Moving to GA for a job in Cobb County (Atlanta: apartment complexes, rental homes)

[evazquez]

I am a 26 year old single mom of an infant and I am potentially moving to Cobb County, GA for an administration job. I own a home in my state that I will likely be renting out until such a time as I decide to do otherwise. With that considered, I am looking to rent for the time being. My budget is under $1000 a month, but I would feel most comfortable with $850 or less. I have a few must haves and a few desired qualities in a home that are as follows:

- unattached, single-family 3/2 home
- low crime area
- good quality daycares, and later schools
- preferably as easy traffic as can be managed, considering
- access to public transportation (particularly cabs, railways) would be a plus
- easy access to a Walmart. (I know. I know.)

I do not mind a 30-45 minute commute so much as that's what I do currently; however, I can imagine that doesn't allow for too large an area considering ATL traffic. I would enjoy a less metropolitian areas though.

I have been trying my best to find rental agencies in the West ATL area and, quite frankly, it's difficult! So any links to known agencies would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time!

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by evazquez

I am a 26 year old single mom of an infant and I am potentially moving to Cobb County, GA for an administration job. I own a home in my state that I will likely be renting out until such a time as I decide to do otherwise. With that considered, I am looking to rent for the time being. My budget is under $1000 a month, but I would feel most comfortable with $850 or less. I have a few must haves and a few desired qualities in a home that are as follows:

- unattached, single-family 3/2 home
- low crime area
- good quality daycares, and later schools
- preferably as easy traffic as can be managed, considering
- access to public transportation (particularly cabs, railways) would be a plus
- easy access to a Walmart. (I know. I know.)

I do not mind a 30-45 minute commute so much as that's what I do currently; however, I can imagine that doesn't allow for too large an area considering ATL traffic. I would enjoy a less metropolitian areas though.

I have been trying my best to find rental agencies in the West ATL area and, quite frankly, it's difficult! So any links to known agencies would be appreciated.

Thank you for your time!

With a rental budget of only $850 or less, finding an unattached, single-family 3-bed, 2-bath home likely could be extremely challenging in a metro Atlanta rental market where rental rates are on the rise.

With a budget of up to $1000/monthly, you MIGHT increase your chances of finding an unattached single-family 3/2 home. But the homes you find will likely be older and may have some kind of issues.

With a budget of up to $850/monthly, the types of rental properties that you are most likely to find are 2-bedroom apartments and older 2-bedroom townhomes.

Crime will vary depending on where you decide to live, but crime will often be a concern in a large major metro area of about 6 million people....So you will always have to be aware of your surroundings.

I don't know much about the quality and availability of daycare, so you will have to continue to research that on your own. But I do know that the schools are generally really good in Cobb County, even if one is on a limited financial budget.

With your job being located in heavily-populated and heavily-developed Cobb County, traffic will also be a concern that you will just have to find a way to deal with (...preferably by living as close to work as you possibly can so that you can minimize the amount of time that you will have to spend in Metro Atlanta's often very tough rush hour commutes).

With your job being located in traditionally transit-averse and transit-challenged Cobb County, transit likely will NOT be a viable option....Something that means that you will have to drive everywhere you go (work, errands, social events, etc). Cabs and railways will NOT be an option because there is NO rail transit service in Cobb County....So plan on driving everywhere you go.

Walmarts are seemingly almost everywhere in Cobb County (in Austell, Powder Springs, Smyrna, Marietta (3), Kennesaw, Acworth), so finding one will not be a problem....Though will you absolutely have to drive to get to them.

[andy1324]

I'm sorry, but a 3/2 detached in a part of cobb county that is low crime for $850/mo is totally impossible. It's hard to find a 1BR apartment for that budget with the rental market the way it is. Maybe venturing out into the rural parts of surrounding counties might be doable, but your commute will suffer greatly. For $1000 maybe a 3/2 attached is doable, but will take some looking.

Where in cobb will you be working? Probably the cheapest part of cobb that is also relatively safe is west/north Cobb, maybe even going into Paullding/narrow/Cherokee counties. But that will depend on where your commuting to in order to see how realistic that would be.

On the plus side the schools in Cobb are generally good.

Not to be negative, but just trying to be realistic.

[lorilove]

Cobb county is a HUGE area - please be more specific. It may be that you are close to another county where it might make more sense to find a home that meets your needs.

[afdinatl]

You want to live in Cobb County. Look west of 75 and north of 285 particularly in Kennesaw or West Marietta. Heck try Acworth, Woodstock and Canton

[ElleKaye]

The price range for what you desire, 3bdrm/2ba SFH in a safe area, is the main challenge. The good news is that of places in Cobb County, I think West Cobb like Austell, Mableton, or Powder Springs may have some of the least expensive prices for housing, but it may not be what you want.

I think the first concern is that you make sure your commute is short enough to get to and from work in time to pick up your infant. You can worry about a school system later when your child is old enough to go to school and you've gotten your bearings on the area.

I also think that maybe you need to consider renting a one bedroom in Marietta, Smyrna, or Vinings to get that safe feeling and not make the worst commute ever. Not knowing exactly where you're working in West Cobb does hinder a good recommendation. As lorilove said, Cobb County is huge.

I understand that being a homeowner that the idea of renting a smaller space for more money might vex you, but it may be a sacrifice you have to make for the greater good.

