Thom Abbott, Broker On The Move
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by Thom Abbott
Thom Abbott, Broker On The Move
Sent from Yahoo! Mail on Android
by Thom Abbott
by Thom Abbott
by Thom Abbott
Looking for something different to do on a Saturday Morning? Wanna get OUT of Midtown and see some other parts of Atlanta? Not to mention what great finds you might find at a garage Sale? Check out this article….and go Garaging! ~~~Thom
The thing about yard sales, says Sheryl Cronin, is you never know what to expect.
The Marietta resident holds an annual yard sale to get rid of consumer buildup in her household. But she ended up donating to charity a vacuum cleaner she was confident would sell at her spring garage sale.
“There’s always stuff you think is going to go that didn’t go,” she says.
By the end of the day, Cronin had unloaded an old lawn mower, a computer and boxes of children’s clothes, among other items, successfully navigating the sometimes choppy waters of yard sale pricing.
“Sellers tend to think their things are worth more than shoppers think when they come to the sale,” Cronin says. She suggests sellers consider placing valuable items on Craigslist.com, especially if they don’t want shoppers making low-ball offers on them.
“People are going to try to pay you less than you want. If you want to move the stuff, you’ve gotta do what you’ve gotta do.”
Karen McCoy, who was holding her own garage sale in Norcross the same day, says she compares prices at the thrift store down the street before selling her own items.
“So if someone said, ‘This is so expensive,’ I could say, ‘My prices are lower than Goodwill,’ ” she says, adding that sellers can bump up their sticker prices if they’re prepared to haggle.
McCoy made about $300 from her sale without any big-ticket items such as furniture. Dishware was her best seller, but her daughter’s CDs — $1 each — seemed glued to the box on the driveway.
“We heard from somebody that came that someone else was selling them for a quarter. So you’re in competition with other garage sales.”
McCoy says jewelry also was a big seller, an observation echoed by Judy Friedman, president of Norcross-based Atlanta Antique & Estate Liquidators. Friedman notes today’s precious metal prices are comparatively high: Gold has been trading at more than $1,500 an ounce; silver fluctuating around $35.
“We’ve been selling a lot of silver,” she says. “We’ve had individuals standing in line to buy it starting at 4 in the morning. It’s a really aggressive market.”
Friedman, who has almost 1,000 Atlanta-area estate sales under her belt, says this season’s a good time for buyers and sellers, especially when it comes to appliances.
“With the real estate market as tight as it is, people are renovating and staying in their homes, so they’re finding washers, dryers, refrigerators at yard sales that they pick up for a fraction of the cost,” Friedman says. “They’re usually difficult to move and expensive to move, but people are seeking them out.”
Her list of worst things to unload include clothing and bedding. “You’re not going to recoup the value.”
For some sellers, it’s not about redeeming the value. Friedman says she’s found some amazing deals over the years, including an elephant tusk she bought from a Vietnam veteran.
“He was aware of what it was worth and sold it to me for $40 or $50, and it really is worth thousands. It just goes to show you, you can find really valuable things out there.”
Yard sale tips
For buyers
Timing: Shop off-season — fall and winter — or holidays when there are fewer buyers.
Tools of the trade: Don’t forget to bring cash.
Do your research: You run the risk of insulting someone if you offer too far below an object’s value.
On haggling: Be respectful. Insults will not get you a lower price.
Insider tip: Show up early if you want the best selection; show up late to bargain for a better price.
For sellers
Timing: Sell off-season or holidays when there’s less competition.
Tools of the trade: Have about $20 to $40 in change, in both bills and coins.
Do your research: Consult eBay, Craigslist, consignment shops or thrift stores before pricing.
On haggling: Be prepared to negotiate. Your old junk might not be worth as much to others.
Insider tip: Visit the IRS website. Some goods are worth more to you as a charitable donation if itemized under their “fair market value” on your tax return.
Have you had a yard sale yet this year? What was your best seller? What’s the best thing you’ve found at a garage sale?
– By Lauren Davidson, Atlanta Bargain Hunter
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by Thom Abbott
You’ve heard the saying, “music to my ears…” Well, this announcement is certainly one of them. An Atlanta landmark of sorts seems to be on the verge of a new life, and one that could be an amazing addition to the Midtown/Old Fourth Ward area. If it’s done right.
If you have ever been to New York City and visited the Chelsea Street Market….then you can certainly imagine MY excitement about this massive redevelopment of the old Sears Roebuck & Company building, also known as City Hall East.
