Twelve Days of Christmas

The twelve days of Christmas begins on December 25 and end just before Epiphany, that falls on January 6. Epiphany is a Christian feast intended to celebrate the 'shining forth' or revelation of God to mankind in human form, in the person of Jesus Christ. The observance originally included the birth of Jesus Christ; the visit of the three Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar) who arrived in Bethlehem; and all of Jesus' childhood events, up to his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist.

The Origin
The feast was initially based on, and viewed as a fulfillment of the Jewish Feast of Lights known as Chanukah. This was fixed on January 6 , but over time the western churches decided to celebrate Christmas on December 25. The eastern churches continued to treat January 6 as the day marking Jesus's birth. This has given rise in the west to the notion of a twelve day festival, starting on December 25 and ending on January 6, called the twelve days of Christmas.

Feasting And Merrymaking
In the Middle Ages, this period was one of continuous feasting and merrymaking, which climaxed on Twelfth Night, the traditional end of the Christmas season. During the twelve days of Christmas, traditional roles were often relaxed, masters waited on their servants, men were allowed to dress as women, and women as men. Often a Lord of misrule was chosen to lead the Christmas revels. Some of these traditions have an echo in modern day pantomime where traditionally authority is mocked and the principal male lead is played by a woman, while the leading older female character, or 'Dame' is played by a man.

The Song
This period is referred to in the song Twelve Days of Christmas. Twelve Days of Christmas is a traditional Christmas song, or Christmas Carol. The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days from December 25 to January 6 or the Twelfth Night. The date of the song's first performance is not known, though it was used in European and Scandinavia traditions as early as the 16th century.

The 12 Days of Christmas" is in a sense an allegory. Each of the items in the song represents something significant to the teachings of the Catholic faith. The hidden meaning of each gift was designed to help Catholic children learn their faith. The song goes, "On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me…" The "true love" mentioned in the song refers to God Himself. The "me" who receives the presents refers to every baptized person. i.e. the Church.

1st Day: The partridge in a pear tree is Christ Jesus upon the Cross.

2nd Day: The "two turtle doves" refers to the Old and New Testaments.

3rd Day: The "three French hens" stand for faith, hope and love.

4th Day: The "four calling birds" refers to the four evangelists who wrote the Gospels-Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

5th Day: The "five golden rings" represents the first five books of the Bible, also called the Jewish Torah: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

6th Day: The "six geese a-laying" is the six days of creation.

7th Day: The "seven swans a-swimming" refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.

8th Day: The "eight maids a milking " reminded children of the eight beatitudes listed in the Sermon on the Mount.

9th Day: The "nine ladies dancing" were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit found in Galatians: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

10th Day: The "ten lords a-leaping" represents the Ten Commandments.

11th Day: The "eleven pipers piping" refers to the eleven faithful apostles.

12th Day: The 'twelve drummers drumming" were the twelve points of belief expressed in the Apostles' Creed: belief in God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, that Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, made man, crucified, died and arose on the third day, that he sits at the right hand of the father and will come again, the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting.

Atlanta Homes for Sale

Find Homes for Sale and Real Estate in Atlanta, Georgia

It is not a difficult task to locate Atlanta homes for sale because there are always plentiful homes available for sale in the Atlanta. However, if you want to find the right home that meets your exact demands or requirements, you need to be attentive of three factors: your home budget, specific home features, and location of your Atlanta, Georgia home.

Choosing the Right Home

Your New Home's Features

There is an endless variety in home features in Atlanta, Georgia. You probably have decided about a few of the features you need, such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. A good way to be prepared to decide whether a home's features fit your needs is to create a prioritized list. Would you really like a pool, but it's more important to have a two-car garage? When you know what features are most critical to your life in a new home you'll be prepared to be flexible in your search.

Location in Atlanta Where You Want to Reside

The price of a Atlanta homes for sale is determined by its location. Moreover, the location of the property also decides the level of satisfaction regarding a particular home. To ensure maximum satisfaction, you need to search for Atlanta homes for sale in the regions where you want to reside. On the other hand, it is also possible that you may not find the perfect house that satisfies your fixed priorities. Hence, you should establish what you are willing to sacrifice (i.e. the perfect home or the perfect neighborhood).

