C O B B ’ S FA M I LY L I F E S T Y L E M A G A Z I N E NOVEMBER 2022
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Letter from the Publisher
- Kelly
TARA HILL HANOVER
E
very year November rolls around and we start talking about all that we are thankful for. However, I think over the past few years we have all had a lesson in gratitude. Personally, I have learned to be thankful for everything and every day.
“glass half full” kind of gal. I am thankful for the crazy, thankful for the chaos, thankful for the good, the bad and even the ugly. I find myself squealing around on two wheels dropping off and picking up and I have to tell you, I LOVE EVERY SECOND OF IT!
As someone who has worked in the 24/7 live television media for my entire adult life, sometimes it is easy for the exhaustion and anxiety to take over not to mention the PTSD from all of the news (let’s face it, network news is rarely happy). Then sprinkle in a husband and 3 kiddos...it becomes a perfect storm for OVERWHELMED, OVERWORKED and honestly sometimes a lack of gratefulness. Can you relate?
Yes, I am still tired. Yes, I am still anxious and yes at times overwhelmed but I am thankful I am able to do it all.
One of the best parts of me, though, is that I am super lucky to have always been a
4
Family, friends, readers, community-I am so thankful for you. Let’s make this month of thankfulness spill into every other month following and into 2023! No one ever said life would be easy, but I promise a good attitude will make it easier. The attitude of gratitude truly changes everything. Enjoy the turkey, enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy the chaos, enjoy every moment this holiday season and beyond! “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” -Oprah Winfrey
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PAGE 5
In This Issue N OVEMBER 2022
Note from the Publisher............................4 Cover Photographer: Claire Christa....................................................8 The End of an Era Justin sits down with Mark Owens in Talkin’ Sports..............................................................11
15
Cover Story: Welcome to The Joint Chiropractic................15
Cover Story The Joint Chiropractic
Travel Expert Heather Meliski, gives you the follow-up from her fall break saga..................................18 Home Town Heroes! Loving Arms Cancer Outreach........................21
11
21
Here Come the Holidays A Peak Inside of the Life of Cobb’s Next Generation.....................................................26
Home Town Heroes Loving Arms
Talkin’ Sports An Interview with Mark Owens
Seasonal Advice Holly Firfer wants you to Take a Break from Holiday Anxiety and Enjoy the Moments.......32
Real Estate Our Town’s, Deborah Ratchford, has the latest information on the always changing real estate market............................38
32 18 Travel When Plans Change PAGE 6
Seasonal Holidays Enjoy the Moments
Our Town onthly M
in this issue
F A M I LY L I F E S T Y L E N EW S M AG A Z I N E
Publishers/Editors Our Townmonthly is published and direct monthly to prestigious homes in the Our Town is published and direct mailed tomailedprestigious homes West Cobb Area. Opinions expressed by the editorial staff are their own and do not Linda DemeryOpinions & Lori McLinden in Cobb County. expressed by the editorial staff are their own necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Our Town reserves the right to
Graphics and Design and do not necessarily reflect the opinions ofeditorial the publisher. Our Town edit and or reject any or advertising content. Our Town is not responsible Tanner for errors in advertising beyond the cost of the space or advertising for the validity of claims made reservesTanner theTerry right to edit and or reject any editorial or Graphics, Inc. by advertisers. content. Our Town is not responsible for errors in advertising beyond Account Executive Entire contents copyright 2018 bymade Our Town. in whole or in the Sara costYoung, of the space or for the validity of claims byReproduction advertisers. sara@ourtownmonthly.com part is forbidden in any media without prior written permission from the publisher. Entire contents copyright 2022 by Our Town. Reproduction in whole Feature Photographer or in part is forbidden in any mediaOur without prior written Town Monthly permission from the publisher. 109 Anderson Street Contributing Writers
Suite 109
Marietta, GA 30060 PUBLISHER/MANAGING EDITOR Tara Hill Hanover678-337-7844
Fax: 678-337-7825
info@ourtownmonthly.com
EDITOR/SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR www.ourtownmonthly.com Justin Hanover DIGITAL EDITOR Kimberly Watkins-Swenk GRAPHICS AND DESIGN Jules Fandos ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES West Cobb Sara Young sara@ourtownmonthly.com Smyrna/Vinings/Galleria/Cumberland Misty Flanders-White misty@ourtownmonthly.com FEATURE PHOTOGRAPHER Claire Christa CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Heather Meliski Evie Love Holly Firfer Deborah Ratchford
PO Box 813610 Smyrna, GA 30081-8610 (678)337-7844 info@ourtownmonthly.com www.ourtownmonthly.com FB: Our Town Monthly
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IG: @our_town_monthly
PAGE 7
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Our Town
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Our Town
Talkin’ Sports By Justin Hanover
Q&A
I
f you have been to an Atlanta Braves game at any point since 2007 then you have seen Mark Owens. The Cobb County native and Harrison High School graduate just finished his 16th and final season as the team’s in-game entertainment host.
