Relocating from MN: 35-year old single professional (Atlanta, Decatur: transplants, for sale)

[becca346]

I will soon be relocating to Atlanta where I will be working in Buckhead. I think my price range for buying a house is up to $350k. I’m interested in Midtown (and possibly Va-Hi) but it seems like those homes will be out of my price range (except for those needing a lot of work). What are some other nice areas? How is Old Fourth Ward? Poncey Highland? Are those a little dicey? I drove around Midtown once and really liked the feel of it - very ‘neighborhoody,’ nice park, cool shops and bars/restaurants, etc. Five Points and Buckhead do not appeal to me. If I get into Inman or Candler Park, will I be surrounded by mostly family types with kids? Of course I’m not against families but I don’t want to live on a street where I am the only person without a hubby and kids running around. I am white (but don’t mind some diversity). I am liberal. Also, I would like to live where other transplants have landed. What are some neighborhoods I should check out? I would LOVE your suggestions!! Thanks in advance.

On another note, I’ve been reading that the condo market is oversaturated. Are townhomes also a bad idea? Thanks!

[IntownHomes247]

Typically single family homes have a higher resale potential than condos and townhomes are generally in between those two. Honestly, I haven't seen townhomes in Midtown having that hard a time selling because they offer more affordability and are not nearly as overbuilt as the condos.

How large of a house do you need? And are you interested in doing any renovations or only want a completely renovated home? There are homes in great areas for under $350k -- there just aren't many and they tend to be smaller and/or unrenovated. You can certainly find a townhome in Midtown for under $350k if you are not interested in condos. I know of a nice 2 BR/2.5 BA townhome (with 2-car garage) for sale right now that's just $259,000. Of course it's also 3-levels (plus the drive-under garage) so if you hate stairs, then townhomes can be problems, but if you want the exercise they offer good value.

If you'd like help with your house hunt, feel free to PM me. I could set up a custom internet web site for you that will update you daily on new homes coming on the market (as well as price changes of existing homes). It's a good way to keep an eye on what's happening in the neighborhoods you're most interested in.

As for neighborhoods, you'll certainly want to drive around different streets to get a feel for which area has the vibe that best suits you. I think you'd probably like Candler Park, Lake Claire, Inman Park, City of Decatur, but no one can tell you which area will be the best fit for you and nothing beats "on the ground" research.

[George Chong]

In town neighborhoods have lots of diversity so you won't be surrounded by only homes with families. The in town neighborhoods that you mentioned are great areas. I live in Inman Park and we have the gamut of folks. The unofficial motto is "it's hard to be odd in Inman Park". www.inmanpark.org and www.inmanparkvillage.com are some websites for you to check out. We have lots of restaurants and shops all within walking distance. If you work downtown or Midtown, you will only be minutes away.

Here are some other websites for you to check out:

www.candlerpark.org
www.midtownalliance.org
www.midtownatlanta.org
www.decturga.com

Good luck! It was sunny and in the low 60's today