Looking for Safe neighborhood with reasonable (30 min or less) commute to Midtown (Atlanta: rental)

[sonofstarwars74]

Hello all - I'm hoping you can help me find a new neighborhood here in town. If you've read any of my previous posts, you'll know that I have a sensitivity to crime, even though I've lived in big cities for years. I am becoming extremely frustrated because most, if not all, of the interesting intown neighborhoods have crime reports a mile long ... on a weekly basis. So now I'm wondering if I can find a safe neighborhood in the suburbs somewhere where I don't need to worry about whether or not my family or pets are still alive. I know it sounds like I'm being sarcastic but I swear to you I'm not.

1. Budget = $1500
2. House/Condo/Townhome? = Condo/Townhouse
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home) = Commute to Midtown
4. Children(public school vs. private) = None
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two = Prefer Urban but will take Suburban if that means more safety
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not ? No.
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood. Not sure what this means. I don't think I'm requiring much after everything I've come to learn - I'd like safe and 30 minute commute to midtown. You give me those and I think I'll be good.

Many thanks in advance.

[TakeAhike]

The area north of Decatur/Emory might work. Toco Hill/Executive Park/N. Druid Hills/Briarcliff Rd.

Urban/suburban, safe, centrally located--easy access to I85, within 30 min of midtown, a variety of housing options in your price range. Many renovated 50's/60's ranch homes--young professionals and others.

The City of Decatur is very safe, walkable, shops and restaurants and numerous cultural events.
http://www.decaturga.com/

[arjay57]

How about Buckhead? That will get you to Midtown in 10 minutes or so. Very safe, great schools, zillions of condos and townhouses, access to transit, diverse demographics.

[sonofstarwars74]

Searching in both Decatur and Buckhead (South) at the moment. Both seem to have their issues but as you've both pointed, both seem to have some real positives.

Thanks for your input - it is very much appreciated.

[msh0146]

How about Midtown itself? It is perfectly safe, and the glut of new construction condos on the market means that you ought to be able to get a nice rental indeed for $1,500 / mo.

[netdragon]

Smyrna/Vinings has everything you're looking for and you can find a condo in that budget, and possibly even a townhome. Check Spring Rd in Smyrna for an area that's one of the more affordable parts of Smyrna/Vinings but also very nice. It's also within walking distance of Cumberland. Also look at Cumberland Parkway in Vinings.

Also, if it's still available, there's a sell-off going of condos in a condo community right in the center of Vinings because of over-development of condos in Vinings and Buckhead. I don't expect that to last for long.

All the areas mentioned are within 30 min of midtown.

[Ga Jerk]

Another vote for Decatur.

[cqholt]

Check out the neighborhood of Kirkwood. Eastside of Atlanta, proximity to MARTA, 2 stations, good schools, safe neighborhood, 5 parks within an area of 2 square miles, ease of access to I-20, DeKalb Ave. Several restaurants in the business district. Lots of condos or homes within the price range. Very walkable community. Edgewood Retail District; Lowes, Kroger, and Target, located 1 mile west. Nice neighbors who look out for each other.

[testa50]

If crime is such a concern, Buckhead or Decatur. But if you live in the condo portion of Midtown (west of Piedmont), it's actually not really unsafe; walking around east of Piedmont late at night is the source of most robberies.

The surest way to be a victim of crime is to leave a valuable in plain sight in your car. And that goes for any neighborhood.

[lorilove]

Another vote for Smyrna/Vinings