I don’t think it’s a secret in many major cities in the U.S….people would much rather have a 10 minute drive to work than an hour drive each way. But such is the price that many pay to live in the suburbs, have the “McMansion” large home, big yard, 2-3 car garage and good schools for their kids. But don’t think for a moment that Mom or Dad would not prefer to have a shorter commute.

The same may not be so true for the Millennials or Generation Y…those born from 1977-1994. Many having not decided yet if they are going to have children are looking at their living options in a different light.

In an article in today’s New York Times, titled Home Loans for Millennials,  raises some interesting points and questions about the future of the housing market, and where people will choose to live. (Gosh, I even posted on my Facebook wall an article about China and how they are forcing their population into dense urban areas)

Millennials or Generation Y and Midtown Atlanta

“The next generation of potential home buyers prefer to live in developments with an array of housing types close to shops and mass transit, a recent survey shows. Is this bad news for the baby boomers who will eventually be looking to sell their big suburban houses?” the article says.

How will these people shape the Atlanta real estate market? Where are the areas with development with an array of housing types close to shops and mass transit? Well we all know that mass transit is a lack-luster event in Atlanta. But at least we have great communities like Midtown Atlanta and Midtown West that offer multi-family housing options (i.e. condominiums and apartments) as well as surrounding areas like Morningside and Virginia Highlands for single family home options.

“The institute recently released the results of a survey showing the generation’s penchant for urban-style living. About 60 percent say they prefer a mix of housing choices, along with proximity to shops, dining, offices and transit. Seventy-five percent said they valued walkability — a preference that jibes with this generation’s declining number of licensed drivers, according to a report by U.S. Pirg, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group.

Of the 63 percent who said they planned to move within the next five years, nearly 40 percent expect to live in some type of multifamily housing.”

Certainly, Midtown Atlanta is one of, if not the most walkable communities in Atlanta. While we work to build a better retail component in the area, certainly restaurants, entertainment, farmer’s markets and more make it a desirable area to live, and perhaps work, depending on your profession.

The NYTimes article and the study done by the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center For Housing also said that more than half of the young adults surveyed by the institute are renting, but they haven’t given up on the American dream. In fact, nearly 70 percent said they expected to buy within five years.

If you want to experience the sights and sounds and excitement of the urban lifestyle of Midtown Atlanta, give me a call at 770-713-1505, email me at Info@MyMidtownMojo.com, or if you are ready to start your home search, give me some information and we’ll get the search started.

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See on Scoop.it – Midtown Atlanta Conversations and Condos

Luxury apartment buildings are rolling out movie projectors and popcorn makers this summer to keep residents entertained.

See on www.nytimes.com

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Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock as of recent, there is a pretty big new industry in Georgia, and the metro Atlanta. Call it “Hollywood South” or whatever, the movie industry is making a huge impact in the Atlanta area….and some seem to question if it’s all good or not…..

The Atlanta City Council is attempting to create an Atlanta Film Office within the Mayor’s office to help with the permitting process and all for the large number of film projects that are happening here…and are sure to grow even larger as two new massive movie production facilities are proposed, or under construction in the Atlanta area.

Here is a link to the story in the Atlanta Business Chronicle. (Note: if not a subscriber to the newspaper, you may not be able to read the entire story…I’ve posted the text to it below.

I have a business associate that has just returned from Los Angeles….a city where the movie industry is a common as….a Waffle House restaurant in Georgia! And LA is taking note of the amount of work that is leaving Los Angeles and coming to Atlanta and Georgia!  As with any new industry, there can be “growing pains” But having worked on numerous movie sets, I’ve always seen these production companies come in and set up, and clear out when they are done.  Do they block streets? Yes. Do they have big production trucks? Yes. Do they bring revenue into the city and state? YES! Are they giving work to local people, from actors to carpenters? YES!

I think we should not “cut our nose off to spite our face” when we look at the impact of this industry, both on the neighborhoods where they film, but on the economic impact they are having.

“I-75 Movie Interruption OK’d by DOT —By Carla Caldwell

The film crew that obstructed Interstate 75 off and on for about four hours Wednesday did so with the informal approval of theGeorgia Department of Transportation. Such disruptions are raising questions about how much power the state’s growing movie industry should have to affect daily life for residents.

A DOT spokeswoman says no permit was required Wednesday when crews used I-75 in Bartow County to film scenes for “Need for Speed,” because traffic was “paced” and never fully blocked, reports Atlanta Business Chronicle broadcast partnerWXIA-TV. Motorists said they were delayed for as long as 35 minutes, the station reported.

