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Climate and Geography

Current weather conditions

Frequently, visitors to our area are surprised to find a topography different from their expectations of a fairly flat terrain. Atlanta is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Therefore the topography is rolling to hilly, and slopes downward toward the east, west and south so that drainage of the major river systems is generally into the Gulf of Mexico from the western and southern sections of the city and to the Atlantic from the eastern portions of the city. Atlanta also has a mean elevation of about 1,060 feet above sea level; making it the second highest major city in America!

The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean are approximately 250 miles south and southeast of the city, respectively. Both the Appalachian chain of mountains and the two nearby maritime bodies influence Atlanta’s climate.

An average annual rainfall of approximately 50 inches keeps the rolling, wooded terrain a lush green from early spring until late fall. Called "America’s greenest city", the metro area has an estimated 6 million trees!

The city has a distinct change of seasons with mild winters (less than 1.5 inches of snow) and warm summers, (approximately 30 days over 92 degrees). Average relative humidity is approximately 70%. A gardener’s paradise, the city is blessed with a ten month growing season and to see Atlanta in April is a visual treat; as nature turns the city and its many paths into a fairyland of pink and white dogwood and fragrant late spring flowers.

Atlanta Area Home Construction

Architectural Styles: The Atlanta area offers a wide range of architectural styles from early colonial to free-style contemporary. However, most of the homes have a traditional flavor.

The most prevalent styles for smaller to moderately priced homes are ranches and split levels. The outside appearance may reflect many "period looks".

Traditional homes, both one and two-levels, are built in a variety of styles such as Williamsburg, European (English and French), Georgian and Colonial.

Construction: A majority of homes in Atlanta that are over 15 years old have a basic frame construction with brick veneer facing. However, over the past few years a wider variety of exteriors have become popular. As architectural trends move towards the contemporary, early colonial and rustic styles, various types of wood siding predominate. "Real stucco" and synthetic stucco, is a popular exterior on the European style homes.

Approximately 50% of our housing inventory will have basements. In general, a home with an unfinished full basement will cost about 8% more than an equivalent home without a basement.

Landscaping: By most standards, Atlanta’s residential lots are very spacious, ranging in size from 9,000 square feet for "cluster" lots/homes to 2+ acres and more when you go toward some of the more rural areas.

Natural hardwoods and pines abound throughout the area, providing generous shade and reducing cooling costs in the summer. The red clay composition of our soil is high in nutrients making it easier to grow luxurious lawns if tended properly. Foundation plantings generally consists of various evergreen shrubs and flowering bushes. Because of this, each house tends to take on an individual character all its own.

Most older homes have well-established landscaping themes. With new homes, foundation plantings vary with abundant choices for shrubbery and the lot is sometimes sodded but more often, seeded and strawed. A newly seeded lawn will take about one growing season and perhaps one other seeding to become established. Atlanta is known throughout the world for its magnificent colors in the spring of the year. It is fondly referred to as "The Dogwood and Azalea City".

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