Poncey-Highland (30306): If you have a strong desire to live in a walkable neighborhood, you should search in this location for your next home purchase

An Atlanta Landmark: The Majestic Diner on Ponce de Leon, right at Highland Avenue

Many home buyers have a strong appreciation for being able to walk to the park, a cup of coffee, a quick bite to eat, or night on the town within short distance from their front door.  Those currently in or relocating to Atlanta are no different.  According to rankings by Walk Score, Poncey-Highlands happens to be one of the most walkable Atlanta intown neighborhoods and is designated a "Walker's Paradise" with a score of 93 points out of a possible 100. 

The Walk Score is a web based interface (www.walkscore.com) that allows you to plug in an address and receive an instant evaluation of how “walkable” the neighborhood is, or how easy it is for residents and visitors to conduct their daily business without cranking up a car (high score = very walkable). 

The Walk Score judges walkability by assessing whether (a) the neighborhood has workplaces, restaurants, shopping, civic and public spaces, parks, and public transit stations within walking distance as well as (b) a variety of characteristics that make the walk safe and easy.  For more detail on Walk Score criteria, see http://atlanta.homespace.com/2010/01/18/WalkScore.

Although Atlanta does not rank that high relative to many of the largest cities in the US (#22 of the 40 largest cities), there are still some very walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta.  And, if you agree with Walk Score's assessment, Poncey-Highland ranks among the top ten percentile in terms of walkability.

Where exactly is Poncey-Highland?  It is a neighborhood slightly northeast of Downtown Atlanta and just south of popular Virginia-Highlands.  Poncey-Highland is bound on the north by Ponce de Leon Avenue, south by Ralph McGill Avenue,  east by Moreland Avenue, and extends just west of Freedom Parkway.

Why does Poncey-Highland rate so high with Walk Score?

• Regular and frequent public transportation available via MARTA bus;


• Five different grocery stores within a one-mile walk of most residences in the neighborhood:  Trader Joe's Midtown, Whole Foods Midtown, Kroger on Ponce, Publix on Ponce, and Sevenanda, a co-op farmer's market in Little Five Points;


• A bevy of restaurants and bars, coffee shops, bookstores, retail boutiques, and services located well within 0.5 miles walking distance - either within the neighborhood boundaries or located in the adjacent Little Five Points neighborhood;


• Cultural and civic assets abound with an Atlanta Public Library branch, Jimmy Carter Presidential Library, the Plaza Theater (an independent theater), Freedom Park and other smaller parks located within the neighborhood and and many small music and performance venues in adjacent Little Five Points;


• Four Atlanta City Public schools within one-mile walking distance of the neighborhood, as is the well-known private school Paideia;


• Sidewalks and pedestrian walk signs at traffic signals throughout the neighborhood. 

The Walk Score is an innovative and useful tool, but one of many that should be used when conducting due diligence for your home purchase in Atlanta

Walk Score (www.walkscore.com) recently released their walkability assessment rankings for the forty largest US cities and rankings for individual neighborhoods within them.  The Walk Score is a web based interface that allows you to plug in an address and receive an instant evaluation of how “walkable” the neighborhood is, or how conducive a neighborhood is to reducing or eliminating the need for a car (high score = very walkable). 

 

Many home buyers in Atlanta area interested in finding a home that puts them within walking distance of parks, shopping, dining, public transit, and work. One way to scout out such neighborhood is to use the Walk Score rankings of Atlanta neighborhoods.  But, while the scoring and ranking provided by Walk Score is helpful, it is also somewhat limited and can be slightly misleading if solely relied upon.

 

For an illustrative example, consider the highest ranking Atlanta neighborhood, Five Points (different than Little Five Points) with a walk score equal to 95 of 100. 

 

The Walk Score scoring system does not do a perfect job of accurately assessing the items it evaluates

While most points awarded to Five Points are legitimate, deeper investigation of points ferret out those points that should not have been awarded.  The neighborhood does and should achieve high points for having within one mile of the neighborhood center: five MARTA transit stations, multiple restaurants, cultural resources and parks and Georgia State University close by.  However, the neighborhood also receives high points for numerous grocers, but all of the nearby of grocers – with the exception of Sweet Auburn Curb Market, a true farmer’s market – are down-trodden convenience stores with little to no selection and very limited fresh food choices.  The Walk Score scoring system picks up a large number of retailers within a one-mile area of Five Points, but it has no way to factor in an assessment for quality/ desirability of retailers or the streetscape created by store fronts.