WXIA says that while Georgia is becoming accustomed to the movie industry’s occasional interruptions of daily life, this delay stood out. It happened on an interstate highway that carries more than ten thousand vehicles per hour through Atlanta, according to federal highway data. And, it overlapped with the fringe of Atlanta’s afternoon rush hour.

A state DOT statement says, “We realize that some motorists were impacted yesterday by delays from the traffic pacing.” It says the state is developing a “framework for a statewide policy on how best to accommodate the film industry with the least impact to motorists.”

Governor Nathan Deal said filming interruptions are a balancing act — and Wednesday’s shoot, a potential learning experience. Deal stressed that Georgia has benefited from its film-friendliness.

Meanwhile, down the road in Atlanta on Wednesday, a group of Atlanta residents criticized a proposal to create a city of Atlanta film office.

Several members of the Atlanta City Council introduced an ordinance in May to establish an agency inside the mayor’s office to help movie and TV producers get the building permits and traffic approvals needed to film in Atlanta.

 During a public hearing Wednesday, several city residents complained the ordinance doesn’t offer enough protection to homeowners and businesses disturbed by filmmaking crews.

“The film industry seems to have carte blanche to come in and run all night,” said Dick Nicholson, a resident of Midtown Atlanta and chairman of his condominium association’s external affairs committee. (NOTE: I think that should be Nick Nicholson)

Councilwoman Felicia Moore said she has heard similar objections from people in her council district and that a work session would be held soon to further examine residents’ concerns.

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My parents sold real estate in the early 1990′s in a small town in Montana. Like… BEFORE there was the Internet!! I once asked my Mom how they got access to homes as I know they did not use a lockbox. She said some sellers would simply leave their homes open when you scheduled an appointment and she could come by and show the home to her potential buyers. Or she’d have to drive to the listing office to get a key, and have to return it later that day or the next.  As you can imagine, “back then” and in a small town, security issues were not what they are today.  Today’s Midtown Atlanta real estate agent uses a lockbox to gain access to your home or condominium.

Lockbox History

In Midtown Atlanta condos for sale, lockboxes hold the key and possibly an access FOB to the amenities of the building. They are either on the door handle of the condo, or may be kept at the Concierge desk.  If you have a single family home, the lockbox might be hanging on the door handle, porch railing or maybe the porch swing!  Lockboxes were first introduced in the 1970′s and Midtown Atlanta real estate agents had a square “key” that opened them. As with everything, technology has brought great advancements in lockbox technology and they are now electronic.   They are still opened with a “key” but can now be operated from many of today’s smart phones.

This electronic lockbox is an incredible tool for both YOU and your agent:

• Your Midtown Atlanta Real Estate agent gets an alert when the key to your home has been accessed. It provides the name, phone number and email address of the showing agent

• Provide the buyer’s agent with extra information about the home, including instructions from the homeowner, such as “Don’t Feed the Dog.”

• Allows your Midtown Atlanta listing agent to set time parameters on when the lockbox can be accessed by others.  (I typically keep mine set for access from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with showing instructions that I’m to be called first, so I can in turn alert you of an upcoming showing.)

Why You Should Use a Lockbox

Midtown Atlanta Condos for sale that use a lockbox are pretty much the norm. You can arrange for a key release to be left with the Concierge, but by doing so, you and your Midtown Atlanta real estate agent miss out on the important information from the Buyer’s agent I mentioned above. I provide lockboxes for all my Sellers as part of our marketing services.

How Do I Get A LockBox For MY Midtown Atlanta Condo?

If you’re thinking of selling your Midtown Atlanta condo  with a real estate agent that has your safety and convenience in mind, give me a call at (770) 713-1505 or email me at Info@MyMidtownMojo.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

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3-Month SOLD Properties in Midtown Atlanta GA Including Condos, Townhomes and Single Family Homes

On almost a daily basis, I’m asked, “How’s the Midtown Atlanta real estate market?” It might be in a casual conversation over cocktails, or it may be part of a listing appointment with a prospective Seller.

In the three month period of March-June, 2013, here’s what’s happened.

Condominiums/Townhomes — 2013 vs. 2012

In the time period for 2013, the sales ranged from a low of $39,000 at Melrose Park to a high of $1.38M at 1010 Midtown Atlanta.

In the time period for 2012, the sales ranged from a low of $34,000 at Terraces at Argonne to a high of  $825,000 at Aqua Midtown.

Single Family Homes — 2013 vs. 2012

In the time period for 2013, the sales ranged from a low of $250,000 on 7th Street to a high of $1.8M in Ansley Park.

