When it comes to industries, you’d have to place Forsyth County GA real estate into the “stolid” category. The rules are set and agreed-upon.

Major changes don’t come about often or quickly. It is true that one facet of the way real estate business is conducted has undergone a noticeable change due to the web. But that is actually only a shift in how clients find and qualify properties they might be interested in. They still overwhelmingly rely on real estate professionals to take responsibility for the consequential details of buying and selling.

But wait! Is this even possible???

A new technology suddenly presents the possibility of making a substantial difference when it comes to new homes—one that might come to pass pretty quickly. It promises to shave as much as 30% off the total cost of constructing new Forsyth County GA homes. If and when that gets real, it’s hard not to envision widespread repercussions .

The technology involved is 3-D printing—up until now, a technology that has been confined to a ‘gee whiz’ futuristic corner of the residential construction industry. But if Texas startup Icon, Inc. is to be believed, by the end of this year, it will be producing printers that can create up to 2,000 square foot bungalows in a matter of days. That’s 80% of today’s average-size home.

Their Vulcan II is a machine that can print concrete walls as wide as 28 feet and 8 ½ feet high—in any number of patterns. An automatic mixer pumps concrete into the printer, which pours it into place (actually, it squeezes it out “like icing on a cake”). Following the programmed blueprint, it leaves precise voids for electrical wiring, plumbing, windows, and doors, all of which are conventionally installed. Material wastage is all but eliminated. Today as much as a third of conventional materials typically end up in the trash.

This might seem more sci-fi than reality, but the photos of the printer in action that accompanied the Wall Street Journal’s write up make that unlikely. To be sure, technical barriers will have to be overcome before we’re likely to see 3-D printed new homes in Forsyth County GA—but the effect of a substantial reverse in the skyrocketing costs of new construction could well make affordable housing more than a political rallying cry. HUD secretary Ben Carson calls it “a game changer.”

Keeping abreast of Forsyth County GA’s new and existing home market allows me to provide my clients guidance that’s timely—and sometimes critical. Call me anytime!

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

If you have your sights set on a brand spanking new Forsyth County house, the romance of a home that’s witnessed the comings and goings of previous generations probably doesn’t call out to you. At least not nearly as powerfully as a front door lock that’s yet to be turned, a kitchen with nary a ding nor scratch—or a roof covered by a decades-long warranty with your name at the top.

On the other hand, if you are drawn to older houses, to you, the best ones have character that can’t be matched. They have substance in a way that only time can convey. To some extent, they’re all historic!

If you love older houses, a new home’s first-one-in advantages don’t beckon as much as the feeling of a home that’s stood tall through many decades. You’re well aware that its maintenance will be in your hands. You’re comfortable in taking up responsibilities that your predecessors have shouldered in the past. When an older Forsyth County house is in terrific condition, keeping it in top shape is a continuing source of pride—all the more so when it really is “historic.”

Now, about that word: historic. Whether or not an older house carries the official designation, most enthusiasts think of an older Forsyth County house in that light if it fits into one or more of these categories:

• If a previous owner is a significant historical personage—or the home was known to have hosted such persons—it qualifies.

• If it can be linked to a significant event in history, likewise.

• If its construction techniques or characteristics are unique enough to be of historical architectural value, it qualifies.

• If it is old enough to exemplify truly historical qualities (a common example is a house “built with wooden nails”). I think square nails should qualify.

Being officially designated is another matter—and not always a welcome one. Once a home or building is declared to be historic, it is likely to fall into a special category when it comes to changing anything about them—which can create hurdles that run-of-the-mill homeowners don’t always want to worry about.

Designated historic homes are few and far in between in the Forsyth County listings, but whether you’re on the lookout for a well-cared-for older house or one ready to greet its first owners, I’m standing by to help you discover it!

 

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

It could hardly be a greater occasion in real estate—the move into a new home! Marking the moment in some unique way must be some sort of universal compulsion. It certainly stretches far beyond our shores (and back in time thousands of years).

Some Forsyth County new house owners mark the occasion by throwing a housewarming party—a tradition rooted in the days when every able-bodied villager would have been a ready volunteer in the dwelling’s construction. The proud new homeowner would be expected to host a celebratory feast in appreciation to their neighbors.

