For the third consecutive month, the diffusion index for foot traffic held roughly steady. This plateau follows a sharp mid-summer decline in the wake of a 1% increase in mortgage rates. Rates eased in October, but crept upward in late November, which could weigh on future trends.

For the third consecutive month, the diffusion index for foot traffic held roughly steady. This plateau follows a sharp mid-summer decline in the wake of a 1% increase in mortgage rates. Rates eased in October, but crept upward in late November, which could weigh on future trends.



Every month SentriLock, LLC. provides NAR Research with data on the number of properties shown by a REALTOR®. Foot traffic has a strong correlation with future contracts and home sales, so it can be viewed as a peek ahead at sales trends two to three months into the future. For the month of November, the diffusion index for foot traffic eased 2.5 points to 48.1.

Mortgage rates started the month low, but ticked upward in the later part of November on positive economic news and anticipation of a potential taper of asset purchases by the Federal Reserve. However, foot traffic held relatively steady for the 3rd consecutive month. Inventories remain tight in some markets like San Diego, which would constrain an increase in local foot traffic. But several markets across the Midwest have slowed relative to last year. Markets that continue to expand are doing so modestly.

The index eased just under the “50” mark in November which indicates that more than half of the markets in this panel had stronger foot traffic in November of 2013 than the same month a year earlier. This reading does not suggest how much of a decrease in traffic there was, just that the majority of markets experienced less foot traffic in November of 2013 compared to a year earlier.

The post-rate-spike recovery appears to have taken root. However, rates did ease in October and early November. Still, traffic remained strong despite the disruption of the government shutdown. Rates have since increased closer to 4.5% which could weigh on traffic in the coming months if the increases continue.

End in sight for Roswell's lost time capsule Spends decade forgotten

by Jonathan Copsey

write the author

Roswell's time capsule, to be opened in 40 years, will finally be sealed and buried after nearly a decade of uncertainty. JONATHAN COPSEY/Staff. (click for larger version) A memorial plaque was made to mark the resting place of the time capsule. All that was left was to bury the box. Deciding a proper resting place proved difficult for the city. JONATHAN COPSEY/Staff. (click for larger version)

December 04, 2013

ROSWELL, Ga. – Sometimes things get lost in the hectic day-to-day shuffle. For Roswell, it turns out one of those things was a time capsule.

As part of the city's Sesquicentennial Celebration in 2004, a time capsule was created to be filled with items relative to the city's 150th year. The plan was to open it 50 years after the sesquicentennial, in 2054.

The capsule box was bought and filled with memorabilia from the celebrations – a poster, mugs, a baseball cap and newspaper articles were all placed inside. However, it was never sealed and buried. Instead, it sat in an office for these past nine years.

A nondescript metal box about 3 feet high, it almost looks like an old drinking fountain. Fitting, perhaps, for something designed to be buried for half a century.

After the festivities of the 150th year, Historic and Cultural Affairs Manager Morgan Timmis said the capsule was more-or-less forgotten about.

"A decision was never made on where to put it," she said. "It wasn't a high priority item for anybody."

And so the box sat in the corner of an office for the better part of a decade.

Finally, the end may be in sight for the capsule – Roswell approved Nov. 25 to bury the box at the foot of the steps of City Hall after Councilmember Betty Price helped resurrect the project.

"Elaine DeNiro, the city archivist, asked whatever happened to it," said Price. "So we went on a hunt to find it."

When they found it, Price said she was determined to wrap up that lose end and find a burial place.

"We decided to get that thing properly planted," she said.

The recommended location for the time capsule is to bury it at the bottom of the steps in front of City Hall. A plaque would be placed above it to mark the location.

Now that a resting place has been found, Timmis said the box must be sealed up – sent back to the manufacturer to do so – returned to the city and then buried. A memorial plaque has been made to place over top of it. No date has been set for the burying.

"For eight or nine years, it's been sitting waiting for a home," Price said. "Hopefully before too long we will be getting it in the ground

Construction begins on downtown Cumming parking facility Parking facility is first of two to be constructed downtown

by Aldo Nahed

write the author

October 16, 2013

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Construction of the first of two new parking facilities to be built in downtown Cumming began Oct. 15.

The parking facilities are part of the new courthouse and jail project, funded by the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) VII program.

The first parking facility to be built will be located at the intersection of Castleberry Road and Maple Street.

Because of the construction, the number of available parking spaces in the lot on that site will be reduced.

Weekday, daytime public parking spaces are available at several locations near the County Administration Building.

Look for the parking spaces marked with a red dot in designated lots.

For those receiving a summons for jury duty, beginning with the Oct. 28 jury summons day, designated parking and shuttling will be available.

