Moving to Atlanta from Ohio (Smyrna, Vinings: apartment complex, lease, condo)

[skyski88]

Im taking this from the sticky post

Helpful Tip,
For all of those about to move or thinking about moving to the Atlanta metro area, in order for us to better assist you and for you to get more responses please provide us with as much of the following information as possible in your initial post please:

1. Budget
2. House/Condo/Townhome?
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home)
4. Children(public school vs. private)
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.

1. 50k salary
2. Seeking an apartment in smyrna or however its spelled (preferably 6 month lease, and all utilities included if available)
3. Less than 10 mile commute
4. No kids, not married (I'm 25)
5. Well, im a single black male so ill eventually want to change the single part lol
6. I have my own vehicle so I do not think public transit matters
7. African American Male, it would be nice to live in a safer (little to no crime area) with minorities if that exists in smryna (spelling).

Can anyone help me out? Due to distance and money (i am graduating graduate school in two days = im currently poor), I cannot travel to ATL to visit places. I have to solely rely on pics and the opinions of you all.

[Born 2 Roll]

If you are going to be working within 10 miles of Smyrna, then Smyrna is a really good choice.

Neighboring Vinings is also a good choice if you are going to be working in that area (in Northwest Metro Atlanta in the I-75 NW corridor).

There are PLENTY of apartment choices in that area (particularly in the Smyrna-Vinings area) and then some, so finding someplace to live on your relatively-generous budget should in no way be a problem.

Your only challenge will be in deciding in which apartment complex you want to live in that I-75/I-285 Cobb Cloverleaf/Smyrna-Vinings/Cumberland-Galleria area as there are so many choices in that particular area.

[skyski88]

Thanks. Are those locations safe? The job is located in Smyrna, so if I chose to get a place in Smyrna as you suggested would I still face heavy traffic? or minimal commute times?

[testa50]

Where is your job located? You're kind of vague about that.

$50k should mean you have enough to spend upwards $1,000/mo on rent, which should get you a pretty nice 1/1 out in the burbs. Since you don't have the ability to come apartment hunt around here yourself, I'd just get on the phone with some of the more established apartment communities in the area and see if they can accommodate your situation.

Generally, landlords want to have a year long lease and want you to pay utilities separately. You'll likely have to budge on one or both of those requirements.

Smyrna is generally pretty diverse and safe--I wouldn't fret too much about finding the right community from that perspective. If you find a 1/1 for around $1,000 it's going to tend to be located in a nice, diverse complex.

[lorilove]

Originally Posted by skyski88

Thanks. Are those locations safe? The job is located in Smyrna, so if I chose to get a place in Smyrna as you suggested would I still face heavy traffic? or minimal commute times?

Heavy traffic exists everywhere in Atlanta - so you are going to hit it no matter. The question is if you are in it for the entire commute or just a part of it.

I live in Smyrna but work from home. If I am out and about around rush hour, there is a 1 mile stretch that can get really backed up. But anyone can deal with traffic for 1 mile. Give us more specifics as to where you are traveling to and we can estimate if you will be sitting in traffic the entire time.

There are quite a few back road options going into Smyrna. I find taking those is good for my sanity. They are often not any faster given the speed limit and stop signs/lights but the fact you keep moving it just feels less frustrating.

[skyski88]

Looking at the map on google its in south Smyrna ad Nickajack park is really close . Again, thats from the map proximity on google maps

[skyski88]

So far ive found the Jasmine Woodlands. Is this an ok place to live? BAd place? What are some other locations?

I forgot to mention that ill be moving there next week

[lorilove]

I don't know Jasmine Woodlands specifically but off of Village Parkway is not bad. It looks like you will be taking Spring Road, Atlanta Road and South Cobb Drive to get to work

Spring Road and Atlanta Road can get backed up but in Atlanta terms, that is an easy commute.

Other apartments you can look at include Glen Park, Aventine at Vinings, and Post Spring

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by skyski88

Thanks. Are those locations safe? The job is located in Smyrna, so if I chose to get a place in Smyrna as you suggested would I still face heavy traffic? or minimal commute times?

Originally Posted by skyski88

Looking at the map on google its in south Smyrna ad Nickajack park is really close . Again, thats from the map proximity on google maps

Originally Posted by skyski88

So far ive found the Jasmine Woodlands. Is this an ok place to live? BAd place? What are some other locations?

I forgot to mention that ill be moving there next week

Like lorilove mentioned, the Jasmine Woodlands is located off of Village Parkway, which in my personal experience (I had a driving job that used to frequently take me to those apartment complexes along Village Parkway between Spring and Windy Hill roads in Smyrna) is relatively very-safe (by Atlanta's big-city safety standards).

Because a particular area may be relatively somewhat very-safe area does not mean that you can completely let your guard down as you will still need to stay vigilant and be aware of your surrounding at all times.

Being in a relatively somewhat very-safe area in a large metro region of 6 million like Atlanta just means that a particular area is not infested with incidents of crime (property and violent crime) as crime still occurs even in areas where it is generally relatively very-low and infrequent in its occurrences.

Also, a commute between someplace like Village Parkway and the Nickajack Park area would be pretty painless by Atlanta standards (probably about roughly 20-25 minutes max during most rush hours), as though you would encounter traffic, you would still be working in the same city (Smyrna) that you live in, which is the type of rush hour commute that is pretty coveted in a metro region in Atlanta where it is not necessarily all that unusual for individual one-way rush hour commutes to be measured in HOURS instead of just minutes.

Though you could decrease the length of even that modest one-way rush hour commute if you were to find an apartment complex to live in that was closer to your workplace as there are plenty of varying apartment options to be found close to I-285 along South Cobb Drive, South Atlanta Road, Cumberland Parkway, etc.

[skyski88]

Lincoln Hills
Garden of Cobb
Jasmine Woodlands

These are the 3 I am considering. Can anyone at all inform me if which would be the best (not have to worry about break ins theft etc) to rent