Moving to ATL for new job. Where should I live? (Atlanta: for sale, real estate)

[galonthemove]

Hi All! I am a single "middle-aged" women moving to ATL for a job. My job is located in the Vinings (?) area 30339 zip code. I will be required to travel a great deal for my new job, so going to the airport will be part of my regular routine.

I am looking for condo/townhouse to rent (apartment if I have to). I would like to be in a diverse neighborhood in close proximity to shopping and restaurants. I don't want a long commute to work and safety/security is important. Any thoughts or ideas on where I should look for a place to live?

Also if there are any local magazines or publications I can read to become more familiar with ATL--I could use that information as well.

PS
Moving from the Northern part of the Sunshine state, so cost of living is a big question for me as well.

[IntownHomes247]

Vinings is probably a good choice for you. In Atlanta, it's almost always best to live as close as you can to work. Vinings provides good access to the airport and there are shops and restaurants -- plus you can get to the larger shopping and restaurant districts in Buckhead and Midtown pretty quickly when you want to venture further afield.

Good luck!

[galonthemove]

Thanks for the quick reply! How much do townhomes/condo's and apartments go for in that area? How far is Buckhead? Are prices different in that area?

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by galonthemove

Thanks for the quick reply! How much do townhomes/condo's and apartments go for in that area? How far is Buckhead? Are prices different in that area?

You can get a one bedroom off Mt. Wilkinson Pkwy in the $750-850 range. You can get a small condo at Essex house on Paces Mill for less than $200,000 and decent townhomes in Vinings start in the low 300s range. I think Vinings is the fit you're looking for too, gives you everything on your list.

A link to Atlana Magazine:

http://http://www.atlantamagazine.com/ (broken link)

[lorilove]

Smyrna would also be a great fit. I am a 40+ single female that travels often (used to be 100% Mon-Fri but now a bit less).

I live in a Townhome that is basically made up of two types: Young Couples No Kids (first home) or Single/Divorced 40+ year olds. Properties typically rent at $1250 plus. Sales are hard to estimate since nothing is selling at a reasonable price but the renting is great so basically no one is trying to sell unless you are a foreclosure.

In Smyrna in general, you can get condo's less than $100,000 plus assoc fee. Townhomes used to be $200,000 plus but those prices have come down.

Most frequent travelers use off-site parking off Camp Creek which is about 22 miles from my door. I typically leave my house 2 hours before a flight (9:15am) which includes getting to the parking site, shuttling from the site to the airport, security, buying coffee and 15 minutes to spare before boarding. If I am going during off off hours I can risk 1 1/2 hours and if I have reason to think there will be a traffic problem (like it is raining in Atlanta), I might leave a half hour earlier just in case.

I am just 2-3 miles from Vinings depending on what part of that zip code. My recommendation would be to rent in the are for a year and then look to buy.

[lorilove]

Here are two sites to get started with:

About midway through the page, condo/townhome reviews start. I have not read that many of them but as for my neighborhood, I thought it was fairly accurate.

Vinings Home Reviews - Vinings Real Estate, Vinings Homes for Sale, Vinings Condos, Vinings Townhomes, Vinings Townhouse, Atlanta Townhomes

Here is another site that just lists condos/townhomes - I am not sure how up to date the price categories are since the downturn in the ecomony. My sd is listed in the starting at 100,000 which is not accurate but in the description it notes starting at 200,000 which used to be true - we are probably somewhere inbetween.

Smyrna Vinings Condos & Townhomes, Smyrna Condos & Townhomes, Vinings Condos & Townhomes | Smyrna Vinings Homes, Neighborhoods, Restaurants, Shopping, Events - SmyrnaVinings.com

[K-SawDude]

Check out Horizon Condos off of Powers Ferry. Vinings is nice, but you're going to have an easier, more flexible commute to places like Buckhead from this area.

There are also some townhouses near the intersection of Powers Ferry and Windy Hill that might work for you. You'll be super close to Cobb Parkway, which has a ton of shopping (including a mall and every box store you can think of). You'll want to explore any townhouse listings between Akers Mill and Delk Road off of Powers Ferry.

Big advantage for you in this area is that these spots are right off the intersection of 285 and 75--straight shot to the airport.

I used to live in this part of 30339, and it's more diverse than people realize. Lots of office workers/professionals, White, Black, Indian and Brazilian.