Apartment Classified Ads From Atlanta's Past (Decatur, Vinings: 2013, apartment complexes, renters)

[LynnHarris]

Some of these ads remind me of when I first moved to Atlanta many, many years ago.



"When it comes to advertising Atlanta apartments, times have seriously changed, and that could be a good thing. In eras long before Craigslist and Airbnb, apartment holders relied on the Atlanta Constitution and Atlanta Journal to spread word of rental opportunities. And sometimes, they got very specific. Imagine the backlash if a landlord in 2013 specified that he'd rent to "straight only" or non-drinkers. Imagine the money to be made on letting condos and apartments if the Olympics came back (some Atlanta landlords clearly banked in 1996). To gauge the tectonic changes in ATL rental culture, we burrowed deep into the microfiche annals at a wonderful, nostalgic place called the library. What we found was equal parts hilarious and shocking, which describes this city's 1980s love affair with carpet..."

The Glorious/Sad/Funny Classified Ads Of Atlanta Past - Renters Week 2013 - Curbed Atlanta

[residinghere2007]

Some of them from the Olympic period seemed familiar. I actually used to live on Lenox Rd near Cheshire Bridge.

[canceltriplea]

I'll never forget visiting down there in the early 80's and seeing 2 br apartments for $150-$250! I was completely floored! I was from Connecticut and there was NO way you could rent ANY apartment for that LOW amount...unless you maybe go back to 1950! Rotflol...my how (the south's) prices have changed! Damned northeners. Spoil everything!

[Iconographer]

I remember in 1961when my dad was doing his residency at Emory. We were living at Emory Woods Apts near Clairmont and N Decatur. A huge 3 BR townhouse there rented for $95 a month.

[canceltriplea]

Thanks for the awesome trip back down memory lane. Wish those prices still held true!

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

I remember in 1961when my dad was doing his residency at Emory. We were living at Emory Woods Apts near Clairmont and N Decatur. A huge 3 BR townhouse there rented for $95 a month.

That would be about $700 in today's dollars, so a bargain indeed!

There are several "inflation calculators" online that you can use to translate old money amounts into current dollars. Some of the results are quite surprising! I remember seeing a similar thread about old apartment ads on Atlanta Time Machine, and some of the midtown apartments in the 1920s would rent for $2,000 today! Times don't change as much as you assume they do ...

[LynnHarris]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

I remember in 1961when my dad was doing his residency at Emory. We were living at Emory Woods Apts near Clairmont and N Decatur. A huge 3 BR townhouse there rented for $95 a month.

Wow...

[atlantagreg30127]

I remember moving here when "Adult Only" apartment complexes were allowed, with some others having family sections and adult only sections. A law was created on a federal level to prevent that shortly after I moved here. I'd say rents were about $350-$500 for a good to very good studio at the time.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

I remember moving here when "Adult Only" apartment complexes were allowed, with some others having family sections and adult only sections. A law was created on a federal level to prevent that shortly after I moved here. I'd say rents were about $350-$500 for a good to very good studio at the time.

One of the more infamous 'singles only' apartment complexes in the 70s was Riverbend on the Chattahoochee. It made the cover of Time Magazine in 1972. It's nickname was Gonorrhea Gulch.

[Sprial]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

It's nickname was Gonorrhea Gulch.

Ha! Before my time, but I hear the Ramblin' Raft Race may have been responsible for approximately 37% of that Vinings VD.