LeahM

The Mellwood area is located in southwest Atlanta. It is a pretty interesting area. Some parts of this neighborhood are quiet residential areas, while others are hectic retails spaces. This neighborhood is essentially located north of Rue Royal and south of Meadowbrook Forest. Mellwood seems like it is one of those neighborhoods that always has a lot going on. The odd mixture of houses and retail stores, probably yields a bit of crazy traffic.

If you are thinking about living here, there are some nice affordable ranch-style homes in the vicinity. Many of the properties also have nice-sized yards; this is always a great perk for creative gardeners as well as antsy children. This neighborhood is just minutes away from several schools including, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Heritage Preparatory Academy and Therell High School.

Local parks include, Ben Hill Recreation Center and Deerwood Park. The Ben Hill Recreation Center is fairly large and offers plenty of amenities. It has a tennis court, gymnasium, dance room, basketball court, arts and crafts room, baseball fields and so much more. Feel free to swing by and check it out. Just to let you know, there are fees for some of the activities, so be sure to have your payment options nearby.

There is some concern about crime in this area- mainly because this community has gone down a bit. I know that everyone has different “crime meters”. So, I’d say if you really want to know if this neighborhood is right for you, just visit it.

Butner / Tell is a neighborhood that is located in southwest Atlanta. It gets its name from the two intersecting streets nearby, Butner Road and Tell Road Southwest. This is a nice little area, that has a wonderful woodsy feel. It is totally infused with big pine trees, winding hills, and large yards.

This community has plenty of beautiful well-maintained, ranch-style brick homes. The cost of living is pretty reasonable as well, which is just an all around good deal. So many times, there are neighborhoods that have great prices, but the structures might not be as nice. Consider this neighborhood one of the better choices for middle class families.

This place is perfect for nature lovers. There are so many nearby parks to choose from (if you are looking to get out and catch a nice breeze). Tucson Trail Park, Deerwood Park and Ben Hill Recreation Center are just a few green spaces to put on your “to visit” list. This community is also close to several small lakes.

Shoppers might like the fact that Butner / Tell is just minutes away from Greenbriar Mall. This mall is a bit lackluster when compared to malls like Lenox Square, and Phipps Plaza. But... hey, I guess it’s not too bad .

Nearby schools include, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Deerwood Elementary, and Ralph Bunche Middle School (just to name a few). Over all, this is a nice area to check out.

The Orchard Knob neighborhood is located in southeast Atlanta. It is situated between Browns Mill Road and Jonesboro Road SE. As for the good stuff, this area is not too far from the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve. This is great for families and country lovers alike. Nearby schools include, Humphries Elementary School, South Atlanta High School and Kipp Academy. There are a few additional schooling options as well.

Outside of that, there is not too much to say about this little neighborhood. If you drive through Orchard Knob, you’ll notice that not all the neighbors living here share in their part to help make this place as nice as it could be. You’ll see a few nice houses, but, you’ll also notice sporadic abandoned homes and un-kept yards. Oh... and lets not forget, those pesky neighbors who have about two or three broken-down junk cars (or trucks) just sitting smack dab in the middle of their front lawns.

Things like this really irritate me, because it makes the whole neighborhood look bad. I would avoid places like this with the quickness. I mean... maybe you might get lucky enough to find a particular block that has neighbors who really care about the aesthetics of the entire community, but don’t hold your breath.

I guess, it is also fitting to say that property value here is fairly reasonable. I would say that the residents of this neighborhood are most likely working class families and retirees. Sorry to be so harsh folks, but I think this neighborhood could be so much nicer if everyone did their part.

The Cross Creek community is located in north west Atlanta west of interstate 75. The neighborhood is minutes away from Buckhead, Vinings and Howell Mill but has its very own character and flare. The Cross Creek golf course serves as the center piece of the area featuring gated access for about 900 homes and access to an 18 holes of play. The neighborhood is great for families and young professionals seeking a tight nit community that has retained a lot of its home values.

In addition to the golf course, Cross Creek is a very attractive place because of its proximity to peach tree creek. Peach tree creek is a beautiful water way that is an extension of the Chatahoochee river and give residents a front row view of the local wildlife that this water way supports.

Cross Creek is also not a bad area for down home dining. If you are a fan of fried pickle spears and cat fish burgers, the Cross Creek cafe may be the place for you. Although the homes are a little on the expensive side, if you have the money this area is a great investment because it is highly sought after, safe and beautiful.

Florida Heights is located on the southwest side of Atlanta. This area is not necessarily a neighborhood that I would consider living in for several reasons. The first thing, is that a lot of the houses in this neighborhood are pretty average to say the most. Most of them are quite small and need a little love. There are some nicer ones, but every now and then you’ll notice several abandoned homes with wild grass growing up all around it.

