Atlanta Living- A Millennial's Plea for Help!!!! LOL!!! (Metro-Atlanta:Cobb, Douglas, Paulding, Fulton, Gwinnett, Dekalb (Smyrna: hardwood floors, for sale)

[Jake90]

Hey guys I'm back!!!

Y'all.............It's hard out here for a millennial!!

I'm in a bit of a dilemma.... I am a millennial (as stated) and I am having trouble finding a decent house that is not in a bad neighborhood, has good square footage and is not too far from the city. Having some issues though but I know you guys know more about Atlanta than I do and I need your help!

I am looking for a home no more than 130k-140k.
Around 1500-1900 sq. ft., nice neighborhood, and nice general area, and not too far from Atlanta. Also an area that is not going downhill, but rather one that is up and coming.
I have no kids btw....

Give me some of your recommendations and thoughts!

"I'm in stress up to my eyeball's; someone please help me!!"

Let the recommendations begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jake90

[cwkimbro]

At that price range, you will need to give up on something and/or take some chances.

An area that is cheap and up and coming will have some neighborhood problems and you will be an early investor in that neighborhood taking more chances and in for the long-haul. (I would try some of the southern beltline neighborhoods, like Capital View). You could also try areas that are a ways south from Decatur. You will find some pre-up and coming neighborhoods that are a long-term investment.

If you need something that is already a good neighborhood, it won't be up and coming and will be more expensive than that.

Even the suburbs, you will be limited to some of the not as great areas of southern Cobb, Douglas County, South Dekalb, and Clayton County. You will find some quiet areas that are cheap, so not particularly unsafe... more of an undesirable location.

Zillow $120,000-$150,00: https://www.zillow.com/homes/for_sal...ct/9_zm/0_mmm/

[primaltech]

Here is a 2 bed/ 2 bath home off of Spring Rd in Smyrna for $129,900, with hardwood floors, and a location just outside 285, and near the new Braves stadium.

https://www.homes.com/property/805-c...-300020789764/

Home values only going up in Smyrna area. Get in while you can.

Yes it's a condo and not a house. I don't think you can find a house for less than 140k in a nice area, unless you go way up 40 miles north of Atlanta or something (and a 1.5 hr commute just to get anywhere).

[jsvh]

I will second the "southern beltline neighborhoods".

Explore around areas like Capital View, Mechnicsville, Peoplestown, Lakewood, Vine City and find what fits you. At that price point you should know to expect rough edges. But you will end up with a better long-term investment and have to deal with less traffic than the suburbs. People thought I was crazy for buying in Ormewood Park five years ago because of how rough it was. Now it is tough to walk down the street because of all the parents out pushing strollers.

[st3mpy]

In most areas ITP, $120k for SFA @ 1900sqft will be a teardown. Empty lots sell for more than that. Exceptions being English Avenue, which is not a place you want to live.

[primaltech]

Wow, the Westview area has seriously great deals.

That would be an area I would definitely consider. Especially if you're not planning on having kids.

But Lakewood area... no.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Jake90

Hey guys I'm back!!!

Y'all.............It's hard out here for a millennial!!

I'm in a bit of a dilemma.... I am a millennial (as stated) and I am having trouble finding a decent house that is not in a bad neighborhood, has good square footage and is not too far from the city. Having some issues though but I know you guys know more about Atlanta than I do and I need your help!

I am looking for a home no more than 130k-140k.
Around 1500-1900 sq. ft., nice neighborhood, and nice general area, and not too far from Atlanta. Also an area that is not going downhill, but rather one that is up and coming.
I have no kids btw....

Give me some of your recommendations and thoughts!

"I'm in stress up to my eyeball's; someone please help me!!"

Let the recommendations begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jake90

I guess that an important question is where will you be commuting to and from for work each day?


I guess that another very important question is what kind of metropolitan environment do you want to live in?

You cited six different metro Atlanta counties in your inquiry in Cobb, Douglas, Paulding, Fulton, Gwinnett and DeKalb counties...All counties that each include significantly different metropolitan living environments that range from outer-suburban and exurban in Paulding County; to purely suburban/outer-suburban in Douglas and parts of Cobb, Fulton (extreme North Fulton and South Fulton) and Gwinnett counties; to post-suburban trending urban in parts of Cobb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties; to urban in DeKalb and Central Fulton counties.

Do you want to live in an urban environment, do you want to live in a post-suburban/urban environment, do you want to live in a purely suburban environment or do you want to live in an outer-suburban/exurban environment?

Let us know where you will be commuting to and from for work each day AND let us know what kind of metropolitan environment you want to live in and you likely will be able to help us narrow down the areas that we could recommend for you to look in what has been a very competitive real estate market in metro Atlanta over the past couple of years or so.

[CollegeStudentinAtl]

I feel your pain. I get anxiety looking through the options. These home sticker shocks are draining. However; my budget is slight higher so I can only imagine what you are going through.

I can tell you that, Atlanta is not cheap anymore. Its going to be extremely hard. This is how I am cooping with the home search.

For investment purposes:
I would look into Westview; Mechanicsville, Westend (You might be priced out the area already, homes alreadying selling for 350k), English Ave, probably outskirts, anything closer to the stadium. Anything on the West and Southwest Sides. You are probably priced out of the East already.

For move right away purpose:
Anything on the Soutside, You can find a new house/ foreclosure. I don't know what color you are or how well you like "mixed income" areas, but thier is plenty of options on the southwest and southside. South Dekalb as well.

Me personally, I am not looking for a house because I know I am priced out of the home ownership arena. I am searching for condos and townhomes.

I narrowed down my search to three and half areas

1. Downtown
2. Castelberry Hills
3. Buckhead
4. Midtown (Atlantic Station only) - I am virtually priced out of Midtown.

I was able to find a new construction condo downtown for less than 200k. There are plenty of condos for sale near the GA aqua, coca cola. Underground area (huge Investment opportunity from a long term perspective).

Buckhead has some condos as well. There was a condo near the streets of buckhead, new construction for less than 200k. You won't have a view but you will have a location.

Castleberry high up and coming area.

[whodean]

Honestly, wouldn't you just be better off renting?

[CollegeStudentinAtl]

Originally Posted by whodean

Honestly, wouldn't you just be better off renting?

At one point I thought about just renting. However; when I factored in how much I spend for my apartment a month (1,275) and multiple by years I lived here (x2) = The apartment collected an easy 30,600 (never called them to fix anything niether). The service fee company collected an easy 72.00 as well . lol

I would rather own a slice of an apartment ( condo) then to keep giving my money away like this.