New Job in Norcross....Where to Live? (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: hardwood floor, gated)

[Madam Oink]

Hi Atlanta! I may be moving to the Atlanta area soon, and know almost nothing about it....other than it's reputation for having the worst traffic and busiest airport in the US!

I am a professional woman in my late 40's, a recent divorcee, child-free, not family oriented or religious, who has lived in the burbs her whole life. A trusted friend gave me a list of towns near Norcross to consider. She is from the area and now lives in Stone Mountain. Here are the towns she suggested: Dunwoody, Buckhead, Duluth, Lilburn, Alpharetta and Roswell.

I will probably rent a condo the first year. Where do you recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Later....ink!

[nrgpill]

I suggest Central Perimeter District (overlaps Sandy Springs - Dunwoody) if you are looking for a condo. Anywhere in that area is a short drive to Norcross. Also, the commute, for the most part, is considered "reversed". You will often feel for the poor souls on the other side of the highway.

[lastminutemom]

Depending on where you office will be in Norcross, you could live in Dunwoody and avoid the interstate all together. Looking around Perimeter Mall is a great idea.

[JayRockTeam]

Dunwoody
Nice area, close to the Mall and other shopping, but can get be busy. There are several condos in the area that are very nice. The commute should be relatively pain free unless there is a silly accident.

Buckhead
Plenty of condos and townhomes to be had. This is the fine dining district of the city and there is ALOT to chose from. Invest in a good pair of walking shoes because a) you don't need to drive everywhere and b) eating all that good food could put a couple pounds on.

Duluth
Although the commute wouldn't be that bad I don't like this one as a choice. Based on the areas that your friend suggested it sounds like you may be looking for a little more entertainment than this part of town provides.

Lilburn
This is basically a traditional suburban part of town. Alot of single family homes, however there are a number of townhome style dwellings available.

Alpharetta and Roswell
The commute to/from these areas should rule them out. GA400 is hit or miss.

.

[Madam Oink]

Awesome comments.....this is exactly what I was hoping for. I did some research yesterday and thought Roswell was a good choice for me. Not so, huh? I think commute time of 30 minutes or less is normal and acceptable. BTW - The business is located just East of I-85 between exits 102 and 103. It's on Corporate Dr NW off of Shackleford Rd NW.

Buckhead is not an actual city I take it.....more of an area? Maybe somebody could supply me a list of zip codes that include desirable areas with townhouses/condos/villas to rent.

Thanks again.....ink!

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by Madam Oink

The business is located just East of I-85 between exits 102 and 103. It's on Corporate Dr NW off of Shackleford Rd NW.

Buckhead is not an actual city I take it.....more of an area? Maybe somebody could supply me a list of zip codes that include desirable areas with townhouses/condos/villas to rent.

Based your your work location Dunwoody and the Perimeter Mall area would be too far and would be very bad for traffic.

In the Atlanta area it is a good idea to be close to work. I suggest some of the condos in Duluth,Lilburn or Lawrenceville that are close to your work location. For traffic you will be better staying on the south/east of 85 so you do not have to cross the freeway for your commute. There is really an unbelievable amount of traffic sometimes on these roads.

Start by looking at the condos close to Pleasant Hill Rd.,Club Dr.,Steve Reynolds,Breckinridge(same as Shackleford,just changes names),near the Northwood Country Club. Avoid the area west of your work location,especially near Jimmy Carter Blvd. Going further up Breckinridge the road turns into Browns Rd and leads into Discover Mills Mall.


http://atlanta.craigslist.org/search...=max&bedrooms=

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/search...=max&bedrooms=


I like this area for the location and newness of it,despite the longer drive.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/apa/497179278.html (broken link)


Not super close but still reasonable,the map goes close to your work location. You can avoid the freeway by staying on Breckinridge.

http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result.php?...C+State+or+Zip


This location is super close to your work and is a good choice for location,if you like a busy area near a lot of stores and restaurants.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/apa/487919592.html (broken link)


Here is an older one off Club Dr. also very close.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/apa/474679013.html (broken link)

This one is a bit farther,in a more peaceful area not really as close.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/apa/493295594.html (broken link)

Here is another super close one near Club Dr.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/apa/473606215.html (broken link)

http://maps.yahoo.com/dd_result.php?...ga&q3=&q4=&q5=

[aries4118]

I recommend looking in Peachtree Corners as well..."The Buckhead or Vinings of Gwinnett!"

The Peachtree Corners community has a Norcross address, but maintains a separate identity.

[JayRockTeam]

Originally Posted by Madam Oink

Buckhead is not an actual city I take it.....more of an area? Maybe somebody could supply me a list of zip codes that include desirable areas with townhouses/condos/villas to rent.

Thanks again.....ink!

No problem... Yep, Buckhead is an area in what I consider North Atlanta (even though many people consider Dunwoody North Atlanta). As for your commute I have a client that commutes from the Brookhaven area near Buckhead up to exit 104 to Duluth. A couple months ago I checked in on him and he told me that his commute was about 35-45 mins, compared to the same amount of time from his former home in Suwanee.

[Madam Oink]

Thanks Atlanta....I feel so welcome already. LOL!

Capoeira - Thanks for all the advice, suggestions and links. (My Stone Mountain friend said the same thing about Dunwoody/Perimeter Mall area....too far and too much traffic.) I actually spotted some of those same rentals yesterday. I really like that GA homes seem to use a lot of hardwood flooring and fireplaces.....not so common in South Florida.

Since absolutely everyone always mentions the traffic and commute times....I have a general question: Is the North to South/South to North commute or the East to West/West to East commute worse? Or dosen't it matter? In South FL, the North/South commute is never as bad as the East/West drive.

JayRock - Thanks again. I think the Buckhead area is out now.

Okay, here are some random comments about me and what's important to me:

I'm a white non-Hispanic, not Jewish (or even remotely religious) very "young" 49 year old originally from NE Ohio. However, I feel a bit too old for the club scene, but do like to go out and meet people. My best friend says I never met a stranger! LOL!! I prefer neighborhood bars and sports bars. I'm an ex-smoker (quite over 10 years ago ). Does Georgia allow smoking in restaurants/bars/public buildings?

I don't like noisy neighborhoods with lots of kids/teenagers or loud cars and motorcycles, or too near high traffic roads with lots of street noise/pollution.

I do like being within just a few miles/minutes of grocery/pet/drug/discount stores and the post office, dry cleaner, fast food and chain restaurants etc.

I prefer to rent a condo or townhouse from a private owner rather than living in a rental complex. A 2/2 or 2/2.5 or 3/2 under 1500 sq feet is just right for me.

I prefer NOT to be in a gated community (a false positive IMO).

I prefer NOT to have to take care of a yard.

I prefer to have a large roman/spa/oversized tub in the master bath, washer/dryer, fridge, dishwasher, disposal, microwave, central air, etc included.

Single or two story is fine, with or without a garage no matter, with or without a fireplace, pool, tennis courts, racketball, fitness center...all are NOT important to me. Near good schools or churches or hospitals....who cares?!

I like to travel and do so as often as possible. How close is Hartsfield AP to the northern/east side Atlanta burbs?

Hope this helps you guys (or should I start saying y'all?) get a feel for who I am and what I like/dislike.

Later....ink!

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Madam Oink

I like to travel and do so as often as possible. How close is Hartsfield AP to the northern/east side Atlanta burbs?

Just to arbitrarily pick one question: Look at a map.

(Hint: It's in the Southwest corner of the metro just ITP (Inside The Perimeter)).