BE SHOWN ON THIS LIST.

USE CAUTION AND DRIVE SLOWLY AS YOU TRAVEL THE ROADWAYS. MANY ROADWAYS STILL HAVE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE ADJACENT TO OR NEAR THE TRAVEL WAY.

City of Douglasville Street Closures
The Douglasville City Council will hold a special called meeting at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, October 1st, for the purpose of considering construction contracts for repairs of Chapel Hill Road at Fowler Fields and to Parkway South at Anneewakee Creek.

Here is the latest status for the roadway conditions inside the City of Douglasville as provided by Greg Roberts of the City (Wednesday, September 30th):
- Chapel Hill Road - hope to have a contractor selected by mid-afternoon Thursday, October 1st; work is expected to start immediately, weather permitting, and have the road open within about 10 days
- Creekwood Drive, Arbor Station - being evaluated
- Prestley Mill Road/Slater Mill Road - being evaluated
- Parkway Circle, Arbor Station - work began today (Wednesday, September 30th) and should be completed by October 9th, weather and conditions permitting
- All Other Streets - contractors being selected for these repairs tomorrow (Thursday, October 1st) with updates come soon thereafter.

Douglas County Road Updates

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 09:20:34 -0500

Road Updates

Traffic is bad due to the closed roads throughout the County. Please know that the Douglas County Department of Transportation is working 24/7 to re-open as many roads as possible as soon as possible. At the height of the disaster, about 170 roads were closed. That list is now down to 57.

Here is the updated list which is also available on www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com. These are estimated repair times, and we hope that repairs can be accomplished earlier; prolonged means more than 2 months. The Douglas County DOT staff is working on roadways and construction contractors are being brought in to work on roads, bridges and culverts. Your patience is greatly appreciated.

Anneewakee Road at Anneewakee Creek Bridge: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, approaches undermined
Banks Mill Road at Dog River: 1 -3 weeks repair time, bridge inspection scheduled
Banks Mill Road at Daniell Mill Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, 250' of asphalt missing
Banks Mill Road at Pool Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
Bearden Road off Maroney Mill Road: prolonged closure, road washed out
Berea Road at Mobley Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
Blairs Bridge Road at Sweetwater Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, major scour under approach slabs
Bomar Road (Creekside Manor): 1 - 3 weeks repair time, pavement undermined 3 - 4 feet
Cantrell Road at Five Notch: 1 -3 weeks repair time, 75' of shoulder washed out at headwall
Capps Ferry Road at Chattahoochee River: being evaluated, bridge status unknown, inspections scheduled
Chapel Hill Road at Fowler Field: City of Douglasville has informed us of a 2 - 3 week repair time, but hopes to have it open earlier
Daniell Mill Road Bridge north of Jenkins Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, road and shoulder washed out, exposed piles on bridge
Dorsett Shoals Road at Culvert: 1 -3 weeks
Downs Road between Post Road and Georgia Highway 5: prolonged closure, roadway completely washed out
East Union Hill Road: prolonged closure, roadway completely washed out
Georgia Highway 166 at Anneewakee Creek: prolonged closure, Georgia DOT in charge
Huey Road at Maroney Mill Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, one lane of road is washed out
John West Road near Bright Star Elementary School: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of shoulder and edge of road washed out
Johnston Road at Creek: 3 - 6 weeks, road washed out, bridge inspection scheduled
Kilroy Lane at Yellow Rock Creek: being evaluated
Kings Highway at Bear Creek: 1 - 3 weeks, 150 feet of roadway washed out
Liberty Road west of Banks Mill Road: 1 -3 weeks repair time
Mack Road at Deer Lick Park: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, road is undermined
Mann Road north of Brewer Road: 3 - 6 weeks, culvert washed out
Mason Creek Road at Mobley Creek: prolonged closure, bridge washed out
Mt. Vernon Road at Woodrow Wilson Park: being evaluated
Mtn. Top Road: being evaluated, 60' of roadway washed out
Nalley Road: prolonged closure, culvert washed out
North Flat Rock Road near North Walton Store Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
North Helton Road at Bluff Creek: being evaluated
North Helton Road Bridge at Dog River: 3 - 6 weeks, bridge inspection scheduled
Old Alabama Road Bridge over Sweetwater Creek: being evaluated, bridge inspection scheduled
Pool Road Bridge at Mobley Creek: 3 - 6 weeks
Pool Road North of Milam Road: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of roadway washed out
Pool Road between Banks Mill Road at Pool Crest Court: 3 - 6 weeks, 50' of roadway washed out
Pool Road near Georgia Highway 5: 1 - 3 weeks, road undermined
Post Road south of Ephesus Church Road: prolonged closure, culvert washed out, roadway washed out
Post Road at Dog River: prolonged closure, bridge damage
South Baggett Road between I-20 and Mason Creek Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, 40' of roadway washed out
South Baggett Road between Campground Road and US 78: prolonged closure, culvert washed out
South Helton Road at Liberty Road: prolonged closure, 150' of roadway washed out
South River Road Bridge over Bear Creek: being evaluated
Sherwood Drive: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, roadway washed out
Skyview Drive at Sweetwater Creek Bridge: 3 - 6 weeks, bridge being evaluated
Smokestone Drive at Dorsett Shoals Plantation: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, 200' of pavement floating
Stewart Woods Drive: being evaluated
Tyson Road north of Railroad: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, shoulder washed out
Union Grove Road: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
US 78 west of Busbin Court: Ga. DOT estimates re-opening about October 5th
Vulcan Drive Bridge at Beaver Ruin Creek: 1 - 3 weeks repair time
West Union Hill Road at Dog River Bridge: 1 - 3 weeks repair time, approaches to bridge have to be replaced
West Tyson Road Bridge: 1 -3 weeks repair time, bridge inspection scheduled
Wood Street at Creek Crossing: 3 - 6 weeks repair time, culvert washed out
Wren Circle: prolonged closure
Yancey Road between Central Church Road and Stewarts Mill Road: 3 - 6 weeks repair time
Yeager Road Bridge at Carroll Drive: being evaluated
Whitestone Boulevard: prolonged closure, culvert destroyed and road washed out

