Condominiums of Midtown Archives -

Reasons to Consider Condos in Your Home Search

March 31, 2023 by Thom Abbott

Reasons To Consider Condos in Your Home Search

Are you having trouble finding a home that fits your needs and your budget? If so, you should know there’s an option worth considering – condominiums, also known as condos. I have been selling condos since I first became licensed as a real estate agent back in 2004. I’ve seen most of the current condo inventory in the metro Atlanta area be built. And I have owned a few of them as well. There certainly are benefits to condo living. And price can be a big factor, depending on what you are looking for and in what part of the city. Here are some other reasons to consider condos in your home search.

According to Bankrate:

“A condo can be a more affordable entry point to homeownership than a single-family home. And as a homeowner, you’ll build equity over time and have access to tax benefits that a renter wouldn’t.”

That’s why expanding your search to include additional housing types, like condominiums, could help you accomplish your homeownership goals this spring, especially if you can be flexible about the space you need. Condos are typically smaller than a single-family home, but that’s part of what can make them more budget-friendly (see graph below):

There is one important part of condo ownership you have to keep in mind, and that is the monthly HOA (homeowners association) fee you have to pay. This fee covers a variety of things, and can vary from building to building as to exactly what is covered in that fee. Normal items include exterior maintenance, fire and liability insurance, and some type of security, depending on the design of the community. When you are looking at overall affordability, and your mortgage payment, you (and your lender) need to consider how much the monthly HOA fee is. As part of your loan pre-approval, have your lender figure how much you can have in a monthly HOA fee…and this will also help me as we search for potential condos and knowing where we need to be with that fee.

In addition to providing more options in your home search and possibly your price point, there are several other benefits to condo living. They tend to require less upkeep and lower maintenance – and that can give you more time to spend doing the things you enjoy. Plus, since many condos are in or near city centers, they offer the added benefit of being in close proximity to work and leisure. Sometimes you will hear the phrase, “lock and leave” meaning that it is very convenient to just lock the door and take a trip…no need to have anyone water the lawn or mow the grass!!

Remember, your first home doesn’t have to be your forever home. The important thing is to get your foot in the door as a homeowner so you can start building wealth in the form of home equity. In time, the equity you develop can fuel a future purchase if your needs change.

Ultimately, owning and living in a condo can be a lifestyle choice. And if that appeals to you, they could provide the added options you need in today’s market.

Bottom Line

It could make a lot of sense to add condos to your home search. Let’s connect today if you’re ready to check out the options in our area.

12 Tips For Selling Your Home or Condominium

November 2, 2022 by Thom Abbott

12 Tips For Selling Your Home or Condominium

Awesome! You’ve decided it’s time to move on up, or move on out! Whether you are just moving to a new home elsewhere in Atlanta, or moving to another city, we now have ONE GOAL in mind. Get your home or condominium SOLD! And while you hire me to market your home, there are certainly MANY things that you can, and should do to help get us to the celebration! (We use to call it a closing….now it’s a CELEBRATION!

