Considering Relocating to ATLANTA. Please HELP!! (Druid Hills, Buckhead: apartments, leasing, condo)

[JamesKnox]

Hi everyone!

I need your help. As you can probably tell by the title, I am considering a relocation to Atlanta around April-May. I am from New York City, currently live in Los Angeles but have been thinking about Atlanta for 3 years now so I have recently decided to go ahead and try it for 1 year while I am still fairly young. I am 25 years old. I am having the hardest time choosing an area for myself so I wanted to ask some of your opinions.

I had my mind all made up on this Gables Century City property but the more I read and talk to people, the more I find myself being pulled towards the Midtown area. Let me just say this, I prefer a more luxury quality of life as opposed to a cool trendy area. Therefore, I believe I can pretty much cross off areas like Little Five Points and Va-Hi as I would consider them to be trendy, village-like type of areas. Originally, I wanted to move to the North Suburbs and rent a really nice townhouse but all of my Atlanta friends have warned me how it's "such an inconvenience to live up there if you plan to spend a lot of your time in the city." So fine, I can cross off the North Suburbs.

Right now, I am thinking Midtown, Druid Hills, Brookhaven, Buckhead. --- I don't know much about Druid Hills or Brookhaven but from what I have read they seem to be really close to everything but not quite as "urban" as let's say Midtown. Gables has a property in Druid Hills called Gables Sheridan which looks nice on their website but I would love if some of you could weigh in on the area ---- and of course if you live or have lived in Gables Sheridan, you're opinion on the property itself would be more than appreciated.

Midtown is where EVERYONE is telling me I want to live. However my concern is that Midtown is going to give me these high-rise options like Spire and Metropolis and I am really not too fond of ultra modern and I tend to find most high-rises to be just that. I'm not OPPOSED to living in a high-rise but after living in New York City for so long what I most certainly don't want is a little box apartment in the sky. That's not appealing to me at all.

Buckhead...well what is there to say. Buckhead is Buckhead...I'm sure I would enjoy it but Buckhead to me is just a bit played out right now. It was all the rage years ago but quite honestly...it's not ALL THAT. I would be fine living there though and I am sure i would enjoy it but it's sort of like the safety net for me. I KNOW I can find something in Buckhead that I would like but not really THRILLED about the area either.

I know I seem a bit all over the place and for that I apologize but if you all know of any apartment communities that I may should look into OR if you can offer advice on which neighborhoods I would like, I would really appreciate any leads. As I have said, I seen Gables Century Center and I really liked it, just don't know about the area, the leasing staff was very honest in saying there is pretty much nothing around the property. I have seen Gables 820 West, which I did like but I have heard 1 too many crime stories about the property so it's pretty much off the list. I also have seen Amli Linbergh in Buckhead. I liked them but I think they are overpriced. I have no problem paying 1200-1300 dollars a month for rent but when your 1 bedrooms are starting at 1250 and are less than 700 square feet...I think you are crazy overpriced for Atlanta. So ALL AMLI properties are pretty much crossed off as well. Any other suggestions? I am a 25 year old male...but for the purpose of this...please consider me a 35 year old woman. LOL. I want a good SAFE neighborhood. I would like an area that has some action going on or at least not far from it. I prefer more traditional luxury over modern luxury -- which is why I would prefer a mid-rise property such as a Gables community over the Spire or Metropolis.


I know I keep mentioning Gables but their Century Center location just happens to be the one in which I have been considering for a while; but please don't feel I am married to it!

PLEASE HELP ME!! AS YOU CAN SEE I AM ALL OVER THE PLACE!! ;-)

1. Budget 900-1200 for 1 bedroom OR 1200-2000 for 2 bedroom
2. House/Condo/Townhome? Apartment/Condo or Possible Townhome
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home) Work from Home
4. Children(public school vs. private) NONE
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two - Open to all
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not? - NOT AT ALL IMPORTANT
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood. Not too young, not too old.

[bryantm3]

another neighbourhood you may want to put on your list is west midtown— it's basically the area around howell mill from the tech campus up to huff road. you said you didn't care anything about transit, so i don't know if you'd be interested in the beltline— it's basically a 22 mile walking trail and a streetcar loop in a sort of 'linear park' surrounding intown atlanta. it's not anywhere near finished, only one portion is open on the eastside. but there are apartments like you're describing popping up all along the beltline, you may want to check that out.

[Atlwarrior]

Yes West Midtown, sound like the best area for you.

[JamesKnox]

Im curious at why you both mentioned West Midtown, I quickly looked up a few apartment communities over there; with the most advertised being AlexanMetroWest and I am not feeling that by any means. Nothing seems high-end about it. Feels like a transitional property for someone who has just graduated college or someone currently in college. No luxury finishes. Basic black appliances. It's attempting to be modern and if that's what the neighborhood has to offer, I most certainly don't like that. Am I overlooking something?

Just to clarify, I prefer more luxurious than cool. Granite counter tops, ceramic tile, larger bath tubs, etc.

Any other suggestions?

[cqholt]

Old fourth ward and inman park. Lots of new, mixed use multi-family complexes. Close to great restaurants and everything Atlanta has to offer.

[tonygeorgia]

1. Inman Park/Va-Highlands is your best choice

I agree with you about Buckhead but Buckhead will be coming back swinging hard once BA is completed on next year. Buckhead may have taken a backseat once the club district closed but best believe once that project is complete next year Buckhead will be in a category of its on.


If you do decide to move try to move here the earliest you can after Feb so that you can take advantage of all the festivals that we have here

[ja1myn]

I am also from NY. Buckhead, to me, is overrated and boring. I live in Midtown. There is a decent number of things to do, but I am a simple guy so anything is fun to me. There's Atlantic Station, Piedmont Park, everything down Peachtree St., and easy access to MARTA stops.

What part of NY are you from?

[cqholt]

Buckhead is rich & stuffy.

[ja1myn]

Originally Posted by cqholt

Buckhead is rich & stuffy.

Stuffy? As in dense and conjested?

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by ja1myn

Stuffy? As in dense and conjested?

He means snooty.