Come ye, urban campers! Let's grab tents and set course across Atlanta, from the EAV to Buckhead. We'll sleep under the stars on empty residential land and pretend we can afford to actually build a house there. Vacant lots are getting more and more scarce (and in many cases, more expensive) by the day. The following Outdoors Week galleries give a broad idea of what pure Georgia clay might cost in very different Atlanta neighborhoods.
LARGE CORNER LOT IN REYNOLDSTOWN:
Here's a large corner lot that fronts Moreland Avenue and basically sits kitty-corner to the Edgewood Retail District. The walkability is pretty good and will skyrocket once the Beltline snakes through Reynoldstown. This piece has been on the market for nearly two months. And it last sold for a lot more — $1.4 million — back in red-hot, pre-Recession 2007.
· 66 Moreland Ave. NE
OVERLOOKING A PONCEY-HIGHLAND PARK, BUMS:
Vacant land is at a premium in established intown neighborhoods like Poncey-Highland, which spells a price of $175,000 for this little green triangle at the lip of Freedom Park, where the Ponce homeless tend to congregate. It's only 1,700 square feet, but the location is exceptional, and with the right house, the views could be, too.
· Barnett Street triangle
TREE-FILLED BUT SERENE IN BUCKHEAD:
Here lies an abandoned home on 1.3 woodsy acres in the tony northern realms of Buckhead. Even with a $799,900 price that's basically a starting point, this is one large piece of property. With so many trees, it has to be serene, like a hug from Mother Nature, but beware that Ewoks might suddenly jump out of the brush. It last sold for $117,500 in 1983, a transaction that just might have included the house, too. Keep in mind: Tree-removal is expensive and often entails things like lawsuits from neighbors.
· 960 Carter Drive NE, Atlanta
DEAD-END STREET IN OLD FOURTH WARD:
The listing agent tells us this 5,500-square-foot hunk of red Georgia clay is "on one of the most desirable blocks in the O4W," and the $219,900 asking price reflects that. It occupies a quiet, dead-end street that's 500 feet from the Freedom Parkway PATH, a Beltline connector. The agent, again: "Build your home here and you will be in one of the most walkable locations in the city." If Zillow records are correct, the property last sold for $125,000 — last month.
· 656 East Ave. NE
HALF A FREAKING NEIGHBORHOOD:
Located off Moreland Avenue, southwest of East Atlanta, this half of a whole subdivision will set you back a mere $10,900. That's comparable to buying a used Camry. It's been on the market for more than four months, and the price was recently axed by $1,600. Sounds like someone's motivated.
· 1037 Thomasville Estate Court, Atlanta