Where are the nice mixed communities? (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: real estate market, for rent, mover)

[ohiomover]

As I posted before, my family and I will be relocating to Atl. area soon. I will be working at Northside Hospital (Atlanta). I was given some helpful information from a member on nice areas with good schools. Now as I read through some of the post I am a little disheartned about these areas. I had looked into the Peachtree City, Dunwoody, Buckhead, and Marietta areas. Somewhere that my commute won't be more that 30 minutes. I know racism still exists, but not as openly as I have read in some of the post.

I am not phrasing my question to be racial at all, I come from a family of blended ethnicities. I am an african american that is looking for areas that:

1. don't have alot of crime

2. good schools

3. lots of things for kids to do close by

4. good communities within certain areas that have a nice amount of school age kids

5. no more that a 30 minute commute to Northside Hospital Atl.

6. looking to rent a 4 bdrm house no more than 1200.00 per month

all suggestions are greatly appreciated, I will be there right after christmas to look around.

[MorelandWalker]

Well you can rule out Peachtree City if you want a 30 minute commute, it's way southwest. Sounds like Dunwoody or Brookhaven are good bets. I'm not sure you could find a 4br house in Buckhead for under 1200.

[lastminutemom]

Dunwoody may be a challenge as well at that price point, even with the sluggish real estate market.

When you say lots of things for kids to do, what exactly do you have in mind?
How old are your kids?

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by ohiomover

As I posted before, my family and I will be relocating to Atl. area soon. I will be working at Northside Hospital (Atlanta). I was given some helpful information from a member on nice areas with good schools. Now as I read through some of the post I am a little disheartned about these areas. I had looked into the Peachtree City, Dunwoody, Buckhead, and Marietta areas. Somewhere that my commute won't be more that 30 minutes. I know racism still exists, but not as openly as I have read in some of the post.
I am not phrasing my question to be racial at all, I come from a family of blended ethnicities. I am an african american that is looking for areas that:

1. don't have alot of crime

2. good schools

3. lots of things for kids to do close by

4. good communities within certain areas that have a nice amount of school age kids

5. no more that a 30 minute commute to Northside Hospital Atl.

6. looking to rent a 4 bdrm house no more than 1200.00 per month

all suggestions are greatly appreciated, I will be there right after christmas to look around.

Peachtree City, Dunwoody, Marietta and Buckhead are very, very good areas with respect to your criteria.

Maybe you should DM atlantagreg, forum moderator and tell him which posts you have read that so misrepresent these areas--in order to assist others?


You would certainly find professional, diverse population in/around Dunwoody and all over the Northside Hospital area. I'm not sure about the chances of finding a 4 bdr house in your price range but I'll wager someone else will.

The area around Northside Hospital is called 'Pill Hill' by those who run the Peachtree Road Race and the rest of us. So much more to Atlanta than 'some' negative people.

Welcome.

[netdragon]

$1200 is a little low for mixed-use areas along the perimeter in the North metro with good schools, 4br home/townhomes in kid-friendly areas. For example, I am paying around $1800/mo mortgage (before other costs) for a 4br in Smyrna ("West Vinings") and it's actually "affordable" compared to some areas you are talking about. You're probably looking at $1600 as rock bottom for rent anywhere you are talking about unless you find a really desperate landlord somewhere. Can you survive less bedrooms? A good place to look may be West Village in Vinings on Atlanta Rd in Vinings for a great mixed-use community, however at your price point a 4br home is out of the question, and you'll have to lower your standards by either choosing other areas or smaller places.

You may have some luck in Mableton (e.g. Floyd Rd) and Austell, and there's areas there that are ok place for families. There are also older townhomes off Whitlock Rd in Marietta near the Marietta High School you can probably afford. You may also want to look at community of Sandtown in the South metro on Camp Creek Parkway outside the perimeter at your price range. Other areas you can probably afford are Powder Springs, Canton, Duluth, Cumming, Douglasville and Woodstock. Mableton is the most diverse of areas I just mentioned.

There may be some 2-3br ranch homes or older townhomes off of Concord Rd in the center of Smyrna that are near your range. You may also want to look on Creatwood Trail and Creatwood Circle in Smyrna since that's in the Teasley (Vinings) school district. If you aren't looking for 4br there, you may find something. There are a lot of parks in Smyrna, and it's pretty kid friendly with King Springs, Teasley, Nickajack, Campbell High, and Griffin middle being pretty good schools. Others like Belmont Hills are not so good.

[ohiomover]

I could survive not sure my 13 year old daughter could survive anymore sharing a room with a 3 year old sister, and then I have a 10 year old son. Of the areas you listed which would you rate as the safest, with nice communities. Thank you for your input

[netdragon]

Of the areas closer to Atlanta: Smyrna and Sandtown (Camp Creek Parkway outside the perimeter) are problably the safest followed by Mableton, Douglasville and Austell. However, they are all relatively safe and definately not Ghetto.

All the areas farther away (Whitlock Rd in Marietta, Douglasville, Powder Springs, Woodstock, Canton, Cumming) are all really safe, however farther away.

The most diverse are Douglasville, Smyrna, Austell, Marietta and Mableton. Powder Springs is probably next. Camp Creek parkway OTP is mostly black. Woodstock, Canton and Cumming are mostly white and closer to areas in North Georgia that have some rednecks and more racism.

[DeaconJ]

Marta has a station at Northside Hospital, so if you are inclined to ride the train to and from work you'll have more options. You might want to consider Decatur or other areas on the east side of Atlanta.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by DeaconJ

Marta has a station at Northside Hospital, so if you are inclined to ride the train to and from work you'll have more options. You might want to consider Decatur or other areas on the east side of Atlanta.

Decatur certainly offers a high quality of life but the commute to/from the Northside Hospital area would probably not be worth the bother, jmo.

From what I read in the threads it sounds like Cobb County, particularly Smyrna, Vinings and beyond is going to have most of what the OP wants.

He could probably find a house in his price range in the Northlake/Henderson Mill Rd area of DeKalb County and have a 45 minute commute but the school system has its strengths and weaknesses.

[Reelist in Atlanta]

I don't think the OP meant 'mixed use'. The OP says 'mixed' and then goes on to mention race. I believe the OP meant mixed race.

With people needing to unload houses and being unable to sell them, I would think you could find a house to rent almost anywhere in your price range. As one poster mentioned, you could certainly find a 3 bedroom in that price range if you were inclined to consider that.

As far as a race mix and a commute, you might consider Sandy Springs. At around 12% black it represents the percentage of blacks in the population as a whole. That's about as mixed as it can get without over representation.