Posted: 10/17/2003 8:30:01 AM EDT
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My wife has an interview at Emory U in Atlanta, and while I am still holding out for Florida, I would be willing to move to GA. Can anyone tell me about Atlanta? We'd probably prefer to live near the University, we can spend up to $300k for a house. I'd like to have 1-5 acres but I suppose it is too urban there for that to be realistic. We prefer an area with low crime, low taxes, and good schools. We could commute up to 30 minutes but would rather be closer to work. Thanks, GunLvr |
| You are going to drive like the rest of us. Atlanta traffic blows. Look around Lawrenceville area. You can get a really nice house with land and its a great investment. Some of the best schools around. Its right off 316 and 85 so its not that bad of a drive for distance but everyone loves that area and works in town. Good luck! |
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Everyone ?? Not I. I tried living out there and the traffic on 316 was just ass. Currently we live in Clarkston which was slightly scary a few years back but now is making a Decatur-ish turnaround, only 20 minutes to work on 3/4 acre. Never been robbed - knock on wood Schools suck - All Ga schools suck pretty much. We are #48 out of 50 you know. Taxes (sales) are all pretty much the same 7% +/- depending on county and or city. |
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East Cobb County. Several of the best schools in GA (Walton High, Pope High) are here, low sales tax (5%), and very nice area. Your budget for a house will go pretty far here. Property values here are on the rise. The drive to Atlanta (Emory) sucks, though. I make that drive everyday, takes about 45 min. What is your wife interviewing for? I'm only a lowly grad student at Rollins School of Public Health at Emory so I don't have any major connections, but I can tell you where to stay, park (Emory has lousy parking, and their rent-a-cops like to ticket like a mofo), eat, etc while you and your wife are here. Ghost |
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Thanks for the information. I was thinking of the Decatur area, but it looks sort of like the area where I live now--PG County, MD--nice housing but high crime. Even though I said we want good public schools we plan to send the kids to private schools, so locations near really good private schools would also be helpful. At least I have until next summer to make a decision if she gets the job. Thanks, GunLvr |
He said low crime.  Roswell and Alpharetta are very nice upscale neighborhoods, but the teenagers tend to get bored, gang up, and go on vandalism sprees. I currently live in Suwanee, which is close to the I-85/I-985 split, work in Alpharetta, and plan to move to Roswell in December. The area where we live now is very, very low crime - in the 3+ years I've lived in my apartment complex, there have been only 2 burglaries. |
| If it looks like you will be moving to Atlanta, feel free to e-mail me through AR15.com I know the area around Emory very, very well and can give you some pointers on which areas (and which neighborhood's) to look for a house. It's very hard to find a house around Emory with more than a 1/2 acre unless you go at least 20 minutes (with good traffic) away from Emory. Last thing I'll throw in is on the Private Schools. The one's that I can think of right off the top of my head are Padeia (spelling is wrong), Westminster, St. Pious, and Woodward Academy. HTH |
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You should also consider how the property price will behave after some years. Some areas tend to not appreciate so well. Therefore, you might consider commuting a bit if you plan to move and stay. The NE areas has been growing quite much and you would have to face a "hellish" I85 south every morning. The NW (Alphareta, etc.) are nice but you would be stick in the 400 or 285 traffic mess and prices there are overinflated. Duluth and Fulton counties seems to be the best bang for the buck and retain/increase the value because of the good school system. There's a very nice area called Berkelley Lake, close by Norcross. However, a 1 to 5 acres house will cost much more than 300k. Lilburn is a nice old area and close to the university but seems to be losing value. However, you can easily find large lots such as the ones you are looking for. When I moved here I rented an apartment and drove all the areas I was prosppecting. 6 months in an apartment is not a bad investment for a lifetime investment such as buying a house. Just my 2 cents. |
Yeah, but dont get to used to it, Theyre comming! About the time you get the garden in, its time to move again. |
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I know a few realtors if you do decide to move down. I can mail you some property listing books (you know, the free For Sale publications) for any specific areas in which you might be interested if that would help. Let me know if I can help. Hope the interview goes well. Georgia is a really nice place - outside Atlanta. Mark |
Not if you're working or going to school at Emory, it isn't. Having just gotten out of the hell that metro Atlanta has beccome, and having spent 15 years living within 10 minutes of Emory, I'd say you've got three basic choices. Either move out to the North Gwinnett County area, where a decent house w/a bit of land will cost you 200K and (mostly) up, move to the northeast part of Atlanta, where a decent (and mostly 30-40 year old) house with no appreciable land will cost 250K and up, or go out to the Hall County area, around Gainesville, but near enough to I85 to be commutable. Out there, you can probably find the house you're looking for, but the commute will be a bitch; not the miles, but the traffic jams on I-85. Or, you get have her get her college work at Berry, Shorter, or Floyd College up here in Rome, find everything you're looking for house wise, including land, for under 200k, make a 20 mile drive to work in 25 minutes (I do) and have the best of country/city life with no strain 
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I agree. However, I would not discard Lilburn. Many lots are quite nice (around 4 acres) and prices are not absurd as in other areas where speculation went out of control. And not so far from Emory. |
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Yeah, move to Lilburn! That's where I live! You got a bunch of gun stores, Advanced Armament for Suppressors and it's located in an area that is only minutes away from everyplace. Safe Community. .....but you'll just crowd my space.....Go Away! ~ s0ulzer0
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Well... as you can see... nothing is perfect...  |
Thanks for the help and I found out that Atlanta was better than I thought and that I can definitely consider more rural Georgia for retirement.