• Atlantans travel 131.7 million miles every day. (Source: 2005 Air Quality Report, Georgia Regional Transportation Authority)

• The average one-way commute in Atlanta is 19.7 miles, and the average one-way travel time is 35.9 minutes. (Source: Atlanta regional commuter survey, 2007, conducted by the Center for Transportation and the Environment on behalf of the Georgia Department of Transportation)

Photos by CHRISTOPHER OQUENDO/Special (ENLARGE)

It takes 18 minutes for Rebecca Serna to ride the 3.5 miles to work on her bike.

(ENLARGE)

Laura Louthan loved her Marietta neighborhood, but her long drive downtown forced a change.

(ENLARGE)

Ivan Nieves is not only near public transportation, he's also close to Midtown and downtown.

You probably don't need Homefinder to tell you that traffic is tough in Atlanta, and commuting times are getting longer.

"Over the past 10 years, daily traffic on Georgia's urban roadways has increased by 51 percent, and as one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country, Atlanta traffic is likely to keep getting worse," says Tracy Paden of the Clean Air Campaign.

"Research shows that 16 percent of Atlanta commuters moved residences or changed jobs within the past year. Of those, 42 percent said the ease of their commute was more important than other factors in their decision to move or change jobs; 34 percent said it was of equal importance," says Paden.

ADVICE FROM A REALTOR

Craig and Barbara Christie of Jenny Pruitt & Associates sell a lot of homes near MARTA and bus lines to commute-conscious buyers. "We find a lot of people have heard about the traffic issue in Atlanta, but they didn't realize the magnitude of it. They buy a home and then get discouraged in their quality of life, and they want to make a change," says Craig.

The Christies are often in the position of advising their clients on things to consider when buying for a better commute. Craig says,"What we're looking for is a win-win, where they get better quality of life and a home that meets their needs. A lot of it is like any home buying purchase, but here are several things to consider when buying with commuting in mind."

• Does this home fit my lifestyle? Price is an issue, so if you're moving closer to downtown, you may not find a large lot on a cul-de-sac in your price range. If the commute is right, do the house and the neighborhood have enough of what you're looking for? Do you feel comfortable there?

• Will the commute allow me to spend more time with my family? This has a huge impact on quality of life. Being home in time for dinner or to participate in school activities can make a big difference. Are there churches, synagogues or mosques nearby?

• Reducing your commute can substantially reduce your auto insurance rate, as well as cut gasoline and maintenance costs. Will this offset any additional costs in home expenses? Can your family now keep only one car instead of two? Saving this much money can even help you secure a 15-year mortgage instead of a 30-year mortgage, accelerating the equity in your home. Some mortgage lenders say they're more likely to approve a larger mortgage for a person with one car, instead of two or three.

SHE GETS TO WORK ON HER BIKE

"My commute from my home in DeKalb County off Briarcliff Road was only 20 minutes. Not bad compared to a lot of people's commutes, but I didn't enjoy it. I felt dull or even angry after driving in traffic," says 31-year-old Rebecca Serna. "I was thinking about environmental issues, and my drive to work wasn't consistent with what I believed. I wanted to make a change."

Serna wanted a home in a neighborhood where she would qualify for FHA down-payment help. "I had just started my first job and didn't have a lot of savings. This program is available in the former city of Atlanta empowerment zones. I found a house in Beecher Hills off Cascade Road. They lent me $5,000 to put down on a house."

What she bought: "I bought a little working-class wood frame two-bedroom, one-bath home built in 1937. I was sold on the little features, like the arch between the living room and the dining room and that there's lots of natural light. It's nothing fancy, but I have a huge backyard for my dogs and plenty of space for my garden. I'm near West End where there's so much history and two great vegetarian restaurants. There's a 20-plus acre nature preserve called Cascade Springs about a mile-and-a-half from my house. It's a little-known gem with waterfalls and trails and a lot of wildlife. At the end of my street there's a public golf course. It's just a really green part of town."

Her commute: When Serna bought her house, she was a paralegal with the antitrust division of the U.S. Department of Justice, and she started taking MARTA to work. After a year in Bogotá, Colombia, on a Fulbright fellowship, she took a job with the Georgia Department of Transportation's Bicycle and Pedestrian Office and started biking to work. "I got addicted and eventually became a serious bike commuter. In September, I married and took my new job as executive director for the Atlanta Bicycle Campaign. The commute is 3.5 miles and takes me about 18 minutes."

It's easier than people think it is: "I had two good friends who were biking everywhere. ... I finally caught the contagion."

