atl-properties.com
The most common barrier to investing in real estate is, as you might’ve expected, money. You’ll need money to make money with real estate rental properties. Many think that investing…
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced that six Atlanta Police Department officers will be charged in the excessive force case against two students who were brutally tased and dragged from their car on May 30.
Howard said Officers Ivory Streeter and Mark Gardner, who were terminated over the weekend, are each charged with aggravated assault in the case. Streeter faces an additional charge of pointing or aiming a gun at Messiah Young, the 22 -year-old Morehouse student who was driving the car.
In addition, Howard has also charged Officer Lonnie Hood with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of simple battery; Officer Willie Sauls with aggravated assault and criminal damage to property; Officer Armond Jones with aggravated assault and pointing or aiming a gun; and Officer Ronald Claud with criminal damage to property.
The incident was caught on video widely circulated on social media that showed officers using excessive force to arrest Young and his girlfriend, Spelman student Taniyah Pilgrim, 20, on International Boulevard near Centennial Olympic Park. Footage from one of the body cameras worn by an officer is available at this link, but be warned it is graphic.
In a June 1 press conference, Young’s attorney, Mawuli Davis, said he believed the couple was targeted because they were filming the George Floyd protests happening around them in Downtown after the curfew, which they didn’t know about.
Pilgrim said Officer Jones threatened to shoot them. “We felt like we were going to die in that car,” she said.
Pilgrim, who was not charged, said she sat for hours in a jail bus and was refused a protective mask to prevent spread of COVID-19 even when she told officers she had asthma. Young’s arm was broken and he required 20 stitches.
The post Fulton DA announces charges against six Atlanta police officers in excessive force case appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
Two Poncey-Highland institutions – Manuel’s Tavern and Briarcliff Plaza shopping center – have officially been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Manuel’s Tavern, which reopened its dining room on May 31 after being closed for months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, was established in 1956 by Manuel Maloof. The restaurant and bar has long been a hangout for politicians, journalists, and those in the “social realm” as the Atlanta Preservation Center said in its announcement of the honor.
The Manuel’s Tavern space occupies a circa 1922 commercial building with board and batten siding with ashlar granite pilasters along the North Highland facade. Interior historic features include plaster walls with wooden wainscoting, terrazzo floors, and beadboard ceiling.
Briarcliff Plaza, better known as the shopping center that houses the Plaza Theatre, was also added to the register, according to a media release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Constructed in 1940, Briarcliff Plaza is comprised of two separate buildings, with the other capped by another local institution, Majestic Diner. Notable features of these buildings include historic Art Deco-style neon signage, and original decorative curved fluting with Streamline Moderne Fins, set into the marble panel parapet walls.
The National Register of Historic Places is the United State’s official list of historic buildings, structures, sites, objects, and districts worthy of preservation.
The post Manuel’s Tavern and Briarcliff Plaza added to National Register of Historic Places appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
The Atlanta Police Department made 95 arrests on June 1 as the George Floyd protests entered a fourth day.
According to a report from APD, the majority of protestors cleared the streets without incident after the 9 p.m. curfew began. However, a group of protestors remained inside Centennial Olympic Park and refused to leave.
“A number of them threw rocks and discharged fireworks toward officers,” according to APD public affairs officer Sgt. John Chafee. “Tear gas was used to disperse the crowd and a number of arrests were made.”
Throughout the day, several large groups of protestors gathered at City Hall, the State Capitol, and Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta Street. National Guard troops displayed a heavy presence in Downtown and cleared the streets at curfew.
“We have encountered several issues during the day including instances where protestors blocked traffic on several roadways and briefly entered onto the interstate,” Chafee said.
Social media video showed protesters dancing, holding sit-ins and lay-ins, and calling for justice for George Floyd, the Minnesota man killed by a police officer on Memorial Day.
The post APD makes 95 more arrests in fourth day of protests appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
The current coronavirus pandemic has affected nearly everyone’s life and livelihood. From school closures to shopping restrictions and shortages to social distancing, 2020 is turning out differently than many expected. As the U.S. works to flatten the infection curve while slowly beginning the reopening process, one thing is clear. Home has never been more important.
As real estate is considered an essential business in many states, showings, contracts and closings have continued throughout the pandemic, albeit in creative new ways. Virtual showings, online meetings and signatures, and even virtual closings in some cases, are all part of adjusting to a social distancing society. For Mark Spain Real Estate, adapting has not been as challenging as some brokerages may be experiencing. The firm has been paperless for some time, already enlists the services of professional photography for its listings, hosts open houses at an owner’s request, but has never relied on open houses as the primary way to source buyers and has an agent team that is, for the most part, used to working remotely.
