Homestead Exemption

If you purchased a home in 2013, you may qualify for Homestead Exemption

The homestead exemption 

reduces the taxable value of your 

home provided: 

• The home is occupied by the 

homeowner on January 1, and

• The homeowner applies for 

the homestead exemption in the 

county in which the property is 

located.

The deadline to file for homestead 

exemption in most Georgia 

counties is March 1st.

A homestead exemption is very 

important for you as it may mean 

you have to pay less tax on your 

property.

To be granted homestead 

exemption, you must file 

an application with the tax 

commissioner's office in your 

county. In some counties the 

tax assessor's office has been 

designated to receive applications 

for the homestead exemption

METRO ATLANTA COUNTY TAX ASSESSORS

CHEROKEE COUNTY

2782 Marietta Hwy, Ste. 200

Canton, GA 30114

678-493-6120

COBB COUNTY

736 Whitlock Ave., Ste. 200

Marietta, GA 30064

770-528-3100

DEKALB COUNTY

120 W. Trinity Place 

Room 208

Decatur, Georgia 30030

404-371-2479

FORSYTH COUNTY

110 E. Main Street, Ste. 260 

Cumming, GA 30040

770-781-2106

FULTON COUNTY

404-612-6440

City of Atlanta:

141 Pryor Street SW, #2052 

Atlanta, GA 30303

North Fulton:

3155 Royal Drive, Ste. 165

Alpharetta, Ga. 30004

Sandy Springs

7741 Roswell Road NE

Sandy Springs, GA 30350

South Fulton:

5600 Stonewall Tell Rd

College Park, GA 30349

GWINNETT COUNTY

75 Langley Drive

Lawrenceville, GA 30046

770-822-7212

MOVE-UP BUYING GETS EASIER

Many homeowners have been sitting idly, biding their time for the right moment to buy a larger, more upgraded home. Until very recently, move-up buying seemed impossible since home prices were declining and home sales were slow. The market has transitioned where the values in North Atlanta are steadily improving and homes are selling in less time. So, now move-up buyers are faced with the possibility of a quick sale on their own home, but have nowhere to land without using temporary housing. There are ways to buy first and sell your current home later. Strong buyers with good credit and assets may qualify to buy their new home, using a first and second mortgage.  Later, in their preferred timeframe, they would be able to sell the original home - ultimately using the proceeds to eliminate that second mortgage. There are even lending options called renovation loans for buying fixer-uppers without having to sacrifice a lot cash. A new gourmet kitchen, luxury master bath or a needed addition are all possible utilizing this product. Sounds complicated but, it is not with the right Realtor® and lender team in place and it can make long-term financial sense as well. Some of the higher price points are still a bit soft in certain areas, offering buyers good values. And, as market values continue to appreciate, the greater basis of a higher priced home, provides opportunities for enhanced gains once that home sells years down the road. Of course, it is not a guarantee but, worth consideration. The first step is to contact an experienced, licensed Realtor® who can connect you with a qualified lending professional. Working together, you can establish your home value, loan amount qualification, target communities for purchase and expected prices. Next, the fun part begins…finding your dream home!

Eve Jones

Taste of Alpharetta

Taste of Alpharetta
Thursday, May 10, 2012
5 - 10 pm
NEW LOCATION: Across from Alpharetta City Hall at 2 South Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009


Taste of Alpharetta has become an annual tradition for festival-goers, families and food connoisseurs for 22 years. Make reservations on your calendar to dine in Historic Downtown Alpharetta at over 50 restaurants in one fun night. Sample delicious appetizers, entrees and desserts from the top menus in town. Enjoy culinary demonstrations, activities and entertainment to please every palette. Free Admission. Food tickets are $.50 each and restaurants participating in the Taste will charge $1-3 per food sample.

With the Taste of Alpharetta moving back to the historic downtown streets, our Music Stage will have current retro-themed bands. A separate Culinary Stage will pair top area chefs against one another in contests. Party with metro Atlanta radio stations. Play at the Fun Zones. Come out and enjoy Alpharetta’s premier dining experience!

Milton, Alpharetta Schools Awarded for High Performance

Sixteen schools in the two cities have students who are meeting and exceeding standards.

