no more brrr! (Decatur, Conyers: to rent, to live in, military)

[mpenn48]

Ok Ive had enough of freezing my tookas off here in Vermont! I put in for a job at the VA in Decatur, we are a family of five looking to relocate. We know absolutly nothing about GA, we would prefer a smaller town rather than the big city (after all we are from VT!) We would be looking to rent a 3bdrm house, any advice pro's/con's would be extremley helpful, thanks!

Vermont popsicle...

[MattCW]

Don't expect the sunny south all year round. It's about 47 outside right now with a decent breeze. We frequently have days in the 30s with a handful of days not reaching above freezing. We may not have piles of snow on the ground all year long, but around here a difference of two degrees means the difference between winter wonderland and wet washout.

If you're working at the VA near Decatur, don't expect much of a small-town anywhere within reasonable commute distance. The closest would probably be Conyers, but it's not a good commute to there.

[WanderingImport]

Decatur itself has a small town feel within the big city. Check out Decatur proper. The only thing is your budget. It can get expensive.

Also, heat is overrated. Once you thaw out, you'll start to boil. LOL

Matt made interesting points about the weather, but if you're from Vermont, you won't mind the cold here. Yeah, it gets cold, but you can handle the cold for a few months out of the year versus 5-6 months up there. You already knew this.

[Mattie]

Our current weather is an anomaly. It will be up around 70 by the middle of the week, which suits me fine.

OP, I've spent quite a bit of time in VT, in the Peru area. You won't find anything like that easily commutable to Decatur, so you need to figure out what aspects are most important to you. Start with the sticky at the top of the forum.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by mpenn48

Ok Ive had enough of freezing my tookas off here in Vermont! I put in for a job at the VA in Decatur, we are a family of five looking to relocate. We know absolutly nothing about GA, we would prefer a smaller town rather than the big city (after all we are from VT!) We would be looking to rent a 3bdrm house, any advice pro's/con's would be extremley helpful, thanks!

Vermont popsicle...

atlanta is definitely warmer than vermont, but not by a ton. for example, here are the next week's weather forecasts in NYC vs. atlanta:



so if you've ever been to NYC, expect about 5-10° hotter on average, and a bit more humid. it's warmer, but it's not florida.

as for small towns, around atlanta, you've basically got two choices: urban or suburban. there aren't really any "small towns" besides the historic downtown areas of the suburbs. if you're looking for the small town appeal, i would recommend looking at those downtown areas.

if you are working at the VA in decatur, which i think is on clairmont road, i would look at downtown decatur as your best option. if you can't do that, honestly look for about anywhere in a 2 mile radius of the VA, it's all quite nice.

[alco89]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

atlanta is definitely warmer than vermont, but not by a ton. for example, here are the next week's weather forecasts in NYC vs. atlanta:

Not a good comparison. Vermont is noticeably cooler than NYC.

[mpenn48]

Thanks for all the great advice everyone, I dont expect to escape old man winter for good, just dont want to run my pellet stove starting Sept like I am now haha!

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by alco89

Not a good comparison. Vermont is noticeably cooler than NYC.

i guess i didn't communicate that through the post very well. my point was that coming to atlanta, weather-wise, is more like coming to NYC or washington, rather than florida or texas. i wasn't trying to compare vermont and NYC.

[mpenn48]

Allow me to respond to this thread...

hi, being from VT, i imagine you are open-minded, liberal and tolerant. why ATL? you do realize this is the heart of tea party country, the bible belt and rap music capital. if you want to stay on the east coast why not dc/baltimore. please reply

First I am not a Vermonter, I am a new Englander who just ended up in VT for a few years. I am not liberal, Im very conservative, a Military Vet, I love my guns & my family. You couldnt pay me to live in DC or Maryland! I spent several years in the Carolinas & enjoyed it immensly but alas the jobs I seek are not there.

[alco89]

Originally Posted by bryantm3

i guess i didn't communicate that through the post very well. my point was that coming to atlanta, weather-wise, is more like coming to NYC or washington, rather than florida or texas. i wasn't trying to compare vermont and NYC.

Ah! I understand.