“Agents who heavily relied on in-person open houses to sell their homes are having to reinvent the sales process,” stated Mark Spain Real Estate President John Makarewicz. “We have not believed they are the best or primary way to sell a home for quite some time. Instead, we heavily invested in technology and online marketing.”
Makarewicz says Mark Spain Real Estate also relies on video or virtual tours for nearly all its listings. The timing for this could not be better, as potential homebuyers are relying on a large selection of professional photos and virtual tours to narrow down their options, all from the safety of their current residence. According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) data, the percentage of buyers who purchase a home without ever seeing it in person was just 3.5 percent, pre-coronavirus. An NAR survey conducted in early May found this number had spiked to nearly 25 percent.
Additionally, Realtor.com reports that interest in listings with virtual tours has doubled. The number of listing views, saves and shares has also markedly increased in recent weeks.
While U.S. shelter-in-place guidelines first began in some parts of the country on March 16, Mark Spain Real Estate had an all-time record month in March for new listings. According to a first quarter recap on its blog (“Mark Spain 2020 First Quarter Successes and Growth”), its March listings growth was 100 percent over March the previous year and its closing rate was 31 percent higher, year-over-year. March closings were up 23 percent compared to pre-coronavirus rates, with average sales price up 1 percent over the prior year.
In monitoring this same information in April, closings were up 3 percent, compared to pre-COVID-19 and 12 percent, year-over-year. This time, however, the average sales price was up a whopping 15 percent over the prior year and 4 percent, pre-pandemic.
This stat would seem to support NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun’s assessment that home prices are still on
the rise. This is, in part, due to an already existing inventory shortage, pre-coronavirus. Prices have continued to increase and bidding wars are occurring in some price points.
“For April, Mark Spain Real Estate’s number of new listings was up 10 percent over pre-COVID-19 rates,” summarized Makarewicz, who oversees offices in Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte and Raleigh.
In comparison, Realtor.com’s Monthly Housing Trends Report mentioned newly listed homes dropped 44.1 percent nationally in April. In the South, specifically, the new listing rate decreased 31.4 percent for April, year-over-year.
Mark Spain Real Estate’s Guaranteed Offer program—in existence now for more than two years—is also a welcome option for some home sellers right now. This hassle-free model allows sellers a way to quickly sell a home without formally listing it.
“At the end of the day, it still boils down to having an amazing team of agents and staff to make all the various moving parts come together,” explained founder and CEO Mark Spain. “And customer service, coupled with ongoing training, have always been hallmarks of our company. Now, we are just using our expertise to serve others remotely.”
Spain also mentioned the firm is actively hiring real estate agents. The team’s growth, as of March 2020, was up 62 agents, or roughly 40 percent, year-over-year, with more positions to be filled. Interested agents should visit www.joinmarkspain.com to learn more.
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to threaten the health of millions around the world, the U.S. and here, in Georgia, social distancing is now the new norm. In response to the COVID-19 recommendations, the Alzheimer’s Association is now offering a monthly virtual art program through their collaboration with the High Museum.
This program is available statewide and to all those living with MCI or early stages of Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia and their care partners. The community of Georgians living with a diagnosis of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), Early Stage Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, and those who love and support them, have found a way to stay close with a little bit of creativity and technology.
Before COVID-19 hit, the program called “Musing Together” was a monthly tour program conducted at the High Museum. The tours serve groups of visitors in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, along with their care partners. A teaching artist leads participants through the galleries and encourages them to discover themselves and one another through conversations about artworks and their life stories. Groups explore the galleries and discuss everything from contemporary art to folk art. Participants talk to each other, talk to their caregivers, and build a sense of community.
“We are very happy to continue Musing Together online. This new virtual format has given us the opportunity to discuss artworks that aren’t currently on view at the High, and to connect the collection to works outside our walls,” shared Laurel Humble, Head of Creative Aging and Lifelong Learning at the High Museum of Art. “Last month we had a very rich conversation about Street Art, and in our next session we’ll switch gears and focus on Henri Matisse. Talking about art can prompt new and meaningful conversations with friends and loved ones, and helps us stay connected to the world more broadly, which is increasingly essential in our current moment.”
“Early-Stage” refers to people, irrespective of age, who are diagnosed with Mild Cognitive Impairment, Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders in the beginning stages of the disease. Carpe Diem Club is the name of the evidence-based Early Stage Program of the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Members meet to learn, share, support and have fun.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2018 Dementia Care Practice Recommendations, it is important to adopt a positive, hopeful approach to care in all stages of dementia in order to encourage the person who has received a diagnosis and their care partners.
