Condominiums of Midtown Archives

Midtown Discounts and Deals from Midtown Alliance

August 22, 2014 by Thom Abbott

One of the great things about life and living in Midtown Atlanta is the food! If you are not partial to messing up your nice condo kitchen, you will LOVE living in Midtown Atlanta! Breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks and coffee…you can find them all just outside your door!

And how about all those opportunities at a d-i-s-c-o-u-n-t!!!! Oh Yeah!

Chances are pretty good that your condominium HOA is a member of the Midtown Alliance. This is the community improvement district (CID) that is responsible for creating the Midtown Blueprint back in the 90’s…and is what as made Midtown what it is today! Part of that membership is a 10% discount from participating Midtown merchants and restaurants. If you don’t have a membership card, check with your concierge to get yours!

And then you can start dining and saving! For more information about the program, check out the Member Deals and Discounts Page at MidtownATL.com.

Viewpoint Midtown |Midtown Atlanta Market Report |July 2014

August 19, 2014 by Thom Abbott

Viewpoint Midtown |Midtown Atlanta Market Report |July 2014

Viewpoint Midtown was the last of the Novare-built condominium buildings in Midtown. (They have now turned to mass production of the Skyhouse Apartment building!) But the building did learn from it’s older sisters and the amenities package as well as the finishes in the condominium homes themselves were a step up.

Let’s take a look at the sales activity in July, 2014 at Viewpoint Midtown….

ACTIVE LISTINGS (8)

Three 1 Bedrooms listed from $239,800 to $280,000
Five 2 Bedrooms listed from $305,000 to $394,000

PENDING LISTINGS (UNDER CONTRACT) (9)***

Four 1 Bedrooms listed from $219,900 to $299,900
Five 2 Bedroom listed from $338,000 to $399,000

SOLD (7)

Four 1 bedrooms ranging from $227,000 to $245,000 or an average Sold Price of $238,000
Three 2 Bedrooms ranging from $289,000 to $358,000 or an average of $319,166.

***An important note about prices at Viewpoint — You have to look VERY carefully at the sales numbers in this building because of the way listing agents list the properties. Viewpoint Midtown offers at least three floor plans that are a one bedroom PLUS den, NOT A TWO BEDROOM!. But many agents will list these floor plans as a 2 bedroom. For our market review purpose, we move these back to a one bedroom category where they belong. If you were to count these floor plans as two bedrooms, they do not SELL for as much as a normal 2 bedroom, and the list prices and sold prices for 2 bedrooms would be much lower.

In comparison to 2013, there was one 1 Bedroom sold for $240,000 and two 2 Bedrooms with an average of $355,500.

Learn more about and Search Viewpoint Midtown Homes For Sale Here

Spire Midtown |Midtown Atlanta Market Report| July, 2014

August 17, 2014 by Thom Abbott

Spire Midtown Atlanta was the second of the three Novare “sister” buildings built in Midtown. The first was Metropolis, then Spire and finally Viewpoint.

Spire Midtown is a popular choice for Midtown Atlanta condo buyers!

Midtown Atlanta Market Report |Spire Midtown| July, 2014

Let’s look at the activity in Spire for July….

ACTIVE LISTINGS (8)

Five 1 Bedrooms ranging from $168,500 to $222,900
Three 2 Bedrooms ranging from $355,000 to $399,900

PENDING LISTINGS (UNDER CONTRACT) (5)

Four 1 Bedrooms ranging from $199,900 to $209,900
One 2 Bedroom at $359,000

SOLD (3)

One 1 Bedroom at $195,000
Two 2 Bedrooms at $345,000 and $395,000

In comparison, in July, 2013, there were two 1 bedrooms sold for $172,500 and $184,500 and one 2 Bedroom at $310,000.

Quite a jump from $310,000 to $345,000 and even $395,000 this year. I’ve been telling Buyers that are considering a Midtown condo purchase that the prices are NOT going down.

Search Spire Midtown Homes For Sale Here

To learn more about the Spire Midtown community (or building) you can visit our Spire Midtown Community Page.

1010 Midtown Holds Town Hall Meeting

July 27, 2014 by Thom Abbott

As we reviewed our various Google search terms, we found this interesting article (actually appears to be a Press Release base don the fact that we found it at PRWEb.com (and this is a link to the actual article)

Having 100 residents show up to an event like this says tons about the community and the people that live there. We wanted to share it, not only to give you a sense of what is happening in 1010 Midtown, but if you live in another Midtown Atlanta condo building, maybe you can get some ideas for YOUR community!

