Please help me find a place to live in Atlanta.
August 25, 2010 12:33 PM Subscribe
Is there a website to compare apartment complexes in Atlanta?
I know this general relocating to Atlanta question has been asked several times over the past couple of years, and I apologize.
However, I am looking for a good way to evaluate and compare the hundreds of apartment complexes in Atlanta. I keep getting tricked into entering my information at fake advertisement websites or finding websites with incredibly small amounts of information.
Is there an equivelant of http://www.padmapper.com for apartment complexes?
Specifically, I am trying to find a place that is ideal for an active couple with a dog near downtown/Buckhead. And, yes, we are looking at houses also; I just want to make sure we evaluate all of our options.
I know this general relocating to Atlanta question has been asked several times over the past couple of years, and I apologize.
However, I am looking for a good way to evaluate and compare the hundreds of apartment complexes in Atlanta. I keep getting tricked into entering my information at fake advertisement websites or finding websites with incredibly small amounts of information.
Is there an equivelant of http://www.padmapper.com for apartment complexes?
Specifically, I am trying to find a place that is ideal for an active couple with a dog near downtown/Buckhead. And, yes, we are looking at houses also; I just want to make sure we evaluate all of our options.
I can't think of any comprehensive sites. Yelp is ok for some of the best and worst of options, but incomplete. Apartmentratings.com is usually skewed in both directions, but a good data point sometimes.
Everything else out there is fairly worthless, last I checked, but that was about 2 years ago. I think back then a lot of people with dogs enjoyed Highland Walk in Inman Park.
You're describing a very broad area, for Atlanta (Buckhead to Downtown is a huge swath, and many times people not from the area think Downtown but mean Midtown, or possibly some of the other intown neighborhoods...), so I think the biggest question for you is whether you need your immediate surroundings to be pedestrian-friendly, or whether you're ok driving to be active with you and your dog. That will filter out a lot of options (and if you need the pedestrian-friendly option, you can plug apartments into Walkscore.com, if you haven't already).
Tell us more about what you're looking for/where you're coming from/what your commute will be, and I can offer some specific neighborhood suggestions, if you're interested.
posted by deludingmyself at 1:03 PM on August 25, 2010
Everything else out there is fairly worthless, last I checked, but that was about 2 years ago. I think back then a lot of people with dogs enjoyed Highland Walk in Inman Park.
You're describing a very broad area, for Atlanta (Buckhead to Downtown is a huge swath, and many times people not from the area think Downtown but mean Midtown, or possibly some of the other intown neighborhoods...), so I think the biggest question for you is whether you need your immediate surroundings to be pedestrian-friendly, or whether you're ok driving to be active with you and your dog. That will filter out a lot of options (and if you need the pedestrian-friendly option, you can plug apartments into Walkscore.com, if you haven't already).
Tell us more about what you're looking for/where you're coming from/what your commute will be, and I can offer some specific neighborhood suggestions, if you're interested.
posted by deludingmyself at 1:03 PM on August 25, 2010
Seconding deludingmyself.
Is living in an apartment complex important to you? If so, I'd also second the Promove suggestion and many of us can recommend places. But there are a lot of places, especially in many intown neighborhoods like mine, where renters live in buildings owned by private persons and not n complexes.
welcome, future Atlantan!
posted by pointystick at 1:28 PM on August 25, 2010
Is living in an apartment complex important to you? If so, I'd also second the Promove suggestion and many of us can recommend places. But there are a lot of places, especially in many intown neighborhoods like mine, where renters live in buildings owned by private persons and not n complexes.
welcome, future Atlantan!
posted by pointystick at 1:28 PM on August 25, 2010
Response by poster: Fleebnork,
I just joined Promove and will see where that goes.
Deludingmyself,
I did leave a lot out to keep the question broad so it would be helpful to more people, but thank you so much for asking. My fiancee will be working near the capital and I will be working somewhere near around the Buckhead area.
I read online that some apartments have dogparks and jogging trails. I'd love to be somewhere that also had similar offerings. A tennis court, fitness center, and real pool are also bonuses.
posted by 2legit2quit at 1:54 PM on August 25, 2010
I just joined Promove and will see where that goes.
Deludingmyself,
I did leave a lot out to keep the question broad so it would be helpful to more people, but thank you so much for asking. My fiancee will be working near the capital and I will be working somewhere near around the Buckhead area.
