Relocation to Atlanta
 

Good evening. I might have an opportunity with a regional based out of Atlanta. I am not familiar with the area, but have heard some bad things about it. I was wondering if there were any decent rentals in the Atlanta area. I am not afraid to commute, so anything within about 45 minutes drive of Hartsfield (not considering traffic) is OK with me. I am interested in living in a middle to upper middle class nieghborhood that is not near a ghetto. Does anyone know of some good areas? Also, does anyone know about how the tax structure in GA is, i.e. state income tax, personal property tax, etc? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

You make me laugh....:D You sound ashamed to say that you are going to work for ASA but are too proud to go live in the "ghetto." Dont you want to "Lean wit it" and "Snap you fingers"... Wont get much of that in that in the upper middle class:p

You want to live in College Park, or East Lake...

Peachtree City, Union City, Fairburn, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Doraville, Buckhead, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Alpharetta, Marietta, Jonesboro, Roswell, Decatur, Kennesaw, Douglasville, Powder Springs, Norcross, Snellville, Stockbridge, Woodstock, and Conyers.

I'm from Atlanta and that's all I can think up right now.

What no College Park? Are you serious...haha j/k I just got an apt up in Dunwoody and am looking foward to finally moving out of the hotel and into an actually home.

move to peach tree and start rubbing shoulders with the delta guys.

When I was looking at ASA, my wife and I really liked the Douglasville area...far enough from the city to be somewhat quiet, but close enough for about a 45 minute commute to the airport.

But I didn't go to ASA, and didn't move to Douglasville, so what do I know? http://www.palomides.net/images/smiles/monkes.gif

Dont listen to any of these guys on here man, you want to move to Bankhead. No, not Buckhead.... BANKHEAD. Nicest part of town, by far.

Oh man who said college park??? college park is GHETTO in order to live in atlanta and not in the ghetto you have to be at least a 20 min drive from the airport. I'm moving into a 1 br in the Virginia Highlands and its only like 675 and the houses in that area sell for 400 grand to over a mil. I chose that area because its a place for the "young professionals" as one thing I read put it. Theres a ton of nice little bars and restaurants in the area, and its only like a 5 min drive from downtown. Buckhead is a little more... urban i guess with the highrise condos everywhere, but its supposed to be nice. If you don't care about living near the city or having nearby things to do and just want to live somewhere safe then I would say Peachtree City. I'm not from this area but I just moved here and looked around a lot because I didn't want to to live in the ghetto either, but there area some pretty nice areas in atlanta. Also you could check out the Vinings.

::D Dont do him like that? As a product of the inner city of Atlanta, I am kind of offended by his statements. I come from the heart of city. Rasied on ML King Dr. I have a college degree, I am an othe Army. I was a Police Officer and I am a pilot.

OMG, I just read al the other post. This site is full of pompas you know what.:D

I didn't mean to offend anybody, just trying to be funny.

I wasnt talking about you Baylorpilot. Ijust sense an attitude toward the inner city of my town. People automatically think if you live in Collge Park or East Point you live in the ghetto. I am from Atlanta. Straight off of MLK Dr and my neighborhood was very nice. Thats like me saying that if you live in Sandy Springs or Dunwoody you are a rich stuck up white guy. Thats wrong just as it is wrong to stereotype inner city Atlanta or any city. I am a pilot, military officer and former police officer. I think I turned out quite well. Thanks

Thanks for all the help.

Hahaha! Bankhead highway for sure.

Do you mean "pompous," or is that some sort of slang I'm not familiar with?

College Park is not all ghetto. There are actually some pretty nice parts, and the fact that it still has this connotation means you can get a decent place there right next to the airport for next to nothing. That's where I would live if I were you. It's only 15 mins from downtown also. I'd like to see the place in Buckhead that a first year F.O. at ASA (or any regional) could get... a cardboard box?

well said. You can't live in buckhead or midtown on FO pay.

Tex: As a X texan who grew up in Houston I have lived in Peachtree City for over the past 20 years. Atlanta is a great town. Though its been a while you can take a chalk line and divide Atlanta between North and South. If you looking for night life and the bar scene it might be more advantageous to be more on the north side. If your looking for the quiter life the south side is a little slower pace. Peachtree City is a big airline hang out because its 30 minutes to Hartsfield airport. Yes you can get an apt that's not an arm and a leg. PTC also has a great little airport for G/A lots of gyms, reastraunts etc. A great place to raise a family. I keep my little airplane here my ski boat on the north side at lake Laneir. It a nut shell its all GOOOD...........:)

This thread goes all over the town, and then some, but here's an idea worth looking into: drive out South Fulton Parkway as far as the divided section goes and then start looking for something out there. Real estate is not affected by the high values of Atlanta. South Fulton Parkway is a seriously fast route that feeds right into south 285 close to the airport and does not have much traffic on it.

