Hi,
My brother lives in ATL and I spent the bulk of a summer there in 2013...from the few months I've spent there, here's my advice.
1) Why are you looking to live in the suburbs? Is it because you want to be out of the hustle and bustle of the city, or because you want lower cost housing? If it's the former, living in Atlanta proper can be pretty quiet and in certain places almost woodsy. Sections of Buckhead and Vinings especially will have you feeling like you live outside of the city while not having to deal with the commute associated with living in the burbs.
2) If you're willing to compromise and live within the city limits, here's a good list of spots (I'll rank them from most to least lavish): Buckhead, Vinings, Midtown (look at streets bordering Piedmont Park--lots of gorgeous bungalow homes), Virginia Highlands, Reynoldstown (this spot is more of an up-and-coming neighborhood, but again has lots of beautiful bungalow homes and is full of recently renovated homes...mostly younger folks here and is a little further south than the other options), Cabbagetown (more apartment/condo living than homes, but is probably ATLs most quintessentially 'hipster' neighborhood) and then Little Five Points.
3) If you're really set on living outside the city, I've seen a lot of others mention places like Sandy Springs, Alpharetta, Roswell and Duluth. They are nice communities and have the advantage of being on the MARTA (ATL's public transit) so that you can take a train into the city and cut time out of your commute. However, I found these towns to be kind of cookie cutter and lacking in aesthetics...they're nice towns, just didn't fit my taste. Marietta is a great option...real estate can be kind of pricey, but it has a lot to offer. Absolutely gorgeous town square (think West Hartford on steroids) with a green that hosts concerts during the summer. Tons of great restaurants. If you'd like to spend a bit less, you can go out to Kennesaw which is just a little bit outside of Marietta. Haven't been there, but I've heard it's a nice town, albeit really conservative (they passed an ordinance requiring all residents to have a gun inside of their home). A bit further outside of ATL you'll find nice suburban towns like Woodstock and Canton. I also forgot Smyrna, which lies just north of ATL (before Marietta). You may not have considered Decatur because it's east of ATL, but that is another cool suburb with a bustling downtown offering tons of shopping and dining experiences and a great art scene. Again, a lot of this stuff is a matter of personal preference--I'm a guy whose more interested in artistic/bohemian communities so my opinions reflect that. Hopefully this is of some help! If you have any further questions, feel free to reply and I'll answer anything you might be wondering.
Oh, and FWIW....Braves new stadium will be just north of ATL (in the Marietta area) and from what I've heard real estate prices in that immediate area are on the uptick, so maybe an investment there would be worthwhile. No matter where you decide to go, best of luck; Atlanta is a great place to make a home!
