Considering Move to Decatur City or Avondale Estates (Atlanta: fit in, city hall)

[leavingtheburbs]

My husband & I are considering moving closer to Atl. to lessen his commute. Children are no longer at home, so schools are not an issue. I'm looking for a Decatur city neighborhood similar to what Avondale Estates Historic District seems to be. Nothing new, although I wouldn't rule out a newer home in an established & older neighborhood if it blended with the surroundings. We are in our late 50s & like neighborhood/community activities. I have looked at Clairmont Great Lakes. Any suggestions?

[cmtiger]

If you aren't worried about schools... why not Avondale? I'd live there in a minute if I didn't have schools to think about.

[leavingtheburbs]

Avondale is my first choice, but I wanted some other options. I might find some neighborhood where I'll fit in better.

[cmtiger]

Oh, OK... well, re fitting in - Avondale and Decatur are similar in a lot of respects, but Avondale is more right leaning generally (with exceptions) and Decatur tends to be more left leaning.

In Decatur, I would check out Great Lakes and the MAK Historic District if you like older homes. You might want to also check out Inman Park, Candler Park and Lake Claire. These neighborhoods have some wonderful old homes. They tend to be left leaning like Decatur.

[IntownHomes247]

It's hard to go too far wrong with most any part of the City of Decatur. Of course, you can get a bit more for your money in Avondale Estates. Decatur has more to do but Avondale's only a mile away so it's not as though you'd have far to go to get to Decatur activities if you choose Avondale. You'll also pay more for taxes inside the City of Decatur (but you'll also get better government services).

[cmtiger]

Well, I don't know about better government services. You have to pay a mint for those garbage bags and they won't pick up anything that doesn't fit in the bags or the recycle bin. We have this big box that we received furniture in and we are going to have to spend an hour tearing it into little pieces and sorting the cardboard from the plastic and the plastic from the styrophoam and the paper from all of the above before they will take it.

I'm ALL for recycling, but those bags make it forced recycling, and a a buck a bag, they are quite a budget buster in hard times like these. The anarchist in me doesn't want to recycle now because I feel like I'm being forced into it.

I'm still recycling - I just grumble about it.

I'm such a rebel.

[IntownHomes247]

Originally Posted by cmtiger

Well, I don't know about better government services. You have to pay a mint for those garbage bags and they won't pick up anything that doesn't fit in the bags or the recycle bin. We have this big box that we received furniture in and we are going to have to spend an hour tearing it into little pieces and sorting the cardboard from the plastic and the plastic from the styrophoam and the paper from all of the above before they will take it.

I'm ALL for recycling, but those bags make it forced recycling, and a a buck a bag, they are quite a budget buster in hard times like these. The anarchist in me doesn't want to recycle now because I feel like I'm being forced into it.

I'm still recycling - I just grumble about it.

I'm such a rebel.

Go ask some of your neighbors in the City of Atlanta in DeKalb (paying taxes to both) who gets better value for their tax dollars.

[plessthanpointohfive]

Hey, that's me! I am both City of Atlanta and Dekalb county. My water bill this month was $95....

[movingfromatlanta]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

It's hard to go too far wrong with most any part of the City of Decatur. Of course, you can get a bit more for your money in Avondale Estates. Decatur has more to do but Avondale's only a mile away so it's not as though you'd have far to go to get to Decatur activities if you choose Avondale. You'll also pay more for taxes inside the City of Decatur (but you'll also get better government services).

You will get much better government services in Avondale. No bagging, just leave your leaves and clippings on the curb and the city will suck them up. Going out of town for a few days? Just call City Hall and the police will check up on your property several times a day. Avondale is a great place to live. I spent 13 years there before moving to the suburbs of St. Louis. It is the only neighborhood in metro Atlanta that I would ever want to live in if I had to come back.

[aries4118]

Definitely go for Avondale Estates if you are not worried about schooling.