If you don't mind driving a little while every trip then Peachtree City is indeed a good place to look for housing but as explained you are no longer living in Atlanta. It's a compromise solution for those who refuse to live in Atlanta suburbs.

Douglasville is a good place to live but you are nearly an hour from the airport through heavy traffic.

Same for Bankhead Hwy. They renamed the close-in portion of it for the latest politician, which you wouldn't want to live there anyway, but out farther is a nice rural area not so culturally progressive. No fast paced effects of Atlanta out there, it's a bunch of farming towns.

Virginia Highlands is where I was raised and over the years it has become snooty and expensive, although if you have a lawyers income it is the place to go if you want to live intown. Culturally it is the greatest place I know of and I am quite fond of it.

Vinings is very nice but you're talking a good drive to the airport especially in traffic, and the area has really high rent.

Finally, whatever you do DO NOT get a house or apartment in "Midtown". I made that mistake and paid for it dearly. It's a mecca for how do you say, people of alternative design.

They prefer to be called "Flight Attendants".

You wouldn't happen to be from Kansas City would you?

Yeah, cause you know I cant spell. Us ignant folks from Atlanta.

Thanks again for all the help everyone. So far from my initial research based on your recommendations, it appears that Peachtree City is the best place. Again, thanks for all the help.

Seriously...whats wrong with Bankhead? I live there, and I only get shot at like...once, MAYBE twice per week. Tops.

All these other guys are LIARS! What you get for the money, you cant beat it! There are Popeye's Chickens EVERYWHERE! I love it here!!!

Hold on...be right back...someone is stealing my rims!

OK I totally didn't mean inner city is bad, I'm from a big city too, I'm staying in a hotel in college park and the nearby marta station got shot up last week, and the closest convenience store to me the last time I went there were bums standing outside asking for money and they have the bullet proof glass up. I prefer much to live in the city,I am NOT a fan of suberbs and I was definitely an inner city kid when I went to college people thought I was ghetto which I'm not. So I was not insulting where anyone lives, just saying that at least where I am in college park is not a very nice area.

I may have EXAGGERATED a little bit about the 20 minute thing, but I definitely was not ragging on atlanta, I like atlanta a lot so far.

In all seriousness.... I live downtown in the middle of Ga. State. Aside from the mass of people around during the normal work day... it is surprisingly quiet. There are alot of bums around... but most of the housing is designed for the student crowd so its relatively cheap. Plus... I can take Marta to the Airport and be there in 15 minutes without worrying about traffic or parking.

ATL Traffic/Schools
 

Actually, I hate to see anyone move to the ATL area!

There are many different cities within the geographical area referred to as Atlanta. Almost all are experiencing debilitating growth.

Regardless of where you move, be aware that traffic is terrible and getting worse. I live SE of the airport about 30 miles. The drive during rush hour was 30 minutes in 1999. Now the same drive can take an hour if there's an accident (there usually is). The north side of Atlanta is approaching grid-lock.

The worst thing about Atlanta are the schools. People talk about what great schools are in this area, or that area. Don't believe them. They are talking in relative terms. Georgia is ranked 48 or 49 out of 50 states in public education. The flag-ship University of Georgia produces graduates who can hardly spell, and don't care.

If you have kids, or plan to have kids, be aware that private/parochial schools are somewhat better, but only marginally. They are quite expensive.

Having said all that, Atlanta is still a great place to live. There is a lot going on and plenty of great activities. The cost of living is still quite reasonable. You'll enjoy seeing the snow pictures of Buffalo while you're enjoying temperatures in the 70's.

You can't live in Buckhead on ASA captain pay. Oh, and btw, as stated, Midtown is the capitol of the south for "alternative lifetyles", so unless that's your thing you may want to avoid that ("not that there's anything wrong with that").

Peachtree is too expensive. I only know a few ASA pilots who live there, and they got their money from places other than the airlines. Lots of Delta pilots live there, though. I'm not aware of any cheap appartments there (unless you consider $1500 a month cheap), and the average house in PTC is $500K.

Most ASA pilots live in Newnan. It'a about 45 minutes from the airport down 85. Traffffic isn't bad.

Vinings isn't cheap on the NW side, but a lot of ASA pilots and flight attendants live there. It's about a 25-30 minute commute and good if you are single. Newnan on the south side is more family-oriented and about a 45 minute commute.