Okay, for all of us that were concerned about the earlier than normal back-to-school start date in Columbia County GA Schools, the date is now August 9, 2010.  If you are like me and are in the process of planning out your summer vacation schedule and needing to coordinate who is going where and when they are going, this approved calendar is at least a help. Click the link to see the 2010 – 2011 Columbia County Ga School System calendar. At least we know that the school start date is not Augusta 5, 2010 as was proposed by the school board.  Once again, the schools in Columbia County will be closed for the entire week of Thanksgiving. This past year was the first year that the Fall Break was deleted in order to give all of Thanksgiving week off from school. Happy Summer Planning everyone!
Archives for April 2010
See Crown Communities in Augusta Ga
There has been an explosion in new home construction over the past few years.  The Augusta, GA area has been very fortunate with the continued stability in the new home construction market with thanks to the presence of such employers as Fort Gordon Army Post, John Deere Corporation, MCG Health Inc & The Medical College of Georgia, SRS site, Plant Vogel, E-Z-Go, Kellogg, ADP, T-Mobil, Proctor & Gamble and Club Car just to name a few of the major employers. No wonder Crown Communities decided to move up I-20 branching out of Atlanta to Augusta!
Crown Communities or Pillon Communities, as both names are used by the company, are from the Atlanta area and they have definitely made an impact on the housing market in both Columbia County GA and Richmond County GA. These communities feature spacious homes that will meet the needs of families when it comes to size and affordability.  Crown has mastered the process of manufacturing a stick-built home by stream lining the process down to the amount of materials used in their construction process.If you are looking for a large home and aren’t looking for a home on a large lot, then these homes just might be for you! Some of the Crown Communities houses even feature basements which can be finished by the builder or left unfinished for you to have a project in the future. Here is a list of Crown Communities Homes for sale in the area:
Columbia County Locations:
- Berkley Hills – Evans, GA*
- Iris Glen – Evans, GA
- Ivy Landing – Grovetown, GA*
- Mill Branch – Grovetown, GA*
- Pamir Place – Grovetown, GA*
*Please note these communities have both Crown or Pillon and other various local builders.
Richmond County Locations:
- Elderberry – Augusta, GA*
- Granite Hill – Augusta, GA*
- The Hamptons – Augusta, GA*
- Richmond Estates – Augusta, GA
- Spirit Point – Hephzibah, GA
- Walton Farms – Hephzibah, GA*
- Willhaven – Augusta, GA
*Please note these communities have both Crown or Pillon and other various local builders.
All Crown Communities require you to register in their sales office and be accompanied by a site agent to see inside of their houses. I would be happy to assist you with viewing any of these homes. Please give me a call or text me on my mobile at 706-294-6795 so we can get you registered at the on site sales office in the Crown Community of your choice. I can represent you as a Buyer’s Agent and help you maneuver through the process of purchasing your new home.
Susan MacEwen, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Direct: 706-294-6795 Office: 706-868-3772 x207 Â email: susan.macewen@kw.com www.AugustaHouseHunt.com or www.BetterHomesofAugusta.comHoly Moly! Qualified Military or Government Employees have an Extra Year for Tax Credit!
I know a lot of buyers that are in a huge hurry right now to make the April 30th, 2010 Home Buyer Tax Credit deadline here in the Fort Gordon duty station area. I just wanted to let all you know that are in the military that you might have some extra time to take advantage of this tax credit.Here are the rules that apply for the Military, Foreign Service and Intelligence Community (Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy and Coast Guard):
- The current law for the home buyer tax credit, for both first time home buyers and home owners replacing their current home, extended the deadline to enter into a contract to buy a home no later than April 30, 2010 and close on the homes by June 30, 2010.
- Members of the military and other federal employees that serve outside the U.S. have an extra year and qualify for the credit. Basically that means that military personnel and federal employees that have been stationed or deployed for at least a 90 day period between December 31, 2008 and May 1, 2010 have until April 30, 2011 to enter into a binding contract and has until June 30, 2011 to close on the purchase of the house.
If you have any questions, please contact me for further information. Please see the link above that I have included to the IRS page explaining the rules above in detail. Please remember that I can represent you during the home purchasing process as your Buyer’s Agent. This is a service I provide and doesn’t cost you any out-of-pocket expenses. I will be happy to send you a pamphlet explaining agency by email.
