Moving to Atlanta for job-- am I being realistic? (Druid Hills: hardwood floors, apartment complex)

[MissRutabaga]

Hi all! A few questions. My boyfriend and I are moving to Atlanta in June for a new job. I got in touch with Promove and the woman said that my desired price range would be a little bit tough. She gave me a huge list of apartments, but I want to make sure they aren't all sketchy because of my price range when we go to visit.

Basically, I want a *safe* (I am 25yo female) place, with 2 bedrooms, or a 1 bedroom with an additional den/office room with as short of a commute to my job as possible.

1. Budget - $950
2. House/Condo/Townhome? - Renting-- open to apartment, house, condo
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home) - I will be working in Midtown near Piedmont Park, I really want as short of a commute as possible but I know Midtown is too expensive.
4. Children(public school vs. private) - None
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two - Mix?
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not? - Nice but we both have cars
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood- We are young artist types but we do not drink or party-- most important is safety and that my commute to work is short (20-25 minutes tops?) But ideally we would like to be near some shops or galleries, parks and things to do.

Is it possible to find a clean, safe, 2 bedroom a short distance from work with a budget of $950? We heard Druid Hills is a nice area, and we do have apartments to look through from Promove, but apartmentratings.com is completely over-the-top negative about any apartment and we want to make sure our budget is realistic.

Also, Promove seems to only help with established apartment complexes-- would rent be more affordable with a little house or condo rented by owner? We will be in town for 4 days and have to find a place in that time... so we just figured an apartment complex would be easiest to judge.

Thanks!

[ATLTJL]

Within 5 miles of midtown.....probably completely unrealistic.

Within 10 miles of midtown....doable, but may not be as nice, new, kept up as well as you would like.

Within 15 miles of midtown....you should have plenty of choices that would work well.

Within 20 miles of midtown....you'd be able to find a brand new or close to new luxury rental for that price.

It's a give and take. The closer you want to be to midtown, the more you're going to have to give up.

[swmaguigan3]

Hi MissRutabaga!

I have been living in and around the Atlanta area since 1994. Since then I have moved practically every year going from apartment to apartment.
I don't want to down your decision to use Promove, but even being a long time resident of Atlanta, I had difficulty with their services. The man I tried to work with didn't have time for me and he said our price range was just not going to work for what we needed. I also would not take all of the negative comments about the apartment homes to heart. People don't usually go to those sites to say nice things anyway. I have seen some really great communities with terrible reviews by negative individuals whose expectations were just too high. Have you tried checking with the various realty groups around Atlanta? I know quite a few offer assistance in finding homes/condos for rent. Some of the good ones are Duffy Realty, Prudential, and Coldwell Banker. I listed a few places I found in or right near N Druid Hills that would be a good fit and excellent location for you. I hope you find what you are looking for! Good luck with your new job!
Stacy M.
places to check out:
1. 1 bdrm Condo/Townhome for rent: 2700 Pine Tree Rd #1307 Atlanta, GA 30324 -$950/mo-found on hotpads.com

2. THE PRESERVE AT BRIARCLIFF-1 bdrm -$795-$865

3. Lenox Hills -$800-$830/mo for a 1 bdrm

4. 2bdrm townhome for rent-$799/mo-3133 Buford Highway #3 Atlanta, GA 30329
Great location! Close to I-85, GA-400, Buckhead and MARTA. Hardwood floors and new carpet throughout. Washer and Dryer included. This is a gated community with lots of green space. For more information, contact Tricia Pazol, Leasing Agent: 404-732-3371 or [email]tricia@myhomespot.com[/email]. To view our other available properties, please visit atlanta.myhomespot.com.

Originally Posted by MissRutabaga

Hi all! A few questions. My boyfriend and I are moving to Atlanta in June for a new job. I got in touch with Promove and the woman said that my desired price range would be a little bit tough. She gave me a huge list of apartments, but I want to make sure they aren't all sketchy because of my price range when we go to visit.

Basically, I want a *safe* (I am 25yo female) place, with 2 bedrooms, or a 1 bedroom with an additional den/office room with as short of a commute to my job as possible.

1. Budget - $950
2. House/Condo/Townhome? - Renting-- open to apartment, house, condo
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home) - I will be working in Midtown near Piedmont Park, I really want as short of a commute as possible but I know Midtown is too expensive.
4. Children(public school vs. private) - None
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two - Mix?
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not? - Nice but we both have cars
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood- We are young artist types but we do not drink or party-- most important is safety and that my commute to work is short (20-25 minutes tops?) But ideally we would like to be near some shops or galleries, parks and things to do.

Is it possible to find a clean, safe, 2 bedroom a short distance from work with a budget of $950? We heard Druid Hills is a nice area, and we do have apartments to look through from Promove, but apartmentratings.com is completely over-the-top negative about any apartment and we want to make sure our budget is realistic.

Also, Promove seems to only help with established apartment complexes-- would rent be more affordable with a little house or condo rented by owner? We will be in town for 4 days and have to find a place in that time... so we just figured an apartment complex would be easiest to judge.

Thanks!

[MissRutabaga]

Sorry for the late reply, and thank you both for taking the time to reply!

If nothing else, Promove has provided a huge list of apartments to browse through and drive by during my visit. I'll try not to take the online reviews to heart, and it sounds like if I look hard I should be able to find a livable place within my price range.

My main issue I guess is wanting the office/art studio space / 2nd bedroom to work from. Seems to push the good complexes into the 1000s. If I have to (though it sounds like I'll be able to find a 2 bed if I search) I'm sure I can section a large living room into a studio area...hmmm...

I will look at the realtors suggested and also browse for small townhomes/condos in addition to my promove listings.

Thanks again!