Suwanee Town Center: North Atlanta bedroom community that focuses on resident well-being and offers a variety of home types

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Situated in north Gwinnett County approximately 30 miles northeast from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta Central Business District (CBD), Suwanee is a true bedroom community of Atlanta.  Over the past five years, the community has been a magnet for professional families because of its excellent school system, eco-friendly tendencies, and overall family-oriented feel of the development.  The tagline for Suwanee  communicates the community's focus on resident happieness and well-being:  "Play Hard, Live Well, Smile More."

The town center, a 63-acre mixed-use development, anchors the City of Suwanee.  The town center includes a 10-acre park and amphitheater, City Hall, and a number of restaurants, boutiques, professional and medical services, and residences.  The vision and development of town center commenced in 2002, and today it is a vibrant and widely used amenity by families - residents and visitors alike.  Events such as the summer concert series have attracted more than 15,000 visitors.

Forty acres of residential development - Shadowbrook at Suwanee Town Center - is also key component of the town center.  At build-out, the town center will boast 85 single-family homes and 147 townhome and condo units.  The neo-traditional style homes borrow features from historic forms and styles and utilize materials such siding and brick.  Resale listings indicate current townhome pricing from $199,000 to $240,000 and single-family pricing from $260,000 to $280,000.

Suwanee is helping to lead the effort for more sustainable and eco-conscious practices in the Atlanta area. In addition to many green policies adopted to ensure more energy-efficient and environmentally smart government operations (e.g., prohibiting idling of city vehicles when not actively transporting from one location to another), City Hall was the second LEED-certified public building in Gwinnett County.   

Suwanee is widely acclaimed for its outstanding development and revitalization efforts.  Suwanee has been designated a Community of Excellence, Mainstreet Community, and member of Green Communities Program.

(Source:  www.suwanee.com)

Historic Downtown Norcross: Another example of a social, walkable neighborhood to consider for home purchase in Atlanta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Downtown Norcross is located about 20 miles northeast of Downtown Atlanta in Gwinnett County.  While much of the development along Buford Highway is sprawling strip centers and subdivisions, Historic Norcross is a pedestrian-friendly haven of parks and small, independent boutiques, professional services, restaurants, and taverns that are easy to enjoy on foot and cannot be found in larger, formulaic shopping centers prevalent outside of the Perimeter (Interstate 285). 

The outstanding preservation and charm of Historic Downtown Norcross today is the manifestation of many years of efforts by the city to improve Downtown.  Primary revitalization efforts have occurred since 2002.  Downtown now thrives with businesses and numerous events to bring the citizens of Norcross together for the summer concert series, farmer's market, and approximately 10-15 other special, free events for the area residents.

New and historic homes that remain true to the architectural style of yester-year surround Downtown Norcross. Victorian homes and bungalows alike add to the charm of the Downtown area and provide a home location that offer walking distance proximity to Downtown amenities - restaurants, shops, and parks in Downtown Norcross.

Virtual Tour of Atlanta Metro Area's Historic Norcross: Downtown businesses and homes

Downtown Norcross is located about 20 miles northeast of Downtown Atlanta in Gwinnett County.  While much of the development along Buford Highway is sprawling strip centers and subdivisions, Historic Norcross is a pedestrian-friendly haven of parks and small, independent boutiques, professional services, restaurants, and taverns that are easy to enjoy on foot and cannot be found in larger, formulaic shopping centers prevalent outside of the Perimeter (Interstate 285). 

Restaurants, Services, & Streetscapes of Historic Downtown Norcross















Cultural & Civic Assets in Downtown Norcross:  Churches, Parks, Art Centers









New & Historic Homes Reflect the Architectural Styles of Yester-Year





(New Construction Home in Downtown Norcross)



(Historic Victorian Home in Downtown Norcross)

Suwanee Town Center: A virtual tour of a North Atlanta community town center and homes

Situated in north Gwinnett County approximately 30 miles northeast from the hustle and bustle of Atlanta Central Business District (CBD), Suwanee is a true bedroom community of Atlanta.  Over the past five years, the community has been a magnet for professional families because of its excellent school system, eco-friendly tendencies, and overall family-oriented feel of the development.  The tagline for Suwanee  communicates the community's focus on resident happieness and well-being:  "Play Hard, Live Well, Smile More."

