Another Atlanta Relocation thread. . . (Decatur, North Decatur: cheap apartments, house, job market)

[eric_mattingly]

First, sorry about that. I've done my share of visiting a city, geeking out, and then making half-baked plans to move there at the nearest opportunity. I've tried no to pester too many people on the internet, but I'm certain I've failed at that too. So with that said: I am a 30 year old librarian who lives in rural Kentucky. My girlfriend is a graduate student at Emory. We have decided it is time for me to move down there. I've started to get excited about the prospect (rural Kentucky, while beautiful, isn't exactly the most exciting place to live), but there are some lingering questions. Thus this thread.

1) I don't expect to find a library job in the area. In fact, I don't even really want to. However, I'm not sure how to go about finding employment. I've always heard that most places won't hire you unless you already live in a place. It makes sense, but doesn't help me at all. Would a temp. agency help? Is it feasible to get a less illustrious job just to get a place and get set up? Does the job market make any of this possible?

2) What neighborhoods should I look at? I'm young, liberal, fond of music, ethnic cuisines and bars and the like. I'm also old enough not think those things are the end all of existence. In fact, I'd be just as happy in a quieter, cheaper place as I would be in the Highlands or whatever. I'll go even further: I'd consider a suburb too were it the right fit. My most important criteria are: cheap and safe. After that, diversity and cultural activities. I'd like not to have to drive two hours to get to work, but of course that is contingent upon no. 1. Also, I don't mind roommates so long as they aren't sociopaths. (As an aside, what is Cabbagetown like? I've never been and I hear its gotten gentrified all to hell lately. Bummer).

3) Do you guys think Athens is a good compromise? Are there job opportunities there? Is it dog expensive? Is it (and this is subjective, of course) counterproductive if the goal is to be near my girlfriend?

Well, thanks so much for reading and I hope you can offer some advice. Wishing you guys the best of days.

eric

[tonygeorgia]

Get a job first using an atl address and worry about everything else afterwards. Athens is very boring

[tomno00]

Athens is great and will offer more of what you are looking for in the cultrual, music and food scene. I'd choose athens over atlanta every day of the week (but that is just MY opinion). However, athens is a drive (probably an hour and a half from Emory).

[IntownHomes247]

Yes, Athens is counterproductive if the goal is to be near your girlfriend. I live near Emory and used to commute to graduate school in Athens. It's about 75 miles so it's over an hour each way during optimal traffic hours.

Cheap is relative. One of the best "cheap" areas near Emory is North Decatur -- such as the Medlock neighborhood (30033 zip code). It's got lots of 1950s ranch homes. A 3 bedroom home will run around $1,300/mo. Of course, because of its proximity to Emory there's usually no lack of roommates.

This area is close to the University and close to Decatur plus it's a short drive to other hotspots like Virginia-Highland, Midtown, and Buckhead.

[DTL3000]

What's keeping you and your GF from getting a place together or you crashing at her place? Are you opposed to "shacking up" so to speak? Does she live on campus or something? Just curious.

The job market pretty much sucks here. You may be able to get by with temping but don't be surprised to be driving to BFE and back if they happen to get you an assignment.

So how cheap are you talking? You may can find a spot intown that's reasonable @$700 max and cheaper with roommates.

Cabbagetown is alright. I hope you aren't overly excited due to it's name. It's really not an extremely exciting place, to be honest. It has a sort of inexplicable vibe to it and a lot of character. It's got a cool layout since it's an old-fashioned mill village. It's probably the densest neighborhood of mostly single family homes in Atlanta. There are about a half dozen low key bars and restos on the outer edges and it's fairly close to the nightlife districts(L5P, EAV, Edgewood) and MARTA rail. As far as gentrification goes, the gentrifiers seem to be more quirky than your average yuppie. However, they still have money and I doubt you could find a house there for cheap. There may be some cheap apartments to be had there though. Just avoid the ones closer to Moreland Ave. Cab-town transitions into Reynoldstown closer to Moreland and parts of it are still a little iffy.

Athens is cool but it is a bit out of the way if you want to be reasonably close to your GF(and it would probably be a lot more enjoyable if you were single, anyway(wink wink nudge nudge say no more say no more)).

"Get a job first using an atl address and worry about everything else afterwards. Athens is very boring"

You really are clueless, aren't you?

[BringBackCobain]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Get a job first using an atl address and worry about everything else afterwards. Athens is very boring

This is the first time I have ever seen "Athens" and "boring" in the same sentence.

[eric_mattingly]

I appreciate all the responses!