Atlanta Condominiums Archives

Midtown Atlanta Condominium Utilities

October 25, 2011 by Thom Abbott

Intown Atlanta Condominiums Unlike living in a single family home, Midtown Atlanta Condominium Utilities are different in how they are aid for.

In many Midtown Atlanta Condominium buildings, part of your monthly homeowner’s association dues (HOA) pay for some of the utilities. Some buildings include the water and sewer charges in the HOA fee, and others do not. This is an important consideration in that the City of Atlanta has some rather high water and sewere charges. When shopping for your Midtown Atlanta Condominium, be sure your real estate agent finds out exactly which utilities are paid for as part of the HOA fee.

Some buildings also sub-meter the electricity. What does that mean? It means the building gets one bill for the entire building, and then it is billed out to each individual unit based on the consumption. It makes it easy for the homeowner in writing one check to the HOA for your fees, including electricity, water and sewer. However, it can put a real strain on the HOA. Why? Well, if a homeowner is delinquent on their HOA fees, the HOA is paying their electric bill. And say the homeowner goes into foreclosure and does not pay 3-4 months of HOA dues, then the HOA has paid that electric bill! Yikes!

It seems that one homeowners association has decided to change that. Earlier this month, the Board of Directors of Spire Midtown voted to move from one Georgia Power Master Electircal meter to individual unit Georgia Power 406 SMART meters for individual units. So, what are some of the benefits that homeowners in Spire Midtown will get from this new change:

Every home will be charged the residential rate vs. the commercial rate. Here is the Georgia Power Pricing Comparison.
The Association will no longer be forced to pay for delinquent homeowners bills.
Residents will get a more accurate bill directly from Georgia Power and will be able to contact them directly regarding billing issues.

It will be interesting to see how this progresses and if we see other Midtown Atlanta Condominium utilities in buildings being changed to an individual billing system in the future.

Plumbing Systems — Something To Think About

October 21, 2011 by Thom Abbott

Water is a very important part of our every day lives. Without it, we simply could not, would not exist. Period. And as much as we need water to survive, water can also cause some pretty extensive damage. Be it outside from a flood or rain storm or inside in the form of a leaking or even worse, broken pipe.

I find that many residents who live in a condominium kinda don’t think about the systems in their home. They seem to think because they pay this monthly HOA fee, that all is well. Sadly, nothing could be further from the truth. As a condominium owner (and really as a tenant as well) you are responsible from the exterior walls in. So, if your tub leaks, or your toilet leaks or your sink leaks, you are not only going to have to fix YOUR home, but you might be fixing your neighbors’ home as well. Next to a fire, water is the worst enemy for damage in a condominium building.

Drain piles can clog and valves and fittings develop leaks. Small leaks usually grow and can cause major water damage in your home. Fixing leaks right away and keeping an eye and ear out for them is critical.

Clean Your Drains
You can clean your drains in your sinks and tub by simply running hot water and then pouring a handful or so of baking soda down each of them. Let the hot water run for a few minutes and then repeat the procedure. This helps remove grease and sediments that buildup over time in your pipes. You may want to do this a couple of times a year.

Visual Inspections
Visually inspecting for leaks regularly is important. You can do this by checking under sinks and around toilets. Look for signs of moisture and leaks, rust or lime deposits (white) which are early signs of trouble coming.

Inspect around your toilet carefully looking for cracks in the toilet where it is bolted to the floor. Even a hairline crack can mean a leak is happening or developing. Look around the inlet pipes and on the tank bottom as well.

Drippy faucets and shower heads and toilet flush valves that operate poorly should be changed or fixed.

You’ve heard the old saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Spend a few moments in your Midtown Atlanta condominium or home and look for these signs before you have a bigger problem.

Selling Your Intown Atlanta Condo

October 9, 2011 by Thom Abbott

Intown Atlanta Condo For Sale So you’ve decided it’s time to move on or upward and sell your Intown Atlanta condo? Well, just as buying it was a major decision, so too is the marketing of your home. You want to make sure you highlight all the features and benefits of BOTH your individual home, as well as the building or community where it is located.

Remember, probably some 80% or more of home buyers are going to start their search process using the Internet. So, how your Intown Atlanta condo is marketed on-line should be a top priority for you. You want to be sure you choose a real estate agent that not only knows your community, but know how to effectively market your home on-line.

Next, we need to get your home to shine! Let’s look at some other things we need to consider.

Building or Community

Why did YOU buy in this particular building? Was it for a view? Amenities? Security? Price? As is often said in real estate, “there is a Buyer for every home.” We just need to know which ones we are looking for! If you live in a high rise building or a smaller, historic building, we will want to highlight the unique benefits and features of each.

