Atlanta Condos For Sale

Atlanta Condo Living | Where Do I Get My Mail?

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Atlanta Condo Living | Where Do I Get My Mail?There are numerous things in your lifestyle and daily routine that will change when you live in a condo. I’d like to say that 99% of them are all good, but there might me some aspects that require some adjustment. One might be picking up your mail.

Atlanta Condo Living | Where Do I Get My Mail?

When you live in a single family home, your mail may have come a couple of different ways. Of course, you may have opted for a mailbox directly at the post office, which you may still have. But the most common way to get your mail was in a mailbox you (or a previous owner or even the developer) installed at the end of your driveway. In older, established neighborhoods, your mail may have even been delivered to a mailbox attached right on your house! Just open the door, reach out and you have it.

Packages? Well, the UPS driver may just drop them on your front porch? Or I’ve actually seen them leaned up against a garage door. Now, what if it rains? Or, or better yet, someone decides to TAKE your package and they are not a member of your family!!!

All this is much easier (and secure) when you live in a condominium building. First, there is a central mail room where all the mail is delivered by your mailman (or woman!) You are provided a key by the developer (new construction) or by the previous owners when you purchase. (A side note….if you are NOT given a mailbox key at closing, be prepared to wait for a key. It can be a lengthy process to get a new one from the Post Office!!!) Once you learn the time the mail is delivered, you just stop by the mail room and collect your mail. Got a package?

Packages are handled differently by buildings, depending on how they are designed and if you have a Concierge or not. Newer buildings will have a package room where your package is held for you. You are either notified by a note in your mailbox, or the building may have a system in place where you get an email notification that you have a package. Some buildings even have video screens in the lobby, or elevator foyer that show your condo number if you have something waiting for you.

In some older communities, your mail box area may have larger spaces with a key where the mailman can leave your package, and put the key in your mailbox. But not everything will fit in these. So they may be left in front of your door! Yikes….that’s not to secure! If that may be the case where you live, you may opt to have things delivered to your office or place where you work, and they may be more secure.

As you get ready to move, watch your mail. You may be surprised at the magazines and catalogs you get that WON’T get forwarded via your mail forwarding. Or it may expire, and you won’t get them. Also time your notification of your change of address so mail does not get left behind at your address!! (I’ve found lots of mail leftover in mailboxes!!!

Atlanta Condo Living | Where Do I Get My Mail?

Condominium Maintenance — Did You Know?

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Let’s face it. Be it your car, or even your laptop, we often forget that things need maintenance. Right? An oil change, a disk cleanup.

I find that many people that live a condominium life-style, take maintenance issues for granted. If you’ve owned a single family home, but then moved to a condo, you sometimes think, “Wow, no more lawn to mow, no more AC system to service, etc.” And there is also a HUGE mistaken idea that because you pay this monthly HOA fee, that some “things are just taken care of with that.”

Condominium Maintenance — Did You Know?

Condominium Maintenance TipsNothing could be further from the truth. No, you don’t have a lawn to mow, but you DO have systems unique to your condominium that YOU are responsible for, NOT THE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION! NO, you’re kidding me, right?

  • Heating and Air Conditioning System — Is YOUR responsibility to have serviced and checked. While it may not need it as often as a condensing unit that sits on the ground outside of a house, imagine the “wear and tear” that unit takes in the beating hot sun on the roof of a condo building. It might serve you well (an your pocket book) to have it serviced once a year. 
  • Hot Water Heater — If you live in a condominium, when is the last time you had your hot water heater drained, flushed and refilled? I’m going to go out on a limb and guess……NEVER! You probably figure you won’t live there for the average 10 year life of the hot water heater, right? Well the age of the system DOES play a factor when a Buyer comes along. Get ready to pay for a home warranty as part of your sales process. That new Buyer is going to want some protection.

But what really sent me off on this topic this morning was something I recently experienced. I do own a single family home, and had to recently have a new sewer line installed to the tune of almost $4,000. Up until that point, I frequently washed greasy dishes and sent food scraps down my garbage disposal. I bet you condo dwellers think nothing of it, right? After all, who wants that stinky food in the garbage can when we have a garbage disposal.

Atlanta City Councilmen Alex Wan (who covers a portion of Midtown Atlanta) sent out this newsletter. I was reading through it, and a section from Watershed Management (the part of the city that maintains the sewer system) made me think….

