I looked at all the pictures and it seems like a beautiful house. Could it be that is the value of the home in this market?

Maybe. It is surrounded by better homes, but that is just very low for Dunwoody. I really need to grow a spine and call the aunt. Even if there are some issues, the comps are 500-600K and up. It is not the typical house for North Atlanta anymore. Must funky 60's stuff has been torn down. A shame, really. I see such potential for this place and I haven't even been in it !!! Take heart, I won't call the listing agent :) ...

I looked at it on realtor.com and its appears to be priced competitively compared to other homes but I would not say its a steal. The average price was around $400k.

I am familiar with the Atlanta market (almost moved there twice) and looked in Dunwoody and Vinings in 2000 and again in 2003. Both were hot at the time and the prices were way above $500k. I am guessing things have cooled of quite a bit. I know if I had to live in A-town, I would certainly consider Dunwoody.

kitchenshock, yes, Dunwoody is beautiful. I can't afford Vinings or Sandy Springs. Sandy is still pretty hot, but many areas have cooled off. This house is located in a "sweet spot" for us - right between both of our work locations. We also looking at the southern tip of Roswell.

It also could be a divorce, foreclosure, etc.

I am not an agent but lived in the ATL area for many years.

My opinions is...the style of the home is very different from others in the ATL area. So it doesn't appeal to many folks because it is more contemporary/modern than the traditional bricks that are very common.

Red Flag: I notice the paver driveway (is it a driveway?) seems to go right up to the front door and the front of the home. That seems odd ...usually there is landscaping at the very front. I cannot see any more photos of the front of the property. But if the lot slopes toward the front of the home, there could be flooding issues when there are heavy rains. Yhat is, the water goes right into the front exterior walls of the home. They might have had to add the concrete to try to stop the mushy mud in the front. Maybe there are drains under those pavers? Maybe they used pavers because concrete stains would be obvious from puddling.

But you need to see the slope of the lot to be sure.

Thanks, sweet tea. I went over there this afternoon. It is vacant, so of course, I felt free to kick the tires. It looks like there may have been a garage conversion because a house that big should have one. The pavers are a driveway that go all the way around the side and end at a parking pad and basketball court. I would have to see it in a downpour and that ain't gonna happen anytime soon in Atlanta.

All of the close-in contemporaries are being torn down to build McMansions. That market may be the one that's going soft. This has "investor" in the listing, and that may be throwing people like me off. It may well be too expensive a home to tear down at almost $400k.

sweet tea, you mention the pavers taking up most of the front. That is one of the things we like. There IS a small section of trees in front that effectively hide the house from most drive-by angles and a (now defunct) koi pond. We like it because we are almost exclusively backyard people, and the front won't need much in the way of landscape maintenance, just a power wash once in awhile. Most of the extra land is to the sides of the lot.

Thanks to those that commented. I sent the listing number to our agent with a request to look on Saturday or Sunday. We will just have to refuse to take no for an answer. She did show us one right on Riverside Road in Roswell by the Chattahoochee and Roswell Nature Center (for those that know the area), and she didn't have too many objections. I have already mentally moved into that one, but I do want to keep my options open and see as many as possible before we decide.

Notraffic - if you would consider a newer home in historic Roswell, please email me.

Is the street higher than the front of the home (so that the slope of the land goes toward the front of the home)?

In other words, is the home downhill from the road?

this is real important in ATL and was a showstopper for us on all homes that we were looking at in ATL, for drainage and errosion reasons.

You are better off with a flat surface from road to home, or a hill. When the home is on a slight hill, it makes the home look larger than it is - very grand....a neat little trick that nature plays.

***So this home does not have a garage? Instead they converted it to living area? If that is the case, that could be a major negative. It would be for me. A 2 car garage is a minimum for most buyers. Many would love a 3 car garage in certain ATL price ranges. i bet when they redo those mcmansions nearby, that they have 3 car garages.

From the pics, the house seems to be in great condition and already fully remodeled. The layout seems odd, though. Is that the dining room near the stairs or a breakfast room? I like the paver front yard too. Not having a garage would be a huge turnoff for 95% of the buyers, but you could add a really nice detached one for about 75K.
It is a modern style, which may not appeal to as many buyers, but if you're planning on living there for a long time, that isn't as much of a concern.
Let us know how it looks in person!

