LA Homeowner relocating to ATL for film industry. Where to buy?

[Lauren Munar]

Greetings from Fayetteville, GA! My husband and I are originally from Los Angeles and he (being a sculptor for the film industry) has been spending an increasing amount of time in and around ATL over the past few years. With little indication that big budget film is returning to LA and the apparent boom happening in ATL, we are at present trying to decide where to invest next. 

He has mostly been working at Pinewood Studios in Fayetteville where we are currently renting an apartment, but occasionally has work in Metro ATL. I am a freelance product manager and work remotely, but being a little closer to the tech hubs might be a good idea for my career if I decide to go back to the grind.

Question: Are there any south ATL suburbs in between the metro area and Fayetteville that are up-and-coming? From what I can tell, it seems to be the north and east sides of ATL that are the most desireable.

More context: We own a house in Los Angeles and intend to rent it as an income property (our first), but are also somewhat holding onto hope that we will one day move back and/or upgrade in LA as the majority of our friends and family are there. In other words, we don't know that we are ready to invest in something long-term in Georgia. Perhaps something short to mid-term with the possibility of conversion to a rental property if we return to LA someday.

We are new to the income property game. What would you do if you were in this position? 

We're just trying to sort it all out. Any suggestions appreciated. Thanks.