North Atlanta Real Estate Market Update

[James Park]

That Atlanta market peaked on July 2007 and bottomed in March of 2012. We have since made a complete "V" shaped recovery since March 2012. At this significant bottom, and retail real estate were trading at 1996 prices. Today we are at 2004 prices entering 2005 prices. YTD Atlanta real estate market is up 18.75%. If the last 12 month appreciation in Atlanta repeats itself in the next 12 months, homes in Atlanta will be trading at prices at the peak of the market before the crash in July of 2007.

I spend a lot of time studying demographic changes and Atlanta and Los Angeles are in a 15 year cycle. These two markets are very interesting to me becuase of this cycle. 2011 is 1996 and the demographics of 01/01/2014 of the north side of Atlanta will look much like the demographics of orange county, CA of 01/01/1999.

The north side of Atlanta is the new Orange County.

Irvine - Johns Creek
Alpharetta - Tustin
Milton - Coto de Caza
Suwanee - Foot Hill Ranch

In 1990, Irvine ethnic demographics looked like this:

white 68.8%, black 1.8%, Asian, 22.1%, hispanic 6.8% - 1990
white 61.1% black 1.4% Asian 29.8%, hispanic 7.4% - 2000

In 2010, Johns Creek's ethnic demographics looks like this:
white 63.45% black 8.8% Asian 23.36%, hispanic: 5%

In 2013, 30% of Johns Creek is now made up of Asian households

Johns Creek's Asian population grew from 13% to 23% within 3 years period of time.

All of Johns Creek High Schools are among the best of Georgia:
Northview, JC High, and Chattahoochee

All of Irvine High Schools are among the best of California:
Uni high, Northwood, Woodbridge, and Irvine High

[Michaela G.]

@James Park

I do assume that all your figures are again based on those sub-suburbs and not really on Atlanta?

I apologize, I'm not trying to attack you. I'm German and very straight forward and I'm not very good at being subtle ;-).

It's just that someone reading this in another state, they will think that your numbers pertain to Atlanta - and they do not. The northern far out suburbs are completely different from the Atlanta market. And they've also gone through different cycles. For example, Atlanta had a major slump in '99-'02, due to overbuilding for the Olympics. Even thought he Olympics were in '96, there were many condo projects on the books that came to fruition after '96.

Your area OTP is money and soccer moms and families. Whereas ITP has many different neighborhoods that each have their own values and cycles. Some have become hip and cool in the past few years (Midtown). Some have lost their hipness (Buckhead). You have a good number of revitalizations (Kirkwood, Cabbagetown, Reynoldstown, Edgewood, East Lake etc) and some that have stayed lower income neighbohoods. Many of the revitalized areas are singles or couples, straight or gay.

So, to be honest, it sort of bothers me, if you call your area 'Atlanta' , when it is really more suburbs of Atlanta suburbs. People from the suburbs tend to want to claim 'Atlanta' when it's convenient, but want to have nothing to do with us otherwise.