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Thrilling Move To Be Close To A Friend

June 22, 20252 min read

Who is Mona?

Mona, a retiree from New York,  is a personable and lovely lady who wanted to move to the Atlanta area to be close to her sweet friend of 50 years. She also had the desire to live in an area with warmer weather. A  mother, grandmother, and cat lover, Mona is also a wonderful cook. According to her Atlanta friend, she makes a "killer pound cake!"

Why did Mona decide to sell?

Mona had previously owned a New York duplex with her brother. When her brother and his wife decided to move to Florida to be close to family, Mona decided it was time for her to also move. So she and her brother sold their duplex and with that Mona chose to move to the North Atlanta area.

Why The Mary Ellen Vanaken Team?

Mary Ellen's close friend and fellow Keller Williams agent in New York referred Mona to her. Her friend knew that Mary Ellen had extensive knowledge about real estate trends and experience specifically in the North Atlanta real estate market.  She also knew that The Mary Ellen Vanaken Team is well known for having the knowledge and experience to help whether buying or selling.

Some of the best parts of Mona's buying experience?

Because of Covid and Mona's age, she was unable to visit the Atlanta area, tour communities, and view available homes. But the best part of the buying experience was working with Mary Ellen Vanaken. Mary Ellen created a virtual home search for Mona.  She provided her with recorded and facetime videos that included model homes, communities, and available homes. Mona received real-time information from Mary Ellen making her feel as though she was actually there touring homes. 

Once Mona narrowed down her choice of purchasing a new construction townhome in Parkside East of Canton, Georgia, she made plans to travel to Atlanta. In November she met with Mary Ellen and physically toured the community. She was able to then select appliances, lighting, colors, flooring, and more. 

Mona's home in New York sold in December and her new Atlanta townhome was not going to be ready until February. That's where her sweet friend from Atlanta came to the rescue. Mona moved in temporarily with her and the two enjoyed time catching up and enjoying each other's company. 

Canton, Georgia & Parkside East 

Canton, Georgia is located between Atlanta and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The area offers views of mountains and the Etowah River. Canton provides great shopping, dining, parks, homes, and events. Stroll downtown Canton and grab a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants or visit the popular Cotton Mill Exchange for unique shops and a local brewery. 

Parkside East is a community close to both Canton and Holly Springs. The community supplies townhomes constructed by the home builder Smith Douglas Homes. Prices are in the $200's.  Their website states that some people may qualify for 100% financing!

Mary Ellen was born and raised in Long Island, New York. After graduating from college, she worked on Wall Street for JP Morgan in New York City. For the past 25+ years, she has been living in the Alpharetta, Georgia with her husband and daughter. International travel and business are her passions and she loves to go to as many different countries of the world as possible and to indulge in the culture.

Mary Ellen has an outgoing personality and is known to be aggressive in marketing real estate. Her goal is to make YOU happy and she knows that buying and selling houses can be very stressful. Her job is to make it as stress-free as possible. With her background in accounting and finance, she will be able to help you find the best value your money can buy.

Her professional associations and certifications include Atlanta Board of Realtors, Leadership Council for Keller Williams Realty, CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) and CFIS (Certified Foreign Investor Specialist) as well as being a member of KWGPS (Keller Williams Realty Global Property Specialist). In the past several years, Mary Ellen has worked to achieve several additional designations including CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist), SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist, e-Pro Certified and a Certified DRS AgentTM

Mary Ellen Vanaken

Mary Ellen was born and raised in Long Island, New York. After graduating from college, she worked on Wall Street for JP Morgan in New York City. For the past 25+ years, she has been living in the Alpharetta, Georgia with her husband and daughter. International travel and business are her passions and she loves to go to as many different countries of the world as possible and to indulge in the culture. Mary Ellen has an outgoing personality and is known to be aggressive in marketing real estate. Her goal is to make YOU happy and she knows that buying and selling houses can be very stressful. Her job is to make it as stress-free as possible. With her background in accounting and finance, she will be able to help you find the best value your money can buy. Her professional associations and certifications include Atlanta Board of Realtors, Leadership Council for Keller Williams Realty, CIPS (Certified International Property Specialist) and CFIS (Certified Foreign Investor Specialist) as well as being a member of KWGPS (Keller Williams Realty Global Property Specialist). In the past several years, Mary Ellen has worked to achieve several additional designations including CLHMS (Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist), SFR (Short Sale and Foreclosure Specialist, e-Pro Certified and a Certified DRS AgentTM

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