Courtesy of realtor.com

Harry Norman

Year-to-Date Housing Trends
Harry Norman Leads Market Through October 2011

The October 2011 Trendgraphix statistics show that Harry Norman, REALTORS® leads the Atlanta residential real estate market year to date in several major categories. For our six-county target market area, Harry Norman leads its nearest competitor in closed volume for properties in all price points and by more than double (19.2% versus 8.4%) in properties priced over $500,000. Harry Norman sales of homes have also increased over last year, especially in homes priced over $500,000.

Atlanta Holidays

http://www.peachdrop.com  Visit For more information on this Atlanta tradition.

Atlanta Breakfast with Santa

2011 Breakfast with Santa
Join Recreation & Parks for "Breakfast with Santa" on Saturday, Dec. 10 at the Newtown Park Community Clubhouse.

Enjoy music, gingerbread cookie decorating, holiday crafts, and have the opportunity to write a letter and hand-deliver it to Santa. Parents have an opportunity to take photos of their children with Santa.

Location: Newtown Park Community Clubhouse, 3115 Old Alabama Rd
Cost: $15 – Resident; $22.50 – Non-resident (per child)*

* Each child must be pre-registered and accompanied by an adult. Limit of 2 adults per family.

Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011
1st Seating: 8:30 - 9:30 a.m.
2nd Seating: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Limit: 40 children (20 per seating)

Registration: Begins Monday, Nov. 14
Deadline: Friday, Dec. 2 (May fill up prior to deadline – please register early.)

Alpharetta Christmas

Alpharetta's Elfaretta! Today was great weather for the Alpharetta Christmas Tree lighting. If you missed the Tree lighting event perhaps you can do some shopping in the area and get a nice little Elf Treat!

A lively little elf has brought his elfcapades to Alpharetta looking for places to hide out for the holidays. Participating downtown Alpharetta merchants will allow Elfaretta and his friends to hide in their stores during the promotion period, November 1 - December 17. Customers will attempt to find the mischievous little sprites in order to qualify to win one of three exciting prizes. The prizes will be awarded on December 17th at 1pm around the Christmas tree at Main Street and Milton Avenue. Participating merchants are listed below.                          Participating merchants: $20 Chiropractic 52 Bistro Alex n Sis Alpharetta Flower Market Alpharetta Outfitters Alpharetta Welcome Center Aria Salon Auto Works Benjamin Moore Paints Borelli’s Salon Chozen Talent Development Agency Classic Collectibles Corner Deli Digital Scientists Dockery's First Citizens Bank Gallery 35 It's My Party Rentals Ivy Interiors Mind and Body Fusion Mittie's Pure Taqueria Savvy Snoot Shear Talent Smokejack Southern Comforts Stages Realty Steve Manley Design The Coffee Pot The Picture Framer Twigs and Lace Vino 100 Woltin Family Chiropractic This event is presented by the Downtown Alpharetta Trade Association.

Piedmont Park Season of of Magic

I spent weeks viewing many condos in the Piedmont Park area for friends that ending up in the splended Viewpoint condos. I learned that I love the Piedmont Park area. At night the area is fun. During the holidays it comes alive.
In celebration of the holidays, the Piedmont Park will soon kick off its first annual Season of Magic. This event begins on Nov. 20 and runs through New Year’s Day.
The first part of the Season of Magic is Naughty or Nice, a costumed caroling parade. The fun begins on Nov. 20 at 5 p.m. at Legacy Fountain and ends with an after party at Park Tavern at 7 p.m. Prizes will be awarded for the naughtiest and nicest costumes for both humans and dogs. Guests can enjoy warm drinks. Song books will also be handed out so people can sing along. The after party will feature live music from Scars on 45, free pictures with Santa (don’t forget your camera) and a canine after party at the dog park. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Each ticket includes a coupon for a free ice skating session at Park Tavern and a drink ticket good for a cocktail or hot chocolate.

Other fun activities during the Season of Magic include:

• Horse-drawn carriage rides
• Weekly Jingle Mingle Holiday Socials
• Family-friendly arts and crafts
• Carousel rides
• Holiday Beer Gardens

For a full list of activities taking place during the Season of Magic, visit the Piedmont Park website.

Atlanta Holiday Tours

Atlanta Holiday Home Tours courtesy of Bob Townsend(AJC)Lynn and Hans Rechsteiner will begin celebrating the holidays early this weekend, when they open their home, Ellwood, to an expected 5,000 visitors for the 25th Annual Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour.

