Dragon*Con = Nerd Heaven

For better or worse, American cities frequently don’t look too different from each other.  It’s hard to find one that doesn’t have a Ruby Tuesday or Bed Bath & Beyond. They all have hometown heroes that swear by them, whether they be rock stars, professional athletes, or Top Chef contestants.  If you asked a city booster to provide you with the ultimate city weekend, they’d tell you to come during some major event like Summerfest or Riverfest, an annual event featuring a “Kids Zone!”, and beer.

Ok, so I’m generalizing. But there’s a kernel of truth there…which leads me to this weekend, in which Atlanta- in my humble opinion- separates itself from the pack…Namely with Dragon*Con, the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and the AJC Decatur Book Festival.

Let’s start with Dragon*Con which is one of the world’s largest “multi-genre” convention. 30,000+ attendees descend upon downtown Atlanta every year for the event, which celebrates science fiction, role-playing games (not what you think), Anime, X-Files, Star Wars and everything in between. It’s a good old fashioned nerd hoedown, featuring multiple Star Trek stars (look out for LeVar Burton sightings), lots of comic books (Stan Lee will be in the house) and everything in between (Kelly LeBrock and Sean Astin?).

Also downtown this weekend will be the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game, which serves as major college football’s kickoff event.  Atlanta has solidified its position as the capital of college football (check out the College Football Hall of Fame’s relocation to Atlanta… soon), and thousands of  North Carolina and LSU fans are making Atlanta a big part of their Labor Day plans in order to support their teams.   Fan nights at local attractions, massive barbecues and ESPN’s GameDay Crew will make Atlanta the capital of kickoffs.

Rounding out the weekend is the AJC Decatur Book Festival, one of the country’s largest book fares.  The weekend-long event is free, and features a litany of authors including Jonathan Franzen, who recently donned the cover of Time magazine (the first novelist to do so in a decade).  The annual festival is a testament to Decatur’s cultural cache and if you enjoy words and stories, you should make an effort to attend.

So tell me, what other American city is hosting such a diverse range of events in one weekend?  Atlanta’s sprawl and traffic are often well documented by the national media.  Her ability to attract a diverse array of interesting and compelling events is not.

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While a homeowner may feel that a significant price reduction is sufficient means to move their product,  the job isn’t complete until the home looks as if it’s on an HGTV home improvement show.  These days, a house must truly be “show ready” in order to sell.  Them’s the rules of the currently over-supplied/under-demanded market.

To my chagrin, this was the first impression that my clients and I were greeted with when viewing a house recently:

A home seller may not think that this is that big a deal, especially if they’ve already gone through the process of listing their home for sale for 20% less than it was once worth.  A home buyer thinks the exact opposite.  After all, it’s hard not to wonder what else might be wrong with a house if this is what the doorbell looks like.  And at an asking price of nearly a half-million dollars, it’s really unacceptable not to replace something as minor as a doorbell.

Sometimes, it’s the little details that sell a house.  Don’t overlook them.

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There are currently 52 homes for sale in Atlanta priced under $10,000.  Condition of these homes, probably not mint.  Location, not exactly prime.  But still, we’re talking about a house for under $10,000.  That’s $2,000 less than a weekend stay at the St. Regis Atlanta’s Empire Suite.

Browse homes for sale in Atlanta priced under $10,000

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What also makes the unit really unique is its location.  While there are other complexes to choose from in Inman Park (IPV, Brickworks and 870 Inman, amongst others), none “bring the loft” quite like Inman Motor Works does.  If you were viewing the home from the inside, you’d swear that you were in one of Castleberry Hill’s signature loft spaces, not just a few blocks from Shaun’s, the Inman Park MARTA station and Callan Castle.

If you know anyone who’s considering an intown condo or townhouse, pass on this post.  At $175,000, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything that compares.

And now, I’ll let the pictures do some talking (or, just click here to view the complete listing):

Wide open space, massive ceilings and lots of light.

More pictures, after the jump…

Totally updated kitchen, including brand new tile floors

The private patio, for when you're not using your membership to the private Inman Park Pool (membership transfers with the unit).

Unlike most lofts, this unit has its own separate bedroom (door and all!).

It's impossible to tell from this picture, but the walk-in pantry is slightly larger than a couple of the New York apartments that I've lived in.

The "hallway" to the loft. Looks more like a resort in Phuket than a loft development.

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This weekend, August 28th and 29th, marks one of my favorite annual Atlanta festivals: the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival and Corks and Forks.  It’s a no-brainer, really: live music, an artists’ market, a fine dining event and a 5K race all taking place in Atlanta’s most stunning park. It’s a lot of fun.

A couple of reasons to check out the Grant Park Summer Shade Festival:

• Three stages of music. with acts ranging from my favorite radio show The Kids Are Alright to the East Ponce Soul Faction. 34 acts of free music spanning two days.
• Corks and Forks is one of the food events of the year.  Where else are you going to see Hugh Acheson (who’s highly anticipated Empire State South is opening just days later), Rosebud’s Ron Eyester (one of my favorite twits, follow him at @theangrychef) and the Rathbun all in one place, feeding the masses?
• College football season begins next week, and you know what that means: either you, your significant other, or the two of you will be spending copious amounts of time indoors, watching television.
• Grant Park.  There is nothing like it in Atlanta.  Rather than rehash old love letters in this forum, click here to read my ode to Grant Park.
• It’s free.
• Lots and lots of arts and crafts.  Even if you’re not in the market for any jewelry or ceramics, there’s something nice about looking at beautiful things. The art market at Summer Shade is one of the city’s largest, and definitely worth the stroll.

