Norton forecast: 'We're in recovery'

FLOWERY BRANCH - The Greater Hall Chamber’s South Hall Business Coalition Tuesday morning heard an optimistic report from local forecaster and realtor Frank Norton at their meeting at Spout Springs Library in Flowery Branch.

Norton said he had good news; South Hall’s economy and real estate is in recovery even if the current recession is still having a telling effect.

“In terms of a break point I see the mid-summer of 2010 when we’ll start to see sustained recovery,” Norton said. “Traditional business will happen in various parts of the county and in Metro Atlanta.”

Norton said he expects the end of the bad news is in sight with housing values reaching the point of increasing instead dropping values with value priced, no frill houses.

Norton said the recovery will also hinge on individual loans to potential home owners with good credit instead of to builders; he also advocated ‘buy at home’ to support local retail sales and sales taxes, and to also market to consumers in surrounding counties to shop in Hall County.