Moving to Atlanta in a few months (Sandy Springs, Marietta: sales, 2015)

[draconos]

So after 2 years of waiting my family is finally ready to make the jump to Atlanta area. We will be putting our Illinois home on the market at the beginning of March and usually its been a 75 day turn around with sales and closing.

We are looking for some advice on some good, diverse cities with good schools, close shopping and good downtown. We have a 7yo little one that will be attending school. I would be the only one working and commuting maybe once or twice a month to Sandy Springs office so traffic isnt really that big of a deal since I wouldnt be dealing with it often off to annoy me.

We are in the market for a 250K home with 4+ bedrooms and 2+ baths. We have looked at the Lawrenceville/Dacula/Grayson areas since we have family that stays in Snellville that we kinda want to be close to but not too close. Our adult niece will be also moving to the area with us but she will eventually move out closer to an area more accessible to public transit. Are there any other suggested areas that we should be looking at?

[primaltech]

Downtown Lawrenceville is a great little spot, and it's up and coming, with lots of ambitious plans for the future. It's already interesting, but they want to make it more like the squares of Marietta or Decatur, which are 2 of the best spots in all of the Atlanta metro.

And it's very relatively affordable out there. Because most people don't have the luxury of not having to commute, which the commute is harsh from out there. I used to live at a couple spots in and near Lawrenceville proper. If I didn't have to work, at jobs which are mostly closer to 285 and Fulton, then I'd be mostly fine still living there. It's a good area.

Dacula and Grayson though, IMO too boring, and too far from Atlanta.

Also look at Duluth, and their historic town center area, which similar to Lawrenceville is also developing and going to be developing.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by primaltech

Downtown Lawrenceville is a great little spot, and it's up and coming, with lots of ambitious plans for the future. It's already interesting, but they want to make it more like the squares of Marietta or Decatur, which are 2 of the best spots in all of the Atlanta metro.

And it's very relatively affordable out there. Because most people don't have the luxury of not having to commute, which the commute is harsh from out there. I used to live at a couple spots in and near Lawrenceville proper. If I didn't have to work, at jobs which are mostly closer to 285 and Fulton, then I'd be mostly fine still living there. It's a good area.

Dacula and Grayson though, IMO too boring, and too far from Atlanta.

Also look at Duluth, and their historic town center area, which similar to Lawrenceville is also developing and going to be developing.

primaltech makes some excellent points about the ambitious future of Downtown Lawrenceville and the affordability of the Lawrenceville area.

Though it should be noted that even though some may think that outlying neighboring areas like Dacula and Grayson may appear to be "too boring" and "too far from Atlanta," areas neighboring Lawrenceville like Dacula and Grayson (along with neighboring Snellville and nearby Loganville) are areas where the OP is most likely to find the type of home that they are looking for (a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home) in their preferred price range of $250k and less.

Also, areas like Dacula, Grayson, Snellville and Loganville may be viewed as uneventful bedroom communities where very little activity happens, but that is not the case.

Areas like Dacula, Grayson, Snellville and Loganville are home to some great public schools of very high quality (particularly in the clusters of schools anchored by Dacula, Grayson, Brookwood and Archer high schools) supported by great communities.

The cluster of schools anchored by Dacula High School are solid above-average schools while the schools in the cluster of schools anchored by Grayson and Archer high schools have reputations as being schools that are significantly above-average in quality.

The cluster of schools anchored by Brookwood High School have a reputation as being amongst some of the best public schools in the entire Southeastern U.S. Brookwood High School itself consistently gets 10 out of 10 marks for the quality of education that the school delivers.

Each of the four schools in question (Dacula, Grayson, Brookwood and Archer) are known to have excellent athletic programs that garner much community support year-in and year-out.

The Lawrenceville area (which stretches over a relatively larger geographical area than the other areas mentioned) is served by all or parts of about 6 high school clusters (Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Collins Hill, Mountain View, Berkmar, Brookwood and Archer).

Brookwood, Archer and Mountain View are the best school clusters in the Lawrenceville area, with the Brookwood area being an area of schools that stands out on a national scale.

Collins Hill is a cluster of very good schools but is a cluster of schools that has been known to experience problems with overcrowding at times over the last two decades.

