Vinings GA Real Estate

The Heights at Spring Road

Smyrna, GA

Real Estate Home Review

Condo and Condominium

The Heights at Spring Road Condominiums

The Heights at Spring Rd. is a multi-unit condominium complex built in 1999 and 2000 respectively. Located on Spring Rd., just outside I-285 in Smyrna, The Heights at Spring Road is in an area that is aggressively growing with new construction.

Map - This is a general location, the community is a little to the left/West of the letter E but before the next major intersection.

Price Range - $140 - $200

Value: B

Construction: B

Amenities: C

Built: 2000

Photos:

Reader Comments: Enabled at Bottom

Spring Road is undergoing a major transition since the downtown Smyrna Square was developed five years ago. It was not that long ago that Spring Rd., was not a place that one wanted to live. However, rumors have flown for years that the city was quietly clearing out some of the less desirable neighborhoods opening the way for new developments to move in.

Is there any truth to this, who really knows but one thing is clear, developers are moving in and the Heights at Spring Rd. was one of the first established new developments that has lead this transition. One developer in particular who grew up in Smyrna has been redeveloping the older neighborhoods around The Heights at Spring Rd. with craftsmen styled period homes from the 1920. Originally, these single-family homes started at $300k+ range and now are pushing up around $500k.

The home builder of the Heights at Spring Rd. had great success a few years earlier with Vinings Forest located around the corner on Atlanta Rd. There are a few notable differences between the community and you can review these differences by checking out the review page for Vinings Forest.

The Heights at Spring Rd. was designed as a series of about 9 or 10 buildings with a total of 99 units. Each building has a number of condominium units that range from simple two-bedroom flats to three story townhomes with garages. All in all, there are six floor plans and while the majority of the units are two bedrooms, make no mistake, there is a huge difference between all of them.

The Home Owner Association dues are considerably less than most condo associations reflecting that they are of newer construction. Most notably, the builder used Cemplank or Hardiplank siding which is basically a cement/fiberglass compound pressed together to look like wood. This has led to a community of very energy efficient homes with low repair, painting and maintenance to the exteriors. The siding only requires painting every 10 years and has a life expectancy of 50+ years.

While the general siding will last forever, the builder did not do a very good job on the trim work around the roof edges and in particular the window frames. Within the first two years of construction, there were numerous areas around the windows requiring replacement of trim. These repairs are minor and the Home Owner Association is responsible for them, but I would still require a seller to have it taken care of by the HOA before you purchase.

While the interior construction quality is average, the builder had the foresight to poor a layer of concrete between the main floors and the garages below dramatically reducing noise. The walls are thick and insulated well – though the builder could have used more insulation in the attic. Which brings me to one issue to be aware of.

These units have an extensive sprinkler system built into the attic with the sprinkler heads recessed in every room. Now this is great – it reduces insurance costs and in the event of a fire in another unit, the sprinklers will hopefully douse the fire before it spreads. Don’t worry; your sprinkler system should not go off in your unit just because your neighbor has a fire. The smoke detectors are also hardwired in and you will be alerted should a fire occur somewhere in your building.

The down side, each unit has an outdoor storage closet, which also features one of these sprinkler heads. Care should be given to make sure it is properly insulated on both the outside and from within the attic. Residents had problems with these bursting during cold snaps after they were first constructed. By now, this problem has probably been taken care of but we have also had several mild winters in recent years. A little insulation sleeve wrapped around the pipe in the attic would be well worth your time.

HOA Dues and Amenities:

There is a very nice pool area with a small clubhouse that features his and her bathrooms. This is not a regular clubhouse where guests may entertain but just a pool house with bathroom facilities. The community lacks tennis courts, a gym or other such amenities but this will only keep your HOA dues down.

Interior Construction:

Each unit features popcorn finished ceilings, something I detest but it does serve a purpose. Builders are known for finishing a ceiling with the stuff in order to hide lines and separations in the drywall seams. Creating a perfect ceiling where the seams do not show through is extremely difficult and while I would not expect to find popcorn ceilings in a high-end home, at this price point it is acceptable.

Kitchens:

The majority of the units have laminate counter tops though a few did choose to upgrade during construction to Corian. Most builders seem to make the faux oak cabinets the standard forcing residents to upgrade in order to avoid the Wal-Mart look. This builder made white cabinets standard and a nice maple cabinet as the upgrade. When combined with black appliances or stainless steel, just about all of the units have very attractive kitchens. The kitchens are also a bit larger than what you would find in older condos of the same square footage, feature GE appliances and a very large laundry room that doubles as a pantry.

The bathrooms are GREAT and many feature tile on the floor and around the shower. The bathroom cabinets are also extra tall with drawers for storage – a feature often lacking in condos under the $200k mark. Hey – linen closets! I am amazed how many builders forget to add linen closets but these units feature an average of two in each unit. Here are some other notable features, gas and wood burning fireplaces, PVC deck rails, easy clean windows, and very large walk-in closets.

Floor plan Offerings:

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms – No Garage, Ground Level.

While this is the most affordable floor plan, the lack of a garage is something to consider. All ceilings are 9-foot ceilings but these units still retain an apartment like feel.

2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom – 1-Car Garage, Ground Level

Pretty much the same as the above plan but with a garage. If you have a choice and can spend a little bit more, upgrade to this plan.

2 Bedroom, 2 Bathroom – 1-Car Garage, 2 Story

This particular plan allows residents to enter via a foyer on the ground level while the rest of the unit is up a flight of stairs. A large vaulted ceiling, large bay windows and open plan provides for a great living environment for a couple’s first home. Also note that there is a much larger deck than what many of the other units offer. While this unit is only a 1-car garage unit, it does tend to be a little cheaper than the next larger floor plan and as you will read, the next unit up does not offer a true 2-car garage.

2 Bedrooms, 2 Bathrooms – 2- Car Garage, 2 Story

Just like the prior unit, a foyer on the ground level leads up to the next level. This plan is very large and personally, my favorite. While it is still a condo, it almost feels more like a townhouse. The garage is a tandem 2-car which means one car parks behind the other but unless you have two very small compact cars it is virtually impossible to park two cars in the garage.

2 Bedroom, 2.5 Bathroom – 2-Car Garage, 3 Story

This community is unusual for a condominium community because 3 story condos are rare in general. I am not crazy about this floor plan because they seem pricey for a 3-story unit with only two bedrooms. Furthermore, the stairwells are just plain strange. All of the 3 story units just seem to have very long stairwells.

3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bathroom – 2-Car Garage, 3 Story

Identical to the above floor plan except with 3 bedrooms on the top floor. The bedrooms are extremely large and if you have to choose between the prior floor plan and this one – step it up.

Summary:

There are many new construction condominiums planned for the northwest corner and the majority will be starting at $250k+ in the upcoming years. Prices in this community have not moved a whole lot in the last five years and I tend to think that the Heights of Spring Rd are not only reasonably priced but there are hints that they may even be somewhat undervalued. A slingshot effect could occur in pricing once many of the new construction projects go on the market.

Furthermore, this particular area is rapidly growing with high priced single-family homes that are bringing a very affluent buyer into the marketplace.

The 3 bedroom units are a steal at $200k while the 2 bedroom units featuring vaulted ceilings are my next choice. The only floor plans that I am not crazy about are the units that do not offer a garage. Having a private garage is probably the one main feature setting these homes apart from any other condo in Atlanta.

www.Atlanta-Mortgage.net    www.AtlantaTownhome.net   www.ViningsGa.net     www.AtlantaHomeforsale.net   Atlanta Mortgage Rates