Destination Atlanta Relocation Kit

Table of ContentsSelecting a REALTOR®

The Metro Atlanta Area Map

Moving to Atlanta

Moving Guide

Atlanta’s Seasons

Finding the Perfect Neighborhood

Want a New Home

Atlanta’s Strong Job Market

How to Get Around

Atlanta Has Its Own Language

Commute Times

Where to Live

The Metro Atlanta Area Map

DESTINATIONATLANTAYour Relocation Partners

678.476.3705www. destination-atlanta.com

Selecting a REALTOR®One of the best financial decisions you will ever make is choosing a REALTOR® to help with your home search in the city you’re moving to. Just as critical is finding a REALTOR® to sell your home in the city you are leaving. Trust Destina-tion Atlanta to provide the best service and tools for both of these activities.

The second best decision you will ever make is choosing a Destination Atlanta REALTOR® to help you find your home in the metro Atlanta area. This is why you should choose us:

- All of our agents have earned the distinctive REALTOR® designation

- Experienced Relocation REALTORS®, understanding the unique needs of a relocating buyer.

- Exclusive and personal attention are the cornerstone of our boutique shop approach

- Team Approach work environment working hard to serve your needs

- Consumer friendly and State of the Art web site to aid you in the relocation process



Thank you for requesting our Relocation Kit.

Destination Atlanta is a group of REALTORS® who specialize in understanding the needs of someone locating to a new city. Whether you are looking for your primary residence, your second home or an investment property, Destination Atlanta will help you find the property that best fit your needs.

Customer care is first and foremost for us. That’s why each Destination Atlanta REALTOR® is hand-selected, licensed professional with a reputation for great service and extensive knowl-edge about the metro Atlanta area. None of your questions will go unanswered, and your needs will always be our first consideration.

We hope you find the enclosed information useful; however, please contact us should you need additional information or would like to schedule an initial meeting. We look forward to helping you find the Atlanta property of your dreams.

Your Destination Atlanta Team

Welcome to Atlanta



• Atlanta was ranked #4 of Kiplinger’s “50 Smart Places To Live” in 2006

• Atlanta leads the nation’s cities in low cost of living

• 14 of the 100 fastest growing counties in the United States are located in the Atlanta Metro area (U.S. Census)

• Forsyth, Henry, Newton and Paulding counties are four of the top 20 fastest growing counties in the United States (U.S. Census)

• Median price for a new home in Atlanta is $189,000 (Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce)

• Atlanta is the perfect place to acquire a second home – homes in Metro Atlanta resort communities range from $154K up to $5MM (New York Times, April 2006)

• Entrepreneur Magazine ranked Atlanta #7 for “Hot Cities for Entrepreneurs” in 2005

• The Forbes “Best Places for Business” list ranked Atlanta #5 in 2005

• Popular Science ranked Atlanta #2 of its “Top Ten Tech Cities” in 2005

• Atlanta was ranked 1st in the U.S. as least costly large city for business in 2006, by KPMG

Why Move To AtlantaThis is what others say about Atlanta…



Moving GuideEight to ten weeks prior to moving

• Clear out storage areas of house (attic, basement, etc.) • Begin taking inventory of your furniture and household items • Obtain 3 estimates from moving companies • Call insurance company to secure moving insurance • Document and file all moving papers and receipts • Enroll children in school/daycare in your new area

Six to eight weeks prior to moving

• Begin searching for new healthcare professionals • Clean closets/have a garage sale • Complete a Change of Address form • Tell friends and relatives when and where you are moving • Subscribe to new local paper

Four to six weeks prior to moving• Begin packing and label boxes• Gather drivers license and registration documents• Gather all legal and personal documentation• Contact utilities for disconnect and new connections• Arrange for homeowners insurance in new home• Request refunds for unused services (cable/security deposit)

Three weeks prior to moving

• Set up all travel plans • Arrange to close current bank accounts/open new accounts • Arrange for childcare on moving day • Notify current state DMV of new address



• Review arrangements with moving company • Service automobiles for moving day • Arrange special transportation for pets and plants

Two weeks prior to moving• Defrost freezer and refrigerator • You or moving company finish packing • Pack first night items and emergency kit (put in car) • Record all utility meter readings • Go through entire house to look for forgotten items • Remain at home until movers are finished • Complete and copy bill of laden and inventory list

Two to three days prior to moving

• Prepare directions for moving company • Settle outstanding bills with local merchants • Pick up dry cleaning • Pick up vet records• Prepare all power equipment for move (drain oil/gas)• Cancel newspaper delivery• Purchase travelers checks• Purchase 2 weeks of medications• Forward all pharmacy records

One week prior to moving • Unpack first night items and emergency kit • Await moving company • Pay movers at the time they finish • Carefully match boxes with inventory list • Place important documents in a safe place • Go to post office to collect mail

At your new home

Moving Guide



Atlanta’s SeasonsAverage Temperatures in Atlanta…

SummerJune 76.8

July 80.0

August 78.9

WinterDecember 45.4

January: 42.7

February 46.7

FallSeptember 73.3

October 62.8

November 53.4

SpringMarch 54.3

April 61.6

May 69.8



Finding the Perfect NeighborhoodThe location of your new home is important – not only in terms of resale value, but also for your family’s comfort and enjoyment. So take the time out to find the neighborhood that best meets your needs.

