Nineteen Days, Four Hours and Twelve Minutes..

…until The Taste of Roswell 2008!  Popular Roswell restaurants will offer delicious tastes of their favorite foods on Saturday, October 18th.  This Roswell tradition takes place every 3rd Saturday in October at Historic Town Square.  Tastings begin at noon until 5:30.  Relax and savor the flavors of Roswell while you enjoy listening to the sounds of the region’s favorite bands.  Entertainment will be provided by Old Enough to Know Better, Gold Rush and Hair of the Dog.  The band, Old Enough to Know Better is known for their wide variety of styles including pop, rock and roll and folk songs.  Gold Rush is known for their traditional Blue Grass and Hair of the Dog is easily recognizable by their Cajun style. 

A Historic Roswell Gem - The Smith Plantation

In the heart of historic Roswell, tucked behind many trees and landscaped gardens is the Smith Plantation.  Archibald and Anne Smith were one of the founding families of Roswell.  In 1838 at the encouragement of Roswell King, the Smith’s and nearly 30 of their slaves left the southern coast of Georgia to make a new life just north of the Roswell Town Square.  Three generations of the Smith family have lived in this home over the span of 150 years.  The home has stood the test of time with the Civil War being virtually at their doorstep.  The occupants fled Roswell to southern Georgia and never returned.  After the Civil War, the home stood vacant for 25 years.

Roswell’s Liberty Lofts and Townhomes

Urban living nestled in beautiful historic Roswell!  Liberty is the site of the former Roswell High School.  Established in 1998, Liberty includes 75 lofts and 102 townhomes.   This gated community offers a pool with a covered picnic area, tennis courts, fitness center, common green space with a gazebo and brick sidewalks.  The once windowless old high school is nearly unrecognizable today.  Floor to ceiling windows in every unit including the former gymnasium, which has been converted to two-story units with exterior balconies.  The renovation included creating two internal courtyards and a new third floor.

Three Roswell Historic Homes Showcased

This Saturday, September 27th, in recognition of Smithsonian National Museum Day, Roswell will open the three most popular historic homes and offer free tours.  The campaign is to highlight Barrington Hall, Bulloch Hall and the Smith Plantation.  The tours are in conjunction with City of Roswell’s launch event for the Preserve American Grant initiative. 

In March 2006, Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States and Honorary Chair of Preserve America, announced the first round of Preserve America Grants totaling $3.5 million.  This grant was spread out among 28 states representing all regions of the country.  Roswell was one of the first 45 recipients.

Gentlemen, Start Your Ducks!

It’s time for the 17th Annual Georgia River Cleanup, the largest single volunteer effort to beautify Georgia’s water resources.  Sponsored by Keep Roswell Beautiful (KRB), over 250 volunteers from the North Fulton area, collect over 2,000 pounds of trash from the banks and surrounding areas of the Chattahoochee River.  This year’s event is Saturday, September 27th with the clean-up scheduled to begin from 9:00 am until noon at Riverside Park.  Registration starts at 8:30.  KRB will also hold its annual Great Roswell Duck Race, beginning at 12:45.  The duck race starts at the Big Creek footbridge on Oxbo Road, where 500 ducks will race for cash prizes.  Ducks can be rented up until race time from any KRB board member, from the City Public Works office on Hill Street or on race day at Riverside Park.  Ducks are $3.00 for one and $5.00 for three.  First place prize is $100 and $50 for second place.

September’s Home Tips and Trends

When it comes to remodeling your home, it’s recommended to put your money where your mouth is…. in your kitchen of course!  A kitchen is the best room in your home to consider renovating.  Whether you’re planning to stay in your home for a while or are looking to sell in a few years, a remodeled kitchen is the best way to increase the value of your home.  Quantifying how much a renovated room will improve your quality of life is difficult to determine, but what percentage of each dollar spent on home improvements you’ll recoup when you sell, is easy.

Roswell Celebrates 42nd Annual Arts Festival

It was a perfect Atlanta Fall day with temperatures in the mid-70’s, wonderful weather for the 42nd Annual Roswell Arts Festival.  

The festival was founded 42 years ago by a group of Roswell woman looking for ways to improve their small town that would also benefit children in the process.   Roswell resident Joan Hilliard, an artist, suggested the idea of an arts festival in the Roswell Town Square.  The event would bring attention to not only the arts and give local artists a place to display their work but to also raise funds for youth recreational needs.

Too Close for Comfort? Uncle Sam’s Bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

                                                       

Adapted from The National Association of Realtors Statement on the Government Takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as published at www.Realtor.com

What the Government Takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Means to the Housing Industry
Washington, D.C. (September 8, 2008) - The federal government’s takeover of secondary mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should cause a drop in mortgage rates in the short term that benefits home buyers, but the long-term outlook is too early to call. NAR fully supports the action of the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.