Gov. Nathan Deal announced today, Jan. 17, that 370 Georgia public schools are being recognized for improvement and achievement during the 2010-2011 school year. These include 16 schools in Alpharetta and Milton.
The schools are being recognized under Georgia's Single Statewide Accountability System (SSAS), developed by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, to award schools based on their performance on state curriculum exams and Adequate Yearly Progress status.
"Congratulations to these 370 schools for their commitment to hard work and high academic standards," said Deal. "The principals and teachers at these schools are to be commended for maintaining a focus on providing every student with a world-class education."
The awards are being announced as part of the release of the 2010-2011 K-12 Public Schools Report Card. The Report Card, which features the SSAS awards, was developed by GOSA and provides bottom-line data for Georgia’s preschools, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, technical colleges, and educator licensing and accreditation.
The schools are awarded on four levels -- Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze -- in two categories:
* Greatest gains: 111 schools are being recognized for demonstrating significant improvement on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) or the Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT).
* Highest performance: 259 schools are being recognized for high achievement on the CRCT or GHSGT.
Highest Performance for Students Meeting and Exceeding Standards

Crabapple Crossing Elementary School	Platinum
Summit Hill Elementary	Platinum
Birmingham Falls Elementary School	Gold
Creek View Elementary School	Silver
New Prospect Elementary School	Silver
Lake Windward Elementary School	Silver
Fulton Sunshine Charter Elementary	Bronze
Cogburn Woods Elementary School	Bronze
Milton High School	Gold
Alpharetta High School	Bronze
Fulton Science Academy High School	Bronze
Fulton Science Academy (Middle)	Platinum
Northwestern Middle School	Gold
Webb Bridge Middle School	Silver
Hopewell Middle School	Bronze

Milton named best in state, All N.F. Cities in top 20

Milton named best in state, 9 in south All N.F. Cities in top 20

 

by Jonathan Copsey

write the author

December 12, 2011

MILTON, GA. - Milton has been named the ninth best city in the Southeast and the best overall in Georgia.

The results come from a survey compiled by The Business Journals, a Charlotte, N.C.-based collection of business publications and websites, which includes the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The report's author, G. Scott Thomas, said he analyzed 3,764 cities throughout the country, searching for places that have "healthy economies, light traffic, moderate costs of living, impressive housing stocks and strong educational systems."

Nationally, Milton ranked 37

The other North Fulton cities ranked high on the list, each making the top ten in the state. Of Georgia cities, John Creek ranked second, Alpharetta was fourth and Roswell eighth. Mountain Park was 17.
West University Place, Tex, home of Rice University, placed first in the south.

Thomas said the raw numbers used came from the five-year version of the U.S. Census Bureau's 2009 American Community Survey. Milton's 2009 estimated population was 15,572.

Alpharetta completes deal for Westside Parkway extension

By Patrick Fox

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Alpharetta has taken ownership of the final tract of land needed to complete Westside Parkway, a key thoroughfare used by thousands of north Fulton commuters each day.

 

At its regular meeting Monday night, the City Council voted unanimously to accept the deal negotiated with property owners along the proposed route north of Old Milton Parkway to Westside Parkway.
"The vote sets the stage for completing one of our community's most important goals," Mayor Arthur Letchas said. "The completion of Westside Parkway will provide a key north-south roadway that will ease traffic congestion during peak commute times."
The city anticipates it will send out requests for proposals by the end of the year, and a contractor should be selected the early part of 2012.

Sites selected for new Roswell, Alpharetta libraries

Milton building still pending

by Jonathan Copsey

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Fulton County Library Board of Commissioners has decided on five of the seven library locations and has begun the process of designing libraries for them.

The Board met Nov. 2 to chose the sites for the majority of sites that will be built with $275 million in bond referendum monies voters approved in 2008.

The sites of Roswell and Alpharetta are among those settled on. Roswell's will be at the intersection of Holcomb Bridge Road and Fouts Road on land donated by the city; Alpharetta's will be incorporated into the new city center concept, paid for with bond money on the ballot.

Walmart to put Neighborhood Market in Alpharetta

First one in Georgia as Walmart goes

by Hatcher Hurd

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Walmart will open a Walmart Neighborhood Market in Alpharetta that will compete directly with Kroger and Publix.

