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I am considering a move to Atlanta area from SLC, Utah. I am a little lost on some of the information and could use some guidance from locals.
- How bad are the mosquitos in summer? I have lived in the upper midwest (Minnesota), and I have been scarred by summer Mosquitos. UT has none, and I love it. I understand GA is in the south with humidity and heat, so there will be mosquitos, but how bad are they? Like, if I go to the neighborhood park for a walk in the evening, would they make it miserable? Can you sit in your backyard at dusk without getting eaten alive?
I see many of the homes have screened decks and that makes me a little scared.
- I have heard how hot Atlanta gets. But is it really that bad? I have experienced Houston in August, and it was rough. Does it get that swampy in Atlanta?
- As I mentioned, I am looking at Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, suwanee and a few other cities in that vicinity. My reason is to aim for good public schools as I have two grade school kids. Are there any alternatives to these areas that aren't too far from Alpharetta where I may be working? The housing in these areas is looking really competitive, with bidding wars, so having alternatives would help.
- Atlanta looks like a jungle Does that mean lots of yard work, as most homes I am looking at have lots of trees on the property? How bad is it, like fall clean-up?
- Any tips for things I should look for when buying a house? Like directions of the house (east-facing vs west-facing). Avoiding basements? Mold issues to look for? Bad traffic areas?
- How early does spring comes in (when leaves start growing back) and when does fall occur? In Utah, spring comes in quite late which I don't like. For me, it feels like winter even on warmer spring days when it's all grey.
That it. Really glad to have a resource like this forum to get help. I don't know anyone in Atlanta metro to ask these questions otherwise.
- As I mentioned, I am looking at Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, suwanee and a few other cities in that vicinity. My reason is to aim for good public schools as I have two grade school kids. Are there any alternatives to these areas that aren't too far from Alpharetta where I may be working? The housing in these areas is looking really competitive, with bidding wars, so having alternatives would help.
Hello wntrsux!
Others will chime in about the rest of your inquiries, but I will comment on the part above.
If you will be working in the Alpharetta Area, and you want to look for a home in areas with similar attributes to Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, and Suwanee, then I recommend adding the following areas to your search list:
Roswell
South Forsyth
West Forsyth
Cumming
Milton
East Cobb
Eastern Cherokee County (Hickory Flat, East Woodstock, Arnold Mill, Macedonia, Free Home)
I am considering a move to Atlanta area from SLC, Utah. I am a little lost on some of the information and could use some guidance from locals.
- How bad are the mosquitos in summer? I have lived in the upper midwest (Minnesota), and I have been scarred by summer Mosquitos. UT has none, and I love it. I understand GA is in the south with humidity and heat, so there will be mosquitos, but how bad are they? Like, if I go to the neighborhood park for a walk in the evening, would they make it miserable? Can you sit in your backyard at dusk without getting eaten alive?
I see many of the homes have screened decks and that makes me a little scared.
The mosquitoes often may not be as bad as they can be at lower elevations in the Southeast (much of metro Atlanta sits more than 1,000 feet above sea level) and/or in other parts of the U.S. east of the Rockies... But the mosquitoes often may be much worse than you might be used to in a relatively much dryer, much higher elevation Western state like Utah.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wntrsux
- I have heard how hot Atlanta gets. But is it really that bad? I have experienced Houston in August, and it was rough. Does it get that swampy in Atlanta?
Because of the significantly higher elevation of 1,000+ feet throughout much of the area, Atlanta does not get as “swampy” or as humid as a lower-elevation coastal city/metro like Houston, which is located almost immediately near the Gulf of Mexico only about 50 feet above sea level.
But Atlanta definitely will feel MUCH more humid than Salt Lake City during the summer months (particularly during the months of June, July and August).
The sometimes constant rains may also take some getting used to in some years. Very much like Houston, Atlanta averages about 50 inches of precipitation per year (compared to about just over 15 inches of average annual precipitation in Salt Lake City)... But there will be many years when Atlanta may receive between 55-75 inches of rain in a year.
Even though Atlanta is located almost 300 miles away, the Gulf of Mexico often has a very powerful influence on Atlanta’s weather, with the Gulf being responsible for the Atlanta area’s abundant annual precipitation and comparatively high average relative humidity (68% avg. relative humidity in Atlanta compared to 55% avg. relative humidity in SLC). The Gulf also often may affect Atlanta’s weather with the remnants of tropical storm systems (including remnants of hurricanes) in the late summer and early fall (particularly during the month of September).
Quote:
Originally Posted by wntrsux
- As I mentioned, I am looking at Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, suwanee and a few other cities in that vicinity. My reason is to aim for good public schools as I have two grade school kids. Are there any alternatives to these areas that aren't too far from Alpharetta where I may be working? The housing in these areas is looking really competitive, with bidding wars, so having alternatives would help.
Forsyth County (including Cumming and the Forsyth County side of Alpharetta and Suwanee) would be your first best alternative option... That’s because Forsyth County features an extremely highly rated school system that continues to rise in quality and regard.
