Brookhaven for young family? (Roswell, Alpharetta: 2015, condo, affordable houses)

[TransplantATL]

Hi all,

Posted earlier about a potential move back to East Cobb from out of state but now we are seriously considering Brookhaven as well. Aside from cost per square foot as the challenge, anyone have any advice or experience for a young family looking? Do not want to do private school so a decent school zone is a must. Kids are 4 and 1...

Any areas to focus on or avoid? Thanks!

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by TransplantATL

Hi all,

Posted earlier about a potential move back to East Cobb from out of state but now we are seriously considering Brookhaven as well. Aside from cost per square foot as the challenge, anyone have any advice or experience for a young family looking? Do not want to do private school so a decent school zone is a must. Kids are 4 and 1...

Any areas to focus on or avoid? Thanks!

If private school is not an option, I wouldn't trouble with Brookhaven. Look next door at North Buckhead (Sarah Smith) for starters if you like the immediate area.

[TransplantATL]

Originally Posted by Iconographer

If private school is not an option, I wouldn't trouble with Brookhaven. Look next door at North Buckhead (Sarah Smith) for starters if you like the immediate area.

Thanks...so none of the public schools are decent options in Brookhaven? I have heard mixed opinions and online ratings show some in the 7 to 9 range. Appreciate the feedback just interested in more detail. I own a condo in North Buckhead that is an investment property but a 4BR home seems untouchable cost wise.

[ATLTJL]

Do not want to do private school so a decent school zone is a must.

Then you're screwed.

I don't know all the elementary schools there, some MIGHT be decent. But, you definitely don't want to mess with any of the middle schools there.

Chamblee charter could be an option for high school. Are charter schools a thing for middle school? I don't know, if they are, you can look into that. If not, I certainly wouldn't put a kid through the middle schools there waiting for high school. They'll be ruined by the time they get there.

[ATL Golfer]

Originally Posted by Iconographer

If private school is not an option, I wouldn't trouble with Brookhaven. Look next door at North Buckhead (Sarah Smith) for starters if you like the immediate area.

Another insightful, lacking details, post by our friend Icon. OP, the only advice I can give you for certain, is ignore any post by Icon on the subject of Brookhaven. See other thread.

Montgomery is probably the best school within the city limits. Housing prices in the Montgomery district closely mirror East Cobb. You can find some affordable houses in and around Murphy Candler. Closer you get to Peachtree the housing prices increase. We lived in this district from 2008-2015. Lots of young families on our street. We stayed at the pool over there because of all friends we made over there. I like this area a lot. Easy access to highways no matter which one you're getting on (285 / 400 / 85). Murphy Candler Park and Blackburn Park are great ways to spend time with the little ones.

We moved in 2015 to Ashford Park and that is where our oldest is in school. Sarah Smith district was on the table but we decided to stay in Brookhaven. While Montgomery sometimes is regarded as the better school, they are mostly on par with one another across all metrics. We have had a great experience at Ashford Park. There are a lot of private school kids in Brookhaven (OLA, St Martin) with many in the neighborhood taking those tracks to get into Marist or St Pius down the road. That said, there are more and more people sticking with Ashford Park. The school's annual fundraiser is healthy with lots of parental involvement. Its paying for a large capital improvements and educational programs. This year they are replacing the large dirt play field with turf. Eagle Fund - AshfordPark

The hood is filled with young families. You go out at 6pm and the neighborhood roads are flooded with families taking walks. I also think Dresden is slowly morphing into a new Virginia Highland type area. Not many neighborhoods have shops/restaurants/MARTA that you can walk to.

Other things to consider. Where is your job? You've lived in E Cobb so you know the traffic drill.

In the end I don't think you can go wrong with either. Its going to come down to personal preference. I don't think schools should make or break it. If you want your child to excel and your child wants to excel, they will.

[ATL Golfer]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Then you're screwed.

I don't know all the elementary schools there, some MIGHT be decent. But, you definitely don't want to mess with any of the middle schools there.

Chamblee charter could be an option for high school. Are charter schools a thing for middle school? I don't know, if they are, you can look into that. If not, I certainly wouldn't put a kid through the middle schools there waiting for high school. They'll be ruined by the time they get there.

I've never understood this.

I went to Ridgeview Middle. Then onto Riverwood. There were a lot of kids that went private > Riverwood. I did not see them having a leg up on the kids that did Ridgeview and Ridgeview was not the best, same as now. Especially the ones that were in TAG (not sure what it is now).

So why is Chamblee or Riverwood such decent schools but their feeder middle schools not?

[TransplantATL]

Originally Posted by ATL Golfer

We moved in 2015 to Ashford Park and that is where our oldest is in school. Sarah Smith district was on the table but we decided to stay in Brookhaven. While Montgomery sometimes is regarded as the better school, they are mostly on par with one another across all metrics. We have had a great experience at Ashford Park. There are a lot of private school kids in Brookhaven (OLA, St Martin) with many in the neighborhood taking those tracks to get into Marist or St Pius down the road. That said, there are more and more people sticking with Ashford Park. The school's annual fundraiser is healthy with lots of parental involvement. Its paying for a large capital improvements and educational programs. This year they are replacing the large dirt play field with turf. Eagle Fund - AshfordPark

The hood is filled with young families. You go out at 6pm and the neighborhood roads are flooded with families taking walks. I also think Dresden is slowly morphing into a new Virginia Highland type area. Not many neighborhoods have shops/restaurants/MARTA that you can walk to.

Other things to consider. Where is your job? You've lived in E Cobb so you know the traffic drill.
.

Thanks for the detailed reply! I see you mentioning elementary schools but little talk of public middle and high. Any experience or knowledge there? I am concerned with the schools being subpar and also a little concerned with the private vs public thing happening with childhood friends. I'd hate to have to spend so much money on tuition when it could be saved for college or beyond. With me really not wanting to support that for 2 kids over 7 years or more of schooling, I wonder if this shuts it down.

My job is in Norcross but also will be traveling so airport proximity is also important. Also just want to buy in a place that is convenient to all the major job centers in case I change jobs or locations. East Cobb by the River is our other option but we thought we would branch out. Just so difficult to beat the East Cobb public schools.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by TransplantATL

My job is in Norcross but also will be traveling so airport proximity is also important. Also just want to buy in a place that is convenient to all the major job centers in case I change jobs or locations. East Cobb by the River is our other option but we thought we would branch out. Just so difficult to beat the East Cobb public schools.

If those are your parameters, I would also consider North Fulton communities such as Alpharetta, Roswell or Johns Creek.

[ATL Golfer]

I don't have any experience with them. I'd be googling much like you.

But as noted, Chamblee Middle is average by most metrics, while Chamblee High School is one of the best in the state (top 15 by most of the rankings I see online). Walton is going to be higher those same rankings.

If you're making the decision based primarily on schools, E Cobb is going to be better than 99% of the Metro. Is it that much different than other experiences? I couldn't tell you that with any certainty.

Riverwood, on the other side of the hooch has slipped in rankings over the years since I was there. However all the kids I know of graduating this year are going to top tier universities.

School is much more about what kids and their families want out of it vs any school single handily giving a kid the tools they need. Just my opinion.

And if you're traveling a lot and want to be close to potential future opportunities, I would definitely ignore the post immediately preceding this one.

[Go Blue 99]

We were in Brookhaven for 9 years. We absolutely loved the area and would have stayed there if the public schools were highly rated (or if we could afford private school). We ended up moving out to the OTP burbs.

We were in the well-regarded Montgomery ES zone. We considered staying there and moving before middle school, but figured stability would be better for the kids.