EVERYTHING HE NEEDS IS A WALK OR MARTA RIDE AWAY

"I love this area," says Ivan Nieves, 26, about his Buckhead neighborhood, right at the corner of Roxboro and Paces Ferry. "I had been living in an apartment near here, and I thought if there was ever anything for sale in the area, it would be awesome. When I saw them building these condos, I signed a contract and put my money down."

Nieves is a business analyst with consulting firm Accenture. "There are some times when I travel every week. I have a car, but to be honest, I don't use it very much. I am right across the street from MARTA so I can catch the train to the airport. The grocery store, Target, bank and two big malls are all about a two-minute walk away. The area feels very secure and safe."

What he bought: "A one-bedroom condo on the second floor. For a young guy like me, this is a great area. I'm close to Midtown and downtown. I've got 10-foot ceilings, stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops and hardwood floors. I think it's a great investment."

His shortest commute: "My condo is right next door to the fitness center. I love that! I'm a fitness freak," he laughs.

AT A GLANCE

The Park at E. Paces

Address: 3635 E. Paces Circle, Atlanta 30326

Information: 404-812-6800;

parkeastpaces.com

Price range: From the $230,000s-$500,000s

Year built: 2007/2008

Amenities: Elevators to each floor, community swimming pool, controlled-access covered parking, pet walk areas, fitness center, clubroom lounge and gaming area

Number of units: 81

Square footage: 923-1,797 square feet

MOVING CUT HER COMMUTE FROM AN HOUR TO 9 MINUTES

Laura Louthan, 40, was living just off the square in Marietta. "It was a really lovely neighborhood, a great house, great neighbors. When I moved there I was relocating from Florida and had taken a job in Kennesaw. The commute was no problem. But January last year, I took a job as director of IT for a large nonprofit downtown. At first my commute was 40 minutes, and then it got worse. It didn't matter what time I left, it was just awful."

Louthan tried to use public transportation, but found that there wasn't a good connection from Cobb County into downtown Atlanta. "There's no good way to get around Atlanta, not like the Tube in London where I lived for a few years after finishing at university. There, no one thinks anything of taking a 40-minute ride; people just don't use their cars that much. My options here were much more limited."

It took fate to give her a push — a call from a couple in Seattle who saw her home in an old listing on a "By Owner" Web site. Louthan had listed her house briefly in 2006 when she thought about moving closer to her friends in Buckhead and Midtown. Suddenly she was in the market for a new place to live. She and Realtor Kirsten Conover of Prudential Georgia Realty began shopping.

They looked intown. "Kirsten was very patient. We must have looked at 50 houses," Louthan says. "I wasn't looking for a new house, but this one in Edgewood was the right size in the right area with the right yard. We knocked on doors and talked to the neighbors because it was a very transitional area. They all said, 'It's getting better' and I'm glad I bought in."

What she bought: It's a three-bedroom, two-bath with the entire top floor devoted to her master suite. "It has the most amazing bathroom. I'm English, and you know we love our bathtubs," she laughs.

How her commute changed: "My commute went from 20 miles and a good hour plus for the ride home to 2.5 miles and 9 minutes."

TOOLS FOR A BETTER COMMUTE

If 76 percent of home buyers are considering commuting as part of their decision, how are they making their decisions?

•Distance to work is a key factor, and the Clean Air Campaign suggests you take a test drive during your commuting times. Roads that are free-flowing on weekends can become bottlenecks in the morning or afternoon.

•Avoid traffic jams by getting traffic updates before you leave home. Check out traffic.com to calculate drive times and find out what's going on. Go to georgia-navigator.com and click on Historical Trip Times. You'll get four years' worth of data on rush hour traffic on Georgia's interstates. georgia-navigator.com/maps/atlanta will give you a real-time traffic map.

•Transit accessibility is another consideration. That doesn't necessarily mean buying intown. With services such as GRTA's Xpress buses, commuters in 11 counties now have the option of leaving their cars – and the traffic – behind.

Clayton Transit (C-Tran) serves Clayton County, with connections to MARTA at the Airport rail station. co.clayton.ga.us/ctran

Cobb Community Transit (CCT) serves Cobb County, with various connections to MARTA and downtown Atlanta. cobbdot.org

Gwinnett County Transit (GCT) serves Gwinnett County, with various connections to MARTA and downtown Atlanta. gctransit.com

Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) Xpress provides various commuter express routes, connecting to MARTA, other transit systems and downtown Atlanta. 404-463-4782. grta.org

MARTA serves DeKalb and Fulton counties and the city of Atlanta. Connections to other transit systems, local and express routes available. itsmarta.com

(Source: Georgia Regional Transportation Authority)