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My wife is about to accept a job offer in Atlanta. We're looking for some advice on what neighborhoods to check out and what we should expect coming from DC. We're both 30 years old and have lived in DC for our post-college years, and neither of us have ever been to the Atlanta area before.
1. Budget
We make $250k+ combined (and will maintain that), but have mid 6 figures in student loans. Being from DC we're used to high cost of living, we pay $2600 for a 2b/2ba now. Ideally we'd like to cut that down to $1500 per month or less so we can pay down the loans quicker.
2. House/Condo/Townhome?
All are fine, but we don't want to live in a high-rise. House or townhome would be ideal. We would rent for about 6 months while we look for a house to buy. The idea of a fixer-upper in a hip / up-and-coming neighborhood appeals to us. We'd ideally buy for $150-250k, we don't need too much house. Is that reasonable?
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home)
Her job will be located in Sandy Springs. I've of course heard about the traffic, but also heard that reverse commuting from the city isn't too bad. I travel Monday through Thursday and work from home on Friday, so I'll need to get to the airport. It's not imperative that I live right by the airport, just that it's relatively easy to get to.
4. Children(public school vs. private)
None yet, but probably starting a family in a year or two. We have a dog.
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two
Probably a mix. We're used to living in a more quiet yet very walkable neighborhood in DC. We don't own a car, and get by perfectly fine using Metro, Car2go, Uber, bikes, etc. We will buy a car before moving though. We would like to replicate DC where possible, but would prioritize being able to buy a nice house. Walkable is not required, but ideal.
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?
I think so, but we're also fine with taking Uber rides from a little further away on the nights that we go out.
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.
Preferably like our current neighborhood. In the city, but not downtown, quieter than normal but easy to get to lively parts, pet-friendly, restaurants and bars nearby, a good place to start a family. As stated above, walkable is not required but ideal.
We have a few friends that live in Inman Park and Buckhead, they recommend both neighborhoods. Buckhead seems like it's easier to find housing in the range we're looking for. But Inman Park seems to fit the type of neighborhood we're looking for better. Is this right?
My wife is about to accept a job offer in Atlanta. We're looking for some advice on what neighborhoods to check out and what we should expect coming from DC. We're both 30 years old and have lived in DC for our post-college years, and neither of us have ever been to the Atlanta area before.
1. Budget
We make $250k+ combined (and will maintain that), but have mid 6 figures in student loans. Being from DC we're used to high cost of living, we pay $2600 for a 2b/2ba now. Ideally we'd like to cut that down to $1500 per month or less so we can pay down the loans quicker.
2. House/Condo/Townhome?
All are fine, but we don't want to live in a high-rise. House or townhome would be ideal. We would rent for about 6 months while we look for a house to buy. The idea of a fixer-upper in a hip / up-and-coming neighborhood appeals to us. We'd ideally buy for $150-250k, we don't need too much house. Is that reasonable?
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home)
Her job will be located in Sandy Springs. I've of course heard about the traffic, but also heard that reverse commuting from the city isn't too bad. I travel Monday through Thursday and work from home on Friday, so I'll need to get to the airport. It's not imperative that I live right by the airport, just that it's relatively easy to get to.
4. Children(public school vs. private)
None yet, but probably starting a family in a year or two. We have a dog.
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two
Probably a mix. We're used to living in a more quiet yet very walkable neighborhood in DC. We don't own a car, and get by perfectly fine using Metro, Car2go, Uber, bikes, etc. We will buy a car before moving though. We would like to replicate DC where possible, but would prioritize being able to buy a nice house. Walkable is not required, but ideal.
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?
I think so, but we're also fine with taking Uber rides from a little further away on the nights that we go out.
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.
Preferably like our current neighborhood. In the city, but not downtown, quieter than normal but easy to get to lively parts, pet-friendly, restaurants and bars nearby, a good place to start a family. As stated above, walkable is not required but ideal.
We have a few friends that live in Inman Park and Buckhead, they recommend both neighborhoods. Buckhead seems like it's easier to find housing in the range we're looking for. But Inman Park seems to fit the type of neighborhood we're looking for better. Is this right?
Thanks in advance for the help!