Douglas County Emergency Update #4

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:33:02 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Emergency Information Update #4

Friday, September 25, 2009

For the latest information concerning flooding, road closures, water purification, and all other emergency information, please go to:

http://www.DouglasCountyEMA.com

Disaster Declaration

President Obama issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for individual assistance in Douglas County this afternoon. The declaration can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration will also be available to cover residential and businesses losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering on-line at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC) will open up over the weekend, and persons who sustained losses can walk in daily (7 days a week) between 8:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. to register for assistance and receive additional services.
- OPENING SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH:
  For the Eastern end of Douglas County: Disaster Recovery Center located at:
  Lithia Springs 1st United Methodist Church
  3711 Temple Street at North Sweetwater Road
  Lithia Springs, GA 30134
- OPENING SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27TH:
  For the Western end of Douglas County: Disaster Recovery Center located at:
  Heritage Baptist Church
  8800 Rose Avenue at Selman Drive
  Douglasville, GA 30134.
- At the DRCs, there will be representatives from the following agencies to help you:
  Federal Emergency Management Agency
  Small Business Administration
  Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services
  Cobb and Douglas Public Health
  Georgia Insurance Commissioner's Office
  Georgia Legal Services
  American Red Cross
  Georgia Baptist Convention Disaster Services
  UGA Cooperative Extension Service
  Internal Revenue Service
  Social Security Administration
  Georgia Department of Community Affairs

Water

Douglas County continues to be under a boil water advisory. The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority has restored water to over 95% of the County at this time. The water may appear clear but is still not drinkable. Residents need to boil water until further notice since the system must be tested and approved by the State before used for human consumption.
Until we get the all clear on the boil water, do not use ice makers. After the all clear, run it 2 or 3 times and dispose of the ice before using any ice for consumption. It is safe to take showers in the water, and you may wash clothes on the hot water setting. Dishwashers can be used on the hot setting.

Bottled Water and Other Relief Supplies - NEW LOCATIONS FOR BOTTLED WATER DISTRIBUTION

Bottled water will be distributed again tomorrow (Saturday) beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until water supplies are exhausted or until 4:00 p.m. at the following two locations:
- Lithia Springs 1st Baptist Church, 3566 Bankhead Highway (US 78), Lithia Springs
- Best Buy, 6875 Douglas Boulevard, Douglasville

Bottled water is for Douglas County residents ONLY.
In addition to bottled water, a water truck with fresh/treated water will be available to residents in the parking lot of the old Cub Foods/Walmart shopping center on Stewart Parkway from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bring your own jugs, bottles, and other containers to get the water you need. There is no charge for the water.

Schools

Douglas County schools will be open again on Monday, September 28th, at their usual times. Power has been restored to all sites and all HVAC systems are working. Most schools sustained very limited damage. We need the support of parents, students and staff to facilitate a successful re-opening. Massive bus route changes have been necessitated by the road closures and damaged bridges. Depending on the damage to the area around their home or neighborhood, parents may need to walk their children to the nearest point accessible to a school bus. Children should anticipate a possible change in bus number, driver and route until road issues are resolved. Although call volume may be high, call 770.651.2400 for route information.
While the County is under a boil water advisory, parents may want to send a couple of bottles of water to school with their children each day. All soap dispensers in our schools are stocked with hand sanitizer that can be used without water. Parents may also want to send a bottle of hand sanitizer for each child's personal use at school. Food service for breakfast and lunch will be fully operational when schools open. Modifications will be made on meals in compliance with the boil water advisory. For example, fresh fruit offerings will be replaced with canned fruits, fewer choices may be available, and food will be served on disposable products.
A decision regarding make-up days will be made soon and notifications provided. The primary source of information will be the school and school system web sites. We will also use our "Notify Me" system and phone master telephone calling system to notify parents. School closure information will be provided to local and area media.
The Lithia Springs - Alexander High Schools football game is postponed until Monday, September 28th, at 6:30 p.m. Chapel Hill - Pebblebrook High Schools football game has been rescheduled for October 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. at CHHS. Douglas County - Mays High School football game will play as scheduled Friday, September 25th, at 7:30 p.m. at Lakewood Stadium. For information on cheerleading, volleyball, softball and cross-country sports, contact the schools for the status of these events. All middle school football games have been canceled until next week.

Roads

Motorists are reminded that roads are barricaded for a reason. It is illegal to move barricades or go around them, as well as unsafe. Even if roads and bridges appear to the motorist that they are safe, if they are barricaded, the road or bridge may be undermined and the weight of a person or an automobile may cause it to collapse. Please do not go past barricades.
An updated list of road closures in Douglas County and the City of Douglasville are posted on the County web site at www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.

