Homebuyer Help Zone: Picking the Perfect Neighborhood

I frequently work with home buyers who are new to Atlanta. The first question they frequently ask is “what part of town should I live in?” Since I’ve lived in the metro Atlanta area for over 20 years, exploring the different neighborhoods of the city is a passion of mine. When I first moved to Atlanta, I got to know the city by getting lost. These were the days before the wide availability of GPS and internet – the olden days, shall we say.

Today, I’ll share a few tips that may help you find the perfect corner of Atlanta for you to make your home. And when you’re ready, please reach out to me and together, we’ll find you the perfect place to call home.

Consider Your Patterns

One of the most essential things to consider when you are considering where to live (regardless of metro area!) is where your life patterns are right now. By that I mean, where do you work, play when outside of work, where do your kids go to school, etc. Some of those things may be negotiable depending on your lifestyle – you might be able to work from home several days a week, you may want your kids in a different school district. Figuring out the most essential pieces of this puzzle will help you in narrowing your search area.

As an example, when I most recently house hunted, I considered my work, my husband’s work, and where many of our friends live. As empty nesters, school districts were not of consequence for us, but we wanted to live close to both of our work bases. Our daughters live fairly far away and while I’d love to live closer to them, they can always visit and it gives me a “secondary” office space in another part of the city.

Consider Your Long Term Goals

How will your lifestyle change over the next few years? Perhaps you plan to go into business for yourself and living near work is less important. Perhaps you plan to start a family and want to consider only the best public school districts. Thinking along these lines will help you to figure out both the type of home that is ideal for your life now and down the road.

Consider Your Desired Amenities

What are the things you want most in your actual neighborhood? Do you want to be close to public transit, in a walkable neighborhood? One of the things that are a common consideration in Atlanta is whether to live ITP (inside the perimeter) or OTP (outside the perimeter). For those unfamiliar, “the perimeter” is I-285 which encircles many of the in-town neighborhoods closer to downtown Atlanta. ITP neighborhoods tend to be more accessible to public transportation and have more of a city feel. OTP neighborhoods tend to require a car for travel and are more suburban.

Outside of the actual location within the city, you may want to consider other amenities such as the homeowners association, diversity of the community, availability of shops and restaurants, parking, trails and parks, community events, etc. Think about the physical things that you enjoy doing or having access to and consider how they have an impact on your happiness.

Explore

Okay, you’ve considered your patterns, goals, and desired amenities. Congratulations! Now, it’s time to hit the pavement and figure out what are the spaces that meet your desired list. For this, I find, it’s helpful to create a prioritized list. Write out all the things that are important to you and your family, and rank them – a true ranking, no ties! Feel free to ask your realtor, friends, colleagues, and family to get an idea of neighborhoods that may meet the needs you have. Go out and have dinner at a restaurant in one of the areas or drive through them to get a good feel for it.

Want to talk more about your home buying adventure? Get started by contacting me today!