Your friends are right about Inman Park and Buckhead being good places to look.
Though, because it is a very popular Intown neighborhood and because we are in a competitive real estate market that is saturated with investors who quickly buy houses with cash, finding something (anything) in Inman Park at a reasonable price could potentially be a bit of challenge. You might have to checkout some other Intown neighborhoods that are up-and-coming if you want to have a better chance at finding a fixer-upper at a reasonable price.
Though you likely be much less likely to find a fixer-upper at a reasonable price there, Buckhead is a good place to look if you are willing to live in an apartment. Brookhaven, which is an up-and-coming post-suburban Intown area just east of Buckhead, would also be a good place to look.
Both Buckhead and Brookhaven are good areas to consider because they both would provide you with access to MARTA Heavy Rail Transit (Atlanta's subway) to get to and from the Airport and they both would provide your wife with access to MARTA HRT to and from work in Sandy Springs.
Though, with Sandy Springs being more of a reverse-commute from Intown areas like Inman Park, Buckhead and Brookhaven, driving commuting between Intown Atlanta and Sandy Springs will probably be less of a challenge than driving between areas like Buckhead/Brookhaven and the Atlanta Airport during peak hours....Frequent significant delays on Georgia 400, the I-85 Northeast Expressway and the I-75/85 Downtown Connector through Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown during peak hours are a major reason why having access to MARTA Heavy Rail will be so important.
You can certainly afford to live in the Perimeter Center area if you rent til you figure out where you like. However, commuting from the city to SS/PC is NOT an easy commute. That's a lie, especially in the afternoon. Perimeter Center to downtown in the afternoon you'd hit traffic trying to leave PC, then hit traffic on 400 before you ever got to Buckhead then just ride stop and go traffic all the way to downtown. If you did live in a more intown area, try to live near MARTA (assuming wife's job is near MARTA). Likely, you'd probably really like the east Atlanta neighborhoods. Quasi-grid, SFHs, but will be a bear to get to Sandy Springs. Also, your rent budget is probably fine but your housing budget is too low. Even for my area in the burbs it's on the low end.
Some people at the new job take the MARTA in from downtown, I guess her job is right near the sandy springs stop. Are there other neighborhoods to consider given that? She has taken DC metro to work every day, so that's not a problem.
Some people at the new job take the MARTA in from downtown, I guess her job is right near the sandy springs stop. Are there other neighborhoods to consider given that? She has taken DC metro to work every day, so that's not a problem.
If you are willing to forgo the desire to be in a house or townhome in a walkable Intown neighborhood, Sandy Springs and neighboring Dunwoody should probably be the absolute first places you look.
Sandy Springs and Dunwoody are not walkable Intown neighborhoods, but as close-in suburbs that are continuing to urbanize, Sandy Springs and neighboring Dunwoody will provide you with plenty of affordable apartment, condo and townhome options.
Sandy Springs and Dunwoody will also provide you with tons of retail amenities, good access to MARTA Heavy Rail Transit for your trips to and from the Atlanta Airport and provide your wife with a very short commute to and from her job in Sandy Springs.
Beyond Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, the rush hour commute becomes much more challenging, particularly if one has to drive into and out of that often traffic-logged area on a consistent basis. Housing (particularly affordable quality detached single-family housing) also can become a bit of a challenge to find beyond those areas, particularly if one is going towards the city.
Some people at the new job take the MARTA in from downtown, I guess her job is right near the sandy springs stop. Are there other neighborhoods to consider given that? She has taken DC metro to work every day, so that's not a problem.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ant131531
Inman Park, Virginia Highlands, Poncey Highlands, or Buckhead would be ideal.
Sounds like MARTA will be a go so definitely check out these areas
Since you don't know Atlanta at all, rent in Sandy Springs/Dunwoody first to be close to her office. There are literally dozens of apartment complexes within a mile of the Perimeter Center area (Ga400 and 285), ranging from $850 for a 1 BR up to $3500 for luxury apartments. The Perimeter Center area also has three MARTA stations to whisk you to the airport -- Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and a mile further up Peachtree Dunwoody Road, there's the North Springs station, surrounded by several apartment complexes.
