If your time span is 7 to 8 years you are in good shape to buy a townhome. There are some great buys in the metro area but one has to be willing to stay in the townhouse for a certain span of time to gain appreciation. There is just a glut of townhomes out there and the inventory needs to shrink to cause price appreciation but with your time span and location being close in you should be just fine.

Katie,
Buying is always better than renting if you are able to do this and know where you want to buy. Townhomes are generally better investments long term than condos. I recommend contacting a REALTOR to assist you through the process.
Best of luck to you!

I agree with you. Buying is generally better than renting. Also, buying a townhome is generally better than buying a condo. Even in Midtown (where condos are seriously tanking), townhomes are still selling very well and are good investments. In other areas (like Tucker/Northlake), you have plenty of potential for investment gain over the next 5-10 years. Personally, I think this area is really ripe for great things during that period. If Tucker gets their Main Street Initiative really going, along with the new multi-use development that is supposed to be going into the site of GM's Doraville plant, that could really spur interest in the northeast side of the city. Tucker could very well become the next Decatur. Good luck!

Buying a townhome or a condo is a lifestyle choice. You can find great deals right now. Living in a condo or townhome usually provides a low maintenance life style. You typically have nothing to maintain on the exterior of the home leaving your weekends free to play. A condo or townhome can also provide a good social scene with neighbors close by and shared amenities like pools or fitness areas. Some things have never changed, location, location and location. Pick an area that is convenient and has low crime. Resale in 7 to 8 years should not be a problem, especially when you are buying at discount now. Tucker and Northlake has great condos and townhomes. I have one listed that has just been reduced $20K to $159,900. Feel free to view it on my website. The address is 2451 Ivey Crest Circle in Tucker. It's just 3 years old in a gated community next to the Walmart shopping center and restaurants. It's an end unit with 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a 1 car garage, huge kitchen with hardwood floors and family room with fireplace.

Jennifer Bowman
Success Realty
404-456-5024 http://www.JenBowman.com

Katie:
Welcome to Tucker! As a resident for many years I can tell you that Tucker is a great place to live. It is conveniently located near all the major connectors to downtown, the airport and other parts of Metro Atlanta.
Townhome living can be a great lifestyle for someone who wants to own but does not want the responsibility of lawn maintenance, etc. that you have in a single family home. Some of the decisions you make going in will help insure that you get the best advantage in the market at the time you sell. I have just successfully marketed a townhome in the Northlake area that is set to close in July. The buyers I met with were looking for well maintained homes with updating and lots of amenities such as pool, tennis, fitness centers and convenient location to shopping restaurants, etc.

A careful search of the market will uncover some great deals that will also provide a good investment. Please contact me. I would love to show you my hometown!

Katie,

You are right. It is better to buy than rent. The problem with a townhome/condo is the what if.

What if you have to move back to Mobile or get relocated for a job opportunity? I know these things are hard to predict, but if you did have to make a change before 7-8 years you would have a townhome anchor holding you down.

There are many opportunities today to get a single family home for a very reasonable price. In many cases as much as you would spend on a townhome. My question to you is what do you expect to spend on a townhome? If I could find you a single family home in the same price range what would keep you from getting a home over a townhome?

I'm up for the challenge! Are you? Give me a call I would love to talk to you about helping you find a home and a good investment rolled into one.

James Dudley
ERA Sunrise Realty
678-781-7418
james.dudley@era.com

While there are good arguments against buying a condo or townhome, there are also many times when a condo/townhouse can be a great investment. If you buy in a neighborhood that is under construction and you need to sell before the new homes are sold it can be challenging to sell a resale. As in the case of a single family home or condo, when it's time to sell, yours needs to shine above the others. Townhomes can be a great rental property for you down the road,

Owning a townhome beats renting any day and you can get some awesome deals on a townhome in the Northlake Tucker area today....as in most areas around Atlanta.

If I can help you, I'd love to.

Hi Katie,

If you can afford to buy a condo/townhouse go ahead and do so. Start building equity and get some tax write-offs. Just make sure you buy the unit in a good location (school district, low crime area) so that the resale later won't be a problem.

Happy house hunting.

Ulli Rieckmann-Fechner

1 408.679.0333
ulli@cashin.com