 

The Walk Score does not include all important ‘walkability’ factors

Walk Score does not include into its calculation important measures that affect the comfort and safety of choosing foot over car like crime, perception, and blight.  The Five Points area has always had a somewhat challenged perception in Atlanta.  Among existing negative perceptions are high crime and dilapidated real estate.

 Crime

High crime in the Five Points area is both perception and fact.  Using crime statistics (http://www.crimereports.com)  for the past thirty days (mid-December 2009 through mid-January 2010), the Five Points zip code (30303) accounted for approximately 17% of all crime in the City of Atlanta.  In comparison, the Five Points zip code accounts for less than 1% of the population of the City of Atlanta (US Census).  Therefore, this area is capturing more than 17 times it fair share of crime.  Certainly such a disproportionately higher than average crime rate significantly and adversely impacts the area’s conduciveness to a car-free or car-reduced lifestyle.

 

Conclusion:  Walk Score is a helpful tool, but just one of many

Five Points should not necessarily be struck from a potential location list, but it just will likely not be for all prospective buyers the slam dunk, A+ location that the “Walker’s Paradise” designation and highest walk score in Atlanta infer.  The Walk Score is a useful tool, but one of many that should be used when conducting due diligence for your home purchase.  Scores should not be taken on face value, and a little clicking around will help inform whether the score is flawed or correct.  Using a crime statistics website to will help round out online research.  Finally, an invaluable resource is a knowledgeable realtor that has great experience in the local market and has taken the time to understand personal decision criteria.

If it is important to have dining, shopping, and services for day-to-day living within walking distance of your home, use the “Walk Score” to help find the perfect Atlanta neighborhood for your next home purchase

One advantage of living within a major metropolitan area is having a bevy of amenities – great in volume and variety – within a short distance of your home and work place. Many home buyers, and particularly urbanites, have a deep appreciation for and seek a home that offers cultural amenities, parks, a cup of coffee, a quick bite to eat, a more upscale bite to eat, services like dry cleaning, convenience goods, and other shopping options within a short walk of their front door. 

 

Home buyers in Atlanta are no exception.  But, Atlanta is a big city with hundreds of neighborhoods.  Walk Score, www.walkscore.com, is a great tool for prospective home buyers that are:

• New to Atlanta;


• Less familiar with particular areas; or


• Seeking more ground level intelligence and like to research.

 

The Walk Score is a web based interface (www.walkscore.com) that allows you to plug in an address and receive an instant evaluation of how “walkable” the neighborhood is, or how conducive a neighborhood is to reducing or eliminating the need for a car (high score = very walkable).  The Walk Score uses the following criteria to assess a neighborhood:

• Does the neighborhood have a center, or a central gathering place it that helps make it a destination or define its character (e.g., a shopping district, a main street, civic space, or other public space such as a park)?


• Does the neighborhood have good access to regular public transit and several businesses within it?


• Are streets and building placement pedestrian-friendly, e.g., can employees walk to work without fear of getting run over a car?


• Are workplaces within a close enough distance to workers so that a commute on foot or public transit reasonable? 


• Are schools within close enough proximity that children can walk from home?


• Are streets well connected, have a deliberately-controlled moderate speed, and accommodating to everyone in the neighborhood, regardless of physical challenges and mode of transportation?

 

Although Atlanta does not rank that high relative to many of the largest cities in the US (#22 of the 40 largest cities), there are still some very walkable neighborhoods in Atlanta.

For instance, Poncey-Highland receives a 93 out of 100 score for the number of eclectic restaurants, boutiques, grocers, and park spaces within the neighborhood. Midtown Atlanta, a hub of employment, new residential condo buildings, swank restaurants and bars, received a score of 85 out of 100.  Click here for the complete list: http://www.walkscore.com/rankings/Atlanta.

Huff Road: Offering new luxury townhomes and apartments in Atlanta’s emerging industrial-chic West Midtown

[caption id="attachment_214" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Huff Heights - Luxury Townhomes in West Midtown by Brock Built"][/caption]

Atlanta’s West Midtown District is a formerly industrial district located north of Georgia Tech along and emanating west and north from the intersection at Howell Mill Road and Marietta Road. This area has been an epicenter of redevelopment and rehabilitation, spurred in part by the redevelopment of Atlantic Steel Mill into what is now know as Atlantic Station on east eastern boundary.  Today, the area is home to an eclectic mix of creative light industrial skilled trade outlets, furniture and fabric stores, and some of the most popular and acclaimed restaurants in Atlanta like the affordable Taqueria del Sol and Figo, to gourmet ingredients at Star Provisions, five-star dining at Bacchanalia, and the new farm-to-table concept Miller Union.