This brings me to my next concern with this neighborhood. The resale value on many of the houses in this area is really questionable. By this, I mean that you can find houses anywhere from 10K to 180K in close proximity to each other. I guess from one perspective, this is great if you want to buy a nice little affordable home to live in. But, if you are ready to sell, you might not get as much as you’d hope for.

There is not a lot to do here in terms of nightlife and shopping... So, lets move on to something a little brighter now.

On the positive side, this area does have a few local parks that are pretty close-by. Lionel Hampton Park and Anderson Park are both within a 1 mile radius to the Florida Heights neighborhood. This is great because there are playgrounds, picnic areas, and swimming pools just minutes away. Nearby schools include, Peyton Forest Elementary School, Beecher Hills Elementary School and Douglass High School (to name a few).

I would say that most of the people in this neighborhood are working class families, first-time homebuyers, and retired folks. If you are thinking about moving to this area, I would recommend considering several of the other surrounding neighborhoods that might offer nicer housing options.

Capitol Gateway is a pretty new housing community that is practically located in Downtown, Atlanta. I’m assuming that it gets its name from the fact that it is just minutes away from the Georgia State Capitol building. I’m not sure if I would call this an actual “neighborhood”, per say. I’d say it’s more like a community of apartments and townhouses situated in close proximity to each other.

Contrary to what the other reviewer wrote, there are actually several different floor plans here, out side of just the lonely little one bed room apartments. This community actually offers, one, two and three bed room options for its residents. I only know this because I had a friend in college who lived here, who had the two bed room option. For added convenience, Capitol Gateway is completely MARTA accessible.

This area attracts mostly students and young professionals, who are looking for affordable housing, that is close to school as well as the city. This community has quick access to several popular Atlanta schools including, Georgia State University, Georgia Tech, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.

This area is also less that 1 mile away from Grady Memorial Hospital. This popular hospital is practically a historic landmark. It is the 5th largest public hospital in the US. In addition, it’s the birthplace of many Atlanta locals; including several popular Atlanta rappers.

Underground Atlanta is also about a half a mile away. This little collection of “underground” shops and restaurants attracts Atlanta locals as well as city tourists. Now, I will be honest and say that although parts of this area are nice and newly developed, there are still some areas that are a little sketchy. Enjoy!

Princeton Lakes is located on the south-side of Atlanta, in what some might consider the Camp Creek area. Rightfully so, it is situated a little ways off of Camp Creek Parkway. It is just minutes away from Interstate 285, which is super convenient for accessing nearby amenities.

There are several popular attractions near this area. The Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is only a few miles away. This is perfect, if you are a frequent traveler, because you don’t have to stress yourself out about the drive to and from the airport.
This area is a fairly new development, and has plenty of new shops, restaurants and housing options for people in the community to enjoy.

If you are an avid shopper you might want to swing by the Camp Creek Market Place. This shopping center houses stores such as Ross, Lowe’s, Marshall’s, Old Navy and Target. There are also several popular restaurant choices in the vicinity as well. Red Lobster, Ruby Tuesday and Carino's Italian, are just a few places you might opt to choose from. I must admit, that I’m a big Red Lobster fan. I think the cheese bread that that they have, really has a hold on me. So, when I’m in this area, I like to swing by to grab a bite. There is also a nice movie theater nearby.

Housing is still relatively affordable in this area (especially for the amount of space you get). Most of the structures are newer, and were built sometime in the mid 2000’s or sooner. A lot of the subdivisions here have “cookie- cutter” homes that are almost 100% identical to the other homes in close proximity. Sometimes this area gets a bad rep. People like to say that there is a lot of crime here. But, I don’t think there’s more crime here than most other parts of the city. I guess the best way to know is to try it out for yourself.

The Washington Park neighborhood conveniently surrounds a park that shares the same name. This historic African American community is located in northwest Atlanta and is not too far from several other historic Atlanta sites. In recent years, this area has been the center of several revitalization initiatives. This community is a part of the the Atlanta BeltLine- a recent development that aims to join several neighborhoods together by using trails and green spaces.
This is great for hikers and bikers who reside nearby.

Investors, and first-time homeowners flock to this area to get affordable pricing on beautiful historic homes. There are also some new condos and townhomes nearby, which draws in young professionals as well as college students that desire to call this community home.

The Atlanta University Center (AUC) is not too far away and consists of a collection of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); which includes Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse School of Medicine. These schools are some of the top-ranked institutions for African Americans, seeking to achieve higher education.

