Thom Abbott

Who Is Responsible for the HVAC Ductwork in My Condo?

August 13, 2018 by Thom Abbott

As a condominium owner, you’d like to think you live in a “set it and forget it” environment. Unfortunately, such is not the case. While you may not have a roof to replace (directly) or any lawn to mow, you do have maintenance items inside your condominium that ARE your responsibility and DO require attention. So when you ask Who Is Responsible for the HVAC Ductwork in My Condo, the answer would be…

Yeah, I’m afraid so! Just as you are responsible for the plumbing and hot water heater, YOU are responsible for the maintenance of your HVAC both inside your condominium as well as where ever your condensing unit is located. (This could be on the roof or in the garage of the building)

Keeping your HVAC in tip-top shape can help you both in your wallet and with your health! Let’s look at both of these.

Your Wallet

Did you know that 25-40 percent of the energy used for your HVAC is most likely being wasted? WOW! When your system is dirty…meaning that the ductwork or the system itself has not been cleaned or maintained, that it just has to work harder, and last less! And if you have not priced an HVAC replacement, $4000-5000 would be a good place to start. What does a dirty system look like? The photos below show both the coil from one system ( on the left) and the filter we found in a condo on the right. YIKES!!! Can you imagine breathing air that came through THAT?

Your Health?

The HVAC system could be considered the lungs of your home. Your system takes in air, and then sends it back out through the condo. So, if you’ve got a dirty system, or dirty filter….most likely you have dirty air. And that is what you are breathing! YUCK!!

What Can I Do?

Have your HVAC serviced at LEAST once a year. (Single family homes are usually done Spring and Fall, but the system is subject to more dirt from leaves and such, considering the condensing unit is sitting on the ground next to the house.) In a condominium building, the unit is most likely on the roof of the building. So while it will most likely be clean, there are other parts of the system that are affected by being in the beating hot sun every day! Hoses that should have an insulation wrap on them can be deteriorated from the sun. (See the photo on the right)
Change your filter at a minimum every other month. And if it gets dirty, then change it EVERY month! $20 something for a filter is much less than a $500-700 service to clean the system.
If you are purchasing a condominium, be sure to look at the Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement to see what the age of the system is. While older systems can last much longer, they certainly are not very efficient. And if it’s a REALLY old system, it could potentially fail at anytime. Take this into consideration in your purchase price, or consider getting a home warranty, either paid for by the Seller or buy one yourself. It can be worth its weight in gold if your system should fail and you need to replace it.

Who Should Do This Service?

Certainly, a licensed HVAC technician!!! Working for a licensed company. In most condo buildings, the Concierge will have a list of vendors that have worked in your building in the past and do a good job. They will also have their license and insurance already on file with the HOA. This is required in case there is any damage or anything happens during a repair, or installation.

It does not take much to maintain your HVAC in your condo. But when you ask Who Is Responsible for the HVAC Ductwork in My Condo….just remember it’s YOUR responsibility!

Citizens For Progressive Transit – July 2018 Newsletter

July 9, 2018 by Thom Abbott

Somewhere, somehow, I stumbled upon this organization and their monthly newsletter.

Citizens For Progressive Transit

…their website seems to be a tad behind…I’m sharing the July, 2018 newsletter with you here, and the website has April, 2018…so the best way to keep up with them would be to subscribe to receive the newsletter. But the highlights of July are:

Marta Takes Over Atlanta Street Car –$1 Fare Continues

The Atlanta Streetcar was turned over to MARTA on July 1. But they opted to keep the $1 fare, which has been blamed for the dramatic drop in ridership. It should probably be included in your regular MARTA fare, and you could transfer to the Streetcar.

I’ll give Atlanta credit for trying, in getting the Streetcar started. (You remember the plans called for it to run from Downtown to Buckhead on Peachtree Street, but the funding was not there, along with some lack of interest, challenges with it being on Peachtree, etc, etc.) But, to go from Centennial Olympic Park to the King Center….not much service there.

ARC Grants to Expand Suburban Bus Service

Douglas County (that’s way out West for us In-Town folks) will get its first fixed-route bus service, and Cobb and Gwinnett will get to expand, due to new federal funding by the ARC.

Bond Money to Go For GA 400 Bus Service

Gov. Deal announced that recently approved bonds to raise $100M will be used in North Fulton County to facilitate MARTA bus service along GA400.

A Faster Path to Regional Rail (THIS one caught my eye big time!)

