Best neighborhoods in ATL (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: to rent, crime, townhouses)

[sweettea1]

I'll put in my plug for Smryna/Vinings which has everything you are looking for but is a bit newer in terms of neighborhood construction. 75 will get you into downtown in about 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Our neighborhood is amazing and teeming with little kids. If you want more info, you can PM me. Our house is actually for sale as we have to relocate but we'd consider renting to the right family! I can send you pics if you're interested.

[darekk]

Originally Posted by sweettea1

I'll put in my plug for Smryna/Vinings which has everything you are looking for but is a bit newer in terms of neighborhood construction. 75 will get you into downtown in about 20 minutes, depending on traffic. Our neighborhood is amazing and teeming with little kids. If you want more info, you can PM me. Our house is actually for sale as we have to relocate but we'd consider renting to the right family! I can send you pics if you're interested.

I plan to move in this December (late December) and stay until end of 2009. I'm not sure if you want to keep it that long

[decaturisverygood]

Decatur is a great place to raise kids. What is their first language?

[darekk]

Originally Posted by decaturisverygood

Decatur is a great place to raise kids. What is their first language?

Polish

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by darekk

Polish

Wow, let's house-swap! I'm dying to go to Warsaw and Krakow.

[Saintmarks]

Darek,

So far you have postings from fans of the intown neighborhoods and while those would be good choices, there are a lot of suburban choices that wouldn't be too far out. Smyrna/Vinings has been suggested. Also look at Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, you would have close access to MARTA at Perimeter or North Springs. Marietta, particularly East Cobb County is very family friendly, doesn't have the MARTA connection, but could get more house for the money and is as safe a neighborhood as you would want. Roswell and Alpharetta are further out but you said you wouldn't mind a commute.

Like most growing American cities, you can get more housing for less the further from the central city, neighborhoods and schools are generally considered better. The reason we lived in Cobb County for the years I was in Altanta was for the schools and cost of living, sounds like you will have more income, so some of the nicer neighborhoods closer in would be available to you where they were prohibitive in my case.

As previously stated, do not fear the crime, it is located in areas where you would never consider living. You will enjoy your time in Atlanta, there are transplants from all over the world, the locals will make you feel at home. Welcome to America and the great state of Georgia in particular!

[darekk]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Wow, let's house-swap! I'm dying to go to Warsaw and Krakow.

that's intriguing to say the least

are you Polish, to think about moving to Poland?

I know only two American guys who moved in permanently and were sane while doing that

But seriously: Poland is and will remain my home, I would not move anywhere else since I can have a very decent, safe and interesting life here. I just built a house here and plan to keep it as my place until I get old and ugly.
I think Americans would call our homes bunkers though. Walls are 1.5 foot thick (45cm to be exact in my case) and usually made of red brick, and floor structure between stories is a foot thick layer of steel concrete and ceramic + wooden floors. I'll enjoy living in a completely different culture, architecture and lifestyle in ATL but this will be just a 12 month experience for me.

If you plan (or even consider) moving to Warsaw, be advised though, that a good house in a good location will be much more expensive to rent than in Atlanta.

[darekk]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Darek,

So far you have postings from fans of the intown neighborhoods and while those would be good choices, there are a lot of suburban choices that wouldn't be too far out.

I've has some people suggesting me Dunwoody close to some suburban rail system (Marta is the name?). I think it might be on top of my list now. I was told it's rather safe, nice looking place. Is it?
But so far your right - I got most hints to move to Decatur. Which seems ok as well, right?
My wife prefers suburban life. After all, we've moved out of Warsaw to a small town 50km (30 miles) away and we are enjoying this pretty much (though it takes me 1 to 1.5 hours to get to the office).
I will try to look for pictures of this cities you mention. If this is a skyline of 10-story+ apartment buildings, I would not call it really suburban

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by darekk

I've has some people suggesting me Dunwoody close to some suburban rail system (Marta is the name?). I think it might be on top of my list now. I was told it's rather safe, nice looking place. Is it?
But so far your right - I got most hints to move to Decatur. Which seems ok as well, right?
My wife prefers suburban life. After all, we've moved out of Warsaw to a small town 50km (30 miles) away and we are enjoying this pretty much (though it takes me 1 to 1.5 hours to get to the office).
I will try to look for pictures of this cities you mention. If this is a skyline of 10-story+ apartment buildings, I would not call it really suburban

Decatur is a small city that actually existed before Atlanta was founded. It is only five miles or so from the center of Atlanta, but is its own separate incoroporated city. A lot of Americans have a nostalgic yearn for the small town life that movies, tv etc. have idealized along with a disdain for rapidly growing suburbs that have a generic feel to them. Decatur has this nice, older, established feel but is close to Atlanta and isn't as expensive as other closer in neighborhoods. That is why it has become a desirable place in the last couple of decades.

If your wife likes more of a suburban feel and you are used to a long commute, you will find nice areas any direction you go from Atlanta, even the southside of the city of Atlanta, if you go to Fayette, Henry or Coweta counties. The northern suburbs have had more growth and are considered more upscale for the most part, but even there you will find some pockets of older neighborhoods that have seen better days, so just like anywhere else in the US or Europe, you shouldn't generalize too much.

Dunwoody has nice neighborhoods but the Perimeter Center district has many highrises over 10 stories. If you want more of a suburban feel that trends more rural, you would have to go further out than that. Forsyth, Cherokee Counties to the north, East Gwinnett to the northeast, West Cobb to the northwest.

MARTA stands for Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority. There are two main rail lines, one running north/south (the northern line does branch) and an east/west line. There are buses that connect to the stations. It only serves Fulton (Atlanta) and DeKalb counties, is still a limited rail system compared to larger American cities and most European cities, but it did not get started until the 70s. By that time Atlanta had developed as a city and metro area dependent on the automobile (as most of the faster growing southern and western US cities have done) and the rail system hasn't made a huge impact on the daily life of the majority of metro Atlanta residents.

You will find on this forum people who will push the inner city neighborhoods and disdain anything suburban, you will also find those who swear by the suburban lifestyle and will rarely travel within 285 (the perimeter highway). It sounds like your wife might like the further out suburbs.

There are so many to mention, I have only listed the counties. The state of Georgia ranks second in the number of counties, they are geographically smaller than other states and you will find in the metro Atlanta area the county governments are more like large suburban cities. Atlantans will many times refer to counties as opposed to individual suburban cities. The school systems are for the majority of areas operated by the county. The cities of Atlanta, Decatur and Marietta have city school systems separate from the counties they are in.

So, I would suggest a visit to compare the intown neighborhoods and the closer in suburbs as well as newer suburban areas further out. You cannot see it all in one visit, that's for sure, but I would recommend a visit so you can see which one "feels" right for you and your family. It is a growing city with a multitude of choices. All the best in your decision!

[darekk]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Decatur is a small city that actually existed before Atlanta was founded (...)

Thank you very much - that was very helpful.
I'll look on the map of this MARTA system, and will surely consider some suburban location further from the city but with good connection via this rail system. (BTW: is it safe to commute on that?)

I'm still lured by Decatur though.