Let’s look at 12 Tips for Selling Your Home or Condominium…

Check What I’m Doing to Market Your Home!— Since probably 90% or more of homebuyers START their shopping online, they may never set foot in your home or condo if they don’t like what they see on line. I used to post several times a week on Facebook, as series called PRICELESS Listing Photos….and you would be amazed that these pictures come from actual listings. I decided NOT to call out the others in my industry for their lack of professionalism, so I don’t publish them anymore. I mean, these are the pictures I have seen attached to an actual listing that an agent is marketing!!! Just look at this one! When I market your home, once marketing is up and in place, I will send you links to where you can find your listing. If you see a photo that you don’t think shows your home in the best way, we change it.
Write a Love Letter about Living Here — Does this sound silly? Well, a nicely written letter from you to prospective buyers that are touring your home or condo can mean a lot to someone else. Tell how much you loved your Saturday morning walks up and down Peachtree Street with your Starbuck’s coffee in hand….or watching the kids play in the backyard, or the peaceful setting you’ve created to slip away from a crazy week….help a buyer LOVE what you LOVE about your home. We don’t advise this when you are submitting an offer on a property….but it can help a Buyer see what life might be like!
Facebook Your Friends — Don’t knock it….Facebook is where many people are today. We use it constantly to post real estate updates, neighborhood information and YOUR LISTING! We’ll send you links to our custom website built for your home, and you can inturn share that with your friends. Remember, then their friends see it and their friends and so on….and get your friends to comment on it….the more activity it sees, the more it gets seen. (Facebook has some pretty complex behind-the-scene algorithms to make things show up!)
Neighbors Like Neighbors — You have to admit, you like having great neighbors. What could be more fun than your friends down the street or the hall know they could now have THEIR friends for way out OTP be close by?? Back to Facebook, if your neighborhood has a page, or Nextdoor, consider getting the word out there.
Condition, Condition, Condition — I’m sure you’ve heard that phrase, but with the word location. While that is true too, the condition of your home or condominium will have much to do with how many showings and ultimately…the price you sell for! If you have a single family home, consider having an inspection done, just like the Buyer would. Find all those little things — and even the major ones — and address them NOW, rather than during a due diligence period once you are Under Contract! It will make the process much easier for everyone, and you won’t have a Buyer asking your for hundreds or thousands of dollars in repairs or off the contract price as a concession. If you have not painted your home or condo in 3 years or more….I have one word for you…..PAINT! It will do wonders for how your home shows, and will cover up those nicks and scrapes of your years living there. Remember, condition, condition, condition…..
Leaving Something Behind — Now I’m not suggesting you leave your personal belongings or a family heirloom, but if there is something unique in your home or condo that really just may not fit where you are going…consider leaving it for the next owner! Maybe you had custom blinds or drapes made….patio furniture that from your house, won’t fit on that condo balcony. If it’s in great shape, consider leaving it behind as way to distinguish your home from others that may be for sale.
Showings made Simple — Nothing can be more frustrating to a Buyer’s agent, and a potential Buyer than having a hard time seeing your home. If your home does not get shown, it’s not going to be SOLD! If you can avoid things like “Shown By Appointment Only” or “Must have 24 Hours Notice” it will help in marketing your home. Ok, we understand you have a life to live. But go back and read Paragraph One and what our GOAL is….to get your home SOLD! And we understand pets, and kids and all that. But let’s make showing your home or condo simple. We use an automated system on our side that helps us manage and confirm showings quickly. We can put specific showing instructions on the approval as well. But you want to have your home available…and yes, there may be showings that happen short term – like within a few hours. That could be YOUR Buyer!
Stage the Exterior — Of course this mostly applies to a single family home. Keep your yard mowed weekly. Driveway and front entrance blown/swept off. When the agent is at your front door, opening the key box and the door, the Buyers have time to look. And look. Give them nice pots of flowers and well mulched landscape beds to look at. If you live in a condo, this can be very much out of your control. But, if you see something in your lobby that needs attention, mention it to your Property/Association Manager.
Proper Pricing Makes for a Prompt Celebration — Of course you want to get the most money you can when you sell your home or condo. And we often follow the idea of if the last one sold for $x, we want to get $xx. Well, that can work FOR, or AGAINST you. You’ve priced ABOVE the last sale, so there could be an appraisal issue. Or that mindset of “room for negotiation.” How about this….price your home BELOW the last sale! This makes it look like a great deal, and these are the ones that get the most visits from Buyers and may even generate multiple offers for your home. And remember, however you price it, if your home sits on the market, it quickly becomes “stale.” When your agent talks to you about a price adjustment….listen.
Personal belongs in the Storage unit — Remember, your HOME is now a HOUSE you are trying to sell. You will take your memories with you, but the new Buyer is trying to imagine making their OWN memories in this space. They can’t do that if you have family photos all down the hallway, or all your golf trophies on display. You are going to have to pack to move…just get started early. And while we are packing the personal….
De-Clutter! — keep on packing! If it’s summer time – pack away the winter sweaters and coats and open up the closets! Pack up all your tchotchkes that are on tables, shelves, the kitchen counter. Make the space open and inviting. Buyers want to see how much closet space there is…and if you don’t have a lot in a condo, making it LOOK like you have lots of storage space is important!
Competition for YOUR Celebration — If your same floor plan is For Sale a few floors up, or down, it’s going to come down to condition and price. And if your competition looks better than you, your Celebration is going to be delayed as they make an offer and move on your competition because it looked and showed better than yours. I’m more than happy to take YOU, as a Seller out and show you some of the very homes or condos YOUR potential Buyers could see. Then you know if you are in first place, or if you have some more work to do!