Otherwise, if you can’t find anything in Forsyth County that you might like, potentially be prepared move into a higher-density residential dwelling (like a townhome, a condo or an apartment) in a North Atlanta suburban area that is in very high demand right now but often seems to have very limited housing supply.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wntrsux
- Atlanta looks like a jungle Does that mean lots of yard work, as most homes I am looking at have lots of trees on the property? How bad is it, like fall clean-up?
It may depend on what kind of property you move into. If you happen to move into a property where the yard basically is nothing but trees/woods and plants (but little or no grass), then you possibly may not have much yard work if your yard happens to be a forest.
If you move into a property with a good amount of grass but lots of trees nearby then you may have much yard work if you choose to do it yourself and do not hire a yard service (which may come in handy during the years when abundant rainfall makes the grass grow like crazy). And if you end up living in a higher-density dwelling (which is something that is not out of the question given the highly competitive state of much of the suburban North Atlanta real estate market) then yard work obviously may not be much of a concern.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wntrsux
- Any tips for things I should look for when buying a house? Like directions of the house (east-facing vs west-facing). Avoiding basements? Mold issues to look for? Bad traffic areas?
I guess that one thing of note is that many home basements will be walkout basements where only 3 sides of the basement are in the ground and you may be able to walk out of the rear of the basement.
Mold sometimes can be an issue, particularly in older/mature home structures or occasionally in poorly built newer home structures.
Community swimming pools are popular in Georgia (suburban metro Atlanta), particularly for the social element for children and families, so be aware of that many/most newer communities may be built around a community swimming pool as a main feature.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wntrsux
- How early does spring comes in (when leaves start growing back) and when does fall occur? In Utah, spring comes in quite late which I don't like. For me, it feels like winter even on warmer spring days when it's all grey.
Spring typically comes in mid-March, but some years can appear as early as late-February (in very warm winter/spring seasons) or as late as early April (if it’s a particularly cold spring season, which is rare, but does happen).
The mosquitoes often may not be as bad as they can be at lower elevations in the Southeast (much of metro Atlanta sits more than 1,000 feet above sea level) and/or in other parts of the U.S. east of the Rockies... But the mosquitoes often may be much worse than you might be used to in a relatively much dryer, much higher elevation Western state like Utah.
Because of the significantly higher elevation of 1,000+ feet throughout much of the area, Atlanta does not get as “swampy” or as humid as a lower-elevation coastal city/metro like Houston, which is located almost immediately near the Gulf of Mexico only about 50 feet above sea level.
But Atlanta definitely will feel MUCH more humid than Salt Lake City during the summer months (particularly during the months of June, July and August).
The sometimes constant rains may also take some getting used to in some years. Very much like Houston, Atlanta averages about 50 inches of precipitation per year (compared to about just over 15 inches of average annual precipitation in Salt Lake City)... But there will be many years when Atlanta may receive between 55-75 inches of rain in a year.
Even though Atlanta is located almost 300 miles away, the Gulf of Mexico often has a very powerful influence on Atlanta’s weather, with the Gulf being responsible for the Atlanta area’s abundant annual precipitation and comparatively high average relative humidity (68% avg. relative humidity in Atlanta compared to 55% avg. relative humidity in SLC). The Gulf also often may affect Atlanta’s weather with the remnants of tropical storm systems (including remnants of hurricanes) in the late summer and early fall (particularly during the month of September).
Forsyth County (including Cumming and the Forsyth County side of Alpharetta and Suwanee) would be your first best alternative option... That’s because Forsyth County features an extremely highly rated school system that continues to rise in quality and regard.
Otherwise, if you can’t find anything in Forsyth County that you might like, potentially be prepared move into a higher-density residential dwelling (like a townhome, a condo or an apartment) in a North Atlanta suburban area that is in very high demand right now but often seems to have very limited housing supply.
It may depend on what kind of property you move into. If you happen to move into a property where the yard basically is nothing but trees/woods and plants (but little or no grass), then you possibly may not have much yard work if your yard happens to be a forest.
If you move into a property with a good amount of grass but lots of trees nearby then you may have much yard work if you choose to do it yourself and do not hire a yard service (which may come in handy during the years when abundant rainfall makes the grass grow like crazy). And if you end up living in a higher-density dwelling (which is something that is not out of the question given the highly competitive state of much of the suburban North Atlanta real estate market) then yard work obviously may not be much of a concern.
I guess that one thing of note is that many home basements will be walkout basements where only 3 sides of the basement are in the ground and you may be able to walk out of the rear of the basement.
Mold sometimes can be an issue, particularly in older/mature home structures or occasionally in poorly built newer home structures.
Community swimming pools are popular in Georgia (suburban metro Atlanta), particularly for the social element for children and families, so be aware of that many/most newer communities may be built around a community swimming pool as a main feature.
Spring typically comes in mid-March, but some years can appear as early as late-February (in very warm winter/spring seasons) or as late as early April (if it’s a particularly cold spring season, which is rare, but does happen).
Thank you so much for your detailed response. This is really helpful. Especially the data about mosquitos.
I am considering a move to Atlanta area from SLC, Utah. I am a little lost on some of the information and could use some guidance from locals.
