When Sheena Johnson Bird, a real estate agent with Engel & Volkers Atlanta, moved to Georgia in 2008 and purchased her first house in Old Fourth Ward, her colleagues had a tough time getting on board with that decision.
“Vacant lots were being sold for $20,000, and some houses were available for $50,000, yet there was little interest,” she recalled. “The area had high crime rates, lacked safe walkability, and many nearby homes were neglected or occupied by squatters.”
For Johnson Bird, then 22 years old and a recent college graduate, buying a $99,000 property was one of the smartest financial decisions she’s made. Not only was the historic neighborhood affordable, but it was near enviable areas garnering higher home prices such as Virginia-Highland, Poncey-Highland, Inman Park and Midtown. For pioneers like herself, that investment would eventually pay off. Old Fourth Ward has morphed into one of Atlanta’s most desirable neighborhoods.
“Fast forward 15 years, and this neighborhood has become the most sought-after in Atlanta,” she said. “It’s remarkable how things have transformed.”
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Boundaries
Old Fourth Ward is located east of downtown Atlanta. Its borders are Ponce de Leon Avenue to the north, the MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) Green Line and Oakland Cemetery on the south side, and Piedmont Avenue to the west. Slated to be completed in 2030, the Atlanta BeltLine––22 miles of unused railroad tracks transformed into trails, park space and light rail through 45 neighborhoods––skirts the eastern edge. The Downtown Connector (I-75 and I-85) cuts through the neighborhood’s western side.
Price Range
One-bedroom condos range from about $160,000 to about…
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