Size Does Matter, Right?

Well, you may have experienced the same thing when you purchased your Intown Atlanta condo. But now that you have lived there for some time, you’ve learned some tricks, shall we say, of how to make the most of the space you have. While a new Buyer will need to learn about the amount of space you get in various buildings and with different floor plans, you may have already added some unique features in your home that we can highlight. Perhaps built-in book cases, or closet systems would be a couple examples. Now we need to focus on selling your Intown Atlanta Condo.

The Condition of YOUR Home

Ah yes, this is where we really have to focus to make your home stand out amongst the competition. Remember, your competition can be other buildings, not just homes in your building. So, let’s look at some important things you can do.

Paint. One of the least expensive things you can do that can dramatically increase the appearance and interest in your condo. Maybe you never painted from the original colors the developer used. Or, you added some “unique” colors to your taste that may not appeal to others. Over time, you may have bumped walls, or a piece of furniture may have rubbed against a wall. Fresh paint will not only take care of these imperfections, it will make your home feel like new.
Storage. Face it. It was probably a challenge for you when you first moved in and tried to figure out where to put your comic book collection or the 20 pairs of tennis shoes and 30 pairs of jeans you have! You know what I’m sayin’! Well, you don’t want a prospective Buyer to look in kitchen cabinets or closets and not be able to see past what all you’ve got. So, it’s time to start packing BEFORE you move! If you have not used it or worn it in 6 months, it might be time for a donation. But if you simply can’t part with all those shoes, jeans or comic books, then we need to sort and store. Determine which you can work with over the next 30-90 days, and pack the rest. Make arrangements for a storage space in one of the local storage rental locations, or if you have family or friends that have a home with storage space, work a deal with them.
Cleaning. Well, it seems obvious, but then again. And I’m not just referring to dusting the furniture and wiping the kitchen counters. First, there is a deep clean. Move that couch and capture those dust bunnies! Clean the oven and refrigerator. I’m telling you…Buyers will open the oven, the fridge, your closets and drawers! They want to see the space and what’s available. And we want to show them the best.
Wash The Windows! Now, in some buildings, this may not be an option for you. But if you have a balcony with a sliding door, you have access to (and it’s actually your responsibility) to wash the windows. (Glass that is not accessible to you has to be cleaned by your home owners association) But when that potential Buyer walks in and looks out those windows…let the Sun Shine In! It truly can make a huge difference!

Ok, so we’ve talked about the things YOU need to do to get prepared to Sell your Intown Atlanta Condo. Next time, we’ll talk about what WE do to Sell your Intown Atlanta Condo!

CC&R Conditions Covenants and Restrictions What Are They?

October 2, 2011 by Thom Abbott

CC&R Conditions Covenants and Restrictions If you are buying an Intown Atlanta condominium, then you will certainly want to know what the CC&R (Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions) are in the community where you are buying.

CC&R’s are most often defined as stipulations and constraints recorded in the Condominium Declaration that restrict the what you, the buyer can and cannot do within the building and even inside your own home. There may be penalties for failure to comply, or these can be set and adjusted by the Home Owners Association (HOA) Board of Directors. This document is used primarily to define the rules in the building, and while they can be quite restrictive, that really ARE for your protection.

What are some of the items or rules in a CC&R? As I thumb through a copy of the condominium documents (you’ll hear these called condo docs for short) here are some of the areas covered:

Alterations to the Interior of a Component — meaning you may not make substantial renovations to the inside of your home without first gaining approval of the Architectural Review Board(ARB). This is NOT a bad thing….but is meant to protect you and/or your neighbors from doing something that could cause harm or damage to another home. Keep in mind, the walls in condos are filled with wiring and pipes that might service adjoining homes. Cutting into sheet rock could possibly damage these if you don’t know where they are. The ARB has the engineering plans and can make sure none of your planned renovations could cause problems.
Pets — The HOA can restrict the type, size and number of pets that a resident may have in their home.
Restriction of Use of your Unit — this usually is to control your neighbor from running a business out of their condominium which might affect your quiet enjoyment of your home. An example might be a personal trainer or massage therapist that has clients coming to see them on a regular basis.
Balconies, Terraces and Patios — these regulations are for a number of reasons. First off, when standing on a balcony, you often can see multiple other balconies at any time. Do you want to look at a bunch of pots full of dead plants, or bikes, or other stuff? Most likely not, hence the rules. Also of concern in a high rise is the wind factor. When you are 20 or 30 stories up in the air, the wind is a whole different animal. Plastic furniture can easily be lifted right off a balcony…and by the time it reaches the ground, it’s a lethal weapon that could seriously injure someone. Hence, rules about the kinds of furniture you can have.But, CC&R’s can also be an issue in single family neighborhoods. These communities can have rental restrictions such that you get a job transfer and think you can rent your house, but you can’t! They also have strict landscape guidelines as well as rules about things such as paint colors, garage doors being left open, parking of trucks or other items, etc.