This will give you a year to explore Atlanta, see what neighborhood vibes appeal to you, and what else you might discover in Atlanta. Lots of people come in from DC and heavily urban areas looking for something just like they left behind. Atlanta isn't DC with Adams Morgan or Capitol Hill or Georgetown -- while there are pockets here and there (Midtown, Inman Park/Old Fourth Ward, Decatur), there's a great deal of suburbia. Even Buckhead isn't as walkable as you might think (although the small area bordered by Peachtree Road/Paces Ferry/Piedmont has a WalkScore of 89 -- but no homes in your price range.). And all these trendy neighborhoods don't often come with superior public schools -- and if they do, then your budget isn't going to get you in that neighborhood. A year gives you a chance to be methodical in getting to know your new home. I just had a client who was intent on one of the few GreatSchools 8+ elementary schools in the City of Atlanta. The homes available were almost all 2-3 br homes 50 years or older, with renovations, starting in the high $400s and moving up rapidly in price. And there were precious few of those.
Don't think that the reverse commute to Sandy Springs is all peaches-and-cream, either. The Perimeter Center area, especially, is prone to heavy traffic, and it's only going to get more challenging when they start working on the massive new intersection of Ga400 and 285, anticipated to be in late 2016/early 2017.
Your budget is going to be a bit of a challenge in checking things off of your list, but you should be able to meet several of them. Just running a quick check, within a 13 mile radius of Ga400/285, there's only 300 single family for sale in your price range, none within a 3 mile radius, and few within areas considered to be superior schools districts with easy access to MARTA. However, there are 380 attached units (including 96 townhomes) in that price range. So it can be done. And we're moving into a season where new homes are coming on the market every day -- up until now, it's been a tough market for buyers, because of the reduced inventory.
The housing prices in Atlanta are MUCH better than in the District, so that's the good news. The bad news is that, unlike DC, we don't have many neighborhoods with high walkabilty scores. Atlanta, overall, has a WalkScore of 45 -- DC has one of 74, whereas NYC has one of 88.
Welcome to Atlanta -- it has it's own charms, and we aren't digging out from 20+ inches of snow today. :-)
I don't think there's any neighborhood that fits all of your requirements, but there are some that fit most requirements. The price point is the big issue. Atlanta is certainly much cheaper than DC, but you'll still be hard-pressed to find a house (even a very small one) in a walkable safe neighborhood.
I second what some others have said about MARTA. If your work destinations are Sandy Springs and the Airport, it makes a ton of sense to live near a MARTA rail station, especially on the Red (North/South) line. I also really, really suggest renting at first. Just get a 6 month lease in an apartment. That will give you time to explore your options. The neighborhoods here are really different and you need to see/experience them to make an informed choice before buying.
Inman Park - You won't be able to buy a house here, but you may find something to rent. Good MARTA accessibility (but on the east/west line), walkable, safe, on the Beltline, lots of restaurants.
Sandy Springs - It's a suburb, so it won't fit your desire for walkability, but there's a lot to be said for living close to your job in Atlanta. Also, direct MARTA line to the airport.
Cabbagetown - You could probably get a small house here in your price range. Great funky neighborhood. Interesting bars. Slightly towards some sketchy areas, but not bad.
Midtown - Maybe a bit too bustling for your taste, but it's easily one of the most walkable/urban areas of the city. Fantastic MARTA accessibility, and it's pretty much halfway between Sandy Springs and the airport. One of the few areas in Atlanta where car-free living is not too difficult. Piedmont Park is the city's best. It's mostly mid/high-rises though. There are some townhouses, and a big historic area with houses (way out of your budget), and some more houses around the fringe. You might try to rent in this area for 6 months.
Buckhead - Good location in terms of access to Sandy Springs, and MARTA to the airport. It's an urban/suburban mix. Wealthy area. Not exactly walkable, but not bad. Not bike friendly at all. Very different than DC.
Old 4th Ward - Up and coming area. Lots of houses that could be in your price range, but they're in sketchier parts. No direct MARTA rail access, but it's not too far away. Lots of great restaurants and such. Beltline access and a great park.
Rent an apartment in Perimeter Center and walk to work first. That way you can figure out which neighborhood fits your budget and preferences.
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