What happens in a 30 story condo building if the sewer lines were to back up from a grease buildup, say on the 20th floor? Where do you suppose all that water AND SEWER could end up? IN YOUR CONDO!!! And if you’ve never experienced a “water event” in a high-rise condo building, they can be very destructive. Repairable, at much expense, but a mess nonetheless.

Watch this video, and the next time you finish dinner and are washing the pots, pans and dishes, think twice about WHAT you send down that 20 or 30 story high sewer line.

Downsizing From a House to a Midtown Atlanta Condo

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As you begin to think about not needing all this space, and that second floor you never even visit now, you will have some considerations to make for sure! Are the kids all gone?

Congratulations!!!  You have shipped the last kid off to college! (Admit it, despite being sad to see them go, you are kinda ecited about having the place all to yourselves now. But wait? What are we going to do with 3500 square feet of house for just the two of us? We still have to clean and mow the lawn (unless you have services for both!) What if we ditch the house and move Intown where we can walk and shop and leave the car in the garage? AWESOME!

Downsizing From a House to a Midtown Atlanta Condo

Downsizing to a CondoWAIT A MINUTE!!! We have 3500 sq. ft. of “stuff.” What ARE we going to do? What do we get rid of?

  • “I’m not giving up my Great Grandmothers’s writing desk!!”
  • “I’ve got to have my leather sectional so I can stretch out to watch college football!”

Indeed, these are some of the comments you will hear as you start the challenging process of downsizing from a house to a Midtown Atlanta condo. And some of these comments are important, but some of them we will have to think twice.

I’ve worked with many a condo buyer that is downsizing from a house. And the space of that 2 bedroom condo we are looking at is probably about the size of your kitchen, breakfast, dining, living room and maybe your family room. Yep. Forget that second floor or basement. And I often tell buyers that the furniture that works is your house probably won’t work in your condo!!

My rule of thumb is…if it has tremendous sentimental value (a treasure from your honeymoon trip) or a family heirloom that has been handed down (that writing desk above) then those are the things we want to make sure we can find space for. That leaher sectional will best be sold, donated or handed down to one of those kids who needs furniture!!

It is not an easy process, an may be one you should start BEFORE you even start looking for your condo. But then again, by me showing you some options and space, it may give you a better perspective as to what you can take, and what you can’t.

I found this great article, Moving to a Smaller Home, and Decluttering a Lifetime of Belongings that might help you understand the process and give you some ideas for getting started.

Once you are settled in your new condo, you are going to love your new lifestyle. You may not need that leather sectional to watch the college game as you may join your new found friends at a local sports bar for the afternoon!

Midtown Skyline From Spire Feb 2014

 

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FMLS Logo Listings on this website come from the FMLS IDX Compilation and may be held by brokerage firms other than the owner of this website. The listing brokerage is identified in any listing details. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. If you believe any FMLS listing contains material that infringes your copyrighted work, please click here to review our DMCA policy and learn how to submit a takedown request. © 2025 FMLS.
Data last updated: 5/15/25 10:57 AM PDT.

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Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta 2015 Annual Meeting

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Cornerstone Village Annual MeetingDo you live in a condominium community? Or even a single family home community that has an association? Does your HOA have an annual meeting? Better question might be….

Do You ATTEND your Annual Homeowners Meeting?

Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta 2015 Annual Meeting

I had the opportunity to attend the Cornerstone Village Annual Meeting earlier this week. In most HOA communities, you must have a 2/3 attendance (via in person or through a proxy vote) to conduct official business. In the case of Cornerstone Village, with 310 homes, if my math does me correct, there has to be approximately 207 owners present at the annual meeting in order to have a quorum and conduct business. I attended because two owners that I manage their rental condos for, asked me to attend, and I did so by having their proxy vote.

But, there was not a quorum. Nope. Not enough owners attended (or turned in a proxy vote) to do any business.

So what you say? Say WHAT I say?

You OWN a home in this building. You have a financial interest in how the association is run, or the building is maintained and presented. But you don’t bother to come to the annual meeting. Tisk Tisk.

Here’s the most scary part of this….There were numerous people interested in running for the HOA Board of Directors. People that have “stepped up to the plate” to offer their time and talent into running and managing the community (along with a great Property Manager!) But none of those people were elected. Because an election could not happen without a quorum of owners.

So what happens now? The current Board of Directors will hand pick and select the NEXT Board of Directors. How’s that for democracy?