Today’s typical new homeowners are vastly more likely to be new arrivals to the neighborhood, so the warming of a new Forsyth County house is likely to be a considerably less crowded affair. Even now, though, after spotting moving van activity, some of the neighbors may stop by to introduce themselves. They’re likely to echo the past, bearing a housewarming gift as a welcoming gesture.

Today, that’s often a tin of cookies or a home-baked pie—but for a few of the more tradition-minded, it might be one of the ancient ones from a far-flung corner of the globe. If you are planning on moving into a new Forsyth County home anytime soon, don’t be surprised if you’re on the receiving end of one of these time-honored housewarming gifts:

• Bread and salt. From Russia, when the first items brought into the home are a loaf of bread (banishing hunger) and salt (bringing wealth and hospitality), an abundant future is guaranteed.

• Holy thread. In Thailand, tying a piece of thread around the wrists of family members assures good luck.

• Burning sage. Native Americans cleared out negative energy by lighting dried sage and directing the smoke throughout the house. To be most effective, turn off all the electronics (if the cable isn’t hooked up yet, that should be easy!)

• Boiled milk and rice. From India, this is the easy one: boil milk and rice in a pot until it overflows to guarantee purity and long life. (The harder version: bring a cow inside).

Around the globe, there are literally dozens of other luck-attracting gifts—but of those, the most widespread one is probably the simplest:

• A candle. Light it on the first night to ward off evil spirits or (with green candles) to court prosperity. Universally, you should allow it to burn all the way down. This (or lighting the fireplace on the first night) is likely the literal origin of the warming in housewarming.

The move into a new South Forsyth County house always marks the beginning of many new life adventures—and also the culmination of a successful real estate undertaking. I’m here to help you accomplish that from start to finish!

 

 

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

A few weeks ago, word arrived about a newly constructed luxury home that sold for an “undisclosed” multi-million-dollar sum. Since the closing was an ocean away, that news would normally not have been of special interest here in Forsyth County. But the Australian mansion’s sale was noteworthy not only because of how quickly it was snatched up (only three days after listing) but because of the breadth of advanced electronics it included.

The Aussie web site news.com reported that the seven-bedroom tri-level luxury home had been listed for auction in March (that’s how homes are sold Down Under) with the public invited for a 30-day inspection period. To the surprise of all, “within hours” after the well-heeled buyer took a single tour of the place, he snapped it up. The home’s noteworthy attributes were its abundance of “new-age” features—an abundance of built-in electronics that were, as its builders modestly described, “tech-savvy.” To promote the property, appropriate electronic media were engaged—including an outdoor electronic signboard announcing the sale and playing videos of the property.

It’s a long-standing trend for Forsyth County luxury homes to increasingly incorporate advanced electronic features, yet this property’s remote-controlled toilets and bidets in the guest rooms, as well as the master, reflected an unmistakable “all-in” approach. A partial list of some of the other features included keyless entry and lift access, a full house air conditioning system allowing individual room settings, remote controlled motorized blinds, and a driveway with undisclosed security features, among others. The home theatre was iPad-controlled, as was the outdoor entertainment terrace. All-in-all, it made for one serious tech-savvy home.

Although there is no doubt at all that today’s Forsyth County luxury market is headed in the same direction, I have to suspect that there were some less-publicized features that factored into the speedy sale. Italian porcelain tiles, state-of-the-art finishes, “custom joinery” and an overall “meticulous attention to detail” were all evident from the photos accompanying the news story. It concluded with the agent granting that overall, the high-tech inclusions were only part of “a well-built masterpiece.”

Here are a few links to articles that will help you incorporate high-tech features into your home:

Update Your Electric Outlets with USB Chargers
Despite What Kermit Says, it is Easy Being Green
CES Provides New Ideas for Cumming, GA Homeowners
7 Home Remodeling Ideas to Consider Before Selling
Before You Sell- Fix it or Leave It

Forsyth County luxury homes increasingly include electronic features that are part of 21^st-century life—but it’s the underlying quality of any property that sets it apart.