“MARK”ing the End of an Era
I sat down with Mark to hear about this amazing gig that was supposed to last two years but went for three decades: You have been the Atlanta Braves in-game host for the past 16 years. Why is now the time to “retire” from this passionate position? I was going to retire at the end of the 2021 Season. That would have been a solid 15 year run, but then we had to go and win the World Series, so I wanted to come back and celebrate with the fans. Reality is, I have a full time job and a family and when the Braves are in town, those 15 hour days can be draining. I owe it to my job and more importantly my wife and daughter to spend more time with them. But hopefully I’ll pop up from time to time to fill in!
What were your thoughts as you exited the stadium for the final time as a Braves employee? Oct. 2nd was my final Regular Season home game. While we still had a postseason run, that game was the unofficial finale. I walked out sad, proud and happy. Sad because I’ll miss it, proud that I got to be part of it and happy that I get to be on the other side of it as a fan.
How has your life evolved during this three decade long run (kids, family, living, marriage, etc.)? When I started in 2007, I planned for this to be a 2 year gig for beer and Vegas money. 16 years later, I’m married with a 4th Grader, so that extra income has become princess and mortgage money.
Best home game you’ve seen: We lost, but World Series Game 5 at Truist when Adam Duvall hit the Grand Slam. In all my years, I’ve never heard a crowd reaction like that. The stadium was literally shaking. Overall Best was the Game 6 Watch Party. I was literally standing on 2nd base when we won. That was a cool moment.
Obviously winning a World Series is probably at the top of the list but tell us about your best takeaways from such an amazing 16 years? Working the 2016 Fort Bragg game in front of thousands of active soldiers and their families was an honor. Being in the The World Series Parade and then covered in confetti during the Celebration was incredible. Finally, earning the fans trust was a big deal to me. Braves fans can be rabid, but I’m proud to think after all this time they trust me and know that I’m also a fan and this is more than a job. I love this quote you posted on Twitter: “I’ve been boo’ed by 50K & celebrated with over 1M at the World Series Parade & Celebration. This journey also includes over 3,500 @HomeDepot Tool Race Intros, 100 new hats, 36 sweat towels & most importantly, over 4,500 fans have played a game with me on the big screen.” If I told a young Mark Owens back in the 1990’s this would all be the case how would he have responded? He’d be annoyed he’s not actually playing for the Braves. I grew up playing baseball and just knew I’d be on the team one day. Then I got to Harrison High School and realized I had no real athletic ability (despite my mom being my biggest fan and telling me otherwise). However, if you told a 16 year old Mark he’d have a World Series Ring, I think he’d be ok with that.
Our Town
Do you have a favorite fan interaction? It was a Family Day and we had a dad and his son play the Napa Cap Shuffle. He told me about going to games with his dad and how excited he was to have this moment with his son. They won and he got teared up. I lost my Dad to cancer right before we opened Truist Park and he never got to experience the new stadium or watch his son work the World Series, so those Father/Son moments hit home to me.
RAPID FIRE Favorite Braves player: I’ve met and interacted with hundreds of players, but still to this day I fan boy around Brian McCann.
Visiting team you hate the most: Cubs. They have a weird sense of entitlement, followed by the Dodgers at a very close 2nd. Those fans are brutal. Favorite food at Truist Park: Yes. Anything Else You’d like to Say to Braves Country: Thank you to my family for being so supportive as I chased my dream of working with the Braves and thank you Braves Country, it’s been an absolute honor to serve you. Finally, be proud and say it loud all day long - LET’S GO BRAVES! Thanks! Mark
Justin Hanover is a sports reporter/analyst who has worked in the business since 1996. His stops have included ESPN, CNN, 790 The Zone, 680 The Fan and the Atlanta Falcons. He has also done play-byplay analysis and color commentary ranging from the high school level all the way through the professional level. Justin lives in Smyrna with his wife and three children.
