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April/May 2006

Explorations in Real Estate
The Housing Option Hunt
by Amanda K. Brown

A dog in the yard.

A room with a view.

A child on the way.

A love of the game.

When considering where to live in Atlanta, your lifestyle, your needs, your desires, your family, your job, your child's school-all these factors and more come into consideration. Luckily, Atlanta's housing market offers something for everyone, but only you can know which "something" is right for you. To help, here are some of the city's most popular housing options, along with examples of hot properties within each category-who knows, one of them could be the missing piece to your real estate puzzle!

Paces 325 interior with views of Buckhead.
Condominiums
After a long week at the office, you may dread the thought of the obligatory weekend yard work. If so, owning a condominium may be the answer for you. A plethora of available condominium options meet the needs of everyone from singles to empty nesters.

A detail about condominiums that often needs clarifying is that a condo is a type of ownership, not a form of real estate. In a condominium development, a condo usually encompasses a single, apartment-style unit within a building containing many other units. The owners of these units share ownership of the property, common areas and building together, excepting the interior of the unit to which they have the title. Often, owners must pay monthly Homeowners Association (HOA) fees to help maintain shared spaces.

Convenience provides a major advantage to this type of ownership. Amenities such as a pool, tennis courts and a gym are right at your fingertips. Also, hotel-like services such as a 24-hour concierge, multimedia rooms, stainless steel appliances and magnificent views of the city are commonly found in the many of the high-rise luxury condominiums popping up around town. However, these extras do come with a price-high-rise HOA fees are often higher than traditional garden-style or low-rise condos.

The high-rise building of Realm.
Condos on the Rise:

Decatur Renaissance Condominiums
230 East Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur
404-378-8180, www.decaturrenaissance.com
Within walking distance to the Decatur Square, this development offers gourmet kitchens and a yoga room.

Paces 325
325 East Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta
404-846-8844, www.paces325.com
Buckhead views highlight this high-rise condo featuring one- and two-bedroom floorplans.

Realm
3330 Piedmont Rd., Atlanta
404-961-7999, www.realmcondos.com
Hardwood floors and luxury amenities abound at this high-rise Novare Group development in Buckhead.

Townhomes
When an apartment-style condo isn't roomy enough for someone still looking to avoid home and yard maintenance, townhomes provide the perfect solution. Sometimes called "row houses," townhomes are typically two or three stories tall and are attached by a common wall to at least one other unit.

Also, townhomes owners have direct access to the outdoors, often an advantage to people with pets or children. While townhomes are, in general, smaller than single-family homes, some townhome developments offer small yards and garages, allowing for a little more personal space than a condo. Townhome owners may or may not have to pay HOA fees, depending on the development and the amenities offered.

Trendy Townhomes:

Liberty Park
1041 Liberty Pkwy, Atlanta
404-351-0130, www.sharpresidential.com
A Sharp Residential gated community featuring three-story residences with garages.

Mosaic at Vinings
101 Mosaic Way, Smyrna
770-438-9340, www.mosaicliving.info
These townhomes near Smyrna's Jonquil Park entice with details such as gas fireplaces and garden tubs.

NorthGate at Ellard
Ellard Dr., Roswell
404-771-5628, www.johnwillishomes.com
A John Willis Homes community offering resort-style amenities and the use of a professional interior designer.

An artist's rendering of the Eco Lofts.
Lofts
A hipper, trendier variation on a condo, lofts have long been heralded for their sophisticated, artsy appeal. Traditionally, loft developments evolve from the conversion of existing commercial spaces, such as warehouses or factories, into residential spaces.

More than that, loft developments can serve a deeper purpose: by utilizing what's already there instead of tearing down and starting anew, lofts can spur an area's revitalization by preserving the architectural character and history of a city's aging industrial or commercial areas. In Atlanta, evidence of this phenomenon can be found in rejuvenated historic districts such as Castleberry Hill.

Exposed brick walls, high ceilings, exposed duct work, oversized windows and open-air floor plans with minimum room partitioning characterize traditional lofts. However, a variety of lofts exist in Atlanta, including "soft lofts"-new mid-rise projects with loft-style finishes to the units.

Lofty Ideas

ATL Lofts
371 17th Street, Atlanta
404-870-9900, www.atlofts.com
Rooftop lofts crowning six buildings in the heart of the Atlantic Station, with private patios and terraces.

Eco Lofts
3400 Malone Drive, Atlanta
770-936-6909, www.eco-lofts.com
An innovative development in Chamblee powered solely by 100 percent clean, renewable wind energy.

