Considering a move to the East Point/College Park/Hapeville area. How is that area these days?

[Further North]

Hi everyone,

I’ve been a resident of Metro Atlanta for about 3 years and I’m looking for a new place to rent right now.

I’ve lived in John’s Creek closer to 141 S, and I am currently in Marietta closer to Smyrna on Windy Hill Rd. I’ve found both areas pleasant but I’m needing to find a new house to rent again.

My office is located on Fulton Industrial Blvd near Camp Creek Rd, and I’m strongly desiring a place to live with a commute that keeps me OFF of 285, 85, and 75.

Besides East Cobb and the Smyrna, Marietta, Powder Spring areas I’m giving some thought to the Tri-Cities area of East Point, College Park, and Hapeville with the intent that I could probably take 154/Camplellton Rd West to work.

Being near the airport would be nice, but it isn’t necessary to me. I am single and have no kids, so I don’t care about school districts at all. I’d like to live near at least some amount of nightlife and restaurants, and while I know there aren’t a lot in the tri-cities area I know that there are some decent pockets of them and I’ve been to a few.

That being said, I’ve heard that East Point and College Park have had a negative reputation for crime in the past, but are currently improving and becoming a better area to consider for value and lack of traffic compared to the rest of the Metro area.

I was hoping that some of you may be able to give me some insight on the area from recent experience.

I know that like any major urban area, crime and quality of homes, etc can vary street to street, block to block sometimes in neighborhoods.

With that being said, I’m hoping that someone may be able to give me some parameters of areas to avoid in East Point, College Park, and Hapeville? Some kind of boundary streets for reference (i.e. South of X street, East of Y street) would be great too.

Any other impressions of these cities would be great too.

[Datdudebrah]

I live in SW Atlanta so I go to stuff in the tri cities area pretty often. Personally I think the area is pretty great, you're close to all of the city amenities in Midtown/Downtown even with Marta access, but have a smallish town feel, pretty low traffic, and some nice hidden gem restaurants.

You're right that areas change from street to street, but really for College Park / East Point, the nicest parts are the closest to downtown & Woodward Academy especially Rugby Ave, while it gets more hit or miss the further away you get. Hapeville too where the area immediately next to downtown is great, but it gets much dodgier as you go further north on Metropolitan towards Cleveland Ave.

Anyway its definitely a place you need to put your feet on the ground in to understand what you are and aren't comfortable with.

[Further North]

Thanks for the reply!

So I have been thinking about checking out one particular house for rent.

It's a block or so north of corner of Cleveland Ave and Sylvan Rd and right outside of the border of Jefferson Park it looks like.

So pretty close to the Walmart, etc and Cleveland Crossings Shopping Mall.

Is that part of Cleveland Ave West of 85 okay?

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Further North

Thanks for the reply!

So I have been thinking about checking out one particular house for rent.

It's a block or so north of corner of Cleveland Ave and Sylvan Rd and right outside of the border of Jefferson Park it looks like.

So pretty close to the Walmart, etc and Cleveland Crossings Shopping Mall.

Is that part of Cleveland Ave West of 85 okay?

Since you are considering making such a big investment in money and time and physical presence at that property and in that area, you likely should take an extended visit to the area after sunset late on Friday and Saturday nights to see if you will feel comfortable living in the area.

That area is okay for the most part, particularly in many of the residential neighborhoods which are generally quiet and well kept off of the Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway corridors.

Though, area major thoroughfares like Cleveland Avenue and Metropolitan Parkway can have some noticeably (and sometimes even legendarily) wild moments at times to the point that the aforementioned Walmart Supercenter on Cleveland Avenue closes at 9PM every night (most Walmart Supercenters close at 11PM) and to the point that the Kroger supermarket on Metropolitan and Cleveland often has an armed security guard on duty.

Cleveland Avenue in East Point will feel noticeably much more urban than where you currently live on Windy Hill Road in Marietta near Smyrna OTP.

And there will be noticeably more reports of instances of some crime on and near Cleveland Avenue than where you currently live in Marietta.

If one likes living in more urban environments and are not scared off by reports of some crime in the area, then one should do very well living in the aforementioned area near Cleveland Avenue in East Point.

But if one prefers living in more suburban environments, then one potentially might not do as well living in the aforementioned area near Cleveland Avenue in East Point.

[Further North]

Thanks Born 2 Roll. Appreciate the insight.

I actually managed to find a place in Smyrna that suited my needs really well and I signed the lease on that tonight so I'm all set now.

[Listennow32]

Originally Posted by Further North

Thanks for the reply!

So I have been thinking about checking out one particular house for rent.

It's a block or so north of corner of Cleveland Ave and Sylvan Rd and right outside of the border of Jefferson Park it looks like.

So pretty close to the Walmart, etc and Cleveland Crossings Shopping Mall.

Is that part of Cleveland Ave West of 85 okay?

Personally,

I would steer clear of that particular area given that you are coming from the north side. I'm very well aware of that area and as B2B alluded to that would be a MARKED a difference. Instead, I would recommend you rent closer to one of the historic downtowns. Downtown Hapeville actually has a lot going on. There is a wide range of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. The neighborhoods behind it are very quiet and community oriented, but as others have stated low density so you won't have an issue taking backroads to camp creek.
If you are interested in apartments, they have pretty new stock and townhomes for rent which are really nice around central avenue. Really if you found a house anywhere in that area your good to go. If you want a more residential feel I'd recommend everything from Mt.Zion road South.




I would consider homes that are close to downtown College Park is also an option. Like Hapeville the neighborhoods surrounding the city centers are very quiet and pleasant. I would say Lyle avenue all the way down to Yale you can find a nice mix of neighborhoods. At times some homes in the millions while other bungalows that sale between 290 -400 (to give you an idea of the home values in that area) so you could find a nice place to rent.

East Point is a bit more of a mixed bag, but deeper into Jefferson Park, the area around Frog Hollow as well as Semmes park is fair game.

All of the areas are pretty decent, but that particular area off of Cleveland is a tad rough. However, nothing crazy. As you move further east, things get a bit more dicey. Further west, I'd say it's a bit more established and calm. I am biased for Hapeville, but College Park and East Point edge it out slightly due to the fact that both have a MARTA station.

Hope this helps.