Good Day Atlanta viewer information story June 28, 2016

Lithonia Center Raises AWARE-ness Of Native Wildlife:  It’s just a quick, 20-minute drive from downtown Atlanta, but AWARE Wildlife Center in Lithonia gives guests the experience of being a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of the big city.

AWARE Wildlife Center is located in the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, and is dedicated to the mission of preserving Georgia’s native wildlife through rehabilitation and education.  Staffers there provide medical care to sick and injured animals, including deer, rabbits, foxes, and owls.  AWARE also exposes children to native wildlife through regular school programs, held at the Center’s outdoor amphitheater.  Guests can also tour the facility every Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. for free, although donations are welcomed. 

Good Day Atlanta’s Paul Milliken spent the morning exploring AWARE Wildlife Center and learning a little bit more about the animals being cared for at the facility.
 

WEB LINK:  http://awarewildlife.org

 

Tupelo Honey Cafe:  Executive chef Ryan Moore will be demonstrating Tupelo Honey Cafe’s signature Shoo Mercy Pancake, a sweet potato pancake topped with whipped peach butter, spiced pecans, buttermilk fried chicken, apple cider bacon and maple syrup. Please see attached for the sweet potato pancake recipe.

For the recipe see below.   For more information on Tupelo Honey Cafe click here.

Sweet Potato Pancakes
Recipe courtesy of Tupelo Honey Cafe

Yield:

5 servings

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
5 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 cups buttermilk
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large sweet potato, roasted and cooled
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and melted butter, and then add this to the dry mixture. Peel and mash the sweet potato, place it in a bowl, and then add the honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix it well. Add this mixture into the pancake batter. Let the batter stand for 1 hour (or you can make it a day ahead of time).
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add batter by the ladleful and cook the pancakes, in batches, until golden brown on each side. Serve immediately and top with preferred toppings such as spiced pecans and peach butter.

 

Ownership not right for Everyone, Renters Retain Flexibility with real estate expert John Adams.  See notes from John Adams below.  For more information click here.   

The decision between buying a home and renting a home is one of the most important you will make. Many factors will enter into your decision, and the good news is that there are great opportunities in both owning and renting, especially in the metro Atlanta area.

 

Here to give us some pointers on the process is our own Fox5 Real Estate expert, John Adams. 

 

Q:  John, which is best, buying or renting?

 

A:  The truth is that there are benefits in buying and there are benefits in ownership. At the same time, whichever form of real estate you select, there are drawbacks and pitfalls we can find.

 

Q:  So how do we decide?

 

A:  The first step is to find out if ownership is an option at this time in your life.

 

Because the vast majority of buyers need long term permanent financing for 80% or 90% of the purchase price, we need to find out if we qualify for a new home loan and determine if we have the needed funds to actually buy the house we might want to purchase.

 

The easy way to do this is to call a reputable lender, such as your credit union or community bank, and ask to be “pre-qualified” over the phone. This step should cost you nothing, and should give you a very good idea as to whether or not owning is an option at this time.

 

Q:  So, let’s assume you ARE qualified and that you DO have the needed funds for the down payment and other fees and costs. Do you rent or buy?

 

A:  Assuming you have the choice, your next step is to estimate how long you plan to live in the same place?  If the answer is three years or less, my advice is to rent.

 

One of the disadvantages of owning a house or condo is that there are high transaction costs whenever you decide to sell. It is not unusual for the seller to pay a marketing fee of 6 to 7 percent, and buyers often expect sellers to participate in settlement costs, which can easily add another 3 percent or more.

 

As a result, if your home has not gone up in value, you may lose money by selling in the first few years of ownership.

 

I do not recommend buying to anyone who plans on selling in the first three years of buying.

 

Q:  Got it!  So, assuming the coast is clear to buy, how do you decide?

 

PROS of OWNERSHIP

  • Pride of Ownership
  • Forced Savings Plan
  • The WEALTH EFFECT over time
  • Tax Benefits are AMAZING

 

CONS of OWNERSHIP

  • You are STUCK for a few years
  • Repairs & Maintenance Costs
  • Rising Taxes & Insurance
  • High Costs of Selling

 

PROS of RENTING A HOME

  • Flexibility - move when you want
  • Landlord handles repairs & maintenance
  • May be able to afford better location, amenities
  • May be able to save $$$ over buying & costs

 

CONS of RENTING A HOME

  • You are BUYING the property for the OWNER
  • Owner Can Sell or Decide to NOT RENT
  • RENT COSTS likely to RISE ANNUALLY
  • You can’t DO WHAT YOU WANT

 

CONCLUSION:

 

The real estate decision may be one of the most important you make. It is certainly one of the largest financial decision most of us make. First determine what your options are, then make your choice based on your individual preferences.

 

I personally believe that, for most Americans, buying a home is the best decision they will ever make.  At the same time, ownership carries with it a longer term commitment to one place and an increased level of responsibility for the property. The final decision is up to you.

 

FACEBOOK CHAT is GOOD FOR ME today.

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