ATL Bound (like yesterday) & looking for your expertise! (Atlanta: rentals, condos)

[serious215]

I am looking to relocate to ATL area and I currently work from home, so won't be making a commute to the city. However, I am from diverse area & want to remain in a diverse area when I move to the ATL.

I have 2 children (17&18 done w/high school) but would like to live in a SAFE neighborhood with stores, shopping and gym within a mile or two distance.

I am looking to settle in about 20-30 minutes from the city iN CASE I made a trip. I want to begin renting a SFH when I move there - and looking to pay upwards $1200 for a 3-4bdrm home.

Any insight would be helpful.

P.S. I visited McDonough, its alright, but too far from the city -any other suggestions?


Safety is first priority!

[serious215]

Yesterday as in the next month of so - looking for suburban life with a city feeling? If that make sense??? Thanks again!

[ForeverATL]

You can live in the city for $1200 Midtown,Atlantic station or you could live near the Atlanta Beltline which is a very diverse development for Atlanta.You can also try old fourth ward,Inman Park,ReynoldTown etc.

[serious215]

Thanks for responding..... I will take a look at those areas? How's Marietta of Alpharetta?

[afdinatl]

Try 85 North of 285 in Gwinnett County for real diversity

[evannole]

Originally Posted by ForeverATL

You can live in the city for $1200 Midtown,Atlantic station or you could live near the Atlanta Beltline which is a very diverse development for Atlanta.You can also try old fourth ward,Inman Park,ReynoldTown etc.

He did say "suburban life with a city feeling." All of those places are squarely within the city.

I would suggest downtown Marietta near the Square (completely different from East Cobb areas with Marietta addresses), central Smyrna, Vinings (though rental houses within Vinings will be difficult to come by and expensive) or downtown Decatur (also probably difficult to find a rental at that price point in a safe area, though if you stray a mile or two north of central Decatur you might find some).

To the OP, Alpharetta is very nice but doesn't have much of a "city feeling." I know Smyrna, Vinings and downtown Marietta quite well. Let me know if you have questions on those areas.

[Stormhammer]

Originally Posted by serious215

Thanks for responding..... I will take a look at those areas? How's Marietta of Alpharetta?

Alpharetta is very upper class - Marietta, depends if it's East Cobb county or West Cobb.

Historic Roswell is nice as well - it doesn't have a "downtown city" feeling, but more of a "homely small town" feel.

[serious215]

Originally Posted by evannole

He did say "suburban life with a city feeling." All of those places are squarely within the city.

I would suggest downtown Marietta near the Square (completely different from East Cobb areas with Marietta addresses), central Smyrna, Vinings (though rental houses within Vinings will be difficult to come by and expensive) or downtown Decatur (also probably difficult to find a rental at that price point in a safe area, though if you stray a mile or two north of central Decatur you might find some).

To the OP, Alpharetta is very nice but doesn't have much of a "city feeling." I know Smyrna, Vinings and downtown Marietta quite well. Let me know if you have questions on those areas.

Thanks Evannole....

Awesome input/feedback. Do you have zipcodes I can search specifically? Thanks again...


You Rock!

[evannole]

You're quite welcome!

The areas near downtown Marietta are 30060 and 30064.

Central Smyrna (near the Market Village) is 30080; about three miles south of is my old neighborhood, near the Ivy Walk and West Village mixed used developments, and that's also 30080.

Vinings proper immediately abuts this southern part of 30080, but it actually has its own zipcode of 30339.

All of these zipcodes are pretty broad, though, with both very good areas and less desirable ones. You might target your searches with a map search (I like Redfin but don't know if they do rentals, but know that Zillow does). You could search with the following parameters:

1 mile radius from center of Marietta (corner of Roswell St. and Atlanta St.), maybe a hair more
1-2 mile radius from center of Smyrna (Atlanta Rd. and Spring St.) - walkability, in terms of getting to retail by foot and having a "village" feel, falls quickly west of South Cobb Dr., in 30082, though the Silver Comet Trail runs through there, and that's very nice to have. I used to use it all of the time.
1-2 mile radius from West Village in Smyrna (Atlanta Rd. and Pine St.)

Vinings will be tougher - it's comprised almost exclusively of extremely expensive, owner-occupied homes (or even estates) on pretty large lots, but there are some condos near the center of the village (e.g., Essex House and Vinings Main complexes) that might be attainable. Center your search here on a half-mile radius from the intersection of Paces Ferry and Paces Mill Roads. There are also condos frequently for rent at the south end of 30339, but they'd easily fall within the 1-2 mile radius from West Village, as will much of Vinings.

[Tarzanman]

Originally Posted by ForeverATL

You can live in the city for $1200 Midtown,Atlantic station or you could live near the Atlanta Beltline which is a very diverse development for Atlanta.You can also try old fourth ward,Inman Park,ReynoldTown etc.

a 3-4 bedroom for $1200. Mmmm, not gonna happen in the areas you mentioned.