Visit www.destination-atlanta.com to help you find the perfect neighborhood.

Here are some tips to help you find the perfect neighborhood for you and your family. Consider these success strategies for relocating to Atlanta:

• Do your homework. Go to www.destination-atlanta.com to search for homes, check out the top schools, new home builders, community comparison, average cost of homes and much more. Also visit chamber of commerce web site – www.metroatlantachamber.com or Visitors Bureau web site - www.atlanta.net/ACVB/index.html.

• Decide what characteristics are most important to you and your family in a neighborhood. Do you want top schools? Do you want to be close to work? A small quiet neighborhood? A neighborhood without a Homeowner’s Association? A condo community?

• Visit neighborhoods at various times of the day. A quiet, peaceful street may become lively when school is out in the afternoon.

• Visit the various places that will be part of your weekly routine: school, supermarkets, work, shopping, banks etc. How far are these places?

• Talk to some of the neighbors. This is one of the best ways to get a feel for what the neighborhood is really like. If someone is enjoying the neighborhood, they’re generally happy to express just that…



Atlanta Has itsOwn Language

Atlanta has its own language. These are terms or words that you should get to know before moving to Atlanta.

□ “The Big Chicken” Kentucky Fried Chicken: Landmark in Marietta that sits at the corner of Roswell Rd and Cobb Parkway

□ Atlantic Station: located in Midtown. It’s a modern mixed use district with shops, townhomes, office buildings and ample parking spaces. It’s known as the “City within a City”. Great shopping

□ Spaghetti Junction: multi level of bridges located where I-85 and I-285 intersect on the northeast side of the city

□ Virginia Highlands: located at the intersection of Virginia and North Highland Avenues. Great shopping district and dining

□ The Perimeter: known as I-285, the Perimeter is the beltway which circles Atlanta

□ Little 5 Points: Great restaurants and shopping near Emory University

□ Midtown: great place to live, work and play. Known for its diverse residential living for singles and young professionals

□ Buckhead great place to live, work and play. It is located north of Midtown and is considered one of Atlanta’s most affluent areas

□ Peachtree Street: Main street in Atlanta, it runs south and north through the center of town



Commute Times

Coweta County tops the list of the nation’s longest commute. New figures from the U.S. Census Bureau show commuters living in Coweta County spend an aver-age of 51.6 minutes commuting.

Here is how the other counties in Georgia rank:

-- Cherokee County, 34.4 minutes, number 21 (nationally)-- Newton, 33.6, number 25-- Douglas, 32.9, number 32-- Forsyth, 32.4, number 39-- Henry, 32.1, number 42-- Clayton, 31.7, number 48-- Carroll, 31.6, number 49-- Gwinnett, 31.5, number 42-- Rockdale, 30.5, number 70-- Dekalb, 30.2, number 72-- Walton, 30.1, number 76-- Cobb, 29.7, number 82-- Fayette, 29.4, number 89

Here are the top 10 U.S. metro-politan areas with the longest commutes to work. (Commutes are in average minutes, one way):

-- 1. Vineland, N.J. 39.6-- 2. New York 34.2-- 3. Washington, D.C. 33.4-- 4. Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 32.2-- 5. Atlanta 31.1-- 6. Riverside, Calif. 31.1-- 7. Chicago 31.0-- 8. Winchester, Va. 29.7-- 9. Stockton, Calif. 29.4--10. Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. 29.2



Where to LiveNeighborhood

AlpharettaAustellBuckheadCantonDecaturDuluthDunwoodyEast PointJonesboroKennesawLawrencevilleMariettaMorrowNewmanNorcrossPeachtree CityRoswellSandy SpringsSmyrnaSnellvilleStockbridgeStone MountainSuwaneeViningsVirginia-HighlandsWoodstock

Avg. Selling Price Avg. Days on Market

$316,328$135,811$596,340$222,380$194,019$272,534$357,274$124,518$138,198$199,499$169,591$230,871$112,461$170,778$198,012$273,812$295,341$422,336$226,794$178,222$159,710$158,016$260,533$387,016$344,917$186,814

