Ladies/Gentlemen,
I'm a new hire at DAL...soon to start training. I'd like to get a start on the house hunting for my family (wife and four year old). Anybody have any words on where to look or where not to look near ATL? Thanks in advance.

 

I would go either to the north near Vinnings or to the South side. Peach Tree city is named base housing for a reason. Lots of DAL folks down there. Schools are good and it is growing. There are a lot of decent areas in ATL. Many live in Coweta and Fayette county because I-85 does not have half of the traffic issues that the others do. I love that way and like it. DO not love it, but there are worse places to live.

 

acl is correct...especially if in the family way. As far as inside the perimeter...really should be north of I-20 if in town and all the way to Peachtree City if south of Atlanta. It doesn't take long at all to drive to the airport from the south. Traffic tends to be horrendous north of I20 especially in the I85/285 and I75/285 areas. Vinings and South Cobb get you away from a lot of that and it's still a good area in town. Northern areas are nice ie. up GA400 but the traffic is horrible. A good bit of the crime is south of downtown all the way to the airport...there are the exceptional good areas within that region though. If you don't mind the drive you can really find some good prices way up north and a good ways south. It's definitely suburb livin' though. Good luck with it!

 

Athens, Macon, Chatty, Dahlanega, Midtown off Piedmont by the park

 

Smyrna/Vinings would probably be too expensive at first if you are looking to buy a house, but townhomes/condos are relatively affordable. The south side is quiet if you like that, and affordable. The north side has a lot more to do, but is a bit more pricey, and it does have some very bad traffic. If you have a child, you should be looking at school districts (if you plan to go public). Most of the Atlanta area has horrible schools, but Peachtree City's schools are pretty good as well as east cobb county (best in the state). I would seriously recommend that you find an apartment/rental home at first until you can scope out the city and find the area you want to live in. Atlanta is a strange town with strange people. Be careful whatever you do.

 

Totally agree on East cobb or Vinings/Smyrna....VERY good schools in Cobb County...expensive but great atmosphere/people/area/etc....

Vinings/Smyrna-20 min to the airport with easy access to I-75 or 285 south

East cobb-45 min

 

Stay out of Fulton County-----taxes. If you want to be close in, then look in the Dacatur area. You will go postal due to traffic if you have to do 25 years of dealing with traffic going north.

 

How are things further out? Like Rome to the NW or Gainesville to the NE?

 

Look..it`s not like you are doing an 8 to 5 job. You won`t be commuting in and out every day. Also forget Rome, Chattanooga, Gainesville....too far away. If you have kids, I suspect that you will be placing them in public schools. If so, then it`s East (or west) Cobb County, Cherokee County to the north or Peachtree City schools to the south. P.T. City is in Fayette County. DO NOT buy where you will have to put the kiddies in Fayette County schools. Avoid Clayton County. I strongly suggest that you rent someplace for 6 months or a year until you get the lay of the land. Avoid anything inside the permeter (I-285). The Atlanta area is like a lot of megaplexes, lots of good stuff and lots of bad things also. When I arrived here 40 years ago, the area population was about a million, It`s now more than five million. Lots of folks like it here, you will too!

 

Also, take a quick look at Atlantic Station. It is a yuppie intown hi-rise market, but 15 minutes from the airport and about as much of a sure thing for rapid appreciation in this real estate market. My wife and I are temped to buy one of these intown properties while the prices are reasonable just for commuting.

You might also consider buying one of the properties set up for (rich) GA Tech students. 4 bedroom, 4 bath, room mate plan would make an excellent new hire housing arrangement.

Let your other new hires buy your house for you.