Thom Abbott

Where is the Best Place to Live In the Atlanta Movie Business?

April 13, 2016 by Thom Abbott

The 40th Anniversary of The Atlanta Film Festival is but a memory as the festival had its closing party on Saturday and a wrap party on Sunday. Many a great conversations were had during the festival, but being in real estate, I always ask where people live. And they choose where they live for a variety of reasons.

But, as people relocate to the Metro Atlanta area, I’m also asked….

Where is the Best Place to Live In the Atlanta Movie Business?

That maybe should be framed, “Where is the Best place to live in Atlanta if I’m in the Movie Business? (Google would probably have an issue with that long of a “question!”)

Well, it’s NOT an easy question to answer. As you well know, in the movie business, you don’t always go to the SAME place to work each day. Now there can be exceptions if you are on a project based in one of the major studios. But, what happens when THAT project is over and the next gig is on the other side of Atlanta? You may have a commuting nightmare on your hands, depending on your call time.

But, here is a map of the major studios in Atlanta:

(Click on the Map to Open it and see which studios are located where!)

These locations make Midtown Atlanta the most central location to most of the studios! Now, you might not think so for Atlanta Metro Studios and Pinewood Studios Atlanta, located on the Southern portion of the map, but, if you LIVE close to these studios and then have to commute into the other studios, you will have some traffic to deal with if your call times hit the morning rush hour.

But depending on your position, not everyone may be able to afford Midtown Atlanta living. As you go North, you want to consider having to navigate the Downtown Connector. At any given time of the day, the traffic here can be a crawl, but try it at 7-10AM or 3-7PM and it’s more of a parking lot. This navigation can easily add an hour to your commute time to the Southside studio locations.

But, what if you are working on location? Then you may be headed North, South, East or even West. Again, Midtown and West Midtown are your more central locations.

Here are some links to help you with your home search (buying) in the Midtown area.

Atlanta Homes For Sale Zip Code 30308 (Part of Midtown Atlanta — ALL price ranges)

Atlanta Homes For Sale Zip Code 30309 (Part of Midtown Atlanta — ALL Price Ranges)

One Bedroom Condos For Sale Midtown Atlanta

Two Bedroom Condos For Sale Midtown Atlanta

Emerson Buckhead to be “Visually Striking” Building

April 12, 2016 by Thom Abbott

It’s no secret that Atlanta condominium construction can often be lack-luster….dare we even say boring to look at from the skyline point of view. The homes may have great floor plans, coupled with awesome amenities…but let’s face it, would you not want to live someplace where people would point and say, “WHAT is THAT building?” Why, that’s Emerson.

Emerson Buckhead to be “Visually Striking” Building

JPX Works, LLC, an Atlanta-based real estate development firm, known for their recent project Inman Quarter, has released plans for its highly-awaited 2520 Peachtree condominium building. It has officially been named Emerson.

Called visually striking, the 21-story building will “serve as Buckhead’s newest skyline jewel.” You be the judge….

As you can see from the photo, the Emerson will offer awe-inspiring views South over Peachtree Battle and beyond to Midtown and Downtown, and the Buckhead area to the North. The design, by ODA-Architecture, is reminiscent of Frank Lloyd Wright’s famous “Fallingwater” with the cascading levels and homes with window walls and expansive terraces. A boutique building, there will be just 44 homes, with one to three homes per floor, served by a private elevator. (Sounds like Aqua Midtown!) Homes are scheduled to start at $1.8 million.

The location of Emerson offer the convenience of all that Buckhead has to offer..yet you are moments away from the arts and entertainment of Midtown Atlanta. Publix Markets are just North or South of the building. And, there is a Fresh Market to the South and Whole Foods to the North! And don’t forget restaurants a many!

A sales gallery is expected to open in May, 2016, to begin pre-sales of homes. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Fall, 2016. That will probably equal a completion date of late 2017 or even into 2018. The building will be located at 2520 Peachtree Road. An older condominium building was “bought out” which is an interesting take on Atlanta condo construction.

