Items of Interest in Athens-Clarke County and the Surrounding Areas.

Congratulations to the two winners of our 2020 Covid Crusher Challenge!  You can find their entries on our Facebook page at:  https://www.facebook.com/MarkMahaffeyandAssociates/.

Many thanks to Diane Pfeifer and Caleb Moore for their display of creativity and talent!  Diane and Caleb will both get the choice of an Amazon gift card or cash.  And, a special thanks to Rebekah DeSchryver for her wonderful performance too.  She did a fantastic job, but in the interest of transparency, she is a family member and couldn't win a prize, but her entry is still much appreciated!

If you have suggestions for something fun that you'd like to see in the future, please let us know...we'd love your input!

THANKS AGAIN AND CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS!

DIANE PFEIFER AND CALEB MOORE!!

We are very excited to invite EVERYONE to participate in our entertainment showcase.  We hesitate to call it a contest, because there is no pressure.  This is something fun for everyone that is sheltering in place and looking for a different activity for themselves or their family.  Please join us no matter how much talent you have.  Kids of all ages are welcome.

Prizes will be awarded based on the entry that gets the most votes as well as one based on a judges decision.  Winners will be announced here on our blog.  We look forward to seeing your creativity!

If you are thinking about a career in real estate or just wondering what it would be like to be a real estate agent, we'd love to hear from you.  One of the most important decisions you can make is choosing a broker/team to work with.  Many companies will emphasize a variety of features that they offer including generous splits (compensation), but what they don't teach you is how to actually make money so you can not only survive, but also be very successful.

Mark Mahaffey specifically focuses on helping his team members excel.  If substance is more important to you than fluff, get in touch with us now, and let's talk about your options.  Every day that you wait just means more money that you've left on the table.  All conversations will be kept confidential.

You can reach us by calling 706.543.3008 or emailing Mark directly at m.mahaffey@markmahaffey.com.

Calling All Agents!

We haven't had a cold winter yet, but Georgia weather is unpredictable. A deep freeze in the deep South is always possible, so take a look at these tips if the weather forecast all of a sudden predicts a severe drop in temperatures!

What to Do About Freezing Pipes!

A lot has been going on at our company over 2019.  Virginia Treiber joined us as a full time Administrative Manager, and we added a wonderful Buyer Specialist and REALTOR, Angie Buffington, in the fall.  Another opportunity presented itself in the form of new office space, and we moved in over the Thanksgiving holiday.  And now, we are starting off 2020 with a new name! 

Many of you know us as Southeast Realty Brokers.  Our broker's name is Mark Mahaffey, and he has personally helped many of our clients either sell or purchase a home.  Since our clients already know him anyway, and he is our team leader, it just seemed to make sense that we do business as a name that you recognize.  So, going forward, we will be known as Mark Mahaffey and Associates Real Estate!

So, nothing to worry about, we are still the same people you've come to know and trust...just with a new name.  We would love for you to visit our office sometime, so you are invited.  Just let us know you are coming by so we can make sure that we are not out listing or showing a property!  We are conveniently located at 1671 Meriweather Drive, Suite 101-B, Watkinsville, GA  30677 which is just 4 driveways past the entrance of Jennings Mill.

We look forward to seeing you soon whether for a casual visit or to help you with your real estate needs. :)

At Athens' botanical garden, the State Botanical Garden Of Georgia, flora and fauna remain center stage throughout all four seasons. A series of garden trails wind throughout and adhere to color coded sections. Orange paths are beginner oriented and send hikers riverside. River otters and beavers are sometimes spotted during wintertime walks. The wooded white trail is the longest and most difficult. Footpaths journey uphill and down where deer, raccoons, and turkeys are make up area wildlife regularly seen.

The Flower Garden is a sight to behold. Bold blooms on the Athens property are vibrant. Petite gardens are discovered throughout. Annuals and perennials are in abundance here. Shades of pink add to romantic moments sometimes taking place in the peony and rose gardens. Guests inhale sweet scents of nature in the fragrance garden. The Hummingbird Trail was carefully researched with our delicate feathered friends in mind. Open from May to October multiple markers highlight favorite hummingbird spots. A historic timeline is showcased in the International Garden. Sections featured are The Middle Ages, The Age of Exploration, and The Age of Conservation. During spring color explodes in the Shade and Native Flora Garden.

Fun Times Are Shared By Families On Athens Property

Families are celebrated on this Athens property. Camps are scheduled in the springtime and summertime encouraging a love of nature for school aged children. Festivals are on the calendar throughout the year. Eagerly awaited, the annual Heritage Days Fall Festival brings together the community with interactive seasonal fun. Open seven days a week, it’s easy for Athens real estate residents to find time to watch the flowers grow.

To learn more about Athens' botanical gardens, come visit State Botanical Garden of Georgia, south of Athens on Milledge Avenue.

The latest trend in interactive entertainment has hit the streets in Athens. Groups of friends gather At Escape The Space to challenge their minds. Locked in an escape room, Athens GA teams work together in a time controlled setting to figure out clues and puzzles in order to free themselves from the room.

Escape Rooms that are Ever Changing!

At Escape the Space, rooms change periodically to keep things interesting so team can return again and again to experience new escapes. In one escape room, the Evidence Locker, time is of the essence. The team has been instructed to steal a significant file for an unsavory character or else.

In another escape room, teams work to escape the MacAllister's house for a second time. The Wet Bandits team tries not to be outsmarted by a child again. Yep that’s right! The MacAllisters are on vacation and the Wet Bandits are determined to break in again. I

Or grab a seat in the Tree House Cafe escape room. One of the baristas on staff has had a bad day and gone a little crazy. Will there be time to straighten him out?

Multiple options are always available. Games are geared toward those fourteen years and older. Families with younger children are welcome to play in private game settings. Reservations can be made online. Head on over to Escape the Space, the escape rooms, Athens GA, at 540 Hawthorne Avenue and join the fun. 

Come visit the three bears hidden away in Memorial Park in Athens GA at Bear Hollow Zoo The zoo is a dedicated sanctuary for native Georgia animals unable to be released back into the wild. A range of wild critters make this their Athens home.

Orphaned in infancy, the now adult three American Black Bears have big personalities and like to lay on the charm. Named DJ, Athena, and Yona, visitors are hard pressed to pick a favorite. Athena is most easily identified by the white patch of fur on her chest.

Graceful White Tailed Deer were scarce in the state of Georgia at one time. The landscape of Bear Hollow Zoo was actually utilized in a successful re-release program. Rocky and Rose now represent their species.

North American River Otters frolic and play to the delight of spectators. These funny guys did not rehabilitate well enough for survival in the wild and now play their days away in the refuge.

Katie the Bobcat is cleverly catty. Her mannerisms are amazingly similar to house cats kept on Athens property.

Birds Of A Feather Flock Together In Their Athens Home

Bird watchers don’t need binoculars at Bear Hollow Zoo. Majestic and regal the birds here mostly suffered debilitating wing injuries. All are spectacular from Honovi the Bald Eagle to Hooch the one eyed Barred Owl. Other birds onsite are a Red Tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture and Great Horned Owls. A group of Wild Turkeys keep Rocky and Rose company in their enclosure.

The brave of heart enter the Reptile House at the center of Bear Hollow Zoo where reptiles, amphibians, and insects coexist. In this space snakes slither, frogs hop, and insects hiss.

Bear Hollow Zoo is open daily and admission is free. Take time to make friends with all the animals.