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I'd get a house that's in as excellent shape as possible -- you don't want to have to move all the way to Atlanta and then have to fix a ton of things -- it can be a real time waster, not to mention having to find the right contractors, etc. You have the added advantage that you can afford more house for the money so you might be able to find just the right house in just the right neighborhood. Obviously, w/ elderly relatives you'll need a living space for them that feels like their own apartment, preferably not up a steep flight of stairs and where they can blare the TV (not trying to be funny).
Also, before you move, downsize as much as you possibly can b/c the last thing you want is to have the house crammed with boxes everywhere as you figure out what to do w/ a bunch of unecessary stuff when you're trying to get kids situated, etc.
As far as what Atlanta neighborhoods are nice, I have no clue, but I'm sure the locals will chime in -- I'm just chiming in about moving from one state to another, which is what I just went through.
Appreciate the advice re getting a home that's in as excellent shape as possible. A friend of mine also emphasized the home inspection and I've taken that advice to heart. I am considering using a home inspector that is not on the list of recommendations from my real estate agent just to avoid a possible conflict of interest. i am also considering using a home inspector who does a comprehensive inspection as opposed to an inspector who will just do a basic inspection.
Also re the relocation advice concerning elderly parents, thank you. I thought of these things, too, and have structured my home search accordingly.
You do know that the schools in the areas you listed are generally considered below average which in GA is not very good? (Some of the worst are in the parts of unincorporated Decatur I bet you are looking at.)Some of the highest scoring schools in the area require a lottery to be admitted and after the entry grade level are nearly impossible to get in.
Where will your job be?
I am using school reports from homefair.com for a particular home in which in Stone Mountain that i'm interested in. For three of the schools (elementary, middle, and high), two are average and ione is above-average. Also, there is a "gifted" program in all three schools. Since, I am involved in my children's education, I am comfortable with these ratings.
As far as a job is concerned, I am still working in DC, and have not yet lined up employment in the ATL area. I am planning to start my search in the downtown/midtown area and expand my search from there. I do not plan to come to ATL without employment lined up prior, and I am willing to accept a job offer with a potential pay cut of 7-10% if necessary due to the difference in compensation structure/cost-of-living.
I would rent for 6 months and be sure you are happy with a long-term committment. Things aren't what they seem from a distance.
I know renting for a short period before buying is sound advice, but I choose not to rent first. I plan to do as much due diligence as possible and then commit to a decision. I'm either going to do it or i am not. Although, I am not trying to be foolish, and do welcome good advice and input, I have a burning desire to make thing decision work, if at all possible.
Never, since you are coming from Alexandria I gather, you may not find the same quality of living in DeKalb that you now enjoy in Fairfax County.
My advice would be to come down for a week and tour the area.
I don't know where you live in Fairfax, but if it is Alexandria proper you may want to look into Buckhead.
There is a fictional view of the south that turns into surprising fact once folks move here. It's the old saying of "You get what you pay for"
The areas you mentioned here in your post are more like Prince George County to DC Southeast vs., Fairfax.
You're right, the quality of living probably will be different, and I am preparing for that probability. Although, I very much enjoy living in the City of Alexandria, I must admit that the reality of living in an apartment in Alexandria pales in comparison to the prospect of living in a single family home in metro Atlanta.
I toured the area over a weekend and looked at about 25 homes during the day and evening. This was helpful and enabled me to eliminate some of the homes i was previously interested in just based on the appearance of the neighborhood or the activity i saw on the block. Shopping at the Publix and the CVS while I was there was also helpful. I plan to come back down to ATL for about a week to do that gain before I actually submit an offer to purchase. Also, i have been using crimemapping.com to perform online research about neighborhood crime. this is helpful for DeKalb County, but I am having trouble finding anything similar for Cobb County, Fulton County. Clayton County seems too far from the City of ATL so I have limited my seach to just Fulton, Cobb, and DeKalb, with a focus on DeKalb since I can do crime research online.
The Buckhead section of ATL seems like a place I would be content living in, but the homes there exceed my price point. For what I would spend to live there, I may as well stay where I am -- at least for the time being. I do plan to go to Buckhead during my leisure time, though, once I move somewhere else in metro ATL. good call on your part, though. Some other places I've heard that I may like coming from Alexandria are Marietta, Smyrna, and Sandy Springs/Dunwoody. Unfortunately, these present much the same problem as living in Buckhead. i could just stay in Alex and go a few miles to the georgetown section of DC for a night out without having to move to ATL. My goal is to reduce household expenses so I can improve cash-flow.
I am very familiar with Prince George's County, Maryland, particularly since I use to live there and was generally comfortable living in the county. There are some places within the county that I would prefer not to live in, if I can avoid it, but with research, I was able to identify some nice apartments and a home. I hope that things in DeKalb will work out similarly.
In GA you do not have to give any earnest money by law. You can put down 1$ on a 400000 million $ home and they cannot force you to add a cent more. FYI.
Of course most sellers will only negotiate with you if you put some earnest money forward but 1$ and list price is perfectly reasonable. **Regardless** of what the agent says.