The Details

Grant Park Summer Shade Festival and Corks and Forks

Saturday and Sunday, August 28-29

Grant Park

800 Cherokee Avenue Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30315-1470

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Q. You’ve got 24 hours to show off Atlanta to Andre Leon Talley.  Where are you headed?

A. Andre is a supreme diva, but he’s got a great sense of humor and a larger than life personality. I think we’d start the day at Gladys Knight Chicken and Waffles and indulge in some ATL soul food. Then, he’d probably want to visit SCAD as he was recently honored with their Lifetime Achievement Award and he’s a dear friend of President Paula Wallace. We could also hop next door to the HIGH for some more culture. The new Dali exhibit is amazing. Hopefully he’s visiting on the second weekend of the month and we could then head to Scott Antique Market and scavenger hunt for estate jewelry and vintage capes.

Q. Mayor for the day- what would be on your agenda?

A. I wouldn’t get very far, but I’d sign some sort of legislation to build more bike lanes. At least get it started. I’m not a cyclist, but I almost hit one everyday on my way to work. Peachtree is just not wide enough to “share the road”! Pffff.

Q. Most underrated thing about Atlanta?

A. Hmmm. Probably the food – mainly the tacos. Some cities are known for their pizza or their fresh seafood, but Atlanta has the best tacos. Between Taqueria, El Taco, Holy Taco and Bone Garden, I indulge at least once a week.

Q. What is Shop Les Nouvelles, and why it awesome?

A. ShopLN.com is an ecommerce boutique that features a tightly edited selection of advanced contemporary fashion from both established and emerging designers from around the globe. We launched it as the antithesis of the mega-sites like ShopBop and Revolve that feature hundreds upon hundreds of designers. We wanted to bring the boutique back online and offer a more curated and interesting approach to ecommerce. We also have this really cool feature where customers can “Be Their Own Stylist” and mix and match pieces from the site to create a look – I believe we’re the only retail site that has this feature.

Q. What’s the Jeffrey Fashion Cares After Party, and why is it a must-attend?

A. First and foremost, the event benefits Susan G Komen For the Cure and The Atlanta AIDS Partnership Fund – great causes! For the first time in Jeffrey Fashion Cares 18 year history, they are opening the after party up to the younger fashionistas of Atlanta who can’t foot the $500+ ticket price to the main event. $150 gets you admission to the circus themed party at Opera. Fred Schneider of the B-52s and DJ Vicki Powell will be spinning and there will be a performance by GloATL. It’s a fabulous excuse to get decked out and celebrate Atlanta’s fashion scene all for a wonderful cause.

The Relevant Linkage

The best Scott Antique Market tour guide

The best Atlanta-based taqueria not listed about

The leading proponent for bike lanes in Atlanta

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Edit Credit: “Leads”, Atlanta Business Chronicle

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Tyler Perry: A One Man Stimulus Plan

Let’s just call it “The House That House of Payne Built”.

As mentioned here a couple of weeks ago, legendary Atlanta home Dean Gardens has finally sold.  Now, we learn the identity of the buyer: global icon Tyler Perry, writer/director/producer.  According to the AJC, he’s going to build his dream house on the property of Dean Gardens.  Hopefully, construction will go a little smoother than it did when he built his 30,000 square foot mansion overlooking the Chattahoochee just a couple of years ago.

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Justin Farmar and Jovita Moore: The Young Guns!

Interested in the Atlanta BeltLine?   Check out WSB’s prime time special “The Beltline Project: Connecting Atlanta“.  It’s airing tonight at 8.  More on the special, directly from the press release:

Jovita Moore, anchor for Channel 2 Action News, traveled thousands of miles from Atlanta to Chicago to New York, and uncovered how these unlikely places sparked ideas for parks and housing on the Beltline. Channel 2’s Justin Farmer takes viewers to sites around Atlanta to form a complete picture of project’s scope, mapping out what’s being done here, right now. Anchor/reporter John Bachman showcases Charlotte’s light rail system, the model for Atlanta’s Beltline transit system.

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My short sale listing at 870 Inman, a one bedroom condominium priced at $139,000, is (in my humble opinion) the best deal in town.  Supporting arguments:

1. A comparable one bedroom rental at either Mariposa Lofts or N. Highland Steel- the two “luxury” rental buildings in Inman Park- is going to cost more per month
2. This unit has its own private poolside terrace.
3. Upgraded features throughout, including a built-in sound system powered by an iPod dock
4. Largest floorplan in the building
5. FHA Approved (meaning that you can put as little as 3.5% down)
6. Once you’ve put down your 3.5%, you’re looking at monthly mortgage payments under $750.

Click here for more information on the listing.

If you’re interested in checking it out, click here to contact me.

Please forward this post to anyone that you think might be interested. It won’t be on the market long.

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