On The Mark

About a year and a half ago I began the neighborhood blog site www.parksideclose.wordpress.com  Although it is a simple blog, it’s an important one.  This site reviews the Alpharetta area and offers lots of information including road, school, voter, and other information.  Sometimes I use photos but often I just write to inform.  I have five key reasons for writing this blog.

Reason #1: I like my neighborhood and want others to know about it.  It is a great place to live!  The people here are diverse (6 of the 18 homeowners are foreign born) and they like each other.  I have found them to be friendly and helpful.  They even pick stuff up for each other from the store and keep an eye on homes when people are away.  It is a VERY safe neighborhood. Everyone keeps their yards well maintained and lawns trimmed.  I really like the way they put their college flags out on football weekends.  Gator fans dominate right now.  Everything is so readily available from this neighborhood.  The firehouse with full-time emergency workers is only 1/2 mile away.  Most stores and restaurants are only a mile away and easy to drive to, and the mall is about the same distance.  I have to also mention that the Greenway and schools are close too.  With the recent road improvements on Kimball, traffic flows well.

Reason #2: People need to be informed about happenings in their neighborhood.  I use the blog to inform homeowners about school, election, and other local matters.  We use it to announce our annual homeowner association meeting and encourage the payment of the low annual dues.  Dues are used to keep the water retention ponds clear and the light poles maintained and lit each night.

Reason #3: Blogging about the area keeps businesses, government, and other entities honest and responsive to our community needs.  When the apartment complex on Kimball violated the city sign ordinances my blog seemed to get attention and the signs were brought into ordinance compliance.  When the city traffic engineers responded to some road construction concerns, the blog gave them the praise they deserved.  Blogs get noticed.  No one can afford to neglect the influence a blog has on their community.

Reason #4:  A blog offers our neighbors an easy and efficient way to keep up on area matters and events.  Our blog shares information on such things as our schools, area city and religious events, elected officials contacts, Braves tickets, how to secure your drivers license and vote.  By the way, don’t forget to vote.

Reason #5:  A neighborhood blog increases the real estate value of homes.  Having a blog that gives potential home buyers a one-stop information creates a clean easy way to show how great it is to live in this neighborhood.  In a recent sale in my neighborhood, the realtor called me as a result of looking up information on my blog.  His client bought the home just after he called me.

Be a good neighbor and blog your neighborhood.