Arriving January 2015!

[jsvh]

Be sure to rent if you decide to go the suburb option. You may find you prefer to do other things with your time besides sitting in traffic. Also that commute is more likely to kill you than any crime in the city. You will also find a lot more community involvement and great little festivals and events you can walk to with your kids in the intown neighborhoods.

[mjedwards409]

To the OP...also get used to extreme bias on both sides of the ITP and OTP argument during your research. (ITP = Inside the 285 Perimeter and OTP = Outside the 285 Perimeter.) OTP residents will constantly tell you about gunmen at every corner while ITP residents will insist that crime isn't much of a concern but the traffic makes life unbearable anywhere outside the city. The truth is, it's somewhere in between and completely dependent on which suburb or city location you decide.

That being said, I think renting first is a great idea. I found a couple different 6 month lease plans when I first got to the city. (A little more expensive but it allowed me to get a better idea of what I did and didn't want in Atl)

For $1,200 you can find a nice place in Smyrna (which you mentioned). As far as ITP, look in West Midtown. I just moved from there (only because we wanted to buy and couldn't afford a home purchase there). It is a great new growing area and crime is just as low as you will find anywhere in the city. Good luck!

[kevst7]

Originally Posted by stup123

where in South Florida are you from?

Exactly in the same boat..never called any other place home except south florida and kids 4 and 1

i moved to ATL 2 weeks back and the family will move first quarter of 2015- sometime March 2015

Can use any info you have gathered..we too plan to rent for now

my work will be in Decatur but will probably rent in Dunwoody for now

good luck with your move..l am flying back and forth to FLL every weekend and say hi if you meet me

I'm from West Palm Beach. I originally was going to move back by myself in July and then bring the family up later, but my wife lost her job and it set us back temporarily while we regrouped. So, now we are ready and going through with it, but I will be bringing the family with me from the beginning this time. I was born in Lakeland, Florida, but raised since 6 years old in West Palm Beach, FL. How has the change been for you so far going from SFL to ATL? I personally like seasonal changes so that's something I look forward too. My dad lived in Atlanta throughout all of my childhood, so when I would go visit I loved seeing the different scenery due to the seasonal changes. In my original thread I received a few good suggestions and most pointed to Vinings/Smyrna area. This thread has provided me with much more information, so just check it out and feel free to chime in with a question if you like. I don't mind if you post a question in my thread. Good luck to you and your family.

[kevst7]

Thank you so much to everyone so far! I have received a wealth of information. This is really going to help me with my search when looking online and also when I go up during thanksgiving!

[NorthStarDelight]

Originally Posted by kevst7

Thank you so much to everyone so far! I have received a wealth of information. This is really going to help me with my search when looking online and also when I go up during thanksgiving!

I just wanted to extend a very warm welcome to you and your family and I can assure you that you will not regret this move in the least.

Ten years ago this January, I also moved up from south Florida, and I am immensely happier for it. The quality of life here is far better than Florida, prices are lower, and there's so much more to do here than down there. I was absolutely miserable living down there, and my life is 100000% better since moving up here.

Better people, better environment (especially for the kids,) better weather, better government, way less crime - oh gosh, I could go on all day much better it is up here than there. Kudos to making this move.

[kevst7]

Originally Posted by NorthStarDelight

I just wanted to extend a very warm welcome to you and your family and I can assure you that you will not regret this move in the least.

Ten years ago this January, I also moved up from south Florida, and I am immensely happier for it. The quality of life here is far better than Florida, prices are lower, and there's so much more to do here than down there. I was absolutely miserable living down there, and my life is 100000% better since moving up here.

Better people, better environment (especially for the kids,) better weather, better government, way less crime - oh gosh, I could go on all day much better it is up here than there. Kudos to making this move.

Thank you for the welcome. I am glad to read your positive remarks on the move. Where in Atlanta are you if you don't mind me asking? Also, what part of SFL did you move away from? I am making this move with hopes that it will provide me and my family a better quality of life. So, hopefully everything will go great, but hey, even if it doesn't, at least I tried and don't have to wonder what it might of been like.