If you are looking for ultimate Buckhead condo living (and in a NEW building) then I invite you to discover Emerson.

I’d be delighted to offer you Buyer Representation on your purchase in this exciting new community.

Relocating to Atlanta| What To do in Atlanta

April 11, 2016 by Thom Abbott

I’ve lived in Atlanta since 1992. Shoot, longer than I lived with my parents. But when I moved here, it wasn’t anything like it is now.

Relocating to Atlanta| What To do in Atlanta

First off, we’d not had the 1996 Centennial Olympics. Much happened in Atlanta right before the games with new construction. But much came after that too. I started selling real estate in 2004, and a majority of the Midtown Atlanta condo buildings you find on this website, did not even exist when I started!!! Spire, Viewpoint, Plaza Midtown, Aqua, and 905 Juniper are just a few of the new arrivals! (well, not so new now, but new after 2004!)

Atlanta is a pretty cool place to live. There is one drawback….we are a bit far from any beach! But, after that, you have the city, you have lakes, you have mountains, and all sorts of things in between you can do. Stone Mountain to Kennesaw Mountain. The Skyview to zip lines. Parks everywhere you turn. And a river running right through the middle of it all!

Take a look at Atlanta in this great video from Georgia!

If your future plans call for relocation to the Atlanta area, I’d be delighted to help you find the right neighborhood! I focus on the unique areas that make up “Intown Atlanta” or ITP (Inside the Perimeter) and there are many options from the condos of Midtown Atlanta to single family homes in Brookhaven and Chamblee. You can start your search right here!

Welcome to Georgia, The Peach State, and to Atlanta, the state capitol!

You can learn more about Atlanta at the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website.

What You Get For $150,000 in Atlanta Real Estate

April 6, 2016 by Thom Abbott

Atlanta Real Estate For Sale for $150,000

As we start off this weekly feature, we are starting at the listing price of $150,000. Here are three listings that are at, or near that price. Today we look at a condominium in Midtown, a single family home in Mcdonough (Henry County) and a townhome in Alpharetta.

NOTE: Clicking on the links may or may not ask you to register to see the listing.

885 Glendale Terrace, NE, Unit A1, Atlanta, GA 30309 (MLS#5638207)

Glendale Condominiums is located in Historic Midtown, just a few blocks from Peachtree Street as well as Piedmont Park. This one bedroom condo appears to be on a lower, basement-type level of the building, but has some really cool features that make up for it’s location, including the cool rock wall in the bathroom. There is a large private fenced patio. The current owner has updated the kitchen and bathrooms. Also, the HVAC and water heater are new.

List Price: $150,000

Taxes: $2,139 (2015)

HOA Fee: $200 per month (Exterior Fire/Liability, Exterior Maintenance and garbage)

Listing Agent: Richard Reid, Direct Link Realty — 404-961-4400

2095 Grant Avenue, Mcdonough, Georgia 30252 )MLS # 5656892

Located South of Atlanta in Henry County, Mcdonough has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Located in the Colonies Subdivision, this home has approx. 2,136 square feet. All 4 bedrooms are located on the second floor (no Master on the Main) with two baths. There is a half bath on the main floor. The expansive yard offers the new owner lots of landscaping options. There is a separate dining room, family room and the kitchen opens to a breakfast room. Two car garage.

List Price: $150,000

Taxes: $1,901 (2015)

HOA Fee: $400 per year including swim/tennis

Listing Agent: Page/Andrew Morgan, Keller Williams Realty ATL North — 770-579-5650

1105 Jamestowne Trail, Alpharetta, GA 30009 (MLS #5668318)

Jamestowne is in a great location, located just behind the new Avalon mixed-use development off of Old Milton Parkway and GA400 in Alpharetta. Built in 1988, this 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath townhome has 1,493 square feet and is an end unit with spacious bedrooms and an updated white kitchen with granite counters. The living room features a fireplace, and a door opens to the parking spaces located right at the home.