The town center, a 63-acre mixed-use development, anchors the City of Suwanee.  The town center includes a 10-acre park and amphitheater, City Hall, and a number of restaurants, boutiques, professional and medical services, and residences.  The vision and development of town center commenced in 2002, and today it is a vibrant and widely used amenity by families - residents and visitors alike.  Events such as the summer concert series have attracted more than 15,000 visitors.

(Source:  www.suwanee.com)

Shadowbrook at Suwanee Town Center:  40 acres of condos, townhomes, and single-family residences tat are within the Suwanee Town Center.

Current townhome resale listings are priced from $199,000 and single-family listings are priced from $260,000.

 











 

Suwanee's City Hall (located in the Town Center): the second public building in Gwinnett County to gain LEED certification.

 

Boutiques, Restaurants, and Professional Services populate the Town Center











 



Town Center's Amphitheater and Town Green:  The location of most events for residents and visitors hosted by the City of Suwanee including the farmer's market and summer concert series.

M West: Special home purchase pricing on funky new construction loft townhomes in industrial-chic West Midtown Atlanta

M West (www.mwesthomes.com) offers one of the few truly unique concepts in Atlanta development, the loft townhome, with a community and unit design that is as funky, industrial chic as the West Midtown neighborhood where it is located. 

Another victim of unfortunate market timing, M West is currently offering discount pricing of $36,000 (or 10% - 15% off of list price) on their townhomes to encourage the sale of new construction inventory.  All one-bedroom townhomes have been sold, but two-bedroom units are still available from $225,000 and three-bedroom units are offered from $341,000.  An investigation into the foreclosure count at this project rendered only one unit(1/27/2010); however, more may come.  The price on the one foreclosure is quite advantageous - $207,000 for a three bedroom unit, 40% below the new three bedroom unit list price.

An explanation of the loft townhome concept

The loft townhome, as executed by M West, is a townhome that truly functions as a loft-style space and features characteristics that are widely recognized as loft attributes: 

• Double height ceilings are in excess of 15';


• Industrial-feel metal stair cases that lead to multiple living levels (most floor plans are three stories);


• Living/ working spaces (dens) are open and lofted with railing that provides a view down to the level below;


• Stained and sealed concrete floors on the lowest living level;


• Unique and non-conventional space configuration with undefined roooms in open flowing floor plans; and


• Floor-to-ceiling windows.

Uniqueness Aside, Modern and Luxury Appointments Abound

When development of M West commenced, it was competing with a glut of new projects luxury projects targeting young professional buyers.  As such, the homes feature the luxury appointments that young professional buyers were demanding in the gilded era of 2004 to 2008: 

• Stainless steel appliances;


• Designer wood cabinets;


• Granite counter tops with designer fixtures in kitchen and bathroom;


• Over-sized tubs;


• Hardwood floors stained on-site;


• 2-car garages (one floor plan offers only a one-car garage); and


• Outdoor living space in the form of patio, balcony or roof-top terrace.

Community amenities include a swimming pool with a barbecue pit, fitness center, community clubhouse, 10-acre permanent nature preserve with trails, and a "bark park" dog park with a leash-free run.

Community Overview and Development History

Development of the new townhome community M West in West Midtown began in 2004 by Winter Construction, a well-known Atlanta developer that specializes in infill and redevelopment projects. 

M West is located just a few miles west of the heart of Midtown at Ellisworth and Marietta.  It is situated on a 22-acre site that was a former lumberyard.  The new townhome project is in the good company of many redevelopment efforts in the West Midtown Area that could be considered bound by Atlantic Station on the northeast, 10th street and Marietta on the southeast and Howell Mill on the western edge. 

For more information about West Midtown communities, see my other blogs about Atlantic Station and Huff Road.

Little Five Points ("L5P") Neighborhood: A virtual tour of the urban amenities that could be within a short walk of your front door if you purchase a home here

Little Five Points ("L5P") is an intown neighborhood that is centered on Moreland Avenue, bound on the north by the Poncey-Highland neighborhood and Freedom Parkway and on the south by Reynoldstown and Dekalb Avenue.  Little Five Points has an edgy, artsy vibe with a character defined by a wide variety of locally-owned restaurants and bars, live music venues, unique vintage and new clothing and merchandise boutiques, and more. 