We’ve talked about regional passenger rail. And talked. And studied. And talked and studied…..but nothing. Yet North Carolina has launched a fourth daily round-trip on its state-funded Amtrak line, running from Charlotte to Raleigh. The three round trips carried 427,000 people last year. HELLO GEORGIA? It’s the 21st Century…and we can’t keep widening roads or adding cars.

This is why I love reading the Citizens For Progressive Transit newsletter….it keeps me informed.

You can read the entire newsletter here.

You can JOIN CFPT, and subscribe to the newsletter HERE.

Brookhaven’s New Zoning Code to Get Public Input

July 7, 2018 by Thom Abbott

Brookhaven has been working off Dekalb County rules…and have decided it’s time to have their one rules and plans. And there are some interesting new options including Mixed-use districts, backyard cottages and a new Buford Highway Overlay District.

If all goes well with two more public meetings for residents on July 19th at 9am and 6pm, this new zoning rewrite could go before the council in September as the City of Brookhaven looks to set the course for the city’s look and feel for years and years!

Two more public meetings for residents to hear more about the zoning rewrite are set for the July 19. The Planning Commission will also dedicate its July 11 work session solely to going over the draft, according to Chair Stan Segal.

You can read more about the new zoning code in an article in the Brookhaven issue of Reporter Newspapers.

Additional information about the Zoning changes can be found at brookhavenzoning.com

MyMidtownMojo Makes for a Happy Seller

July 6, 2018 by Thom Abbott

Just as important as it is to find the right agent when you BUY a Midtown Atlanta condominium, so is it true that you need to have the right person to help you SELL!

Often times we hear of Sellers that choose to work with “well my wife’s co-worker’s husband is a real estate agent” or “there is this girl in our church that we feel we need to help” and while that may sound all fine and well on the outside, you have to know who you choose will get your condo sold…and know the right things to do, at the right time. Or have the right connection.

In working with Jacob, at the last minute, the Buyer’s lender requested a document that really none of us had ever had requested. When I reached out to the HOA of the building, they questioned why the lender need the said document. But, my relationship with the HOA helped us get it to the lender, and keep the closing on track! Whew…..disaster averted! One has to wonder if the “girl in our church” would of had that relationship to help get through a tight spot.

We had the pleasure of working with Jacob when he first moved to Atlanta from Boston in 2016. He found MyMidtownMojo.com and knew he wanted to live in Midtown Atlanta. His job in the medical field required extensive traveling, and the access to MARTA was also a major plus for him. He also had a unique requirement to find a condo home that would accommodate a family heirloom…a pool table that belonged to his father. Not all condos meet that requirement, but we found him the perfect space at Spire Midtown.

Fast forward a short two years to 2018, and a company promotion sent Jacob to Tampa. We again helped him sell his Midtown condo, at a great price, and Under Contract after just 6 days on the market!!

“Thom was great, his local knowledge helped me quickly find what I was looking for to buy, as well as sell a couple years later! When inventory is low, you need someone who will be responsive and timely to act on the market.”

Thanks for allowing us to help you Jacob!!

If you’d like to read more great reviews about our work with both Buyers and Sellers, please visit our Testimonial Page!

And we are ready to help YOU have an incredible real estate experience!

Juniper and 5th Condos Become J5

June 20, 2018 by Thom Abbott

We had an opportunity to attend a broker event for the new condominium building being built at Juniper and 5th. J5 is what the building will now be known as!

Juniper and 5th Condos Become J5

In the real estate world, it’s been quite a few years since we’ve had a new building to talk about, and show potential Midtown Atlanta condo buyers! But last night, all was abuzz at a preview event, held at the Lawrence Restaurant at 905 Juniper. 905 Juniper happens to be the same building where MyMidtownMojo.com has our office!

So What will J5 Offer?

Sales representatives did not have a ton of information but we can share the following:

1 Bedroom homes will range from approx. 600 sq. ft. to 1100 sq.ft. (That will be a large one bedroom by Midtown condo standards!)
2 Bedroom homes will range from approx. 1100 sq. ft. to 1500 sq. ft.
150 homes in the building

Pricing is currently estimated to be $300-400,000 for the 1 Bedrooms and $500-800,000 for two-bedroom homes. The building should break down to about 20% 1 bedroom and the remainder 2 bedroom homes. Indeed, an affordable option, considering we have seen Buckhead new buildings reference pricing well over $1M for the larger homes.

J5 Amenities

There will be two amenity courtyards…one featuring a pool and the other a garden area. The homes will wrap around three sides of the amenity courtyards. A clubroom will have access to the pool courtyard and initial drawings also show a fitness center.

