Where to live in Atlanta (Roswell, Kennesaw: renting, big home, job market)

[lisa_umd]

Hi,

My hubby and I are thinking about moving to Atlanta. He spent his college days in Florida 10 years ago and loved it; I love the heat. We've heard good things about Atlanta in terms of finding jobs and not paying a ton on housing. We're currently in the DC area. He can work from home; I'm a teacher and would be looking to teach at a community college or private H.S. We would need to live somewhere quiet and not too close to farms (he has issues with noises & smells) but where we could get to entertainment within an hour's drive. Normally, relatively modern suburbs are a good fit for us. We're hoping to get at least a 3-BR but hoping to spend less than $300k ($350K at most). No kids.

Any suggestions are immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[IntownHomes247]

Not many farms in Atlanta. You'd have to be quite a way from the city in order to find anything like that. At $300k - $350k you'll have lots of options. You might not be able to find a 3 bedroom home in one of the most popular intown neighborhoods, but you can certainly find one in a close-in neighborhood. There are even areas near Emory University where you can find a renovated 3 bedroom for under $350k.

Of course if you want a BIG home for under $350k you will need to be further away from the center of the city. So you'll have a wide range of choices -- close in with a short commute but somewhat smaller or older homes or further out for larger and newer homes but with significantly longer commutes.

[atlantagreg30127]

Ok, this is an odd one.

You heard Atlanta was a good place for jobs and cheap housing. Ok, on that note, yes, housing is cheaper than DC. If you do some reading around this room though, you'll find the TRUTH about jobs. Not a very good outlook right now, and just like the rest of the country, Atlanta has experienced an extreme slow down in the job market. You say he can work from home which may be an advantage. SOME teaching jobs are needed, while other areas may even lay teachers off soon.

You love the heat and Florida, but are thinking about Atlanta where we regularly have 40 degree days in Winter? You want to live far enough out so it's "quiet", but can't live near farm because of smells?

Ok, time for "Atlanta - fact vs. reality"...

Atlanta has a metro population of 5 million+, and traffic has been ranked as second only behind L.A. Sprawl is a major issue here, and suburban areas (with the aforementioned traffic and noise) can stretch up to 30+ miles from the City center. Once you get to the outer suburbs, you will find a mixture of farms, surrounded by new subdivisions with noisy kids because everyone in the burbs has 2.5 children (unless you move into a retirement community).

Now, you WILL have a huge pick of under-$300k homes to choose from throughout the area. That is reality (at least so far).

If chain stores and strip malls are ok with you, you will be within minutes of a number of them regardless of whichever suburb you pick. If you want the more unique inner-city attractions and entertainment, again, you will have to put up with a bit of noise and non-rural suburbs (with that traffic and noise).

Maybe some more details are in order as to what type of entertainment you like, and exactly what other things you want to avoid completely or those you might be able to deal with limitedly, as so far, it's not sounding like Atlanta is a good fit on the shoe rack.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by lisa_umd

My hubby and I are thinking about moving to Atlanta. He spent his college days in Florida 10 years ago and loved it; I love the heat. We've heard good things about Atlanta in terms of finding jobs and not paying a ton on housing. We're currently in the DC area. He can work from home; I'm a teacher and would be looking to teach at a community college or private H.S. We would need to live somewhere quiet and not too close to farms (he has issues with noises & smells) but where we could get to entertainment within an hour's drive. Normally, relatively modern suburbs are a good fit for us. We're hoping to get at least a 3-BR but hoping to spend less than $300k ($350K at most). No kids.

First, I'm with Atlreg about the "heat" thing. Since you have FL and DC as reference points I'm guessing you just want a climate that's a little closer to FL than DC. But surely you don't expect to get to Atlanta and have FL warmth year round, do you? That's a mistake all too often made by NY/CA types who assume 'Atlanta's down South, kinda near Florida, therefore it must be real warm all the time like FL'. Big mistake. I'll spare you one of my rants about Atlanta's 'schizoid' excuse for a 'Winter' climate, which seems to have something to **** off just about every type of weather person. Then again, let's have at it .... In Atlanta it's not uncommon to have consecutive weeks of alternating 65+ afternoon temps and 35-ish afternoon temps, going back and forth until well into April. I'm sure you see where I'm going. For all practical intents, consider Atlanta's cool season (it's incorrect to call it a 'winter') as a schizoid hybrid of DC and Tampa, FL. No joke. You can often be lulled into thinking you don't need a jacket, but just try putting it away. Biiiigggg mistake.

The Summer of course is a whole different story, but sounds like it's right up your alley. For you: . For me: and ultimately ).

For community colleges, I would suggest you consider the Cobb area for Kennesaw University (more of a glorified community college frankly). The Cobb area has some of the other qualities you fancy, save the kids thing (see Atlreg), but here - keep your fingers crossed - things they are a changin. But in general Cobb is that 'modern American suburb' you speak of (but more Plano, TX or Orange County than Marin, CA). Other possibilities for teaching are in Cobb's counterpart, Gwinnett. A state community college up I-85 might be an option (Ga Perimeter Coll?) there. There's also a GPC campus due north of town, so N Fulton might be an area to consider too. There's a Decatur campus as well (a closer-in suburb and more 'progressive' in lifestyle).

