Moving from DC to Atlanta After Graduation (2014) (Decatur, Vinings: apartments, rentals)

[AmericasFan]

Hello All,

I will be relocating to Atlanta after graduation. My office will be located downtown near the civic center. I am looking to live in an area that's relatively similar to the neighborhood that I currently live in. I'm walking distance to bars/restaurants and my building is filled with professional 20 somethings. Once i'm in Atlanta I definitely want to live somewhere that's filled with young, urban and progressive professionals. I'm going to be moving to the city by myself, so I'd also love to live in an area where I can meet new people.

Additionally, i'd prefer to live in a secured apartment building with amenities (close access to a town center, possible pool, possible roof deck, gym etc...). I'd also like a relatively short commute.

I'm not sure if that's asking for too much but I figured since the cost of living is significantly cheaper in GA I want to get as much bang for my buck as possible.

Where do college grads usually start?

1. Budget: 1,000-1,600 (pref. 1350 area)
2. House/Condo/Townhome: Apartment
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home): Commute (relatively short commute)
4. Children(public school vs. private): N/A recent college grad
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two: Urban
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?: Not important (do a lot of Atlanta residents utilize public transportation?)
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.: Young, Professional, College Educated, Diverse

Overall how's the entertainment scene in Atlanta? Do residents participate in a lot of outdoor activities? Are there a lot of happy hours? Is there an art scene? Although I have been to the city quite a few times, i've never considered some of the lifestyle features.

Thanks in advance!

[dblackga]

You're right, you will get a LOT more bang for you buck in Atlanta than you would in DC! My son is living in the District right now, and the housing prices almost paralyzed him when he first got to town!

Midtown or Atlantic Station would be my top two picks, if I were in your situation, looking for a young, diverse crowd. You can get a decent 1-2 bedroom apartment/condo in one of the high rises in Midtown in the $1200-1500 range, and many of them come with fitness centers, pools etc. The Metropolis is a nice building, but is probably just a bit over your price range. The Windsor at Midtown is on 14th is another great location, with moderate amenities, close to Piedmont Park. The Biltmore at Midtown is another good one to check out. Arts Center Tower is an older building, but a great location around Peachtree and 16th.

Atlanta Station is newer and a little more "self enclosed", with a LOT of young professionals living there. It's on the west side of the Connector I-75/I-85 where it becomes one road going through the middle of town) instead of the east side like the traditional "Midtown" neighborhoods. It tends to be a bit pricier than Midtown, but you can find some deals in there if you happen to hit it lucky.

Piedmont Park is a hub for a lot of outdoor activities, including music festivals, fairs, etc. -- and also great for people watching. :-) Lots of clubs and restaurants in Midtown and spreading over to Decatur and up to Buckhead. People also enjoy the recreational opportunities in the Chattahoochee National Recreation Center a little north of town, the Beltline as it's being construction, biking on the Silver Comet Trail, Stone Mountain, or a short drive to more challenging outdoor activities, such as white water rafting further north.

Just remember, you are only signing a year lease -- you don't have to marry the place, you can just date for a while and see if you like it. :-) Don't get too caught up in the "perfect place" immediately. Find something that you like, and then keep your eyes open -- with as much housing as there is in Atlanta, the perfect place will present itself soon enough, as soon as you get comfortable and start to get to know the town.

Welcome to Atlanta!

[ElleKaye]

I would suggest Midtown. I moved to a suburb and am planning to relocate there or around the beltline in a couple of months so I am somewhat biased lol. Nevertheless, it does sound like the best combo of what you've described.

It may seem like an odd suggestion but Vinings does not sound like a bad idea either. The 30339 portion is nice and the commute would not be bad even if you had to take Atlanta Rd. into town. Considering the hills and the few number of buses I have seen, I don't think getting public transit out of there would be a picnic though.

You could consider downtown itself. I like a few places in 30308 (especially Waterford on Piedmont) but have had one too many people talk about crime in the area to personally consider downtown.

Do not make the same mistake I made; visit day and night to get a feel for the areas you are considering.

Here are a couple of sites that may help you in your decision:
Midtown, Atlanta Apartments and Rentals on Walk Score
Choose ATL

[bryantm3]

sounds like midtown is your place. the only other places i can think of you might like are the old fourth ward (because of the bars and restaurants) or west midtown (because of the huge arts scene).

we do use public transit here— MARTA is the subway/bus system. the stations in midtown are at 15th street, 10th street and north avenue— the hot spot in midtown is right now anywhere between 4th street and 14th street along peachtree. the closer you are to 10th, the closer you will be to piedmont park. if your workplace is near the civic center, there is a civic center subway station directly south of the north avenue station.

[bhammaster]

Its illegal to have happy hour in the city of Atlanta. For some reason.

[Mutiny77]

Another vote here for Midtown or Old Fourth Ward.

I don't think any city does happy hour like DC, but there are some good spots here from what I understand: Best Happy Hours Every Week Night In Atlanta « CBS Atlanta

[Born 2 Roll]

Midtown, Midtown, Midtown....Yet another vote here for Midtown.

With your budget of up to $1600/monthly, you should not really have much, if any of a problem finding a quality rental in which to live as the rent goes MUCH farther in Atlanta than it does in a high Cost-of-Living metro like D.C.

Also, there are literally dozens and dozens of quality living options in the Midtown/Downtown area very-near and likely immediately around where you will be working in the area near the Atlanta Civic Center with new high-density apartment/condo complexes seemingly appearing to pop-up every month or so.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

Its illegal to have happy hour in the city of Atlanta. For some reason.

Not at my house...

[AmericasFan]

Thank you so much for the replies! Luckily, I have all of winter and spring to find an apartment in Midtown. How is crime in this area?

[gerrythesnake]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

Its illegal to have happy hour in the city of Atlanta. For some reason.

They have them all over the city every day after work.