There are not a lot of shopping options in this area. So, I would definitely recommend venturing out a bit further if you are an avid shopper. On the other hand, there are a few cool eateries close-by which is always a good thing. If you love good soul food, you might want to try out The Busy Bee Cafe or Paschal's (both are less than 1 mile away). Both restaurant’s have some of the best fried fish and chicken dinners, with sides like greens, mac -n -cheese, and tons of others, you’ll be sure to find something delightful.

Over all, Washington Park has so much potential. I do hope that new developments continue to help make this community into the success that it deserves to be.

Oakland city is one of my favorite neighborhoods on the west side of Atlanta. There are so spacious historic homes in this area and the residents really take pride in preserving the history in this community. Located about a half of a mile from the Atlanta University Center, Oakland city is an area that most students from Spelman, Clark Atlanta and Morehouse College are familiar with. Many alumni and current students reside in this community. Despite the the beauty in design of many of the homes here, Oakland City has had its fair share of challenges involving the housing market. For every renovated and occupied home, there still exists many homes that are boarded up and vacant. Despite the resiliency of many of the residents remaining in the community, many more have decided to relocate to areas offering more resources.

The main market place for Oakland City is the West End Mall and Oakland City MARTA station. Along Ralph David Abernathy boulevard, are several local restaurant establishments that have served this community for years. One of my favorite restaurants is Soul Vegetarian Cafe. Soul Veg offers up a unique and flavorful approach to preparing vegetarian meals. Their desert menu isn’t bad either!

Chosewood Park is located on Atlanta’s southeast side. It shares its name with a park that is in the area. This neighborhood is basically a little south of the Peoplestown community. Similar to Peoplestown, Chosewood Park is yet another Atlanta neighborhood that is undergoing several redevelopment initiatives. This is a mixed neighborhood that consists of a conglomerate of renovated houses, abandoned homes (and businesses) and vacant lots. This area attracts developers, first-time homebuyers and panhandlers alike.

I honestly have mixed feelings about this neighborhood. On one end, I’d really like to say that this neighborhood is great for first-time homebuyers, but on the other hand… I’m not so sure. There are a few reasons for this. On the plus side, this area has a nice assortment of colonial homes and bungalows, but there are also some sketchy-looking shabby public housing structures as well. Cost of living is weird too. Some houses are extremely affordable (which I think is appropriate given the condition of this area); while others are grossly over-priced.

Perhaps one of the reasons for overpricing is the fact that this neighborhood is located about 1 mile from the beautiful Grant Park and Zoo Atlanta. This park is one of the city’s most beautiful hidden attractions. It’s the perfect place to take a summer jog because it has plenty of massive trees that provide shade from the blaring sun. Ironically, Chosewood Park is also less than a mile away from the US Prison Bureau... See what I mean.... a positive plus a negative equals...

Outside of taking a visit to the park, there is not much else to do in this area. I mean, there are some new developments not too far away, but this area still needs a lot of work. Hopefully, someday the over-priced homes here will live up to their prices.

Thomasville heights is essentially the site of a former housing project development that was closed down along with many other developments by the Atlanta housing authority. It is located on the south east side of the city accessible by Moreland Avenue and McDonough boulevard.

The area has many older residents who are also home owners that have seen this community undergo little change in the last 25 years. Due to a lack of resources, not much development has taken place in this area. The area still hosts many low income residents despite the city’s demolition of the Thomasville Heights Housing projects. The area seems to be populated with mostly auto repair shops, thrift stores, pawn shops and title loan establishments. Upon visiting Thomasville Heights, you will find mostly locals as many do not venture out to this section of town.

With property values at an all time low, the schools near this community have suffered as well. Thomasville Heights Elementary school was featured in the CRCT cheating scandal probe in 2009. The probe discovered that cheating was widespread at this school. Thomasville heights may not be the most family oriented neighborhood in the Atlanta metro area. I would not suggest moving here do to the poor quality of life here.

Laurens Valley, Atlanta

Laurens Valley is located in southwest Atlanta. It is situated near two very popular Atlanta streets, Campbellton Rd SW and Cascade Rd. Many of the homes in this area are ranch-style structures that were built during the 1950’s through the 1970’s. This is the perfect middle-class neighborhood for so many reasons. For starters, it has plenty of lovely affordable brick homes, with big yards and large shade trees.

This is a nice neighborhood for nature lovers. Nearby parks include, Adams Park and Cascade Springs Nature Preserve. These beautiful green spaces are perfect for mid-summer hikes and occasional picnics. The Alfred Tup Holmes Golf Course is also nearby, which is such a wonderful added bonus.

