Although two different cities, there are many similarities between Charlotte and Atlanta nieghborhoods. As someone who used to live in Dilworth, Matthews, and Raintree, I am reminded of Midtown, Decatur, and many other areas.

If you move to Atlanta, please bring some of the funky Elizabeth restaurants with you. Those were memorable Friday nights of my youth enjoying good food and company!

To help you in your home search, you are welcome to search my website:
http://WWW.GREGSLIZT.COM

Now, I think I will drive to Charlotte and have lunch at Lupies!

Holly,

Having read through the responses it doesn't seem as though anyone has addressed the fact that we have more than a 2 year standing inventory on condo's and townhomes in the Atlanta Market. The challenge with you reselling these properties is the fact that there are a number of reo/foreclosures as well as builders faced with possible bankruptcy that will consistently undercut the list prices of owner-occupant resales (that aren't short sale situation).

Single Family Homes are definitely historically a far better investment in terms of appreciation and resale capabilities. You don't have to worry about HOA's that may pass massive assessments like in a condo development, which you automatically gain "extended family members" because any problem they have in the development impacts your unit's value.

You definitely will get more "bang for you buck" outside of the perimeter, but it depends on the convenience factor that you desire. As far as school zoning. I'd suggest visiting http://www.greatschools.net and http://www.schooldigger.com to compare. As a former teacher, these websites give you some statistical information that tends to be of importance to parents, yet I'd strongly advise visiting the schools to ensure they meet your needs.

I'd be happy to answer more of your questions or discuss options. I can be reached at 404-310-8364 or mike@michaelneville.com

All The Best,
Michael

Holly,

I am working for several years in Atlanta and have been in Charlotte area alot for work. We sold our home in Greenville SC last spring and chose rental for a short period. This gave us time to settle in the area and meet locals. We have two little ones and school districts are highly important to us. In this down economy, private schooling can be a luxury for some. I will say that you will find there is plenty of inventory on the market.

We have noticed a trend that most RE agents would not like ....most of the listings have been selling between 81% and 96% of original list. Only a handful have closed at list price. With this thought you may want to consider looking at the 500K to 600K price band and working the deal down. I have noticed that inside the perimeter is more expensive versus outside the perimeter. And quality tends to be above $500K inside the perimeter.

If you are not concerned about schooling choices outside of Buckhead are great value for the money opportunities. However, where you have high density housing in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody or elsewhere there are concerns about the student achievement rates. You may have a super Elementary, then the other levels fall down.

Townhomes and Condos in Buckhead are plentiful. In general all areas have an overwhelming amount of townhome and condo inventory. Thus, resale in next 3-5 years will be depressing.

Construction notes: BRICK is a key element in choices we have noticed. This seems to have the highest attention and most sales in the past 12 months. Syn. Stucco homes/units in Atlanta seem to be sold via short sale most often in the last 6 months.

Good luck with you purchase....

Wow! You have a lot of responses to your question. Can you tell we are all enthused about our Atlanta? Atlanta truly has many things to offer in Real Estate, Schools, Activities, and Fun, with many different 'styles' of neighborhoods. You are going to love it here!

If you are going to be buying just under $500k, I absolutely agree with what most people have said. Go with a single family home for less (you can use the money you save, and the equity you earn, to pay for lawn maintenance!) Our neighborhoods are all easily accessable. Are you looking into these three areas because you have heard they are nice or due to job location? So many factors to weigh in on....

Brooke :)

You should give some serious consideration to the 100% renovated, single family home market within a 1 mile radius of Piedmont and Roswell. Northern Buckhead. Under $500,000 for plenty of 3/2 and plenty of yard. A little over $500 is even better.

Where do you live in Charlotte? Great city - I grew up in Greenville, SC and still spend a few days a month in Charlotte and the G.

I am an Intown Atlanta specialist - my Business Partner Greg and I just prepared some Buckhead submarket studies in the single family market, if you want to see them. Prices are down, and school districts matter A LOT when it comes to resale demand!

Why do I keep talking about single family - because you should not buy a condo, loft or townhome right now if you are looking for "the best area to put our money."

Dunwoody has some terrific family neighborhoods. You can get some killer North Atlanta and Dunwoody new construction in decent school districts in the $600,000's right now.

Open your horizons...unless it's just about easy living and a nice community. If that's all you need, then Hammond Heights townhomes is a nice community that Jolley Developers completed in 2006 - it's OTP, and you can get in there for under $400,000 all day long.

