moving to ATL from England (Atlanta, Decatur: apartment, rental, condo)

[starrlite]

I'm planning to move to ATL in a few months, but I'm unsure of which area would be best to live in, in terms of being close to amenities and nightlife, because I plan to look for jobs in a vibrant area...are there any suggestions of places I should aim for and places that I should avoid at all costs?xx It seems that Decatur is being suggested loads, would this be a good location to gain easy access to main Atlanta, I won't have a car for a month after arriving..xx thanks

[masonbarge]

Atlanta is very different from London. There are fairly large wooded lots much closer to the city's center(s) -- at comparatively affordable prices -- and not nearly as much public transportation. The automobile is the primary form of transportation; the percentage of people who don't own a car (and drive it every day) is much smaller than a large European city.

It is also, in general, much less friendly to pedestrians.

My best suggestion for you would be to find a temporary place in Midtown, not more than a few blocks from a MARTA train stop, so that you can get your bearings.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by masonbarge

My best suggestion for you would be to find a temporary place in Midtown, not more than a few blocks from a MARTA train stop, so that you can get your bearings.

Ditto on that.

If you're new to Atlanta and especially new to a country, your best route is to RENT an apartment for your first few months here. If you can give a budget in U.S. dollars as to the total you can afford for rent and utilities, folks can maybe suggest some places.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

Ditto on that.

If you're new to Atlanta and especially new to a country, your best route is to RENT an apartment for your first few months here. If you can give a budget in U.S. dollars as to the total you can afford for rent and utilities, folks can maybe suggest some places.

Always a good idea when you're new to a city IMO.

My suggestion for pedestrian-friendly entertainment districts would be:
Midtown
Brookwood
Virginia-Highland
Little 5 Points (Inman Park/Candler Park)
Morningside
Decatur

[IntownHomes247]

You'll get more helpful advice if you can provide more specifics. What kind of place are you looking for? Detached home? Condo? Townhome? Apartment? What size place do you need? What price range (or rental range) are you looking in? What kind of job will you be looking for?

Also, a lot of people come to Atlanta without a job and find it difficult to obtain employment. It's much safer to find a job first. That would also help narrow down the neighborhood in which you should look for housing. Atlanta's traffic is horrible and the public transportation is extremely limited, so it's most convenient to live very close to your job.

[mxd.Brit]

Hi.
I think you will like it a lot here, I do so far. You just need to get used to the heat and driving a lot, depending on where you live. There are not that many corner shops etc within walking distance in many areas. Everything is spread out even in the city compared to U.K. Living ITP you will find a few more amenities conviniently located and public transport as posted above.
You might want to give more info like price range, where you will be working, any kids, age etc.