Phil Skinner, pskinner@ajc.comThis Whitlock Avenue Historic District residence, home to the Rechsteiners of Marietta, is decorated for the holidays. The home, Ellwood, was built in 1867.he couple are avid preservationists who have renovated several historic residences in the Whitlock Avenue Historic District, where the tour will take place.

But Ellwood, built in 1867, has been their dream project since they bought the Greek Revival-style home in 1992 and began the formidable task of restoring its original grandeur.
“The home was overgrown and in need of extensive restoration,” Lynn said. “It’s difficult for most people to envision what goes into a project like this.”
It took nearly two years before the structure was habitable, and additions came in phases. Along the way, moldings and windows were reproduced and replaced, chimneys rebuilt, heart pine floors refinished, and new central heat and air, wiring and plumbing added.
The result of all that work is both historically significant and pleasing to the senses, witnessed by the fact that Ellwood’s charms have been featured in books and magazines and on HGTV’s “Restore America” series.
One recent rainy afternoon, their home was glowing with Christmas lights and the scent of pine filled the air as the Rechsteiners put the finishing touches on a week’s worth of decorating and tweaking in preparation for the Pilgrimage.
“This is our first year on the tour,” Lynn said, “but the house was in need of a little lift and it gave me a good excuse to clean out some stuff and spiff it up again.”
Lynn, who grew up in Marietta and works in accounting and real estate, has an artistic side, along with an enthusiasm for antiques that’s expressed in the many Federal and Early American pieces she’s collected to furnish Ellwood’s 16 rooms.
For Christmas, Lynn crowns the doorways, staircase and mantels of each of the home’s 10 fireplaces with pine bows mingled with boxwood and magnolia leaves gathered from around the property.
Originally from Switzerland, Hans is a self-employed engineer who’s undertaken all manner of restoration jobs under Lynn’s direction, including reconstructing a crumbling brick smoke-house they turned into a garden shed.
“It works out really well,” Hans said. “She’s got the eye for it, and I do the work.”
But the driving force behind Ellwood, and most of the other places the Rechsteiners have taken on, is a shared passion for historic preservation.
“I’m a big preservationist,” Lynn said. “If you want the truth, it’s the reason why I committed to doing the tour. There’s still a lot of work to be done on preservation in Marietta, and I want to bring more attention to that.
“Beyond that, we live here, and we’re proud of Ellwood. It’s our home for our family and children.”
Marietta home tour
The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour features six private historic homes in the Whitlock Avenue Historic District decorated for the season. Day tours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 3, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 4. Candlelight tour (with three homes): 7-9:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Tickets, $15-$30. Marietta Welcome Center and Visitors Bureau, 500 Powder Springs St. 770-429-1115, mariettapilgrimage.com.
Other holiday home tours
Here are glimpses of some more metro Atlanta holiday tours.
Roswell -- throughout December
Christmas in historic Roswell is celebrated all month long with a series of special events, including holiday tours and open houses, music, theater, art and even re-enactments of Mittie Bulloch’s Christmas 1853 wedding to Theodore Roosevelt. Of course, the Southern Trilogy sites -- Bulloch Hall, Barrington Hall and Smith Plantation -- are all dressed up for the season and open for tours. Historic Roswell Convention and Visitors Bureau, 617 Atlanta St. 770-640-3253, visitroswellga.com.
Peachtree Garden Club -- Dec. 8
Peachtree Garden Club’s annual Christmas tour features four homes in the exclusive northwest Atlanta neighborhood around Garraux Road and Nancy Creek Road. They include an English country-style home decorated by Lou Stormont Interiors, a French-style home designed by architect Barry Fox, and a traditional home situated on the Chattahoochee River. $25-$30. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Dec. 8. Advance tickets available online and at local businesses, including Boxwoods, 100 E. Andrews Drive N.W., Atlanta. 404-233-3400, peachtreegardenclub.org.
Grant Park -- Dec. 10-11
The Grant Park Candlelight Tour of Homes in Atlanta’s largest historic district showcases Victorian, Craftsman, Italianate and many other styles at nine different stops, including the antebellum-style Lemuel P. Grant Mansion, built in 1856. In addition, St. Paul United Methodist Church, built in 1906, begins the tour and hosts an artists market and bake sale with hot apple cider. $15-$20. 6-10 p.m. Dec. 10-11. 501 Grant St. S.E., Atlanta. 404-688-7501, candlelighttourofhomes.com.
Virginia-Highland -- Dec. 10-11
The Virginia-Highland Tour of Homes is a two-day event featuring glimpses of eight different homes in a wide variety of periods and styles, including an example of modern international architecture. The neighborhood’s vibrant restaurant scene is highlighted by tastings from local restaurants, such as Atkins Park, Goin’ Coastal and La Tavola. $25-$30. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 10; noon-4 p.m. Dec. 11. Tastings noon-4 p.m. both days. Advance tickets available online and at local businesses, including Intown Ace Hardware, 854 N. Highland Ave., Atlanta. 404-874-5619, vahitourofhomes.org.

Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Atlanta Botanical Garden's Light Hours
Nightly November 19 - January 7, 5 - 10 p.m.
Closed December 24 and 31
Block Tickets & Event Rentals
Contact events@atlantabotanicalgarden.org or 404.591.1585 for information about discounted block tickets or hosting a holiday party at the Garden.

About the Show

Experience a dazzling extravaganza featuring nearly 1 million lights crafted into displays inspired by nature. Highlights include a galaxy of stars in the woodlands; whimsical bees, butterflies, and other lighted pollinators in the Edible Garden; and 200 show-stopping, color-changing topiary forms choreographed to holiday music on the Great Lawn.

This intown experience features elegant, traditional elements such as wrapped trees and cones up to 30-feet-tall. Staying true to the Garden’s history of blockbuster art exhibitions, the show design emphasizes stunning, innovative, and artistic light installations as well as fun, whimsical elements.

In addition, the Garden is decked in holiday favorites such as an 18-foot poinsettia tree, holiday displays of unusual plant material (tillandsias, bromeliads, alternathera), and, of course, hundreds of poinsettias!

“It’s going to be a joyful, exhilarating outdoor experience – and so much more fun than being smooshed up against your relatives peering out car windows,” said Mary Pat Matheson, the Garden’s executive director.

Garden Lights Glows Green

Garden Lights is the first major holiday light show to debut with not only the color green but also green principles as well. It glows almost exclusively using nearly 1 million energy-efficient LED lights, or light-emitting diodes, which are illuminated solely by the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material rather than a traditional filament. They not only consume up to 80 percent less electricity than traditional incandescent lights but also have a life span of five years or more, more than doubling the traditional light lifespan.

The Garden is also purchasing “green energy” from Georgia Power. This means that energy produced from renewable resources will be added to the power grid in an amount equal to what the light show consumes. Georgia Power green energy sources include solar power and biomass, such as landfill gas

Atlanta Schools

North Atlanta High Schools
North Fulton high schools were well represented in the most recent 2011 report of SAT scores in Georgia. Six Fulton County schools made the top 20 list in the state. While Fulton County Schools have done a great job with students I think what we really see is a clear indication of the level of parental involvement in North Fulton County; and also a very real example of why so many families are relocating in North Atlanta choose the cities of Alpharetta, Milton, Roswell, Cumming and Johns Creek.

Here is a breakdown of those six schools:
Northview High School – 1751 (No. 3)
Chattahoochee High School – 1694 (No. 6)
Alpharetta High School – 1679 (No. 8 )
Milton High School – 1659 (No. 12)
Riverwood International Charter School – 1652 (No. 13)
Roswell High School – 1645 (No. 14)
While Northview technically ranks third in the state, the two higher-scoring schools had only 7 and 119 students, respectively, taking the test. By comparison, 576 Northview students took the SAT in 2011.
Here are the top 10 Metro Atlanta High Schools by SAT score.
1. Northview High School (Fulton): 1751
2. Walton High School (Cobb): 1725
3. Chattahoochee High School (Fulton): 1694
4. Alpharetta High School (Fulton): 1679
5. Pope High School (Cobb): 1676
6. Milton High School (Fulton): 1659
7. Riverwood High School (Fulton): 1652
8. Roswell High School (Fulton): 1645
9. South Forsyth High School (Forsyth): 1639
10.Lassiter High School (Cobb): 1634
While the SAT averages for the state of Georgia have actually slipped over the past year, North Atlanta continues to rise. Other examples of the great schools we have here are two Blue Ribbon schools: Alpharetta’s Fulton Science Academy and Big Creek Elementary in Forsyth County. These schools are two of only 305 Blue Ribbon Schools in the country.