As for your other qualitites. Tough to say. "Quiet" is in the ear of the auditor. Having lived in LA, my noise tolerance level has been permanently raised. Then again, I am frequently struck by how downright loud it can be when I'm staying at my mom's house in East Cobb. Loud sirens in the night blazing down Lower Roswell Rd. Car alarms not infrequently going off. At times I find myself wondering 'with sleepy and idyllic suburbs like this, who needs Manhattan?' So whether a further out suburb like Acworth might fit your needs here better, is hard to say. Then again, you go too far out and the accents might start to weird you out (what part of FL did you say you were from? ).

So I guess you can see from the aforementioned that there are lots of variables. Lots and lots of variables. And once you sign on the dotted line, you're locked in.

Have you considered renting first while you work all this out?

[lastminutemom]

Teaching jobs will not be as plentiful next year as they have been in the past. There will be jobs availalble but unless you are a fully certified middle or high school math or science teacher or perhaps a fully certified special ed teacher, there will be more applicants for fewer spaces. This is true even in the private school arena and funding to community colleges is being cut for next year.

If you require two incomes to live on, you need to secure employment first.

[Sweet Atlanta Peach]

Originally Posted by lisa_umd

Hi,

My hubby and I are thinking about moving to Atlanta. He spent his college days in Florida 10 years ago and loved it; I love the heat. We've heard good things about Atlanta in terms of finding jobs and not paying a ton on housing. We're currently in the DC area. He can work from home; I'm a teacher and would be looking to teach at a community college or private H.S. We would need to live somewhere quiet and not too close to farms (he has issues with noises & smells) but where we could get to entertainment within an hour's drive. Normally, relatively modern suburbs are a good fit for us. We're hoping to get at least a 3-BR but hoping to spend less than $300k ($350K at most). No kids.

Any suggestions are immensely appreciated. Thanks in advance!

As Lastminutemom said, secure jobs first; that will determine everything else. Please do NOT move here without a job!!! Once you secure a job/jobs, then we will be able to help you with proximity!

As far as heat, Atlanta's climate is tricky; one day it could be 70 while the next it could be 32 or even lower. But, the average temperature is pretty nice, just keep a coat or jacket handy.

[SouthernBoy205]

Can anybody help me out in the Atlanta vs. Huntsville forum?

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by KE111691

Can anybody help me out in the Atlanta vs. Huntsville forum?

Come again? (Was that supposed to be a link?)

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

First, I'm with Atlreg about the "heat" thing. Since you have FL and DC as reference points I'm guessing you just want a climate that's a little closer to FL than DC. But surely you don't expect to get to Atlanta and have FL warmth year round, do you? That's a mistake all too often made by NY/CA types who assume 'Atlanta's down South, kinda near Florida, therefore it must be real warm all the time like FL'. Big mistake. I'll spare you one of my rants about Atlanta's 'schizoid' excuse for a 'Winter' climate, which seems to have something to **** off just about every type of weather person. Then again, let's have at it .... In Atlanta it's not uncommon to have consecutive weeks of alternating 65+ afternoon temps and 35-ish afternoon temps, going back and forth until well into April. I'm sure you see where I'm going. For all practical intents, consider Atlanta's cool season (it's incorrect to call it a 'winter') as a schizoid hybrid of DC and Tampa, FL. No joke. You can often be lulled into thinking you don't need a jacket, but just try putting it away. Biiiigggg mistake.

The Summer of course is a whole different story, but sounds like it's right up your alley. For you: . For me: and ultimately ).

For community colleges, I would suggest you consider the Cobb area for Kennesaw University (more of a glorified community college frankly). The Cobb area has some of the other qualities you fancy, save the kids thing (see Atlreg), but here - keep your fingers crossed - things they are a changin. But in general Cobb is that 'modern American suburb' you speak of (but more Plano, TX or Orange County than Marin, CA). Other possibilities for teaching are in Cobb's counterpart, Gwinnett. A state community college up I-85 might be an option (Ga Perimeter Coll?) there. There's also a GPC campus due north of town, so N Fulton might be an area to consider too. There's a Decatur campus as well (a closer-in suburb and more 'progressive' in lifestyle).

As for your other qualitites. Tough to say. "Quiet" is in the ear of the auditor. Having lived in LA, my noise tolerance level has been permanently raised. Then again, I am frequently struck by how downright loud it can be when I'm staying at my mom's house in East Cobb. Loud sirens in the night blazing down Lower Roswell Rd. Car alarms not infrequently going off. At times I find myself wondering 'with sleepy and idyllic suburbs like this, who needs Manhattan?' So whether a further out suburb like Acworth might fit your needs here better, is hard to say. Then again, you go too far out and the accents might start to weird you out (what part of FL did you say you were from? ).

So I guess you can see from the aforementioned that there are lots of variables. Lots and lots of variables. And once you sign on the dotted line, you're locked in.

Have you considered renting first while you work all this out?

Man. Who posted this ridiculous, rambling diatribe? Whoever it was, they need an editor.

[SouthernBoy205]

Can anybody help me out in the Atlanta vs. Huntsville forum?

Atlanta vs. Huntsville is the forum