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I'll be moving to the Atlanta area in a year. Coming from the NY/LI area. I have rented in both LI and Manhattan. I have a few questions as I believe the process is different than NY.
Do I have to pay a realtor fee? If so, is it a percentage of my years rent or one months rent? Or does this not apply here? (Fingers crossed it doesn't...)
Will I need to be prepared to put down 2-3 months worth of rent or just pay application fees? I already have over $3k down on my current place (2 months security deposit) and I don't think I'll get that back until a month or two after I move out.
In general, what fees are there in addition to rent? I'll assume cable, electricity, internet. But do I have to pay water and heat in a rental or is that usually included? Is there usually a fee for parking? Right now our parking fee is $275 a month, but we can park on the street instead, not sure the suburban areas would work that way in Atlanta. we have 1 car now but plan to get another when we move.
Any recommendations for apartment complexes? We are a married couple in our early 30's. Not sure if it matters, but we are white. No kids yet, but in a year who knows! Husband works freelance. I have not found a job yet, but hoping to get a corporate admin job.
I have my eye on an urban area in Altanta, or Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Marietta, Roswell, Duluth. I want a safe area. Would love to be near a cute town center of some sort. I am also considering Old Fourth Ward but have a feeling it might be over our price range. Looking to spend under $1000 a month. At least 2 bedrooms. 1100sq ft or more. I would LOVE to have a dishwasher and laundry or laundry hook ups in my unit. An outdoor area would be ideal. And this might be wishful thinking, but an updated kitchen would be amazing. With counter space! Community pool would be preferred as well. Am I being realistic? We have visited Atlanta before and really like it. Have some family not too far from there. Looking for some relief from the outrageous cost of living in NY.
No you do not have to pay a realtor fee. Usually the landlord pays that. If you need an agent PM Me!
It depends on where you rent. Sometimes you have to put down a security deposit and 1 months rent. It depends on how your credit is and who you are renting from.
Once again it depends on where you live... I live in Midtown and I do not have to pay for water and trash because it's included in my rent. When I lived outside the city I had to pay for Water, sewer and trash. I have never lived in a place where I didn't have to pay for heat. Again there are some places where your utilities are included.
If you rent a condo in the city of Atlanta yes, you will most likely have to park on the street but in some cases you do not have to pay. It is first come first serve though. Once again it depends on where you live. If you live in an apartment complex parking should be included in your rent.
You should really contact ProMove or start looking for listings on Craigslist.
Altanta, or Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Marietta, Roswell, Duluth All of these places are good. If you are looking to stay under $1000 a month your best bet is Duluth or Marietta. You won't be able to get $1000 in Atlanta or Buckhead or Old Fourth Ward for a two bedroom unless the place is located in the bad part of town.
Just a word of advice... You should really base your house or condo on where your job is going to be. Traffic is horrible around here... Good Luck!!
Thanks for your reply!! Any comments on Marietta vs. Duluth? I have visited Marietta before, but not Duluth.
As far as job location, it might end up I don't get a job until after we move. I am hoping to make it down there a couple of times before we move to meet with recruiters and interview, but that's not guaranteed. Might have to temp before I get hired full time. So I figure we will focus on a good location to live and cross the commute issues when we come to it. Can't be any worse than being squished on my hour commute on the lirr.
Where ever you move...make sure the water/sewer/trash is included in the rent or you'll wish you had and you'll be sorry you didn't! Also, ask who will be your utility provider. It'll make a HUGE difference in if you are on the towns rate or Georgia Light & Power! Trust you me, I've had the town utility when I lived in both College Park 2009 (near the airport) & in East Point 2010 (the next town over) and my light bill ran roughly between $23-$26 a month for a 2 bedroom 1 bath apartment and 2 br/1 & 1/2 bath townhouse! First light bill I got...I fearfully looked around thinking I was on Candid Camera or someone was trying to Punk me! I almost had a heart attack, thinking someone made a freaking typo! Came back to my (old infrastructure) home state of CT...Dec 23, 2010...I have been (crying) the high, $300 + utility blues ever since!