PAGE 11
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4461 South Main St. l Acworth, GA 30101
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4500 West Village Place Ste. 1011 Smyrna, GA 30080 678-916-8834 thejoint.com/georgia/smyrna
I
am Anne Michaud, a mom, a wife, a local business owner of The Joint in Smyrna, and I am the co-founder of The Joint Chiropractic.
My former spouse and I created The Joint in 1999 in Tucson, Arizona. He graduated from Life University, one of the country’s premier chiropractic colleges, in 1993, and I was a massage therapist. We had worked in other clinics and opened another clinic together before The Joint. Our belief was that chiropractic care should be affordable and available to anyone with a spine, from infants to adolescents and into adulthood and beyond. We wanted to bring chiropractic back to its original roots of removing interference in the nervous system and allowing the body to heal itself from the inside out. The company’s name came about when I remarked to my partner that I wished we could name our new clinic The Joint. After all, chiropractic care focuses on removing dysfunctions within our joints to relieve pain and increase mobility. I was concerned about the connotation (this was the 90’s), but his response was, “We can.” So, that’s exactly what we did. It started as “The Joint, a chiropractic place” and is now known across the country as “The Joint Chiropractic”. We found other chiropractors were interested in our accommodating and accessible chiropractic office, and thus began franchising. Our franchised company was purchased in 2010 and now stands at more than 800 locations.
We never experienced ear infections and colic that friends of ours did, and I was always so happy when my friends brought in their children and these symptoms subsided. Because of my personal passion, my clinic offers children their first adjustment for $19. On Monday, Nov. 14, The Joint’s annual “Back Friday” promotion begins and is the best time of year to buy a wellness package. When you buy a 10 pack of clinic visits, you will receive 2 free adjustments. The offer lasts until Wednesday, Nov. 30. The biggest news is our upcoming end-of-the-year membership promotion which begins Thursday, Dec. 1 and lasts until Monday, Jan. 16. This is, without a doubt, the best time to buy a membership. You receive 12 months for the price of 10 by pre-buying the year. That’s two FREE months of chiropractic care! You can also use your FSA or HSA dollars to purchase either the packages or a membership. Our mission at The Joint has stayed true: to improve quality of life through routine and affordable chiropractic care. I am so proud of the work and commitment that my clinic, our corporate team and franchisees have put into this little company that was created out of love and a passion for making chiropractic care mainstream.
Most clinics are open seven days a week, and mine is open at 7:00 a.m. Monday through Friday as well as on Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sundays from 12-6 p.m. No appointments are necessary, and we keep the price affordable and offer wellness plans that fit most budgets. I personally have a strong passion for children and chiropractic care. I have personal experience with my own children receiving chiropractic adjustments since birth and having strong immune systems as a result. In 2020 I was injured in a bicycle accident just three weeks before a scheduled total knee replacement. Five months into my recovery, I found out my knee replacement was infected and would result in two additional surgeries that year. I saw Dr. Alex a couple of times in between surgeries to help with my neck pain from laying around for so long. Nine months after my final surgery, I had pretty much accepted that I would never have full use of my leg due to all the surgeries and injuries from my accident. Then I decided to go back to Dr. Alex. She was my last hope. Within a month I could see a huge difference, and after two months with Dr. Alex, I finally turned a corner. I am without pain and I have full use of my leg again. Dr. Alex and The Joint Vinings literally changed my life! – Rachelle Justice
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Our Town
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PAGE 17
When Vacations
By Heather Meliski
Don’t Go as Planned
I
f you read my article last month then you know that our fall break vacation to Puerto Rico was up in the air due to Hurricane Fiona. That was just the beginning of our fall break saga.
