Affordable neighborhoods close to Galloway? Do they exist? (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: real estate, chapel)

[sabrosina]

We're moving from NC where $300k gets you a custom 2500sqft home on a wooded acre only 25 minutes in traffic to most anything the triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) has to offer. Forced to make the move to Atlanta (work) we applied to four schools and were accepted to three of them. High Meadows in Roswell, Friends School in Decatur, and Galloway which is North Buckhead, I think?

Our criteria for choosing which schools to apply to were fairly simple: Secular, rigorous curriculum without being overwhelming for a 6th grader, education of the whole child--not just his intellect, progressive minded, involved parent community. Now we choose from the community surrounding each school to decide which to commit to.

Of course we'd love to repeat what we have in NC. We're learning that unless we stick to Roswell we're going to have to make compromises. The area around Galloway seems to be the most troubling, since I'm finding a total of 10 homes under 500,000 and all are tiny and on very small lots. We have two big dogs that are very active and need opportunity to stretch their legs, so the 1200 sqft home on a postage stamp lot will just not work.

My Q really is this: How far out and in which direction should I look to find affordable housing if my son were to attend Galloway? My husband is working in Buckhead, but willing to head to work at 6am to avoid traffic if he has to. MARTA is also an option.

[atlmomoftwo]

Do a search based on elementary school and enter High Point Elementary. That is an area just across Roswell Rd from the Chastain Park neighborhood where Galloway is. I am not sure about the 300K price point, but I think it is your best bet. Good luck! I think many of us make sacrifices to live inside 285. (And I think most would say it's well worth it, eg, the dreaded Atlanta traffic just isn't a problem for my husband and me. We think it's far worse in RTP.) Hope you love Atlanta!

[sabrosina]

Yeah, the 300K price point is out the window if we live in the city, but if we could live just a little way out and still have a decent drive to and from Galloway I'm up for it. Sandy Springs? Marietta just on the other side of the Chattahoochee? Somewhere else?

I had a look at the area you mentioned around High Point and again--three houses under 400K and all complete crap.

[atlmomoftwo]

I'm sorry. Maybe Sandy Springs just outside the Perimeter (285)? Sandy Springs inside the Perimeter is not different than Chastain Park pricing, except taxes are better. East Cobb is great, but it would mean bad traffic at school and rush hours (I would think you'd use Riverside Dr or Johnson Ferry to get to Galloway from there). The selling point in East Cobb for me is that they have strong public schools. Many East Cobb folks do use Holy Innocents, though, and it's not all that far from Galloway. I would spend more on a home and use the public schools if I were going to live there, but that is just me. You would want to look at culture there. It's not too different-seeming from a Cary-type area, but I do hear it's rather conservative. I think you would want to investigate that and poll people on this forum. Note I'm not suggesting townhomes, of which there are some great closer-in communities, because you mentioned dogs and wanting space. Good luck!!

[mattee01]

If you look almost anywhere south or west of downtown you'd be amazed the size and beauty of homes you can find for under 300k. Just go to zillow and search Atlanta Ga and 300000k max. Came up with 500+ results as opposed to...9 results in all of Buckhead, Midtown, downtown and surrounding areas.

[ElleKaye]

How interesting. I took a race training class there last year.

I don't even have to check, but I know you will not find a house near it, at least on Paces Ferry, West Wieuca, Lake Forest or anything immediately surrounding Chastain Park for $300K or less.

There's a chance you could find a house off Lake Forest starting at the intersection with Long Island but ending before you get to Mt. Paran. That's one part of Sandy Springs. You could also look off Roswell Road, starting with Windsor Pkwy and its side streets and heading north. That's also Sandy Springs.

For a decently easy commute to Galloway, I'd consider Sandy Springs, Roswell, Brookhaven, East Cobb (Marietta), or Smyrna. You could also consider Dunwoody, but I think you'll in general find higher prices there.

[George Chong]

The main surrounding area of The Galloway School has the zip code of 30327. It is the most affluent zip code in Atlanta. Highest income zip codes in GEORGIA

Like others have stated, Dunwoody would be a good choice. My sister did the commute from her house to Galloway with 2 children.

[dblackga]

Well, sorry, but you aren't in North Carolina any more -- the sticker shock is pretty grim for folks from areas like the Triangle, etc. The area around Galloway backs up on some of the most expensive real estate in Atlanta, and has the prices to prove it. Chastain is a nice area, but you aren't going to find anything around $300K in that area that isn't a tear-down -- heck, the land costs alone are around $300K a lot if not more, never mind the house.

Ditto for Sandy Springs and Dunwoody -- land costs are such that a nice home for $300K isn't realistic. People are buying $400K properties and tearing the homes down to build $700-$1.5 million homes.

Another area to consider is the far east side of Dunwoody, in an area called Lockridge Forest. Older homes, but large yards, and many of the homes have been renovated in the last few years. They were probably custom homes 40 years ago. :-)

One area you might want to consider looking in is Ashford Park, in Chamblee. You could scoot straight across Peachtree Industrial, hit Windsor Parkway, and head straight into Chastain Park from there. There are a lot of renovated homes in that area, and the public schools are good, too (even though DeKalb County has been getting a lot of bad press for administration issues, the schools serving Ashford Park are some of the best.) Other areas include Sexton Woods, Huntley Hills and Keswick. The homes will be smaller, but will have yards, trees, and not too far from Galloway, and near some excellent shopping.

I have to respectfully disagree with mattee01, living south of town is NOT a good idea, the commute will kill you, never mind being able to get to school for after-school events, clubs, athletic events, etc. You will spend ALL of your time on the road. My kids' school was only 9 miles from my house, and Atlanta traffic being what it is, it was a good two hours each day commuting over and back twice a day. Carpools are your friend. :-) If you are set on Galloway, I would STRONGLY recommend staying out of East Cobb and Roswell -- there's only so many places you can get over the river, and at rush hour, they are all bumper-to-bumper. However, High Meadows would give you some lower-price-point options in both Roswell and older neighborhoods in East Cobb.

[readerwriter]

If your husband works in Buckhead, and he doesn't want to commit to a 1-2 hour commute each way, you might consider the Garden Hills/Peachtree Park neighborhoods. There are a few great homes under $500K, and the neighborhoods are great for kids, walking dogs, etc. I know of three families in this area who have kids at Galloway, and the school commute is under 20 minutes (think: many red lights). Also, many schools - Galloway included - have forums where parents can coordinate carpool arrangements. Good luck!

[LovelySummer]

A carpool idea might be the best bet. She is not going to be happy with Garden Hills old homes at her price point and all the lots are pretty small too. Try looking to see if Vinings or Smyrna could work.

Originally Posted by readerwriter

If your husband works in Buckhead, and he doesn't want to commit to a 1-2 hour commute each way, you might consider the Garden Hills/Peachtree Park neighborhoods. There are a few great homes under $500K, and the neighborhoods are great for kids, walking dogs, etc. I know of three families in this area who have kids at Galloway, and the school commute is under 20 minutes (think: many red lights). Also, many schools - Galloway included - have forums where parents can coordinate carpool arrangements. Good luck!