Huff Road has received some significant redevelopment activity, starting first with interior design, furniture, and fabric retailers locating on the street.  New residential development has followed, and two new major projects have recently been delivered.

Apex West Midtown (http://www.perennialproperties.net/index.php/site/apartments/apex_west_midtown/) is a luxury apartment complex on Huff Road developed by Perennial Properties offering 340 units.  Still not fully complete, Apex West provides an opportunity to live in a brand new apartment, with rents ranging from $780 for a studio apartment to $1,560 for a three bedroom floor plan.  Units boast the latest finishes with hardwood floors, granite countertops, espresso finish cabinets, and roman tubs.  Retail will fill most of the street level and include a trendy hair salon and a new location of a well known Atlanta pub and restaurant, Corner Tavern.  Other community amenities include an outdoor movie theater, a social courtyard with resort style pool, a cyber lounge, billiards, and trash valet.

Huff Heights is another of the latest developments in the West Midtown District (http://www.brockbuilt.com/community_details.php?comm_id=17). Huff Heights is an enclave of twenty-eight luxury townhomes on Huff Road, directly next to Apex West.  Developed by award winning Atlanta area builder and developer Brock Built, the townhomes sit at a high elevation and, complete with a rooftop terrace, offer superb city sky line views of Midtown, Buckhead, and Downtown.

Brock Built has priced these homes to move, discounting the original list price as much as $165,000 off of the original list price.  Newly constructed townhomes at Huff Heights now range from $245,000 - $565,000 for 3 bedroom, 3.5 bath home. In addition to the rooftop terraces with covered kitchenettes, homes boast brick exteriors, granite countertops, stainless appliances, Milan cabinetry, hardwood floors, floating staircases, separate shower and tub, and designer light fixtures and faucets.

A Virtual Tour of Atlantic Station in Atlanta, GA: An Opportunity to Work, Play, and Take Advantage of Foreclosures

Atlantic Station (www.atlanticstation.com) is a mixed-use development north of Georgia Tech and west of Interstates 75 and 85 (the Downtown Connector) featuring millions of square feet of retail, residences, office, restaurants, entertainment and hospitality space.  Named for the Atlantic Steel Mill that used to occupy the 138-acre site, Atlantic Station is now anchored by The District, which is bound by 20^th Street on the north, 17th Street on the south, the Downtown Connector on the east, and State Street on the west.  The District features an integration of:  

• Shopping with major tenants like Dillards, Target, Publix, H&M, Old Navy, Banana Republic and many other nationally-recognized and locally-owned retailers;


• Dining choices including the upscale Mexican restaurant Rosa Mexicana and Here to Serve Restaurant Group’s Strip;


• Entertainment options from the 16-screen Regal Cinema to upscale bowling at Ten Pin Alley;


• Living with condo residences above and adjacent to retail;


• Work environment in the three high-rise towers located across the street from retail;


• Ample open green space with over 11 acres of parks; and


• Hospitality on the western edge of The District.

   

In addition to condo units located within The District, the full gamut of housing options at Atlantic Station will comprise a total 5,000 residential units at build-out:  lofts, standard condos, luxury condos, apartments, townhomes, single-family homes.  Some of the first homes at Atlantic Station were delivered in 2002 and new homes still are underconstruction.  

For more information on some of the current foreclosure deals at Atlantic Station, please click the following link: http://ericamchampion.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/atlanticstation/  

 

[caption id="attachment_169" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Atlantic Station's The District"][/caption]

  

Twelve Hotel & Residences at Atlantic Station

 

The Atlantic (Luxury Condominium Building) at Atlantic Station

 

Target at Atlantic Station

 

Publix at Atlantic Station

 

Millenium Gate at Atlantic Station

 

The Park District at Atlantic Station

 

Atlantic Station Park

 

Multi-Family at Atlantic Station

 

Multi-Family at Atlantic Station

 

Townhomes at Atlantic Station

 

Single-Family Home at Atlantic Station

 

Single-Family Home at Atlantic Station

 

Residential District at Atlantic Station

 

Atlantic Station in Atlanta, GA: Work, Play, and Take Advantage of Foreclosures

 

Atlantic Station's The District

[caption id="attachment_166" align="alignnone" width="234" caption="Twelve Hotel & Residences at Atlantic Station"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_179" align="alignnone" width="293" caption="Townhomes at Atlantic Station"][/caption]

 

 

Atlantic Station (www.atlanticstation.com) is a mixed-use development north of Georgia Tech and west of Interstates 75 and 85 featuring millions of square feet of retail, residences, office, restaurants, entertainment and hospitality space. Named for the Atlantic Steel Mill that used to occupy the 138-acre site, the scale of Atlantic Station has warranted the designation of its own zip code by the USPS: 30363 (“Cracking the Zip Code of Atlanta Cool,” Atlanta Constitution Journal, April 25, 2008).