Assistance Events

Many Douglas County businesses, Churches, clubs and individuals are coming to the aid of our neighbors who need assistance.
- If your business, Church, or organization is hosting a food bank, bottled water distribution, cleaning supplies distribution or anything to help victims of the flood, please register your event with the United Way of Douglas County by calling 678.623.2861. The United Way will keep a comprehensive list of these events on its web site and when people who need assistance call them, they will direct people to your event.
- If you have been affected by the flooding and need food, water, clothing and other supplies, please call 211 for the list of places that are helping out.
- Monetary donations may be made to the United Way and will be used for the Douglas County disaster relief if the donation is specifically marked as "Douglas County Flood Relief".

The Pantry, a Douglas County food bank, 5960 Stewart Parkway at Crossroads Church, Douglasville 30135, will be assisting residents who need food and water on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Operation Blessing/Warehouse of Hope, 100 Hunter Road, Douglasville, 770.489.0509, is serving food and distributing disaster relief supplies Friday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Douglasville Church of Christ, 4691 Big B Road, Douglasville, 770.942.3831, is distributing bottled water, food boxes, personal hygiene items, baby needs and cleaning supplies Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday.
The Church at Mirror Lake, 501 Permian Way off Conners Road, Mirror Lake/Villa Rica, 770.459.8653, will be distributing clothes to flood victims Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Lowe's Home Improvement Center, 7001 Douglas Boulevard, Douglasville, 770.920.9022, will be distributing free starter clean-up kits that include DampRid, trash bags, hand sanitizer, scrub brushers and rubber gloves Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
A Gift of Love, 3870 Longview Drive, Douglasville, 770.947.8200, will be distributing clothing, shoes, towels, linens, kitchen needs, etc., Friday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Donations needed include: Mosquito repellant, Commercial canned food, Bottled water, Baby formula, Baby diapers, Personal hygiene products, Non perishable foods, Leather gloves, Cleaning supplies - bleach, mops, brooms, buckets, Plastic goods - paper plates, napkins, towels, toilet, Disposable gloves, Trash bags, Hand sanitizer / wipes
Faith in Action, 770.833.7236, gafaithinaction@aol.com, will pickup donations and deliver furniture and appliances in working order.
All of these events will accept donations of goods, food, water and money.

We only send emails to people who signed up for the newsletter through www.celebratedouglascounty.com or who requested to be signed up by phone.

Our mailing address is:

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

8700 Hospital Drive

Douglasville, Georgia 30134

Add us to your address book

Copyright (C) 2009 Douglas County Board of Commissioners All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile

Our Office Is #1 in GA and now #2 in 100 Best Places to work (only Real Esate Office) Life is Good!!

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:03:06 -0500

Friday, September 25, 2009

Best Places to Work

Keller Williams Realty

#2 Large

Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Allison Shirreffs Contributing Writer

Of the seven offices under the Keller Williams Realty- The Rawls Group moniker, five finished in the metro area's top 25 residential real estate offices in terms of production last year. Rawls' Sandy Springs office, Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta, is currently ranked No. 1 in the Atlanta market.

The Rawls Group has had no layoffs, no benefit cuts and no reduction of services, and the vast majority of the company's 1,200 employees are more likely to talk about Rawls "supportive atmosphere," "positive attitude," and "morale boosting" than they are to talk about a market that has forced some real estate companies to shutter their doors.

Shaun Rawls, principal, Keller Williams Realty - The Rawls Group, knows he's operating in a historically bad real estate market. The way he sees it, people in the industry can either throw a pity party or learn how to make money in a down market.

He's chosen the latter. "I'd like to see all seven [Rawls Group offices] in the top 20 in the next two years," says Rawls.

Douglas County Emergency Update #3

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:04:42 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Emergency Information Update #3

Thursday, September 24, 2009

For the latest information concerning flooding, road closures, water purification, and all other emergency information, please go to:

http://www.DouglasCountyEMA.com

Disaster Declaration

President Obama issued a Federal Disaster Declaration for individual assistance in Douglas County this afternoon. The declaration can include grants to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses. Low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration will also be available to cover residential and businesses losses not fully compensated by insurance.
Residents and business owners who sustained losses can begin applying for assistance by registering on-line at www.fema.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
Douglas County and GEMA/FEMA will be setting up Disaster Recovery Centers in the eastern and western parts of the Douglas County within the next couple of days for walk-in registration and assistance applications. We will announce these locations as soon as they are confirmed.

Water

Douglas County continues to be under a boil water advisory. The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority has restored water to over 95% of the County at this time. The water may appear clear but is still not drinkable. Residents need to boil water until further notice since the system must be tested and approved by the State before used for human consumption.
Until we get the all clear on the boil water, do not use ice makers. After the all clear, run it 2 or 3 times and dispose of the ice before using any ice for consumption. It is safe to take showers in the water, and you may wash clothes on the hot water setting.

