Tsmith,
Welcome to TOTV from another Atlantan! Sounds like a good plan to me. If you haven't sold your home yet and don't want a second one, renting is a viable option. It is an easy drive from ATL to TV, so hopefully you could come down often in the interim.
A great place to find TV rentals is
www.thevillages4rent.com.
As Tommy mentioned, the housing market isn't great; but I do have friends who have sold homes recently in the ATL area. If your home is in Buckhead, the market might not be as soft as in the burbs.
BTW, I know an excellent Realtor who sells homes in the Buckhead area. If you are interested, send me a PM.
All best wishes!
P