Parking will be available in a designated area of the Cumming Fairgrounds parking lot off of Castleberry Road across from the fairgrounds lot.

From this parking area, those summoned for jury duty may choose to ride a shuttle or walk to the County Administration Building.

The shuttle will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on jury summons days only for travel between the designated parking area and the County Administration Building.

Those summoned for jury duty should allow extra time in the morning and be prepared to show their jury summons to board the shuttle.

Construction of the second parking facility, located near the County Administration Building, is expected to begin in the spring.

The shuttle service will run every 10 minutes during jury summons day and will cost the county about $1,300 per day. The service will be used five days this year and a potential of 10 days next year, according to Jodi Gardner, a county spokeswoman.

General questions about jury service should be directed to the Forsyth County Clerk of Courts' Office at jury@forsythco.com or 770-781-2120, ext. 3106.

Visit www.forsythclerk.com for updates.

Roswell approves large mixed-use development 82 homes, 25 townhomes planned

by Jonathan Copsey

write the author

October 15, 2013

ROSWELL, Ga. – Roswell's City Council approved a new mixed-use development to be placed near Centennial High School. The approval came in a 5-0 vote during their Oct. 14 meeting. Councilmember Rich Dippolito recused himself from the discussion.

The development features 82 single-family homes and 25 townhomes with 17,500 square feet of retail space at the corner of Holcomb Bridge Road and Scott Road. It is a density of 3.9 units per acre on just shy of 28 acres of land.

It is currently unused woodland.

In 2006, the property was approved for a similar mixed-use development that never got off the ground. It contained nearly 160,000 square feet of retail and office use along with 167 residential units.

"This development is practically and substantially less than what was approved [in 2006]," said Don Rolader, attorney for John Wieland homes, the developer.

With more than 100 homes planned to be built across from two schools and along the city's busiest road, city staff decided the applicant should help pay for intersection and road improvements nearby to help with traffic.

In addition to the development, 10,000 square feet of land near the intersection of Holcomb Bridge and Eves roads will be set aside in anticipation for some form of pedestrian crossing across Holcomb Bridge Road. The city has yet to develop plans for any such structure, and staff said it could be more than 10 years before any project is begun.

Also at the meeting:

The city signed a contract with the Center for Priority-Based Budgeting in a 5-1 vote, with Councilmember Betty Price opposed.

Similar to zero-based budgeting, priority-based budgeting, said Budget Manager Ryan Luckett, seeks to "align city services and programs" with council priorities.

The Denver-based consulting group would send representatives out from their headquarters to train city staffers on how to implement the policies. They would look at all city programs and services by not only asking why the city offers such programs, but also providing a benchmark to compare programs against.

"It allows for comparison of programs across departments," Luckett said. "While that might be challenging in the past to compare the fire department to community development, you can now compare them on an equal playing field."

The contract will cost the city $35,500 plus expenses of the consultants. The money comes out of a budgeted account for city consultants.

Gwinnett Tech to begin construction on Alpharetta campus in 2014

by Caitlin Wagenseil

write the author

	(click for larger version)

October 11, 2013

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Gwinnett Technical College will soon begin construction on a campus in Alpharetta that officials say could accommodate up to 10,000 students when completely developed.

The 25-acre North Fulton campus will be at the intersection of Old Milton Parkway and Ga. 400, across from the Avalon development.

David McCulloch, vice president of economic development for Gwinnett Tech, said that while the construction schedule is still being decided, it's expected to begin in mid-2014.

McCulloch said that there's no doubt the addition of the new campus will generate positive impact and begin a ripple of positive effects for the community.

"The presence of a highly skilled workforce attracts new business and industry, and supports the expansion of current enterprises — an additional economic impact to the community and residents alike," McCulloch said.

The college's operations spending and payroll will also be a plus to the area, McCulloch added.

And the addition of a technical college campus in Alpharetta will bring many benefits to students in the area.

"For individual students, the new campus will make college and career education much more accessible in terms of a physical location," McCulloch said.

Gwinnett Tech also offers dual enrollment options for high school students, which McCulloch said has been eagerly embraced in North Fulton.

While initial course offerings for the new campus are still being determined, officials expect programs to include computer information systems, logistics, accounting, business management, marketing management, patient care technician, early childhood education and more.

The first classes are anticipated to begin at the Alpharetta campus in January 2016, and in its first year, should serve approximately 1,500 students.

"This is great for our community because it offers opportunities for our young people to get certification and training in different fields to prepare them for quality, high paying jobs," said state Sen. Brandon Beach. "We need to constantly be on the cutting edge of technology, and this campus is going to do that for us."

For more information, visit www.gwinnetttech.edu or call 770-962-7580