Schools

Douglas County Public Schools will be closed Friday, September 25th. The schools will be open again on Monday, September 28th, at their usual times. Power has been restored to all sites and all HVAC systems are working. Most schools sustained very limited damage. We need the support of parents, students and staff to facilitate a successful re-opening. Massive bus route changes have been necessitated by the road closures and damaged bridges. Depending on the damage to the area around their home or neighborhood, parents may need to walk their children to the nearest point accessible to a school bus. Children should anticipate a possible change in bus number, driver and route until road issues are resolved. Although call volume may be high, call 770.651.2400 for route information.
While the County is under a boil water advisory, parents may want to send a couple of bottles of water to school with their children each day. All soap dispensers in our schools are stocked with hand sanitizer that can be used without water. Parents may also want to send a bottle of hand sanitizer for each child's personal use at school. Food service for breakfast and lunch will be fully operational when schools open. Modifications will be made on meals in compliance with the boil water advisory. For example, fresh fruit offerings will be replaced with canned fruits, fewer choices may be available, and food will be served on disposable products.
A decision regarding make-up days will be made soon and notifications provided. The primary source of information will be the school and school system web sites. We will also use our "Notify Me" system and phone master telephone calling system to notify parents. School closure information will be provided to local and area media.
The Lithia Springs - Alexander High Schools football game is postponed until Monday, September 28th, at 6:30 p.m. Chapel Hill - Pebblebrook High Schools football game has been rescheduled for October 2nd, at 7:30 p.m. at CHHS. Douglas County - Mays High School football game will play as scheduled Friday, September 25th, at 7:30 p.m. at Lakewood Stadium. For information on cheerleading, volleyball, softball and cross-country sports, contact the schools for the status of these events. All middle school football games have been canceled until next week.

Roads

Motorists are reminded that roads are barricaded for a reason. It is illegal to move barricades or go around them, as well as unsafe. Even if roads and bridges appear to the motorist that they are safe, if they are barricaded, the road or bridge may be undermined and the weight of a person or an automobile may cause it to collapse. Please do not go past barricades.
If you regularly ride GRTA, check the GRTA web site at www.XpressGa.com to see if your route is active.
An updated list of road closures in Douglas County and the City of Douglasville are posted on the County web site at www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.

Bottled Water and Other Relief Supplies

Bottled water will be distributed again tomorrow (Friday) beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until water supplies are exhausted or until 4:00 p.m. at the following two locations:
- Pray's Mill Baptist Church, 4979 Georgia Highway 5 at Banks Mill Road - drive-though entering from Banks Mill Road
- Douglasville 1st United Methodist Church, 6167 Prestley Mill Road at Hospital Drive - drive-through entering from Hospital Drive.
In addition to bottled water, a water truck with fresh/treated water will be available to residents in the parking lot of the old Cub Foods/Walmart shopping center on Stewart Parkway from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Bring your own jugs, bottles, and other containers to get the water you need. There is no charge for the water.

Assistance Events

Many Douglas County businesses, Churches, clubs and individuals are coming to the aid of our neighbors who need assistance.
- If your business, Church, or organization is hosting a food bank, bottled water distribution, cleaning supplies distribution or anything to help victims of the flood, please register your event with the United Way of Douglas County by calling 678.623.2861. The United Way will keep a comprehensive list of these events on its web site and when people who need assistance call them, they will direct people to your event.
- If you have been affected by the flooding and need food, water, clothing and other supplies, please call 211 for the list of places that are helping out.
- Monetary donations may be made to the United Way and will be used for the Douglas County disaster relief if the donation is specifically marked as "Douglas County Flood Relief".

The Pantry, a Douglas County food bank, 5960 Stewart Parkway at Crossroads Church, Douglasville 30135, will be assisting residents who need food and water on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Operation Blessing/Warehouse of Hope, 100 Hunter Road, Douglasville, 770.489.0509, is serving food and distributing disaster relief supplies Friday 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Douglasville Church of Christ, 4691 Big B Road, Douglasville, 770.942.3831, is distributing bottled water, food boxes, personal hygiene items, baby needs and cleaning supplies Friday from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Saturday.
The Church at Mirror Lake, 501 Permian Way off Conners Road, Mirror Lake/Villa Rica, 770.459.8653, will be distributing clothes to flood victims Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Lowe's Home Improvement Center, 7001 Douglas Boulevard, Douglasville, 770.920.9022, will be distributing free starter clean-up kits that include DampRid, trash bags, hand sanitizer, scrub brushers and rubber gloves Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
A Gift of Love, 3870 Longview Drive, Douglasville, 770.617.0718, will be distributing clothing, shoes, towels, linens, kitchen needs, etc., Friday from 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Faith in Action, 770.833.7236, gafaithinaction@aol.com, will pickup donations and deliver furniture and appliances in working order.
All of these events will accept donations of goods, food, water and money.

We only send emails to people who signed up for the newsletter through www.celebratedouglascounty.com or who requested to be signed up by phone.

