By Dr. Charles Singleton
Nationwide — Hello Again Brook Glen, The Nation, USA: Undeniably, “Curb Appeal Will Add Value To Your Home.”
Thank ALL of you who read and responded to my last columns on keeping up our neighborhood, Brook Glen of Southern Dekalb County, Georgia, and “My Father’s Day Story” read nationally by millions throughout social media on StyleMagazine.com
Secondly, we are literally minutes from Downtown Atlanta, GA, Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and major thoroughfares, such as Interstate Highway (s) 20 and 285, Candler Road, Wesley Chapel Road, Snapfinger Woods Drive, Flat Shoals Parkway, Moreland Avenue – and the newly up-started and gentrified neighborhoods of East Atlanta and The City of Decatur, GA. The facts of the matter are: These roads and locations have millions of possible home buyers, who daily, both casually and leisurely, bypass Brook Glen and other neighborhoods in Southern Dekalb County, GA, on their way to work, schools, churches, restaurants, social meetings, business sessions, family gatherings, Perimeter Mall, Lenox Square (Buckhead) and Downtown Decatur, GA, where these travelers spend their money!
So thirdly, these are actions that both you and individual property owners need to do now. Just think! You absolutely must improve curb appeal, with the notion of selling your property everyday; in other words, keeping it “Key-Ready” to move into today! Immediately, start by repairing or replacing damaged mailboxes, gutters, external doors, worn-out and faulty roofs and removing eye soars: trash, discards, and clutter. Pressure wash exposed areas of your home affected by mole and mildew. Yes, as needed, paint your house; exterior trim, overhangs, shutters and etceteras, in earth-tones, warm and neutral colors … such as ivory, brown, taupe, gray, black, tan, white and various subtle shades of green and yellow, just mentioning a few. Remember, the more outrageous a house is painted will most certainly discourage potential home buyers. Also, it is strongly recommended that additions to your dwelling, which substantially increase the square footage of your property, should always complement the existing structure, thus ensuring extraordinary Curb Appeal.
Furthermore, you may consider just simply landscaping your property to make it more attractive and inviting to live in. Use pine straw, stones or rocks to help control erosion and weed issues. Environmentally, rake and blow leaves for composting, mulching and fertilizing; not bagging. Neatly, mower and trim grass and shrubbery correctly. Also, edge the entire lawn, curb (concrete) and remove grass and weeds from asphalted cracks. Personally, friends of Brook Glen and Homeowners Everywhere, I have named my lawn, Weeds-or-Grass Sod; not fescue grass, Harmony Bermuda sod, Saint Augustine grass, nor Zoysia grass. Because, when a yard is properly cared for, Google’s aerial photography, satellite imagery and mapping cannot tell the difference … Smile.
Lastly, now do the math, plus due diligence! Please do your part, by creating the “Just-One-Look Approach,” for attracting “knowledgeable buyers,” to your property, or increasing its value: Multiply 410 residents x $375.00 (annual association fee assessment). This is $153,750 dollars yearly funds to stabilize the Brook Glen Neighborhood Association Annual Budget. Thus, we will be able to help maintain our common areas and the clubhouse: rebuild a safe, low-impact outdoor playground – adult supervision required; recondition our tennis courts, reopen the swimming pool – were earlier Brook Glen swimmers earned scholarships to attend colleges and universities.
In the meantime, I will be trying to motivate others as they work on their properties to improve curb appeal.
Dr. C. L. Singleton has been a Brook Glen Resident for 35 years. For more details about the Brook Glen Neighborhood Association, visit www.facebook.com/bgnadekalb
PRESS CONTACT:
Charles Singleton
lucky713j@gmail.com