BIG CHANGE: Moving from Miami to Georgia, need some advice please... (Atlanta: real estate, renting)

[MIA_2_ATL]

Hello Everyone,
I'm 35, married, and with a 4 year old boy. My wife and I were born and raised in Miami. We love Miami's Sun, beaches, food, diversity and entertainment. However, we now have a kid (How things change).....and dislike the over crowded public school systems, over inflated housing prices and let alone the aggressive/violent/self-entitled attitude and feel it's not a place for us to raise our kid/s. I most probably will be working in Atlanta (Turner/CNN) and my schedule will most probably be 10am-7pm. We're looking for a young family environment, movies, restaurants, outdoorsy, non hostile, friendly attitude where people say hello and smile and not "what the F' are you looking at?" I've done some research and I'm caught between Roswell, Marietta and Alpharetta. Maybe you could confirm this or suggest something I don't know of...

Here goes the info...

Budget: Renting $1350-1500 month

Housing: Single Family Home

Employment Status: Prob. Working @ CNN

Children: Public School (Though he's currently 4)

Suburban or Burban Lifestyle: Suburban

Easy access to public transit: Not important

Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood: We're White Hispanic

Airport access, important or not: Not really.

Traffic: I'd prob be working 10am-7pm


Thanks in advance.

[ATLTJL]

You nailed it. Alpharetta/Roswell is going to be your best bet. Maybe Johns Creek a bit, too.

The reason I popped Johns Creek at the end is because if you're commuting downtown, you're going to want to be decently close to 400. Mornings are no issue, after 10am the morning traffic is pretty much gone. But the evening rush hour lasts a long time, and if you leave at 7pm, you're going to get the last dregs of it. I assume you also may have occasions when you have to arrive a little early, or you might get off a little early, so it's good to be close to a major artery.

Alpharetta and Roswell are pretty much right off 400 for most areas. Johns Creek is nice, but it's kind of tucked between 400 and I-85 without very quick access to either.

[BeyondInfinity]

Originally Posted by MIA_2_ATL

Hello Everyone,
I'm 35, married, and with a 4 year old boy. My wife and I were born and raised in Miami. We love Miami's Sun, beaches, food, diversity and entertainment. However, we now have a kid (How things change).....and dislike the over crowded public school systems, over inflated housing prices and let alone the aggressive/violent/self-entitled attitude and feel it's not a place for us to raise our kid/s. I most probably will be working in Atlanta (Turner/CNN) and my schedule will most probably be 10am-7pm. We're looking for a young family environment, movies, restaurants, outdoorsy, non hostile, friendly attitude where people say hello and smile and not "what the F' are you looking at?" I've done some research and I'm caught between Roswell, Marietta and Alpharetta. Maybe you could confirm this or suggest something I don't know of...

Here goes the info...

Budget: Renting $1350-1500 month

Housing: Single Family Home

Employment Status: Prob. Working @ CNN

Children: Public School (Though he's currently 4)

Suburban or Burban Lifestyle: Suburban

Easy access to public transit: Not important

Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood: We're White Hispanic

Airport access, important or not: Not really.

Traffic: I'd prob be working 10am-7pm


Thanks in advance.

I would recommend that you consider Decatur, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs as well. The reason is you will be close to MARTA and MARTA will take you directly to your job at CNN/Turner. Roswell, Alpharetta and Johns Creek are further out and you would definitely be stuck in traffic, even though you have to be to work at 10 AM.

[ATL Golfer]

Atlanta is friendlier, but as a whole that attitude has spread like a disease amongst current generations...and even infected older ones. Life is such a rat race these days, everyone is the enemy. Pretty sad day in age to live in imo. I would consider Ashford Park area. I think you can find a home there in that range. Right on the fringe of Buford Hwy which has an enormous Latin population ...also other cultures as well.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Yeah, I think you should look at Decatur. It's got all those things people like the suburbs and all those things people like about the city and it's a quick MARTA ride to work.


*actually, there are neighborhoods in the city of ATL that fit that bill bit it's way easier to sell you on Decatur and then show you the other options after.

[SW30303]

If you can work off-peak hours, I would lean towards East Cobb (Marietta), easier highway access in-town than most of North Fulton. Decatur is way more convenient to Downtown than most of North Fulton is (Alpharetta). I think when you drive around, you will get a better idea if you haven't been around in the suburbs before. With what you describe, you have a lot to choose from with the northern 'burbs. Good luck with your move!

[JennyMod]

I live in East Cobb and I have to say it works well - very close access to I-75 and I don't have to deal with 400/I-285 (you wouldn't either). The East Cobb schools are great, you really can't go wrong there. Keep in mind the City of Marietta has their own school system so you'd want to investigate the individual school, as a system it is not as highly thought of as Cobb County Schools. If you live in East Cobb you'll have a Marietta address but be in the Cobb County Schools.
I work in Decatur, it's lovely, but the home prices are higher as are the taxes. The schools are good and the community is great.
Also, I was born and raised in Miami (am non-hispanic) and I think you'll find Atlanta to be wonderful, a great place to raise kids. About the only thing I miss from Miami is the Cuban food. The beaches are great, but you're only about a 5 hour drive to the Florida Panhandle which truthfully has nicer beaches than Miami. The school system is better in the suburbs of Atlanta, more house for your money, lower taxes, etc. Good luck!

[researchnerd]

You might try the Avondale Estates section of Decatur. It's more affordable than City of Decatur, has pretty, tree-lined streets, and it's on the direct MARTA line to CNN Center. Trust me, if you there's any way you can avoid the commute on 400, you will thank yourself for it later.

[NorthGeorgia]

Marietta is a great community. I lived there when I was about five and moved back and I live very close now. It depends on what part of town but most of the schools are nice. If you are comfterable with a 40 minute commute check out Canton and Woodstock in Cherokee county. The cheapest real estate is south of the city and it gets more expensive as you move north until you hit Cartersville where it starts falling. I like Atlanta a lot.

P.S. be prepared; Me and my family are from Jacksonvilee, Florida. You think winters arent going to be that bad but they are. You WILL need a heavy coat, and proabably a hat if you go out after dark in the Winter. Tempetures in winter usually get to about 50, maybe 40 on colder nights. During the height of winter, you have to be careful to keep your pipes from freezing at night. Just warning you, it might be a big change from Miami.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by NorthGeorgia

P.S. be prepared; Me and my family are from Jacksonvilee, Florida. You think winters arent going to be that bad but they are. You WILL need a heavy coat, and proabably a hat if you go out after dark in the Winter. Tempetures in winter usually get to about 50, maybe 40 on colder nights. During the height of winter, you have to be careful to keep your pipes from freezing at night. Just warning you, it might be a big change from Miami.

The pipe thing is only true of some older houses. Most homes built in the past 30 years or more have the pipes along inside walls where freezing is a nonissue, though you may want to turn off any outdoor spigots (using the valve on the inside of the house) and drain them.

It'll sometimes get a lot colder than 40F. We've seen 11F twice in Mableton (at night) since we moved into our current house in 2005.