I hope you’ll call me when thinking about buying or selling your own local Forsyth County masterpiece!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

“Good fences make good neighbors” was among poet Robert Frost’s most memorable lines. Quoted by rote by his rigid neighbor in Mending Wall, it illustrated an unchallenged notion, handed down for generations. Frost’s point was that, although a fence does show respect for another’s property, where unnecessary, it can also insulate them from each other.

Local homeowners might agree or disagree (or agree with both)—but when it comes to Forsyth County real estate property boundaries, it’s a pretty good idea for homeowners to know where their own lie – with precision.

That was the takeaway from a recent U.S.News feature which sported the promising title, “How Do I Find My Property Lines?” To make short the answer to that question, the most universal answer ultimately proved to be, “hire a surveyor.”

In neighborhoods which were developed in straightforward patterns, boundary location might not be difficult. There, the parcels might be equal in size and lined up on each side of the street, creating little need for guesswork. Irregular lots are a considerably different matter.

Read this article about what happens when developers don’t get it right! 

Whether boundaries were delineated last year or centuries ago, there are several places where their descriptions can be found. The assessor’s office keeps a plat map drawn to scale, for one—and the legal description can also be found on the property’s deed. But as a practical matter, those descriptions can be difficult for laymen to follow precisely, even when existing corner markers and landmarks can be located.

There are good reasons to know precisely where Forsyth County real estate boundaries lie—especially if you are a homeowner planning a project anywhere near a neighbor’s property. Many a swimming pool has been cited over a sewer or other easement—one of the situations that can prove woefully expensive to rectify.

Surveyors’ esoteric descriptions are typical of the precision called upon by many of the specialists whose professions play a part in Forsyth County real estate matters.

Whether buying or selling, I bring my training and experience to help you steer a clear path through them all. Call me if you are planning to buy or sell and let’s talk about how this might affect you!

 

 

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate

It might be the ultimate real estate daydream: finding a choice parcel of South Forsyth County land for sale, figuring out the best way your house should be cited upon it—and ultimately building your own home on it.  Whether it’s constructed to your own custom-specified floor plan or using a more budget-minded approach, finding the right piece of land comes first.  If it’s priced within your budget, that’s all to the good—but before you write the check, no matter how appealing it might be, there could be one detail that might spoil the daydream.

It falls under the heading of the “perc.”  It’s not about brewing the cup of coffee you envision enjoying as you take in the morning view through your kitchen window-to-be.  It won’t be an issue if the parcel of South Forsyth County land for sale is located where it can be served by our local sewer system.  In that case, you and your contractor will choose a site for the house that will afford a trouble-free hookup.  Perc is not involved.

But if the parcel is more remote, in order to build on it you must demonstrate how well it will support a septic system.  To get a permit, the proposed septic area must pass a percolation test. And, as the saying goes, “no perc, no house.”

The test measures the drainage characteristics of the soil usually expressed in minutes per inch of drop-off. In general, sand and gravel drain the best, while high clay content or solid rock drain poorly.  Most soils are a mixture—and individual site characteristics vary not only in soil composition but also by the depth of the water table, the steepness of the incline, its distance from open water, as well as a variety of other factors.

The takeaway is useful: when you see the “perc test passed” in South Forsyth County land for sale listings, it’s an encouraging sign that the seller has already done some preliminary groundwork. It’s also a reminder of the many factors that go into a successful home building endeavor.

Working with a knowledgeable local Realtor^® is certainly one of those—and an excellent reason to GIVE ME A CALL!

 

 

 

Please feel free to call or text me at 404-710-0204 (or drop me an email) if I can provide you with more information about this article, or if I can assist you with buying or selling your Forsyth County real estate.

This Cumming GA Real Estate blog is hosted by Gayle Barton of BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY HomeServices Georgia Properties.

I specialize in Real Estate sales in the following Forsyth County and North Fulton County cities: Cumming, Suwanee, Alpharetta, Milton and Johns Creek. Other north metro-Atlanta suburbs are serviced by request, so please call.

Gayle Barton Forsyth County Real Estate | Cumming GA Real Estate | Mountain Crest Homes For Sale
Gayle Barton Cumming GA Real Estate | Forsyth County Real Estate