Fair & Walker Lofts
242 Peters Street, Atlanta
404-584-1992, www.fairandwalkerlofts.com
A loft project just a walk away from the live/work/play atmosphere of historic Castleberry Hill.

A BridgeMill estate.
Master-Planned Communities
As more and more people are moving into the quickly growing suburbs of the city, more and more master-planned communities are sprouting up in these formerly rural areas to support them.

These large-scale, mixed-use real estate developments generally follow a long term, comprehensive plan. The plan often includes phases of development in which one portion of the overall plan is implemented at a time. While most master-planned communities are comprised of traditional, single-family detached homes, some phases can also include other types of housing options such as townhomes. Typically, homebuyers can choose between a variety of floor plans within a wide range of prices.

These communities often make it worth the commuter's while to live outside the perimeter. A home within a master-planned community almost guarantees fresh air, more acreage and eye-popping country club-like amenities such as aquatic centers with multiple pools, miles of jogging trails, playgrounds and tennis, basketball and volleyball courts.

Master Plans

BridgeMill
3440 Sixes Rd., Canton
770-345-1888, www.bridgemill.com
A massive, 2,700-home golf and family club community along Lake Allatoona.

Creekstone Estates
Hwy. 141, Cumming
770-889-5545, www.phoenixlifestyles.com/creekstone
Families will love movie nights in the 8,000 sq. ft.-clubhouse and luxurious homes on large, wooded lots.

Grandview at Harmony on the Lakes
265 Harmony Lake Dr., Canton
678-493-4651, www.sharpresidential.com
This "TownPark" concept creates a sense of community with sidewalk-lined streets, an amphitheatre and bandstand.

Recreational Communities
Atlantans like to play as hard as they work, and what could be more appealing than the convenience of "playing" right in your own backyard? Developers across the city realize this, and have tailored communities to fit the needs of different niches of recreational interest.

For golf lovers, a number of link-laden developments featuring resort-quality, beautifully landscaped courses can be found in every corner of the Metro area. A clubhouse and pro shop are also usually par for the course.

Swim/tennis communities are quite common as well, complete with elaborate aquatic centers full of lazy rivers, Olympic-sized pools, kiddie pools, water slides and zero-entry pools. Developers have also taken into consideration the large number of recreational tennis leagues in the Metro area, and tennis amenities in these communities can include lighted tennis courts with stadium seating, clay courts and indoor facilities. Many communities employ certified tennis pros to provide assistance and to lead camps.

Love the freedom of a full-speed gallop? Equestrian communities cater to horse-lovers by offering everything one would need to get in the saddle, including handy stables, paddocks, hay barns and riding trails. Everything but the horse, that is.

Specialty Sites

Carmichael Farms
East Cherokee Dr. at Union Hill Rd., Holly Springs
404-794-5731, www.carmichaelfarmsga.com
Offers miles of riding trails, an equestrian center with a 25-stall stable, riding ring, paddocks and hay barn.

Preserve at Fieldstone
Drew Campground Rd., Cumming
770-781-8380, www.preserveatfieldstone.com
A Jim Cowart community boasting homes with custom-designed "outdoor rooms" such as summer kitchens and waterfall patios.

Heron Bay Golf & Country Club
3080 Heron Bay Blvd., Locust Grove
770-957-5633, www.heronbayinfo.com
Named the 2005 Community o f the Year by the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association.

Mixed-Use Developments
To save on fuel costs, many intowners rely on the convenience of mixed-use developments as a place to live, work and play. With retail and commercial units located on street level and residential units inhabiting the floors above, residents are within walking distance of essentials such as boutiques, groceries and restaurants. Also, these developments are usually located just a hop, skip and a jump away from other city amenities and entertainment venues.

TWELVE Atlantic Station rendering.
The types of residential units offered within a mixed-use property may vary, but usually include lofts, condos or apartments. Mixed-use hotels, on the other hand, allow homebuyers to purchase condominiums located in the same building as boutique-styled hotel suites. Owners of these condos receive access to amenities normally associated with a hotel, such as a 24-hour concierge service, room service and luxury shopping.

Live, Work, Play

One Ivy Walk
S. Atlanta Rd., Smyrna
770-805-8392, www.jwhomes.com
A John Wieland townhome development in Vinings featuring convenient on-site shopping.

Ponce Springs Lofts at Glen Iris
620 Glen Iris Dr. NE, Atlanta
404-733-6333, www.poncespringslofts.com
Here you have a choice of one- and two-bedroom lofts, or ground floor retail and live-work spaces.

TWELVE Atlantic Station
361 17th Street, Atlanta
404-961-8888, www.twelveatlanticstation.com
Residents reap the benefits of sharing their residence with a hotel, including room service and housekeeping.





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