Trendy AND Low-Cost Neighborhoods? (Atlanta, East Point: crime, house, living in)

[LovinDecatur]

taylorpc, you are getting some excellent feedback on this thread. If you and your partner are game for some 'urban pioneering', I would in addition suggest some of the following urban communities:

Edgewood
Capitol View
West End
Vine City

If you are interested in looking at neighborhoods not quite so close in (but still convenient), I would suggest looking at some of the following communities in the 'Buford Corridor':

Skyland
Ashford Park
Drew Valley
Chamblee

Chamblee has quite a bit of loft conversion activity going on around the Chamblee MARTA station (access to MARTA is a huge plus in this city). You also have access to some of the best ethnic restaurants in the metro there.
Hopefully, johnatl (a regular poster here) will weigh in on this thread soon. He lives in a spacious condo (in your price range) in the Skyland area with his partner and loves it there. I'll let him speak for it, though.

[Mr. Simpson]

East Atlanta and Ormewood Park sound like good fits for you. Depending on your taste, you may want to do some updating of your home.


I second Lovin' D's suggestions, if you're willing to try an area that doesn't have all the things you are looking for.

[johnatl]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

taylorpc, you are getting some excellent feedback on this thread. If you and your partner are game for some 'urban pioneering', I would in addition suggest some of the following urban communities:

Edgewood
Capitol View
West End
Vine City

If you are interested in looking at neighborhoods not quite so close in (but still convenient), I would suggest looking at some of the following communities in the 'Buford Corridor':

Skyland
Ashford Park
Drew Valley
Chamblee

Chamblee has quite a bit of loft conversion activity going on around the Chamblee MARTA station (access to MARTA is a huge plus in this city). You also have access to some of the best ethnic restaurants in the metro there.
Hopefully, johnatl (a regular poster here) will weigh in on this thread soon. He lives in a spacious condo (in your price range) in the Skyland area with his partner and loves it there. I'll let him speak for it, though.

You are so sweet, Lovin!

Yes, to the OP - I love where I live. It's roughly 10-15 minutes to just about anywhere that matters from this part of town. We have a 2 bed/2 bath flat that is very nice. It's not gated, but has a nice pool/clubhouse and tennis courts. This neighborhood was built in the early 80's, so the units are much larger than what is typically built now. The neighborhood is about 40% gay.

This general area of town is unincorporated DeKalb, but with an Atlanta address and phone number. Property taxes are MUCH lower in unincorporated DeKalb than anywhere in Atlanta/Fulton County.

I'll send you a DM to give you the name of the neighborhood. I know for a fact there are several for sale within your price range.

[MilkMachine]

I would add East Lake Terrace and White Oak Hills. You can practically steal a house in ETL these days.

[taylorpc]

Wow everyone, thank you SO much for the suggestions! I hadn't seen any posts in awhile and was surprised tonight to read so many other helpful suggestions. I will definitely look into the areas you all of suggested. We are coming down in about a month for 5 days, so we will be doing lots of networking and looking around at neighborhoods.

[StPaulEastSider]

I would like to add... the 'urban pioneer' suggestions are, for the moment, in transitional neighborhoods, but if you are willing to be a part of the revitalization of those areas, you are likely to see the most return on your investment down the road. That is, providing you are willing and wanting to stay put for at least five years, or more realistically in this economy - ten years.

Another note, a lot of the Intown neighborhood organizations, including Capitol View and West End, have hired private security firms to patrol their neighborhoods - this supplements the ATL police force, which has experienced furloughs due to funding cuts.

[taylorpc]

Wow.. thanks for the good info. We plan on moving permanently to Atlanta. There are a lot of things to consider. What we really want is room to entertain, and we are pretty set on a house instead of a condo or something else similar. We can't wait to explore the area.

Are there any other neighborhoods, maybe a little further out but still inside the perimiter, that might accomplish what we're looking for?

Again, thanks everyone for your input..

[StPaulEastSider]

I don't really know of neighborhoods a little further out, but still inside the perimeter, because I focused my search of neighborhoods on those which are within the Beltline Project Plans. [see the link below]

You may want to try Googling for pictures of neighborhood organizations, oftentimes they will give information about the neighborhood, pictures of houses in the neighborhood, etc. Also, try using Google Street Views to take a virtual walk through the neighborhoods you are considering - this may help you to narrow down your selections.

Here are a few to get you started, they are in the neck of the woods where my husband and I are looking to move to when we move to Atlanta next year.

West End Atlanta Historic District - WEST END TOUR OF HOMES 2009

Capitol View Neighborhood Association

Welcome - Bungalows in Westview - Atlanta, Georgia

Welcome to Historic Adair Park!

[None of these neighborhoods will live up to Midtown at this point and time... but these are a few neighborhoods are where you are going to find some really good deals, and sometimes homes with rather large, for the city, lots.]

+++++++

Another website you should check out is this: http://www.beltline.org/

It outlines a twenty-year plan for urban development in the Atlanta Intown Neighborhoods - a 22-mile beltline of paths, light rail, recreational green space, historic preservation, economic development, etc which is designed to circule the urban core. It's just getting underway- construction has begun in the Historic West End District and the Old Fourth Ward, other neighborhoods to follow.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by taylorpc

Wow.. thanks for the good info. We plan on moving permanently to Atlanta. There are a lot of things to consider. What we really want is room to entertain, and we are pretty set on a house instead of a condo or something else similar. We can't wait to explore the area.

Are there any other neighborhoods, maybe a little further out but still inside the perimiter, that might accomplish what we're looking for?

Again, thanks everyone for your input..

Look into:

East Point
College Park
Chamblee
Doraville
Belvedere Park
Gresham Park
Scottdale

[K-SawDude]

Hi all! So glad I found this forum.

I'm moving to start a (presumably) long-term job in Kennesaw this fall. I'm definitely wanting to learn more and more about cultural and fun opportunities in the ATL area, so this forum seems excellent.

I was hoping to get some advice from y'all about places to check out for housing. Some of my concerns are similar to those in the OP, but with some differences, too.

I may be looking to purchase a small house eventually, but I don't want to rush that decision this year. So I think my first step is to get a 2BR rental (either house or apartment) for a year while I look for something else. I'd like to live reasonably close to work in Kennesaw, so I was looking there first. Are any parts of Kennesaw trendy/open-minded/cool for late 20s/early 30s types? Any places to avoid?

I've read over and over that keeping the commute as short as possible is key. But I am willing to live a bit further away if the neighborhood/scene is worth it. Is Marietta better overall, or would the drive to Kennesaw not make it worthwhile? Any other nearby cities worth looking at?

I guess I'm looking for neighborhoods where people aren't all super-wealthy, 60-year old white Republicans, and a locale that has at least some easy access to non-chain restaurants and bars. I don't have kids, so I'm not concerned about schools and stuff. Does this exist on the northside of ATL?