Relocating from Indiana to Atlanta..need help

[JPD]

Buckhead is currently in the process of getting rid of the nightlife/bars/clubs and attempting to turn it into Atlanta's version of Rodeo Drive.

I would take Buckhead out of consideration.

[kmaidon]

Thanks to all for the replies!!! Seeing as I will have 1-2 days for a apt finding trip, this will narrow things down greatly

[shortcut2k]

Originally Posted by sweettea1

Also, historic Roswell is really great. Just a bit of a commute intown but it's one of the best small towns near a major city around!

What kind of commute we talking about?

I might be interested in Roswell--heard it's one of the safest places to live in Georgia (then again, what statistics can you trust these days? LOL)

If Roswell's commute is less than an hour each way, what other towns should I look in? I was thinking Marietta (as well as Kennesaw) was too far away. Potential renters were talking about an hour-and-a-half commute each way with bad traffic...I can't imagine spending 3 hours a day in my car just going to-and-from work!

Thanks again for your help!! You're a wealth of information!!

[shortcut2k]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Kmaidon,

Some of the places you mention (Virginia Highlands, Buckhead) and other inner city areas such as Midtown, Grant Park, etc., are very nice and unique areas, but depending on what you're used to in terms of "mixed" areas - keep in mind that they are also the largest gay neighborhoods in the Southeast. Atlanta has something like the third largest gay community in the country, and those areas are where many gay folks choose to live. This isn't a problem for many, but some it may be - just be aware of it. Also since you made a point of emphasizing "women" on your list of desires in an area, those areas aren't 100% batting on that team for heterosexual men looking for tons of single ladies living around them.

Clawson's post earlier about just living in Kennesaw sounds about right. While Kennesaw can be kinda yuppy-ish (white upper-middle income, two biological children, one adopted asian child, two SUVs, one dog, one hampster, etc).. as they said, there is a bit of a singles college crowd there as well. Lots of stores and chain restaurants (and tons of traffic), but it's cheaper than the inner city areas above (and safer).

What kind of commute (to midtown Atl) would I be looking at if I lived in Kennesaw? When I spoke with people renting homes in that area, they suggested an 1.5 hour drive each way with bad traffic. How bad is traffic coming to/from Kennesaw?

I abandoned research for renting a home (with a garage) in that area after hearing about the commute...I am moving to Atlanta practically BLIND (I can't travel to Atl prior to moving, so I have to find a place to live from Michigan--this is proving to be practically impossible).

Thanks for the input--it's greatly appreciated!!

[atlantagreg30127]

Ok, well, most replies are going to be regarding the original post by kmaidon who said they would telecommute but go into their office in Kennesaw a couple times per week.

If you have a job in Midtown, you may or may not be able to handle the commute from Kennesaw. First, you have to get TO the interstate. In many places in Kennesaw that involves driving on Barrett Parkway which can literally come to a stand still. I've seen it take 35 minutes just to go 1.5 miles to I-75 from Barrett on bad days. From there on a GOOD day, you're talking 45 minutes to 1 hour from Kennesaw to Midtown. Bad days, yeah, add to that.

Be aware too, that in a few months the Georgia DOT is going to start a series of three projects along the connector downtown (where all of the interstates meet, near downtown/midtown). There are going to be at times, MAJOR delays in that area that will continue for quite a while until the projects are done. Here is channel 2's video about it (may be slow to load): SPECIAL ASSIGNMENT: Connector Changes - Video - WSB Atlanta

[derekgreer17]

I would recommend somwhere off of Briarcliff Road between St. Charles and say Johnson Rd. This is a very safe area with a lot of young transplants from the north. The area is very convienient to nightlife and the midtown, downtown, and buckhead areas. The commute to these places in painless for Atlanta. I recently moved from Ohio and love the area.