Grovetown GA Housing Market Stats for March 2010
Spring is here! The weather has started to warm up and everything is in bloom. This is also the time of year that the local Grovetown GA housing market starts to heat up. I will break down the stats into two areas: Grovetown GA 2CO which is the Columbia County Area North of I-20 and 4CO which is the Columbia County Area South of I-20.  *Data period is from March 1 – March 31, 2010Sold Listings: 92 Total for Grovetown, GA – 39 for 2CO and 53 for 4CO. This month the new construction by Crown Communities in Mill Branch located in Grovetown 4CO had the most with 7 sold and in Grovetown 2CO High Meadows had a banner month with 12 homes sold. The average sales price for the Grovetown GA area of 2CO was $166,077 and the average days on the market was 154 days and 31 of the 39 houses that sold were brand new construction.The average sales price for the Grovetown GA area of 4CO was $161,540 and the average days on the market was 197 days and 41 of the 53 houses that sold were brand new construction. This is a big impact on the community of Grovetown.I can assist you with your purchase of a home in one of the new construction neighborhoods: Canterbury Farms, Indian Springs, High Meadows, Baldwin Place, Chamblin Ridge, Chastain Place, Ivy Landing, Bryans Cove, Mill Branch, Grove Landing and Pamir Place. If you have any questions about the market value of your home, please feel free to contact me. I can provide you with an individualized report for your home or neighborhood, just send me an email or contact me. I will be happy to answer any of your real estate questions.
Susan MacEwen, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Direct: 706-294-6795 Office: 706-868-3772 x207 Â email: susan.macewen@kw.com www.AugustaHouseHunt.com or www.BetterHomesofAugusta.comMartinez GA Townhome with Garage
4737 Crosshaven Drive
Martinez, GA 30907
This lovely townhouse in Applecross is centrally located in Martinez, GA. It features 3 bedrooms and 2.5 baths and has an attached single car garage! This lovely home has a large great room with vaulted ceilings and a corner gas fireplace. A patio is off of the great room and has a privacy fence with a protected natural area beyond giving a sense of privacy. The large master bedroom is upstairs and features a large walk-on closet and a master bath which includes a double vanity sink. This town home is located in the Columbia County School Zone – Martinez Elementary, Lakeside Middle School and Lakeside High School. Immaculate condition and ready to move-in! Great location – close to shopping, restaurants, Washington Rd, Bobby Jones & I-20. Would be an easy commute to MCG or Fort Gordon!
For more information or to schedule a private showing of this great home, please visit www.AugustaHouseHunt.com or contact Susan MacEwen at 706-294-6795.
Trees Cleared, Dirt Scraped, So Now What?
While out walking this beautiful morning in Euchee Creek Subdivision in Grovetown, GA I was able to speak with a few of my neighbors. Luckily, some of them had attended the zoning meeting for the property that is on the corner of Wrightsboro Rd and Trudeau Trail to put up a fight to prevent a strip mall being built that was planned for the property.
The property site is being developed as a single family home subdivision. This new subdivision will be named Magnolia Station and will feature homes ranging in value between $130,000 – $150,000. The zoning office at Grovetown City Hall informed me that there will be about 80 homes in the subdivision. I also asked about the park that was going to be included in the neighborhood, but she wasn’t able to confirm that for me. I will keep checking back on the status and the plan of the community.
The new Subdivision of Magnolia Station will be between North Lake Subdivision in Grovetown, GA and Trudeau Trail. The proposed entrance to Magnolia Station is proposed to be off of Wrightsboro Road, but there is growing concern with the amount of traffic accidents that occur at Chamblin Rd and Wrightsboro Road.  Once again, Grovetown is growing and will welcome at least 80 new residents to this growing little Southern city!
Susan MacEwen, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Direct: 706-294-6795 Office: 706-868-3772 x207 Â email: susan.macewen@kw.com www.AugustaHouseHunt.comSo it Is true! Crown in Pamir Place
I went for a short drive today past Grovetown Trails to Pamir Place. Once upon-a-time Pamir Place was nice small patio style home community. It has been a Haven for military families assigned to Fort Gordon, GA both for ownership and investors for rental units to fill housing needs.