Laurens Valley is also an ideal community for families. The neighborhood’s schools include, Renaissance Montessori School, Kimberly Elementary School and Therell High School.

This area is also not too far from Greenbriar Mall. Which can be a good thing depending on how you look at it. Lately the stores in this mall have gone down a bit. Some of the major retailers have moved and left a host of weird random shopping selections to choose from. Lastly, there are several local nightclubs within a 1-mile radius to Laurens Valley- perfect for the younger crowd. Over all, I’d say that this is a pretty nice neighborhood to look into. One of the only downfalls is that property value is down a bit.

Woodfield is a nice Atlanta suburb that is situated between Howell Mill Rd NW and Northside Dr NW. It is located roughly 10 minutes from Buckhead and 12 minutes from Midtown. The community is slated to be a Belt line connected community which will connect Woodfield with many other communities through light rail.

The quiet middle class neighborhood is relatively unknown to most but it is definately one Atlanta’s best kept secret gems. What attracted me most to this area was its proximity to Peach tree creek. Peachtree Creek is a small water way that draws its source from the Chattahoochee river. Although, the creek is not as large as the hooch, its size is ample enough to get the feeling that your home is a river front property. Homes in the woodfield area are also significantly less expensive than properties located in the Hambersham and Peach tree battle areas. This is true partly because the area is mostly over looked due to many would be residents being attracted to living in more prestigous communities like West Paces ferry or the Vinings.

If you are a golf fanatic, you’ll also enjoy Woodfield’s close proximity to Atlanta Memorial Park. The park features Bobby Jones Golf course, considered a local favorite to many Georgians.

Westview is an up-and-coming neighborhood that is located in southwest Atlanta. It is only minutes away from Midtown and Downtown. During the past years, recent renovations to this area have attracted a swarm of new residents who call this place home. There are several benefits of living in this area.

Westview has some of Atlanta’s most beautiful historic bungalows. Cost of living is still somewhat affordable. So, if you are considering this area, you better move quick. I’m sure in the next few years, the value of these homes will increase - assuming that this neighborhood keeps the improvements coming.

Another great perk about his neighborhood is that is has a fairly ideal location. It is not too far away from Interstate 20, which means easy access to local city attractions. The Georgia Dome and Turner Field are both roughly only 11 minutes away. This is the perfect combination if you are a sports lover, because you’ve got the Braves and the Falcon’s both at your fingertips.

This area also has quick access to the schools of the Atlanta University Center (AUC), which includes Spelman College, Morehouse College, Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse School of Medicine. Georgia State University and Georgia Tech are also roughly 3 miles away. I would recommend this neighborhood for anyone looking to get a good deal on a quality home. The only downfall is that this area does have a little crime.

Arguably one of the most beautiful in town neighborhoods in Atlanta, Inman Park has been a neighborhood with character and flair for decades. The north east Atlanta community is located west of Moreland avenue and North of Dekalb avenue. Inman Park shares a border of North Highland avenue with Old Fourth Ward. This community is perhaps most famous for its hipster slash bohemian slash alternative neighborhood referred to as “Little Five Points.” Little Five Points is polar opposite to everything that Yuppie Buckhead and North West Atlanta stands for.

There may be the highest concentration of mom and pop record stores in Inman Park than anywhere else in the south east! My favorites are Moods Music and Wax n Facts, two establishments serving the area for years. If you are an Atlanta History buff, Inman Park offers a unique glance into the past with its historic homes along Elizabeth St. and Euclid Ave. dating back to the 1920s and 1930s. Residents in this community are also very active and involved. A long standing community radio station, WRFG 89.3, is located in this community on Austin Ave. This station is unique in that it is totally community funded and has been a supporter of local artists and activists since the 1970s.

Norwood Manor is located on Atlanta’s southeast side. It is a quiet, neighborhood that has some of the cutest little 1940’s homes. Although some of the homes are single family, there are quite a bit of duplexes and triplexes in this community. I would say that the residents in this neighborhood mostly consist of your working class families, first-time home buyers and the elderly. Cost of living is relatively inexpensive here. But, there are occasional properties that have questionably higher resale values.

Norwood Manor is another one of the many Atlanta neighborhoods experiencing redevelopment. Some parts of this neighborhood look fairly nice, but then, there are random abandoned boarded-up homes and uncut vacant lots of land. These eyesores are a big pain, especially for neighbors who are trying their best to maintain their part of the deal. Hey... it takes a village.

Norwood Manor is home to a few local small parks and it is only about 10 minutes away from Grant Park (one of the city’s most beautiful hidden gems). There is honestly not much to do in this area in terms of shopping and eating out. I mean, there are a few local auto parts stores and random food marts around, but who really calls that entertainment?

