by Donald Herman

Created on: April 24, 2009   Last Updated: May 14, 2009

Atlanta is more than the home of Coca-Cola; it is a city with its own effervescence and enjoyment. Its aquarium is one of the finest in the country and is also home to major sporting events, both professional and collegiate. It has a vibrant downtown as well as highly developed suburban centers, such as Buckhead. Atlanta has always been one of the most livable cities in the nation (see cityculture.org as an example) with local residents rating the city an average of 3+ (on a rating scale of 1 - 5) in most categories. The city's drawbacks have been the cost of housing and some food products, especially beef products, although that can be greatly reduced by shopping at many of the ethnic markets. The other negative is also being greatly reduced by the nation's falling housing valuations and the lowest mortgage rates in decades.

The old adage of location, location, location is certainly in play here given that Georgia is high on the nations list of foreclosures; Atlanta ranked 35th in major metropolitan areas and the state in 8th place nationally. [Sources Realty Trac and the Atlanta Business Chronicle]. The plus is that the rates are slowing and that a turn around in valuation is on the horizon. This is contrary to the national picture where valuations are still falling. The sum is that, now is a good time to buy real estate in the Atlanta, metro area. One such area is Alpharetta, Georgia.

Alpharetta is an affluent area north of the city that has traditionally been home to some pricey real estate. It has million dollar homes amid equestrian centers (Wills Park for example boasts a 298 stall facility) and its own enclaves of shopping. Plazas, outlets and a mall are all easily accessible in the area, as are the major centers of Atlanta and Buckhead, via the Georgia 400 freeway. The homes are generally located in developments that ensure secure standards of home design and amenities. Many homes are discounted in the range of 70% of prior valuations and the selection is broad based. Most developments offer internal recreational opportunities so that, additional athletic costs are minimized. The Triple Crown development is an example of this which boasts, not only the standard recreational center and tennis courts but its own fishing area as well. One glaring example of value, within the development, is found at 555 Arcaro drive with a 5 bedroom 5 1/2 bath home for under $780,000.

There are many examples of values throughout the area and many realtors eager to serve you. It is suggested that this is the proper way to go rather than seeking foreclosure properties. Many owners are forced into "short sales", due to a variety of financial circumstances, and the devalued homes are available with out the delays and red tape involved in foreclosures. True value is available in the area, and with valuations on an apparent upswing, it has positive investment potential.

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