Tina

Hi Sarah - That is great advice, thank you!

The third bedroom is not through the garage, I've seen several like that and they are already totally off my list.

I appreciate the advice on a single family, but single family's in the area I'm looking at (within a 20 minute rush hour drive to buckhead) seem to be well above 300K, all that I have found in my price range is either from the 50's and needing a lot of work, or if updated still only has one bathroom. Based on this the townhome seems the best way to go, plus I travel a lot and am not consistently around for things like yardwork. - Sat Jul 26 2008, 11:24

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!). - Sun Jul 20 2008, 16:39

Where did the answers go? - Wed Jul 16 2008, 18:55

Thank you! They have empty lots (ready to build) in the communities I am considering but won't let me put a deposit down, I was afraid maybe they are going out of business. Is very frustrating to be ready to buy in this market and yet unable too! - Wed Jul 16 2008, 09:51

I just looked at a townhome community off Dresden and they pretty much said "make us an offer" when I asked about price, if that helps. I'm not sure its the best area though. - Mon Jul 14 2008, 16:49

The negativity here is overwhelming. If I were your client, with cash in hand to buy a townhome, even willing to pay full price, would you tell me I was insane or would you gladly take the commission? I have a feeling that in todays market most realtors would take the money.

Also - note I said I could pay full price to get the lot I want if required, not that I already had. The builder is not selling the lots yet, so I don't know what incentives will be offered. I'm looking to purchase an end unit that backs up to trees (with a protected stream buffer behind it, so I won't be looking at a Walmart in the future). To me this is worth more than getting 10K worth of upgrades for an interior unit, especially b/c end units resell better.

For the person that said a townhome is real estate suicide (a little dramatic wouldn't you say?), townhomes are built for a reason - if they were that bad no one would buy them. If the same realtor could show me new construction in Chamblee/Brookhaven with the same amenities for the same price, in a single family home, I'd be all over it. I've done extensive research for over a year and there are no single family, 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath homes with a two car garage for 300K inside the perimeter that are new construction. I realize I could afford something from the 1950's that has had some renovations done but I have no desire to go there.

To answer other questions - I do have a realtor, who lives in the same area I am looking to purchase and has a history of sales. Second, the builder is a nationally known builder with a decent reputation, but to be safe I'll be making sure my escrow money is held elsewhere, so that if they do go the way of Robert Harris homes, I won't be out my money. The builder has already agreed to this assuming I do purchase one of their lots upon their release. - Mon Jul 7 2008, 08:10

Thank you! The builder has not told me a price on this townhome, but I know full price at what they sold before is at the low end of my range, so if that is what it takes to get the home I want that would be my pricing of last resort. Since they are technically not selling anything at the moment I have no clue if there will be incentives, free upgrades, etc. - Wed Jul 2 2008, 17:53