 

If you are searching for a home in Little Five Points, it is officially considered Inman Park (west side of Moreland) and Candler Park (east side of Moreland).  Home values in Candler Park are down approximately 6% from 2008 to an average of $300,500 (according to zillow.com). Home values in Inman Park are down 9.5% from 2008 to an average value of $287,500.

 

[caption id="attachment_273" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Infamous Junkman's Daughter Merchandise Store in Little Five Points"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_272" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Front Page News in Little Five Points"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_271" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Assortment of Boutiques Selling Vintage and New Merchandise at the Corner of Euclid and Moreland in Little Five Points"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_269" align="aligncenter" width="449" caption="Tijuana Garage in Little Five"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_268" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Brewhouse Cafe in Little Five Points"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_267" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Little Five Points Starbucks"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_276" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Variety of Boutiques in Little Five Points"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_275" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Star Bar in Little Five Points"][/caption]

 

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Psycho Sisters Boutique in Little Five Points"][/caption]

Atlanta Home Buyers: There is still time to take advantage of the $14,000 incentive for foreclosure home purchases through the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program

 

The Georgia Department of Community Affairs is currently offering a $14,000  incentive for purchasing a foreclosure home through the Georgia Dream Homeownership Program.  The program is targeted at reducing the inventory of foreclosure homes in counties were foreclosure levels have been severely elevated.  The foreclosure property must be located in counties that have been selected for the program - Counties of Need - because of the large volume of foreclosure properties.    The $14,000 may be used either for necessary repairs to the property or may be applied towards the mortgage down payment. This is not a first-time buyer program, previous homeowners also qualify.

All Atlanta area counties are included in the program, so any homebuyer in the Atlanta market could potentially qualify for this program.  The program commenced in April 2009, but prospective buyers still have six months to take advantage of the program until it ends in July 2010.   Buyers must qualify against a number of criteria.  However, the most significant criteria is the income limits by county because it is a HUD-funded program administered by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.

Program specifics

• The property purchased must be a foreclosure property located within the designated counties of need (all Atlanta metro counties qualify);


• Short-sales or homes in pre-foreclosure do not qualify;


• Home buyers must have an annual income within the defined income limits (for a table of income limits: http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/Homeownership/programs/downloads/NSPIncomeLimits.pdf); generally an annual income of less than $69,000 for a two-person household and less than $86,000 for a four-person household in the Atlanta area;


• Home buyers must attend at least eight live (in-person) hours of homebuyer counseling and education from a list of approved providers;


• A home buyer may also qualify for the US First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit; however, they may not receive other forms of down payment assistance nor may they use the tax credit towards a down payment;


• The mortgage will be originated and held by a private lending institution;


• Currently 13 mortgage companies or lenders participate in underwriting mortgages for this program;


• A buyer must stay within the home purchased under this program for at more than five years, because a lien placed on the home for this program is not released until sixty-six months after the closing date.

 

For more information, see:

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/Homeownership/programs/gadreamnspdownpayment.asp

Poncey-Highland (30306): A virtual tour of an Atlanta neighborhood you should consider if you would like to purchase a home in a walkable location

 

  

A wide variety of home types are available in Poncy-Highland:  New and old, townhomes, condos, historic bungalows

 

 

[caption id="attachment_248" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Condos in Poncey-Highland Located on Moreland Avenue, Backing up to Freedom Park"][/caption]

     

Condos on Ponce de Leon Avenue in Poncey-Highland

    

Townhomes on Freedom Park in Poncey-Highland

     

Estate in Poncey-Highland

    

 

 

 

 

A true mix of restaurant types and Atlanta institutions characterize the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood 

    

Highland Inn, a Bed & Breakfast, and Other Restaurants on Highland Avenue

Restaurants on Highland Avenue, between Ponce de Leon and North Avenues

    

La Fonda Restaurant in Poncey-Highland

    

J Christopher and Java Jive, two Institutions of Atlanta Breakfast, in Poncey-Highland

    

Freedom Park - An expansive greenbelt park that runs through Poncey-Highlan, extending to Old Fourth Ward         

 

 

 

 

        

[caption id="attachment_250" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption="Freedom Park in Poncey-Highland"][/caption]

     

[caption id="attachment_251" align="aligncenter" width="450" caption=" "][/caption]