Floor plans are not yet available, but if you’d like to have MyMidtownMojo and Palmer House Properties be your Buyers’ Agent, contact us and we will be sure to get you on the pre-sale list. Representatives at the event said they should start taking contracts on homes in mid-July.

FHA Approved Condos Midtown Atlanta GA

June 18, 2018 by Thom Abbott

What Midtown Atlanta Condos are FHA Approved?

UPDATE – JUNE 18, 2018

We first wrote about FHA Approved Condos in December, 2010! WOW! That was EIGHT years ago! We were coming out of the real estate “mess” and FHA was one way many Buyers were working to get into a condo. Well, the list of FHA Approved Condos is a far cry from what it was back then. We left the original list at the bottom of this post, and wanted to provide you with an updated list. This is for Zip Code 30308 and 30309 and we are only showing Midtown condos buildings that have an FHA Approval good into next year or beyond. There were some other buildings, but their approval is set to expire within a couple months or no more than 6 months.

We can always help you with an updated list if there are not options in Midtown Atlanta. You can Contact Us for more information and we can see what other buildings may be an option for you if you are considering FHA financing.

June, 2018 Midtown Atlanta Condos with FHA Approval

(Those buildings that we have a specific page built for will be a link to that page for more information about that particular condo building)

MidCity Lofts

The Dakota Condominiums

Enclave at Renaissance

The Reynolds

1280 West

Ansley Terrace

City Park Townhomes

Collier House

Colony House

Colony Park Citihomes II

Mayfair Renaissance Note: This Page DOES include information/listings in the Mayfair Tower which is NOT FHA Approved.

We went from 33 approved buildings in 2010, to just 15 buildings that are approved now. Many buildings (HOA’s) have elected not to renew their FHA approval. Most feel it has not affected the sales in the building, although some have simply let it expire, and may not even know it.

But, we can help you find options if FHA approved condos are what you need!

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In today’s real estate market, most buyers are now using FHA financing for their Midtown Atlanta Condo purchase. While the credit score requirement has gone up, what remains most attractive is the down payment amount of 3.5% of the purchase price. But another important factor you have to consider when using FHA financing is whether the condominium community you are buying in is FHA Approved. Ahhh….you say.

In Midtown Atlanta, our primary zip codes are 30308 and 30309 so this list reflects the buildings that are in that part of Midtown Atlanta. It also lists the date that their approval is good through.

Midtown Atlanta GA FHA Approved Condominium Buildings

ZIP CODE 30308

795 Myrtle Street Condominiums 7/31/2011

Glendale Heights Condominiums             10/5/2012
Melrose Park (Phase 1)                             10/5/2012
Palisades By The Park                               11/8/2012
Renaissance Lofts                                   06/17/2012
Renaissance Park                                     08/02/2012
Renaissance Park II                                 05/31/2011
Sienna at Renissance Park                    05/31/2011
Spire Midtown Atlanta                             11/26/2012
Cornerstone Village                                04/12/2012
Dakota Condominiums                             08/11/2012
The Reynolds                                            03/31/2011
The Tyree Condominiums                       07/31/2011
Troy Peerless Lofts                                12/07/2011
Viewpoint Midtown Tower 1                   12/07/2011ZIP CODE 30309

1010 Midtown Condominiums                    12/15/2011
1280 West Condominiums                        12/07/2011
905 Juniper                                               04/19/2012
Ansley Terrace Condominums                   05/04/2012
Aqua Condominiums                                    12/07/2011
City Park Townhomes                                03/31/2011
Colony Park Citihomes                               05/31/2011
Cotting Court                                                05/06/2012
Luxe Condominiums                                    02/10/2012
Mayfair Renaissance                                    11/22/2012
Mayfair Tower                                            05/04/2012
Metropolis North Condominiums            09/30/2011
Parc Vue Condominiums                             07/31/2011
Park Central Condominiums                      07/01/2012
Peachtree Lofts                                             12/07/2011
Peachtree Walk Condominiums                 04/08/2012
Piedmont Park West                                    02/28/2012
Plaza Midtown                                           12/07/2011

If you are interested in a FHA Approved Condo in Midtown Atlanta, I would be happy to help you with your home purchase. If there is a building that is NOT on this list, please let me know and I will be happy to help you find out the status of the building. Most of your major communities are listed here. For more information about purchasing your Midtown Atlanta condo, give me a call!

Your Wallet

Your Health?

What Can I Do?

Who Should Do This Service?

Citizens For Progressive Transit

Juniper and 5th Condos Become J5

So What will J5 Offer?

J5 Amenities

UPDATE – JUNE 18, 2018

June, 2018 Midtown Atlanta Condos with FHA Approval

HomeSmart