Atlantic Station/Va Highlands/Midtown (Atlanta, Kennesaw: rental, HOA fees, loft)

[SeanDillon]

Hey all. Unlike most I have read on here, I already live in GA. I live in Buford, near the Mall of GA, have the Gwinnett Braves (minor league baseball) and Gladiators (minor league hockey) and Gwinnett Arena all within 15 min but am wanting a change. Single, no kids, almost 40 and guess going through a mid life crazy stage. I work in Suwanee off I-85 so I wanted to stay near 85. Been looking at condos in Atlantic Station/Va Highlands and Midtown and wanted to see what people like/dislike about those areas. Thanks.

Sean

[testa50]

The big question is what sort of housing is preferable for you. Do you want a condo with an awesome view, within walking distance to more stuff, and a ton less maintenance and work (but you have to pay HOA of ~$400/mo)? Or a SFH with a yard, more character, and more space, but with no view, less security (typically), more maintenance, and more work. It just depends and it's the age-old debate of moving intown in Atlanta.

A single family house in ViHi will be more reasonably priced than a SFH in Midtown. But Midtown has a condo to suit every want and budget. Midtown has a ton more stuff within walking distance. Midtown condos have some fantastic deals right now--your money can go pretty far. ViHi's condos are mainly (all?) lowrise loft type condos, and there is a much smaller market in that part of town with fewer options. Which one you choose is really up to you, but they are both very solid options.

Atlantic Station would my clear #3 choice. It just seems like you would be living in a shopping mall. But some people prefer that.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by SeanDillon

Hey all. Unlike most I have read on here, I already live in GA. I live in Buford, near the Mall of GA, have the Gwinnett Braves (minor league baseball) and Gladiators (minor league hockey) and Gwinnett Arena all within 15 min but am wanting a change. Single, no kids, almost 40 and guess going through a mid life crazy stage. I work in Suwanee off I-85 so I wanted to stay near 85. Been looking at condos in Atlantic Station/Va Highlands and Midtown and wanted to see what people like/dislike about those areas. Thanks.

Sean

Atlantic Station is on an upswing, but do your homework thoroughly before buying a condo there. I'd personally feel better about the Atlantic than Twelve, but I don't know how many they've sold yet.

VaHi is fun and all, but I don't know what the condo scene is like there. It might be a bit younger than you're wanting.

Tons of options in Midtown. There's a good mix of people in Midtown and tons of things to walk to and do. I considered 1010 Midtown and Viewpoint when condo shopping not too long ago.

I'll also put in a plug for West Midtown (where I chose to live). Check out White Provision. It's in the middle of a bunch of good restaurants and bars and art galleries and other fun things to do.

[George Chong]

Originally Posted by SeanDillon

I work in Suwanee off I-85 so I wanted to stay near 85. Been looking at condos in Atlantic Station/Va Highlands and Midtown and wanted to see what people like/dislike about those areas. Thanks.

Sean

How will your commute be?

[brownhornet]

Downtown to Suwanee daily commute?

[SeanDillon]

Thanks for the posts.

I have had friends live downtown and they said their commute was about 20-30 min since they were really going away from traffic on most days. I have a house now and hate yardwork so have been thinking more along the lines of a condo. I thought about Atlantic Station since I went to Ikea and thought it was pretty cool area but the more I have read about living there, the less I like it. Sounds like Midtown sounds like my best bet. Maybe what I should do is get a hotel room near where I like and spend a weekend down there walking around and getting to know the area to see what it's really like.

$400 a month for HOA fees? That sounds crazy.

[K-SawDude]

Originally Posted by SeanDillon

Thanks for the posts.

I have had friends live downtown and they said their commute was about 20-30 min since they were really going away from traffic on most days. I have a house now and hate yardwork so have been thinking more along the lines of a condo. I thought about Atlantic Station since I went to Ikea and thought it was pretty cool area but the more I have read about living there, the less I like it. Sounds like Midtown sounds like my best bet. Maybe what I should do is get a hotel room near where I like and spend a weekend down there walking around and getting to know the area to see what it's really like.

$400 a month for HOA fees? That sounds crazy.

The hotel is a good idea. And some condo buildings have guest suites that the developer, especially if you seem like a motivated buyer, may let you use for a nite. (Well, you'd probably have to pay for it.)

And HOAs for 2BR+ units can easily go over $400/month. But since it's usually based on square footage, a 1BR can be significantly less per month. People complain about HOA fees, but they cover costs that would have to be paid for somehow if you owned a house (exterior area cleaning, security, landscaping, pool, and some bills like water, trash, and internet depending on the property).

I'm doing a reverse commute from West Midtown up towards Kennesaw, and it's great. Just make sure you're a comfortable distance from the highway wherever you buy. (And you can/should try driving it as a trial run before buying, of course, just to see what the drive is like.)

[roadtrip75]

Originally Posted by SeanDillon

$400 a month for HOA fees? That sounds crazy.

I've seen $1500 per month.

[hatgirl007]

Midtown. Single with no kids you need nightlife, retaurants, event locations, etc at your fingertips. It makes a big difference where you live in Atlanta in terms of the quality of life you enjoy.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by roadtrip75

I've seen $1500 per month.

So have I. I have a 3 BR rental condo on Lenox Rd., and the monthly HOA fee is $425. From what I understand, that is on the low end for this street.