“Art is a universal language”, added Mary Caldwell, Alzheimer’s Association Early Stage Program manager. “Our group which includes people with early stage dementia diagnosis are able to listen, learn and be heard. All the participants were excited and loved the program. Social engagement with people living with the disease and their care partners is critical, particularly during this challenging time”, she added.
In addition to the virtual art classes, Alzheimer’s Association offers other virtual education, programs and support groups throughout the state. To learn more, visit alz.org/Georgia.
More than 16 million family and friends, including 540,000 in Georgia, provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in the United States. To help family caregivers navigate the current complex and quickly changing environment, the Alzheimer’s Association has also offered additional guidance to families at alz.org/COVID19
For more information, call 1-800-272-3900.
Additional Facts and Figures: (http://www.alz.org/facts/)
Alzheimer’s disease is the fifth-leading cause of death in Georgia.
More than five million Americans are living with the disease, including 150,000 Georgia residents — a number estimated to grow to as many as 190,000 by year 2025.
More than 16 million family and friends, including 540,000 in Georgia, provide unpaid care to people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias in the United States.
In 2019, friends and family of those with Alzheimer’s in Georgia provided an estimated 615 million hours of unpaid care, a contribution valued more than $8 billion.
A webinar regarding return to work guidelines and recommendations was hosted on Thursday, May 28th by companies Sterling Seacrest Partners, HunterMaclean, and Employment Development Strategies, Inc. An audience of over 160 statewide business and community leaders heard from a panel of industry experts via a live Zoom meeting with suggestions about return to work protocol.
The panel discussion was led by Sterling Seacrest Partners Chief Operating Officer Brett Godwin and included HunterMaclean Partner Christopher “Smitty” Smith, HunterMaclean Partner Sarah Lamar, and Employment Development Strategies President Suzanne Kirk.
A variety of topics were discussed during the webinar referencing business insurance coverage, employment law, company culture and communication, and business litigation. Attendees were allowed to submit questions prior to the event and at the end during a Q&A format.
To access the webinar in its entirety, please go to: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/1_5fHrPu8SRITKfmuGftZqg9M6jlaaa80HAarKEEn0bk1ZMMw9SdIoBCwhsDHAWb.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury is currently mailing Economic Impact Payments (EIP) in the form of prepaid debit cards. Most Americans already received their EIP either by direct deposit to their bank account or in the form of a mailed check. However, the debit cards are being sent to some consumers for whom the IRS did not have bank account information on file. The Treasury announced that this method allows them to provide the money “efficiently and securely” to eligible recipients.
Consumers have contacted the Better Business Bureau (BBB), thinking these cards may be a scam. One consumer reported their concern on BBB Scam Tracker saying, “The letter states this is our Economic Impact Payment card and has a Department of the Treasury seal on the letter. Included is a prepaid debit card… it is being sent to us on behalf of the US Department of the Treasury in place of a paper check. This has to be a scam! We would appreciate it if you would check into this for us and others.”
Rest assured, the IRS is, indeed, sending out prepaid debit cards. The IRS website states, “Some payments may be sent on a prepaid debit card known as The Economic Impact Payment Card. The Economic Impact Payment Card is sponsored by the Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, managed by Money Network Financial, LLC and issued by Treasury’s financial agent, MetaBank®, N.A.”
Consumers do, however, need to be vigilant to ensure that the card they receive is legitimate, and to be on the lookout for scams.
Tips on how to recognize a legitimate EIP card:
It will arrive in a plain envelope with the return address of “Money Network Cardholder Services.”
The Visa® name will appear on the front of the card; the back of the card has the name of the issuing bank, MetaBank®, N.A.
The welcome kit explains more about the EIP card. Please go to EIPcard.com for more information and to see a sample image of the card.
Once the card has been verified:
Activate the card by calling the number provided, setting a 4-digit PIN.
Sign the card.
Keep the card in a safe place.
Do not share the information on the card with anyone.
Use the card anywhere Visa cards are accepted and/or get cash back at a retailer or ATM. Note that most transactions are free, but certain uses could incur fees. For more questions, visit EIPcard.com/FAQ.
BBB warns that scammers may try to text, call or email you, trying to get you to give up your card number or your personal information. Report any phishing or scam attempts to the IRS and file a report with BBB Scam Tracker to warn others not to fall for the scam.
If you have not received your Economic Impact Payment, you can track your funds using the Get My Payment tracking tool (https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment).
For more information, read BBB’s Tips on Economic Impact Payments.
See the latest coronavirus information at BBB.org/Coronavirus.
Report scams to BBB Scam Tracker.
