Questions about Woodstock (Roswell, Smyrna, Alpharetta: condo, new home, buy)

[mediabh]

We just sold our condo in Smyrna and are looking for a house.. we have been looking in East Cobb but our money doesn't go as far. We are looking for something in the 250-275 range. I know about the great east cobb schools, our son is just 1 year old right now.

Can anyone give me info on Woodstock? Best schools best areas... I've heard about the Town Lake area..?? My husband nor I have to drive to work everyday so the comute is not an issue.. any info or suggestions??? A nice neighboorhood is very important to me.

[BobKovacs]

There's tons of great subdivisions in your price range in Woodstock, as well as in the adjacent towns of Canton and Holly Springs (we live in Holly Springs). Overall, you'll find the schools to be very good- while some folks make it seem that there's no school on earth better than the East Cobb schools, the percentages between those schools and most Cherokee County schools are trivial at best.

I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle over which elementary school is better than which at this point- they're all very good, and the district borders shift as the population changes anyway- if you buy in an area zoned for school "A" today, in four years when your kids are ready for school they may be zoned to school "B" anyway. That's the way it is with the high schools by me right now- our kids are supposed to go to the two-year-old Creekland HS, but there's a new HS on Arnold Mill being built that will free up space in Sequoyah HS, so by the time my kids get to HS (another 4 years), they may end up at Sequoyah, they may still go to Creekland, or they may go to the new HS- who knows. I'd select your new home based on the subdivision itself, the surrounding amenities, etc- you'll be OK with whatever school you end up in if you're in Cherokee County, IMO.

Towne Lake is a nice area, but it's too overbuilt for our liking. We went another 4-5 miles north into Holly Springs because their comprehensive plan is geared more toward controlled growth. We're still close to everything we need, but it's nice to see cows and horses in the fields on the drive to school. Will it be that way in 10 years? Maybe not to the extent it is now, but if the plan is followed, it'll still have a much more semi-rural feel to it than Towne Lake.

[MnCS]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

There's tons of great subdivisions in your price range in Woodstock, as well as in the adjacent towns of Canton and Holly Springs (we live in Holly Springs). Overall, you'll find the schools to be very good- while some folks make it seem that there's no school on earth better than the East Cobb schools, the percentages between those schools and most Cherokee County schools are trivial at best.

I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle over which elementary school is better than which at this point- they're all very good, and the district borders shift as the population changes anyway- if you buy in an area zoned for school "A" today, in four years when your kids are ready for school they may be zoned to school "B" anyway. That's the way it is with the high schools by me right now- our kids are supposed to go to the two-year-old Creekland HS, but there's a new HS on Arnold Mill being built that will free up space in Sequoyah HS, so by the time my kids get to HS (another 4 years), they may end up at Sequoyah, they may still go to Creekland, or they may go to the new HS- who knows. I'd select your new home based on the subdivision itself, the surrounding amenities, etc- you'll be OK with whatever school you end up in if you're in Cherokee County, IMO.

Towne Lake is a nice area, but it's too overbuilt for our liking. We went another 4-5 miles north into Holly Springs because their comprehensive plan is geared more toward controlled growth. We're still close to everything we need, but it's nice to see cows and horses in the fields on the drive to school. Will it be that way in 10 years? Maybe not to the extent it is now, but if the plan is followed, it'll still have a much more semi-rural feel to it than Towne Lake.

What would the commute to Alpharetta be like from any of these places?
Thanks
M

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by MnCS

What would the commute to Alpharetta be like from any of these places?
Thanks
M

Depends on where you're going in Alpharetta, but in general it's a pretty messy commute because there's not a multi-lane road that'll take you East/West. During rush hour, you could spend an hour crawling along on two-lane roads to get across Cherokee County.

[MnCS]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Depends on where you're going in Alpharetta, but in general it's a pretty messy commute because there's not a multi-lane road that'll take you East/West. During rush hour, you could spend an hour crawling along on two-lane roads to get across Cherokee County.

Where my husband would be working is on Mansell Rd, between 400 and Haynes Bridge Rd (according to Google Maps )
We like the rural/wooded areas, where else would you suggest? We also have a high school football player to factor in.
Thanks for any ideas/suggestions

M

[BobKovacs]

I'd look in Alpharetta or Roswell. Mansell Road is one of the most painful drives in the area (Holcomb Bridge Road probably being the worst) during rush hour, so the less time you can spend on it, the better. It's bad enough that you'll spend time sitting on it if you're commuting from Alpharetta or Roswell- no use adding 30 minutes meandering along one-lane of 140 to get to Mansell from Woodstock.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

There's tons of great subdivisions in your price range in Woodstock, as well as in the adjacent towns of Canton and Holly Springs (we live in Holly Springs). Overall, you'll find the schools to be very good- while some folks make it seem that there's no school on earth better than the East Cobb schools, the percentages between those schools and most Cherokee County schools are trivial at best.

I wouldn't get too wrapped around the axle over which elementary school is better than which at this point- they're all very good, and the district borders shift as the population changes anyway- if you buy in an area zoned for school "A" today, in four years when your kids are ready for school they may be zoned to school "B" anyway. That's the way it is with the high schools by me right now- our kids are supposed to go to the two-year-old Creekland HS, but there's a new HS on Arnold Mill being built that will free up space in Sequoyah HS, so by the time my kids get to HS (another 4 years), they may end up at Sequoyah, they may still go to Creekland, or they may go to the new HS- who knows. I'd select your new home based on the subdivision itself, the surrounding amenities, etc- you'll be OK with whatever school you end up in if you're in Cherokee County, IMO.

Towne Lake is a nice area, but it's too overbuilt for our liking. We went another 4-5 miles north into Holly Springs because their comprehensive plan is geared more toward controlled growth. We're still close to everything we need, but it's nice to see cows and horses in the fields on the drive to school. Will it be that way in 10 years? Maybe not to the extent it is now, but if the plan is followed, it'll still have a much more semi-rural feel to it than Towne Lake.

Where are you seeing these "Cows", for the only place in Holly Springs that I Can think of would be Cagle Dairies, but even they might be considered Canton.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by Scraper Enthusiast

Where are you seeing these "Cows", for the only place in Holly Springs that I Can think of would be Cagle Dairies, but even they might be considered Canton.

There are several parcels of land along Hickory Road that have horses and cows in their fields, with Cagle's being only one of them. You question this as if I'm lying about it or something, which is actually kind of funny. Maybe you need to either get out more, or pay closer attention to your surroundings before you start asking questions...

[ckws]

We live in Towne Lake. The schools are great...there is golf and tennis...swim teams...I hardly have to leave the area...and we are supposed to get The Avenues next year on the other side of 575.

Greatschools.net will give you good info on the area elementary schools. I think Bascomb and Woodstock are the only in towne lake proper.

We love it. We got a good sized lot - 3/4 acre, wooded.....I think it's very pretty up here. It's definitely suburbs.....not for people who are looking for nightlife, LOL. But we have found it friendly.

[Scraper Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

There are several parcels of land along Hickory Road that have horses and cows in their fields, with Cagle's being only one of them. You question this as if I'm lying about it or something, which is actually kind of funny. Maybe you need to either get out more, or pay closer attention to your surroundings before you start asking questions...

I live nearby, so that is why I asked.

I've seen a few open fields along Hickory Road, but the area is mostly developed with subdivisions, as opposed to non-developed. Cagle dairies sits on an adjacent street. Other than Cagle dairies, I haven't seen any cows.