The Buckhead Blog

City of Atlanta Residential Zoning Requirements

2018-01-19T15:58:00.000-05:00

Today I created a page on CarsonMatthews.com making it easy to reference the City of Atlanta Zoning Regulations. When residential lots come on the market the first thing I do is look at the plat to see the dimensions of the property. A quick check of the tax records will tell you what the property is zoned (R-2, R-2B, R-3, R-4 etc...). Take that zoning code and compare it to the graph below and you will know what restrictions are on the property. Some of the quick things I am looking for are minimum lot size, minimum frontage, and front/side/rear setbacks.

The diagrams below are intended for reference only. For complete regulations, please consult the Atlanta zoning ordinance online at www.Municode.com. Included are zoning minimum setbacks and lot requirements for R-1, R-2, R-2A, R-2B, R-3, R-3A, R-4, R-4A, R-4B, and R-5.

Check it out on my website http://www.carsonmatthews.com/resources/city-of-atlanta-zoning-regulations/

Thanks,

Carson Matthews
Dorsey Alston Realtors
678-595-9286
www.CarsonMatthews.com

Photograph - East Andrews Drive at West Paces Ferry Road

2015-02-10T21:23:00.001-05:00

Buckhead at Night

I got this picture tonight after picking up the boys at cotillion at the Swan Coach House. What you don't see in the foreground is all of the plumbing pipes coming out of the ground where construction is currently under way for the Camden Paces Apartments. In the immediate background is Smokebelly, a wonderful barbecue restaurant on East Andrews. The two towers in the background are the St Regis Hotel and Residences on the right and One Buckhead Plaza on the left.

View more pictures of Buckhead and Atlanta at www.CarsonMatthewsPhotography.com/PicturesofAtlanta

The Atlanta Classical Academy Debuts in Buckhead

2014-08-11T15:45:00.000-04:00

Today is day 1 for the new Atlanta Charter School, The Atlanta Classical Academy, located in Buckhead at the old Heiskell School campus. The Atlanta Classical Academy is open to all students in the Atlanta Public School district, and is a tuition free public school. It is a smaller school with just 54 children in each grade, starting out K-8th Grade, adding a grade each year until it is K-12.

As you can imagine this drew a lot of support from the local community, and quickly filled up through a lottery system. We were lucky enough to get one of our children into the school at the last minute. We found out just three weeks ago that our son got a spot at the Classical Academy after they decided to accept 54 students per grade instead of the original 50 students. He was previously on the waiting list along with another 1,000 students.

I have to say it was pretty scary jumping into something brand new, but we are so excited about this opportunity and the leadership they have at the school. The school has a brand new website with tons of info about their mission, the faculty and staff, and is a good resource if you want to learn more about charter schools and how they work.

We are equally as excited about the uniform that our son will be wearing each day! Here is Henry just before we left for school this morning. Collared shirt and khakis, yes please!

Here are a couple of pictures of the front of the Upper and Lower Schools

Learn more at www.AtlantaClassical.org

Carson Matthews

www.CarsonMatthews.com

Photographs of 4th of July Fireworks around Buckhead

2014-07-07T10:11:00.000-04:00

For the 4th of July fireworks we stayed away from the crowds and watched the Lenox fireworks from the North Fulton Golf Course in Chastain Park. Here are a couple of pictures from the night. The first was at sunset, the second is fireworks over the Buckhead skyline.

We were a lot closer the night before when Capital City did their fireworks show. Here are some pictures from July 3rd.

View all of the pictures I got at www.CarsonMatthewsPhotography.com/Photography/OntheStreets/

Atlanta Classical Academy Announces New Buckhead Location

2014-03-20T12:47:00.001-04:00

Today via email the Atlanta Classical Academy announced their long awaited school location to be the Heiskell School campus located at 3260 Northside Drive (the corner of Northside Drive and Moores Mill in Buckhead). Parents were alerted on February 25th of the results of the enrollment lottery, but the biggest question has been where the school would be located. Everyone I have spoken with is pretty excited about this announcement.