- How bad are the mosquitos in summer? I have lived in the upper midwest (Minnesota), and I have been scarred by summer Mosquitos. UT has none, and I love it. I understand GA is in the south with humidity and heat, so there will be mosquitos, but how bad are they? Like, if I go to the neighborhood park for a walk in the evening, would they make it miserable? Can you sit in your backyard at dusk without getting eaten alive?
I see many of the homes have screened decks and that makes me a little scared.
- I have heard how hot Atlanta gets. But is it really that bad? I have experienced Houston in August, and it was rough. Does it get that swampy in Atlanta?
- As I mentioned, I am looking at Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Duluth, suwanee and a few other cities in that vicinity. My reason is to aim for good public schools as I have two grade school kids. Are there any alternatives to these areas that aren't too far from Alpharetta where I may be working? The housing in these areas is looking really competitive, with bidding wars, so having alternatives would help.
- Atlanta looks like a jungle Does that mean lots of yard work, as most homes I am looking at have lots of trees on the property? How bad is it, like fall clean-up?
- Any tips for things I should look for when buying a house? Like directions of the house (east-facing vs west-facing). Avoiding basements? Mold issues to look for? Bad traffic areas?
- How early does spring comes in (when leaves start growing back) and when does fall occur? In Utah, spring comes in quite late which I don't like. For me, it feels like winter even on warmer spring days when it's all grey.
That it. Really glad to have a resource like this forum to get help. I don't know anyone in Atlanta metro to ask these questions otherwise.
Thanks!!
Atlanta definitely has mosquitoes, having lived 20 years in MN I would say they are about 50% as bad as MN.
Atlanta gets warm, but not on the level of FL, TX, or AZ. Even less so for the coveted northern burbs as they are in the foothills with decent elevation. In fact, ours summers are on par with Washington DC if that helps, hot, but not crazy.
Also consider woodstock, east Cobb, Roswell, cumming, Suwannee, Milton, Alpharetta, parts of sandy springs, dawsonville, canton
Yes, yards are a bid deal down hear. I can attest WFH that you hear yard crews more often than not. My neighbors are obsessed with talking about grass, trees, flower beds, etc.
When buying a house, look for “swim/tennis” communities if you have young children. Also, flat backyards and homes with basements are tough to find and coveted.
I’d say spring starts in April, fall starts in mid October on the average?
I wouldn't even say the mosquitoes are 50% of MN, more like 30% - the amount of them is closer to Utah than Minnesota. I have yet to see clouds of them, just occasional, but you swat them anywhere there's water in the Rocky Mountains too. Coastal Georgia can be bad, but in the ATL area they really are not a nuisance. There's just not enough standing water in northern Georgia. Now spiders are a big deal, those are everywhere, but they generally don't bite. Snakes aren't a big deal either unless your by creeks.
For weather, let me put it this way, August is nicer than January in Atlanta with more nice temps. The jungle level shade makes a world of difference and even if it's hot in the afternoon, mornings are almost always comfortable. Coming from Colorado, the weather is way better here.
Almost everyone I talk to in Suwanee, Buford, Duluth, Johns Creek etc said schools were a big reason for the move. I kinda don't like it because everyone is older than me or has kids younger than me but it might be a perfect fit for you. If you work in Alpharetta, you'd want to be west of the Chattahoochee, that's sort of a traffic bottleneck that divides the region a bit.
For the mosquitoes question, if you live in the metro area, you shouldn't worry. I don't even remember the last time I was bit by a mosquito living here.
I’m a California transplant and have lived in Johns Creek for the past 7-8 months. I lived in California for close to 9 years and also spent 25 years in Kansas City.
I can only share my experiences from a very limited sample size, but here is what I’ve experienced.
1) Mosquitoes have been my biggest adjustment. I think I experienced 4-5 mosquito bites in California in 9 years. KC had mosquitoes, but I’d say Georgia has more. We screened in our deck/porch so we’re really looking forward to this summer! It’s fine though, you’ll adjust.
2) Atlanta’s weather was surprisingly really good this past summer. Yea it’s hot, but really not any hotter than KC.
3) We are in the Johns Creek HS cluster and we love our area. We’re Asian but specifically chose JC high school over Northview because we wanted our kids to be exposed to diversity.
4) Our home faces north. The only issue with that is our driveway doesn’t get a lot of sun. The upside to that is that we have skylights on the south side of our home and we get a tremendous amount of natural light.
I would look at South Forsyth mainly Lambert & South Forsyth High school districts. I live in the area & it's only about a 15 minute commute to exit 10 Alpharetta in the morning.
Thank you everyone for the helpful comments. Really helped clear my head around fuzzy areas.
*Another quick question for those who have experience with the school district in these cities. Do schools allow out-of-area/boundary kids to attend? Is it even possible? I am also considering renting when I move, to avoid this insane housing market. However, it would suck to put my kids in school this year, and then move them again next year If I end up finding the right house in the neighboring community. I don't mind driving them 15/20 minutes. Any experience there?
Thank you!
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Does that mean lots of yard work, as most homes I am looking at have lots of trees on the property? How bad is it, like fall clean-up?