Nearby schools include, Atlanta Youth Academy, Thomasville Heights Elementary School and Dobbs Elementary School. This area is also less than 2 miles away from the Fulton County Board-Education. Over all, I have mixed feelings about this area, but feel free to test it for yourself, if you are close-by.

After the U.S. military shut its doors in 2005, Fort McPherson’s expansive site remains in limbo as developers make plans to change the face of this site. Located on the south west side of Atlanta, Fort McPherson lies to the south of Cambelton road and to the north of Lakewood parkway. The site sits on a very underdeveloped and under served section of town. It is home to thousands of residents in west Atlanta. Despite having a huge college town that is the Atlanta University Center, this area has only 1 grocery store in a 5 mile radius. Residents near Fort McPherson have to travel between 15 and 20 minutes for access to retail options. The area could be a perfect asset for residents of the West End, Capitol View and East Point.

Today, Fort Mchperson’s plight lies in the hands of a group called the “McPherson Planning Local Redevelopment Authority.” This group is a not for profit organization charged with organizing a new direction for the site. There’s no word on what progress has been made in the last 6 years. I just hope that this opportunity does not turn into another stalemate like so many other development projects around the city of Atlanta.

The Mount Paran community is nestled along interstate I-75 in north west Atlanta. The community is considered one of the most affluent areas in the country with many homes valued above 1 million dollars. Mt Paran shares its prestige with several other high profile neighborhoods including; West Paces Ferry, Randall Mill, Kingswood, Westminister and the Vinings. The prominent roadway that travels through this area is Mt. Paran road.

If you love shopping, the Mt. Paran community rests between two of the best retail districts in georgia. To the south, there’s Buckhead which includes Phipps Plaza and many other high end boutique retailers like Hermes Paris. In the north west, Cumberland mall offers the traditional middle class shopping experience. There are numerous public parks with the largest and most popular being Chastain Memorial Park. If you’re new to the Buckhead area, Chastain is a great way to meet local residents while walking your dog or jogging. Most people in this area seem to be health conscious and this is a great way to stay motivated.

Mt. Paran may be out of the price range of most young professionals but I believe it is an excellent community for families. Families tend to stay in this area for generations taking pride and upholding the legacies as years past by.

This trendy little neighborhood is located on the east-side of Atlanta. It is only about 7 minutes away from Midtown and about 10 minutes away from Downtown, Atlanta. Piedmont Heights is situated off of the Atlanta BeltLine- a newer development of trails and green spaces that connects different neighborhoods together. Although this project has some phases that are completed, it is still under development. Piedmont Heights is so much more than just your average neighborhood. It is one of those cool sort of places that has a little bit of everything going for it.

For starters, this area is close to several of the city’s most attractive green spaces. Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden are wonderful lush nature-infused places to check out if you are in the area. There is also a dog park nearby for pet owners who want to mix and mingle with other pet owners in the city. I must also add, that Piedmont Park is home to several annual city events, including the very popular, AIDS Walk Atlanta. Every year, droves of people come out to put in their 5K to show support to this cause.

There are a few random trendy shops nearby, but if you are looking for a mall-like experience, you are only 2 miles away from Atlantic Station. Atlantic Station is an out-door mall shopping center, that attracts tons of eager spenders to relinquish their dollars at stores like Dillard’s, Express and Target. There are also several nice Thai restaurants in the area, if you are into delicious Asian cuisine. Over all, this is a wonderful area to check out.

If you have ever been to Mechanicsville, you know that this historic little neighborhood could certainly use a little lovin’ and fixin’ up. I mean, don’t get me wrong, there are some nicely redeveloped parts of this neighborhood, but there are also some areas that still need a lot of work. This neighborhood, like many other neighborhoods around this area, has been undergoing redevelopments (gentrification), for quite some time now. I would actually say that Mechanicsville is one of the better neighborhoods to consider around this location, because it seems like a lot has went into making it look as good as it does now.

There are some really nice affordable condos, lofts and homes in this neighborhood. Some of the homes are rehabbed historic homes, while others are completely new. This is especially attractive to investors as well as first-time homebuyers. So, you might be asking yourself “What makes this area so desirable to live in?”. The answer is...location, location, location!

Mechanicville is practically located in Downtown, Atlanta, near Turner Field. Everybody who’s anybody knows that this area is prime real estate. It is about 6 minutes away from Underground Atlanta, and only about 10 minutes away from Midtown. In addition, it is about 1 mile from Georgia State University as well as the Atlanta University Center (AUC). There is so much potential for this neighborhood. I certainly hope that in time this neighborhood rises to its full potential.