Earlier this week ACA announced that Dr. Terrence O. Moore would be the principal and Mr. Stephen P. Lambert will be the assistant principal. You can learn more about both of these gentlemen on the ACA website http://www.atlantaclassical.org/leadership/.

Here is a map of the campus.

Thanks,

Carson Matthews

Monday Morning Report – Buckhead Homes For Sale by Price

2014-03-17T15:38:00.001-04:00

From CarsonMatthews.com/Blog

Today on the Monday Morning Report I looked at where Buckhead homes that are actively listed by price point and compare that to where buyers are based on year to date sales and homes under contract. Click the link below to view the report on my website.

Monday Morning Report – Buckhead Homes For Sale by Price

Thanks,

Carson Matthews

Associate Broker/Realtor

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

www.CarsonMatthews.com

2013 Year End Buckhead Home Sales Report

2014-02-07T10:38:00.000-05:00

Originally posted on CarsonMatthews.com/Blog

Buckhead homes performed well in 2013 from every standpoint, including the number of homes sold, the average sales price, time on market, and the sales price to list price ratio. The top price range was $500,000 - $749,999 with 270 sales equaling 33% of the market, followed by the $1,000,000 plus market with 204 sales or 25% of the market.

The chart below shows how each price point performed and the average days on market for each.

As a whole Buckhead saw strong increases over 2012. The average sales price was up 7.5%, the days on market dropped 27.7%, and the total number of homes sold was up 14.1%.

The chart below breaks down the 2013 over 2012 Buckhead Home Sales comparison.

The full 2013 Year End Buckhead Home Sales Report can be seen on my website by following this link: http://www.carsonmatthews.com/2014/02/2013-buckhead-end-year-home-sales-report/

If you have any questions about this report, please leave them in the comments below or email me. If you are interested in knowing how your neighborhood performed, don’t hesitate to reach out. My contact information is below.

Thanks,

Carson Matthews

Associate Broker

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

www.CarsonMatthews.com

Contact Me

The Capital City Country Club Golf Course

2013-12-14T10:27:00.000-05:00

Last August I took this picture of the Capital City Country Club Golf Course in Brookhaven. It's really quite an amazing piece of property that was completely redesigned in 2008. The Capital City Club was organized in 1883, and the Country Club property was purchased in 1915. The Clubhouse seen in the back left was originally built in 1928. See more info on the Capital City Club at www.capitalcityclub.org.

The photo below is available for purchase at www.CarsonMatthewsPhotography.com

Crescent Howell Mill Development Begins Phase 1

2013-11-25T13:36:00.000-05:00

Crescent Howell Mill

Photo: Curbed Atlanta

Construction on Crescent Howell Mill broke ground and is the first piece of the 8-acre pie that will stretch across pieces of the land between Collier Rd & I-75. There are several parcels that will remain including McDonalds & Chick-fil-a. This first build out is a 5-story 256 unit apartment building that is slated to open Spring 2015. The first phase also includes 11,000 sq feet of stand alone retail and restaurant space.

Here is a description of the Crescent Howell Mill complex and apartments from a recent Buckhead

Streetview of Howell Mill Road

If you spend any time driving in this area you know that the google streetview picture above is not an accurate portrayal of everyday traffic. Before this project this area has always been jam packed with cars, and I can only imagine it will get worse unless they do some major upgrading to the roads, specifically Howell Mill Rd.

Photo: AtlantaIntownPaper

Satellite View of the Project Area

Here are several local articles about the development.

http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2013/11/crescent-breaks-ground-on-47m-howell.html
http://atlanta.curbed.com/archives/2013/11/22/broken-ground-and-renderings-for-howell-mill-apartments.php
http://atlanta.curbed.com/archives/2013/09/17/throwback-industrial-residences-planned-for-howell-mill.php
http://www.buckheadview.com/2013/11/crescent-communities-kicks-off-crescent.html
http://www.atlantaintownpaper.com/2013/11/new-luxury-apartments-break-ground-howell-mill-road/

Photograph of the Ritz Carlton Residences in Buckhead

2013-11-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

This is one of my favorite photographs of 2013, a shot of the Ritz Carlton Residences on the corner of Peachtree Road and Peachtree Dunwoody with the Wieuca Road Baptist Church Steeple peeking out over the trees. The clouds and reflection at this time of day really make the picture. Enjoy!