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The newly elected Board of directors for 1010 Midtown, a widely recognized high-rise community in Midtown, Atlanta, in conjunction with their new management company FirstService Residential, spearheaded its first resident town hall meeting on Thursday, July 17 to communicate the Board’s new management initiatives and unveil its new mantra “Care for the Curve” – to compliment the original sales slogan of “Life on the Curve.”

The well-received event hosted in the fourth floor lobby and clubroom attracted over 100 residents who were introduced to 1010 Midtown’s new Resident Experience Committee, comprised of Board members, residents, and representatives from each service department within 1010 Midtown.

“Care for the Curve” and the Resident Experience Committee created to support it, will work to elevate property values and enhance the lifestyles of 1010 Midtown owners and residents. The new Board recognized the need to improve the level of services and amenities offered, and to include a state-of -the art security camera system and real-time video analytics designed to improve response time to safety issues. “It’s the integration of our concierges, our courtesy officers, owner involvement and awareness and use of technology including our new high-tech cameras that builds a safer place to live,” said Judy Reece of the 1010 Midtown Safety Committee. Additional proposed enhancements include marquee signage on Peachtree St NE, more flower beds, fencing and dog relief areas on 12th and Crescent, a new pedestrian walkway, and several detailed diagrams depicting a proposed beautification of 1010 Midtown’s sky park and pool area. “We are thrilled with the great success of our first town hall meeting; staying current with our amenities is critical to protecting our property values and to help 1010 Midtown stay competitive with its neighbors,” said Donn Mann, an Architectural Review Committee member.

“Atlanta’s Midtown area is one of the area’s most dynamic and cosmopolitan neighborhoods, and this new Board is committed to doing everything that it can to ensure that 1010 Midtown stands out as one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Midtown real estate,” said Board President Randall Mullen.

Where Can I Buy Furniture for My Midtown Atlanta Condo | IKEA

July 20, 2014 by Thom Abbott

Where Can I Buy Furniture for My Midtown Atlanta Condo | IKEA

Congratulations! You’ve closed on your new Midtown Atlanta condo, and you are moving in. As you moved out of that old rental apartment, you started to toss! I mean, I’ve got a new place! I want NEW stuff! I want it to be stylish and cool and you know….

Which probably means that old couch and maybe a recliner…they did not make the cut for the moving van! So now the question is, Where Can I Buy Furniture for My Midtown Atlanta Condo? We will look at numerous options in the Midtown area…and beyond. But let’s start with a close favorite….IKEA! The Atlanta IKEA store is located alongside Atlantic Station off of 17th Street!

The IKEA concept comes from the idea of providing home furnishings that are affordable. If you’ve ever purchased anything at IKEA, you know the one way the keep costs down is to have you assemble the furniture yourself. Hence, you will see much of the items in big flat boxes. If the assembly gig is not for you, never fear. They now even have a service that will come and do the work at your condo for you!

I’m not going to dish them, but I have purchased some items that did not hold up well, and others that are outstanding. My office desks/tables are all from IKEA! I once managed a corporate condo that was almost entirely furnished from IKEA…as you can see, it looked pretty nice!

But you can truly furnish your entire condo from this store! From silverware in the kitchen to towels in the bathroom, you can get most everything you need here. I’ve never purchased a bed from here, so I can’t speak for them. One thing I like about most of their furniture is its clean, simple lines. That big pillow sofa that your parents gave you may have fit in the apartment, but may not work well in your condo space. The furniture here is just designed to work well in the kind of space you get in a Midtown Atlanta condo!

If you are going to visit IKEA, here is the number one piece of advice I can give you….

DO NOT GO TO THE STORE ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY. EVER!

IKEA stores are known to draw from a wide geographic area. Look at this map of where stores are in relation to Atlanta…

The Atlanta store draws from Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee! So it’s a weekend destination! The store will be crowed, the parking lot packed, and the lines…..UGH!

You live locally, so take advantage of evening visits! Walk the store, get your ideas and either buy them then, or make a return visit, but just NOT on Saturday or Sunday. If you have a weekday off, stop by the IKEA restaurant for a breakfast special to fuel you for the store.