Discovery is a cluster of schools anchored by a brand new high school (Discovery High School, opened in 2015) with a great curriculum and state-of-the-art physical facilities but a very high population of lower-income transient students and families that adversely affects academic rankings and outcomes.

Central Gwinnett and Berkmar are good high schools that appear to be overwhelmed with populations of lower-income transient students and families that adversely affect academic results.

Lawrenceville is also home to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds (which serves all of Gwinnett County) which is the site of the Gwinnett County Fair in the fall as well as to many other public events and exhibitions throughout the entire year.

Meanwhile, the communities mentioned are served by the Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation Department which is recognized as one of the best urban parks & recreational departments in the nation.

Overall, that part of the metro area (Lawrenceville, Snellville, Dacula, Grayson, Loganville in central/south/eastern Gwinnett County) is an excellent place for you to look in because of the availability of houses in your price range in an area of great schools and lots of amenities (retail, parks, events, etc).

One probably cannot get much better for a housing budget of $250k and less than what you will get in the Lawrenceville, Snellville, Dacula, Grayson and Loganville areas of Gwinnett County.

[draconos]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

primaltech makes some excellent points about the ambitious future of Downtown Lawrenceville and the affordability of the Lawrenceville area.

Though it should be noted that even though some may think that outlying neighboring areas like Dacula and Grayson may appear to be "too boring" and "too far from Atlanta," areas neighboring Lawrenceville like Dacula and Grayson (along with neighboring Snellville and nearby Loganville) are areas where the OP is most likely to find the type of home that they are looking for (a 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home) in their preferred price range of $250k and less.

Also, areas like Dacula, Grayson, Snellville and Loganville may be viewed as uneventful bedroom communities where very little activity happens, but that is not the case.

Areas like Dacula, Grayson, Snellville and Loganville are home to some great public schools of very high quality (particularly in the clusters of schools anchored by Dacula, Grayson, Brookwood and Archer high schools) supported by great communities.

The cluster of schools anchored by Dacula High School are solid above-average schools while the schools in the cluster of schools anchored by Grayson and Archer high schools have reputations as being schools that are significantly above-average in quality.

The cluster of schools anchored by Brookwood High School have a reputation as being amongst some of the best public schools in the entire Southeastern U.S. Brookwood High School itself consistently gets 10 out of 10 marks for the quality of education that the school delivers.

Each of the four schools in question (Dacula, Grayson, Brookwood and Archer) are known to have excellent athletic programs that garner much community support year-in and year-out.

The Lawrenceville area (which stretches over a relatively larger geographical area than the other areas mentioned) is served by all or parts of about 6 high school clusters (Central Gwinnett, Discovery, Collins Hill, Mountain View, Berkmar, Brookwood and Archer).

Brookwood, Archer and Mountain View are the best school clusters in the Lawrenceville area, with the Brookwood area being an area of schools that stands out on a national scale.

Collins Hill is a cluster of very good schools but is a cluster of schools that has been known to experience problems with overcrowding at times over the last two decades.

Discovery is a cluster of schools anchored by a brand new high school (Discovery High School, opened in 2015) with a great curriculum and state-of-the-art physical facilities but a very high population of lower-income transient students and families that adversely affects academic rankings and outcomes.

Central Gwinnett and Berkmar are good high schools that appear to be overwhelmed with populations of lower-income transient students and families that adversely affect academic results.

Lawrenceville is also home to the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds (which serves all of Gwinnett County) which is the site of the Gwinnett County Fair in the fall as well as to many other public events and exhibitions throughout the entire year.

Meanwhile, the communities mentioned are served by the Gwinnett County Parks & Recreation Department which is recognized as one of the best urban parks & recreational departments in the nation.

Overall, that part of the metro area (Lawrenceville, Snellville, Dacula, Grayson, Loganville in central/south/eastern Gwinnett County) is an excellent place for you to look in because of the availability of houses in your price range in an area of great schools and lots of amenities (retail, parks, events, etc).

One probably cannot get much better for a housing budget of $250k and less than what you will get in the Lawrenceville, Snellville, Dacula, Grayson and Loganville areas of Gwinnett County.

Thanks to both of you for all the information. We were worried about the bad ratings on Central Gwinnett but with your explanation really expands on it. We were looking at new builds in Loganville. So much to digest thanks again for any help