Prints of this image are available at http://www.carsonmatthewsphotography.com/PicturesofAtlanta/i-pkGw7bZ/A. Click on "Add to Cart" and choose from a variety of print sizes and options.

Thanks,
Carson Matthews
www.CarsonMatthewsPhotography.com

Picture of New Atlanta Braves Stadium Complex in Cobb County

2013-11-20T15:50:00.000-05:00

Today the Atlanta Braves revealed the preliminary concept of the new $400 million entertainment district that will surround the stadium to be built in Cobb County. According to AJC.com the district will feature retail, restaurants, bars and an amphitheater leading up to the stadium. Check out all of the details at AJC.com.

photo courtesy ajc.com

Thanks,
Carson Matthews

October 2013 YTD Buckhead Home Sales Report

2013-11-20T15:11:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted on my real estate blog a report on Buckhead home sales in 2013 through the month of October. On all accounts Buckhead homes sales are outperforming the same time period in 2012.

Here are some highlights of the report:

Average List Price in 2013, up 4.5%

Average Sales Price in 2013, up 6.8%

List Price/Sales Price Ratio, up 2.2%

Average Days on Market, down 36.4%

# of Homes Sold in 2013, up 15.3%

The full report can be seen at www.CarsonMatthews.com/blog

Thanks,

Carson Matthews
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

678-595-9286

www.CarsonMatthews.com

City of Atlanta False Alarm Informational Meeting Tonight Hosted by Councilmember Adrean

2013-09-17T12:43:00.000-04:00

City of Atlanta False Alarm Informational Meeting
Tuesday September 17, 2013 7-8pm
Jackson Elementary Primary School Campus
4191 Northside Drive, Atlanta GA 30342

Below is a message sent by Atlanta City Council Member, Yolandra Adrean:

Good Afternoon-

In response to questions and concerns from the community, Councilmember Adrean is going to host an informational session on Tuesday, September 17th regarding the new CryWolf alarm registration program. The meeting will be held from 7-8 p.m. at the Jackson Elementary Primary School Campus- 4191 Northside Drive, Atlanta, Georgia 30342. In attendance to explain the program and answer any questions will be the City’s COO, Duriya Farooqui, and the Deputy COO, Hans Utz, as well as other representatives the Mayor’s Office and the Atlanta Police Department who are working with CryWolf on implementation of the program. For more information about the CryWolf program, please see the press release below which includes the timeframe for the program to go into effect.

We would appreciate you spreading word of this meeting to your neighborhood and civic associations, and we look forward to seeing you on the 17th.

Thank you,

Katie Howard
Sr. Council Aide
Office of Councilmember Yolanda Adrean
District 8, Atlanta City Council
(404) 330-6051 (phone)
yadrean@atlantaga.gov

City Residents, Business Owners Must Register Alarm Systems

City of Atlanta residents and businesses are now required to register their security and burglar alarm systems. In 2012, the Atlanta Police Department responded to 65,000 alarm system activations, 95% of which were false alarms or alarms that were cancelled in route. These calls represent more than six percent of total 911 dispatches. With every call taking an average of 20-30 minutes, the equivalent of 8-12 full-time police officers were dedicated to responding to false alarms, thereby taking away valuable public safety resources from more pressing matters.

In an effort to improve public safety and better allocate resources, the City has enacted a series of amendments to the existing False Alarm Ordinance. The new ordinance will take effect on September 15, 2013 and residents will have until February 1, 2014 to register without incurring an unregistered alarm penalty. Residents can register their alarm system for free online at www.crywolf.us/atlantaga/or by calling 1-855-725-7102. There is a $150 fine for not registering an alarm. If an alarm is activated and it turns out to be false there is no fine, just a warning. The 2nd false alarm will result in a $50 fine to the homeowner. Fines will escalate for each false call thereafter.

“Our police officers take every alarm call seriously. In many cases, however, the call ends up being nothing more than a false alarm caused by accident or human error,” said Chief George Turner. “This new program will allow our officers to spend more time responding to true emergencies.”