Fall/Winter Real Estate Outlook

Fall Real Estate Outlook 
Real Estate Outlook: Key Metro Markets Improve

Despite mixed reports about housing in the past few weeks, there do seem to be some cities showing marked improvement as of late. The National Association of Home Builders' First American Improving Markets Index (IMI) shows that 23 markets, up from last month's 12, now qualify for their list.How does a city make the cut? If the metro area has seen improvement in housing permits, employment, and housing prices for at least 6 months it is then considered an improving market. "While Pittsburgh and New Orleans remain the two largest improving markets, the October IMI is heavily weighted by smaller cities in which energy and agriculture are the primary economic drivers and where the effects of the recession have been less pronounced," said NAHB Chief Economist David Crowe. "In particular, Texas stands out for its seven entries on the improving markets list." Bangor, Maine, was the only area to drop off of the improving markets list in October, due to a decline in local building permits."Both the number and geographic diversity of improving housing markets expanded this month, with Iowa, Illinois and South Carolina all newly represented by one entry or more on the list," said National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. "This is further evidence that, despite the tough conditions that persist in many cities, pockets of improvement are emerging in local housing markets across the country."
Jobs may be improving in these metro areas, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS), unemployment on a national level remains unchanged at 9.1 percent. The rate has been above the 9.0 percent mark every month in the last year except for February and March, which dipped only slightly.The National Association of Home Builders' Assistant Vice President, Robert Dietz, testified before the Senate Finance Committee last week that the decline in home construction has been historic and unprecedented.
He noted that when it comes to single-family housing production, we've had an 80 percent decline since the peak seen in 2006. The rate is now 353,000 homes per year as opposed to 1.8 million.
His testimony highlighted the overwhelming benefits of homeownership and the need for strong housing tax policy, which includes keeping the mortgage interest deduction, the deduction for local property taxes, the principal residence capital gains exclusion, and mortgage revenue bonds."We are seeing now what an economic recovery looks like without housing, and the picture is hardly encouraging," said NAHB Chairman Bob Nielsen, a home builder from Reno, Nev. "We need to address anti-housing impediments to home builders creating jobs in countless communities across the land."
According to Nielsen, the inventory of new for sales is at a record low and many cities could soon see a housing shortage. In addition to reduced builder confidence and buyer trepidation is the reality of tightened lending standards, keeping many builders from getting back to work."Leaders in Washington must stop scaring consumers by talking about eliminating the mortgage interest deduction, ending a federal backstop for housing and calling for a minimum 20 percent downpayment on home loans," said Nielsen. "This is counterproductive and harms consumer confidence, the housing market and the nation's economy." Carla Hill/Copyright © 2011 Realty Times. 

Johns Creek Breakfast with Santa

Breakfast with Santa in Johns Creek

Gingerbread cookie decorating, letters to Santa, holiday music and holiday crafts. Where can children have fun with these great holiday activities? At Johns Creek annual event, Breakfast with Santa! Saturday, December 10, 2011, the Newton Park Community Clubhouse will be filled with holiday cheer. The event is open only to John Creek residents and all children must be pre-registered. Registration is from November 14 – December 2 but register early as space is limited. The cost is $15 per child. Find out more about the 2011 Breakfast with Santa at www.johnscreekga.gov.

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 10, 2011
  1st Seating: 8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
  2nd Seating: 10 – 11 a.m.

* All information believed accurate but is not warranted. All rights reserved.

The Manor Golf And Country Club

The Manor is set among the pines and rolling hills of Alpharetta, Georgia just 40 minutes outside of Atlanta. The exclusive, high-end gated community features a breathtaking 7,200 yard 18-Hole Championship Golf Course designed by Major Champion Tom Watson. The Manor also boasts unmatched amenities such as 16 professionally maintained tennis courts, an outdoor Jr. Olympic competition pool and also an interactive children’s pool. The finely manicured driving range and practice area lies in wait for you to work on your game, or to work off some steam.

Overlooking the property is the elegant and majestic clubhouse which houses the family and fine dining areas, plush Men’s and Women’s locker rooms, as well as the luxuriously relaxing indoor heated pool and Jacuzzi. For more homes in the manor visit http://www.teamfulton.com

3117 Watsons Bend, Alpharetta



Dining for the New Year is simple & Roomy in the Classic Estate.

Huge Private Wood Paneled Library, Classy & Cozy

On of the Masters is on the Main with beautiful views.

Terrace Level Kitchen for Entertaining near Poolside.

