YARN BOMBING in EAST ATLANTA

 

There have been explosions in East Atlanta you haven’t heard a peep about – very SOFT explosions, given, but colorful nonetheless.

The new trend there is YARN BOMBING bicycles.  Just go to the corner of Flat Shoals and Metropolitan and you’ll see what I mean.  Some are full on bombings, others feature just a little yarn shrapnel here and there.

Yarn bombing is the term given to a type of visual but nonpermanent graffiti accomplished with – you guessed it – yarn.  On a recent beautiful day I ate lunch at the Flatiron with a client following her inspection and personally observed the unique “art”.    The trend reportedly started in the Netherlands, spread to Texas, and from there – all over, including East Atlanta.  I haven’t seen it anywhere else in Atlanta yet, have you?

In other cities, the trend has included knit cozies encircling light poles, columns, and even trees.  Today in East Atlanta – bicycles.  Perhaps next, CNN Center?

Mary Anne Walser

Keller Williams Realty of Buckhead

#1 Individual Agent in 2012!

maryannesellshomes@gmail.com

404-277-2537

“The Art of the Highrise”

 

THE GALLERY

2795 Peachtree Road

In my visits to Buckhead highrises, I am charmed by the way Buckhead buildings work to distinguish themselves from one another.  We have so many highrises, but most of them are very different from one another in ways that are carefully planned by the architects, designers, and marketers for each property.

 
This week we take a look at The Gallery - which rises above Garden Hills on Peachtree right across from St. Phillips church and near Fellini’s Pizza.  It’s a newer tower wedged in front of the older building known as The Carlyle.  The Gallery was built in 2007, right before the severe market downturn – the building has done quite well given that unfortunate timing!

The motivation for the name was originally that the condo building would host many original and unique works of art.  Now the art is primarily confined to the lobby, clubroom and foyer areas (and of course the art gallery, also in the lobby), but with its soaring lines, glass exterior and triangulated balconies, the building itself is a work of art, designed by favored Atlanta architects Smallwood Reynolds Stewart and Associates and William T. Baker.

There are 200 homes here on 27 floors, nine homes to most floors.  Most of those homes are two bedroom homes, although there are one and three bedroom floorplans as well.  The top two floors are penthouse units – four per floor, and floors 24 and 25 are larger units with eight per floor.

The HOA dues are about 32 cents a square foot and include internet access.  The fourth floor has the pool, fitness room, clubhouse, tennis court and movie room – and there are two community outdoor living rooms, both with fireplaces.  There’s a dog walk area, but no wine cellar (which seems to be the amenity “du jour” these days, but I suppose the Gallery could always add a wine cellar if there’s a market for it).

There are quite a few Buckhead downsizers here and it is generally a social bunch, with happy hours at the club room the first Friday of every month.

In the past year and a half, two bedroom, two and half bath units have sold from $350,000 to $540,000.  There are currently seven units on the market from a one bedroom, two bath listed at $365,000 to a three bedroom, three bath unit listed at $795,000.  Call me if you have any interest in exploring The Gallery!

Mary Anne Walser

Keller Williams Realty of Buckhead
#1 Individual Agent in 2012!
maryannesellshomes@gmail.com
404-277-2537

NEIGHBORHOOD REAL ESTATE REPORTS

What’s going on with real estate in YOUR neighborhood?

I recently did a market report for the Mount Paran/Northside neighborhood – set forth below. I’m happy to do one for YOUR neighborhood or for your specific home if you’re interested. Just contact me at mwalser@kw.com.

The Atlanta real estate market in general is busting wide open.  Finally!  We are seeing properties which are well priced and in good condition move within days with multiple offers.  We have a lack of inventory, and lots of buyers.  We believe that the market will continue to improve.

But what does it look like specifically for OUR neighborhood, Mount Paran Northside?  Generally, our inventory is low, homes are moving faster (but primarily only if they are well priced and show well) and prices are rising. 

I took the precise boundaries of the association for my search, and here is a snapshot of our current real estate picture:

Right now there are 41 properties actively listed on the market in Mt Paran-Northside ranging in price from $579,000 to $7,995,000.  There are twelve homes that are under contract.  The list prices for those homes ranged from $499,999 to $2,395,000.  Since the first of this year, three homes have sold – at $845,000 (on market for 95 days, sold for 99% of original list price), $1,650,000 (173 days on market, sold for 94% of original list price) and $2,060,000 (on market for 120 days, sold for 84% of original list price).

 

 

 So, how does this compare to last year?  In all of last year, from 1/1/2012 through the end of December, 49 properties were sold, for an average of about four properties per month.  With fifteen homes either sold or under contract after the first two months of 2013, we are off to a good start!

Now let’s take a look at trends in MPNS since 2007.  It seems that we reached the bottom of our sales price slump in 2010 – things looked up in 2011 and hit lows again in 2012 – but we are clearly on an upward trend.  These graphs are a summary of ALL properties sold within our community boundaries from 2007 – present day.