The City of Atlanta’s False Alarm Program will be coordinated by CryWolf alarm monitoring service and software, designed and developed by Public Safety Corporation. CryWolf is a comprehensive false alarm tracking and billing system and has helped agencies across the country and in the Atlanta region reduce false alarms, increase collections, and improve administrative efficiency. The issuance of citations will be determined solely by the Atlanta Police Department.

The mission of the Atlanta Police Department is to reduce crime and promote the quality of life, in partnership with our community.
http://www.crywolf.us/atlantaga/
www.crywolf.us

Support for Atlanta Classical Academy Growing

2013-03-26T14:50:00.001-04:00

A local group of parents and educators have been working on Atlanta ClassicalAcademy for over 18 months. Their team as well as their concept and strategy are impressive.

Their hope is to compliment APS' (Atlanta Public Schools) current public school offerings with a K-12, non-selective, tuition-free, public charter school that would serve the Atlanta area beginning in the Fall of 2014. The school would offer a liberal arts, traditional classical model of education that is delivered in a smaller-school environment. Each grade would accommodate approximately 54 students (600-700 total school population). The school would be centrally located in our North Atlanta Cluster and enrollment would be open to all APS students. Regardless if someone has a child that attends ACA or not, there is a benefit to the community in having a variety of education choices in our public school offerings.

ACA is at the point where they need help with getting community support. Those interested in supporting the school's efforts are asked to sign the online petition by March 29th at AtlantaClassical.org. (Signatures are not published publicly.)

ACA's application to APS is due in April and they must show awareness and support among the communities within the APS system. The APS Board will vote this summer; five favorable votes are needed (out of the 9 board members).

For those who want to learn more about Atlanta Classical Academy, register for an upcoming informational meeting, and/or volunteer to help, they may visit the website AtlantaClassical.org.

Upcoming Presentations

*Thursday, March 28 (7-8:30pm) Agape Center (2353 Bolton Road)

*Tuesday, April 2 (9:30am and 6:30pm) Lodge at Peachtree Presbyterian Church (3417 Roswell Rd.)

*Wednesday, April 3 (7-8:30pm) Garden Hills Community Center (335 Pine Tree Dr.)

Follow this link for a video from a Classical School in Arizona to see how the curriculum works and hear the perspective of students, teachers, and parents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vy1wffWeD4

Buckhead Home Sales Reports

2013-03-25T13:15:00.000-04:00

Keep up with Buckhead Home Sales Reports at www.CarsonMatthews.com under the Buckhead Home Sales Reports Category. You can subscribe to my blog by going to http://www.carsonmatthews.com/subscribe/ and entering your email address. On CarsonMatthews.com/blog I keep you up to date on real estate sales trends in Buckhead and the surrounding area.

Thanks,
Carson Matthews
Associate Broker
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
678-595-9286
www.CarsonMatthews.com

Sunday Open House 4595 Runnemede Road in Chastain Park

2013-02-07T12:58:00.001-05:00

This Sunday February 10 from 3-5pm I will be holding 4595 Runnemede Road in Chastain Park open.

Quick Details:

4 Bedrooms 2.5 Baths
2 Story Brick Home
Renovated Kitchen and Baths
Formal Living and Dining Rooms
Separate Family Room
Gorgeous Front Yard
Private Rear Patio ideal for entertaining
Warren T. Jackson Elementary School

Offered for $745,000

This is a new listing and all of the details can be found on my website by clicking the link below.