An original picture Doesn't show all the intricate Landscaping and
Outdoor living areas custom designed for the propery.
A full tour can be seen at www.teamfulton.com

Clark Says Buy

HOUSING STATS SHOW NOW IS THE TIME TO BUY!!!!

Clark Howard discusses why now really is the time to buy a home.

CLARKONOMICS: It doesn't matter what publication you pick up, there's one bad number after another after another in the mortgage market. According to the Commerce Department, the sales rate for homes last year is the lowest on record since records started being kept 47 years ago! Then I also heard a Dow Jones reports that of the 28 major metro areas, every single one had a decline in home values at the end of 2010!! The combination of anemic sales rates and declining prices creates fear and anxiety. A large numbers of home are vacant for a variety of reasons. But I will tell you the problems mean opportunity. I've been a buyer of distress real estate during the downslide of the last couple years. Looking back now, I see I was actually too early getting in the game. But I'm not upset because the opportunity of owning over time remains so positive. We've reached a buyer's strike and sellers are starting to capitulate in price. Looking at Realtor.com, I noticed that listing after listing said "price reduced" no matter whether I was looking at high-end mansions or entry-level townhomes. Sellers are finally coming to recognize that if you want a buyer, you'd better offer a really good price. I recall the great deals people scored in the late 1980s during the regional depression in the Mountain States following the savings and loan crisis. In Denver, people bought office buildings at a total cost per square foot that was less than tenants might pay per square foot for rent in a year now. Meanwhile, on the financing front, interest rates have inched up from their recent historic lows...but they still remain very favorable. The opportunity is there. If you are afraid to buy, I don't want you to say, "I wish I would have done it in 2011." Does that mean recovery will come in 2012? I have no idea. But the opportunity right now is extraordinary.* *Article from www.clarkhoward.com

Selling Survey during Holidays

Realtor.com survey: Holidays are 'good time to sell'

Real estate pros say 'tis the season for more serious buyers, less competition

By Inman News, Friday, December 2, 2011.

Snowman image via Shutterstock.

Most real estate professionals always advise sellers to list their homes during the holiday season rather than waiting, citing more serious buyers and less competition among properties, according to a recent survey from Realtor.com.
The property search site's Holiday Home Selling Survey gathered responses from 429 real estate professionals surveyed online between Oct. 26, 2011, and Nov. 8, 2011. The "holiday season" was defined as Nov. 23, 2011, to Jan. 2, 2012.
Among respondents, 60 percent said they would always advise a seller to list a home during the holiday season and agreed that "it's a good time to sell," while 30 percent said they would sometimes advise it if the seller were motivated. Only 1 percent said they would never advise it because "selling during the holiday season is always a bad idea."
The vast majority of respondents, 79 percent, said more serious buyers were one of the biggest benefits of listing during the holidays, while 61 percent said less competition among homes was a plus. Only 17 percent said cold weather making homes look cozy was an advantage.

Reindog Parade Atlanta

Reindog Parade                             

December 10
11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Join the once-a-year fun of dogs in the Garden! Dress your pooch in holiday finery to compete for prizes with celebrity judges or to just show off. Enjoy Pup Tent refreshments, Photos with Saint Nick, and connect with local canine enthusiasts and businesses in the Doggie Expo. The first 100 dogs to arrive receive a special Wag-Bag of gifts!
Don't have a dog? Come enjoy the show!
Dogs compete in following categories:

Best Puppy | Best Senior | Best Botanical | Best Dog Pack
Best Dog-Owner Look-Alike | Not competing – just showing off!

Best Dog-Owner Look-a-Like Best Botanical Best Puppy (under 2 years) Best Senior (older than 10 years) Best Dog Pack Not competing – just showing

of

Download a Reindog Registration Form
Registration Deadline: Monday, December 5
The cost is $15 per dog in advance, plus Garden admission for owners. Walk-up admission for dogs is $18 (maximum two dogs per person) and subject to availability on day of the event; walk-ups may only participate in the "Just Showing Off" category. Regular admission rates apply to owners.
Email reindog@atlantabotanicalgarden.org for more information.