Not long after I wrote the article, Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico hard and caused extensive damage on the island. There were widespread power and water outages, and a number of roads were damaged or impassable. While San Juan was spared the worst of the storm, they did experience power and water outages and most resorts were running on generators. I consulted with my contact in Puerto Rico and while the hotel we were supposed to stay at was fine, we wouldn’t be able to reach the areas outside of San Juan we wanted to experience during our stay. After several days, we made the heart-breaking decision to cancel. The good news is I had several back up plans in place so we were able to quickly pivot and book our Plan B. While my husband talked to Delta about rebooking our flights, I took care of the hotel. Within 30 minutes we had everything booked for our new fall break plans – in the Florida Keys. I’m sure you can see where this is going. Within a few days, Hurricane Ian would become a named storm that was on a collision course with south
Florida. I grew up vacationing in the Keys with my family so I’m very familiar with the area and I knew that it was prone to storm surge and there was the potential for the only road down the Keys – which is one lane each way most of the way from Miami to Key West – to wash out in places. I felt confident we could get to the Keys but not as confident we could get home. We made the decision the day before we were supposed to arrive to cancel this trip as well. We didn’t want to take up resources like water and food that locals might need and we didn’t want to get rained out for most, if not all, of our vacation. Some hotels and resorts in hurricane-prone areas will allow you to cancel or reschedule without penalty once a hurricane warning or watch is announced, so I was able to cancel without using my travel insurance. Not all hotels and resorts allow for this which is why I bought a policy once the storm was getting close to being named - because hurricanes are only a covered event if you buy travel insurance before the storm is named. By this point we determined our family vacation wasn’t meant to be, so we decided to have a staycation here at home. We did some fun things with the kids, hung out with friends, successfully escaped from an escape room, worked on some things around the house, binge watched some shows, and caught a Braves game. It was a nice, relaxing week and it ended up being just what we needed. Was it the vacation I had been looking forward to and planned for months? No. But by having a backup plan (or two), purchasing travel insurance, being flexible, and – obviously - booking with a travel advisor, we were able to quickly pivot twice and have an amazing fall break!
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PAGE 18
Heather Meliski is a travel agent specializing in the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Europe, Australia, the South Pacific, cruises, theme parks, and more. She lives in Smyrna with her husband two sons. Heather@yellowshoetravel.com FB @heatheryellowshoetravel IG @yellowshoetravelheather
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Our Town
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PAGE 19
PAGE 20
Our Town
Home Town Hero I
n December 2015 I lost my dad to cancer. Most everyone has been affected in some way by this horrible disease but when it hits home, it’s almost unbearable...thankfully by a wink from God, angels seem to appear in these moments of grief and they come in all forms. As I was trying to digest the passing of my father, I came across Loving Arms Cancer outreach and on a whim I reached out to see how I could be of service. To my shock, they asked me to be a “celebrity dancer” for their annual fundraiser, Dancing with the Stars for Cancer, to aid in their support of the patients and families they assist. Not only did I participate in this life-changing event, the following years I was a judge as well. In their humble kindness, they think I help them, however they could never know how much they have helped me...they are inspiring, caring, compassionate and full of grit. I want to formally introduce you to my dear friend Janet Graham, the Director of this life-changing non-profit.
Loving Arms Cancer Outreach
Loving Arms Cancer Outreach, founded in 2011 by two oncology nurses, is dedicated to instilling hope and joy as well as providing education and support to empower patients and their families throughout the cancer journey. We provide financial assistance to cancer patients in Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, Paulding, and Pickens counties and also provide wigs and head coverings, medical equipment, and emotional support services free of charge to any cancer patient in Georgia. For many cancer patients, Loving Arms is the life raft when they feel as though cancer is drowning them. We strive to make sure our clients are not having to choose between their life-saving treatments, food on the table, or their home services. Our programs allow us to ensure they have all of the necessary services to increase their level of success throughout their cancer journey. I have included a few of our testimonials below. Sheri, a support group member, says “I’ve been a part of Loving Arms for a couple of years now and can tell you first hand what a valuable resource it is for those of us diagnosed with cancer.” Another client wrote, “Getting a gas or grocery card from Loving Arms has been a BLESSING TO ME!! Sometimes, I don’t have ALL the money or I’m on limited resources and a card helps me out. No, we didn’t ask for this dreaded disease, but I’m glad it’s people like Loving Arms that care. THAT’S ALL WE WANT IS SOMEONE TO CARE ABOUT US. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!” Clients like these inspire us daily and let us know that we are on the right mission. If you would like to join us on this mission, Loving Arms is always looking for community partners, volunteers, committee members and board members to help us make a bigger difference in our community. If you are interested in learning more about upcoming events, or signing up to volunteer, visit their website or email, Janet Graham, Director of Loving Arms Cancer Outreach. www.lovingarms.support // janet@lovingarms.support // 770-590-5153
Our Town
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Our Town
THE DALLAS THEATER events 208 Main Street, Dallas, GA 30132 / 770.445.5180
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STARRING DAN WHITEHURST & JOEY THURMOND Join retired police officers Dan and Joey as they share hilarious real-life stories from their time protecting and serving America, some music, and so much more. These two southern gentlemen have toured and brought laughs all across America! Dan and Joey take great pride in their show being 100% CLEAN COMEDY that everyone enjoys!