Let’s get your Celebration ready!

HOA Rules and Regulations — The Pool

May 20, 2019 by Thom Abbott

If you live in a condominium, townhome or single family neighborhood, you very well may have a pool. And we know some of you make regular use of this amenity, and others…well…they saw it the day they looked at the property. But in Hotlanta, a pool is a pretty nice amenity to have. But the HOA Rules and Regulations have to have some rules for the pool.

And to share with the other 300+ homes in your building. Key word there is….share. Alas, but not everyone gets that part, or even still, not everyone understands what goes on with a pool.

I thought I’d share some Pool Rules that we picked up from a condo community…with some commentary about each rule.

Rules at the Pool
In an effort to help promote safety and overall enjoyment of the pool for all residents, we ask that you please take a moment to familiarize yourself with some of the pool rules listed below.

No Glass At The Pool – Glass is strictly prohibited in the gated pool area. This means no liquor/beer bottles, no wine bottles/glasses. No glass containers brought in via ice chest, cooler, tote. No glass, period. Aside from possible injuries, if glass breaks at the pool, the pool must be closed, completely drained for cleaning, inspected and cleared, then refilled. If this occurs, all costs will be passed along to the responsible party.

WHAT THAT MEANS — It can cost an HOA upwards of $5,000 to drain a pool, clean it, refill it, and have it treated again. Not to mention, the down time where the pool cannot be used AT ALL! Yeah, right smack dab in the middle of Summer Pool Season, your pool gets closed because some yahoo dropped a beer bottle. Moral to the story here — buy it in a can. If if don’t come in a can…your lazy behind will need to go up to your condo when you need a refresh.

No Smoking At The Pool – All forms of smoking are strictly prohibited in the gated pool area. There are designated smoking areas located near the planters at the exterior of the gated pool area.

WHAT THAT MEANS — Not trying to offend any smokers, but it’s not a pretty habit. You got it. We understand. Just do it someplace else. And sadly, many smokers don’t think tossing that butt anywhere is littering…but it is. There are many examples of patio furniture with burn holes in them, and even fires in landscaping from people tossing butts of balconies. How about we not smell the smoke or see butts in the pool. (Well, we wanna see butts in the pool…just not THAT kind!)

Limit 4 Guests Per Unit – For the enjoyment of all residents at the pool, each resident is allowed a maximum of 4 guests per unit at the pool. Guests must be accompanied by resident at all times.

WHAT THAT MEANS — You SHARE this pool. It’s not YOUR POOL. You can’t have a pool party and invite 10 of your friends. Why? Well, how’s about YOU come down to the pool and there is no place to sit, the pool is packed and 60% of those people don’t pay for that pool or pay your HOA fee, but you can’t use the pool? We get it….you’re popular and have lots of friends…but…you are going to limit them here.

Music At The Pool – As a courtesy to your neighbors, please keep all portable music devices at a volume that will not disturb others around you.

WHAT THAT MEANS — Whether you are into those noise cancelling headphones (that are now reminiscent of the 1970’s) or use Airpods, your music and your music tastes are…..just that. Your Music.

Elevators – Please be mindful of residents living on the xxth floor when going to the pool, or back to the elevators. Please keep all noises to a minimum, so as to not disturb your neighbors.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN — Most condo building pools are accessed via some floor that also has (gasp) actual homes and residents living there! So after you have had a few cocktails, we know the volume can go up…and if all your friends (Limit 4 please) are equally happy…well there goes the noise in the hallways. Let’s use our inside voices.

As a reminder, when consuming alcoholic beverages, please drink responsibly. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN — Just what it says!

