If you're a new home buyer who's looking to move into a metro Atlanta neighborhood, you'll have plenty of communities to choose from, each with its own unique character and attributes.
Real estate site owners.com has compiled a list of the top five Atlanta neighborhoods for new homeowners. The rankings were determined using insights from owners.com Georgia managing broker Blaine Byers. Attributes mentioned for some of the communities include the variety of available housing options, proximity to public transportation and major interstates, historic points of interest and nearby shops and restaurants.
In any area of the city, there's a community to love, according to owners.com. The following are the Atlanta neighborhoods that made the site's top five list of the best Atlanta neighborhoods for new homeowners:
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography/Fast Copy News Service
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography/Fast Copy News Service
West End
West End was touted for its proximity to the Beltline and its accompanying development, as well as its MARTA service. Housing options come in a variety of styles and sizes, ranging from Craftsman bungalows to Queen Anne Victorian homes to apartment complexes. The neighborhood is also home to popular restaurants such as Soul Vegetarian and Lean Draft House, and residents can enjoy visits to The Wren's Nest and the Hammonds House Museum.
West End was also previously named the eighth most walkable neighborhood in the city by Redfin, which called it an excellent choice for residents who enjoy walking or biking.
Credit: Jonathan Phillips/Special
Credit: Jonathan Phillips/Special
Decatur
Decatur can provide deals for first-time buyers, who can find plenty of ranches, cottages and townhomes. Multiple MARTA stations help make commuting easier, and shops and restaurants such as Leon's Full Service and Kimball House were also mentioned.
The city also tied for fourth-best Atlanta suburb on a movoto.com list. Activities such as the AJC Decatur Book Festival help make the town great, as do its schools and bustling downtown. Its average commute time of 24 minutes was the lowest among the suburbs Movoto considered.
East Point
First-time buyers can find good deals on cottages and bungalows in East Point, and they'll have plenty of parking as they head to downtown restaurant such as Oz Pizza.
The town also got a not-so-flattering mention from Movoto in 2014, when it was named Atlanta's most dangerous suburb. Woodrow Blue, who was East Point police chief at the time, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the city was very safe and that the site used flawed numbers to reach its conclusion.
Smyrna
Smyrna is popular with families and young professionals, according to owners.com, and they have plenty of housing choices appropriate for singles (such as one-bedroom apartments) or large families (such as large homes on culs-de-sac). SunTrust Park is cited as one of the town's standout amenities, but its relative lack of public transportation (except for Cobb Community Transit buses) was cited as a potential drawback.
The town is also ranked on Thrillist's list of best suburbs for millennials.
Chamblee
Chamblee was praised for having many styles of houses in a variety of price ranges and for its transportation options with I-85 and MARTA nearby. Chamblee's dining options – including Buford Highway's international options and new American cuisine at Southbound – also were a selling point. The town is also experiencing a cultural boost as art galleries and murals are being found in increasing numbers.
The town was also ranked sixth on Niche.com's list of the best suburbs in Atlanta for millennials.