Most of the house that have been built up to now were single story with a patio or deck on the back and small fenced-in backyard. The original part of the subdivision remains the same, but not the last phase that was started and not completed by the original developer. (This is also the case for Mill Branch in Grovetown.)
The one thing that I really dislike about another developer/builder taking over is the lack of matching architectural styles. There is one single house in the back of Pamir Place that will end up being dwarfed by the new two-story houses that Pillon will build on the remaining lots. If the development could be divided completely in half or even section carved out of it for the new style, then I don’t think it would be that bad. This to me just isn’t very aesthetically pleasing!Currently there are 18 homes for sale in Pamir Place. 5 are the new Crown Communities houses. Search Pamir Place now. 4 houses are under contract and this past month 5 homes sold.
I know the general public is in love with the idea of getting a 2,000+ square foot house at less than $65 per square foot. Who wouldn’t be! I just hope that the original home owners in Pamir Place will be able to sell their houses for what they paid for them when it comes time to sell. It isn’t a win-win when the seller has to come to the closing table and write a check to sell their house.
If you you are looking to buy or sell a home, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Susan MacEwen, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Direct: 706-294-6795 Office: 706-868-3772 x207 Â email: susan@AugustaHomeHunter.com www.AugustaGaHomeHunter.com or www.BetterHomesofAugusta.comColumbia School Schedule for the 2010 – 2011 School Year
I was recently having a conversation with one of my neighbors here in Euchee Creek Subdivision, Grovetown GA about the upcoming school year and how to register. I thought this would be a great thing to share with you as well. Click here to view Columbia County Schools Proposed Schedule for 2010 – 2011 school year.The bad news is: registration for kids starting kindergarten in Columbia County was March 22, 2010 thru April 2, 2010. Good news is: They always have a late registration for children the week prior to school starting back in Columbia County!  This will give you the time to get all your necessary documents together!  Here are the items that you will need to enroll your child in the Columbia County GA School System:
Kindergarten and Elementary Schools :
- Certified original of your child’s birth certificate
- GA Form 3231 – Georgia Certificate of Immunization*
- GA Form 3300 – Georgia Certificate of Eye, Ear and Dental Examination*
- Proof of residency – current gas, water or electric bill showing name and service  address
- Children eligible for enrolling into Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1.
Middle Schools: (Columbia Middle, Evans Middle, Greenbrier Middle, Harlem Middle, Lakeside Middle, Riverside Middle, and Stallings Island Middle)
- Certified original of your child’s birth certificate
- GA Form 3231 – Georgia Certificate of Immunization*
- GA Form 3300 – Georgia Certificate of Eye, Ear and Dental Examination*
- Proof of residency – current gas, water or electric bill showing name and service  address; lease or purchase agreement
- Withdrawal Form – from previous school if you are enrolling during the school year
- Copy of Social Security Card
High Schools: (Evans High, Greenbrier High, Grovetown High, Harlem High, and Lakeside High)
- Certified original of your child’s birth certificate
- GA Form 3231 – Georgia Certificate of Immunization*
- GA Form 3300 – Georgia Certificate of Eye, Ear and Dental Examination*
- Proof of residency – current gas, water or electric bill showing name and service  address
- Withdrawal Form – from previous school if you are enrolling during the school year
- Copy of Report Card or Copy of Transcript
- Copy of Social Security Card
*Please note the required health forms are available from the Columbia County Health Department, Fort Gordon medical staff, or your private doctor.
If you are moving into the Columbia County GA area, you will need these documents to enroll. Please see the list below of Columbia County Health Departments to obtain the necessary forms to enroll your child in school:
Appling Clinic (Phone 706-541-1318) 6420 Pollards Pond Rd, Appling, GA 30802
Evans Clinic (Phone 706-868-3330) 616 Govergaent Center Way, Evans, GA 30809
Grovetown Clinic (Phone 706-556-3727) 5915 Euchee Creek Dr, Grovetown, GA 30813
Please note the proposed start date for school is August 5, 2010. I will keep checking the Columbia County Board of Education’s website as well as my children’s information coming from the schools to verify this date. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Susan MacEwen, Realtor Keller Williams Realty Augusta Partners Direct: 706-294-6795 Office: 706-868-3772 x207 Â email: susan@AugustaHomeHunter.com beta.augustagahomehunter.com or www.BetterHomesofAugusta.com