Buying a home in the Atlanta area (Alpharetta: real estate, apartment)

[FromNYCtoATL]

Hello everyone! I relocated to Atlanta from NYC a year ago. When I first moved here I rented an apartment in Alpharetta for a year. While I do enjoy living in Alpharetta-especially the safety- I am looking to move closer to the city for my job and school. I would like to purchase a home and I am looking to spend up to 140k - if that much. I'm getting ready to be a graduate student and really can't afford too much house but also realize it makes more sense to purchase than to rent out here. My rent is $804 for a 2 bedroom excluding utilities. I have a one year old son so safety is very important to me. What zipcodes in the decatur area and "good" neighborhoods. Also, where in downtown Atlanta would be considered "good" to live. I am really into older homes and have found some really nice ones in the west end and old fourth ward area. How is it over there? I am an African American female but coming from a city like NYC I really like living in mixed neighborhoods, but I DEFINITELY do not want to live around ignorance or in crime infested neighborhoods. Thanks for your help!

[masonbarge]

I thought I'd respond before your request just dropped off without any answers. The problem is, it's just impossible to buy a house in-town for 140K in a safe neighborhood.

On the other hand, you might be able to afford a townhouse in that range. If I wanted to make suggestions, I'd have to go to a real estate site and do a search, which is something you can do yourself. My suggestion is to find some townhouses in your budget (don't forget association fees in your calculations) and then ask about the areas where they are located.

Good luck!