New investor in the Atlanta / Decatur Georgia area

[Nick Brubaker]

Hi everyone!

My wife and I recently moved back to Atlanta (Decatur), Georgia, from Tokyo, Japan.  I have been a big fan of Bigger Pockets (particularly the podcasts) for over a year now and am excited to finally get my feet wet.  My wife and I are currently in the market for a personal residence as well as investment properties.  I am most familiar with the Decatur area (near and north of downtown), though we have yet to determine where we will be focusing our investment efforts (including other parts of the country - Portland, Seattle, Denver, Austin...).  Some strategies we are considering are "house hacking" with a multifamily property or moving in to a mildly distressed property with the goal of fixing it up and benefiting from a tax-free sale two years from now. 

I am really hoping to begin getting better acquainted and involved with the local REI community in Decatur and Atlanta:

Can anyone recommend any quality REIAs in the area?  

Are there any regular meet-ups in the area that are worth attending?

I am familiar with the offerings here at Bigger Pockets.  Can anyone recommend other resources (websites, etc.) that you have found to be useful in researching areas and finding deals?  I'm currently using Zillow, Trulia, Redfin, and Realtytrac.  

We will also be looking for financing.  Might any local Atlanta investors have recommendations here?

Thank you!  

[Jason Hern]

Hi Nick, welcome. I'm sure, like me, you're finding that this site is a fantastic tool to learn and network with people close and who have similar interests. I've been researching the Decatur and other parts of Atlanta for years now and have some insight that I'm always happy to share over a cup of coffee. Feel free to reach out if I can help in anyway.

Best of luck to you, Jason