College Park/East Point/Forest Park (Atlanta, Smyrna: real estate, apartment complex, crime rates)

[Tdiddy0027]

Ok- a lot of the negative stuff these posters are saying is true, but they are failing to point out to you that these areas are beginning to see the light at the end of the ghetto tunnel. College Park and East Point in particular are issuing many building permits for affordable, yet wonderful urban housing in the form of townhomes, cluster homes and even some condos. Downtown College Park is lined with charming bistros, and East Point is home to The Hifi Buys ampitheater which holds many high profile concerts. True, the schools suck but Woodward, a very good private school, is nearby if you can afford it. You should really see it for yourself. If you're not pleased with it then I don't blame you since many areas are still pretty bad, but remember that things are getting better.

[Derrick_TheRiskTaker]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

Ok- a lot of the negative stuff these posters are saying is true, but they are failing to point out to you that these areas are beginning to see the light at the end of the ghetto tunnel. College Park and East Point in particular are issuing many building permits for affordable, yet wonderful urban housing in the form of townhomes, cluster homes and even some condos. Downtown College Park is lined with charming bistros, and East Point is home to The Hifi Buys ampitheater which holds many high profile concerts. True, the schools suck but Woodward, a very good private school, is nearby if you can afford it. You should really see it for yourself. If you're not pleased with it then I don't blame you since many areas are still pretty bad, but remember that things are getting better.

What a nice, balanced view. Thank you Tdiddy.

[jeweloflight]

Originally Posted by Derrick_TheRiskTaker

What a nice, balanced view. Thank you Tdiddy.

Yes, thank you for that view that is balanced with mostly hope. If you're confident enough to move to an "up and coming" area, which I still don't consider it to be, go for it. However, the truth as it stands right now is just what I said before, high crime, bad schools, and non-diverse. I guess some of us don't like to face facts as they are. The small, tiny, tiny, changes that are going on there now don't justify it as a "great place" to move, whether all black, all white, all hispanic, all asian or otherwise. Maybe in 5 years things will different, hopefully.

[down_south_diva]

Thanks everybody for the inputs. Since these areas don't seem to be to appealing, could you give me some information on other areas I should reconsider.

[jaxx]

search but you can find a nice spot in areas such as sandy springs, buck head, smyrna or marietta. Tere are plenty of good areas within that price range in these areas. Like i said tho, search.

Traffic from marietta downtown is horrible above 285. Buckhead traffic is horrible, sandy springs is horrible. not sure about smyrna, but in general atlanta is horrible with traffic.

either way, good luck!

[backfist]

Originally Posted by down_south_diva

Thanks everybody for the inputs. Since these areas don't seem to be to appealing, could you give me some information on other areas I should reconsider.

I think your price range is pretty consistent with most people's rent budget; less than $1000, but enough to be in a safe and relatively quiet area.

The challenge is finding something like that while being close to work. Sandy Springs, Roswell, etc., are close to work, but you'r going to pay pretty close to $1000 for a 2BR. My suggestion: try a few places in Alpharetta. You can find some in the $800 to $900 range, and a few of them will have some real descent move-in specials. For work, you can catch MARTA at the North Springs station.

[Tdiddy0027]

Originally Posted by jeweloflight

Yes, thank you for that view that is balanced with mostly hope. If you're confident enough to move to an "up and coming" area, which I still don't consider it to be, go for it. However, the truth as it stands right now is just what I said before, high crime, bad schools, and non-diverse. I guess some of us don't like to face facts as they are. The small, tiny, tiny, changes that are going on there now don't justify it as a "great place" to move, whether all black, all white, all hispanic, all asian or otherwise. Maybe in 5 years things will different, hopefully.

Things won't get better there is people aren't willing to move there now.

[DoveDiva]

From one parent to another, stay the heck out of Forest Park.

College Park and East Point...if you were purchasing a home, I'd say there were nice pockets. Since you are renting, a majority of the apt. communities tend to be in the thick of what my friends and I call "Knucklehead Central".

Your son is still pretty young, so you have a bit of time to get a feel for the metro area and decide where you'd like him to go to school. Check out Austell (along the East West Connector), Smyrna, certain parts of the city of Atlanta, Sandy Springs (if you can afford it), Vinings, and parts of Marietta.

I hope this helps!

[AtlantaPro]

Derrick,

It is a myth, albeit, a persistent one, that you need to go north of College Park to find good neighborhoods and schools. South of College Park is Fayette County. Fayette has excellent schools, great neighborhoods and excellent housing choices. The commute will be farther but in that sense, Atlanta is no different than other US major cities in that you tend to find higher crime and worse schools in and close to the inner city.

good luck.

[stvincent]

You should look into an apartment complex called Keenland Farms. It is located on King Springs Road in Smyrna. The local elementary school, King SPrings Elementary is a decent school, better by leaps and bounds over the schools in East Point and College Park. The apartment complex is gated but that gate is more for decoration than for security. Smyrna is a safe inner-suburb though so I wouldn't stress about high crime.

The apartments are old but have recently undergone a renovation. The complex is humongous, sometimes it feels like a mini-city so you might get lost at first. The rents are cheap though and its within walking distance of the area middle school, Griffin Middle. King SPrings Elementary is only less than a mile away. A two bedroom will run you about $620 to $780 a month according to a friend of mine that lives there. It used to be called Wexford Hills but the new name change comes with new management which have supposedly turned the community around. The community is not ghetto but not upscale either. For the price, you are getting a big apartment, in a safe and convient area(15-20 minutes from downtown), and good schools. For the price, its the best place I can suggest you move to. You should check it out.