NY single woman moving to ATL - Decatur? (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: real estate, apartment)

[Mar1lyn27]

I am a 50 yo divorced, jewish woman in the NYC area. I have 2 kids, now grown and gone. It's just me and the little pup now.

My house is in an upscale suburb of NYC. It's now sold and I'm ready to make a total life change; starting with a new locale. I love NYC but I can no longer afford it. I believe I can afford a better quality of life in ATL. I have a friend in the ATL area who I've visited 3 or 4 times; each time driving around to different areas to see what clicked for me.

I visited Decatur a few times; I really liked the vibe there. The city seemed quite diverse, with an urban feel, yet not too big. I've always lived in or around NYC so a more urban area would suit me. The cookie-cutter communities do not appeal to me. A progressive town/city/neighborhood is what I would like. I'm used to a very low-crime area, with highly educated, liberal, tolerant people. Diversity works for me. I work, mostly part-time, so being near Marta would be great.

I would require a 2-3BR rental in either an apartment or a house. Is this possible in the city of Decatur for approx. $1500/month? Do I need to spend more?

I want to rent for at least 12 months before even considering buying my own place.

Lastly, should I focus on Decatur or are there other places you might suggest that would fit the bill?

Thanks,

mse

[IntownHomes247]

I don't handle rentals so I can't say absolutely, but I believe you should be able to find something within your budget. I am very biased because I grew up in the area and absolutely adore Decatur so I always assume that everyone else will too. It's by far my favorite part of town.

Check out Craigslist for rentals but remember that many places will say "Decatur." You'll need to pay attention to where properties are located since "Downtown Decatur" (i.e., the area in the City of Decatur surrounding the courthouse square) is the most adorably Mayberry-ish part. Other areas are more ranch-y, suburban-y, etc. and may not be what you're looking for.

[netdragon]

You may want to look at Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Brookhaven and Vinings/Smyrna/Cumberland as well.

Additionally, unless retiring, you should find a job first and then from there determine where you want to live. Imagine if you went and rented a place in Decatur and your job ended up being in Sandy Springs... That would stink! There's areas like Decatur all over metro ATL so the rule of thumb most new people are told is to look for the job first.

[jessiesma]

Smyrna,Vinings,Cumberland are too suburban for a Nyer who wants an intown environment. I've lived there and they are good compromises if commuting is an issue but not ideal. Ditto Sandy Springs. I'd also question the liberal, intellectual vibe she's looking for being available. Those areas tend to be more conservative and, I have to be careful here, the focus is probably on family activities more than "intellectual, cultural" ones. you know, sports, outdoor fun. etc.

Buckhead maybe and I think Virginia Highlands or Midtown might work. Some of the other intown good neighborhoods hadn't quite gotten there when I left. Brookhaven has at least one very nice concierge building near the MARTA line and that would take her where she wants to go for cultural things. The fact is the OP will have to do some driving, maybe more than she's used to in NY.

If the OP works only part time, I don't think it's critical that she line something up before she comes. It depends on what she does. Sure she might wind up a distance from the job she gets but she said she's going to rent for a year before making a final decision. Sometimes you have to hang loose on details.

Originally Posted by netdragon

You may want to look at Sandy Springs, Buckhead, Brookhaven and Vinings/Smyrna/Cumberland as well.

Additionally, unless retiring, you should find a job first and then from there determine where you want to live. Imagine if you went and rented a place in Decatur and your job ended up being in Sandy Springs... That would stink! There's areas like Decatur all over metro ATL so the rule of thumb most new people are told is to look for the job first.

[sweettea1]

I would look in Decatur but also Virginia Highland and even check out a few highrises in Midtown. There's a very active Chabad in midtown that has great networking events and is the most welcoming group of people I've ever encountered. Rabbi and his wife are wonderful, even if you're just there for a random event. Lots of other orgs and a very active JCC in the Dunwoody area which you may also like. Much more suburban but very nice. But if you're looking for diverse and liberal, the top two choices are the place I'd look.

[Mar1lyn27]

Thanks for all the great replies!
Decatur strongly appeals to me. I can't wait to find a place. As soon as my house has gone through closing, I'm out of here.

As far as work goes, I freelance in a field which is in high demand; however, it can take me to different areas every day, but most likely to downtown Atlanta.

If anyone knows a realtor who handles rentals in Decatur, please email me with info?

Thanks,

marilyn

mse

[plessthanpointohfive]

Your best bet for rentals is craigslist. It seems to me it's kind of random for realtors. Or, even realtors advertise on craigslist.

[south-to-west]

Check out the classifieds section of Atlanta's independent weekly, Creative Loafing. In my experience, it should be possible to find a two bedroom rental in an Intown neighborhood for $1500. You can even rent an entire house for that amount in a lot of neighborhoods--including East Atlanta, Candler Park, and Cabbagetown. Good luck!

[jessiesma]

go online to one of the rental mags like http://www.apartmentguide.com All the big corporate owned complexes list in these and you know your dealing with someone reputable since you're doing this long distance. I've heard you really have to use judgement with the people who post on Craig's list.
You'll find things in all price ranges and they will tell you what the amenities are, if pets are allowed etc. They'll even tell you if there are any specials. You don't necessarily have to put up a whole first and last month the way you would in a private rental. I have "For Rent" that a friend just sent. It's listings for Decatur are more down market than you probably want although for other areas they list some very upscale places. Anyway, their Decatur listings seem less pet friendly than other areas so I don't know if it's an economic thing or has to do with the mindset of the area. You'll have to check that out for the pooch The problem for landlords here in the South with animals is fleas. They are quite bad and once they get in it costs landlords a fortune to get rid of them. If your pup isn't on Frontline or similar, I'd suggest you treat her before you come down. Just walking her will bring them in.
Have a great move and maybe we'll meet sometime.
Tina

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Your best bet for rentals is craigslist. It seems to me it's kind of random for realtors. Or, even realtors advertise on craigslist.

[sweettea1]

I like The Zac Team. Zac Pasmaniac (Atlanta, Decatur, Buckhead, Morningside, and Virginia Highland real estate agents; home buying, selling, free reports, relocation information, and expert advice.) is incredibly knowledgeable about intown communities (especially Decatur) and is a wealth of information. He'll steer you in the right direction.