House Hunters Athens (The Crazy Cost of Rent Pt. 2)
As mentioned in the previous blog, The Crazy Cost of Rent, my son Ethan was having trouble finding a place to rent. With only a few weeks to look due to his current lease timeline, we viewed properties under $225,000 with a preferred budget closer to $200,000. There are not many of these in the Athens area and Ethan knew he would need to make some compromises. In the spirit of House Hunters, here are the homes Ethan actually considered. Which would you chose?
No. 1
House in Crawford
Located in Crawford, Georgia, about 25 minutes from UGA campus, this home was the best deal listed at $175,000. Built in 1965 it had been recently renovated with new Luxury Vinyl plank floors, fresh paint, a new roof and HVAC system. Ethan really liked the flat 1 acre lot and privacy. It would increase his commute both to campus and to work, but it was a pretty, easy drive without much traffic. At 1290 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom, a roommate was a possibility. As with many older homes, the layout was a bit wonky with one room leading to another. The bathroom was small (although updated) and there wasn’t a lot of closet space (growing up Ethan didn’t even have a closet in his bedroom so not as big of a deal to him).
No. 2
Athens A-Frame home
Located on a quiet street less than ten minutes from campus and work, this house was listed at $199,900 but had been on the market a few weeks. Built in 1987 with 1334 sq feet, it had 3 bedroom, 2 bathrooms with two living spaces one of which could be a 4th bedroom. It was on a .34 acre flat lot in a neighborhood of small homes close to a higher crime area. As an A-frame house, most of the walls sloped making furniture placement tricky. Even though it had a newer metal roof and HVAC system, the inside still had the original carpet from the 80’s, ugly wallpaper in the bathrooms, and a cramped, dated kitchen.
No. 3
Townhome in Up and Coming Area
Located in a higher traffic area 15 to 20 minutes from UGA and work, this townhome was in a quiet neighborhood tucked by the soon to be redeveloped Georgia Square Mall. Listed at $224,900 it was at the top end of Ethan’s budget with 1332 sq. feet. It was move-in ready though with an open living area and kitchen with half bath on the main level and two bedrooms each with their own bathroom upstairs, perfect for a roommate. There was a patio overlooking a pond and walking trails. As a townhome the HOA was surprisingly low at only $50 a month.