My son needs an apartment this semester in or around Atlanta, where should he look, or not look?? (Smyrna: sublease)

[mfm12860]

My son has a CO-OP job this coming semester in Atlanta, near 75 / 85 and needs to find a place to live.....we need to know what areas to look in for an apartment and not to look....any help would be greatly appreciated.

[netdragon]

How much he can pay per month will greatly determine what choices he has. By 75/85, do you mean midtown? Housing is expensive in midtown, but if he can drive there are areas further West of midtown (e.g. inner Bankhead) and both West and East of downtown (Grant Park, Mechanicsville) that are being fixed up. The crime is a little higher in those areas, but most people college age have to live in areas like that since that's all they can afford :-). Also is he working at a place with MARTA access? If so, he can choose an apartment anywhere that also has MARTA access, such as the Perimeter Mall area North of Buckhead.

If he isn't going to be going to work during rush hour, he can probably also choose areas outside the perimeter along 75N or 85N that may be better bargains than what he can find intown. If he has to go to work during rush hour, I'd still consider some bargains in the 'burbs, but it'll have diminishing returns because he'll get tired of the commute fast. I came to ATL on a co-op, worked in midtown, lived in Smyrna, and have stayed here ever since. Still live in Smyrna and our company is now downtown. However, I don't go to work during the worst part of rush hour. During the worst part, Smyrna is a bit of a hike. So is Gwinnet County.

[mfm12860]

He is getting a housing allowance, so he can afford around 500-600 a month. Would like to stay out of a high crime area. He could drive, will be working for Georgia Power......Thanks

[K'ledgeBldr]

$500-600/mon. probably won't get you anything in Atlanta. Unless he's willing to possibly share/room with someone.
Even in the 'burbs 1 bdrm apartments are on avg. $800-900/mon.
Check the AJC, Creative Loafing, and Craigslist for roommate situations.
Good Luck-

[gt6974a]

I'd try to find something off of Howell Mill, NorthSide Drive area....

....lot of students co-op outside of Atlanta or go home for the summer...

.....he should be able to rent a room where there are some GT/GSU students who already have a place. That way he wouldn't have to 'hook up' anything, and nothing would be in his name when he leaves...

....there's craigslist, and something like roommatefinder . com that we used in the past. We had one room in our apt. that we rented out to someone different like every other semester, all utils were in our name and they just handed over a check every month.

[netdragon]

Yeah, I agree about the roomate idea. $500-$600 is just not going to pay the rent on anything that isn't way out in Cherokee county or something unless it's in an area of Atlanta that isn't so safe. Now, I have a lot of coworkers that live in just such areas to get bargains and those areas start getting nice very quickly. For instance, Grant Park.

[mfm12860]

Thank you, everyone. We are looking on all the sites, sublease., craigslist., rent......... this will be everyother semester, for the next 3 years, so he can look during the first semester. Really appreciate all the input.

[rbrooks18]

I disagree. I am a student living in Atlanta. There are plenty of places to live for that amount, you just have to dig a little. Try go gooffcampus.com, I am trying to find a roommate for this August and there are lots available on there all over Atlanta. The apartment I am trying to find a roommate for is located in Midtown, 5 minutes from 75/85, near Piedmont Park and its $535/month.

[JasonPaul]

whoops