Living in Atlanta with no car? (Alpharetta, Boston: apartment, condos, houses)

[oobanks]

Originally Posted by arjay57

It would probably be a lot of extra work but I don't see why you can't do it. Just make sure you live and work somewhere near a bus line or transit station.

That would definitely be the case but lets just keep this short and sweet, it can be done but your options will be very limited and there will be and may be alot of area's in the Metro you may want to get to or need to get to that you will absolutely need a Car for. A major amount of decent paying Jobs are on the North Side in Alpharetta, Roswell, Kennesaw, etc. off of Transit lines and have no option but have a car. Keep your options open when you move to Georgia and have a car especially on these hot summer days. Nothin worse than standing out in the hot sun trying to get around a huge sprawly Metro in the hot heat.

[afdinatl]

Originally Posted by oobanks

That would definitely be the case but lets just keep this short and sweet, it can be done but your options will be very limited and there will be and may be alot of area's in the Metro you may want to get to or need to get to that you will absolutely need a Car for. A major amount of decent paying Jobs are on the North Side in Alpharetta, Roswell, Kennesaw, etc. off of Transit lines and have no option but have a car. Keep your options open when you move to Georgia and have a car especially on these hot summer days. Nothin worse than standing out in the hot sun trying to get around a huge sprawly Metro in the hot heat.

False again. The majority of the jobs in the Atlanta region are on the MARTA line in Downtown, Midtown, Buckhea, the airport station and the Perimeter. So if you work in the Perimeter and live in College Park the commute would be easy

[tigerlily76]

I too want to move to metro Atlanta with no car, so I'm glad I came across this thread. I received some helpful info so far. I have a background in social services and have used just about every job board I can think of. Finding housing is not the issue, I need to have a secured job and I refuse to believe that I can't live a decent life in Atlanta without a car. I lived in NYC all of my life and I understand its an adjustment, but I need more advice on how to make the transistion. Thanks.

[oobanks]

Originally Posted by afdinatl

False again. The majority of the jobs in the Atlanta region are on the MARTA line in Downtown, Midtown, Buckhead and the Perimeter. So if you work in the Perimeter and live in College Park the commute would be easy

Lol.. I do know a Majority of the Jobs are in those Business Centers, i didnt say the Majority of the Jobs, i was refering to majority of the decent paying jobs for regular people... But who knows, i may be False again...lol

[evannole]

Yes, living without a car is possible, and many people do it (usually not by choice), but unless everything works out perfectly, sooner or later it's probably going to cause you at least some frustration or annoyance.

It also depends on how much you value your time. Certainly, if you can manage to both live and work near MARTA stations, you will be pretty well set from a commuting perspective, but other errands or leisure excursions might not be as convenient without a car, particularly on the weekends. There will undoubtedly be things you want or need to do outside of working hours that are not accessible by transit, or technically accessible but highly inconvenient. Driving does tend to be faster, as long as you're not heading to a large event like Music Midtown or a Falcons game, outside of working hours. If you're willing to give up some of your free time and schedule flexibility in order to free yourself from the cost of car ownership and the headache of driving, then going without a car might be an answer for you. It is not the decision the vast majority of those who live here, including the vast majority of those who actually live near MARTA, have taken, but yes, it's possible.

If I had an intown job near a MARTA station that also paid well enough for me to be able to afford a place I wanted to live in in a neighborhood I found appealing, also near a MARTA station, I would probably use MARTA for my commute and keep a cheap car to provide me the flexibility I might desire outside of working hours. But that's just me.

If I lived in Paris, as I have in the past, no way would I own a car. For better or worse, Atlanta is not Paris, and so the equation is different here.

[hautemomma]

You need a car here - forget any comments that marginalize or downplay the importance of having a vehicle here.

The folks I know who moved from NYC had to LEARN HOW to drive and then bought personal cars.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

But it takes forever to get there by bus and once you are there you may have to walk a long, long way. In addition the buses run infrequently.

I'd hate to be sitting there without a car when some potential employer in Alpharetta says "Can you come out for an interview right away?" Especially in weather like this.

MARTA 12- every 30 minutes
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
MARTA 185- every 27 minutes
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
MARAT 143
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
MARTA 140
MARTA - Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
As for the interview, there is always options like Zipcar and Uber.

[oobanks]

Originally Posted by tigerlily76

I too want to move to metro Atlanta with no car, so I'm glad I came across this thread. I received some helpful info so far. I have a background in social services and have used just about every job board I can think of. Finding housing is not the issue, I need to have a secured job and I refuse to believe that I can't live a decent life in Atlanta without a car. I lived in NYC all of my life and I understand its an adjustment, but I need more advice on how to make the transistion. Thanks.

Most of Atlanta can and will feel like paradise and a breath of Fresh Air compaired to NewYork depending on what borough and what part of the City your moving from. You will be ok Transit wise as long as you stay in Fulton or Dekalb Counties near Marta stations or Bus lines. Upstate NY is simular to GA in someways, note i said some ways.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

You need a car here - forget any comments that marginalize or downplay the importance of having a vehicle here.

The folks I know who moved from NYC had to LEARN HOW to drive and then bought personal cars.

Isn't that part of the allure of moving here is the low cost of living and driving?

[kferq]

Originally Posted by tigerlily76

I too want to move to metro Atlanta with no car, so I'm glad I came across this thread. I received some helpful info so far. I have a background in social services and have used just about every job board I can think of. Finding housing is not the issue, I need to have a secured job and I refuse to believe that I can't live a decent life in Atlanta without a car. I lived in NYC all of my life and I understand its an adjustment, but I need more advice on how to make the transistion. Thanks.

Bicycle. Every intentionally car free person I know in Atlanta cycles. The bike goes on MARTA with you allowing you to get places farther from the station. You need a place to shower or a job that does not require you to be sweat free. Occasionally you will have to get an Uber or a rental if you need to haul something big. Bike Commuters of Atlanta does breakfasts for those new to bike commuting: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bikecommutersatl/.