Sunday Open House 4595 Runnemede Road in Chastain Park

Construction of 77 Andrews Drive Update

2012-11-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

The Buckhead View is reporting that Camden Properties received approval (including conditions that need to be hammered out between the developer and adjacent neighbors) from NPU-B last night to begin construction on the new 22 acre development that was once home to the Paces Apartments. This site runs south on Roswell Road from Peachtree Presbyterian Church, west on Andrews Drive to West Paces Ferry Rd. It is divided into 3 parcels, each with their own set of zoning rules and plans. Along Roswell Road will be 10 story apartment buildings with street level retail. At both corners of Andrews Drive at West Paces Ferry & Roswell Rd the light commercial zoning will allow for residential to be stacked on top of street front retail, as well as a two story commercial building and bank. Both of those buildings will be less than 25 feet tall. The interior portion of the development could begin as early as this month. Read all about it and see renderings on the Buckhead View website.

http://www.buckheadview.com/2012/11/npu-b-approves-land-use-zoning-changes.html?utm_source=Issue+88&utm_campaign=Issue88&utm_medium=socialshare

View Larger Map

Shop Whole Foods to Benefit Buckhead Heritage Society

2012-09-12T12:45:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday September 19, Whole Foods Buckhead will donate 5% of it's net sales to the Buckhead Heritage Society. Below are the details that I received in an email from the Buckhead Heritage Society:

Whole Foods team members are part of the local community and they are passionate about supporting the local causes that are important to their shoppers and neighbors. Several times a year, stores hold community giving days (otherwise known as “5% Days”) where five percent of that day’s net sales are donated to a local nonprofit or educational organization. The groups that benefit from these 5% Days are as varied as the communities themselves. Buckhead Heritage sincerely thanks Whole Foods Buckhead for selecting our organization to benefit from its 5% Day this quarter!

For more information on Whole Foods Buckhead, visit www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/buckhead.

For the latest news from Buckhead Heritage, visit www.buckheadheritage.com.

**While writing this I clicked on the Buckhead Heritage link and literally got lost in the stories for 30 minutes. Definitely go check it out, it is full of fascinating information on Buckhead and it's history.

Recent Photographs of Buckhead at Night

2012-08-22T14:33:00.000-04:00

Monday night I went out and took some photographs of Buckhead after dark. I was just north of the intersection of Piedmont and Peachtree Roads, and got some cool night shots. Here are a couple of my favorites. The first is looking south on Peachtree at Terminus, the Grand Hyatt Hotel and Tower Place; the second is the Intercontinental Hotel Buckhead. You can see all of my Atlanta pictures at www.PicturesofAtlanta.com.

Buckhead Atlanta Cranes on the Move

2012-08-07T18:02:00.000-04:00

Today the cranes high above Buckhead Atlanta began moving again. As far as I can tell they were just warming up, getting ready to tackle the 8 acre redevelopment of the areas along Peachtree Road, Pharr Road and Buckhead Avenue. Reports from Oliver McMillan say the entire project will be completed in late 2013/early 2014. Here is a video of the action:

Bucks on the Street

2012-07-25T16:37:00.000-04:00

If you have been driving around Buckhead lately you have surely noticed all of the Bucks up and down Peachtree and tucked into spots not far off Peachtree. This is the work of the newly formed Buckhead Business Foundation which is part of the Buckhead Business Association. Here is a tidbit from their website explaining the foundation and the Bucks:

"The Buckhead Business Association is pleased to announce the launch of the Buckhead Business Foundation (BBF), a nonprofit charitable and educational organization. The Foundation was created to facilitate the charitable activities of the BBA through community outreach in the areas of Education, Greenspace, Leadership, and Community Activities in support of the Buckhead community.

“The Buckhead Business Foundation will allow BBA members to work directly in support of our community,” notes Heather Wright, president of the BBA and president-elect of the BBF. “We are excited about the various charitable projects in which we will be able to participate through the Foundation.”

The first community project that the Buckhead Business Foundation will undertake is Bucks on the Street. In cooperation with business leaders, artists, and sponsors from the Buckhead area, Bucks on the Street was created to bring awareness and a sense of pride to the community by developing and producing Buck characters, which will be placed strategically throughout Buckhead. Bucks are enhanced by hand-painting, created by local artists, and sold or auctioned for placement around Buckhead. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and all proceeds from Bucks on the Street will benefit the Buckhead Business Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization."

I have been trying to figure out how I am going to photograph all of the Bucks and have decided that it will be a weekend morning bike ride, or several with my camera. I love both of those things so it should be a fun task and a cool project.

Here is the first picture I got while picking up a summer reading book for Henry at the Barnes and Noble in Buckhead.

