Heather Booth One Of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group Top Producers was Featured on Good Morning, Market Podcast based here in Savannah, GA.

Listen to The Full Podcast Here: https://anchor.fm/good-morning-market/episodes/The-Growing--Changing-Neighborhood-of-Savannah--GA-wHeather-Booth-e1r2okk

Our Savannah quarterly report is out! Take a look inside our latest Market Report for the Greater Savannah Area to gain insight on Q3 sales! Click the image or link to access the flipbook. 

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Business in the front, party in the back! That seems to be the motto for Savannah's newest one-stop shop for coffee, cocktails, breakfast and burritos. (Yes, you read that right.) 'Java Burrito' is now open at 420 E Broughton Street and is serving up all the above.

If you were to ask any Savannah local what they like best about the Hostess City, one of the most likely answers would be the ever growing "foodie" scene. Locals and tourists alike are constantly on the lookout for the next best place to gather over shared food and drinks.

While 'Java Burrito' is new to Savannah, they've been around for about a decade on Hilton Head Island. What began as a coffee shop that served tacos and burritos, quickly expanded into a go-to coffee spot, farm to fork favorite, reliable caterer, and happy hour haven. Thanks to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' Bay Street Realty Group's own Graham Sadler, 'Java Burrito' has found a new place to call home on our side of the Savannah River. However, the transition from long-time favorite mexican restaurant, 'Juarez', to 'Java Burrito' didn't come together overnight.

"We were actually planning on breaking ground on a location in Bluffton, SC shortly before the COVID lockdown. When that happened, everything was put on pause," said Java Burrito owner, Frederika Fekete. "I have always loved Savannah, so when our Bluffton project was placed on a hiatus, we began poking around across the bridge." Fekete and her husband, Michael, identified downtown or the 'Starland' district as their target areas. Thus, the hunt for the perfect location began.

"When I called Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices' Bay Street Realty Group, I was directed to Graham. We spent about an hour on the phone talking about restaurants and COVID, the impact on the industry, and the buildings changing hands during this time," said Fekete. "I let him know that we were open to taking on a building downtown, if the opportunity presented itself."

Sadler searched high and low, sending them possible restaurant spaces both for sale and for lease. This included 420 E. Broughton, which was not on the market, but was owned by a client (Gaslight Group) who were making changes to their business operations as a result of COVID.

"About a month after our initial phone call, the 420 E. Broughton Street location arrived in my inbox. I looked at Michael and said…should we go check it out?! The rest is history!" Fekete exclaimed.

Negotiations on the Broughton Street space began in late 2020, and the building was put under contract in early 2021. After some protracted negotiations in which Sadler was able to assist, the sale was to include the restaurant space, some furniture, fixtures and equipment, and an upstairs residence/apartment.

Due to unforeseen complications during the inspection process, the project was placed on hold while engineers looked at load bearing walls and environmental testing was carried out. The costs of testing had to be negotiated between the parties, in which Sadler happily facilitated, and the closing was delayed until September of 2021. While the renovation proved to be more complicated than originally assessed, 'Java Burrito' finally opened its doors in April 2022.

"I enjoyed working with Michael & Frederika - they have good vision and attention to detail. I also enjoyed working with the Seller, who was able to open another 5-Spot location in Sandfly," says Sadler.

As they say, good things come to those who wait. The renovation of the space is beautiful. It's bright, modern, and welcoming to folks of all ages. 'Java Burrito' provides a fast, fresh, casual dining experience, coupled with a priority on customer service. Their philosophy promotes positive change within the sustainable farming initiative, supporting farms and individuals with like standards.

"Hands down, my favorite part about working with Graham is how available he is. If I ever had any questions/concerns he was always a quick text or email away. knowing he had a handle on the things I was inquiring about made my job a lot easier," said Fekete.

"We are in our 5th week…so far it has been incredible! The neighborhood has been so nice, and the students and locals are so welcoming and friendly. We could not have asked for a better start," said Fekete.

With Summer well on its way, 'Java Burrito' is destined to become a favorite for locals and tourists alike seeking refuge from the heat. Whether you're craving a coffee, burrito, or even an espresso milkshake, 'Java Burrito' has you covered!

"This is probably the most photographed building in the city… In a city that is no stranger to being photographed. It's an honor to be a part of its restoration." ~ Bobby Davenport, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group 

The last unrestored, free-standing mansion in Savannah's Historic District finally found a patron to restore her to her former glory. Ralston College, which is establishing a campus at the southern end of the district, recently purchased the 6,864-square-foot Noble Hardee House at 3 W Gordon Street, Savannah for $3.5 million. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group agents Bobby and Liz Davenport represented both the buyer and the seller, Alex Raskin, who previously operated an antique business in the building.

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One of the most photographed buildings in the city, the Noble Hardee House has long been known for its splendor. The Italianate mansion, which sits on Monterey Square, was featured in the 1995 Julia Roberts film, Something to Talk About. And no wonder. The four-story, brick, and stucco mansion is adorned with cast iron, balconies, and scrollwork balustrades, and, strikingly, the original gold-painted ironwork still frames the windows. Indeed, other than the addition of electricity and plumbing, the house is nearly the same as it was when it was completed in 1869 including the ornate plasterwork medallions, corbels, and onlays.

The mansion is named for Noble Hardee, the cotton merchant who began building the home in 1860 but died before its completion. When the home was finished it became one of the city's most sophisticated residences with its 15-foot-high ceilings and a grand ballroom on the second floor perfect for entertaining notables like President Chester A. Arthur, 21st president of the United States from 1881-1885 who visited his relative Henry Botts there. With breathtaking views of the city of Savannah, including Forsyth Park and the cathedral of St. John the Baptist, from the square cupola on the roof, it's no surprise Ralston College jumped at the opportunity to add the building to its campus.

The purchase was the second that the Davenports managed for Ralston College, which also bought an 8,000-square-foot mansion previously owned by the NBA's Denver Nuggets owner Don Ringsby for $2.95 million. Ralston College purchased it for $2.7million.The home, which Ralston plans to use for residential, classroom, and office space, was featured recently in a Wall Street Journal article, https://www.wsj.com/. Ralston President and Co-founder Stephen Blackwood said the college gravitated toward these historic Savannah homes because they were built for entertaining. When renovations on the Noble Hardee mansion are complete, Bobby Davenport said he expects the public will enjoy listening to lectures and guest speakers in its majestic halls.

Photography by: Melissa Nowell Photography

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Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group Cora Bett Thomas Realty recently gave monetary and food donations to the Skidaway Island First Responders. As a company and with personal agent contributions, the brokerage gathered and donated $1,950 and food for the volunteers. 

"The firefighters at both stations on Skidaway appreciated the monetary donations and delicious snacks provided," says Kelly H. Gordon, President of the Skidaway Island First Responders. "Our main focus is protecting and serving this wonderful community. We couldn't do what we do without generous donations like these." 

"We are so thankful for their service and commitment to our community," says Broker in Charge Will Thurman. "This is just a small way to show them how much we care and appreciate their volunteer services. They make us feel safe knowing that they're there to protect us when the unexpected happens." 

The department plans to allocate the donations made to provide uniforms and gear to their new class of graduates.