Big Smyrna lover moving to West Cobb @ Smyrna's "due West" (Atlanta: appointed, real estate)

[netdragon]

I love Smyrna. I love the convenience. I love being right off the Silver Comet. I'm loving that Sprouts just went up within walking distance of my house. However, my kids need to get outside more. Well, I just switched jobs, my new job being in Marietta, and all of a sudden being closer to Atlanta doesn't matter, for now. Suddenly, West Cobb is an equal commute. The lure of getting almost a flat acre new construction won, for now. Not a hilly something or a sliver of land like new construction in Smyrna/Vinings mind you. My new lot in West Cobb could gobble up about ten lots where I currently am.

This is really a sacrifice on all accounts, other than commute, just to get more land. Not even a bigger house since I could have moved up in size with new construction and stayed in Smyrna for the price, but I'd still have a sliver of land. The biggest one being distance to entertainment just when Cumberland is starting to pop. Sigh.

First new construction home as well. For others: It's important to hire an engineer and inspector to do a framing inspection halfway through no matter how good the builder's reputation is. I'm glad we did that.

Not gonna give up on getting back to Smyrna, but the reality in Smyrna is that to "affordably" build exactly what I just did in West Cobb on even close to the same amount of usable land, I'm going to need to get a couple side-by-side tear-down lots first then pay that off then build something custom.

Still, picked the part of West Cobb that is more like Smyrna in some ways: I chose off Macland Rd outside the East-West Connector "perimeter" of Smyrna and Marietta for various reasons including that it's still near a trail, more convenient to Smyrna than the other parts of West Cobb, the greater diversity around Powder Springs than other parts of West Cobb, and that it's Smyrna's due West.

Shopping-wise, around Smyrna is better than West Cobb mm-kay. However, once we past that fact: one thing I like is that I can still hit many of the places on the East-West connector that I could from Smyrna (the value shopping), can get to Avenues of West Cobb via Casteel Rd, and also to Hiram or the Marietta Square. I'll still need to head to Smyrna, Vinings and Cumberland for some things.

Powder Springs is also close by and I always found it kind of cute in a historic-looking sort of way. Not a great shopping scene but it does make a very nice trailhead entrance with some food places within walking distance, if not too picky that day.

Amazingly, prices in the "more established" Harrison Due West versus where I built weren't too different, and Hillgrove district is probably cheaper. At least for the same amount of land.

Edit: By the way, it'll be interesting to see what the Windy Hill tunnel Smyrna's building is gonna mean for Macland Rd<->Smyrna driving during rush-hour. I doubt have high hopes it'll provide any traffic relief for anyone outside of Smyrna. What it will do is what it's really being done for in the first place: Economic development by making Windy Hill more walkable and accessible for local traffic. In the end, that'll put even more cars on Windy Hill Rd to/from Smyrna In short, Windy Hill is doomed unless a tunnel eventually goes all the way from Austell Rd to Fox Creek golf course. East-West Connector is *gulp* less congested and probably always will be.

[AfternoonCoffee]

Congratulations! You just described the thought process almost all parents go through at some point. Yard, schools, commute: the three main real estate issues parents wrestle with. (And you mentioned all three)

You shouldn't have to justify your decisions. People on this board will already understand because they've BTDT, or they'll argue every point anyway

Good luck and congratulations!

[evannole]

netdragon, nice to see you back on here. Congrats on your move. I am sure you will be happy, though I am also certain that Smyrna will miss you and your advocacy.

We left Smyrna for similar reasons, first and foremost of which was that new construction in the area had just gotten too expensive for our tastes. Land wasn't a priority for us, which is why we are quite happy with our miniscule lot (that still provides an enormous amount of outdoor living space) in our new urbanist development in downtown Marietta. Quality and generous square footage were concerns, however, and we were finding that it was difficult to find both of those in Smyrna new builds without going well over budget. We have been pleasantly surprised at how much we like the new neighborhood, though, and how little we truly miss Smyrna and Vinings.