Why does the description start out with "Great Potential"?

The garage is a non-issue for me. I don't usually park in one because I am blind in one eye and have bad depth perception. Besides, there is plenty of room on the side of the house to build one.

It is sloped from the road. Our current house is as well, so I know how this works. We have drainage issues (ponding) in our backyard. Backyard ponding doesn't concern me, but I certainly don't want standing water at the doorstep. What I thought was a koi pond may be a device to capture rain water.

Are these issues that would have to be disclosed if they exist?

To me, "Great potential for investment" is not too subtle agent speak for "You wouldn't actually want to live here." Not sure if that's true or not, in your case, but that's what the listing appears to say.

Of course, you already know how unpopular that particular architectural style is in Atlanta. But if you like it, and the price is right...

If you're open to remodeling, the house looks to me like it has a definite 'Prairie' tilt that could be enhanced and played up. Arts & Crafts is a style that is rapidly becomming more popular, and some creative exterior details could really play up that aspect of the architecture.

Good Luck!

sweeby, thanks. Dunwoody has a diverse style, but this one is a bit odd. I like it, but it wouldn't be for everyone. I have found from experience that the exterior is far less important than the interior, but I may be the exception there.

I think the listing agent may have made a mistake in trying to appeal to investors if the house is in livable condition, which it appears to be. Teardowns are usually little ranches in a much lower price range.

you need a different agent, if you're thinking you have to argue w/ her to make her show you a home you have REQUESTED.

You want an agent to screen the selection for you, to save you time. But if she's resisting when you actively ASK to see a house ("didn't kick up too much of a fuss"???? WTH is w/ that?)

Or are your comments here reflecting more your own reaction, and less her true actions? I know I do that sometimes.

That does sound too low!
Photos are not loading though so I can't see what it looks like.

New construction way, way way out in teeny tiny lots is double that price for same size house.

qq, that site has problems with photos sometimes. An acre in Dunwoody is just outrageous.

Update: Aunti is taking us on Saturday to look at houses. This house is SUPPOSED to be on the list. No worries about appt since it is vacant.

Talley Sue - I agree it is ridiculous, and I wouldn't put up with it if I didn't know her heart is in the right place. About my reaction - lmao, I have a serious problem with "I wouldn't let you buy that house". She really should work on her delivery. Instead, say "That house has a drive under garage. Everything you buy, rent or steal will have to be dragged up the stairs or left in the garage. Now, do you really want to look at it?" and then let us decide.

So, I wanted to be prepared to rebut the "IWLYBTH because it is not the typical style of house" with "I have done some research and given the size and Dunwoody location, it may be a great diamond in the rough." If any Atlanta agents had come in and said "Good night, girl it smells like 9000 cats peed in there, stay away" I could have saved myself some aggravation.

If it's just her delivery, maybe you get to work on hearing what she means, instead of what she say? I know I do that w/ my MIL--she'll say something, and if I'm not careful, I'll react to the WORDING, or the TIMING, or sometimes my own internal issues (being independent, not being treated like a child, etc.), and get all p.o.'d. If I listen to her HEART, I can figure out the REAL meaning, which is NEVER as bad as I initially think it to be. In fact, it's usually a wonderful meaning.

I just have to watch out for my OWN filters.

Good luck w/ this house--certainly from the pics, the lack of garage seems to be the only big issue, and it may take seeing it in person to find any negatives that would head you off.

Thanks TS. That helps alot. I am too sensitive and she is controlling but means well. I hope there aren't too many problems, but I have a funny feeling there is something off-putting.

This one lists for $410K, go figure. It is about 2
miles away from the other house as the crow flies. I simply wouldn't buy it at any price.

Here is a link that might be useful: Here's a

"I am too sensitive and she is controlling but means well."

That's me and my mother-in-law--except that she's not particularly controlling--certainly not most of the time, and when she is, she's usually right, LOL, and so gets a bit more stubborn!

It takes a conscious effort on my part to "power down" my reaction and factor in what I truly know about her. It takes more time, too, to slow the communication down so that I can work out what's really being said. (bcs I honestly think someone who didn't know my MIL might have the save initial reaction; it's not JUST me, though of course my own hot buttons feed into it.) So it must be wearying to have that in the middle of the house hunt!

