Kennesaw - Neighborhood/subdivision feedback (Atlanta, Roswell: middle-class, fit in, for sale)

[illinoistotexas]

We want to stay close to Kennesaw Mountain High. We linked couple of neighborhoods but not sure. Any feedback on Stilesboro Ridge (Not sure why the house prices are low, considering it;s fairly new - Any catch ? related to safety, traffic, demographics etc... I am really concerned on the relatively low pricing of houses there. Please help.

[hautemomma]

The prices in that subdivision appear to be in the mid-200s. I'm not understanding why you're concerned about the price point being low unless you're just not that accustomed to home prices in Metro Atlanta. Kennesaw is a middle-class suburb with prices on single family homes ranging (in general) from the mid-100s past $1M. Many of the nicer subdivisions, you will find, typically begin in the $200s-$400s. Kennesaw is probably among the safest towns in Metro Atlanta. Traffic depends on where you are going and when. Demographics are diverse - about 60 percent white, and 40 percent everybody else. LOL. Georgia was hit especially hard by the housing crisis, and prices are just now rebounding and stabilizing in many places. We bought our house here a couple of years ago, and you could not even buy the same house for the same price now, because values are re-stabilizing and increasing. I would not take the mid-200s house in that subdivision as a cautionary sign; that same house will probably cost more within the next year or two.

[sedimenjerry]

You can get a really nice home in the mid 200s, great schools, next to no crime, etc. in Atlanta. It is farther out and can, but not always, have a long commute. That's probably the main reason.

[illinoistotexas]

Thank you for the feedback - I was comparing that against Barrett Knoll and trying to figure out which is better subdivision. Any advice ?

[Plokivos]

Kennesaw will bounce back.

I think the Duluth and John's Creek area is happening because there are enough land to develop new stores, compare to Kennesaw and Barrett Pkwy, but there is a huge development underway now, with the expansion of the roads, and express way to Smyrna. KSU is getting enormous, and I think within 6 years, you'd be hard press to find a house under $300k.

This has happened to other areas near metro city universities before.

[hautemomma]

Originally Posted by illinoistotexas

Thank you for the feedback - I was comparing that against Barrett Knoll and trying to figure out which is better subdivision. Any advice ?

I'm not really familiar with either subdivision. I think it will be a matter of your personal preferences. Which community has more of the environment or vibe you're looking for? What about HOA fees and the amenities you get in return? Have you considered proximity or the time it will take to reach I-75 from each subdivision?

Most Kennesaw neighborhoods are near lots of shopping, dining and recreational options, so that's probably not a factor. You'll also be near Marietta, Acworth and Woodstock. And not far from other areas, like Dallas, Powder Springs, Roswell and Smyrna, should you need or want to venture to those areas.

Like another poster said, Kennesaw homes are likely to continually grow in value. As a homeowner in the City of Kennesaw, I can tell you that our property taxes are increasing because of that fact.

[ElleKaye]

I am not familiar with those subdivisions, but I did live in Westover which is across from the high school; it was my first house here in the city.

The houses were basically all built in the 90s and have curb appeal and are in your price range. I even just googled a few for sale to make sure - here's one: 1914 Westover Lane Northwest, Kennesaw, GA | Trulia.com.

The community is friendly, has a tennis court, pool, and what not, but the HOA has many rules regarding everything from paint choice to color, grass, fence type, no pools in the yard, the earliest you can take your trash bin out for pick-up, and believe me it goes on and on.

The people are friendly though, and when I lived there, the mayor of Kennesaw also lived in the subdivision, but I'm not sure if that is still true. There are block parties about twice a year that are fun. On the other side of the coin, there are community newsletters that will publically shame anyone late on their HOA fees.

The reason I sold is because the area is more suited to families. As nearly as i can I was the only divorced female with no children who lived there. Aside from the horrific traffic and the fact that I didn't really fit in, those are my only complaints. I had driving out down to a science - if I was not pulling out of the garage by 7:07 am, then I stayed put until 9.

Overall, I'd recommend it.

[caragitana]

Kennesaw is a great area to raise a family. Overall my family is very happy here. We have great neighbors,
great schools, shopping and dining and except for traffic don't have much to complain about.
Here are my thoughts on Stilesboro Ridge:
You should try visiting during rush hour to see how difficult it is to make a left out of the neighborhood.
Traffic is heavy and I have seen the conga line trying to head towards Barrett Pkwy.
There is a single family home immediately left of the neighborhood (heading north on Stilesboro) that parks
a big rig in the driveway. I'd be cautious with purchasing a house along that left side (maybe the
first three or four houses) because of the noise.
Check out Niche.com they have schools stats for most of the schools in the country.
I don't know much about Hayes Elem and Pine Mountain Middle School but I do have 3 sets of friends that
chose private school and the charter school on Cobb Pkwy over these two public schools.

I hope your family finds a suitable fit. I'm sure you will like Kennesaw.
Good Luck