Our mailing address is:

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

8700 Hospital Drive

Douglasville, Georgia 30134

Add us to your address book

Copyright (C) 2009 Douglas County Board of Commissioners All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile

Douglas County Emergency Update #2

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:03:13 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Emergency Information Update #2

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

For the latest information concerning flooding, road closures, water purification, and all other emergency information, please go to:

http://www.DouglasCountyEMA.com

- Douglas County continues to be under a boil water advisory. The Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority has restored water to about 2/3 of the County at this time. The WSA hopes to have 90% of the County served by Sunday night. However, residents need to boil water until further notice since the system must be tested and approved by the State before used for human consumption.
- Restaurants and convenience stores need to be especially aware that many coffee makers are directly connected to the public water system, and, even though they may be using filters, this is not sufficient to sanitize the water for coffee. Restaurants and convenience stores should turn off these machines until the water system has been certified safe and the boil water advisory is lifted.
- Douglas County Public Schools will be closed Thursday and Friday, September 24th and 25th.
- Motorists are reminded that roads are barricaded for a reason. It is illegal to move barricades or go around them, as well as unsafe. Even if roads and bridges appear to the motorist that they are safe, if they are barricaded, the road or bridge may be undermined and the weight of a person or an automobile may cause it to collapse. Please do not go past barricades.
- If you regularly ride GRTA, check the GRTA web site at www.XpressGa.com to see if your route is active.
- Interstate 20 is now open throughout Douglas County.
- For assistance with driving directions through Douglas County, call 770.920.7484 between 6 a.m. - 8 p.m. Please do not call 911 for driving directions.
- An updated list of road closures in Douglas County and the City of Douglasville are posted on the County web site at www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com.
- Bottled water will be distributed again tomorrow (Thursday) beginning at 9:00 a.m. and continuing until water supplies are exhausted at the following two locations:
  - Pray's Mill Baptist Church, 4979 Georgia Highway 5 at Banks Mill Road - drive-though entering from Banks Mill Road
  - Douglasville 1st United Methodist Church, 6167 Prestley Mill Road at Hospital Drive - drive-through entering from Hospital Drive.

- The Pantry, a Douglas County food bank, will be assisting residents who need food and water on Saturday morning beginning at 8:00 a.m. The Pantry is located at 5960 Stewart Parkway at Cornerstone Church immediately east of the Post Office.

We only send emails to people who signed up for the newsletter through www.celebratedouglascounty.com or who requested to be signed up by phone.

Our mailing address is:

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

8700 Hospital Drive

Douglasville, Georgia 30134

Add us to your address book

Copyright (C) 2009 Douglas County Board of Commissioners All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile

Douglas County Emergency Update

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 05:01:47 -0500

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Emergency Information Update #1

For the latest information concerning flooding, road closures, water purification and all other emergency information please go to: http://www.douglascountyema.com

Important Tips and Information:

*Do not attempt to cross roads that are covered with water, trees, power lines or any other type of debris.

*Do not drive past barricades, signs or other placed barriers of any kind that are intended to stop traffic from entering an area.

*If you need to be evacuated please call 911. Evacuees who need shelter will be taken to the Cobb County Civic Center, 548 South Marietta Parkway S.E., Marietta, 30060-2251, which is the closest Red Cross Shelter.

*Douglas County Schools will be closed on Wednesday, September 23^rd with hopes to open on Thursday, September 24^th. Updates on this information can be found on http://www.celebratedouglascounty.com or dctv23 on Comcast cable.

*The Douglas County Courthouse is open, however all jury trials have been cancelled for the week.

*The open house for the Fire Training Facility and the Town Hall Meeting with District 4 Commissioner David Latham have been cancelled and will be held at a later date.

----------------------------------------

The following is a memorandum from the Georgia Department of Community Health in response to the temporary loss of potable water and is intended to advise restaurants how to properly respond to the interruption. If you are a restaurant owner PLEASE BE ADVISED!

Douglas Public Health Advisory: All Food Service Establishments in Douglas County, GA

(Ref: Georgia Food Service Regulations, Chapter 290-5-14)

Due to the current boil water advisory, all restaurants in Douglas County must cease using the public water supply for food preparation and human consumption effective immediately. Georgia law specifies that unless your facility has confirmed access to a safe water source, the restaurant should close until the water supply can be determined safe for use.

(290-5-14-.03(2)(n) page 29 of the food code)

If closing is not a viable option for the facility, please be advised that an alternative water supply MUST be provided, which may include:

1. Supply of containers of commercially bottled drinking water and bottled soda drinks.

2. One or more closed portable water containers

3. Enclosed water storage tank

4. Enclosed vehicular water tank

5. Piping, tubing, or hoses connected to an adjacent approved source.

(Chapter 290-5-14-.06(1)(k) page 107 of food code)

Also, please be advised that all ice machines must be emptied and sanitized as per the manufacturer's instructions prior to use. Do not use any ice generated by the ice machine during the boil water advisory. These ice machines CANNOT be used until the water supply has been deemed safe from the water authority.

Also be advised that commercial beverage dispensers (soda, coffee, etc.) CANNOT be used because the water supply going in will be contaminated. These machines also must be cleaned and sanitized according to manufacturer's recommendations prior to being used again (after the water supply has been deemed safe from water authority).

Do not use the public water supply to wash fruits and vegetables or to wash your hands. Please used bottled water or boiled and cooled water for these functions as well.

If you have any questions regarding what your restaurant must do, please do not hesitate to call Robert Gore at Douglas Environmental Health Department at 770-920-7311, or, for an after-hours emergency, Chris Hutcheson at 678-249-4361.

----------------------------------------

If you have any water system questions regarding the boil water advisory you may contact the Douglasville-Douglas Water and Sewer Authority at (770) 949-7617. You can also go to: http://www.ddcwsa.com for more information.

Thank you for your cooperation and be safe!

John D. Kennedy, M.D.

District Health Director

Douglas Board of Health

We only send emails to people who signed up for the newsletter through www.celebratedouglascounty.com or who requested to be signed up by phone.