Although there are more than 180 Neighborhood Markets to date (the first Walmart Market opened in 1998 in Bentonville, Ark.), this one along with six other stores in the metro Atlanta area will be the first in Georgia. Walmart corporate communications officer Glen Wilkins said the plans call for refurbishing a former grocery store in the Alpharetta Crossing Shopping Center at the corner of Haynes Bridge Road and Old Milton Parkway.
The 40,000-square-foot store will open in late 2012 carrying a full line of groceries, a pharmacy, health and beauty aids and a "limited selection" of general merchandise.
"We found we needed to fill a gap in our market for the everyday customer who only needs a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread," Wilkins said. "Our regular Walmart stores can be five or six miles from one another, and we want to find a more convenient solution to pick up the things they may need on a daily basis. It's a grocery store."
These smaller stores are also meant to woo shoppers with easier parking, less crowded aisles and quicker checkout.
Wilkins said the Neighborhood Markets will soon be in Snellville and Marietta also. The store will employ 45 to 100 people. The strategy is to fill in where those Walmarts are already.
Wilkins said Walmart is not challenging the big grocery chains. It is instead trying to better serve its customers.
"This is a smaller-basket concept. We know our customers like shopping at Walmart. Sometimes with the challenges of traffic and convenience, it is hard for them to come to our stores. This fills that gap," Wilkins said. "We want to continue to provide that convenience."
Walmart will be competitive in price "for the market we are in," he said. "We will have everyday low prices."

Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest

The Downtown Alpharetta Trade Association is proud to present the first annual Alpharetta Brew Moon Fest street dance, brew & shenanigans on Saturday October 1, 2011 at 6:30pm on Old Milton Ave in downtown Alpharetta.

There will be great food, beer and wine and non-alcoholic beverages for sale, a performance by the Old School Horn Band from 6:30p to 8:30pm and our headline band Banks and Shane from 9pm to 11pm!

Food vendors at the event will be Smokejack, 52Bistro, Pure Taqueria, and Coffee Pot.

Admission to the event is $10. ID's will be required at the entrance gates. People coming to the event are welcome to bring their own chairs.

DATA is very excited about this event and look forward to seeing you all there! Bring your friends and neighbors because this is going to be a whole lot of fun!

If you have any questions regarding table reservations, please email office@downtownalpharettatradeassociation.com

Bethany Bend High School Site Draft Plan Map

North Fulton Redistricting Draft Maps for the high school and middle school have been posted on the Fulton Schools website.  There is summary of the draft plan, a flow chart of the feeder pattern and also a summary of the projected enrollment.

http://fultonschools.org/redistricting/bethany/Packet_Round3_online.pdf

Great Escape: Wine Tasting In Alpharetta

Welcome to TinderBox Vino 100

Wine Tastings:

If you like a good wine, don't miss our Tinder Box Vino 100 Alpharetta Wine Tasting Events, held every Saturday from 4:30pm-6:30pm. Drop by and sample several featured wines — all for the nominal fee of $10 per person ($5 of which is donated to charity! No RSVP required! Talk wine with our helpful, knowledgeable staff, fellow wine lovers, distributors' reps — and perhaps a vineyard owner from time to time. You'll enjoy our store's warm and relaxing ambience and soothing background jazz music so much, you won't want to leave!

131 South Main Street, Suite G | Alpharetta, GA 30009 | 770-343-8010

Fulton School System Creates Redistricting Maps for New Bethany Bend School

Parents, students and teachers will get a first look at alternative maps proposed for redistricting for the new high school being built on Bethany Bend in Milton Wednesday, March 16. They'll also get a chance to critique the different proposals.
The new high school is being built to relieve overcrowding at existing schools. To accomplish this, existing attendance zones at other North Fulton high schools will be modified to create the new school's attendance zone.

Alpharetta Arts StreetFest--Saturday & Sunday, April 16-17, 2011 10am-6pm

The arts are alive this spring on the Northside with nearly 100 artists from throughout the U.S. showcased at the 7th Annual Alpharetta Arts Streetfest. Enjoy a spring weekend strolling through outdoor galleries filled with fine art in 14 medium expressions. Create children’s art and make your own Chia Pet; experience live jazz, roots rock and Celtic music, as well as cultural dancing; and more. Admission and parking are free, with parking at City Hall and Milton Center.

Nine Fulton County high schools named best in Atlanta

Georgia’s wintry weather may have temporarily dominated news headlines, but nine high schools in the Fulton County School System are ready to take their place in the spotlight after being named to Atlanta Magazine’s annual list of “Best High Schools.” The magazine compared course offerings, facilities, extracurricular activities, awards and national test performance. Results were reported across a broad spectrum of categories to include general academics, math, science, language arts, performing/visual arts and sports.

Additionally, the magazine compiled a list of “Top All-Around” achievers, which are schools that made the cut in all categories. Of the 16 “All-Around” finalists, four were from Fulton County, while nine were private schools and three were other public schools. The following is a listing of the categories and the Fulton County high schools recognized. Roswell High School’s “Quidditch Club” – a game made popular by the Harry Potter movies – was profiled in the magazine in addition to other clubs and programs unique to Fulton County high schools. 


The January 2011 edition of Atlanta Magazine is on newsstands now.