Deposits: The amount is usually credit based here. If you rent from a private owner, it has a greater chance of being one month's rent, but rarely first and last month's.
Realtor Fee: I've heard of it from friends in NYC and don't completely understand how that works, but it's not the norm here. First of all, you don't need a realtor and the closest thing to what I think it means is the fee you pay when you use a 3rd party to find the rental. There are too many free resources here for that to be a souirce unless you have a problem. Try using Promove.com and there are many others including real estate companies like Coldwell Bankers all free to the renter.
Other Services: Whether you have to pay a deposit for utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer, cable, etc.) is usually credit based. The closer you move in town, the less chance you have of any utilities being included much less all. Also, unless you catch a special, there will likely be an application fee and non-refundable administration fee to apply for an apartment.
Parking Fees: Atlanta is very car dependent, but as a general rule, you will not have to pay to park at home. Most places have lots or garages and while there could be a fee for more than one spot or a garage, having to pay to park at home isn't the norm in town or in the burbs.
I don't know your price range, but from what you' ve said, I'd look at Midtown, Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Perimeter, or Brookhaven.
Marietta and Duluth are pretty much the same to me. I know traffic is worse in the Duluth area though....the cost of living is a little bit cheaper in Duluth...
I'll be moving to the Atlanta area in a year. Coming from the NY/LI area. I have rented in both LI and Manhattan. I have a few questions as I believe the process is different than NY.
Do I have to pay a realtor fee? If so, is it a percentage of my years rent or one months rent? Or does this not apply here? (Fingers crossed it doesn't...)
Will I need to be prepared to put down 2-3 months worth of rent or just pay application fees? I already have over $3k down on my current place (2 months security deposit) and I don't think I'll get that back until a month or two after I move out.
In general, what fees are there in addition to rent? I'll assume cable, electricity, internet. But do I have to pay water and heat in a rental or is that usually included? Is there usually a fee for parking? Right now our parking fee is $275 a month, but we can park on the street instead, not sure the suburban areas would work that way in Atlanta. we have 1 car now but plan to get another when we move.
Any recommendations for apartment complexes? We are a married couple in our early 30's. Not sure if it matters, but we are white. No kids yet, but in a year who knows! Husband works freelance. I have not found a job yet, but hoping to get a corporate admin job.
I have my eye on an urban area in Altanta, or Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Dunwoody, Marietta, Roswell, Duluth. I want a safe area. Would love to be near a cute town center of some sort. I am also considering Old Fourth Ward but have a feeling it might be over our price range. Looking to spend under $1000 a month. At least 2 bedrooms. 1100sq ft or more. I would LOVE to have a dishwasher and laundry or laundry hook ups in my unit. An outdoor area would be ideal. And this might be wishful thinking, but an updated kitchen would be amazing. With counter space! Community pool would be preferred as well. Am I being realistic? We have visited Atlanta before and really like it. Have some family not too far from there. Looking for some relief from the outrageous cost of living in NY.
Thank you for any advice you can give!
I was chuckling out loud as I read through your post, because the way things are done up north for living arrangements is so different from the south. When I was accepted to culinary school in Manhattan and had to look for an apartment in Brooklyn/Queens area because I couldn't afford the city, and had to do a share, I remember seeing things in the ads for apartments like, moving my car to the other side of the street at 5am, that the share was a "real" bedroom. Huh? And this and that about broker fees. Brings back memories! lol.
Anywho, when you look for an apartment here, you just drive around and go visit the properties, that's all. You go online, find out through word of mouth, or for privately owned properties, just get in car and make a day of finding places by driving around neighborhoods and looking for signs in the yard if it's not advertised. For complexes, confirm their hours before you head out, and map where you will go first, second, third, etc. Atlanta is much too spread out, and the traffic is too bad to drive around aimlessly, so have a discussion and a plan in place right out the gate.
