Decatur is a popular part of town, with home prices to match. While the average house in the metro costs around $155,000, the Zillow home value index for Decatur is a "very hot" $417,200. (Long, long gone are D-town's "affordable alternative" days). One tiny stretch of street, however, goes above and beyond the average, with three homes on the market for well over $1 million right now. Pinetree Drive is one block long with less than three dozen homes, stretching between Scott Boulevard and West Ponce de Leon Avenue, just west of downtown Decatur. While it has an average home value not much higher than the city's average, the three homes near Ponce are all standouts. Within 500 feet of each other, with similar sizes and price tags, this is about as close as you can get to apples-to-apples real estate comparisons. The prices might show that Decatur home values have gone bananas, but only you can decide which property is the better buy.
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620 Pinetree Drive
620 Pinetree Drive
Current Price: $1,299,500
First Listed at: $1,395,000
Last Sold at: $215,000 (2001 - former house)
Bedrooms/Baths: 4/5
Square Footage: 5,618
Constructed: 2003
The Skinny: Sitting on half an acre, this home has been on the market for nearly five months. (As we've pointed out before, the questionable decor could be a culprit.) Complete with intricate molding and ornate ceilings, the home takes a classical approach to newish construction. The home features a poolside cabana, expansive gardens and a greenhouse, as well as a fountain comprised of what appears to be recycled bottles. The listing went through a significant price drop — $199,500 — more than the price of the average metro home — at the end of January. Now it's almost the same price as its more contemporary neighbor at 643.
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630 Pinetree Drive
630 Pinetree Drive
Current Price: $1,550,000
Last Listed at: $989,000 (2010-2012)
Bedrooms/Baths: 6/5.5
Square Footage: 4,820
Constructed: 1996
The Skinny: Just hitting the market this week, this is the highest priced of the three homes on the street, though given the languishing precedent set by the others, it seems likely to come down in price in the next few months. Also the smallest home of the three, it features a sunroom with 36-foot ceilings and a detached garage/guest suite. While it's mostly restrained, in one room you can take a safari without even leaving the premises.
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643 Pinetree Drive
643 Pinetree Drive
Current Price: $1,299,000
First Listed at: $1,395,000
Last Sold at: $519,000 (2007 - pre-renovation)
Bedrooms/Baths: 6/6
Square Footage: 5,773
Constructed: 1950
The Skinny: A standout from the other two formal neighbors, this home has embraced its era of construction as a mostly updated 1950s ranch with an ultra-modern addition. The home features a sleek "sexy chefs" kitchen — without the apostrophe, the meaning is really quite open — and a rhino head above the white brick fireplace. From the listing photos, it seems a few bathrooms and a hallway haven't seen more than a fresh coat of paint, but the large windows and open spaces could lure in a potential buyer. The home lacks the pool and gardens of its competitors, but it boasts a lush green yard and a mosquito repelling system. How that works is unclear.
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