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Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio has hosted several rookie radio guests on All About Real Estate this year, but today, a building industry champion and radio veteran joins co-hosts Carol Morgan and Todd Schnick to give an update on his company’s activities in the Atlanta real estate industry. Jim Chapman, president and owner of Jim Chapman Communities, tells listeners all about his current and upcoming developments in the Metro Atlanta area.
Chapman is an Atlanta native and began his building career around 20 years ago by building custom homes. Later, he noticed the active-adult developments that were popping up all over Atlanta and found his niche. In 2005, he began developing active-adult communities, completed those developments through the downturn and came back with even more outstanding projects. He currently has six new active-adult communities and is planning five future communities.
His focus is chiefly on 55+ communities, several of them amenitized. Several of his upcoming projects will showcase a lower price point and exciting location instead of the traditional swim and tennis amenities. In all of his communities, Chapman sticks to several standard design tenets: three-foot-wide doorways, at least one zero-step entry into the home, at least one bathroom with maneuverability features and making it easy to add grab bars in showers or baths at a later date. Buyers are also looking for amenities, and they don’t necessarily need to be pools or tennis courts. “The No. 1 amenity might be just a walking trail,” says Chapman. Other amenities might include the community’s location in densely populated areas so residents can be near their hometowns or adult children, community gates for security purposes and maintenance-free building materials like brick, stone, 30-year shingles and more. Chapman is even introducing an active-adult apartment community for a true “lock and leave” lifestyle.
Chapman is also continuing to innovate for more than the active-adult buyers. Home buyers of all ages and socieconomic statuses will benefit from his upcoming tiny house community, Eco Cottages at East Point. Through a partnership with the founders of Tiny House Atlanta, Eco Cottages at East Point will showcase around 40 units on foundations, instead of wheels. Home will offer 500 square feet, 750 square feet and 1000 square feet, maintenance-free features, parallel parking along the main road and the community will be re-zoned so that no real lots are used. More than 600 potential residents are interested and many are over 45, work downtown or at the airport, travel frequently or don’t want a lot of space.
The builder has also been the recipient of several recent awards because of his excellent work in the real estate industry. Chapman received the BEAM (Builders Engaging Associate Members) Award by doing business with home builders association members and the NAHB’s 55+ Builder of the Year Award. Chapman is also the current president of the Greater Atlanta HBA.
To hear more about this exciting upcoming development, Chapman’s plans for his active-adult communities and his involvement in the local home builders association and the NAHB, listen to today’s podcast. Visit www.JimChapmanCommunities.com for details.
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A special thank you to Jackson EMC for sponsoring Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio. Jackson EMC offers homebuyers peace of mind and lower bills with its certified Right Choice™ new home program. These homes are built to be energy efficient and sustainable with improved indoor air quality, convenience and comfort. 
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The Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio “All About Real Estate” segment, presented by Denim Marketing, airs on Fridays and highlights the movers and shakers in the Atlanta real estate industry – the home builders, developers, Realtors and suppliers working to provide the American dream for Atlantans. For more information on how you can be featured as a guest, contact Denim Marketing at 770-383-3360 or fill out the Atlanta Real Estate Forum contact form. Subscribe to the Atlanta Real Estate Forum Radio podcast on iTunes, and if you like this week’s show, be sure to rate it.