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Bowen Family Homeswww.bowenfamilyhomes.comPrice Range: $100-$200

Brayson Homeswww.braysonhomes.comPrice Range: $100-$200

David Weekly Homeswww.davidweeklyhomes.comPrice Range: High $100-$1 million +

D.R. Hortonwww.drhorton.comPrice Range: $100-$300

Haven Propertieswww.havenproperties.comPrice Range: $300-$600

Want A New Home? Here are our builder picks…

Homes by Williamscraft, LLCwww.williamscraft.comPrice Range: $300-$1 million +

Hedgewood Homeswww.hedgewoodhomes.comPrice Range:$250- $1 million

John Wieland Homes and Neighborhoodwww.jwhomes.comPrice Range: $100-1 million

JLW Homes & Communitieswww.jlwhomes.comPrice Range: $150-$350

Jones & Minearwww.jonesandminear.comPrice Range: $275 - $1.6 million

John Willis Homes, Incwww.johnwillishomes.comPrice Range: $300- $1 million +

McCar Homeswww.mccarhomes.comPrice Range:$130-$400

Monte Hewett Homeswww.mhhomes.comPrice Range: $400-$1.4 million

Paul Thomas Homeswww.paulthomashomes.comPrice Range: $180-$350

The Providence Groupwww.the-providence-group.comPrice Range: $150-$400

Pulte Homeswww.pulte.com/atlanta.comPrice Range: $130-$600

Ryland Homeswww.ryland.comPrice Range:$120-$500

Sharp Residentialwww.Sharp-residential.comPrice Range: $180-$400

Sivica Homeswww.sivicahomes.comPrice Range: $100-$200

Traton Homeswww.tratonhomes.comPrice Range: $200-$600

Winmark Homeswww.winmarkhomesatlanta.comPrice Range: $150-$300

Patrick Malloy Communitieswww.pmcommunities.comPrice Range: $110-$250



Atlanta’s Strong Job Market

One of the most respected economic forecasters in the nation calls Atlanta home. Dr. Rajeev Dhawan, Ph.D, director of the Robinson College of Business’ Economic Forecasting Center at Georgia State Uni-versity, topped the Bloomberg Markets magazine list for most accurate forecasting. As one of the coun-try’s leading economists, he develops economic forecasts for the nation, the Southeast region and metro Atlanta.

His most recent forecast predicts that Georgia will see an increase of nearly 80,000 jobs in 2006. He also says that Georgia’s unemployment will drop to 4.9 percent for both 2006 and 2007.

Atlanta is home to 13 Fortune 500 and 24 Fortune 1000 corporate headquarters in various industries. Major employers include: AT&T, BellSouth Corpora-tion, CNN, Coca-Cola Company, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Earthlink, GE Power Systems, Geor-gia Pacific, Georgia Tech, Holiday Inn Worldwide, Home Depot, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, New-ell Rubbermaid, Panasonic, Philips, Scientific Atlan-ta, Southern Company, Sprint Corporation, SunTrust Banks and United Parcel Service.

To search for a job in the metro Atlanta area, go to www.ajcjobs.com/JOBSWeb/



How to get Around Major Highways:

Three major interstates meet in Atlanta: I-75, I-85, I-20. The I-285 perimeter circles Atlanta with a 65-mile radius.

Georgia Department of Transportation: 404-656-5267/www.dot.state.ga.us

Traffic Information: 404-635-6800

Air Travel

Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport is the busiest passenger airport in the United States. It is located ap-proximately 10 miles from downtown Atlanta. Go to www.atlanta.airport.com for customer service or call 800-897-1910 or 404-530-7700. Mailing address: 6000 North Terminal Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30320

Ground Travel

Greyhound Lines, 232 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, GA, 30303, 800-231-2222

AMTRAK

Brookwood Station is located at 1688 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, GA

For more information go to www.amtrak.com or call local station at 404-881-3062 or 800-872-7245

Marta Bus

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority provides bus service to over 125 routes and shuttle service to several attractions. Marta schedule & route informa-tion: 404-848-4711

Marta Train

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority provides two lines

South-North: lines runs from Hartsfield-Jackson Inter-national Airport to Atlanta’s downtown, Midtown, Buckhead, Doraville and Dunwoody

East-West: lines run from Indian Creek to Hamilton Homes

Bus/rail fee $1.75 one way including transfers. Marta schedule & route information: 404-848-4711www.itsmarta.com

Other Ground Transportation

Cobb Community Transit (CCT)770-427-4444www.cobbdot.org/cct.htm

Gwinnett County Transit

770-822-5010www.gctransit.com



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