DECEMBER 2nd/7:30PM $22 -$25
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Join us for KATIE DEAL’s concert event that celebrates the spirit of country-music legend, Dolly Parton. Katie Deal delivers a touching and joyful evening of music with songs from Dolly’s Christmas albums, famous duets and much more. Kick off your holiday season with stories past and present and journey into a winter wonderland with Katie Deal and band. Join us and let the music of Dolly warm your souls!
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PAGE 25
By Evie Love
A
s a tenth-grade student school can become tough and with sports and extra curricular activities hard to manage. Currently I am having to learn how to be in charge of my time while also participating in outside of school activities. Sometimes it is hard for me to prioritize and understand what are truly the most important things I need to get done. I am also having the mentality of “when am I ever going to use this in the real world” or “what is the point of even learning this”, which is typical for people my age. However, when I ask this question, the answer I receive is pretty much always “you most likely will not use this”. The first time I was actually told this answer, it blew my mind. But I have soon realized that although I will most likely never use 95% of this information in real life, it is preparing me for the work ethic I will use in the future. The main thing that gets me through all of the chaos in school is knowing what season is ahead, WINTER! I love this time of year! Sadly, I am in between volleyball and soccer season as my volleyball season came to a close and I am waiting for soccer season in the spring, but there is always something about winter that seems so magical.
The best part about Christmas is spending time with my family and seeing the joy on their faces when receiving gifts. My siblings and I always wake up at 7 am on the dot and rush into our parents’ room screaming, “IT’S CHRISTMAS”. Then we all put on onesies and peak over the railing to see what presents are waiting for us downstairs! We quickly dress our dog Pam up in a Christmas sweater and my grandma comes over to join us for breakfast. It is such a fun day filled with family and good food. After the crazy day passes, New Year’s comes and then back to school! It sounds like I am complaining; however, I typically love school. As I have grown older though, the work has become much harder and the breaks seem to come less frequently. As my mom always says the people with GRIT are the ones that persevere and succeed. So, no matter if you run through that finish line or belly flop across it, you still finished. NEVER GIVE UP, especially when it comes to school. I GOT THIS, YOU GOT THIS!
Maybe it’s the random joy filled days when snow falls or the fact that the semester of school is coming to a close and we have a TWO WEEK BREAK! However, the reason I love winter so much is because the holiday season is right around the corner which means Christmas is coming! This is my favorite holiday out of all of them… well maybe after Thanksgiving.
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Evie is a Cobb County high school student who plays varsity volleyball & soccer. She has achieved heads honor roll and is an Ambassador for her school. She is kind, funny, determined, hardworking and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.
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Relax and Enjoy the Moments that Matter By Holly Firfer
I
t was mid-August and I was making my quarterly Costco trip to reload toilet paper & raw almonds supplies when I was stopped in my tracks. Near the entrance was a giant blow up pumpkin, a skeleton with light up eyes and (gasp!) Halloween costumes! I started to break out into a cold sweat, NOT because it was 97 degrees out, but because the holidays were coming, and I felt unprepared. It was only August, but those companies selling holiday goods know how to work a crowd. Now I was panicked because Thanksgiving was fast approaching. We’ve all seen those Norman Rockwell paintings and watched Hallmark movies where the whole family is perfectly coiffed, dressed and all seem to like each other. But no matter how hard I tried, my holiday meals never looked even remotely close. It’s not like I didn’t try. Oh, I bought fake leaves and gold trimmed napkin holders to decorate the table and even created a Spotify playlist that “felt like fall”. But when you forget to take the frozen 19lb turkey out to defrost on Monday, you’ll end up spending an hour and a half on Thanksgiving Day with a blow dryer aimed at places on a bird that should be illegal. I know I’m not alone. The American Psychological Assn. reports more Americans say they feel stressed around the holidays, rather than relaxed while enjoying some time off. Even if you make it through Thanksgiving relatively unscathed, more holidays are right around the corner. You barely have time to put away the matching Pilgrim salt & pepper shakers before your kids are begging for a tree. When I was younger, shopping for holiday gifts was actually fun. I would spend hours walking through the mall admiring all the new fashions and gadgets, grabbing a mocha latte and an Auntie Annie’s pretzel while enjoying that piped in holiday Muzak. Now I pull up every Instagram photo I can find with a full body shot to estimate what size my best friend from college wears so I can send her something from Amazon. One year I was so paralyzed by fear that I waited too long and had to find something in my house as a “gift” for Aunt Vera. The only thing she had ever commented on was her love for my $400 Kitchen Aid Mixer and my dog. (I hope she liked the tiny ballerina figurine I won at a county fair in 1986 that I sent her).