The Duck Pond in Peachtree Heights East

2012-07-16T14:04:00.000-04:00

Last week I was in Peachtree Heights East at the Duck Pond taking some pictures for my new website. Here is a neat shot from the west side of the pond looking towards Demorest.

A Comparison of the Buckhead Elementary Schools 2012 CRCT Results

2012-07-12T11:10:00.000-04:00

This morning the AJC posted the APS (Atlanta Public Schools) school by school 2012 CRCT (Criterion Referenced Competency Tests) results that were just released by the Georgia Department of Education. Below is a chart comparing the 6 Buckhead elementary schools that feed into Sutton Middle School. Warren T. Jackson and Morris Brandon topped the list tied with an overall average of 97.3% passing. Here are the schools and their results in alphabetical order:

You can view all of the results by district and down to the school level on the AJC site here: http://www.ajc.com/news/2012-georgia-crct-results-1476281.html

1st Half 2012 Buckhead Home Sales Report

2012-07-10T15:18:00.000-04:00

If you have any REALTOR friends you have likely heard them talking fondly about the Atlanta real estate market in 2012. If you have asked me this year, you definitely got a positive response. This first half Buckhead home sales report backs up what people are saying, and also points to a possible reason why.

Through the first 6 months of 2012 Buckhead saw a 8.2% increase in the number of homes sold with homes spending 44% less time on the market and selling for 3.1% closer to list price compared to the same period in 2011. Those are all really strong numbers and a great sign for Buckhead real estate.

Now there has been a correction in pricing and expectations. In 2011 the average list price was $985,188 compared to $798,000 in 2012. The average sales price in 2012 was $740,964 which is 19.6% lower than the same period in 2011.

Below is the Buckhead Home Sales Report for the 1st Half of 2012

Here is a breakdown of how the different price ranges performed.

The biggest gainers were the $400-$499,999 and $500-$749,999 price ranges gaining 40.7% and 33% over the same period in 2011. The price ranges that fell the most were the $750-$999,999 range falling 51% and the $million+ market falling 25.7%.

Throughout the first half of 2012 we (REALTORS) have had to work extra hard to come up with available inventory. For the first time in recent memory the demand outweighed the supply. This was not the case everywhere, but in certain neighborhoods it was actually hard to find homes to show to potential buyers. In my case I had this occur in the $500,000-$800,000 range which may be a reflection of how many homes sold in that range.

I hope these upward trends continue throughout 2012 and beyond.

If you have any questions or would like a custom report on your neighborhood, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Carson Matthews

Associate Broker

Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty

www.TheBuckheadOffice.com

www.CarsonMatthews.com

678-595-9286

Condo for Sale at the Aramore on Peachtree

2012-06-14T10:13:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I listed a 2 bedroom 2 bath condominium at The Aramore on Peachtree Road just south of Peachtree Battle. The Aramore was built in 2003 and has a really great feel about it. I remember showing several condos in there when it was first being built, and at the time was really struck by the sophistication inside the building. The entrance is really well done, the elevators look like those in a fine hotel, and the hallways to each unit are trimmed in wainscoting.

The location is obviously fabulous within walking distance to Houstons, Peachtree Battle Shopping Center and E. Rivers Elementary School. The amenities are really stunning if am being honest. The amenity level is located on the top floor of the Astoria at the Aramore, which is the adjoining building. Fitted with a lounge, conference room, fitness center, and a rooftop swimming pool and gathering area, you will be hard pressed to find a reason to leave home. If you have a dog, there is a pet walking area along Peachtree Creek behind the Aramore. The ground level street front offers shopping and restaurants, with the opportunity to visit places like Restaurant Eugene, Holeman and Finch Public House, and Starfish, without leaving the sidewalk.

Here are a few pictures of unit 307 which is being offered for sale at $199,000. You can also see a virtual tour at http://www.thebuckheadoffice.com/Listing/VirtualTour.ashx?listingid=59655497

Listing information can be found on my website, www.TheBuckheadOffice.com

Carson Matthews
Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty
678-595-9286
www.TheBuckheadOffice.com