East Atlanta’s Quirky Funk

For all you East Atlanta folks out there, here’s a testament to the great neighborhood you’ve chosen to call your home. For all of you thinking about possibly moving to the area, you’re headed in the right direction! The AJC has taken the time to highlight some of the great things about living in East Atlanta, especially about the affordibility of some of the fantastic properties on the market.

Article by Lori Johnson for the AJC

The Homeowners

    The buzz about East Atlanta, located off I-20, has proved true for first-time buyers Chris McEwen and Jenn Dwyer, who purchased a Craftsman home there this spring.
    “What I like about East Atlanta is the proximity to restaurants, bars, music venues,” said Dwyer, 31, marketing director for Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Co. “There’s definitely a sense of community with East Atlanta. It has its own quirky funk to it.”
    After the Civil War, East Atlanta — about three miles east of downtown — developed into a suburb, due to changes such as the new electric streetcar line. But the civil rights era, development of I-20 that expanded Atlanta’s suburbs and a perception of crime contributed to a drop in real estate values, and “the name East Atlanta almost disappeared as a neighborhood reference by 1980,” according to the East Atlanta Community Association’s website.
    The racially and economically diverse neighborhood has attracted investors who have renovated homes dating to the early 1900s.
    New restaurants and bars have accompanied investors and buyers. McEwen said he liked buying in the midst of change.
    “We feel like the neighborhood has a lot of momentum, and we like that,” he said.
    Restaurants such as the Midway Pub and Holy Taco are among their favorite places to eat in Atlanta.
    “We don’t just say it because we live in the neighborhood,” said McEwen, 35, who works for a software company.
    McEwen and Dwyer purchased a three-bedroom, two-bath home in the $180,000s that had been stripped to the studs. It was modernized with high-end details such as marble countertops, a wine rack and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen, tile bathrooms, crown molding, and walk-in closets in the master suite.
    “It’s essentially a new residence,” said McEwen, who was assisted by Rebecca Jacobs with Keller Williams Realty Intown Atlanta.
    The area’s history and resurgence are celebrated with upcoming community events such as the Battle of Atlanta Festival (www.batlevent.org) on July 16 and the East Atlanta Strut (www.eastatlantastrut.com) on Sept. 17.

About the Community

County: DeKalb – Information: www.eaca.net (East Atlanta Community Association)
Price Range: $30,000-$700,000
Taxes: Less than 1 percent of the purchase price
Styles: Craftsman, Victorian, Traditional
Schools: Burgess Elementary, Coan Middle, Maynard Holbrook Jackson Highschool – schools.ajchomefinder.com
Getting There: Take I-20 east to Exit 60A (moreland Avenue South). Turn left on Flat Shoals Road, Metropolitan Avenue or Glenwood Avenue into East Atlanta Village

June 29, 2011

posted: Aug 15, 2011 | No Responses