As my anxiety started to build, something strange happened somewhere between the 1000 count package of batteries and fleece pajama sets (yes, it was still August) that was like a message from the Universe sitting atop of the piles and piles of books. The cover of the book “Frozen” was glaring at me like it could read my mind, for it was then that I heard the incredible Idina Menzel singing in my head “Let it go, Let it go, That perfect girl is gone”. As I perused the wines and headed over to frozen foods, I realized that I was never perfect although I tried to be, and even though I was so worried about making everything look like an episode of “This Is Us”, inevitably something was going to go sideways. So, I quickly did some research and found tips to keep that holiday stress at bay: Plan Ahead, no one needs to be making 17 trips to Publix because it just wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without that jiggle cranberry log. Maintain Healthy Habits, when I look around my house and realize 3 inches of dog hair and year old magazines lying around need to be cleaned, I don’t immediately grab my Cabernet in a Can, but instead go for a quick walk to get my blood pumping and energy up to come home and grab that vacuum cleaner that’s been sitting in the closet since the Obama administration. Create Relaxing Surroundings, so when I am frantically searching online for the perfect gift for my nephew, the whiff of that lavender candle will prevent me from giving up and getting him Underoos, yet again (did I mention he is 19?). Be Realistic, there’s no way my house is going to look like Martha Stewart’s perfectly decorated mansion, even if I splurged and bought the fancy Hannukah candles instead of digging out used birthday ones. And...Take A Break, if the napkins aren’t perfectly folded into charming snowflakes it doesn’t matter, it’s better you take the five minutes to peruse Gawker online to see why Ramona might be quitting the ‘Real Housewives’. So, as I prepare to spend time with my family and friends this season, I am going to try to relax and enjoy the moments that matter. And I think I will start by enjoying that 15lb bag of candy just a few months early!
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Holly is an Emmy nominated journalist who you may have seen covering anything from hurricanes to celebrity trials, campaign trails and sporting events for CNN as well as a national correspondent for CNN’s Health Unit. She made a name for herself here locally by hosting CBS Radio’s DaveFM, “Music Mornings with Holly Firfer” and was a co- host on NBC’s daily talk show, “Atlanta & Company”. Holly has also appeared on the big screen many times including “Flight” with Denzel Washington and “Devil’s Knot” with Reese Witherspoon.
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The Market is Evening Out
E
ven though we are experiencing interest rates higher than we have seen over the past several years, rates are still reasonably low. For those buyers concerned about the recent real estate news don’t forget that real estate is a business with ups and downs. For every up, there’s usually a down to be found somewhere. Several months ago, many of us were talking about heightened competition and crazy bidding wars among multitudes of buyers. Now, interest rates are the slow down for purchasing a home while buyer competition is a lot more manageable. When the market shifts, the conditions shift with it, and this creates opportunities and challenges that may change again in another six to twelve months. Many of the properties still on the market reflect homes that were previously priced too high for their actual value. In 2021, when demand was strong and supply was incredibly weak, homes were priced much higher than they should have been because buyers were willing to pay. As rate hikes dampen buying power buyers are more wary of overpriced properties but a home that’s well-priced in today’s market will sell.
The Scoop on Rising Rents Median rent for the 50 largest metros in the country set a new national high a few months back (July 2022) and this record has now been broken for 17 consecutive months. Rent is also increasing at a faster pace in urban areas than it is in suburban locales. Additionally, rents for studio units are rising quicker than rents for one and two-bedroom units as well. Even though rental prices continue to increase, the rate of that growth is slowing down. July 2022’s year-over-year percentage change was the lowest since August of last year. This is good news for buyers who are still renting as they wait for their dream home to hit the market. Jump into the Market – The Market temperature is fine. Mortgage rates are still low, relatively speaking, so now may be the perfect time for you to sell. If you’ve been considering a move, feel free to call or text today to start a conversation. I can provide a home valuation that will allow you to decide for yourself if now is the time to sell. Your home may be worth more than you think. Deborah Ratchford Keller Williams Realty Cityside 678-570-4779 / Debratchford@kw.com
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Deborah M Ratchford
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