Best neighborhoods in the Emory Univ area? (Atlanta, North Druid Hills: apartments, rentals)

[EmoryBound]

What are the best neighborhoods in the Emory area for a family with a young child? We're looking to rent for around $1,200-1,500 a month. We would like to be somewhere close to parks and centers of activity for children. Thanks!

[Iconographer]

Decatur (City)
Morningside
Virginia-Highland
Druid Hills
Candler Park
Inman Park
North Druid Hills
North Decatur
Merry Hills
Biltmore Estates
LaVista Park
Oak Grove
Northlake

[EmoryBound]

Thanks for the quick reply! What is the average (range) rent for a 2BR in these neighborhoods?

[George Chong]

Here's Emory's list of off-campus rentals.

Welcome to Emory Off-Campus Housing Finder

[EmoryBound]

Are there any apartment or townhouse communities with better reputations/reviews?

[George Chong]

If you go the apartment route, I would recommend Apartments for Rent - Apartment Locator Service | PROMOVE.com. Lots of CD users have had great results with them.

[Hephaestion]

I love every neighborhhod from Midtown Atlanta to Avondale Estates. Living near Emory you can't go wrong. But the Virginia-Highland neighborhood is my favorite... bungalows and shops and restaurants to walk to, and John Howell Park. Plus gigantic Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden less than a mile away. Google "Virginia Highland Atlanta" and you'll see it's a very cool area for a young family.

However, if your child is school age, and you need a public school, you are probably better off in DeKalb County or the City of Decatur. North Decatur is great, as are the Lavista Road, North Druid Hills Rd., and North Decatur Rd. areas. If you won't have to worry about schools for a few years, though, I'd move to Virginia-Highland or Morningside, just across the Fulton County line in the City of Atlanta.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by EmoryBound

Are there any apartment or townhouse communities with better reputations/reviews?

Several posters have mentioned Calibre Woods, located on LaVista near Houston Mill--5 minutes from Clifton Rd.

There are a number of apartments/communities of different kinds on Briarcliff Rd, Sheridan Rd and N. Druid Hills and Clairmont Rds.

If you are interested in a small 50's ranch home, many renovated, there are several available for Rent in Briarcliff Heights, between N. Druid Hills and Clairmont.

[Legs1357]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

Several posters have mentioned Calibre Woods, located on LaVista near Houston Mill--5 minutes from Clifton Rd.

That's exactly what I was about to suggest. It's 8 minutes from Emory with no traffic, falls within your budget, and has many families that live there. I just moved out and am now living in a rental condo that's under property management, and I miss the service that Calibre Woods provides every single day. They truly are great people and the couple problems I did have were resolved quickly and efficiently. I was never treated with anything other than respect. If it fits what you're looking for, I would definitely check it out. (It's also connected to a huge park which you can use to get to another nearby park with a playground, etc).

[EmoryBound]

Thanks for the replies!

Any suggestions for a good townhouse community? We've been reading reviews on various apartments and many have been negative. For instance, the Gables communities look good on their website but we've found a lot of negative reviews online. In particular, people complain about poor management and paper-thin walls. Coming from a single detached home and moving to an apartment or townhouse, we would be grateful to find one with good sound insulation. Among other concerns, we have a little one who yells and makes lion noises randomly. We also prefer a community with limited access in a safe neighborhood.