Now, I happen to be writing about Cornerstone Village, but this is an all too common occurrence at many annual meetings for the HOA. Not just this building. You have a financial interest in this building. If the lobby looks bad, or the association is not managed properly, you could have problems in the future, be it in the form of a special assessment, or a challenge selling your home because of excessive rental units, poor reserves, condition of the amenities…and more.

You need to pay attention to what happens in your building. And if for some reason you don’t THINK you should go, or care about the annual meeting, then give your proxy to an owner that does.

Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta |Atlanta Condos For Sale

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One of the great things about condominium living in Midtown Atlanta is the old saying, “variety is the spice of life.” Whether you are looking for old or new, high-rise or one story, lots of amenities or no amenities, Midtown Atlanta has probably got the building for you.

I used to be able to say we had condos in all price ranges, but that gap is truly becoming smaller and smaller. So, when I have a condo buyer call me and they are on a budget, the first suggestion I make is Cornerstone Village.

Cornerstone Village GATech Off Campus Housing Condos

Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta

Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta is one of the few remaining condo buildings where you can find a 1 bedroom for less than $200,000 and a 2 bedroom for less than $300,000! Of course, there are reasons this building has lower values than some of the neighboring buildings like Viewpoint or Spire. But let’s look at all the benefits of living and owning at Cornerstone Village!

The community consists of 4 different buildings. Two are historic buildings from the 1940’s that have seen some varied uses, and two are newer construction as the development was created in 1999.

Landmark Before After

The Landmark building is the largest building, located on the corner of 5th and Peachtree Streets. Once an office building, the interior was gutted and the current condominiums created in 1998/1999. There is a variety of 1 and 2 bedroom floor plans available, ranging from approximately 625 square feet to around 1300 square feet for the largest 2 bedroom floor plan. The homes in this building feature a range of flooring from concrete to hardwoods. Exposed ductwork and original brick walls (the exterior of the building) are unique features found in the Landmark Building. The building is 6 stories and has two elevators. There are no community amenities in the building…they are located elsewhere within the community.

Cornerstone Village Manor HouseNext, we have the Manor House. This building started out as the Manor House Hotel, and later became apartments before finally becoming part of Cornerstone Village. All the homes in this building are 1 bedroom floor plans. They have a more “finished” feeling with hardwood flooring, granite countertops and finished ceilings. There is no exposed brick or ductwork. I’ve seen some homes that have had changes or renovations made to them that made them much more unique than their original plan. The Manor House has a nice lobby area, and also contains the Fitness Center, a laundry room (left over from the apartment building days…each home has washer/dryer connections) the Movie Theater, a conference room, Resident Package Room and the HOA Management office. The HOA office would be the most likely place for a club room, but it is currently not used for that purpose.

Georgia Tech Off Campus HousingThe remaining two buildings are the new construction section that was built in 1999. Originally, they were going to be apartments that shared the condo amenities. But the sales of the homes in the Landmark and Manor House spurred the developer to convert the entire complex into condos. Called The Gallery originally, these two buildings are most often referred to as the 100 and 200 building. The difference between the two….the 100 building is larger, and has two elevators. The 200 Building is smaller and there is no direct elevator access to the building. These two buildings circle the resort-styled swimming pool and entertainment deck. Here you will find gas grills and seating are for outdoor dining and poolside chillin’! Additionally, in the 100 Building you will find a bike storage room and a game room, equipped with a pool table and foosball table.

I would say the main factors that keep Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta more affordable is the lack of a 24-hour Concierge, and the four different buildings. So, if you live in the Landmark Building and want to use the Fitness Center, it’s not located right in the same building as you might find in the newer, high-rise buildings. But if you can save $75,000 or more on the cost of a condo, it might be worth it, right?

Amenities collage

Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta certainly does not lack for convenience when it comes to location. CVS Pharmacy, Gordon Biersch Brewery, Five Guys Burgers, Fresh To Order and Senor Patron’s Mexican restaurant are all just in the next block!!! On the street level of the Landmark Building, you will find El Scorpion Restaurant, Big Peach Running and recently, Einstein’s Bagels! Just behind the 100/200 Buildings on Cypress Street is Cypress Pint and Plate…with an awesome outdoor patio with a gas fire pit! This is a cool place to hang out for sure!

And then there is the convenience of everything else! Starting with Technology Square and Georgia Tech…just 2 blocks away! Need to get to the airport for a business trip or weekend getaway? The Midtown MARTA station OR the North Avenue MARTA station are about equal distance North or South from Cornerstone Village.

