Emory Victoria Estates (Atlanta, Decatur, Druid Hills: buying a home, neighborhoods, buying) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

rentsto3 · 02-19-2008, 08:47 PM

We are looking for information on the neighborhood of older homes around Emory University called Victoria Estates. We are interested in buying a home there, but are concerned about the make-up of the neighborhood.

Does anyone know if this would be a good neighborhood for a family with 3 school-aged children?

We stopped someone on the street to ask them about the residents and they seemed to think many were older/retired folks. Also, this person sent his one child to private school. We are definitely public school people.

This seems like a great neighborhood - nice sized older homes on good sized lots, and close to Emory/Druid Hills, etc. But we don't want to buy there and find out there aren't very many/any kids.

Thanks for any help you can give!

plessthanpointohfive · 02-19-2008, 08:53 PM

Hi, I just answered one of your other threads...

I am not familiar with this neighborhood despite living near the whole Emory area. Can you give me some street names?

However, any of the neighborhoods that surround Emory/CDC are going to be good with good public schools. But there are some where most of the folks are older and young families haven't really started moving in yet...

rentsto3 · 02-19-2008, 09:01 PM

Thanks!
I just replied to yours on the other thread.
We'll keep looking for info... the price is definietly right over there... especialy after life/costs in the D.C. suburbs.. Blech!

rentsto3 · 02-19-2008, 09:03 PM

Streets in Victoria Estates are Mason Mill, Ranier Falls, Castle wood - basically the roads that cross over Houston Mill goin by the Emory Alumni House

plessthanpointohfive · 02-19-2008, 09:06 PM

Oh, I travel to DC for work quite a bit so I know. I keep thinking...Atlanta is the LAST big city where someone like me can afford to live IN the city. I love it here, by the way. If you're curious about my neighborhood check out the thread labeled Candler Park Photos. You can find a home, a 3/2, for ~400K. <4 miles from downtown and ON the east-west MARTA.

Oh, and that's the big thing...MARTA ain't the Metro...unfortunately...but we have hope with the Beltline project and all the people starting to move into the city from areas where public transit is good.

OK, going to check out your other responses....

plessthanpointohfive · 02-19-2008, 09:11 PM

Oh, yes, I know the area....it's lovely if a bit of the suburban feel. I had no idea it was called that! I used to live 36 miles out in the burbs and when I was commuting to the Emory\CDC area I got there through Houston Mill. If you can afford to live there then you can DEFINITELY afford to live in my "hood", which is a perhaps a smidge lower in price...but more urban....more chances to walk to food and entertainment, etc.

However, you CAN walk to Emory from those places in relatively short time. From Candler Park the walk is about an hour. I walk to work (at CDC next door to Emory) often and it takes me about an hour....3.5 miles. Biking it is about 20 minutes at a leisurely pace...

Oh, and I know the public schools there are good. It's in the Dekalb system, which is just as tortured as APS (Atlanta Public Schools - where Morningside ES is) but your kids would go to Druid Hills High, which is adjacent to Emory's campus and is generally thought to be a good high school, though their football team is the pits! LOL!

lastminutemom · 02-20-2008, 04:07 AM

Good Morning.

If it is in DeKalb, you can use this link to find out the schools k-12.

DeKalb County Schools Transportation

then click on bus and school locator

When you enter the street name -- and you need a street name for this to work, follow the instructions carefully... ie you just enter Peachtree not Peachtree St.

All right, I just did it for you -- it looks like it is Briar Vista. Briar Vista is a public montessori school and if your kids are already school age, you need to call the school and ask how they handle it. (theoretically, students who have not been in montessori are not allowed to join after 1st grade.) I know multiple families who have tried the program and moved. Families who are passionate about montessori are happy -- others not so much.

Briar Vista School

Also, in DeKalb, if your kid isn't gifted (and sometimes if they are) the middle school experience varies greatly in quality. This is the case regardless of which middle school your child attends.

You don't say how old your kids are, if any are in high school already, you need to be aware that Druid Hills is on the block and it will be very difficult to transistion in mid-year. (I personally hate the block schedule, but Druid Hills has been doing it the longest and maybe does it better than the rest of DCSS schools that use it.)

TakeAhike · 02-20-2008, 07:27 AM

I would think there would be few families with school aged children in this area.

The City of Decatur is very family oriented.

bhs

IntownHomes247 · 02-20-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

If you can afford to live there then you can DEFINITELY afford to live in my "hood", which is a perhaps a smidge lower in price...but more urban....more chances to walk to food and entertainment, etc.

Pless is talking about Candler Park. Many of the homes in Victoria Estates are actually about twice the price of homes in Candler Park (they are less expensive than Druid Hills, but not by much). Of course, they are twice the size too! The 2 neighborhoods also have a completely different feel. Victoria Estates features huge (and fabulous) ranches on huge (and fabulous) lots -- many of which feel like you're in the North Georgia Mountains (versus bungalows on tiny lots for Candler Park). The neighborhood has a very suburban feeling (versus a very intown/urban feeling for Candler Park).

I suggest you visit the neighborhood during the weekend to see if it feels like the place you'd be comfortable. Also, visit the public schools to see if you're happy with the programs. Paideia is a popular private school in the area, but with 3 kids, I'd imagine that would cost you in the $60k+ range, so unless that's something you'd be comfortable with, you need to see whether or not the public schools in the area suit you.

If you are drawn to Victoria Estates, I think a better alternative for you would probably be the Oak Grove neighborhood. Oak Grove Elementary is consistently ranked one of the top in the state. The neighborhood is very similar to Victoria Estates (except more flat -- less hilly -- so the lots are more useable for playing) with very similar homes, and it is also extremely convenient to Emory/CDC.

plessthanpointohfive · 02-20-2008, 10:02 AM

Last I checked homes in Victoria Estates were running around 600K, which is actually not different from Candler Park if you match houses on number of baths and beds, etc. It's just that Candler Park has a lot of 2/1 houses which go for under 400K where as Victoria Estates probably has NO 2/1...

Personally, even if I could afford to spend millions on a home I'd prefer somewhere LIKe Candler Park (maybe Inman Park) for it's urban vibe over Victoria Estates' post-modern suburban feel.

But, you definitely have to choose for yourself. I can see the appeal of Victoria Estates, especially working where I do. My favorite house is the one on Houston Mill that's set way back in the "woods", next to that park. It was just renovated. It's just a ranch but it probably feels like you're living in the mountains...

I could go for THAT.

HAve fun house hunting!