Someone mentioned Promove, and this is a GREAT source for apartment hunting; I've used them many times. The staff is usually very familiar with certain complexes, how they look, if the management is accommodating, and many other things that will serve as helpful tips to your search. If you find a place through Promove and sign the lease, the apartment complex then gives a fee to Promove for the referral with no cost to you. There are several Promove offices in Atlanta, but check with Richard at the Buckhead location; I haven't talk to him in a few years, but he used to be the manager at that location, and is super nice and knowledgeable.
A $1000K won't get you into a 2 bedroom in Buckhead, Old Fourth Ward, and only certain parts of Dunwoody. If you can settle for a 1 bdrm, then you may be able to get into these areas, but that's it. Apartments in Sandy Springs are mostly around the Roswell Rd. area, as Sandy Springs is more home owners than anything else away from the Roswell Rd. area. Parts of Roswell are okay, but when I left it seemed to be going down a bit; just be selective if that's where you chose.
Water/sewer/trash is almost ALWAYS included in the rent in an apartment complex here. If you rent an apartment by a private owner, things could be different, but not in a complex. Utilities are usually separate, (heat, a/c, gas, etc.) and so is cable; most people get their internet/cable/home phone in a "bundle" for one flat rate through one of 2 or 3 major companies in the area. This flat rate is supposed to be more economical than paying for each service separately. I pay $99 a month + taxes for all 3. I have a valet trash service my complex offers, and that's an extra $25 a month, but I love opening my door and sitting my trash can out and having someone swoop by and pick it up for me!
Unless you live in the city of Atlanta, parking is plentiful and spacious; remember, we have room to spread out here, and complexes come with their own parking lot. Sometimes the parking spaces are assigned (usually 2 to an apartment) or you just park in whatever space is available when you get home.
You guys are so cute. A lot of apartments come with a washer and dryer inside the unit now, and if not, they have hook ups. If you don't have a washer and dryer, or can't front the money to buy a set right away, the complex usually has a contract with some company or another that you can rent one from for around $30-$40 extra per month, and they just add it in with your rent. The only time you MAY NOT have an outdoor space/balcony with your apartment is if you live IN Atlanta proper. Some older apartment buildings don't have outdoor space, but some do; or, a lot of the newer city properties have whats call "faux" balconies, where there's just enough room to open the door and stand on it, but not to put a table and chairs on and have like coffee or something.
An updated kitchen will depend on how old the complex is that you decide to rent from; but I've seen even older places with updated kitchens, so don't worry too much about that. A dishwasher as well as a built in microwave is pretty common. All complexes have community pools, so you're good there too.
Things are more easy-breezy here when looking for an apartment; if you have decent credit, good rental references, can show proof of income, and pass a background check, you're in. They usually require your gross monthly income be 3 times the amount of your rent; so if your apartment is $1000 a month, you must show proof that you gross at least $3000K in a given month. Even people with not so great credit can get into an apartment, (maybe not the one they want) and they usually just make you pay an extra deposit. If your credit is really bad, you could be turned away.
You'll see, the process for finding a place here is much simpler than New York, you'll wonder in the end why you worried so much. Good luck, welcome to Atlanta and the South! Hope this helps.....
Thank you for all the helpful info!! It does seem a lot easier than renting in Manhattan and on Long island. Its not a very easy process around here. And you don't really get the luxury of checking out a whole lot of places for fear the one you just saw will be gone an hour later!
I did some more looking around online. In addition to looking at things in Marietta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, and Duluth, I saw some things in Cumberland. Any comments on this area? Is it safe? Also, what about what appears to be the southern part of Alpharetta?
Sorry, another question, the above places I mentioned. From what I have read, they seem like nice areas But are there sections of these towns that are not safe? Or will we generally be okay in any area of these towns?