Christmas on Peachtree

Key elements of Christmas on Peachtree include:

• The Symphony of Lights™, a brilliant light and music show set to the sounds of the season.
• The Atlanta Snow Globe™, a one-of-a-kind snow globe window facing Peachtree Street.
• Children’s Adventure Area ™, sponsored by Cartoon Network will include a number of highly interactive experiences and a life size toy train. Cartoon Network characters will be integrated into the overall visitor experience.
• Atlanta’s best Santa, available for family photos that can be purchased onsite.
• Gifts of Atlanta™ Shopping Village, featuring numerous retailers.
• Two signature cafés featuring a variety of food and beverages.

Christmas on Peachtree is Atlanta's newest indoor Christmas festival. Located at 200 Peachtree Street (the former Macy's building) in downtown Atlanta, Christmas on Peachtree offers a mix of family-friendly festivities, food and shopping.

Come see the stunning Symphony of Lights™ music and light show, let the kids play in the Cartoon Network Children's Adventure Area™ (which includes a life size toy train!), enjoy a meal in the North Pole Café and shop in the retail village. Get your child's photo made with Santa with a number of affordable packages available for purchase. Benefits Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
Christmas on Peachtree is open:
Check online at Christmas on Peachtree for updated hours.

• Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 18^th.
• Open Daily starting Dec. 19^th through December 29^th (except Christmas Day)

Atlanta's Real-Estate

U.S. house prices have plunged by nearly a third since 2006, and homeownership rates are falling at the fastest pace since the Great Depression.
The good news? Two key measures now suggest it's an excellent time to buy a house, either to live in for the long term or for investment income (but not for a quick flip). First, the nation's ratio of house prices to yearly rents is nearly restored to its prebubble average. Second, when mortgage rates are taken into consideration, houses are the most affordable they have been in decades.
Two of the silliest mantras during the real-estate bubble were that a house is the best investment you will ever make and that a renter "throws money down the drain." Whether buying is a better deal than renting isn't a stagnant fact but a changing condition that depends on the relationship between prices and rents, the cost of financing and other factors.

But the math is turning in buyers' favor. Stock-oriented folks can think of a house's price/rent ratio as akin to a stock's price/earnings ratio, in that it compares the cost of an asset with the money the asset is capable of generating. For investors, a lower ratio suggests more income for the price. For prospective homeowners, a lower ratio makes owning more attractive than renting, all else equal.
Nationwide, the ratio of home prices to yearly rents is 11.3, down from 18.5 at the peak of the bubble, according to Moody's Analytics. The average from 1989 to 2003 was about 10, so valuations aren't quite back to normal.
But for most home buyers, mortgage rates are a key determinant of their total costs. Rates are so low now that houses in many markets look like bargains, even if price/rent ratios aren't hitting new lows. The 30-year mortgage rate rose to 4.12% this week from a record low of 3.94% last week, Freddie Mac said Thursday. (The rates assume 0.8% in prepaid interest, or "points.") The latest rate is still less than half the average since 1971.
As a result, house payments are more affordable than they have been in decades. The National Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index hit 183.7 in August, near its record high in data going back to 1970. The index's historic average is roughly 120. A reading of 100 would mean that a median-income family with a 20% down payment can afford a mortgage on a median-price home. So today's buyers can afford handsome houses—but prudent ones might opt for moderate houses with skimpy payments.
For example, the median home in the greater Phoenix market, including houses, condos and co-ops, costs $121,700, according to Zillow.com. With a 20% down payment and a 4.12% mortgage rate, a buyer's monthly payment would be about $470. Rent for a comparable house would be more than $1,100 a month, according to data provided by Zillow.com.
Of course, all of this assumes mortgages are available—no given now that lending standards have tightened. But long-term data on down payments and credit scores suggest conditions are more normal than many buyers think, according to Stan Humphries, chief economist at Zillow. "If you have good credit, a job and a down payment, you can get a mortgage," Mr. Humphries says. "There's more paperwork and scrutiny than five years ago, but things are pretty much like they were in the '80s and '90s."
Not all housing markets are bargains. Mr. Humphries says Zillow has developed a new price/rent ratio that uses estimates for each individual property rather than city medians, to better reflect the choices facing typical buyers. A fresh look at the numbers suggests Detroit and Miami are plenty cheap for buyers, with price/rent ratios of 5.6 and 7.7, respectively. New York and San Francisco are more expensive, with ratios of 17.6 and 17.2, respectively. The median ratio for 169 markets is 10.7.
For investors seeking income, one back-of-the-envelope way of seeing how these numbers stack up against yields for other assets is to divide 1 by the price/rent ratio, resulting in a rent "yield." The median market's rent yield is 9.3% and Detroit's is 17.9%.
Investors would then subtract for taxes, insurance, upkeep and other expenses—costs that vary widely. But suppose total costs were 4% of the purchase price. That would still leave a 5.3% rent yield in the typical market. With the 10-year Treasury yield at 2.2% and the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index carrying a dividend yield of 2.1%, rents for residential housing in many markets look attractive.
A few caveats are in order. First, not all transactions are average ones. Even in low-priced markets, buyers should shop carefully. Second, prices could fall further. Celia Chen, a senior director at Moody's Analytics, expects prices to drop 3% before bottoming early next year and rising slowly thereafter. "If the economy slips back into recession, however, we could easily see a 10% drop," Ms. Chen says.
And property "flipping" can be dangerous even when prices are rising. That is because, absent a real-estate boom, house price gains simply aren't that exciting. Research by Yale economist Robert Shiller suggests houses more or less track the rate of inflation over long time periods.
Houses aren't the magic wealth creators they were made out to be during the bubble. But when prices are low, loans are cheap and plump investment yields are scarce, buyers should jump.
—Jack Hough is a columnist at SmartMoney.com. 

