Athens and Clarke County share one unified government. Voters approved unification in a referendum on August 7, 1990, with 58% of city voters and 59% of county voters in favor, the county records.
With 128,671 residents at the 2020 Census and a large university population, Clarke County has many condo and townhome communities where a share of the units are rented. Rental turnover wears interiors and common areas faster, and investor owners often push for low dues.
That is where a study earns its keep. Low dues today usually mean a special assessment later, and buyers' lenders now look hard at the reserve line. A written plan lets the board show owners the trade-off in dollars.
Older complexes near downtown and the campus corridors also have the classic deferred items: wood siding and decks, stairs and landings, parking lots and original plumbing.
Components to watch here
- Exterior woodSiding, decks, stairs and landings need regular replacement and painting.
- Parking and pavingHigh-turnover lots crack and pot faster.
- Interiors in common areasHallway carpet, lighting and doors wear quickly with turnover.
Cost and coverage
Fees here follow the statewide pattern: about $1,500 to $5,000 for a small community and $7,000 to $15,000+ for a mid-rise or high-rise condo, going by published price lists. That is a guide, not a quote; see the cost guide for what moves the figure.
We match communities across Athens-Clarke County and nearby Oconee, Madison and Jackson counties.