Relocation kit designed for prospects looking for real estate in Atlanta, Ga.

2. The Metro Atlanta
Table of Contents
Area Map
Selecting 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
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

3. 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
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

4. Welcome to Atlanta
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
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

5. Why Move To Atlanta
This is what others say about 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
DESTINATIONATLANTA
• Popular Science ranked Atlanta #2 of its
Your Relocation Partners
“Top Ten Tech Cities” in 2005
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com
• Atlanta was ranked 1st in the U.S. as least costly
large city for business in 2006, by KPMG

6. Moving Guide
Eight to ten weeks prior to moving Four to six weeks prior to moving
• Begin packing and label boxes
• Clear out storage areas of house (attic,
• Gather drivers license and registration
basement, etc.)
documents
• Begin taking inventory of your furniture
• Gather all legal and personal
and household items
documentation
• Obtain 3 estimates from moving
• Contact utilities for disconnect and
companies
new connections
• Call insurance company to secure
• Arrange for homeowners insurance
moving insurance
in new home
• Document and file all moving papers
• Request refunds for unused services
and receipts
(cable/security deposit)
• Enroll children in school/daycare in your
new area
Six to eight weeks prior to moving Three weeks prior to moving
• Set up all travel plans
• Begin searching for new healthcare
• Arrange to close current bank
professionals
accounts/open new accounts
• Clean closets/have a garage sale
• Arrange for childcare on moving day
• Complete a Change of Address form
• Notify current state DMV of new address
• Tell friends and relatives when and
where you are moving
• Subscribe to new local paper
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

7. Moving Guide
Two to three days prior to moving
Two weeks prior to moving
• Defrost freezer and refrigerator
• Review arrangements with moving
• You or moving company finish packing
company
• Pack first night items and emergency kit
• Service automobiles for moving day
(put in car)
• Arrange special transportation for pets
• Record all utility meter readings
and plants
• 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
One week prior to moving At your new home
• Prepare directions for moving company
• Settle outstanding bills with local
• Unpack first night items and
merchants
emergency kit
• Pick up dry cleaning
• Await moving company
• Pick up vet records
• Pay movers at the time they finish
• Prepare all power equipment for move
• Carefully match boxes with inventory
(drain oil/gas)
list
• Cancel newspaper delivery
• Place important documents in a safe
• Purchase travelers checks
place
• Purchase 2 weeks of medications
• Go to post office to collect mail
• Forward all pharmacy records
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

8. Atlanta’s Seasons
Average Temperatures in Atlanta…
Spring
Winter
March 54.3
December 45.4
April 61.6
January: 42.7
May 69.8
February 46.7
Fall
Summer
June 76.8 September 73.3
July 80.0 October 62.8
August 78.9 November 53.4
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

9. Finding the Perfect Neighborhood
• Do your homework. Go to www.destination-atlanta.com
The location of your new home is important
to search for homes, check out the top schools, new home
– not only in terms of resale value, but also
builders, community comparison, average cost of homes
for your family’s comfort and enjoyment. So
and much more. Also visit chamber of commerce web site
take the time out to find the neighborhood
– www.metroatlantachamber.com or Visitors Bureau web
that best meets your needs.
site - www.atlanta.net/ACVB/index.html.
Visit www.destination-atlanta.com to help
• Decide what characteristics are most important to you and
you find the perfect neighborhood.
your family in a neighborhood. Do you want top schools?
Do you want to be close to work? A small quiet
Here are some tips to help you find the
neighborhood? A neighborhood without a Homeowner’s
perfect neighborhood for you and your
Association? A condo community?
family. Consider these success strategies
for relocating to Atlanta:
• 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…
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

10. Atlanta Has its
Own 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
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

11. 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 Here are the top 10 U.S. metro-
Coweta County spend an aver- politan areas with the longest
age of 51.6 minutes commuting. commutes to work. (Commutes
are in average minutes, one
Here is how the other counties in
way):
Georgia rank:
-- 1. Vineland, N.J. 39.6
-- Cherokee County, 34.4 minutes,
-- 2. New York 34.2
number 21 (nationally)
-- 3. Washington, D.C. 33.4
-- Newton, 33.6, number 25
-- Douglas, 32.9, number 32 -- 4. Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 32.2
-- Forsyth, 32.4, number 39 -- 5. Atlanta 31.1
-- Henry, 32.1, number 42 -- 6. Riverside, Calif. 31.1
-- Clayton, 31.7, number 48 -- 7. Chicago 31.0
-- Carroll, 31.6, number 49
-- 8. Winchester, Va. 29.7
-- Gwinnett, 31.5, number 42
-- 9. Stockton, Calif. 29.4
-- Rockdale, 30.5, number 70
--10. Vallejo-Fairfield, Calif. 29.2
-- Dekalb, 30.2, number 72
-- Walton, 30.1, number 76
-- Cobb, 29.7, number 82
-- Fayette, 29.4, number 89
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

