Best highrise living in the heart of the city? (Atlanta: lofts, condominium)

[ClarityFuture]

Hey everyone...I'm looking at moving intown and would like to live in midtown/downtown or possibly buckhead..

I'd like to have at least a 2BR, possibly (would love) a 3BR. As far as affordability goes, I do ~ $200K/yr but don't want to blow my money...I want the best bang for my buck...What is important to me? Convenient area, nice building, clean area, and nice interior of course...

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[ClarityFuture]

I almost forgot to mention that I am a 21 y/o young entrepreneur that would also be looking for the same crowd. I'm not much into partying, maybe a couple drinks here and there, but that's about it...I'd prefer a quiet social setting I suppose

[George Chong]

Where will you be working? It would be nice to have a short commute. There is a lot to chose from in terms of high rises in Atlanta. It also depends on what your budget is and what types of amenities that you would like.

Here are a few to think about:

Luxe: Is the first high rise to be built on Piedmont Park in 20 years. LUXE - The First Luxury High-Rise Condominium on Piedmont Park in Atlanta Georgia in 20 Years

Aqua: South beach sleek and semi-private elevators. AQUA Midtown

1010 Midtown: part of the "Midtown Mile". 1010 Midtown : Life on the Curve

Read more about the Midtown Mile and Midtown Atlanta. Midtown Alliance

So many more buildings to chose from. You will have lots of options!

Good luck!

[CityFan]

W Downtown might be your choice. It's very classy and reputable. I guess it holds value too. The price might be a little high, but it's well worth it.

[IntownHomes247]

Do you care about the investment potential of your condo? Most Atlanta condos have rapidly devalued in the past 2 years and with the new building that continues there's no telling when they may begin to increase in value again.

One of the very few that has kept its value is The Dakota.

Unless you plan to stay at least 5-10 years, if the investment potential of the property matters to you, I strongly urge you to get statistics from your agent relating to the price changes in whatever buildings interest you that have occurred during the past 2-3 years.

You won't be able to get this info for new buildings and it's always possible that one or more of these could do like The Dakota and remain popular enough to sustain its value. But recent history has shown that as each new building opens (particularly along the Midtown Mile area), the buildings that precede it have tended to decrease in popularity and price. Atlanta's condo buyers for the most part, seem to always be looking for the next new thing, and they can get much better deals from developers than they can from resales. So new buildings sell out and units in buildings that are not new just sit there and lose value.

Considering your income, you might do better to look at a small house or a townhome. It might not be a sexy as a condo, but it would be a better long term investment. And as long as you're somewhere in the middle of Midtown, you'd have easy access to Piedmont Park, bars, restaurants, etc. -- Midtown is a very social place.

[stoddaro]

I live in Midtown along Peachtree and it's great. Sure, a townhome or single family home may increase in value more reliably, but if you're an entrepreneur you don't have time to mow the grass and take care of maintenance things - condo living is great!

People have mentioned some new developments already. If you want a 3 bedroom that will be tough - not many of those around and they're EXPENSIVE ($350k or over in a decent place). If you really want a 3 bedroom, you could buy 2 units next to each other and combine them, which is very popular in some of the more established properties (like Peachtree Lofts, Cornerstone Village).

I have a 2 bedroom and it's plenty of space. 1 bedroom to sleep in and 1 for your home office (tax deduction).

Part of town to live in - Buckhead is professional but a bit stuffy (and trafficky). Midtown is professional with some of the city edge. I met my wife in Midtown. Both have great restaurant options. I would not recommend the W as downtown is still up and coming but there's not even a grocery store there yet. Midtown and Buckhead both have great living options for professionals who like to enjoy a drink now and again. I recommend Midtown a bit more.

Let me know if you need more ideas.

[Morriah]

Do you care about ammenities like a swimming pool, gym, or concierge?

[kagmypts]

Originally Posted by ClarityFuture

Hey everyone...I'm looking at moving intown and would like to live in midtown/downtown or possibly buckhead..

I'd like to have at least a 2BR, possibly (would love) a 3BR. As far as affordability goes, I do ~ $200K/yr but don't want to blow my money...I want the best bang for my buck...What is important to me? Convenient area, nice building, clean area, and nice interior of course...

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I am a little confused as to your budget. Do you want to spend around $200K on a place, or is that what you make in a year? Obviously that answer would/could land you in two very different kind of places.

[EyesToTheSkies]

I agree with the suggestions offered by George Chong. I recommend any of the newer high rises along the Peachtree Corridor with access to MARTA. These are the homes that are holding their value and will continue to appreciate in the coming years. The trend is to be located where you can be mobile without a car. Anything in Midtown along the Peachtree corridor will allow you to walk to restaurants, shops, museums, theaters and night life, should you want it. And MARTA can take you to the Downtown area or Buckhead or the airport. I recommend being within walking distance of Piedmont Park as well. A few of the established high rises I'd also recommend are Park Central, Ansley Above the Park, and Mayfair Tower. Good luck!