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My family and I will be moving from NJ to GA in the next few months once we close on our house. We are looking for a 4 bedroom house from 2500 sqft and up with a maximum budget of 410,000. We would like to be around 45min from the city. We would also like to be in a neighborhood with good schools- we don’t have children in school yet but the oldest will start in 2years. My husband and I both work from home so commuting to work is not an issue- only taking our oldest to daycare and picking her up.
My question is, what neighborhoods would you suggest? With our limited budget and house prices going up, we know we have to be open minded so, we don’t mind a quiet or busy neighborhood as long as it’s safe and has a few local restaurants and grocery store.
We have been out to look around neighborhoods and we did like Loganville, Buford and Duluth when we visited last year but house prices are going up and don’t think we will find a home there in our budget in the next few months. We also liked some parts of Hampton but I know the schools aren’t so great there but we did see a lot of new developments going on.
We have seen a few homes on Zillow in areas such as Newnan, Gainesville, Stockbridge, Grayson and Lawrenceville that we really like but we are not sure about the schools and crime/safety. Any advice about these neighborhoods and other recommended neighborhoods with 45mins of the city would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Grayson is a very good option if you found a home that you like and can afford to buy in that area.
Grayson has good schools in the cluster of the GCPS (Gwinnett County Public Schools) system anchored by Grayson High School.
The Grayson HS cluster is an excellent alternative for families that may not be able to afford to buy into the nearby highly-rated Brookwood HS and Parkview HS clusters.
Lawrenceville has good to above-average schools in the Collins Hill HS, Mountain View HS and Archer HS clusters of the GCPS system.
Newnan has highly-rated schools in the Northgate HS cluster of the Coweta County Schools system, solidly above-average schools in the East Coweta HS cluster of Coweta County Schools system, and slightly but safely above-average schools in the Newnan HS cluster of the Coweta County Schools system.
Schools can be hit-or-miss in the Gainesville and Stockbridge areas, which are both continuing to be affected by rapidly changing demographics in their areas.
Though the schools in both areas have their highlights and can be good options for families with decidedly limited housing budgets.
Gainesville and Hall and Forsyth counties can be a really good option for families that may enjoy living a Southeastern U.S./Southern Appalachian foothills exurban lifestyle and want to live close to the Blue Ridge Mountains region of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.
Stockbridge and Henry County can be a really good option for people who have to commute to work in Southeast metro Atlanta and/or want to be closer to the Georgia/South Carolina coast on the Atlantic Ocean and getaway/vacation spots in Florida.
My family and I will be moving from NJ to GA in the next few months once we close on our house. We are looking for a 4 bedroom house from 2500 sqft and up with a maximum budget of 410,000. We would like to be around 45min from the city. We would also like to be in a neighborhood with good schools- we don’t have children in school yet but the oldest will start in 2years. My husband and I both work from home so commuting to work is not an issue- only taking our oldest to daycare and picking her up.
My question is, what neighborhoods would you suggest? With our limited budget and house prices going up, we know we have to be open minded so, we don’t mind a quiet or busy neighborhood as long as it’s safe and has a few local restaurants and grocery store.
We have been out to look around neighborhoods and we did like Loganville, Buford and Duluth when we visited last year but house prices are going up and don’t think we will find a home there in our budget in the next few months. We also liked some parts of Hampton but I know the schools aren’t so great there but we did see a lot of new developments going on.
We have seen a few homes on Zillow in areas such as Newnan, Gainesville, Stockbridge, Grayson and Lawrenceville that we really like but we are not sure about the schools and crime/safety. Any advice about these neighborhoods and other recommended neighborhoods with 45mins of the city would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
You also possibly may be able to find more housing options that fit your criteria within your budget in a hotly competitive metro Atlanta housing market if you’re willing to include condominiums and townhomes in your housing search.
Not really. Just as long as it’s safe and has good schools. I know we are limited so I don’t want to add further “filters” into the equation. I would prefer modern/updated features within the home. I don’t want to move into an area with older homes that need renovation
Your max housing budget of $410k will go farther in some areas than it will in others.
With a few notable exceptions like older homes that may need some noticeable updates, your max housing budget of $410k very likely often will not be enough to get you into a detached single-family home throughout much of the ‘Golden Triangle’ part of the Atlanta metropolitan area between Interstates 75 and 85 on the Northside of the Atlanta metro.
That ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 on the Northside of the Atlanta metro is the ‘Favored Quarter’ of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area and region where there is the most wealth and affluence, where there are the most amenities (including the highest-rated schools), and where there is the most demand for (and there often is the most limited supply of) housing.
And while the amenities may not be as highly regarded as the amenities are within that ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 North, the remainder of the Atlanta suburbs and exurbs outside of that ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 North probably may be where you may be most likely to find the 4-bedroom home for $410k and under that you are looking for.
Your max housing budget of $410k will go farther in some areas than it will in others.
With a few notable exceptions like older homes that may need some noticeable updates, your max housing budget of $410k very likely often will not be enough to get you into a detached single-family home throughout much of the ‘Golden Triangle’ part of the Atlanta metropolitan area between Interstates 75 and 85 on the Northside of the Atlanta metro.
That ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 on the Northside of the Atlanta metro is the ‘Favored Quarter’ of the greater Atlanta metropolitan area and region where there is the most wealth and affluence, where there are the most amenities (including the highest-rated schools), and where there is the most demand for (and there often is the most limited supply of) housing.
And while the amenities may not be as highly regarded as the amenities are within that ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 North, the remainder of the Atlanta suburbs and exurbs outside of that ‘Golden Triangle’ area between Interstates 75 and 85 North probably may be where you may be most likely to find the 4-bedroom home for $410k and under that you are looking for.
Thanks for that. Would those be the locations I mentioned in the original post? I just want the best with the budget we have. So, with that being said, what would some of those locations be with my budget? I hear you have a lot of knowledge, so I would appreciate further input.
Grayson is a very good option if you found a home that you like and can afford to buy in that area.
Grayson has good schools in the cluster of the GCPS (Gwinnett County Public Schools) system anchored by Grayson High School.
The Grayson HS cluster is an excellent alternative for families that may not be able to afford to buy into the nearby highly-rated Brookwood HS and Parkview HS clusters.
Lawrenceville has good to above-average schools in the Collins Hill HS, Mountain View HS and Archer HS clusters of the GCPS system.
Newnan has highly-rated schools in the Northgate HS cluster of the Coweta County Schools system, solidly above-average schools in the East Coweta HS cluster of Coweta County Schools system, and slightly but safely above-average schools in the Newnan HS cluster of the Coweta County Schools system.
Schools can be hit-or-miss in the Gainesville and Stockbridge areas, which are both continuing to be affected by rapidly changing demographics in their areas.
Though the schools in both areas have their highlights and can be good options for families with decidedly limited housing budgets.
Gainesville and Hall and Forsyth counties can be a really good option for families that may enjoy living a Southeastern U.S./Southern Appalachian foothills exurban lifestyle and want to live close to the Blue Ridge Mountains region of North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.
Stockbridge and Henry County can be a really good option for people who have to commute to work in Southeast metro Atlanta and/or want to be closer to the Georgia/South Carolina coast on the Atlantic Ocean and getaway/vacation spots in Florida.
I'm not going to be able to do many of these justice, and frankly some I have never been to. Just trying to give you a place to start:
Kennesaw - great choice. Affordable, classic suburban, great highway access. But a "mall suburb" that sprang out of the 80's with every chain restaurant you can imagine. Good schools, Kennesaw mountain, etc.
Acworth - Similar to Kennesaw, has a giant lake. Has mansions, but also pockets of meth lab trailer parks, so you just need to do your own searching
Northern Powder Springs
Woodstock - probably above your budget, but you'll have to look. Nice place, good schools and highway access. Cute downtown
East Cobb - great place, great schools. 95% will be above your budget. Can probably find houses off busy roads with ugly layouts still
Roswell - above your budget. West of 400 is the side you want, but will be too expensive. Cute downtown
South Lilburn
East Lilburn
North Snellville
South Lawrenceville
Holly Springs - quiet, getting built up, highway access. Not a full grown suburb yet, will be there in 10 years for sure.
Hickory Flat - See "Holly Springs", but without the highway access. Will probably utilize Alpharetta for amenities
Canton - some mountain views. Busy parts and some parts still getting built up. Good highway access. Some mediocre parts too. The main drag has traffic constantly.
Tyrone
Sharpsburg
East McDonough
Fayetteville
South Douglasville
Hoschton
Sugar Hill
Cartersville - good highway access, a nice downtown core. Starting to be in foothills of mountains. All in all a nice place. 2 smithsonian museums
Douglasville
Hiram
Dallas
Rockmart
Carrollton
Ball Ground - start of the mountains. Beautiful views, near the end of your commuting range. Enough amenities, not too many. May deal with weekender traffic to see the mountains
Jasper - see "ball ground" above
If I didn't comment, it's because I don't have enough details to add. hope this helps some
You also possibly may be able to find more housing options that fit your criteria within your budget in a hotly competitive metro Atlanta housing market if you’re willing to include condominiums and townhomes in your housing search.
Thanks for that. Would those be the locations I mentioned in the original post? I just want the best with the budget we have. So, with that being said, what would some of those locations be with my budget? I hear you have a lot of knowledge, so I would appreciate further input.
Thanks!
Because the Atlanta metropolitan area/region covers kind of a vast geographical area, it seems to be significantly easier just to list the areas (within and just outside the aforementioned I-75 Northwest/I-85 Northeast bounded ‘Golden Triangle’ area on the Northside of metro Atlanta) where you most likely will NOT be able to purchase a detached 4-bedroom single-family home in need of few, if any, updates with your housing budget of $410k and under:
> Alpharetta
> Johns Creek
> Roswell
> Sandy Springs
> East Cobb
> Suwanee
> Duluth
> Peachtree Corners 30092/Norcross 30071
> Smyrna
> Buckhead
> Brookhaven
> Chamblee
> Buford
> Woodstock
> Vinings
> Marietta
> Cumming
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