Our mailing address is:

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

8700 Hospital Drive

Douglasville, Georgia 30134

Add us to your address book

Copyright (C) 2009 Douglas County Board of Commissioners All rights reserved.

Forward this email to a friend
Update your profile

Market Comment - Beware Inflation and if you are thinking of Buying - Don't think Just Do!!!

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:16:38 -0500

Market Comment - Week of September 14th, 2009

Mortgage bond prices rose last week pushing mortgage interest rates lower. The US Treasury auctions went well with relatively strong foreign demand for most issues. The gains came as the Fed continued to pour billions into mortgage bonds in an effort to keep rates low to stabilize the housing sector of the economy. The data was mixed as weekly jobless claims came in better than expected and the Fed "Beige Book" indicated inflation remained in check. For the week interest rates fell by about 3/8 of a discount point.

The consumer price index will be the most important data this week. If inflation indications are tame, rates will likely hold steady or improve. However, if inflation increases look for mortgage interest rates to spike higher.

Economic Factors
Economic Indicator	Release Date Time	Consensus Estimate	Analysis
Producer Price Index	Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009	Up 0.8%, Core up 0.1%	Important. An indication of inflationary pressures at the producer level. Lower figures may lead to lower rates.
Retail Sales	Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009	Up 1.6%	Important. A measure of consumer demand. A smaller than expected increase may lead to lower mortgage rates.
Business Inventories	Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009	Down 0.8%	Low importance. An indication of stored-up capacity. A significantly large increase may lead to lower rates.
Consumer Price Index	Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009	Up 0.4%, Core up 0.1%	Important. A measure of inflation at the consumer level. Lower figures may lead to lower rates.
Industrial Production	Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009	Up 0.7%	Important. A measure of manufacturing sector strength. A lower than expected increase may lead to lower rates.
Capacity Utilization	Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009	69.1%	Important. A figure above 85% is viewed as inflationary. Weakness may lead to lower interest rates.
Housing Starts	Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009	Up 1.2%	Important. A measure of housing sector strength. Weakness may lead to lower rates.
Philadelphia Fed Survey	Thursday, Sept. 17, 2009	None	Moderately important. A survey of business conditions in the Northeast. Weakness may lead to lower rates.

Business Inventories

The report on business inventories basically gives a broader look at the durable goods, factory orders, and retail sales reports. Not only is this report an important part of the investment component of the GDP, but it also provides additional evidence about the economy in the upcoming months. Changes in business inventories slow as the economy approaches a peak, and rise as the economy approaches the trough of a recession. Therefore the change in business inventories is a leading indicator of GDP. The data for this report, which are published by the Department of Commerce's Census Bureau, comes from a monthly survey of inventories, orders, and manufacturers' shipments, in addition to the merchant wholesalers and retail trade surveys.

Not a great amount of attention is typically paid to this report due to the fact that much of the data is already available and surprises are rare. The only new information in this report is retail inventories. However, in this environment every piece of data has the potential to cause some volatility.

There still remains some uncertainty about the future of mortgage interest rates. Taking advantage of the recent improvements in rates makes sense.

Never Forget and Keep Being thankful we are kept Safe - you know who you are thankyou!!!

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:28:45 -0500

Please don't forget what the date is. As much as we criticize our goverments 2 days was go 999 the british emergency # and date. It passed without event we have to be thankful of our safety. To all of you I know who keep us safe who are never re...cognized keep it up, i miss you and what you do, Thank you guys you are true heros past and present.

Stop Complaining Do or Do Not It's All Just Mindset!!!!

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:58:16 -0500

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcFx4ymZFgU

The market is hard enough but after seeing data showing that complaining is bad for your health, we have decided to eliminate the words 'but' as nothing comes good after it??? What is a but anyway, as they say in England don't make an arse of yourself so kick the but habit.

'Try' get rid of it, just like Yoda says, "do or do not, there is no try." So we are going to Intend!!

So We intend to do and play to win, rather than play to not loose. What does winning look like, no overpriced listings homes that sell in 30 days or less and clients who are happy you stood your ground and explained the market to them.

As a GA Bulldog Fan this is hard to take but (Last time promise) Spurrier changed the program at Florida from a not loose war of attrition mentality to an all out win program. The result in 6 years 4 divisional tiotles and a national championships.

Do you have what it takes to change - May the force be with You!!!

Has The Market Made Homes a Commodity???

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:15:37 -0500

In fact, market conditions have turned housing into a commodity. With 45%-50% of all transaction being distressed sales (Short Sales or REO), and with an oversupply of available housing relative to buyer demand levels, the market is clearly treating housing as a commodity and therefore it is about price. The statistics are clear on this. This is not an "agent" nor an "agency" situation. It is the reality of the current housing market. Our job is to clearly demonstrate this, in order for any seller to make the right decision for them -

The Market has now created the "three r's - reduce, rent, or remain the owner." we need to give them the information as clearly and professionally as possible, let them make the right decision for them, and move on from there.

Douglas County Happenings

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:59:34 -0500

Douglas County Happenings

'There's Always Something ‘Happening' in Douglas County"

HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND!

7 p.m. on dctv23 (Channel 23 on Comcast cable) and web cast on www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com

Coming Attractions: Friday, September 11th - "The Third Man", starring Orson Welles

Friday, September 18th - "The Little Princess", starring Shirley Temple

Friday, September 25th - "A Star is Born", starring Janet Gaynor and Frederic March

Saturdays, September 12th and 19th: SEPTEMBER SATURDAYS FESTIVAL!