[evazquez]

Renting a smaller space for more money is thoroughly vexing! lol. I almost want to just buy a second home straight off. The job is at WellStar Cobb Hospital, btw. Here I was thinking that if I could get OTP traffic would be better... well... ATL illiterate take one, I guess! How far west would one have to go to see the thinning of traffic? I might also have a job offer in Calhoun, GA. That, for example, has got to be far enough away! lol.

[OuiOui]

Originally Posted by evazquez

Renting a smaller space for more money is thoroughly vexing! lol. I almost want to just buy a second home straight off. The job is at WellStar Cobb Hospital, btw. Here I was thinking that if I could get OTP traffic would be better... well... ATL illiterate take one, I guess! How far west would one have to go to see the thinning of traffic? I might also have a job offer in Calhoun, GA. That, for example, has got to be far enough away! lol.

oh congrats, WellStar is a great company to work for! Great benefits! I have close friends and family who work for WellStar Kennestone.

Now that we know the location, definitely stick to West Cobb areas. Your budget is tight, so schools may not be perfect, and you definitely will have very limited public transportation access.

Look towards SW Marietta, Powder Springs, Austell, Mableton, West Smyrna. Housing and childcare will be most affordable in these areas, and your commute to work will be in your desired range. You should be able to find a 3/2 here with no problem. I actually know several people in the area who have 3bedroom homes and pay less than $850 in rent.

Will you be working 12hr shifts at WellStar? You might not have to deal with much traffic depending on your scheduled hours.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by evazquez

Renting a smaller space for more money is thoroughly vexing! lol. I almost want to just buy a second home straight off. The job is at WellStar Cobb Hospital, btw. Here I was thinking that if I could get OTP traffic would be better... well... ATL illiterate take one, I guess! How far west would one have to go to see the thinning of traffic?

WellStar Cobb Hospital is located near the very major intersection of East-West Connector and Austell Road (Georgia Highway 5).

E-W Connector and GA 5 Austell Road is a very, very, very busy intersection that is prone to many major traffic jams, long traffic delays and even outright gridlock during rush hours and peak traffic hours because of the massive amount of heavy retail development nearby.

Lots and lots of automobile collisions and traffic accidents happen at that particular intersection (E-W Connector/GA 5 Austell Road) on a frequent basis.

(...The E-W Connector/GA 5 Austell Road intersection is a frequent contributor to Metro Atlanta's rush hour traffic incident reports.)

Because of the massive amount of retail in the area and because of the road's status as a major commuter route towards and away from the I-285 Perimeter, East-West Connector is often a solid parking lot of gridlocked traffic between Hicks Road and Powder Springs Road (a distance of about 3.5 miles) during rush hour (particularly during evening rush hour and particularly during evening rush hours during the Christmas shopping season).

That's because of the very heavy amount of development in the area (major hospital, multiple apartment complexes, lots of big-box retail, fast-food restaurants, etc) and because E-W Connector is utilized as a major route for motorists to commute between West/Northwest Metro Atlanta (South Cobb County, Paulding County, etc) and jobs in major regional employment centers at, around and inside the I-285 Perimeter.

There are many retail and dining amenities in and around the area where you would be working at the WellStar Cobb Hospital near the very busy major intersection of E-W Connector and GA 5 Austell Road.

(...There is a Kohl's department store, a Target department store, a Ross Dress for Less, a Marshall's department store, a TJ Maxx, a Lowe's Home Improvement, a Home Depot, a Burlington Coat Factory, 2 Walmart Supercenters, a 22-screen movie theater, a few roadside motels and dozens of restaurants all in the area that surrounds that major intersection.)

Should you choose to work at WellStar Cobb Hospital, you will also have A LOT of affordable living options for miles and miles around in the form of dozens of affordable rental homes, apartments, condos and townhomes throughout Southern and Central Cobb County in the areas of Austell, Powder Springs, Marietta, Smyrna and Vinings.

You will have a good chance at finding something you like close to the price range that you are looking for in this area.

You may not necessarily find a new unattached 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom single-family home to rent at the $850 and under/monthly rental rates that you are looking for....But you will find many, many, many affordable living options in the area that surrounds WellStar Cobb Hospital....Starting with the dozens of apartment/condo complexes, rental homes and townhomes that are in the immediate vicinity of the E-W Connector/Austell Road junction.

Originally Posted by evazquez

How far west would one have to go to see the thinning of traffic?

Probably out in Paulding County west of the Hiram area in the Dallas area.

Though no matter how far away you may choose to live, if you commute to and from WellStar Cobb Hospital during peak traffic hours, you will have to deal with some heavy traffic along the E-W Connector corridor.

Originally Posted by evazquez

I might also have a job offer in Calhoun, GA. That, for example, has got to be far enough away! lol.

Calhoun would be far enough away for one to not to have to deal with the traffic and congestion issues of the Atlanta metro area.

Though Calhoun is a small city in a deeply conservative and very rural environment in rural Northwest Georgia....You would have to ask yourself if you would be comfortable living and working in a such a deeply conservative environment in rural Georgia for an extended period of time.

Though, I guess that you always live in Metro Atlanta and reverse commute from Metro Atlanta through light traffic on I-75 Northbound to work out in Calhoun (...if you would be commuting during peak traffic hours).