As you said, I am sure you will keep going to Smyrna and and Vinings for certain things, as we have. I pass the Paces Ferry Publix most days on the way home from work, and if I need groceries, that's still the best store in the region, in my estimation. I am still getting my pizzas at Bella's or Zucca. But do check out things around the Marietta Square. I have been pleasantly surprised at how much there is to do there, both in terms of activities and restaurants / retail. On weekends, we don't stray much from the neighborhood at all.

Glad to hear you like Sprouts. We checked it out recently and honestly were a bit disappointed, though that was probably driven, in part, by how crowded it was. Still, I don't see us making many special trips to it.

Hope we will be seeing you more often on the forum once again. Keep us posted on your new build. We went through that quite recently. Your advice to have the place inspected while it is still in the process of framing is a good one, and something we did also. Building a new place from scratch is a ton of fun, and while it brings its own challenges and stresses, the end product is incredibly worth it, at least in our case.

[hautemomma]

I don't know why you sound so apologetic, NetDragon. Adults/parents have to make logical choices that are not based on the needs or wants of our former single, childless selves. Priorities change and preferences may alter or expand. I live in Kennesaw, and I can get to Smyrna, Powder Springs and Marietta with ease (let alone anywhere else within about 30 minutes when there's no traffic). At the same time, the public schools my children attend are highly rated; I am near great parks; shopping is abundant; diversity is rampant; the "village like scene" of downtown Marietta is nearby; and the community is among the safest and crime-free, I dare say, in Metro Atlanta, period.

[netdragon]

I got lucky with one thing: I was concerned it wouldn't appreciate the way Smyrna is, since that part of Cobb (near Moon Rd, New Macland, etc) is not very developed. But Hiram has gone on fire, filling up fast and I find out that a little chunk of Paulding county is going to be filled up by a reservoir (quite ironically on the other end of Dabbs Bridge Rd from Allatoona). All of a sudden Paulding county is putting significant pressure on West Cobb real estate and I'm not too worried whether I'll lose out on any appreciation. When Hiram appreciates to where West Cobb is now, obviously we know what will happen to West Cobb.

For the sake of Cobb County, I hope someday the area between West Cobb and Smyrna starts to appreciate (Austell Rd area)

[hautemomma]

Hiram actually has a quaint and nice "downtown" village. I've been there a few times and can certainly understand the appeal of the pastoral, country-like atmosphere with all the necessities and conveniences one needs for daily living, while being about 45 minutes from the COA.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by netdragon

I got lucky with one thing: I was concerned it wouldn't appreciate the way Smyrna is, since that part of Cobb (near Moon Rd, New Macland, etc) is not very developed. But Hiram has gone on fire, filling up fast and I find out that a little chunk of Paulding county is going to be filled up by a reservoir (quite ironically on the other end of Dabbs Bridge Rd from Allatoona). All of a sudden Paulding county is putting significant pressure on West Cobb real estate and I'm not too worried whether I'll lose out on any appreciation. When Hiram appreciates to where West Cobb is now, obviously we know what will happen to West Cobb.

For the sake of Cobb County, I hope someday the area between West Cobb and Smyrna starts to appreciate (Austell Rd area)

Austell and Windy Hill corridors were leapfrogged by new investment.

[netdragon]

Originally Posted by hautemomma

Hiram actually has a quaint and nice "downtown" village. I've been there a few times and can certainly understand the appeal of the pastoral, country-like atmosphere with all the necessities and conveniences one needs for daily living, while being about 45 minutes from the COA.

Hiram is hot right now, just like Cobb County and the rest of NW metro. Not sure how long that rural atmosphere will last. It may take some zoning magic for long-time residents to keep the Bill Carruth Pkwy stuff from invading 92 when full build-out on Bill Carruth happens in the very near future, assuming they don't want the center of town to turn into mcmansion central.

[jane078]

I live in West Cobb. While the lack of interstate access is annoying, I do really love being just about equidistant from Hiram (Super Target!), Kennesaw/Town Center, Marietta Square, and "Eastell" (EW Connector/Austell shops). The only thing I'd really like are more restaurants within a 10 minute drive. Maybe one day.

I think the biggest disadvantage is that going into the city (Atlanta) seems like a day trip-- too much effort and distance for a dinner out unless it's a special occasion.

[aries4118]

Nettie,

Are you in the Hillgrove district or McEachern district?