Any Atlanta people here?

[mskitkat]

Calling on the collective ML wisdom. I just got confirmation today that my job is definitely moving from CT to Atlanta. At some point in the next couple weeks, we're making a "pretty please fall in love with Atlanta and decide to relocate" trip down there to look at neighborhoods and Atlanta in general. We get one day with a realtor to get a feel for the local market and one day to go wander around. We're not moving for another year, so it's really just for us to get an idea if we love/hate the city.

The office is in Alpharetta. What would be really good neighborhoods around there for a late 20s, currently TTC couple? We're very much into the local food/small business/walkable neighborhoods thing.

What is awesome about living in Atlanta that we can go visit? Convince me I want to move there! I've lived in Ohio, California, and New York. The South sounds new and exciting, and I do already love Savannah.

[muppetinma]

I don't post much here (An April 2012er), but I'm in Atlanta. How far are you willing to commute? Alpharetta is about 30 miles north of the city itself. I don't venture outside of the perimeter very often, but from what I know, Alpharetta is VERY suburban. If you're wanting to be closer to the city, I'd look in Brookhaven or Decatur.

Atlanta is pretty rad. It's got museums, a zoo and awesome aquarium, big sports teams, good restaurants, and a low cost of living. It's four hours to the Atlantic and to the Gulf, and only a couple hours to the mountains. Also, huge airport=cheap flights.

[karmasabiotch]

My SIL lives in Cummings. I think its near there and she loves it. Her subdivision is filled with young families.

[crazycakes]

If you're working in Alpharetta, I would try to live pretty close. Traffic on 400 is no joke. Alpharetta itself is okay, although sprawling and very suburban. I bet you would love Decatur, but that would be a bear of a commute. I advise all Atlanta transplants to live as close to their job as possible.

Roswell is a cute area, and has a nice historic downtown with cute shops, restaurants, cafes. It's right next to Alpharetta.

I feel like most other neighborhoods up that way are pretty spread out, so I'm not sure about walkability.

[mskitkat]

In all of our relos, my husband's job has had priority. I always end up with the 45 minute commute while we live in the same city he works in! This time, I want practically no commute. And I will laugh if he does end up at the CDC (DH is in biochem). He gets to drive forever.

[crazycakes]

I missed the second part of your question!

I love Atlanta. Cost of living is pretty low, and there is a ton to do. Shows at the Fox Theater, exhibits at the High Museum and Fernbank Museum, lots of festivals this time of year. We have some really amazing restaurants too. And, like PP said, we are only a few hours from the beach and the mountains. We live close to Lake Lanier, and love going boating in the summer.

The only thing I hate about Atlanta is the traffic, which really does suck.

[dcannie]

live where you work. atlanta is not very walkable, no matter where you are. alpharetta has great schools.

[themysteriouswife]

Atlanta is a huge pain the ass for commuting. I live north of Atlanta and on a good day it can take 1 hour for H to go 22 miles.

[themysteriouswife]

Jul 11, 2013 19:01:00 GMT -5 dcannie said:

live where you work. atlanta is not very walkable, no matter where you are. alpharetta has great schools.

There is no biking or walking anywhere here.

[mskitkat]

Jul 11, 2013 19:01:00 GMT -5 dcannie said:

live where you work. atlanta is not very walkable, no matter where you are. alpharetta has great schools.

Sadness. Definite negative. I really hate driving. Although traffic doesn't really bother me after commuting on the 405 in Los Angeles, I would just always rather walk.

[teeah22]

I live in the suburbs (Marietta). Seriously, the traffic is no joke. It can easily take an hour or more to drive 10 miles. I'd highly suggest renting until your DH finds a job so that you can buy a place in between. I made the mistake of buying a home while visiting for the weekend and finding out that we really didn't like the area it was in.

The suburbs are great for families, but not so great for small businesses and cool restaurants. That being said, you can get a ton of house for your money and still have fairly convenient access into the city for fun stuff on weekends.

[partyhat]

Jul 11, 2013 19:01:00 GMT -5 dcannie said:

live where you work. atlanta is not very walkable, no matter where you are. alpharetta has great schools.

I live intown (east side, within Atlanta city limits), and I would argue that the intown communities are A LOT more walkable than any of the burbs. Not perfect, but I walk DD to school, we have an awesome park in 3 blocks away, library, and post office are all walkable to me.
That being said, to answer OP's question- I personally could not live in Alpharetta again (lived there in high school- hated it). I'm a city girl though- Alpharetta is very nice if you like suburban living. On the other hand, I would hate the commute if I worked in Alphatetta and lived intown. But a lot of people here do have long commutes- it all depends on what is more important to you.

[Overthemoon]

I agree that no area is really walkable apart from a few pockets. Alpharetta is nice but definitely suburban. johns Creek is nice too, lots of young families. Cumming has really affordable real estate especially if you want land.

If you think your H will end up at the CDC, I would look at the Perimeter area or Brookhaven, that is about equidistant for both of you.

eta: downtown historic Roswell is decently walkable if you can find an apartment or house for sale. They have cute restaurants, stores, and a library with a park. It would be a bit of a trek to get to Alpharetta though.

etaa: when we moved to Alpharetta and DH was still working in midtown, he took Marta to work. It was a lot less stressful for him than sitting in a car for over an hour each way but he still hated it. If you lived near Perimeter or something and drove north you would have more of a reverse commute and it would be a lot easier on your husband if he works downtown.

[Deleted]

Ditto everything said by teeah22. Traffic in Atlanta is horrible, so definitely wait until your DH finds a job and then pick where you live. Also rent first to familiarize yourself with the areas and commute times.

There are some areas that have a small walkable downtown, but I don't think you will find that plus have a short commute.

I love Decatur and there are tons of adorable houses within walking distance of the square, which has cute shops and restaurants, but it would be at least a 45 minute commute during rush hour. Decatur city schools are good and also diverse, if that matters to you.

Midtown is an awesome area with cool old houses within walking distance of a really great park (Piedmont Park), local businesses, and restaurants, but you are going to spend $500k+ on a small bungalow and I think you would have to do private school. It would also be like a 30 minute commute for you.

Marietta (a suburb) also has cool old homes around a nice square, but the schools are bad (the district that would be walkable to the square) and you would have a 40 minute commute.

Roswell, another suburb, is probably the area I'd recommend you consider. The downtown area is very small but there are a few great restaurants. I'm not sure about the school district in downtown Roswell, but there are definitely good schools in the city of Roswell - I'm just don't know if they would be walking distance from downtown. Downtown Roswell would be a 15 minute commute to work and a 20 - 30 minute drive into the city on weekends.

[hymen]

Jul 11, 2013 18:47:50 GMT -5 karmasabiotch said:

My SIL lives in Cummings. I think its near there and she loves it. Her subdivision is filled with young families.

My parents live in Cumming as well!

That's all I can really contribute to this conversation, except I like to visit the area. And my parents love the area too, except for traffic on 400, but they adapt their commute times when necessary (they don't work in the city so it's not like they are driving there daily. But they do take 400 to other places on a daily basis).

[mskitkat]

Thanks, everyone. I'll definitely focus on Roswell, then. I'm not sure if we're really going to worry about where DH will work. If we successfully TTC, he may become a SAHD.