Cook & James, the Atlanta-area based real estate law firm known for pioneering at-home closings, has added Sarah Stitgen to its attorney staff and promoted several other deserving team members. Today’s announcements mark the firm’s ongoing, measured yet aggressive growth trajectory begun in 2017 and intensified as the firm served real estate closing transaction needs in the recent weeks of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Stitgen will take the lead on closings in the firm’s satellite Woodstock, Ga. office but will also be a key closing attorney as the firm continues to handle real estate transactions via at-home, mobile, curbside and more across the Atlanta metro area.
Cook & James also today announced a series of promotions. Chuck Biskobing becomes a senior attorney immediately, recognized for his steadiness, optimism and flexibility historically and during the global pandemic; he played a key role as the firm developed its response to the COVID-19 crisis. Mary Jackson has been promoted to senior operations manager; she layers on additional oversight immediately while continuing her prior responsibility for leading all marketing outreach at the firm known for its creative and uplifting take on the work/life balance. Taylor Winne has been promoted to paralegal from her previous position as an office administrator and assumes her new responsibilities immediately.
“Bringing Sarah on board has relieved a huge pressure on the rest of our legal team,” said Kara Cook, co-founding partner of Cook & James. “These last few months have been incredibly busy for us and we refuse to sacrifice customer service and our signature convenient at-home closings no matter the situation. Being able to add head count and rely on our capable team members has been critical to us all doing an excellent job for our clients.”
Stitgen comes to Cook & James after having handled $10 to $100 million commercial contracts for a large environmental engineering firm as well as doing legal work in consumer bankruptcy, mortgage default and real estate closings. She graduated from John Marshall Law School in 2008 after earning her undergraduate degree and a master’s in public administration from Kennesaw State University. Originally from Detroit, she was raised in Georgia with brothers so says she plays every sport under the sun, although basketball and softball are her favorites. She is often called in as a ringer on company coed softball teams, enjoys yoga and wishes her 20-something son lived closer than Arizona, where he works. She and her husband live in Acworth, Ga. where, together with their own dogs, they cheer for the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
“Sarah fits so well into our Cook & James culture of hard work, candor and fun and we are thrilled to have her on board,” said Heather James, co-founding partner at Cook & James. “We also deeply appreciate the collective efforts of Chuck, Mary and Taylor and it is our honor to properly recognize them with their respective and well-deserved promotions. The success at Cook & James is thanks to the hard work of people like them and, in fact, our entire team.”
The Morehouse and Spelman students brutally tased and removed from a car in Downtown during the May 30 protests spoke out Monday evening surrounded by family and legal counsel.
The incident was caught on video widely circulated on social media that showed five officers using excessive force to arrest Morehouse student Messiah Young, 22, and Spelman student Taniyah Pilgrim, 20, on International Boulevard near Centennial Olympic Park. Footage from one of the body cameras worn by an officer is available at this link, but be warned it is graphic.
Two of the five officers – APD Fugitive Unit Investigators Mark Gardner and Ivory Streeter – were fired on May 31, while the other three have been assigned desk duty pending further disciplinary action. City District Attorney Paul Howard announced he is reviewing the case for criminal charges against the officers.
The students said they were not part of the George Floyd protests nor did they know about the curfew hastily called by Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Saturday night. Their attorneys said the students were on a date getting food and got caught up in traffic.
Pilgrim thanked supporters and described the incident as the most traumatic thing that had ever happened in her life. “If the cameras weren’t there we don’t know what might happened,” Pilgrim said then apologized to the public who had to witness the “disgusting” video images of her arrest.
Young, who was driving the car, spent the night in jail despite having the taser prongs embedded in his back, a fractured arm, and in need of 20 stitches. He appeared at the press conference wearing a cast.
Young thanked his “support system” of AUC students and family. “At the end of the day, it’s a blessing that I’m alive and can talk with you and express what is occurring at this moment. This is a long fight. I’s not just about me or us, it’s about an entire generation dealing with brutality and injustice because of the color of their skin, preferences or originality. We will get through this together.”
Young’s attorney, Mawuli Davis, said his client and Pilgrim had never been arrested and refuted reports that there was a gun or drugs in the car. Davis said he believed the couple was targeted because they filming the protests happening around them.
Mayor Bottoms said when she announced the firing of the officers that charges against Young and Pilgrim would be dropped. Davis said he had yet to see the paperwork but would work to make sure his client’s arrest record was expunged.
Pilgrim said another officer, which she identified as Officer A. Jones, also deserved to be fired or charged. “Officer Jones was disgusting and did the worst thing imaginable. He said he was going to shoot us. We felt like we were going to die in that car.
Pilgrim, who was not charged, said she sat for hours in a jail bus and was refused a protective mask to prevent spread of COVID-19 even when she told officers she had asthma.
The post Students attacked by APD officers speak out: ‘We felt like we were going to die in that car’ appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.