Saturday, September 12th: Heroes Day - plus Car and Motorcycle Show + Atlanta Braves Experience

Saturday, September 19th: Family Fun Day - plus Touch-a-Truck Experience + Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers

Street Tour + Rope Bridge

12 noon - 6:30 p.m., each Saturday, grounds of the Douglas County Courthouse ~ 8:00 p.m. Movies

Come join the thousands of Douglas County citizens who enjoy September Saturdays each year! Community Marketplace, Musical

Performances, Rides, Inflatable Games, Exhibits, Food Court, Car and Motorcycle Show (September 12th), Touch-a-Truck Experience

(September 19th), Family Movies at 8 p.m. on the outdoor movie screen ("Racing Stripes" on September 12th, "Journey to the Center of

the Earth" in 3-D on September 19th)

Saturday, September 12th: Fall Concerts on the Plaza: Latin Rhythms

7:00 p.m., O'Neal Plaza in historic downtown Douglasville ~ Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ concerts continue

Saturdays, September 19th and 26th

Cultural Arts Council, 8652 Campbellton Street, 770.949.2787, www.artsdouglas.org

Sunday, September 13th: Gallery Talk and Tour - Fantasy Art

3:00 p.m., Cultural Arts Center ~ Artists Victoria Moore and B J Rathor ~ Open to the Public, Free Admission

8652 Campbellton Street, 770.949.2787, www.artsdouglas.org

Monday, September 14th: National Child Passenger Safety Day at Monkey Joe's

6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., 7442 Douglas Boulevard ~ 20% of admission and concession sales will be donated to Safe Kids Douglas County

Monday, September 14th: Lecture on Preventing and Helping to Stop Child Prostitution and Sexual Exploitation

6:30 p.m., Downtown Douglasville Conference Center ~ Open to the Public, Free Admission ~ Speaker: Kaffie McCullough of "A

Future, Not a Past" campaign

Junior League of Douglas County, Kerry Rigdon, 770.489.3942

Thursday, September 17th: Girl Scout Organizational Meeting

6:30 p.m., Douglasville 1st United Methodist Church, Hospital Drive at Prestley Mill Road ~ Open to all girls ages 5 - 17 who wish to

enhance leadership skills, participate in community service projects, explore modern science and technology, and more!

www.GirlScoutsofGreaterAtlanta.org, 404.527.7500

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

West Georgia Technical College, Timber Ridge Road, Douglasville, Now Enrolling for Fall Classes!

Cosmetology - Automotive - CAD - Dental Assistant - Law Enforcement - CIS - Child Development - Pharmacy Assistant - HVAC -

Welding - and lots more! Call 770.947.7200 for complete program info! Financial aid available.

www.WestGaTech.edu

Register your Business or Professional Service FREE on the County Web Site Directory!

Visit www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com and look across the top of the web page for the "Buy Local/Think Local" Section and register

your business or professional service FREE for the thousands of web site visitors to see each month!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are a growth-oriented company based in Douglasville. Our company is a leading manufacturer of infant and toddler bedding. We

are seeking an energetic, organized, self-starter who will serve as an assistant to our customer service manager.

Your primary role will focus on cutting and filling fabric swatch orders, assisting in production of swatch books, taking customer service

calls, and performing other general administrative tasks. The ideal candidate must be flexible, willing to learn new tasks, a team player,

and posses a positive "can-do" attitude. Additionally, the ideal candidate should be efficient with Microsoft Office applications.

Experience with Quickbooks financial software is a plus. The position has unlimited potential. If you are dedicated, eager to learn, and

want to join our growing team, we are interested in hearing from you.

Send resumes to Douglas County Communications, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville, Georgia 30134. Mark envelope "Customer

Service Representative".

United Way is headed in a new strategic direction and to help guide us we are creating a few maps - real maps that will give us get a

clearer picture of our community. We are mapping "data" of all types, including needs, assets, and community readiness. Community

Readiness, simply put, is a perspective about the community's ability to work together in ways that build partnership and improve the

lives of our citizens. Please take the on-line survey at

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=yRklrNnyb_2b8U8_2bMNIyY6gw_3d_3d

Douglas County Chamber Singers Auditions Underway

2009-10 Concert Season auditions for interested musicians at all levels for Chorale in its 7th season. Mission is to provide quality choral

music for the citizens of Douglas County while always endeavoring to bring enjoyment to both the listener and the performer. For

information/audition appointment, contact Conductor Vickie Orme, 770.489.0503, or Andrea Tingen, 770.949.3623. The Chamber

Singers will be performing at 12:30 p.m. on Heroes Day of September Saturdays at the Courthouse ~ come join us!