12. Where to Live
Neighborhood Avg. Selling Price Avg. Days on Market
69
$316,328
Alpharetta
61
$135,811
Austell
93
$596,340
Buckhead
102
$222,380
Canton
70
$194,019
Decatur
71
$272,534
Duluth
68
$357,274
Dunwoody
82
$124,518
East Point
93
$138,198
Jonesboro
69
$199,499
Kennesaw
80
$169,591
Lawrenceville
70
$230,871
Marietta
90
$112,461
Morrow
110
$170,778
Newman
77
$198,012
Norcross
86
$273,812
Peachtree City
76
$295,341
Roswell
93
$422,336
Sandy Springs
73
$226,794
Smyrna
85
$178,222
Snellville
93
$159,710
Stockbridge
87
$158,016
Stone Mountain
79
$260,533
Suwanee
68
$387,016
Vinings
102
$344,917
Virginia-Highlands
74
$186,814
Woodstock
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

13. Want A New Home?
Here are our builder picks…
Homes by Williamscraft, LLC
McCar Homes
www.williamscraft.com
www.mccarhomes.com
Price Range: $300-$1 million + Sharp Residential
Bowen Family Homes Price Range:$130-$400
www.Sharp-residential.com
www.bowenfamilyhomes.com
Hedgewood Homes Price Range: $180-$400
Price Range: $100-$200 Monte Hewett Homes
www.hedgewoodhomes.com
www.mhhomes.com
Price Range:$250- $1 million Sivica Homes
Brayson Homes Price Range: $400-$1.4 million
www.sivicahomes.com
www.braysonhomes.com
John Wieland Homes and Price Range: $100-$200
Price Range: $100-$200 Paul Thomas Homes
Neighborhood
www.paulthomashomes.com
www.jwhomes.com Traton Homes
David Weekly Homes Price Range: $180-$350
Price Range: $100-1 million www.tratonhomes.com
www.davidweeklyhomes.com
Price Range: $200-$600
Price Range: High $100-$1 million + The Providence Group
JLW Homes & Communities
www.the-providence-group.com
www.jlwhomes.com Winmark Homes
D.R. Horton Price Range: $150-$400
Price Range: $150-$350 www.winmarkhomesatlanta.com
www.drhorton.com
Price Range: $150-$300
Price Range: $100-$300 Pulte Homes
Jones & Minear
www.pulte.com/atlanta.com
www.jonesandminear.com Patrick Malloy Communities
Haven Properties Price Range: $130-$600
Price Range: $275 - $1.6 million www.pmcommunities.com
www.havenproperties.com
Price Range: $110-$250
Price Range: $300-$600 Ryland Homes
John Willis Homes, Inc
www.ryland.com
www.johnwillishomes.com
Price Range:$120-$500
Price Range: $300- $1 million +
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

14. 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/
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com

15. How to get Around
Major Highways: Marta Bus
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority provides
Three major interstates meet in Atlanta: I-75, I-85, I-20.
bus service to over 125 routes and shuttle service to
The I-285 perimeter circles Atlanta with a 65-mile
several attractions. Marta schedule & route informa-
radius.
tion: 404-848-4711
Georgia Department of Transportation: 404-656-5267/
Marta Train
www.dot.state.ga.us
Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority provides
Traffic Information: 404-635-6800
two lines
Air Travel
South-North: lines runs from Hartsfield-Jackson Inter-
national Airport to Atlanta’s downtown, Midtown,
Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport is the busiest
Buckhead, Doraville and Dunwoody
passenger airport in the United States. It is located ap-
proximately 10 miles from downtown Atlanta. Go to
East-West: lines run from Indian Creek to Hamilton
www.atlanta.airport.com for customer service or call
Homes
800-897-1910 or 404-530-7700. Mailing address: 6000
North Terminal Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia 30320
Bus/rail fee $1.75 one way including transfers.
Marta schedule & route information: 404-848-4711
Ground Travel
www.itsmarta.com
Greyhound Lines, 232 Forsyth Street, Atlanta, GA,
Other Ground Transportation
30303, 800-231-2222
Cobb Community Transit (CCT)
AMTRAK
770-427-4444
www.cobbdot.org/cct.htm
Brookwood Station is located at 1688 Peachtree
Street, NW, Atlanta, GA
Gwinnett County Transit
For more information go to www.amtrak.com or call
770-822-5010
local station at 404-881-3062 or 800-872-7245
www.gctransit.com
DESTINATIONATLANTA
Your Relocation Partners
678.476.3705
www. destination-atlanta.com