Relocating to Alpharetta/Roswell without visiting...PLEASE HELP!!! (Atlanta, Dunwoody: budget, apartment complex)

[eloquent_alligator]

I accepted a job in Alpharetta and will be moving there in two weeks. I had originally planned to get a motel room for a week or two while I look for a place, but after viewing virtual tours, etc. online, I think I can make the move without actually visiting first. I'd prefer to do it this way for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is cost.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in the area and I feel rather wary of using the HR department's resources. I was hoping you guys might be able to help!!

So far, I've looked at several apartment complexes on Holcomb Bridge Rd in Roswell, and a few in Alpharetta (4000 block of Holcomb Bridge Rd and 8000 block of Holcomb Bridge Way)

Are these in a good location? What type of residents can I expect (e.g. family, young people, middle class, etc.) I'm only 24, but I don't party (no drinking/smoking/loud music/etc.) and I'm not interested in living in complexes with lots of noisy students, etc.

I'd really like to stay under $700 a month if at all possible. I haven't ruled out the possibility of renting a small house, but I haven't found one in my price range within a decent commute distance.

While I have a car, public transit access is definitely a plus. I like the apartments in Roswell because there is a bus connection within a third of a mile and I can get to my work within an hour.

Any assistance you can provide would be fantastic!!! Thanks for all of your help!!!

[OhioNative]

I would not recommmend renting an apartment without seeing it in Atlanta. Something that looks nice on the internet can turn out to be a high crime complex. Regarding the apartments off Holcomb Bridge, many of those are known as having large numbers of illegal immigrants.

[eloquent_alligator]

Thanks for the tip OhioNative... do you have any suggestions of apartment complexes that are known for being OK?

[Northman]

You have no chance of finding a decent apartment in that area for under $700 a month. All the undesirable things you listed will be right at your doorstep in that price range, plus a legion of illegals and a lot of crime, as the poster above me mentioned.

Roswell/Alpharetta is the pricey "Soccer Mom" part of metro Atlanta. Public transportation in metro Atlanta sucks, so hang onto that car, chief! Atlanta is a car town through and through, as you will soon see.

Not trying to be a jerk, but why did you take the job without visiting first? Where are you coming from and what's your profession?

[eloquent_alligator]

Coming from Los Angeles... which is also a car town. I do manage on the public transit there... though not always, I enjoy the option.

How much should I be looking to spend (reasonably) for an apartment within a decent (30-45 min drive) to Alpharetta?

I'll be working for AT&T...

[eloquent_alligator]

Also... I don't mind living out of a motel for a week or two (I had originally planned on it), I was just trying to avoid it if at all possible...

I'm saddened by the fact that these apartments are overrun by hoodlums. :-(

[masonbarge]

I don't know the area very well, but compared to LA, you should be able to find a reasonably priced apartment in a nice neighborhood.

The Post Dunwoody Apartments are VERY nice and would appear to be within a reasonable drive of your job, since you'd be driving against traffic. However, a studio is going to run you a bit over $800. Maybe you could split a large two-bedroom.

Check Craigslist for roommate situations, would be one source to look for a nice place within your budget. Of course, a roommate is always a potential problem, but it can also work out well.

[OhioNative]

When my wife and I moved to Detroit, we used one of those apartment locator services to help us find a good fit, and they gave us several options to look at. I would suggest contacting Promove (I think that is the name) or one of the other apartment services.

[Northman]

Originally Posted by eloquent_alligator

Also... I don't mind living out of a motel for a week or two (I had originally planned on it), I was just trying to avoid it if at all possible...

I'm saddened by the fact that these apartments are overrun by hoodlums. :-(

That's what I did when I moved to Boston........I booked 3 nights at a hotel, and ended up finding an apartment the very first day I was there. That gave me extra time to tie up other loose ends associated with the move while I was in town, and so there was less to deal with once I made the actual move itself.

Obviously, not all of the folks in less expensive apartments are going to be "hoodlums", but it doesn't take a brain surgeon to realize that areas like that are going to host a lot of undesirable activities that won't sit well with someone looking for a safer, quieter lifestyle.

But hey, if you're from L.A. you really shouldn't have a problem adjusting to Atlanta. Those 2 towns are very similar in terms of unchecked growth, traffic, crime, as well as positive aspects such tons of stuff to do, and mostly warm weather. Atlanta is also more affordable in just about every way, although not nearly as affordable as it used to be.

[vecchio]

Originally Posted by eloquent_alligator

I accepted a job in Alpharetta and will be moving there in two weeks. I had originally planned to get a motel room for a week or two while I look for a place, but after viewing virtual tours, etc. online, I think I can make the move without actually visiting first. I'd prefer to do it this way for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is cost.

Unfortunately, I don't know anyone in the area and I feel rather wary of using the HR department's resources. I was hoping you guys might be able to help!!

So far, I've looked at several apartment complexes on Holcomb Bridge Rd in Roswell, and a few in Alpharetta (4000 block of Holcomb Bridge Rd and 8000 block of Holcomb Bridge Way)

Are these in a good location? What type of residents can I expect (e.g. family, young people, middle class, etc.) I'm only 24, but I don't party (no drinking/smoking/loud music/etc.) and I'm not interested in living in complexes with lots of noisy students, etc.

I'd really like to stay under $700 a month if at all possible. I haven't ruled out the possibility of renting a small house, but I haven't found one in my price range within a decent commute distance.

While I have a car, public transit access is definitely a plus. I like the apartments in Roswell because there is a bus connection within a third of a mile and I can get to my work within an hour.

Any assistance you can provide would be fantastic!!! Thanks for all of your help!!!

I follow the police blotters in the local papers prety regularly. Holcomb Bridge SEEMS to be a pretty major drug corridor between Norcross and Roswell, based on the number of DUIs/possession arrests that are made during vehicle stops all along Holcomb Bridge. Many of the individuals arrested list those rental units as their addresses.

Not sure who you are or what you're into, but I would not comfortably recommend proximity to Holcomb Bridge Road as a good thing in a rental apartment. They seem to be moving a LOT of crystal meth through Holcomb Bridge Road, and you might be in the midst of it.

Then again, they're putting up a Super Target smack in the middle of Holcomb Bridge - right on the borders of Alpharetta and Roswell, so maybe my intel is pretty flawed. Unlike many who post here, I am more than willing to admit my own potential folly.

There are some REALLY nice rentals near North Point Mall, and I seldom see that area mentioned in the blotter save for the occasional teenager caught shoplifting at Hot Topic, so IMHO that may be a nicer 'hood.

Best of luck to you.