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Old 06-15-2008, 07:32 PM
 
3 posts, read 7,141 times
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Hi. We're new to Atlanta and have been looking at homes over the last month. We've been focusing our search in Decatur, Lake Claire, Inman Park, Candler Park, Morningside, and Virginia Highlands, but haven't found much that we like in our price range.

Today we saw some great homes in Brookhaven, walking distance to the Brookhaven Marta, just below Peachtree Rd. Since we're not familiar with the area, I'm hoping the forum can help answer a few questions:

1)We enjoy walking neighborhoods (e.g. walking to parks, walking to restaurants, walking to grab a beer with friends). Does this part of Brookhaven offer any of this? I ask because we didn't see much of this around, but did not have time to fully explore the area today.

2) Would this be a good area for young children? The elementary school is Ashford Park.

3) Any opinions/projections on long-term appreciation/depreciation of property values in this area? It looked a little rough towards Buford Highway, and I'm curious if anyone has any input on whether the rougher area is creeping up, or the nicer area is creeping down.

4) Any other insights?

Thanks for the help!
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Old 06-15-2008, 07:40 PM
 
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First, let me start off by saying that the greater Brookhaven area is my favorite part of Atlanta! The area is really nice, and there is so much do within a few minutes drive of the area you mentioned. As for being able to walk places, it is not the most pedestrian area, but it also not non-walkable. The new Sembler project just north of the Brookhaven Marta station will make that area significantly more pedestrian. Lenox and Phipps are only about 1 mile south of the Brookhaven MARTA station, and there are plenty of restaurants and pubs/bars located there. You could walk there, but it would be down Peachtree.

As for Buford Highway, the nicer areas are definitely creeping down (as you put it). Some of the areas are a bit sketchy, but I still find it safe. Good luck with your decision!
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Old 06-15-2008, 08:01 PM
 
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Buford Highway will eventually be very different than what it is today-- the not so niceness is not creeping up, but it is going to take a while (probably a long while) for the whole area to gentrify so to speak.

I think there are many young families who are happy with Ashford Park. Do you have children yet? Ashford Park is a very small school. Many families in the area do use private school, but that may be changing.
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Old 06-16-2008, 07:09 AM
 
Location: Inman Park (Atlanta, GA)
21,870 posts, read 15,024,797 times
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Check out the website for greatschool.net for informatio on Ashford Park. I would have to agree with kagmpts - the area is not pedestrian friendly or unfriendly but lacks the ability to have nice strolls without lots of cars in either direction. There is lots of restaurants of all ethnic cuisines that you can drive to (cheap eats too).

If you would like to have more information about the City of Decatur or Inman Park (where I live) let me know
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Old 06-16-2008, 07:10 AM
 
Location: Inman Park (Atlanta, GA)
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Oh and Pless can give you lots of information on Candler Park too.
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Old 06-16-2008, 07:32 AM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,298 posts, read 43,744,365 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lastminutemom View Post
Buford Highway will eventually be very different than what it is today-- the not so niceness is not creeping up, but it is going to take a while (probably a long while) for the whole area to gentrify so to speak.
ITA with lmm; I think that with the next economic upturn, you'll see pressure on the Buford Corridor to gentrify. Great neighborhoods (like Brookhaven) are to the north and south, and it is geographically desirable. I wouldn't let its' proximity to B'haven be a concern for this reason.
I wouldn't hesitate to jump on an opportunity in Brookhaven; I wouldn't cite it as one of the most 'pedestrian-friendly' neighborhoods in the metro, but it seems like there is a concerted effort there to make it so.
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Old 06-16-2008, 08:14 AM
 
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One more thing... I can almost betcha that the Sembler development doesn't come out as pedestrian friendly as originally marketed...
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Old 06-16-2008, 08:24 AM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,298 posts, read 43,744,365 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lastminutemom View Post
One more thing... I can almost betcha that the Sembler development doesn't come out as pedestrian friendly as originally marketed...
I've never been impressed by their existing developments...a little 'window dressing' and then your basic 'big box', parking lot-oriented development.
What Town Brookhaven may do, however, is kick-start re-development of the Peachtree corridor through the neighborhood.
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Old 06-16-2008, 08:53 AM
 
3,972 posts, read 12,601,867 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LovinDecatur View Post
I've never been impressed by their existing developments...a little 'window dressing' and then your basic 'big box', parking lot-oriented development.
What Town Brookhaven may do, however, is kick-start re-development of the Peachtree corridor through the neighborhood.
I agree, BUT I have been working with some developers on redevelopment in other areas and we have some land owners with really unrealistic expectations of land value (think 1.5 million for a half acre).

It will be interesting to see.
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Old 06-16-2008, 10:24 AM
 
2,642 posts, read 8,231,339 times
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Yes, if you're looking in Candler Park or Lake Claire and have a limited budget (who doesn't?) then you either have to be willing to live in a smaller home OR buy a fixer-upper. We did the latter. But we really wanted that walkability and I like riding my bike to work.

But we were able to buy a duplex in Candler Park that we will be converting to a single family home over the next 4 years. It will eventually be 4 bedrooms/2 baths + office and we intend to put in a 3rd bath off the "master". We got this place for 400K but we've had to replace the roof, replace the HVAC. We still have to replace the wiring in our apartment and fix some cracked brick before we start on the fun and sexy renovations.

But, we like the house a lot and we like the neighborhood very, very much. And the public school my son goes to is really great.

Now, if you're wanting to walk into a 4/3 that's move-in ready and fully updated you're looking at paying morelike 650K - 800K.
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