Info on Decatur (Atlanta: high crime, house, transfer)

[Bennj]

Does anyone have any info on Decatur? I'm moving from a big city in the Midwest to the Atlanta area and found a good deal on a house there. Are there any bad areas (high crime, crappy neighbors, etc)?

Also, is it an easy commute to Midtown from there?

Any info is appreciated!

[IntownHomes247]

What area of Decatur is the house in? If you're inside the City of Decatur limits, there are very few undesirable areas. Outside the City limits there's a lot more variability. City of Decatur to Midtown is an easy commute and you can even take MARTA rail if you prefer (but you'll have to transfer at 5 points to the N/S line to get to Midtown.

The City of Decatur is absolutely delightful. It's very Mayberry-like, with a historic courthouse square, lots of cute shops and restaurants, some lovely parks, etc.

[George Chong]

Originally Posted by Bennj

Does anyone have any info on Decatur? I'm moving from a big city in the Midwest to the Atlanta area and found a good deal on a house there. Are there any bad areas (high crime, crappy neighbors, etc)?

Also, is it an easy commute to Midtown from there?

Any info is appreciated!

Here are some links for you:

City of Decatur's website: City of Decatur, GA

Boundaries of the City of Decatur: www.decaturga.com/client_resources/getaround/decaturga_streetmap.pdf (http://www.decaturga.com/client_resources/getaround/decaturga_streetmap.pdf - broken link)

Don't know if you have any children, but the City of Decatur has an excellent public school system: City Schools of Decatur

Here's the MARTA website: www.itsmarta.com

It is a very easy commute via rail or car. Decatur has a small town feel. Someone at a closing described it as "Where Mayberry meets Berkley."

[lastminutemom]

If you are in the city limits, you are fine. Some other areas that have Decatur mailing addresses are less than good, some are horrid and others are excellent -- it just depends.

[servobot]

I'm moving to Decatur into a house right near Oakhurst Village on Saturday. I'm coming from Cary, NC, an extremely tame town.

Judging from the number of security signs on lawns, it's obviously a different kind of neighborhood than the one I live in today.

I've tried to visit at various hours, day and night, to see what life in the area is like. Seemed pretty chill to me. Am I right? I'm a bit nervous about my choice right now. Especially with impending financial doom facing our country and the problems that accompany economic strife.

Am I moving into a pretty stable neighborhood? It seemed amazing when my family visited.

Thanks.

[nerak31]

Servobot, I think you'll be fine. I moved to the Oakhurst area in April, and I'm enjoying my time here. I walk from my house to Oakhurst Village all the time, even at night. It's a short 8-minute walk, but I feel pretty safe -- and I'm a petite female in her late 20s.

I got a security system when I moved in because I think most homes in the Atlanta area have them. Either an alarm system or a big dog, or both! I do know that in the past, there was a string of burglaries in the area -- mainly flat screen TVs that were visible from the windows and laptop computers. The Decatur police department is very responsive though. There's an Oakhurst yahoo groups that you should check out. It's a pretty good resource and another venue to ask questions. People keep each other up to date about what's going on in the neighborhood.

Since you're living so close to the Village, I'm sure you'll be frequenting the U-Joint (awesome neighborhood bar, great food and beer), Mojo's (yummy pizza), and Kavarna (coffeehouse, serves beer and wine, has live music). Welcome to the neighborhood!

[servobot]

Thanks for the tips!

I lost a bit of confidence in my choice after stumbling upon some of the negative stories, like the tale of the HDTV bandits that you cited. I have lived in other transitional 'hoods. Now I'm a little older, with less sense of adventure, LOL.

I'd hate to think of my wife and kids being at home when somebody kicked the door in. Ugh. It sounds rather uncommon, but still . . . I want to make sure I do everything I can to secure my house.

I still love the neighborhood and I'm excited to get there. I'll just keep eyes in the back of my head until I get more comfortable.

[margieATLGA]

Hi Bennj, I live in Decatur/Atlanta most of my life, Decatur is very close to Midtown. Both are considered Inside the Perimeter (or ITP as we say). As with any town/city there are good and bad areas. I can only tell you to drive around different neighborhoods to get a feel of your comfort level in what you see and how things are presented. I would find out what police dept is responsible for the area where you are looking to purchase, and find out how to get their most recent crime statistics.
But it's like I tell all my clients, its not as much WHERE you live, but how. My own neighborhood has had many car break ins, and home breakins because people just refuse to stop leaving valuables in their cars, and broadcast that they own a 52 inch plasma tv that can be seen from the street. It doesn't excuse the crimes, but lets face it, if the tv was in a back room instead of over the mantel in front of a big window, they might not have been targetted so quickly.
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[cmtiger]

Servobot, you will be fine in Oakhurst. We have lived here for over seven years and have never had a problem at our home. I consider Oakhhurst very safe, and the police in Decatur are very on top of things. The flat screen TV thing was very isolated and actually was happening in several neighborhoods.

So long as you take the same reasonable precautions that anyone living in Atlanta should take (security system and/or dog, don't leave valuables in your car overnight if it's on the street, etc.) you will be fine.

Will your kids be in City of Decatur Schools?

BTW, Nerak gave you some excellent local restaurant choices. There is also an authentic Mexican restaurant in the same strip as Mojo Pizza. The name escapes me.. it used to be called Billy Goat's Cantina.. they have great Mexican food and margs. It's not as kid friendly as the other restaurants though.

[servobot]

Yep - my daughter would be zoned for kindergarten at Oakhurst Elementary. She's still got a couple of years to go though. My son is six-months-old. We will be about three doors down from the Mexican place. I think it's called Mezcalitos, and the food is awesome. They seemed to tolerate my screaming kids, but we sat outside, heh.