Pent Manor's urban rowhouse design and location near the Edgewood Retail District attracted buyers like Brooks Cloud, who moved into a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath condo last spring. It's his first home.

Christopher Oquendo/Special (ENLARGE)

Brooks Cloud hangs out on the balcony of his home at Pent Manor near the Edgewood Retail District in Atlanta.

Q: Where were you moving from?

A: A converted industrial space in Inman Park, off DeKalb Avenue. I was renting.

Q: Why did you want a townhome?

A: I travel a lot for work, so I wanted a townhome or a house that was easy to take care of and that fit the bill.

Q: Why did you choose Pent Manor?

A: My feeling was that that area – Little Five Points, Inman Park, East Atlanta, Grant Park – seems to be the most up-and-coming neighborhoods within the perimeter. ...I wouldn't describe it as the best neighborhood in Atlanta for sure, but if you drive around those neighborhoods, you see a remodeled house next to a rundown, beat-up house. It gives you the feeling at least that it's moving in the right direction, and three, four, five years down the road, it's going to be fully rejuvenated.

Q: What did you like about the design of the condos?

A: I liked the fact that they were brick. I liked the barrel roof. I really liked the open floor plan, the hardwood floors and granite countertops.

Q: Do you shop often at Edgewood?

A: That's where I go typically. It's great, it's convenient. It's always crowded.

Q: Why was it a good decision for you, as a first-time homebuyer?

A: It's right in the middle of the action, so to speak. If you're going to pick a place to live inside the perimeter, most people would choose Virginia-Highlands first, but that's so expensive. Midtown is really urban. If you want sort of all the benefits of living inside the perimeter without sort of the hassle of Buckhead or Midtown, then it's kind of a nice little alternative.

AT A GLANCE

Address: 142 Moreland Ave., Atlanta 30316

County: DeKalb

Information: 770-367-9284, www.pentmanor.com

Price range: $254,900-$259,900

Number of units: 8

Year built: 2007

Standard features: balconies, exposed brick, hardwood floors, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances.

Amenities: sidewalk

Square footage: 1,700

Association fee: $82 a month

Broker: Keller Williams

Developer/Builder: Converge Real Estate

Schools: Whitefoord Elementary, Coan Middle, Crim High

More on schools: www.ajchomefinder.com/schoolguide

Getting there

From downtown Atlanta, take Ponce de Leon to Moreland Avenue and turn right. Pass the Edgewood Retail District and Pent Manor will be about a half mile on the left.

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