Real estate at Atlantic Station has been on a bit of a roller coaster ride since sales commenced, translating into substantial discounts and advantageous pricing for buyers in the market today relative to original pricing at the project. Trulia (www.trulia.com) indicates that prices peaked early 2007 at a median home sales price of $356,000. Prices have since dropped $100,000 to a median sales price of $256,000 in early 2009. A closer look at current listings, recent sales, and property records confirms the story told by the data.

• Twelve Hotel & Residences is a high-rise condo and hotel tower offering luxury amenities and unit finishes. Currently units at Twelve are listed and selling for less than 50% of the original sales price. (Based on data from the Fulton County Tax Assessor.   A recent transaction closed in June 2009 for $115,000 on a unit that originally sold in 2004 for $240,000. Similarly, a unit currently priced at $115,000 sold for $240,000 in 2006.


• The Element, a mid-rise condominium building, offers roughly 325 units and luxury amenities (www.elementatlanta.com). Element condos still have not sold out, despite creative sales tactics by the developer, including an auction that sold 40 units in just 90 minutes (“Bargain hunters snap up condos at auction,” The Atlanta Journal Constitution, February 28, 2009).  The developer is currently offering “auction pricing without the auction,” with a 35% price adjustment on four new units.  A two-bedroom, two bathroom condo foreclosure sold in April 2009 for $172,000 – more than $100,000 below the original $280,000 sale price in 2007. (Based on data from the Fulton County Tax Assessor.)


• Townhomes are now were selling for as much as 60% below list price. A two-bedroom, 2.5 bathroom townhome sold in October 2009 for $155,000, 63% below the $415,000 original 2006 sale price. (Based on data from the Fulton County Tax Assessor.) Another townhome originally sold for $535,000 in 2006 resold in August 2009 for $240,000, 55% below the original purchase price. Several similar townhomes are currently listed for $155,000 to mid-$200,000.


• Other condominium foreclosures in other projects at Atlantic Station are listed as low as $55,000 for a one-bedroom, one bath.

For buyers unsure of their appetite for urban mixed-use environment, there are many highly-amenitized apartment communities within Atlantic Station for prospective buyers to choose from before committing to a purchase. Rents are from $1,100 a month (www.atlanticstationapartments.com).

For a virtual tour of Atlantic Station, please click the following link: http://ericamchampion.wordpress.com/2009/12/10/atlanticstationvirtualtour/

Glenwood Park: A Visual Tour of a Green New Home Community in East Atlanta

Glenwood Park offers a new home option for the sophisticated urbanite seeking an environmentally-sensitive community that feels removed from the hustle and bustle of downtown, but still has an intown location and restaurants, retail boutiques within walking distance from their residence. 

 

Glenwood Park features a variety of home types (condos, townhomes, cottages, and estates) to appeal to broad range of buyers with different lifestages and lifestyles.  The community achieves an urban safe haven feel by integrating the different types of housing and constructing single-family homes relatively close together (also known as small lot single-family homes).

 

All homes are 100% EarthCraft Certified, which is a certification that ensures a new home was built to high quality and eco-friendly standards.  The community also boasts several green features to reduce resource (e.g., water and energy) usage.

 

Glenwood Park is anchored by a Town Center that includes restaurants, retail boutiques, a coffee shop, a gym, and professional offices.  Whether day or night, residents and non-residents can walk to and enjoy the establishments in Glenwood Park Town Center.

 

Located in East Atlanta, Glenwood Park is just two miles from downtown Atlanta, directly off of Interstate 20 east of the Downtown Connector (Interstates 75 & 85).

 

 

 

Glenwood Park Single-Family Homes

 

 

[caption id="attachment_87" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Glenwood Park Custom Victorian-Style Estate"][/caption]

Glenwood Park Custom Estate

[caption id="attachment_88" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Glenwood Park Custom Estate"][/caption]

 Glenwood Park Attached Homes

Glenwood Park Townhomes

Glenwood Park - A Variety of Home Types: Condos, Townhomes, and Single-Family Cottages & Estates

 

Glenwood Park Town Center:  Day & Night

Glenwood Park Town Center - Drip Coffee House

Glenwood Park Town Center - Matador Restaurant

Glenwood Park Town Center - Vickery's Bar & Grill

Click on the following link for more information on Glenwood Park: http://ericamchampion.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/glenwoodpark