Covington GA Living

I grew up in the South eating home-cooked Southern food.  My Mom was a great cook, as is my wife.  But Mom always cooked in ways that we've come to realize weren't so good for you.  Her biscuits were made with lard.  Chicken, or pork chops or steak was fried.  Most veggies were cooked with fat back.  And the cornbread was always slathered with butter.  The result... yummy food, bouts with being overweight, and cholesterol pills.

Now, I'm not sure they cook like Mom did, but you can still get that great Southern home-style food at Smiley's in Porterdale.

No white tablecloths, just wooden tables and straight-backed chairs.  But the staff is friendly, the service is great, and the food will make you slap yo' mama!

Everything is served buffet-style after the waitress brings your sweet tea.  This past Sunday at lunch, the buffet featured fried chicken, roast beef, baked ham, biscuits, cornbread, salad bar and veggies, including green beans, butter beans cream corn, fried okra, mashed potatoes with two kinds of gravy, cornbread dressing, boiled cabbage, mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and probably a few others I've forgotten. 

Yellow cake with chocolate icing and, as always, fresh banana pudding (made with real custard - no instant vanilla pudding here!) rounded out your meal - and you.  And everything tasted just as good (well 99%) as Mom used to make.

Smiley's is only open on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.  But it's worth the wait and the drive to Porterdale.  Just don't eat too much during the week and be sure to wear your expandable waist pants!

If you want some great Southern cooking like your Mom used to make, Smiley's is still here and still serving it up!  I give it two big thumbs up!

I'm fortunate enough to have a friend who is also a fine poet.  He writes verse all during the year.  But every year around this season, there's always something special. 

His latest is "A Christmas Hope."  This was published in our church program this past Sunday, but deserves to be read by more than just our Presbyterian friends.  It evokes vivid images of Christmas past, and inspires belief in the future.  It's what this special season is all about.  I think you'll enjoy it.  It's printed here with permission.

A Christmas Hope

by Reed Blakeney

It's strange to see you now, old friend
I hardly knew your face
There was a time when we would spend
Long hours at your place

Do you remember Christmas Eve
In nineteen fourty-four?
That's when old Jessie had to leave
And go away to war

But you and I were under age
Not old enough to fight
We acted on the high school stage
And knew we'd be all right

For hope was in our corner when
our boys were true and strong
This war would end all evil, then
The nations would get along

Hope was high as battles won
Created much speculation
The war would end and a soldier son
Would get an earned vacation

It's strange the way it all worked out
Since that Christmas long ago
We wonder what it's all about
But we still have much to show

For yes, we've taught Democracy
To nations across the world
We wanted people to be free
We marched with flag unfurled

What do you think, old friend of mine -
This Christmas, two thousand and eight?
I'll treat you to a glass of wine
And set the record straight

It's love that makes the world go 'round
It's hate that turns it sour
There's still much joy to be found
In every Christmas hour

Let's drink a toast to you and me
And good friends we remember
We've lived a long time, don't you see
And hope lives each December

I've always been an optimist.  There's nothing to be gained from being pessimistic.  Of course, there's nothing to be gained from being an optimist either.  It just feels better.  But, who can an optimistic Realtor® believe these days?

Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors is quoted in the latest issue of "Realtor" magazine as saying "...there's good reason to believe the housing market has turned the corner."  But, last night on CBS's "60 Minutes," an interesting piece with Scott Pelley questioned whether there was  "A Second Mortgage Disaster on the Horizon."

Whitney Tillson, an investment fund manager with Amherst Securities, specializing in mortgages, told Pelley we're at the beginning of a second wave of mortgage defaults.  When rates are reset for Alt-A and Option ARM mortgages written during the boom years,  the result could be even more defaults and foreclosures than we've seen with the subprime market implosion.

According to Tillson , there were about $1 trillion in subprime mortgages, and there are about $1 trillion in Alt-A mortgages and another $500 to $600 billion in Option ARM mortgages out there which could be in serious trouble when their interest rates reset within the next several months.  He expects a default rate of 50 to 70% on the Atl-A and Option ARMs.

60 Minutes' Pelley wrapped up the piece talking with Sean Egan who runs a credit rating firm, and is one of six people who "Fortune" magazine says predicted the fall of Wall Street's financial giants.  Egan predicts that 2009 is going to be "miserable," and 2010 to be even worse.  The housing market is "core" to the recovery of our financial woes, Egan says.  And, he is looking at three... four... maybe five years before the supply overhang of housing is worked through.

So, who can Joe Homebuyer, Suzie Homeseller and an optimistic Realtor® believe?

Covington and the surrounding area have long been known by the nickname "Hollywood of the South."  Film-makers, producers and directors all seem drawn to the locale by the character and charm of its Southern-style buildings and homes.

When the film credits roll, "Filmed on location in Covington, Georgia" shows up on productions such as "In the Heat of the Night, The Dukes of Hazard, My Cousin Vinnie, and Six Pack," among others.  Now Covington - more specifically Covington's Traditional Neighborhood Development, Clark's Grove - is the backdrop for yet another video.

Taylor Braun, the young, upcoming Nashville star, filmed her latest music video in Clark's Grove this past August.  It was just released, and is making its way on country music television.  Also featured prominently in the video is Clark's Groves great little coffee shop, Town Center Breads.

If you'd like to take a look at the video right away, here's a link...  Just click on Taylor's photo.  Taylor and her music are great.  And the backdrop is spectacular!

For more information on Covington, "The Hollywood of the South," or Clark's Grove, give me a call or leave a comment.

Whether you're in the market to sell your home or buy a new one; whether you're a real estate investor or just have a single property; whether you watch the world market or just your local neighborhood, there are some interesting real estate statistics for the Covington and Conyers real estate markets for November.

Foreclosures continue to dominate the local real estate scene.  There were 54 new foreclosures in Newton County during November, and 39 in Rockdale County.  This brings the totals for 2008 to 687 foreclosures in Newton and 378 in Rockdale.  That's only 26% more for Rockdale over the 2007 figure, but a whopping 60% increase in foreclosures in Newton County over the previous year.

Is anything selling?  Yes.  665 single family homes sold in Newton County during November.  The problem is that it took an average of 148 days per home to sell them.  Pretty much the same holds true for the Rockdale market...429 homes sold with an average days on the market of 151 days per home.

What's interesting is that, of the 665 sales in Newton County, 366 - or 55% - were priced below $125,000.  In Rockdale, 144 homes - or 33% of those sold - were priced below $125,000.  In both cases, this price range also had the lowest "Days On Market," times, selling in about 127 days.  These are pretty good indicators that a large part of sales in both counties were foreclosed properties.  This is constantly reducing the number of foreclosed properties on the market, and is good for the market overall because it reduces the total number of homes available and helps to stabilize property prices.

As of the end of November, there were 1622 single family homes for sale in Newton County - a 14.7 month supply - and 1031 active listings in Rockdale County - a 14.5 month supply for that market.

The most difficult segment of the market in either county right now is homes listed between $250,000 and $350,000.  They are taking longer to sell (up to 214 days), and are selling for between 89% and 92% of the asking price.

All this said, believe it or not, this is still a great time to buy a home.  Interest rates are low and predicted to go even lower before the end of the year.  There's plenty of mortgage loan money available for those with good credit.  The average sales price of homes in November was down between 13% and 19% over 2007 prices.  And inventory is great.

What's going to happen in 2009?  Diana Olick has a pretty good idea in her article written for CNBC's "Realty Check."  Take a look at her predictions in "Predictions: 9 For '09 in Real Estate."