Home Ownership & Atmosphere In Atlanta (Tucker, Decatur: renting, HOA, condo)

[KaiyaSweetSadie93]

I’m a Gen Z’er, & now that I’m in the process of moving out of my parent’s house. My mom wants to buy her own house in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some things that she absolutely needs to know about living in Atlanta, Georgia? For single women living in Atlanta, day-to-day, what is life like? What is the current housing market like right now? I often hear a lot of people say that 'Atlanta Is Full. Don't move here.'

Why do people often say that and what is the one thing that my mom should be mindful of while searching for and going through the process of buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia ?

[Citykid3785]

First off, is she considering the city proper, or the suburbs? That will determine a lot. As will her budget, and where she is moving from.

Some things unique to the Atlanta metro: it's hilly (many houses are not on a flat plot of land), and many houses do not come with basements. Depending on where you are moving from, that may be unique.

A lot of suburban homes are in "swim and tennis" communities, which tend to have a modest HOA fee for providing a tennis court, a pool, and the hope of young family intermingling.

From a suburban perspective, the area between I75 & I85, north of 285 is considered the most desired (best schools, safe, etc.)

"atlanta is full" is a rude way of saying "we are in the sunbelt, experiencing explosive growth, and we don't want the traffic to get worse"

While housing costs have shot up across the US (and Atlanta is no different), for a top 10 metro we are still considered moderate to affordable.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by KaiyaSweetSadie93

I’m a Gen Z’er, & now that I’m in the process of moving out of my parent’s house. My mom wants to buy her own house in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some things that she absolutely needs to know about living in Atlanta, Georgia? For single women living in Atlanta, day-to-day, what is life like? What is the current housing market like right now? I often hear a lot of people say that 'Atlanta Is Full. Don't move here.'

Why do people often say that and what is the one thing that my mom should be mindful of while searching for and going through the process of buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia ?

What city will your mother be moving to Atlanta from?

That’s an important question so that we may be able to compare and contrast Atlanta with where she may currently live.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by KaiyaSweetSadie93

I’m a Gen Z’er, & now that I’m in the process of moving out of my parent’s house. My mom wants to buy her own house in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some things that she absolutely needs to know about living in Atlanta, Georgia? For single women living in Atlanta, day-to-day, what is life like? What is the current housing market like right now? I often hear a lot of people say that 'Atlanta Is Full. Don't move here.'

Why do people often say that and what is the one thing that my mom should be mindful of while searching for and going through the process of buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia ?

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

What city will your mother be moving to Atlanta from?

That’s an important question so that we may be able to compare and contrast Atlanta with where she may currently live.

Also what (how much) is her budget for housing?

What is the maximum amount that she can spend on housing?

... Which are two questions that raise the point that much of the Atlanta metropolitan housing market is much more competitive than it may have been known to be in the past before housing prices increased in the late 2010’s.

The Northside of the Atlanta metropolitan area (the more in-demand part of the Atlanta metro area located north of Interstate 20) has especially become much more competitive in recent years.

Atlanta’s continued growth and ascent into a major hub of tech industry activity in the Southeastern U.S. has been a leading factor in helping to drive up the cost of housing in the metropolitan area.

And one very likely can expect housing costs to continue to noticeably increase with the recent news that tech behemoth Microsoft will build its East Coast headquarters on the near-Westside of the City of Atlanta proper.

Generally, housing costs often generally may be significantly higher north of Interstate 20 than along and south of Interstate 20.

Otherwise, the biggest challenge outside of rising housing costs often is traffic congestion.

Crime sometimes can be a noticeable, but not necessarily overriding, concern through various areas of the Atlanta metropolitan area.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by KaiyaSweetSadie93

I’m a Gen Z’er, & now that I’m in the process of moving out of my parent’s house. My mom wants to buy her own house in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some things that she absolutely needs to know about living in Atlanta, Georgia? For single women living in Atlanta, day-to-day, what is life like? What is the current housing market like right now? I often hear a lot of people say that 'Atlanta Is Full. Don't move here.'

Why do people often say that and what is the one thing that my mom should be mindful of while searching for and going through the process of buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia ?

I would advise for anyone looking at moving here to pinpoint an area in which to look to settle into and then work with a reputable realtor. There are sooo many different neighborhoods you need to narrow it down a bit. There are a ton of threads on here if you do a search and contrast with maps. A great thing to do if you compare with job/school locations.