Why? If you’ve never been to an IKEA, they are HUGE! But the store is well laid out with displays that lead you through all the parts of the home. Everything is labeled, and you find most of it in the IKEA Marketplace, on the lower level. Furniture is found in the self-service area past the Marketplace and before you check out.

IKEA Atlanta! A perfect answer to the question, Where Can I Buy Furniture for My Midtown Atlanta Condo?

Georgia Tech Off Campus Housing – Cornerstone Village Condominiums

May 1, 2014 by Thom Abbott

As students prepare to finish up the Spring Semester at Georgia Tech, they will be thinking about their housing options for the coming Fall semester. And so will their parents. As I’ve talked before, many Georgia Tech parents will be looking at the housing options, and costs for their son or daughter.

One option might be Georgia Tech Off Campus Housing. Now first off, let me say, there are no condominiums ON the Georgia Tech Campus. However, there are many Midtown Atlanta condominium communities that are within walking distance of the campus. If you are a Georgia Tech parent, and are looking for housing options for your kids, maybe you ought to think about investing in real estate as well as your child’s higher education.

In the next few posts, I’ll highlight several of the Midtown Atlanta Condominium buildings that are the most convenient to the campus. Today, lets start with the popular and very affordable Cornerstone Village.

Cornerstone Village Condominiums – Midtown Atlanta

This map shows the Georgia Tech Campus to the left. The gold arrow indicates where

Cornerstone Village Condominiums are located in reference to the campus.

Located on Peachtree Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, this Georgia Tech off campus housing option is the second closest to campus. (Note 5th Street, which runs right through Technology Square, across the Downtown Connector and into the Main Campus! Convenient indeed!) This community is made up of 4 separate buildings an occupies an entire city block!

The Landmark Building sits on the corner of 5th and Peachtree Streets. Built in the 1940’s as an office building, it was converted to condominiums in 1999 when the Cornerstone Village project began. Homes in this building range from smaller 1 bedroom floor plans to larger 2 bedroom homes. All of them have exposed brick walls and open duct work, giving them a “loft feel.” Most of the 2 bedroom floor plans in this building are not completely closed off from the living space, but this can be done with some minor remodeling.

Next, we have the historic Manor House, located on the corner of 6th and Peachtree. This famed building was designed by the noted architect, Neil Reed, who has designed numerous buildings around Midtown Atlanta. Most all of the homes in this building are 1 bedroom floor plans, but are quite spacious and were nicely upgraded when the building was incorporated into Cornerstone Village in 1999. This building houses the fitness center, a laundry room (from it’s past days as an apartment building) a movie theater and the property management office.

Lastly we have the Gallery Buildings, often called the 100 and 200 Buildings. These newer buildings were new construction between 1999 -2001, and surround the pool and grilling areas. These two buildings offer the most variety of floor plans, from 1 bedroom, 1 bedroom den to full 2 bedroom homes.

A concern I know of any parent is safety, so I will also touch on safety and security of each community I review. As for Cornerstone Village, they do not have a 24-hour Concierge, or actual lobby. Each building does offer a secured entrance with key cards and call boxes. Homes can have individual alarm systems connected for added security. The property, including the garage is well lit. There are security cameras throughout the community that video record, but are not monitored in a security office.

Cornerstone Village offers the parent looking to make a real estate investment in Georgia Tech off campus housing some great opportunities! As of this writing, there are only 1 bedroom condos listed from the low $100,000 range. Purchasing at such prices should offer an opportunity to see some price appreciation in the years ahead. Keep in mind, just 2-3 years ago, you could of purchased the same condos for $50-70,000!!!!

One note of caution, and I will note this on every condominium community that I review. Cornerstone Village is currently capped out on rental permits. What does this mean to the parent looking for Georgia Tech Off Campus Housing? You must be purchasing for your family member to live in the home (again, the great option with the FHA Kiddie Condo Loan) and it can not be rented out. You could certainly add your name to the rental waiting list, but be cautioned…they are often very long in most Midtown Atlanta condo buildings.

You can Search Cornerstone Village Homes for Sale Here!

In my next post, I’ll review MidCity Lofts, THE closest Midtown Atlanta condominium building to the Georgia Tech Campus!

Viewpoint Midtown |Midtown Atlanta Market Report |July 2014

Midtown Atlanta Market Report |Spire Midtown| July, 2014

Where Can I Buy Furniture for My Midtown Atlanta Condo | IKEA

DO NOT GO TO THE STORE ON A SATURDAY OR SUNDAY. EVER!

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