Fannie Mae Foreclosures

Fannie Mae to Halt Foreclosures for Holidays

WASHINGTON, DC – Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) announced today that it will suspend evictions of foreclosed single family and 2-4 unit properties from December 19^th, 2011 through January 2^nd, 2012. During this period, legal and administrative proceedings for evictions may continue, but families living in foreclosed properties will be permitted to remain in the home.
"The holidays are meant for families to spend time together, especially if they’ve gone through the stress of financial challenges and foreclosure,” said Terry Edwards, Executive Vice President of Credit Portfolio Management, Fannie Mae. “No family should have to give up their home during this holiday season. Fannie Mae is committed to helping borrowers avoid foreclosure whenever possible and we encourage any homeowner who is having difficulty making their payment to reach out for help.”
Homeowners with Fannie Mae-backed loans can call 1-800-7FANNIE or visit www.knowyouroptions.com for information and resources on foreclosure prevention options, including contact information for the Fannie Mae Mortgage Help Center or a HUD-approved counseling agency in their area.

Fannie Mae exists to expand affordable housing and bring global capital to local communities in order to serve the U.S. housing market. Fannie Mae has a federal charter and operates in America's secondary mortgage market to enhance the liquidity of the mortgage market by providing funds to mortgage bankers and other lenders so that they may lend to home buyers. Our job is to help those who house America.

Andrew Wilson Courtesy of Fannie Mae

Atlanta Rentals

Atlanta top city to buy a home versus renting

November 28, 2011 by oglesandobservations

Home prices and mortgage rates have fallen so far that the monthly cost of owning a home is more affordable than at any point in the past 15 years and is less expensive than renting in a growing number of cities.
The Wall Street Journal’s third-quarter survey of housing-market conditions in 28 of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas found that home values declined in all but five markets compared with the second quarter, according to data from Zillow Inc. Meanwhile, rent levels have risen briskly across the country and mortgage rates, hovering around 4%, are the lowest in six decades.
As a result, monthly mortgage payments on the median priced home—including taxes and insurance—are lower than the average rent levels in 12 metro areas, according to data compiled for The Wall Street Journal by Marcus & Millichap, a real-estate brokerage that tracked 27 metro areas. It remains less expensive to rent than to buy in 15 cities.
In Atlanta, which had the most favorable values for owning versus renting, the monthly payment on the average home was $539 assuming a 20% down payment during the third quarter. By contrast, the average asking rent stood at $840, according to the Marcus & Millichap data.
Other cities where owning is now cheaper than renting include Detroit, Minneapolis, Orlando, Las Vegas, Miami, St. Louis, Chicago and Phoenix.
Home ownership is also looking more affordable because after several years of declines, apartment rents will rise by around 4% this year, says Mr. Nadji. He says rents are poised “to pick up even more momentum across the country next year.”

Mortgage rates are a big reason why affordability continues to improve. In 1991, a $1,700 mortgage payment allowed a borrower to take out a $200,000 mortgage. Today, it gets that homeowner a $350,000 loan, a 77% increase in borrowing power, says Dan Green, a loan officer with Waterstone Mortgage, in Cincinnati.

Please click here to read the entire article from the Wall Street Journal about the current housing market.