Any violations of the above rules and regulations may result in fines to the responsible units.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN — A fine. And some communities don’t mess around with their fine schedules. And….there ARE cameras.

We appreciate everyone’s efforts in helping to maintain the pool as a fun and enjoyable area.

Do these sound harsh? No. They should be simple common sense, but hey, not all of us have that. So we have to put rules in place so everyone can enjoy the pool!

Anthem to take Second Midtown Tower

April 19, 2019 by Thom Abbott

The kinda-giant in health insurance, Anthem, Inc. is going to occupy a bigger part of the Midtown Atlanta office landscape.

Anthem to take Second Midtown Tower

740 West Peachtree is currently under construction for the company, next to the almost complete Coda mixed use development. The addition of 712 West Peachtree and the creation of the Anthem Technology Center mean hundreds of Anthem workers will call Midtown Atlanta home by 2021. The second building is expected to start construction in a few weeks.

In an email quoted in the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Anthem confirmed this expansion:

“We have announced some future changes to our Atlanta-area office locations that will enable us to provide improved worked environments for our employees and enhance our strong collaborative culture, as we focus on creating a better healthcare experience for the communities and customers we serve. We have recently agreed to lease a tower as part of the new Portman Holdings development in Midtown Atlanta at 712 West Peachtree, and plan to consolidate our offices currently in Buckhead and downtown Atlanta to this new location when construction is completed in 2021.”

As stated above, this consolidation of offices in Midtown and Buckhead may, or may not mean additional new people looking to move into Midtown Atlanta to be closer to the new offices. But there are certainly many choices for just that. Just 4 (or so) blocks away, the new conversion, Harper on Piedmont will offer new condominium residences. Headed North from the site you will find buildings like Cornerstone Village, Viewpoint Midtown, Spire and MidCity Lofts. All of these buildings are an easy walk to the new Center. And these are just a few of the many options! The stars on the map below indicate the location of these buildings.

Anthem employees needing to travel are just a couple blocks from the North Avenue MARTA station for easy access to Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The location of the new building to MARTA, would also open up areas like Assembly Doraville and Chamblee with transit access to work.

We look forward to helping Anthem, Inc. employees call Midtown Atlanta HOME! For more information on the living options available in Midtown Atlanta, just contact us at 770.713.1505 or complete the form below!

Midtown Atlanta 2018 Year End Real Estate Market Report

March 23, 2019 by Thom Abbott

Midtown Atlanta is most often referred to as the most walkable neighborhood in all of the Metro Atlanta area. And that certainly is true. Step out the door of your home or condominium, and lots and lots of restaurants, some shopping, two MARTA transit stations, theater and art museums are all within walking distance. Not to mention the numerous festivals that happen each year in Midtown Atlanta’s “backyard” …. Piedmont Park.

A majority of the living options in Midtown Atlanta consist of condominiums and apartments. The area known as Historic Midtown is the only area with single family homes.

For the purpose of this report, we tried to outline what is considered Midtown in the MLS, as indicate in the photo on the right.

Midtown Atlanta 2018 Year End Real Estate Market Report

Disclaimer: As we do this “15,000 ft overview” of the Midtown Atlanta market, we attempted to keep the search as indicate in the map above. So places like Ansley Park or Atlantic Station are NOT represented in this report.

Single Family Homes

Single family homes in Midtown Atlanta, are found in what is referred to as Historic Midtown, and area primarily defined by 10th Street, Monroe Drive, North Avenue and Piedmont Avenue.

There were 25 homes that sold in 2018, ranging in price from $500,000 to $1,680,000. CLICK HERE to see the report.

Condominiums/Townhomes

Midtown Atlanta is best known for condominium living. And the choices range for converted homes with only 4 units to major high-rise buildings with 400 homes! And as you can see in this 2018 Year End Report, there is a range of prices! There were a total of 667 sales in the area for 2018!

86 condominiums sold between $500,000 and above. This accounted for about 13 percent of the market

78 homes sold between $400,000 and $500,000 or about 12 percent of the market.

160 homes sold between $300,000 and $400,000, about 24 percent of the market.

343 homes, or 51% of the Midtown Atlanta condo market sold for less than $300,000.