City Hall East to Get New Life as Ponce City Market
Jamestown and its subsidiary Green Street Properties are about to close on the purchase of this mammoth 2-million sq. ft building. A visit to the Jamestown Properties website would certainly make you think they are indeed the company with the vision and the money to make such a transition a reality. Indeed, it’s possible. If it’s done right.
Unveiled at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas in May, plans call for some 236,000 square feet of retail space and 21,000 square feet for restaurants. These plans include a “food hall” that would become the focal point of the Ponce City Market. So what could Midtown Atlanta residents hope for in the way of retail?
A look at the retail in Chelsea Market does not show any of those big box guys, but an eclectic mix of shops….just what the doctor ordered for the ailing retail segment of Midtown/Old Fourth Ward. I visited Chelsea Market when I was in New York City in December…it was awesome to say the least.
But, and there is always a but. Chelsea Market is in the heart of ultra density….Manhattan. City Hall East Let’s start calling it the new name, Ponce City Market sits on the edge of Midtown Atlanta and the edge of Old Fourth Ward. With the exception of a couple apartment buildings, it’s not at all a walkable destination for Midtown Atlanta condominium residents…or even Historic Midtown. (Can you say….CAR?) It does however, sit alongside the Beltline, a 22-mile loop of railroad tracks that are to be transformed into a transit/bike/walking ring around the city, connecting to multi-use developments….like Ponce City Market. The other “but” is the developer’s deep pockets. And that works two ways. One, they have the money to develop the Market, and sit on it. “But” they also have the money to help subsidize rents to get the place filled up, vibrant and happening, and then be able to move rents up, hopefully not running tenants out of business before they can become established.
Plans also call for office tenants that want true loft space for their offices. The building can offer up to 100,000 square foot plates for such, and also offer skyline views of Midtown and Downtown Atlanta.
I’ll be keeping a close eye on this one and let’s hope it’s a winner. No timeline for completion was listed in the information I found. Here is a photo I snapped while attending the dedication of the Historic Fourth Ward Park. City Hall East a.k.a. Ponce City Market is the huge brick building to the right.
by Thom Abbott
This post is inspired on a number of fronts. I’ve always been one to be involved. I was President of my 4-H club in high school. I was the school store manager in high school. In college I was involved in Gourmet Night, a huge event the students hosted each year, one year as the Controller managing the $18,000 budget for the event and another year as Director of Marketing, handling all those aspects, including the coveted guest list and seating arrangements. (Kinda like seating for the Academy Awards I guess…)
As of late, I’ve been involved in my community, Midtown Atlanta. I was on the Board of Directors for almost 3 years until I needed a break and had to step away. I did that this past December. Last night (June 30) was my first opportunity to return to a Board Meeting. Wow. What an eye-opening experience it was to be in the audience and watch what I use to participate in with vigor.
Mind you, except for one Land Use applicant, I was the only person in the audience.
Which brings me to the question, Do You Really Know What’s Going On in Your Neighborhood?
During my time on the MNA Board, I was often very frustrated at the lack of interest in residents of the neighborhood to become involved in any form or fashion with what was going on in the neighborhood. Yet, later when a special event is held the complaints roll in. Ah….and you were WHERE when this application was being considered? But, that leads to yet another question…Did you even KNOW what was being proposed?
I listed to Board Members whom are not even property owners (yep, you can be on the Board of the association, make decisions that affect the quality of life yet not have to own property) talk about special event applications with little regard for the residents which will be most directly affected. Two condominium communities that will be directly affected by a proposed event have not even been contacted by the association OR the event planners themselves. I raised this very question and it was kind of like…”whatever….”
It might be kind of hard to know what’s going on if the information is not forthcoming.
The neighborhood association maintains a website, but it can be lacking in information, or at least require some serious digging to find out what may be happening. A visit to the website this morning did find the most recent approved minutes on the website. At least this is a source for residents to get information, but keep in mind, it’s almost a month old. (May meeting minutes were just approved last night, so not sure when they will appear on the website, but they are already 30 days old.)
So, I wonder why people don’t become involved in their community? I noticed this not only in the entire community, but inside the condominium communities as well. Remember, each condo building has it’s one “organizational structure” with a Board, Property Manager, etc.
I often wonder the results a community would see if more of its residents became involved in the process.
Do You Really Know What’s Going On in Your Neighborhood?
Thom Abbott
Associate Broker, REALTOR(R)
905 Juniper Street, NE Suite 110
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
770.713.1505 Direct
404.876.4901 Office