This page features articles about living, moving to, and apartments in Marietta. For more information about Marietta apartments, visit ProMove.
3/26/2009
Marietta Apartments -- Moving to Atlanta's Vibrant Suburb
If you want to enjoy the activity and excitement of Atlanta and yet get the peace and quiet of a suburb, Marietta is one of Georgia’s best places to live.
But the suburbs have a bad reputation, especially among young people. Youth craves vitality, the cultural amenities that only an urban center can provide. Suburbs signify a sort of stasis, a place to settle down, commute to work and raise children.
But there’s a problem. Most young people cannot afford to live in a major city. Of course many still do, but they struggle for years before they begin to earn enough money to live comfortably. And in today’s real estate market, as more and more people gravitate towards the city, prices continue to climb, apartments grow scarce, and the cost of living soars.
One solution may be to reinvigorate the suburbs. If a city’s outpost provides affordable living situations, and can offer its residents access to some—not all—but some of the cultural amenities they yearn for, it might just be enough to entice people to live there.
Marietta, GA, is a suburb of Atlanta. It is roughly 15 miles outside of the city, just far enough to avoid the high costs of metro Atlanta’s real estate. But it is still close enough to attract many people. It also has some of the important urban commodities. If people want to visit the city, it’s only a short drive or trip by bus or train.
The Strand Theatre is a historic establishment that is working hard to cater to a new generation of entertainment seekers. It is located on Marietta Square in Cobb County. It opened in 1935 and was a successful movie house until 1976. When it first opened, the Strand was the most modern theaters outside of Atlanta. It had heating, air conditioning and an acoustical sound system; it sat up to 1,000 people and had a fireproof projection room—each of which were qualified the Strand as a theater ahead of its time. The first movie, Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Roberts, was attended by all of Marietta.
After some tumultuous times, and a complete renovation in 1964, the Strand maintained its status as an entertainment destination. But in 2002, as movie houses fell on hard times, the Strand went up for rent.
But friends of the Strand took up the cause. They turned it into a non-profit organization and once again restored the old building. It re-opened in 2008, drawing on its appeal as a throwback to a classic time, when going to the movies meant a fancy night on the town.
The Strand is but one of Marietta’s attractions. The town is a pleasant place to live, within a comfortable distance to Atlanta, and offers it residents an affordable and healthy environment.
3/25/2009
Marietta Apartments: The Advantage of a Thriving Suburb
A common challenge when moving is finding an affordable apartment in an attractive neighborhood. This challenge is amplified when moving to a popular city, especially one with as much to offer as Atlanta.
But before Atlanta was the bustling metropolis it is now, Marietta, GA, was a thriving community. This was long ago, before the Civil War, but Marietta retained its economic growth and demographic diversity and to this day continues to be an important suburb of metro Atlanta.
Located just 15 miles outside of Atlanta, residents of Marietta enjoy all the amenities of a cosmopolitan city as well as the quiet relief of a pleasant suburb. The climate is temperate, with four distinct seasons, and the quality of living is high.
Residents have access to world-class healthcare facilities, including four hospitals and 10 nursing homes. There are over 150 places of worship, and if you like to shop, Marietta boasts some of the nation’s most popular chains, as well an many small, unique boutique shops.
For the history buff, Marietta offers numerous museums and amusement parks, many of which pay homage to those lost in the Civil War. Most of the attractions are free and open year round, offering residents and visitors a distinctive taste of Marietta’s past.
Marietta’s demographic is in a constant state of evolution. In the last two decades, it has experienced substantial growth, diversifying the population and bringing to the work force a multitude of skills and talents.
The school system consistently ranks in the top 15 percent of public school systems in the country, serving over 7,500 students in small neighborhood institutions. Marietta is also home to various colleges, from state universities to vocational schools to community colleges.
If you are considering a move to Marietta, you can see that the city has a lot to offer. Affordable, accommodating apartments are available, some near public parks, others near public schools, and all just 15 miles outside of downtown Atlanta.
3/23/2009
Marietta Apartments -- Atlanta Suburb Indicates Economic Health
by Brent Easling
The real estate market is a useful tool for predicting the economy’s health. Forecasters rely on the buying and selling of property as a way to gauge the strength of the economy and the confidence of the public. So it is no surprise that in today’s current economic climate, many experts are keeping an eye on the nation’s most vital commercial and residential markets.
The past decade was a prosperous time for Atlanta. Job growth soared, the population grew, and the real estate market brought home impressive numbers. Realtors, buyers and sellers enjoyed positive returns on their investments. This success trickled into the broader economy, and Atlanta benefited more than perhaps any other city in the country.
Then the economy faltered, spurred into decline by the nation’s subprime mortgage crisis. Atlanta, once the engine of America’s real estate market, now endured some of the most devastating setbacks. Like Icarus, Atlanta crept too close to the sun. Today it is struggling to regain its footing. It is trying to reboot its economy. It is looking towards the real estate market for signs of positive economic shifts. As of yet, it has not seen encouraging numbers.
