Some Northeast Atlanta realtors add Lakeside High School as "riders" on their For Sale signs, presumably because the academic reputation of the public school helps move properties. The Valhalla subdivision near the school (see accompanying image) likely alludes to the school’s traditions and Viking mythology.
"Property sales in the Lakeside area have held steady for the last three years and appear to be poised to finish better than last three years according to the sales statistics in our listing services," said Kathleen Kane, an associate broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Group.
Kane was one of about a dozen realtors who attended a Valhalla outreach reception in September at the school. The meeting was organized by Cathy Clark with Sagamore Realty and a member of the Valhalla Project team to talk about the private capital campaign, which aims to dramatically improve the school's athletic facilities outdoors.
Valhalla Project backers think that local realtors may want to assist the $1.5 million capital campaign. The school is already getting a facelift and more via the DeKalb County School System’s SPLOST renovation and building additions. That’s great for street appeal and presumably academics, but what about the value of possible first class athletic and outdoor campus facilities that SPLOST won’t pay for?
The Valhalla Project will pay for an artificial turf field that can be used seven days a week by several school sports and community youth leagues. Valhalla fundraisers envision bringing Lakeside’s championship-caliber soccer games back to campus outfitting the field with concrete bleachers for several hundred fans. Lights will be erected around the soccer, baseball and softball fields for night games that will welcome the entire community.
The Lakeside zone is primarily in sturdy, inside-the-Perimeter areas, about half in the 30345 ZIP code, which has lost less than 20 percent in sales value since 2007 compared to nearly 50 percent for the Atlanta region reported in a recent Atlanta Journal-Constitution article.
"The area schools are part of the reason our sales volume has been steady," Kane said.
Rob Holly, an Oak Grove real estate agent and president of the DeKalb Board of Realtors is a believer, seeing the civic leadership side of the project. Holly graduated from the now-defunct Briarcliff High School and his parents formed Holly Realty. Holly recently joined Lakeside Foundation co-founder Clint Stamps at a Leafmore Civic Association meeting to endorse the project.
Valhalla’s Clark and Holly concede that they don’t know what form or forms a partnership would take on. However, the Realtor grapevine in Northeast Atlanta has proven to be "glue" to the area in conjunction with school projects and philanthropy as well as a boon to churches and recreation clubs.
Lakeside Foundation President Tara Stamps is looking forward.
"They (Realtors) have potentially the first line of communication with new residents," she said. "The impression they convey to potential residents about our school can be the result of a contract or no contract. I value their support."
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