Just don't expect to be able to sell it for more than you bought it in 2008. It's a townhome - it's a lifestyle choice, not a real estate investment.

Hi Holly - I recently was relocated (by my employer) from my home in Buckhead, which I loved and miss every day. I believe Buckhead will appreciate well over the long term simply because of its central location and the quality of the homes. I am actually selling my home which is right in the heart of Buckhead in one of the best neighborhoods in Buckhead - Garden Hills. Because it is a home on a great lot for the area (backed up by woods to the rear, which is a treat), it will appreciate far faster than a townhome or condo, simply due to the fact that so many townhomes are under construction in Buckhead. Feel free to visit my broker's website: http://www.2589acornavenue.com for a tour. Thanks, -Jason

I've lived in Buckhead for 5 years and love it! My husband and I are relocating to Texas and I stumbled on your post when I was looking at my townhome for sale (3279 Buckhead Forest Mews, 30305) on Trulia. I love the area and will miss it. I never have to drive more than 2 miles to get anywhere and in many cases we walk (e.g. Starbucks, grocery store, church, the mall, restaurants, parks). Our townhome is in the back of a neighborhood near one of the busiest intersections in Atlanta (Peachtree and Piedmont) and we are amazed at how quiet it is. The big trees must be absorbing the noise from the city ;o)

There are a number of major real estate developments underway in Buckhead which are expected to be complete in 2009 (e.g. http://www.thestreetsofbuckhead.com/, a new St. Regis). I expect the property values will only increase. This area also has great public (through middle school) which is not only great for property values, but for your family. I wish you the best of luck on your relocation to Atlanta.

Holly,

Hello - I'm from North Carolina (grew up in Winston-Salem, family beach house is in Ocean Isle, graduated from Appalachian State, worked in Raleigh for awhile, and visit Charlotte about 5 times a year because all of mine and my husbands friends from college live there), and relocated to Atlanta over 3 years ago. I would love to show you a few options around the city. I originally thought I wanted to live in Buckhead as well. It's where my husband and I first rented our apartment before we got married and bought our first home in Inman Park. Buckhead is just one major area in Atlanta to consider, there are a dozen other areas/neighborhoods I would recommend. If you give me some comparable areas in Charlotte that you would like to find in Atlanta, then I could point you toward the right neighborhoods/areas. I would definitely recommend staying in the city (Inside the Perimeter), and at your price point, a single-family home (if it fits your lifestyle) would be a better investment. Single-family homes are appreciating 10x faster than condos in the Atlanta Metro area. VA Highlands, Inman Park, Lake Claire, Candler Park, Ansley Park, Midtown, Peachtree Hills, Garden Hills, Decatur, Cabbagetown, Grant Park, Ashford Park, Morningside, Druid Hills, are all neighborhoods/areas I would show you in addition to Buckhead.

Please consider contacting me personally. I would love to run a search for you and show you around Atlanta!



Sarah Turner
Realtor
sarah.turner@yourownsanctuary.com

Sanctuary Real Estate, Inc.
300 North Highland Avenue Suite B | Atlanta, GA 30307
T: (404) 688-3363 | F: (404) 688-3372 | M: (404) 323-9976 http://www.yourownsanctuary.com

Hello Holly,
Buckhead is good but you have to want to be in the middle of everything. Alot of traffic and noise, it is the preferance for the younger generation, with the club life, ect. Dunwoody, Brookhaven and Sandy Springs, are great areas with lower property taxes and great schools. We spend a lot of time in Charlotte and if you want to try to copy what you have there I think the Dunwoody or Brookhaven areas would match closely These areas will always remain sought after areas, values will reamain because of the corporations in the area and hospitals. Alot of medical communities are in both areas which always makes it good for resale. I would love to help if you are not working with a Realtor.

Hello Holly,
Buckhead is a great area especially if you are trying to avoid long commutes. Public transportation is also available. I can send you a book that has valueable information on each county in Georgia. It will also give you demographics on schools, hospitals, etc.

Please visit my website at http://www.iamBlessed.net. You can also send me your mailing address by contacting me at yvonnebowens@remax.net

Holly - there are some great townhome developments in your price range in Buckhead, Brookhaven, Dunwoody AND Sandy Springs. I have lived in Dunwoody 25 years and work all four areas all the time (17 years experience.) My office is in Dunwoody.. Better schools are in Sandy Springs and Dunwoody

Let me know if I can help you. Visit my web site at http://www.edfrancell.prudentialga.com-I can send you a comprehensive relocation package, including test scores, maps, brochures, and of course sample listings.