If you are looking for value, and want to live in Midtown Atlanta, then I encourage you to take a look at Cornerstone Village Midtown Atlanta! There is more than meets the eye to this community!~

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FMLS Logo Listings on this website come from the FMLS IDX Compilation and may be held by brokerage firms other than the owner of this website. The listing brokerage is identified in any listing details. Information is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed. If you believe any FMLS listing contains material that infringes your copyrighted work, please click here to review our DMCA policy and learn how to submit a takedown request. © 2025 FMLS.
Data last updated: 5/15/25 10:57 AM PDT.

Walk Score provided by walkscore.com.

 
 

 

What Are Condo Docs?

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Declaration of Condominium, condo docsWhenever I work with a condo buyer (and that is pretty much every day!) there are numerous things we do as we purchase a condo. While buying a single family home in a subdivision might have HOA rules, they are usually much more involved when you purchase, and live in a condo.

What Are Condo Docs?

In every condominium purchase contract I write for my clients, I always include this special stipulation:

SELLER TO PROVIDE FULLY RECORDED COPY OF CONDOMINIUM DOCUMENTS, CURRENT ANNUAL BUDGET AND LAST 6 MONTHS HOA BOARD MEETING MINUTES TO BUYER WITHIN THREE DAYS OF BINDING AGREEMENT DATE. IF BUYER FINDS OBJECTION WITH ANY INFORMATION THEREIN, OR THE SELLER FAILS TO DELIVER SAID DOCUMENTS WITHIN THREE DAYS, THE BUYER MAY CHOOSE TO VOID THIS CONTRACT WITH WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE SELLER WITHIN 4 DAYS OF BINDING AGREEMENT DATE AND WILL BE ENTITLED TO A FULL REFUND OF ALL EARNEST MONEY.

The condominium documents included the Declaration of Condominium and The Association By-Laws. As you can see above, I additionally request a copy of the HOA Budget and the last 6 months of HOA minutes.

What’s IN the Declaration of Condominium? Here’s a sample Table of Contents:

  • Definitions
  • Location, Property Description, Plats and Plans
  • Units and Boundaries
  • Common Elements
  • Limited Common Elements
  • Association Membership and Allocation of Votes
  • Allocation of Liability for Common Expenses
  • Association Rights and Restrictions
  • Assessments
  • Insurance
  • Repair and Reconstruction
  • Architectural Controls
  • Use Restrictions
  • Leasing
  • Sale of Units
  • Maintenance Responsibility
  • Mortgagee’s Rights
  • General Provisions

Condominium Rules and RegulationsThis particular condominium Declaration is about 70 or more pages. Your newer buildings will have much longer condo docs. But you can see there is a wide variety of things that are cover. I mean, I could do a blog post series on every topic. (Hmmmm, there’s a thought?)

It’s important for you to review this document, no matter the length. SERIOUSLY!  You may not read it in depth, but by scanning the Table of Contents and then each section, you will have a better understanding of the “Rules of the Road” for living in that condo building.

The Declaration of Condominium is filed by the Developer when the Condominium is created. You are provided a copy (especially in new construction) by the sales representative for the Developer. But in any re-sale, you must obtain a copy from the Seller. If you note in my special contract stipulation, I underlined the words FULLY RECORDED COPY OF CONDOMINIUM DOCUMENTS.   What THAT means, is over the course of years, the owners can have voted to amend, or change the condo docs. They could have agreed to change anything from a pet policy, to leasing terms to parking assignments. Each time the condo docs are changed, they must be legally recorded in with the Clerk of Superior Court in the County where the building is located. Of course, all of Midtown Atlanta will be Fulton County.

We want to see ALL the changes to the original Declaration, to make sure there is not some material change that could affect you, and how you live and enjoy your home.

The Association By-Laws are simply the rules and make up of the Homeowners Association, or HOA. Equally Important, as they will spell out the makeup of the Board of Directors, Meetings, and the Powers and Duties of the Board. (Yeah, this is important!)

As we obtain, and review these documents, I’m here to answer any questions you may have. Your lender, if you are obtaining financing, will certainly review the budget to look for things like reserve fund balances and the income and expenses of the association.

It’s all good…and certainly nothing that should “scare you” when you look at these documents. When you live in close proximity to your neighbors, and share common things (walls, hallways, club rooms, etc.) you need to have “rules of the road”  to guide everyone!

Thom Abbott

Associate Broker, REALTOR(R)
905 Juniper Street, NE Suite 110
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
770.713.1505 Direct
404.876.4901 Office

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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