82 condos sold for less than $200,000 or about 12 percent of the total sales.

CLICK HERE to see the Complete 2018 Market Report — $500,000 Plus

CLICK HERE to see the Complete 2018 Market Report — $400,000 — $500,000

$300,000 — $400,000 CLICK HERE

$300,000 or less CLICK HERE

What’s The Real Estate Market Like In Midtown Atlanta?

Midtown Atlanta’s real estate market is still moving strong in 2019. However, we are starting to see some homes remain on the market longer and not the past frenzy of offers (and sometimes multiple offers) within a day of going on the market. 2019 will also see the values moderate. This is a GOOD THING, AND NOT A SIGN OF ANY TROUBLE! A real estate market cannot continue at 6% or more appreciation each year. If that were to happen, Midtown Atlanta, or ANY area of Atlanta could quickly become unaffordable to many people. So we look forward to continued price and value appreciation, but just not as dramatic as we have seen in the past few years.

If you are looking to Buy or Sell a home in Midtown Atlanta, MyMidtownMojo.com can help!

Selling? Do you want to sell your Midtown Atlanta single family home or condominium? Call us today at 770.713.1505 to schedule a free market analysis of your home. Or, complete our Seller Information Form and we will be in touch with you!

Buying? Are you looking to buy a Midtown Atlanta home, condo or townhome? We can set up specific searches for you based on price, community or other specifics you may be looking for. In a competitive Seller’s Market, we can alert you of new listings within minutes of them hitting the market! Just complete out Buyer Information Form, or let’s schedule a time to talk about what you are looking for!

Contact MyMidtownMojo and Thomas Ramon Realty@Palmer House Properties at 770.713.1505 or Info@MyMidtownMojo.com for all your Midtown Atlanta real estate needs!

Atlanta Real Estate Market Brief — February 2019

March 19, 2019 by Thom Abbott

The Atlanta REALTORS® Association has released their Atlanta Real Estate Market Brief — February 2019.

This market brief examines sales and prices in an 11-county area consisting of Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Fayette, Henry and Paulding Counties. ( So take note…this is a really, really BROAD look at the real estate market in Metro Atlanta!)

Overall residential sales were at 3,464 which is a decrease of 7.4% from the previous year. When you look at price (both average and median) you see they continue to gain traction and are ahead of 2018 numbers. The median sales price in February was $264,000, an increase of 5.6% from February, 2018. The average Sales Price was up by 5.3% to $319,000.

What’s The Atlanta Inventory Like?

Inventory increased by 15.7% from February, 2018 with 12,806 active listings. (Remember those MetroBrokers digital signs back in the day that had 80,000, 90,000 and even 100,000 homes For Sale? Shreeeeek!) New listings were up by 15.4% from February, 2018. The month’s supply over a 12-month period decreased to 2.6 months.

Is This A Normal Real Estate Market?

A normal real estate market has 6 months of inventory. Less than 6 months (as indicated above) is a Seller’s market, and more than 6 months is a Buyer’s market. More inventory means buyers can probably get the Seller to negotiate more on price or other concessions. In a Seller’s market, we find homes selling for list price, and even above list price.

My word of caution in a report as broad as this…..real estate is all about location, location, location. These average sales numbers are just that… an average and what you may see in your neighborhood, city or specific condominium building may vastly differ from these numbers. This is why it’s always best to get a real estate professional to give you a market picture for your home and neighborhood/building.

If you have questions about the value of your home, give us a call, or just fill out the form below and we will be in touch with you!

Reasons To Consider Condos in Your Home Search

Bottom Line

12 Tips For Selling Your Home or Condominium

Anthem to take Second Midtown Tower

Midtown Atlanta 2018 Year End Real Estate Market Report

Single Family Homes

Condominiums/Townhomes

Contact MyMidtownMojo and Thomas Ramon Realty@Palmer House Properties at 770.713.1505 or Info@MyMidtownMojo.com for all your Midtown Atlanta real estate needs!

What’s The Atlanta Inventory Like?

Is This A Normal Real Estate Market?

PalmerHouse Properties