When making your Intown Atlanta home or condominium purchase, always make sure your real estate agent obtains a copy of this information during your due diligence period and you have ample time to review it and ask any questions. If you find restrictions you cannot live with, you can terminate your Purchase Agreement and look for another home. But when you close, you will sign documentation from your lender that you acknowledge there is a homeowners’ association and that you agree to abide by all rules.

Also in today’s market, it is wise to see financial statements to learn about the condition of the HOA and their financial stability. With numerous foreclosures in today’s market place, some HOA’s may have not allowed for this loss in revenue and could have reserve issues. This can also become a problem during your lenders’ review of the HOA.

I’m here to help you navigate through all these steps and help you find the right home or condominium that meets your lifestyle needs!

Thom Abbott Midtown Atlanta For More Information on how we can best serve your Midtown Atlanta Real Estate needs, please fill out the online contact form or call us at 770.713.1505.

We specialize in Condominium homes in Midtown Atlanta and other In Town areas of Atlanta. If you are planning to Buy or Sell real estate, let us help you explore all the possibilities available to you and help you find just the right home you will LOVE!

For a Quick Look at Midtown Atlanta Condominiums:

Midtown Atlanta High Rise Condominiums

Midtown Atlanta Mid Rise Condominiums

Perhaps you are interested in Historic Midtown? Take a look at Homes For Sale In Historic Midtown Atlanta

Market Knowledge DOES Matter When Buying Real Estate

September 24, 2011 by Thom Abbott

So, you’re looking for that new home or condominium and you’ve made a smart decision in seeking the help of a professional, a real estate agent, to represent you and your interests. An important point you need to consider is… Market knowledge DOES matter when buying real estate!

You’re thinking, what a silly statement. Isn’t that what real estate people do? Know the market and what is happening? Well, you are about 50% right with that statement. Let me explain why choosing the RIGHT real estate agent for your home or condominium purchase is so important.

First off, any real estate agent that says they can help you anywhere (we’ll use the Atlanta market place as an example) is probably not a totally correct statement either. Take Lake Lanier or Lake Allatoona. Both are in the Atlanta Area. Both areas are within driving distance for me. Have I ever SOLD or LISTED lake property? NO! Do I know anything about lake shore easements, sea walls, docks and such? NO! So, do you think I’m the right agent to represent you in the purchase or sale of lake front property. Well, I’ll be the first to tell you….NO! But I will find you an agent that works in the area that I know and that is familiar with these unique issues and refer you to them. Again that question, Market knowledge DOES matter when buying real estate!

Buying Midtown Atlanta Condominiums is very much the same way. Let’s say you are standing on the balcony on the 10th floor of a building, and there is a vacant lot, or a 3 story building across the street. You ask your agent what is proposed for that vacant lot. Do they know? Hmmm. I probably would. Because Midtown Atlanta is my market and I make it my business to know what’s happening in my market. (As a disclaimer to that statement, you as a Buyer are equally responsible to do your own due diligence on any issues that may be of concern to you, such as the future impact on your view.)

Today, I received a strange call. It was from another agent in the Atlanta ara with one of the MAJOR brokerage firms. When I answered the phone, she asked me if this was the Sales Center for MidCity Lofts Condominiums. Ah….darhling….MidCity Lofts was built in 2002!!! Which means the Sales Center has probably been closed for about EIGHT YEARS! Really? Are you representing a Buyer? Do you KNOW the Midtown Atlanta Condominium market well enough to be looking for a sales center that was closed 8 years ago? Scare me!

The same consideration should be given if you are in the market to SELL your Midtown Atlanta Condominium or home. Just because your husband’s brother’s wife’s sister is a real estate agent does not mean they are your best choice to represent you in the marketing and sale of your home. Do your research. Google the name of your building (or community). See who you find? Most likely if they are knowledgable and know your building, they will either have a page on their site about it that ranks in a Google Search (good marketing point) or they will have written blog posts about the neighborhood. Check out our page About Midtown Atlanta.

Selling or buying your home is a big thing. Market knowledge DOES matter when buying real estate!

For More Information on how we can best serve your Midtown Atlanta Real Estate needs, please fill out the online contact form or call us at 770.713.1505.

For a Quick Look at Midtown Atlanta Condominiums:

Midtown Atlanta High Rise Condominiums

Midtown Atlanta Mid Rise Condominiums

Perhaps you are interested in Historic Midtown? Take a look at Homes For Sale In Historic Midtown Atlanta