Tucker/Decatur N'Hood Suggestions?? HELP! :) (Atlanta, North Druid Hills: apartments, townhomes, safe area)

[RockinHouseFinder]

Hello all!

My husband and I are looking to buy a house in the next few months (hope to close by the end of the year).

I work at the VA on Clairmont and currently live in apartments on N. Decatur...so I know the Decatur area pretty well but not Tucker at all.

We are thinking that Tucker will be the best bet for value as Decatur is getting pricier by the second.

We are looking around the $200k or less range...3+ bedroom, 1.5+ bath, 1600 sq. ft +, a decent lot (prefer a nice, fenced yard for dogs) and hope for a basement and garage...
25 minutes or less commute to my work (husband works from home).

We have found quite a few options in Tucker but just don't know the area well enough to know where we should REALLY be looking...

A lot of places look great when you check them out for 20 minutes at a time but we need to know about the long term and can't just hang out in neighborhoods all day...we'd probably look creepy. ;p

We don't have children and don't really care about school zone for ourselves but only as far as resale...and we'd prefer Dekalb County.

We are both white but really enjoy and prefer a multi-cultural area, if possible.

A safe area is important because my husband may need to work out of town occasionally.

A renovated house is great but construction quality over cosmetic issues is what we care most about...
My husband is a contractor, so we don't mind fixing the house up cosmetically but our last house was a renovated old house and we are tired of living in a construction zone!!!

Any suggestions for areas, neighborhoods, specific homes that you've come across, anything?!?

Thanks ***so*** much in advance!

(: me

[IntownHomes247]

Well if you'd like to be REALLY close to your work, you might want to look in the University Heights/Medlock Park neighborhood (situated east of Clairmont) between North Druid Hills & North Decatur). Most of the homes are 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. Unrenovated homes can still be found around $200k (the house 2 doors down from me just sold a couple of months ago for $175k plus closing costs). These brick ranch houses are not stunningly beautiful but they are very well-built. The big catch in this neighborhood is Peachtree Creek. Homes on one side of the street are in the flood plain. These homes sell for less than the homes on the other side of the creek, which aren't in the flood plain.

You'll get a lot less home for the money here than you will in the Midvale or Livsey areas of Tucker but you're sooooo much closer in.

Feel free to PM me if you want more details about the neighborhood.

Good luck!

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by IntownHomes247

Well if you'd like to be REALLY close to your work, you might want to look in the University Heights/Medlock Park neighborhood (situated east of Clairmont) between North Druid Hills & North Decatur). Most of the homes are 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. Unrenovated homes can still be found around $200k (the house 2 doors down from me just sold a couple of months ago for $175k plus closing costs). These brick ranch houses are not stunningly beautiful but they are very well-built. The big catch in this neighborhood is Peachtree Creek. Homes on one side of the street are in the flood plain. These homes sell for less than the homes on the other side of the creek, which aren't in the flood plain.

You'll get a lot less home for the money here than you will in the Midvale or Livsey areas of Tucker but you're sooooo much closer in.

Feel free to PM me if you want more details about the neighborhood.

Good luck!

Yes, Medlock Park is great.

For Tucker, check out neighborhoods in the Brockett Elementary school district. Great neighborhoods, homes, and prices.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by aries4118

For Tucker, check out neighborhoods in the Brockett Elementary school district. Great neighborhoods, homes, and prices.

That's where I live. It meets all the criteria mentioned at the start of this thread.

[RockinHouseFinder]

Yeah...we live in Emory Woods Apts right adjacent to all of the lovely houses in Medlock Park...so I do know that we love it there, but we haven't been able to find too many deals around $175k yet!

I didn't know that about the flood zone, that we will check out!

And thanks for the tip on Brockett! I'll be driving around all this weekend looking at areas around Tucker and Decatur...

Any other tips, houses, areas, etc. are MORE than appreciated!!!!

[IntownHomes247]

Originally Posted by RockinHouseFinder

Yeah...we live in Emory Woods Apts right adjacent to all of the lovely houses in Medlock Park...so I do know that we love it there, but we haven't been able to find too many deals around $175k yet!

I didn't know that about the flood zone, that we will check out!

Well, the house wasn't priced at $175k -- it sold for $175k (plus closing costs) after languishing on the market for quite a while with a motivated seller who had lots of equity and was more interested in selling quickly than holding out for a higher price. If you're working with an agent who specializes in this area he or she should be able to keep an eye out for bargains to be had.

[kimakim]

I've been following this thread and wondering how the commute to the airport would be from Tucker? We're relocating to Atlanta with the Delta merger from Minneapolis and have been stymied on where to live. Have looked at Decatur (30030) and can't find anything affordable. Does Tucker make sense? It sounds like a nice community.

Thanks.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by kimakim

I've been following this thread and wondering how the commute to the airport would be from Tucker? We're relocating to Atlanta with the Delta merger from Minneapolis and have been stymied on where to live. Have looked at Decatur (30030) and can't find anything affordable. Does Tucker make sense? It sounds like a nice community.

Thanks.

Yes, Tucker makes sense. Totally look into it.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by kimakim

I've been following this thread and wondering how the commute to the airport would be from Tucker? We're relocating to Atlanta with the Delta merger from Minneapolis and have been stymied on where to live. Have looked at Decatur (30030) and can't find anything affordable. Does Tucker make sense? It sounds like a nice community.

Thanks.

It does, and it is.
IMO Tucker is one of the best values in the metro. It's right outside the Perimeter, and is on the whole much less expensive than adjoining neighborhoods inside the perimeter ie north Decatur and NE Atlanta.
You're right on the Perimeter, which affords you direct access to the airport.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

It does, and it is.
IMO Tucker is one of the best values in the metro. It's right outside the Perimeter, and is on the whole much less expensive than adjoining neighborhoods inside the perimeter ie north Decatur and NE Atlanta.
You're right on the Perimeter, which affords you direct access to the airport.

In my opinion, as well. Caint go wrong with Tucker...