Ed Francell
Prudential Georgia Realty
770-633-7576

Hey Holly,

The areas you mentioned are great. Have you thought about Brookhaven? It is right next to Buckhead, has great schools, is inside the Perimeter, and has some great deals on new construction. Most of Brookhaven is also in Dekalb County, which some find more attractive than Fulton when taking property taxes into consideration.

You are on the right track, you have mentioned 3 great neighborhoods in Atlanta. Brookhaven, in my opinion is #1 for investment potential and for living. Let me know if you would like to take a tour of all of the neighborhoods you mentioned and we can discuss your question in greater detail. I grew up in the Chamblee, Dunwoody area and have lived here all of my life. I live in Buckhead currently and own investment property in Sandy Springs, Brookhaven, and Chamblee.

I would absolutely love to help you and your family find your perfect place. Let me know if I can help in any way.

Feel free to contact me anytime at 678-776-0135

Alex Wilkinson
Keller Williams Peachtree Road

Holly,

Buckhead will always be the prime real estate choice of Atlanta. Always has been, always will be. No one here can deny that. If you look at the sales patters of metro-Atlanta, Buckhead has been the last to feel the negative effects of the real estate market and the first to bounce back from it.

There are many areas here in Atlanta that are great as well. As to your question about the hype, it is worth it as long as YOU see the value. I promise you that Buckhead is an excellent choice and it does live up to the hype.

Take a look at some Buckhead listings here http://www.dwellatlanta.com/buckhead-real-estate.php

Hi Holly,

You should definitely come take a look at a few options in these cities. Honestly the whole Metro ATL can give you a great bang for your buck. Just keep in mind that there will be traffic everywhere in Atlanta. Also Buckhead is Buckhead nothing can take its place. Its the heart of what the ATL is all about. I'd love to show you around on your next visit . Please feel free to give me a call anytime 770-262-8480 (Valerie) or you can email me directly vcellis@kw.com.

Not so sure you want to invest your money into buying a condo or a townhome as they have not been the best investments for most and have been hit especially hard in this market. There is a lot of hype surrounding the "new" Buckhead; however, it is important to remember all the hype surrounding Atlantic Station when it was being built. The first few made some money but now it is not a great seller.. and there has been a lot of crime also.

I do feel the "new" Buckhead will fair better; however, it is important that you have strong representation that can lead you to the hot spots to buy for the best investment. Buyers representation is free to you but it can save you thousands and save you headaches.

Make sure you choose an agent that provides you with the indepth research needed to make informed decisions where to put your money. You need to know the history, the current, and the projection for the next 10 years. I am happy to help!

I hope you were able to ride the boom of Charlotte!

Hi Holly,

What are you looking for in way of living? Are you looking for the city bustling area? Please feel free to contact me anytime. Best of luck to you.

I have lived in both Dunwoody and Buckhead and highly recommend Dunwoody/Sandy Springs. You still have great access to all of Atlanta and Buckhead's nightlife and shopping, but without the traffic, and you also have the added benefit of being close to Perimeter Mall. Dunwoody/Sandy Springs has great access to GA 400 as well as 285.

One other thought - off Mt Vernon road there are several new construction SFH's that used to be in the high 500's/600's that just changed their signage to reflect (I think) high 400's or low 500's. If you'd like I can jot the names down next time I drive by, I'm in that area once every few weeks. (And I am not a realtor or even in the real estate industry, just a former resident of the area!).

Holly,

I would like to invite you to use my award winning website to search in these areas. http://www.dwellatlanta.com/ I have built special pre-programmed searches for these areas where you can click on the link and all the homes will automatically appear. This site even has a "street view" under the detail pages where you can actually drive down the street while on the site!

As far as the hype about buckhead, I love it here. There are many other areas that are nice as well but Buckhead is my favorite.

Out of the areas that have mentioned Sandy Springs is going to offer you more the money and all the areas you have mentiones are within 10 minutes of each other, now where you buy depends on you life style. Sandy Springs is more family oriented and as I mentioned gives you more for your money. For additional information about Sandy Springs, please visit my website http://www.kstrealty.com