In the time period for 2012, the sales ranged from a low of $252,000 on Elmwood to a high of $1.675M in Ansley Park.

Midtown Atlanta is divided by two Zip codes.  To Search for Homes and Condos in 30309 Zip Code, CLICK HERE

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See on Scoop.it – Georgia Tech News Events

This is a big recruiting weekend coming up on the Flats, and will feature some of the elite prospects that Georgia Tech has worked long and hard to attract. The festivities will begin with a…

See on www.fromtherumbleseat.com

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The telecommunications company, AT&T has announced plans to create nearly 600 jobs in Georgia.

AT&T is hiring full- and part-time employees in network construction and maintenance, customer support, retail and other positions. The company plans to begin filling these positions immediately.

The announcement did not say WHERE the jobs would be located. AT&T has a large presence in Midtown Atlanta with two office buildings, as noted on the picture! If any of those jobs are in these buildings, potential employees can walk to work from any number of Midtown Atlanta condo buildings!

Certainly saves on your car and your gas bill!

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See on Scoop.it – Midtown Atlanta Conversations and Condos

See on www.stockhouse.com

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I find that many people that live a condominium life-style, take maintenance issues for granted. If you’ve owned a single family home, but then moved to a condo, you sometimes think, “Wow, no more lawn to mow, no more AC system to service, etc.” And there is also a HUGE mistaken idea that because you pay this monthly HOA fee, that some “things are just taken care of with that.”

Condominium Maintenance — Did You Know?

Nothing could be further from the truth. No, you don’t have a lawn to mow, but you DO have systems unique to your condominium that YOU are responsible for, NOT THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION! NO, you’re kidding me, right?

• Heating and Air Conditioning System — Is YOUR responsibility to have serviced and checked. While it may not need it as often as a condensing unit that sits on the ground outside of a house, imagine the “wear and tear” that unit takes in the beating hot sun on the roof of a condo building. It might serve you well (an your pocket book) to have it serviced once a year. 
• Hot Water Heater — If you live in a condominium, when is the last time you had your hot water heater drained, flushed and refilled? I’m going to go out on a limb and guess……NEVER! You probably figure you won’t live there for the average 10 year life of the hot water heater, right? Well the age of the system DOES play a factor when a Buyer comes along. Get ready to pay for a home warranty as part of your sales process. That new Buyer is going to want some protection.

But what really sent me off on this topic this morning was something I recently experienced. I do own a single family home, and had to recently have a new sewer line installed to the tune of almost $4,000. Up until that point, I frequently washed greasy dishes and sent food scraps down my garbage disposal. I bet you condo dwellers think nothing of it, right? After all, who wants that stinky food in the garbage can when we have a garbage disposal.

Atlanta City Councilmen Alex Wan (who covers a portion of Midtown Atlanta) sent out his newsletter this week. I was reading through it, and a section from Watershed Management (the part of the city that maintains the sewer system) made me think….

What happens in a 30 story condo building if the sewer lines were to back up from a grease buildup, say on the 20th floor? Where do you suppose all that water AND SEWER could end up? IN YOUR CONDO!!! And if you’ve never experienced a “water event” in a high-rise condo building, they can be very destructive. Repairable, at much expense, but a mess nonetheless.

Watch this video, and the next time you finish dinner and are washing the pots, pans and dishes, think twice about WHAT you send down that 20 or 30 story high sewer line.

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“For a city this size that’s called itself the most connected city in the Southeast, we want to be the leaders of that,”said Interim Chief Information Officer Michael Dogan. “It’s expected you’ll be able to work, play, and enjoy whenever you are.” Dogan was quoted in an article in Creative Loafing.

Atlanta to install free WiFi in Piedmont and Grant Parks

Piedmont Park’s installation is expected to cost “several hundred thousand dollars” to build the necessary infrastructure. Once in place,  there would be additional maintenance costs once the WiFi up and running. While the city hasn’t nailed down a final timeline, Dogan thinks some level of WiFi can be expected within the next six months. And yes, the WiFi will be free, in some capacity.

Additionally, the City of Atlanta is talking with Central Atlanta Progress, Midtown Alliance, and Buckhead Community Improvement District about bringing free WiFi to those business districts. Nothing definite with this proposal…more like it’s under consideration.

I would only say that when using a free network like this, you do open yourself and your computer up to hackers. Considering Midtown Atlanta is home to Georgia Tech….hmmmmm. I might keep my secure wireless connection…but this still is a good thing to offer up. It’s not expected to come on line much before early next year.

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