Coming Soon to dctv23 - Douglas County Environmental Health Food Safety Information

Useful information for the food service industry and customer relations about food safety

Andre Westfield, 770.920.7316

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GOVERNMENT MEETINGS AND NOTICES

Douglas County Board of Commissioners: www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com

Douglas County Courthouse, 8700 Hospital Drive, Douglasville ~ 770.949.2000

Work Session: 10:00 a.m., Monday, September 14th, 10:00 a.m., Commissioners' Board Room, third floor, Douglas County Courthouse

Commission Meeting: 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 1st, Citizen's Hall, Courthouse

Televised live on dctv23 and taped for re-broadcast at 6 a.m. and at 12 noon daily and at 6 p.m. Tuesdays when there is not a live broadcast; webcast

on www.CelebrateDouglasCounty.com ~ Commission meetings can be downloaded for viewing any time from the web site

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

City of Douglasville Mayor and Council: www.ci.douglasville.ga.us

City Hall, O'Neal Plaza at Church Street, Downtown Douglasville ~ P. O. Box 219, Douglasville 30133 ~ 770.920.3000

Douglas County School System: www.douglas.k12.ga.us

9030 Georgia Highway 5 at Gurley Road (next to Hunter Park) ~ P. O. Box 1077, Douglasville 30133 ~ 770.651.2000

Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority: www.ddcwsa.com

If Your Going To Buy Start Now!!! 82 Days Left

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:49:50 -0500

Start house hunting NOW! If you look at the timeline it should be clear that you should target having a property under contract within the next few weeks to be able to close in time. Call your Agent and get out there! Plan on closing by Nov. 20th at the latest. This will help you avoid the rush and ensure that you can close prior to the expiration of the tax credit. If you are not already preapproved for a mortgage you should do so immediately. Give us a call and we can work out a timeline specific to your needs and goals. Above all, don't panic. There is still plenty of time to find the home of your dreams and take advantage of the tax credit. You just need a plan to make sure you meet the deadline.

Time is Running Out!!

Start house hunting NOW! If you look at the timeline it should be clear that you should target having a property under contract within the next few weeks to be able to close in time. Call your Agent and get out there! Plan on closing by Nov. 20th at the latest. This will help you avoid preapproved for a mortgage you should do so immediately. Give us a call and we can work out a timeline specific to your needs and goals. Above all, don't panic. There is still plenty of time to find the home of your dreams and take advantage of the tax credit. You just need a plan to make sure you meet the deadline.

$8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Set to Expire

Most people know that the first time home buyer tax credit will expire November 30, 2009. What many people don't know is what that means to them if they are in the market to buy a home. Now more than ever you need to have an understanding of the timeframes involved in purchasing a home to make sure you don't miss this opportunity.

Fact: The average timeframe from when you find a property until it closes is 30-45 days.

Fact: You will need some time to find the property that you wish to buy. Some buyers are

lucky and find their homes right away, others need more time.

Fact: The week before November 30th is Thanksgiving! Many

banks and title companies are traditionally closed for the last 3 days of that week.

Fact: November 30th is the Monday following the typical 3 day bank shutdowns.

Fact: There will surely be many, many buyers who will wait until the last minute to start looking for homes. This means that November 30th is sure to be an extremely busy day and many banks and title companies will not be equipped to handle all of the expected volume.

Fact: As more buyers start to frantically hit the market to take advantage of the tax credit the selection of properties is sure to decrease. This will result in fewer options for all buyers.

Fact: You NEED a plan to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit. Waiting too long is a gamble that you should not take. You need to work with a team of professionalswho can develop a plan with you to hit the deadline

Important Highlights

• Tax Credit Expires Nov 30th

• It takes an avg. 30-45 days to get to closing

• You should target closing by November 20th to give you the best chance of getting the credit

• Don't wait too long to start looking for a home. You are likely to run into the expiration much sooner than you expect

• CALL YOUR REALTOR AND FIND THAT PROPERTY NOW!!!

4.45 Acres of Fenced Pasture with Custom Interior Home 2400 sq Ft Professional workshop or Stables 30 Mins No Traffic From Atlanta & Airport

Paul Renton ABR e-Pro, CPDE (Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 12:15:44 -0500

Paul Renton | Team Renton | 678-564-3700

7121 Post Road, Winston, GA

4.45 Acress of Pasture Fenced can be subdived into 3 Lots. Custom finished Interior Huge Wokshop/Garage with Power- Must See!!

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $225,000

Year Built	1987
Sq Footage	2,100
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	4+ Car garage
Lot Size	130,680 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Custom Finished Interior Brazillian Hardwoods, Custom Kitchen and Fireplace in Den. 4.5 acres of fenced pasture can be subdivided into 3 lots. 2400 sq ft professional workshop with power. Out building and above ground pool. This property has it all must see!! Bring the Horses or Build homes your choice???
▪ Award Winning and Sort After Schools ▪ Elem- South Douglas

▪ Middle - Fairplay ▪ HS - Alexander
▪ 30 Min No Traffic Commute To Atlanta & Airport

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C	- Central heat	- Fireplace
- Hardwood floor	- Tile floor	- Family room
- Living room	- Office/Den	- Dining room
- Breakfast nook	- Dishwasher	- Stove/Oven
- Microwave	- Laundry area - inside	- Balcony, Deck, or Patio
- Yard	- Swimming pool

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Fenced Can be Sub Divided	Rocking Chair Front Porch
Cust F- place & Huge Den	Brazillian H-woods
Custom European Kitchen	Breakfast Bar
Bkfast and Patio Area	Master w ensuite
Master Sitting Rm	Master Bath
Master Shower	Master Jetted Tub
Patio Deck	pool
Prof Workshop/Stables	2400Sq Ft workshop
Private Drive Way	Seperate Outbuilding

Contact info:

Paul Renton

Team Renton

678-564-3700

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 7, 2009, 8:58am PDT