I read online that some apartments have dogparks and jogging trails. I'd love to be somewhere that also had similar offerings. A tennis court, fitness center, and real pool are also bonuses.
posted by 2legit2quit at 1:54 PM on August 25, 2010
Response by poster: Pointystick,
I am not committed to apartment living. I do like the amenities many seem to offer though. I am more focused on life outside our living space than life inside it, if that makes sense. We want to be out and about at bars and parks, not at home admiring our granite counters.
posted by 2legit2quit at 1:57 PM on August 25, 2010
I am not committed to apartment living. I do like the amenities many seem to offer though. I am more focused on life outside our living space than life inside it, if that makes sense. We want to be out and about at bars and parks, not at home admiring our granite counters.
posted by 2legit2quit at 1:57 PM on August 25, 2010
Oh also, how big is the dog? As Pointystick notes, a lot of us rent from condo owners given the state of the rental market here, but as with apartments, there are often weight cutoffs.
posted by deludingmyself at 2:12 PM on August 25, 2010
posted by deludingmyself at 2:12 PM on August 25, 2010
Response by poster: She is a labrador retriever. 65 pounds.
posted by 2legit2quit at 2:13 PM on August 25, 2010
posted by 2legit2quit at 2:13 PM on August 25, 2010
Best answer: Ok, so given that my original answer was basically "no, the thing you want doesn't exist," your best bet really is to seek out good advice on neighborhoods and specific complexes. Location is everything if you want to walk around with your dog. So here are mine:
First, I would rule out anything in Atlantic Station for you, as well as Buckhead - both overpriced compared to their ambitions, and the walkability/active life is poor.
Downtown is walkable but there's no reason to walk there - it's fairly empty except around GSU, so it's not as though you have lots of interesting street-level restaurants or other things you might expect in the downtown of a major city. Also, if you were considering living close to Centennial Park (Downtown), it does not have a dog park, and is not especially dog-friendly (lots of concrete).
If I had a dog, I'd live near Piedmont Park. They just expanded their dog park even further, so it's now the size of a small golf course hole - plus the separate area for small pooches. I drag my husband there after running to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays sometimes and wish I had a dog. Also, there are tennis courts and a pool in the Park, although I think they're operated by someone and require a fee. But it's a fantastic option for folks in Midtown.
Inman Park is a separate neighborhood near Little Five Points, and is where the complex I mentioned (Highland Walk) is located. You're very close to a bunch of great parks & grassy spaces, but no real amenities in them to my knowledge. Also, I would be comfortable walking my Hypothetical Dog anywhere north of Dekalb Avenue/the railroad tracks, but directly south of the Inman Park MARTA station is sketchier (and the housing/rent prices reflect this). Regardless, note that living here would make both your commutes a bit longer, whether by car or by MARTA.
I could go on, but given that we're spiraling somewhat off topic, feel free to point us in the right direction or memail me with specifics if you want more thoughts.
posted by deludingmyself at 3:17 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
First, I would rule out anything in Atlantic Station for you, as well as Buckhead - both overpriced compared to their ambitions, and the walkability/active life is poor.
Downtown is walkable but there's no reason to walk there - it's fairly empty except around GSU, so it's not as though you have lots of interesting street-level restaurants or other things you might expect in the downtown of a major city. Also, if you were considering living close to Centennial Park (Downtown), it does not have a dog park, and is not especially dog-friendly (lots of concrete).
If I had a dog, I'd live near Piedmont Park. They just expanded their dog park even further, so it's now the size of a small golf course hole - plus the separate area for small pooches. I drag my husband there after running to the Farmer's Market on Saturdays sometimes and wish I had a dog. Also, there are tennis courts and a pool in the Park, although I think they're operated by someone and require a fee. But it's a fantastic option for folks in Midtown.
Inman Park is a separate neighborhood near Little Five Points, and is where the complex I mentioned (Highland Walk) is located. You're very close to a bunch of great parks & grassy spaces, but no real amenities in them to my knowledge. Also, I would be comfortable walking my Hypothetical Dog anywhere north of Dekalb Avenue/the railroad tracks, but directly south of the Inman Park MARTA station is sketchier (and the housing/rent prices reflect this). Regardless, note that living here would make both your commutes a bit longer, whether by car or by MARTA.
I could go on, but given that we're spiraling somewhat off topic, feel free to point us in the right direction or memail me with specifics if you want more thoughts.
posted by deludingmyself at 3:17 PM on August 25, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I would suggest you focus your search on the Midtown area -- you'll be about midway between where each of you will be working, and near Piedmont Park which is very dog friendly. But yeah, probably not Atlantic Station, unless you check it out in person first and decide its your thing. I would stick to the east side of 75/85.
posted by spilon at 3:42 PM on August 25, 2010
posted by spilon at 3:42 PM on August 25, 2010
Best answer: I just played around with trulia.com this morning. It seems pretty comprehensive -- you can search by neighborhood, ZIP code, which pets are allowed, etc. There are maps and photos as well. It looks like there are currently 22 places listed that allow large dogs, and you can refine those results once you figure out which neighborhoods will work for you.
posted by runningwithscissors at 4:00 PM on August 25, 2010
posted by runningwithscissors at 4:00 PM on August 25, 2010
Response by poster: After looking at everything, we are goin gto try and live as close as possible to Piedmont Park.
posted by 2legit2quit at 12:37 PM on August 29, 2010
posted by 2legit2quit at 12:37 PM on August 29, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Before moving, I came to town and visited a Promove location. They helped me search for apartments that were dog-friendly, and gave me a list and a map, and then I went to visit the units. Promove makes money from the apartment owners (presumably from the referral), so it doesn't cost you anything.
posted by Fleebnork at 12:57 PM on August 25, 2010