Experts explain that in a downward economy, signs of public confidence often are seen first in real estate because people tend to buy or sell their homes when they feel financially comfortable. Jobs are a defining factor. If people are secure, and income is steady, only then does investing in a real estate move make sense. But these signs have not yet appeared, signaling that the economy, and Atlanta’s real estate market is still in a deep recession. The Atlanta Journal Constitution recently ran an article that discussed the situation.
“If you take the historical data to interpret the current situation — and history is all you have — that would suggest that we are in a very deep recession that has yet to find a way to turn around,” said economist Michael Reksulak of Georgia Southern University.
The consensus view among economists is that unemployment will worsen this year and level off in 2010. Predictions vary about housing, but in the 10 previous recessions since World War II, new home sales started to ebb before the economy overall turned down. But sales bottomed out and began to pick up a few months before the broader economy was in recovery.
So far, new home sales have shown no sign of a turnaround.
“We are already one year into recession and we haven’t seen that inflection point that would give us hope that we are coming toward the end of the recession,” Reksulak said.
It’s not that new home sales alone cause economic recovery and heated-up hiring. But real estate activity is one clue used by the National Bureau of Economic Research — the semi-official arbiter of recessions — in dating the start and end of recessions.
It is important to keep this news in mind. If you are considering a real estate investment, be certain that your financial future is secure. Then, if you have the capital and good credit to invest, today’s market is offering numerous attractive opportunities. Otherwise it is best to wait, to ride out the recession and focus on job security and financial stability. If you find yourself in this category, Atlanta and its surrounding suburbs, places like Marietta, have beautiful downtown areas and enticing Marietta apartments for rent.
3/20/2009
Marietta Living -- Affordable Attractions rejuvenate the Suburbs
by Japhy Rider
The suburbs have a bad reputation, especially among young people. Youth craves vitality, the cultural amenities that only an urban center can provide. Suburbs signify a sort of stasis, a place to settle down, commute to work and raise children.
But there’s a problem. Most young people cannot afford to live in a major city. Of course many still do, but they struggle for years before they begin to earn enough money to live comfortably. And in today’s real estate market, as more and more people gravitate towards the city, prices continue to climb, apartments grow scarce, and the cost of living soars.
One solution may be to reinvigorate the suburbs. If a city’s outpost provides affordable living situations, and can offer its residents access to some—not all—but some of the cultural amenities they yearn for, it might just be enough to entice people to live there.
Marietta apartments, in Georgia, are part of the Atlanta suburbs. It is roughly 15 miles outside of the city, just far enough to avoid the high costs of metro Atlanta’s real estate. But it is still close enough to attract many people. It also has some of the important urban commodities. If people want to visit the city, it’s only a short drive or trip by bus or train.
The Strand Theatre is a historic establishment that is working hard to cater to a new generation of entertainment seekers. It is located on Marietta Square in Cobb County. It opened in 1935 and was a successful movie house until 1976. When it first opened, the Strand was the most modern theaters outside of Atlanta. It had heating, air conditioning and an acoustical sound system; it sat up to 1,000 people and had a fireproof projection room—each of which were qualified the Strand as a theater ahead of its time. The first movie, Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Roberts, was attended by all of Marietta.
After some tumultuous times, and a complete renovation in 1964, the Strand maintained its status as an entertainment destination. But in 2002, as movie houses fell on hard times, the Strand went up for rent.
But friends of the Strand took up the cause. They turned it into a non-profit organization and once again restored the old building. It re-opened in 2008, drawing on its appeal as a throwback to a classic time, when going to the movies meant a fancy night on the town.
The Strand is but one of Marietta’s attractions. The town is a pleasant place to live, within a comfortable distance to Atlanta, and offers it residents an affordable and healthy environment.
3/18/2009
Marietta Apartments -- Getting to know your new Community
by David Werner
It is an easy thing to do when the economy is in trouble. But if you hesitate, or don't do what you think is best for your life because you're nervous about the economy, you could be doing more harm than good.
Timing is important, as is being financially organized. If you are considering a move in these uncertain times, you must exercise caution and foresight. Fortunately, you can learn as much about a place -- its neighborhoods, people, restaurants, etc. -- by searching online. Numerous community forums are available that provide renters with property listings, costs, neighborhood news and many other features. You no longer have to visit a place many times in order to gain insight into its way of life. Now you can understand what a community is like before you arrive. Of course nothing can replace actually seeing a place with your own eyes. But you can now be better prepared.
This might sound obvious but it is a key way to make your transition much easier. This article will help renters understand and use the tools that are available to them. In the end, moving is much easier.
If you are considering a move to Marietta, a great way to get involved in the community is to visit the city's many Web sites and blogs. Here people in the community discuss happenings. Concerns, events, projects and schools, along with other topics, are widely discussed in these forums.
Once you have familiarized yourself with Marietta, it is time to begin your apartment search. Rental service companies are available to help you.
ProMove can do this for free -- a huge benefit to a renter -- and are glad to share with you their local expertise. You can contact them and they will put you in touch with one of their agents. Tell the agent how much you can afford, where you want to live, and any other pertinent information. The agent will narrow the search and come back with a list of potential apartments. Once you visit the apartments and settle on one, you let the property manager know that you found the place by using a rental service. Often times the property managers and the rental service companies work together. This enables them to keep the apartment search free. And provide renters in Marietta with an invaluable entrance to their new community.
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