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you on that house. Unexpectedly good deals like that DO happen from time to time. Remember the real-estate adage: location, location, location. You can have a lot regraded; you can build a carport or even an actual garage; you can fix a roof.

You cannot move a lot from one neighborhood into another.

Wow, I agree w/ you on that other house. There are people that "rustic inside and out" look would appeal to, but not me!

The photos still are not loading and this is a day later.
I missed it if mentioned but how long has the house been on the mkt? Maybe it was listed at a higher price then recently reduced? Are people living in it?

Sorry, I don't know why it does that sometimes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Try this one on realtor.com

Try this one

Here is a link that might be useful: Better URL

Ok, I live in Dunwoody and I'm a hobby house watcher (look up my other posts).

A few things;

One, it's NOT IN DUNWOODY. It's in Sandy Springs, which is a newly incorporated city next to Dunwoody, an unincorporated area in Dekalb County. Sandy Springs and the house you're looking at are in Fulton County.

Two: Dunwoody Springs Elementary sucks. Dunwoody schools are for the most part very, very good. This ain't no dunwoody school. Yes, I know the school is called Dunwoody Springs. But it's not in Dunwoody. Trust me; it
s a Long story.

Three: Spalding Drive is very, very busy. I drive it every week bringing my kids to dance class. There are properities that have been for sale for over a year on that road. It's not a desirable road to live on.

If you want to live in Dunwoody, then look in the 30338 zip code on the www.jennypruitt.com website. I'd suggest homes in Dunwoody Club Forest, or Redfields if you want swim/tennis.

Ok, it looks from google satellite that this house also may back up to "The Swamp of Dunwoody", a house that has been locked in a locally infamous zoning battle. From what the Dunwoody Homeowner's Association has said lately, the land will be sold and redeveloped into expensive high density homes there behind the house.

Also, the street in that area is usually backed up towards dunwoody club drive in the mornings-bit of a bottleneck there.

here are a few interesting links to the property:

http://www.fultonassessor.org/Forms/Datalets.aspx?mode=sales&taxyear=2007&ownseq=1&roll=RE&jur=&sIndex=0amp;idx=1&LMparent=20

Here is a link that might be useful: Tax Bill on the Property

So, I think it's not underpriced for the area; you can get a real dunwoody house for around 400k that may not be as pretty as the one you're considering, but the one you're considering is in a bad school district on a busy street with no garage.

No local would buy it.

If it drops down from the street (and if memory serves, it does) then there WILL be moisture isses with the basement, because hydrostatic pressure and clay soil will cause your basement to be chronically damp because water will be pulled towards the house rather than away from it by the slope.

Here's one in Dunwoody, in a good neighborhood, on a quiet street, for about the same price:

http://www.jennypruitt.com/Listing/ListingDetail.aspx?Search=1973d1c1-95e2-4bda-b9bf-9eb31ec758a3&Listing=20266303&IRPAgentID=&Image=1&First=11&Last=20&pagesize=10&SearchType=schooldistrict&ListingDistrictTypeID=3&FirstLetter=&Sort=5&Cookies=

You can find property in Dunwoody for under 400 still, but a lot of it is crap in terms of location or condition of the house, but there are some "diamonds in the rough" to be had. Watch out for houses that back up to the power lines, they're slow sellers.

Let me reiterate; I'm not an agent, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night...

Here is a link that might be useful: Jenny Pruitt Link to House

Thanks, Disneyrsh. I don't think of Sandy Springs as a poor man's Dunwoody; they are right together. This house may have a SS address, but usually east of GA 400 is considered Dunwoody.

House behind it looked like a cluster home. There may be some other properties around it, but they are not in plain sight. I never park in a garage because of my vision. Elementary school is immaterial since my husband is a 4th grade teacher and our son can go to school at his school, which is a top E. Cobb school.

The tax bill is interesting. Our agent mentioned it. I figure that this may have not been a personal residence. Sandy Springs address adds over $600.

We didn't get to see it today because it was pretty far from the rest of the group. We did find a "dream house", but the location doesn't put me much closer to work. We found two close seconds.

I may try to see this house later, as I am still really curious about it. A "real" Dunwoody house in my price range is usually a small split level that my husband would never agree to.