Making a Cursory-trip to Atlanta prior to a Moving Decision (Roswell: rental, low crime)

[EvDraper]

My wife and I are both retired and we are planning to leave Texas next year. We have considered several cities and we have pretty much decided to move to the Atlanta area. We now need to determine our preferred location(s) within the area. So we are planning a one week cursory-trip to visit the area.
We are looking to purchase a 3-bedroom home for $200,000 or less. We prefer a mixture of suburban and urban lifestyles with shopping conveniences and a low crime rate. Access to public transit would be a bonus but not necessary. We are Black, so our preferred neighborhood should not be greater than 80-85% white.

Tenative plans so far include a visit to the following suburban towns: Douglasville, Smyna, Roswell, Larenceville, Stockbridge, Fayetteville, and Newnan. Any suggestions you may have is appreciated.

[flyonpa]

Where work is, is going to one the most important item to determine where to live.

You have Identified both north & south side suburbs.
Picking the wrong place can make your trips to work unbearable.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by EvDraper

My wife and I are both retired and we are planning to leave Texas next year. We have considered several cities and we have pretty much decided to move to the Atlanta area. We now need to determine our preferred location(s) within the area. So we are planning a one week cursory-trip to visit the area.
We are looking to purchase a 3-bedroom home for $200,000 or less. We prefer a mixture of suburban and urban lifestyles with shopping conveniences and a low crime rate. Access to public transit would be a bonus but not necessary. We are Black, so our preferred neighborhood should not be greater than 80-85% white.

Tenative plans so far include a visit to the following suburban towns: Douglasville, Smyna, Roswell, Larenceville, Stockbridge, Fayetteville, and Newnan. Any suggestions you may have is appreciated.

Those are all good choices, but a few other cities that might potentially be worth your consideration are:

...Acworth (with its rising historic downtown and location on Lake Acworth near Red Top Mountain Park) in North Cobb County;

...Buford (a town that is located immediately near the south-end one of the most-popular manmade lakes in the U.S. at Lake Lanier, a town that is home to one of the largest regional shopping centers in the Southeastern U.S. in the mega-sized Mall of Georgia, and a town that is home to an increasingly-popular and adorable established downtown village that is the site of a rising artists colony) in North Gwinnett County;

...Gainesville (a highly-influential city in Georgia politics at the north-end of Lake Lanier that is a center of commerce and activity for the Northeast Georgia Mountains region).

Originally Posted by flyonpa

Where work is, is going to one the most important item to determine where to live.

You have Identified both north & south side suburbs.
Picking the wrong place can make your trips to work unbearable.

With the OP and his wife being retired, being located relatively close to a likely place of employment may not necessarily be an issue for them.

[flyonpa]

Ooops.. Missed that... All the above you mention are good places.

[lorilove]

Smyrna definitely meets your requirements - what do you like to do for fun or on a regular basis?

[DaBurgh]

^ What the last poster said - more info needed. Do you prefer the lake, mountains, biking, or spending time in the city, do you need easy access to the airport, what will you be doing with your free time

[lastminutemom]

And do you have friends or family in Atlanta? Why exactly is ATL on your list?

[EvDraper]

Atlanta is a good choice for us for several reasons. First of all, I grew up in Alabama and I currently have rental property that is less than 100 miles from Atlanta. Although we have no relatives living in Atlanta, we do have a few friends who live in the area. Most of our relatives live in other parts of the country and being located in Atlanta will make for easier travel. Neither of us have any desire to live in Alabama. My wife and I spent most of our professional careers in the Northeast and our interests are many and varied. We probably enjoy the mountains more than water but each has its place. I am an avid bowler. A few years ago I received the San Antonio Senior Bowler of the Month Award for having the highest average for my age group during the month of November. I currently bowl in three leagues. We also like to go bike riding and gardening.

Thank each of you for the information you provided. We are planning our trip for the second week in November and I will add the towns you mentioned to my list.

[tikigod311]

Since you are checking out Fayetteville and Newnan you should pass through Peachtree City. Lots of info about PTC on this forum, but I highly suggest checking it out for yourself. Good access to Alabama and the Airport. Great if you love riding bikes with their 70+ miles of exclusive bike/golf cart paths.

[berkeleylake]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

Since you are checking out Fayetteville and Newnan you should pass through Peachtree City. Lots of info about PTC on this forum, but I highly suggest checking it out for yourself. Good access to Alabama and the Airport. Great if you love riding bikes with their 70+ miles of exclusive bike/golf cart paths.

To the OP, if public schools are not a huge concern any time soon, I personally would go with Fayetteville, Fayette County or Stockbridge (Henry) on the Southside. If you prefer the Northside, Lawrenceville/Lilburn in Gwinnett. The Westside of Atlanta is OK, but not sure what you prefer the most in the various suburbs.

The huge key is being close to work unless you have remote working options. I would rent first and then buy, if you are not familiar with the ATL area. Good luck in your decisions.