Never heard that before; thanks. However, I suspect that only a desperate seller would accept an offer with $1 as earnest money so while this may be true in theory (I have yet to verify it), it may still be impractical to implement. Anyone ever purchased with a $1 as earnest money? I would certainly like to hear some success stories.
One thing to consider: Rents are very low right now (compared to even a year or two ago) so you could rent for a while at a great price and even rent a nice house in a nice neighborhood and avoid the noisy apartment type places you are looking to get away from. Check out Craigslist for rentals.
This might be a viable option. I'm going to crunch the numbers. Granted, I will lose out on the ability to maintain a stable monthly payment (rent usually goes up at lease renewal) and build equity, but I will also jettison those maintenance costs and maybe even the water bill, too. Let me crunch some numbers on this; thanks.
Maybe I missed it, but you haven't put down a budget, so it's harder for folks to specify an exact area as your idea of a cut-off might be $200,000 or $700,000, and where folks steer you will vary depending on your top-end range. And while I know you've repeated firmly that you are dead-set on owning right off the bat and not renting, sorry, I'll repeat it one more time - Atlanta areas are extremely diverse and it's highly advisable to rent for a few months first here until you get your bearings. There, I said it. If you're still going to buy right off...
In Dekalb, look at "Brookhaven", which is 1.5 miles North of Buckhead. Slightly cheaper (than Buckhead proper), larger lots (compard to Buckhead proper), townhomes and single family homes as well, plus the Brookhaven MARTA rail station is there along with shopping, etc. Try to stick closer to the Peachtree Road area of Brookhaven as opposed to the Buford Highway side.
You mentioned Cobb County but also said proximity to MARTA. Cobb County does not have MARTA service. Only Fulton and Dekalb counties have MARTA. Cobb runs it's own (very limited) bus service called "CCT", and there is no rail service in Cobb at all. That being said, if you can live without public transit, then areas of West Cobb have larger homes on large lots at lower prices than in the city. Focus with a realtor on areas around "The Avenue of West Cobb (http://www.shoptheavenue.com/FindAnAvenue/TheAvenueWestCobb/tabid/88/Default.aspx - broken link)" shopping district.
I can't imagine anyone moving to Dekalb without first checking it out first . I went through on way to Stone Mnt. and it was very bad place to be, imo.
I grew up in Dekalb county 45 years ago and it is like another planet there now .
I agree that checking out a place first is definitely wise.
I am also going to recommend renting here short term. What you see and read on the internet aren't always quite the reality. When looking at school ratings, while it may give you crime rates or # of students in a gifted program, there is no guarantee YOUR child will be in the program. It's also hard to tell if it will be a good fit for your children. If it turns out you don't like where you are, you have the option of moving somewhere closer to your job or somewhere that better suits your family.
Also, if you do get into a bind financially, many landlords will work with you, within reason.
Maybe I missed it, but you haven't put down a budget, so it's harder for folks to specify an exact area as your idea of a cut-off might be $200,000 or $700,000, and where folks steer you will vary depending on your top-end range. And while I know you've repeated firmly that you are dead-set on owning right off the bat and not renting, sorry, I'll repeat it one more time - Atlanta areas are extremely diverse and it's highly advisable to rent for a few months first here until you get your bearings. There, I said it. If you're still going to buy right off...
In Dekalb, look at "Brookhaven", which is 1.5 miles North of Buckhead. Slightly cheaper (than Buckhead proper), larger lots (compard to Buckhead proper), townhomes and single family homes as well, plus the Brookhaven MARTA rail station is there along with shopping, etc. Try to stick closer to the Peachtree Road area of Brookhaven as opposed to the Buford Highway side.
You mentioned Cobb County but also said proximity to MARTA. Cobb County does not have MARTA service. Only Fulton and Dekalb counties have MARTA. Cobb runs it's own (very limited) bus service called "CCT", and there is no rail service in Cobb at all. That being said, if you can live without public transit, then areas of West Cobb have larger homes on large lots at lower prices than in the city. Focus with a realtor on areas around "The Avenue of West Cobb (http://www.shoptheavenue.com/FindAnAvenue/TheAvenueWestCobb/tabid/88/Default.aspx - broken link)" shopping district.
Good point! Knowing my price point would probably be helpful. I am seeking to purchase a home that costs less than $50K.
Before you say it, I do realize that this will be challenging and will limit my options. This is precisely why I am doing so much due diligence. Coming from Alexandria, where single family homes the size of my apartment (3/2) sell from $210K - $9-million even in a depressed real estate market, this will be a slightly different lifestyle for me. However, sometimes you have to make tough choices to balance the budget, not have to work so hard (multiple jobs), and free up some money to start your own business. Plus, I have lived in some less than stellar neighborhoods before and made out OK even though my tastes/preferences dictated otherwise. I just want a generally safe and peaceful place to relax and raise my family for a few years. Once my cash flow improves, I aspire to move to places like Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Smyrna, etc. perhaps with the proceeds from the sale of my home to use as a hefty down payment, and possibly a small mortgage. Not really into the mortgage thing, but I might consider it later on down the line. I strive to use credit very wisely and avoid unnecessary expense.
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