List Price: $149,000

Taxes: $557 (2015)

HOA Fee: $115 per month (Exterior Fire/Liability, Exterior maintenance and landscaping)

Listing Agent: Cynthia Bowman, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services — 678-613-1469

Each week, we will feature 3 homes, in a certain price point, around the Metro Atlanta area, always with one of them being in Midtown, or an Intown Atlanta neighborhood if the price allows.

We had a really hard time finding a home for $150,000 in Alpharetta!

See you next week!

Emory University Buys Executive Park at N. Druid Hills Road

April 5, 2016 by Thom Abbott

Emory University Buys Executive Park at N. Druid Hills Road

It’s no secret that a university will purchase adjoining land to be able to expand. But the announcement of Emory University purchasing some 60 acres at Executive Park in Brookhaven is a bit of a break from that norm.

Mind you, the University already has operations in the area with the Brain Health Center and the Orthopaedic & Spine Center. But the addition of some 60 acres of land will certainly give Emory University growing options!

“Emory takes a long-term, mission-oriented view when evaluating its real estate holdings,” said Emory President James Wagner. “This significant parcel, which is in a location accessible to all of metro Atlanta, coupled with the fact that we have successful programs already in the Park, presented an extraordinary, once in a generation opportunity for Emory and the region.”

The site has some 400,000 square feet of office space, and room for growth. It is surrounded by multi-family housing, including a new 310-unit community that is currently under construction, a hotel (Courtyard by Marriott –but not a part of the purchase) and relatively easy access to I-85. (N. Druid Hills Road can be a challenge to say the least!)

It will be interesting to see what comes in the future for Emory University at this site in Brookhaven.

A New Weekly Feature at MyMidtownMojo – What You Get For

April 3, 2016 by Thom Abbott

What You Get For

If you follow us on Facebook at MyMidtownMojo or on my personal Facebook page, you know I love to see what real estate prices are around the country! So I usually pull the feature from the New York Times, “What You Get For….$”.

It features real estate from around the country at a certainly listing price point. Then I thought…hey, maybe we need something like that for Atlanta!! Why not?

So, starting today, and every Sunday, we will feature three homes (be they condominiums, townhomes or single family) at a certain price point. We will always offer up something from Midtown Atlanta, but we will then re-e-e-e-ch outside (known as OTP or Outside The Perimeter) to show you what that same price can purchase. Sometimes, it might be Midtown, Chamblee and Roswell. But we will look to places like Stockbridge and Henry County, Peachtree City and Newnan, Lawrenceville and Duluth, Alpharetta and Cumming…well you get the idea.

As a disclaimer, these are listings we are randomly pulling from the First Multiple Listing Service (FMLS) and will give full credit to the listing agent and their contact information. If you are represented by an agent as a Buyer, and you see a featured listing you are interested in, please contact YOUR agent directly to arrange a showing. If you ARE NOT REPRESENTED by an agent, and are looking for help in purchasing a home, be it one of the featured ones, or another one, then we’d be happy to assist you.

These posts will always be tagged “What You Get For” so you can easily search through and see past posts to keep tabs on real estate prices in the Metro Atlanta area!

So, watch for our first post and learn What You Get For $$$$ in Atlanta real estate.

Where is the Best Place to Live In the Atlanta Movie Business?

Emerson Buckhead to be “Visually Striking” Building

Relocating to Atlanta| What To do in Atlanta

Atlanta Real Estate For Sale for $150,000

885 Glendale Terrace, NE, Unit A1, Atlanta, GA 30309 (MLS#5638207)

2095 Grant Avenue, Mcdonough, Georgia 30252 )MLS # 5656892

1105 Jamestowne Trail, Alpharetta, GA 30009 (MLS #5668318)

Emory University Buys Executive Park at N. Druid Hills Road

What You Get For

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