Once you have decided on a location we can help further. Do plan a visit here to see the area for yourself (things are very different in person and there is nothing like experiencing the vibe for yourself) and work with a realtor.

ETA: I see that you are also posting about renting in Philadelphia PA. Very big differences between Atlanta and Philadelphia.

[KaiyaSweetSadie93]

Originally Posted by Citykid3785

First off, is she considering the city proper, or the suburbs? That will determine a lot. As will her budget, and where she is moving from.

Some things unique to the Atlanta metro: it's hilly (many houses are not on a flat plot of land), and many houses do not come with basements. Depending on where you are moving from, that may be unique.

A lot of suburban homes are in "swim and tennis" communities, which tend to have a modest HOA fee for providing a tennis court, a pool, and the hope of young family intermingling.

From a suburban perspective, the area between I75 & I85, north of 285 is considered the most desired (best schools, safe, etc.)

"atlanta is full" is a rude way of saying "we are in the sunbelt, experiencing explosive growth, and we don't want the traffic to get worse"

While housing costs have shot up across the US (and Atlanta is no different), for a top 10 metro we are still considered moderate to affordable.

She is considering moving to what would be considered the outskirts, like Stone Mountain, Tucker, but she is also looking in the area you call Midtown.
Her first choice is the outskirts, like Lithonia, Conyers, Tucker, Stone Mountain...
She is moving from Philadelphia (Center City), & her budget is from 200,000 to about 600, 000, but I honestly think she is basing her budget on Philadelphia home pricing .

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by KaiyaSweetSadie93

She is considering moving to what would be considered the outskirts, like Stone Mountain, Tucker, but she is also looking in the area you call Midtown.
Her first choice is the outskirts, like Lithonia, Conyers, Tucker, Stone Mountain...
She is moving from Philadelphia (Center City), & her budget is from 200,000 to about 600, 000, but I honestly think she is basing her budget on Philadelphia home pricing .

Midtown Atlanta is kind of a hot Intown area with so many companies (including numerous tech companies) moving into the area in significant numbers over the past decade.

Midtown Atlanta includes a growing number of high-rise and higher-density living options.

Midtown Atlanta also is home to a major outdoor recreational amenity in the famed and beloved Piedmont Park.

But East metro Atlanta suburbs like Tucker, Stone Mountain, Lithonia and Conyers generally are less-expensive areas to live when compared to many Northside areas which are in high-demand these days.

It’s probably worth also mentioning that Atlanta is a highly transient metropolitan area, with probably about close to two-thirds of the current metropolitan population being born elsewhere.

[AtlantaRising]

Originally Posted by KaiyaSweetSadie93

I’m a Gen Z’er, & now that I’m in the process of moving out of my parent’s house. My mom wants to buy her own house in Atlanta, Georgia. What are some things that she absolutely needs to know about living in Atlanta, Georgia? For single women living in Atlanta, day-to-day, what is life like? What is the current housing market like right now? I often hear a lot of people say that 'Atlanta Is Full. Don't move here.'

Why do people often say that and what is the one thing that my mom should be mindful of while searching for and going through the process of buying a home in Atlanta, Georgia ?

The housing market in the Atlanta metro is at all time highs. Most homes are hitting the market with a four day window for an accepted bid. Her budget should allow for a competitive edge in the suburbs, but not Midtown unless you are fine with a condo. Over the last year, home values have appreciated on average 20-25% throughout the metro. Based on current projections, 2022 will still see high prices but with less appreciation.

This leaves some nice suburban options though. 600k will buy a nice home in Tucker or Stone Mountain. But you should consider Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Avondale Estates and Decatur. Decatur is still quite a gem of a neighborhood, despite its popularity. It is one of Atlanta's original "suburbs" although it's density is closer to the single family home neighborhoods you would find in Midtown. Decatur feels like a college town in the middle of the city. All the trees and greenery and lack of direct highway access isolate you from Atlanta's hustle and bustle without taking you out of "the city". You will pay the top of your range to get in a home there, but you are almost guaranteed substantial equity within a few years (unless there's a crash) and you have access to first class restaurants, music venues and boutique shopping. Atlanta's offerings are within a 15 minute drive. I am actually surprised at the value still left to be had in Decatur. It seems like it should cost a lot more than it does.

Atlanta is certainly a transient city. You will meet people from all over the world here. The city is far from full...lol. Atlanta's growth has been consistent for three decades and she isn't close to reaching her ambitious goals. After a while, you realize ambition is a constant and constantly growing part of the overall theme, from the city to its people.

Good luck!