Another thing, forgive me for asking, but are these areas all welcoming of a 30 something catholic white couple? An acquaintance told me that some complexes and areas might be a majority of a certain religion or race or nationality, or mostly retired, and that it could make it hard to meet neighbors. We are pretty friendly and will get along with anyone from any background if given the chance. We won't know many people or anyone our age, and I am hoping to find a complex that offers some activities so we can get to know our neighbors. Im not sure if that is common? or realistic? It would never happen in NY haha, but I thought I saw some of the communities mention activities on their websites
Thank you for all the helpful info!! It does seem a lot easier than renting in Manhattan and on Long island. Its not a very easy process around here. And you don't really get the luxury of checking out a whole lot of places for fear the one you just saw will be gone an hour later!
I did some more looking around online. In addition to looking at things in Marietta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, and Duluth, I saw some things in Cumberland. Any comments on this area? Is it safe? Also, what about what appears to be the southern part of Alpharetta?
Sorry, another question, the above places I mentioned. From what I have read, they seem like nice areas But are there sections of these towns that are not safe? Or will we generally be okay in any area of these towns?
Another thing, forgive me for asking, but are these areas all welcoming of a 30 something catholic white couple? An acquaintance told me that some complexes and areas might be a majority of a certain religion or race or nationality, or mostly retired, and that it could make it hard to meet neighbors. We are pretty friendly and will get along with anyone from any background if given the chance. We won't know many people or anyone our age, and I am hoping to find a complex that offers some activities so we can get to know our neighbors. Im not sure if that is common? or realistic? It would never happen in NY haha, but I thought I saw some of the communities mention activities on their websites
The only time you'll miss out on an apartment in a complex is if when you go to look, they tell you they only have a limited number of units available, and you take too long to make up your mind; or, if it's an apartment in a hot and happening neighborhood (mostly that would be Atlanta proper) that everyone young, 20/30 something wants to live in.
Cumberland area is safe. The name "Cumberland" usually refers to neighborhoods around Cumberland Mall. It's a slightly older mall, but stays very busy; I used to live 5 minutes from there. It's in Smyrna, which is in Cobb County, and adjacent to an area call Vinings, which is more upscale and expensive. The great thing about the Cumberland Mall area, is that you're in one of the parts of town that is as close as you can pretty much get to being inside of hwy 285 (the perimeter highway that goes in a complete circle around the city). You can literally jump onto Hwy 75 right there @ 285, and be in the city in 10 minutes. My mom lives in Vinings, but works in Buckhead, and gets to work in 12 mins flat.
You will hear people referring to living "inside the perimeter" and "outside the perimeter." Inside the perimeter gives you an Atlanta address, and a lot of people want that, but an Atlanta address equals higher rent, because you're close to everything inner city. Then there are "inner suburbs," which refers to areas JUST on the outside of 285, but still close to the city. Cumberland/Smyrna, Dunwoody, a small part of Marietta, East Atlanta neighborhoods, Chamblee/Doraville.
All the areas you mentioned are safe, you have nothing to worry about. Religion wise, nobody will care that you're catholic or white for that matter. No no will even know your religion unless you volunteer that information; they can't tell by looking at you. Duluth is for sure the most diverse area of those you mentioned, as I used to live there too. Duluth/Lawrenceville has a strong Korean presence, with their own businesses, etc. But there are SO many different ethic groups in Gwinnett county where Duluth is, you never feel uncomfortable.
I wouldn't rely necessarily on the activities in an apartment complex for meeting people, but it could happen. Go to meetup.com and sign up. It will ask you for basic info about yourself, including your hobbies and interests; then the site will show you all group activities going on in the city near you based on your interests. It's a great way to meet people in Atlanta that like the same things you guys do.
Marietta and Duluth are pretty much the same to me. I know traffic is worse in the Duluth area though....the cost of living is a little bit cheaper in Duluth...
If it came down to it, I'd select Marietta over Duluth. I am more partial to the NW than NE metro area so I'm likely biased. However, if I were looking for something in Gwinnett County, I think I'd want something a little closer in than Duluth.
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