Family moving to Decatur

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Nycsully

Thanks - this is all helpful information. Especially the details about traffic and safe areas for walking. We have a rising kindergartener and 3rd grader, so I have at least a few years of 2 separate school dropoffs/pickups which makes the southern Decatur neighborhoods of Oakhurst and Winona Park more attractive (since the K-2 & Talley/FAVE are closer together). But, those neighborhoods also seem to have fewer houses/townhomes under $500k. Does anyone do a westchester /clairemont + FAVE drop-off? I’m thinking it’s probably not feasible to walk/bike it?

Westchester is on the west side of Scott St. I see plenty of people crossing Scott St. (from the east) at the lights with the crossing guards to get to Westchester, but I don't think I would. Its a really busy street with lots of turns and relatively fast speeds. They don't really enforce the school zone speed limits (I've seen people on more than one ocassion drive 45-50 right past a Decatur police officer during school zone hours with no reaction from the police officer).

So while Westchester and Clairemont are close, Scott is a big barrier. 5th Avenue is a long ways off and on the other side of the RR tracks.

[stoxdiamond]

Originally Posted by Nycsully

But, those neighborhoods also seem to have fewer houses/townhomes under $500k.

Anything under $500k in the City of Decatur is either going to need heavy renovations or be a candidate for a teardown.

[red92s]

I wouldn't rule bus service out for kids at the 3/4/5 level if you end up north of the tracks. The east-west rail line is a big choke point, as there are only 5 (?) options for going over/under within the city limits. The Mcdonough intersection is particularly problematic as the high school and middle schools nearby add significantly to the volume there. The inability to locate the additional 3/4/5 north of the tracks was a huge bummer, but at some point you've got to build where the land is available. So you are certainly correct that for the most part, the neighborhoods on the south side of the tracks offer better access to both the K-2, 3-5, and middle schools because you won't be forced to cross the tracks to get to any of them. But again, living north of the tracks and putting your kids on the school bus isn't the end of the world.

The scarcity of housing under half a million dollars underscores the fact that you are making similar choices to a lot of people. There aren't magic pockets of $400k bungalows and townhomes left anywhere in the city.

[Nycsully]

That’s a great point. I didn’t think about buses. I’ll look up the school district’s policy. We’ve been keeping an eye on the 3/2 housing market for about a month now, & it seems that what you all are saying is correct about the market for 3/2 houses under $500k. We may have to raise our max price .