Best Areas for Families with Young Kids? (Atlanta, Roswell: best cities, for sale)

[brownshoe]

If you want to head about 30 minutes west of Atlanta (off of I-20) you might look at Mirror Lake. It is a planned community, offering swim/tennis/lakes/walking trails/fishing. Golf is also available for a fee, either per "game" or through a membership. There are also playgrounds/basketball courts which are closely monitored. HOA fees are $425 per year (I think golf/country club access is $1200 for the year). It is a large community with several 'neighborhoods' throughout. There are homes on the lake, golf-course, trails, you can name it. Prices range from the mid 100's up to 800's (and up) For $250k you can get a really nice home-case in point-a home just sold in our neighborhood for $257k-it is on the golf-course, about 3000 sf. And since its a buyers market, you can probably get a lot for your money out here.

[gt6974a]

Originally Posted by ajandjj2000

Several people have mentioned to us: Cartersville, Flowery Branch, Canton, Cumming, or Austel. Do any of you have advice about these areas?

Those areas are all over, best thing is to find out where you are going to work first, then go from there.

[applejuice]

Towne Lake in Woodstock. This is the northwest part of Georgia. Gorgeous golf course master planned community. It is near Lake Allatoona, about 1 1/2hr from Chattanooga, TN, near the Blue Ridge Mountains, etc.

There are numerous subdivisions within Towne Lake. They range from the upper 100's to the millions! Some homes have great mountain views, you have every store you can think of nearby, and good schools (by Georgia standards).

Good Luck

[Howard78]

if you're looking for cheap affordable housing, with good schools, and nice neighborhoods, then don't bother coming to Atlanta. Everthing here is overpriced, crowded, dangerous, not family or comjmuter friendly. I'd suggest going somewhere else. Atlanta is the New York of the South.

[apatrice]

Wow this is really great information; I am planning on relocating and is looking at Snellville, Kennesaw, Swanwanee, Marietta. Love the slow paste because of my caribbean life style. High school and middle schoold children. Willing to spend 300's to 400's. Any advice? Looked at Brookwood High, Harrison High, I believe its Pell High in East Cobb. what is the main difference between Gwinett and Cobb, crime etc. Looks like Atlanta is getting cold and nice warm weather is important to me.

[ajandjj2000]

We have decided to focus on the areas around Roswell (within a 20 mile radius or so). We have found one subdivision that we really like in Holly Springs (Harmony on the Lakes). However, we are still looking. If anyone has any other suggestions for subdivisions in this area please let me know. (We are considering Woodstock, Kennesaw, Holly Springs, etc. We just don't know where all the neighborhoods are so it's taking us some time to locate the ones we like.) I would greatly appreciate any advice.

[sweettea1]

You may also want to check the MonteHewett Communities (I think it's montehewitt.com) as well as some of the John Weiland communities. They tend to have all of the amenities.

[Ghanley]

Originally Posted by Howard78

if you're looking for cheap affordable housing, with good schools, and nice neighborhoods, then don't bother coming to Atlanta. Everthing here is overpriced, crowded, dangerous, not family or comjmuter friendly. I'd suggest going somewhere else. Atlanta is the New York of the South.

I couldn't agree more!!! If you really want the best for your kids...don't move to Atlanta!! I have lived and taught in the best high school in the area for 16 years...now that I have a six and 4 year old...we are heading back to Rochester, NY. The schools are way to big, standards are falling, and there is no end in site. If you want the best for your kids...this isn't it!

[AKelley728]

Originally Posted by ajandjj2000

We have decided to focus on the areas around Roswell (within a 20 mile radius or so). We have found one subdivision that we really like in Holly Springs (Harmony on the Lakes).

We're moving to the area this year from NJ and checked out Cherokee county and alot of the subdivisions in Holly Springs and Canton on a fact-finding trip last year.. The concept of Holly Springs is great, and it has the amenities you were looking for. However, our impression of the homes themselves weren't good, they seemed to be cheaply put together. This impression was confirmed by various threads here on City data and some other research we did on the internet. The builder (Pulte) doesn't have a good reputation, it seems. In Canton, we fell in love with River Green, and the builder (Weiland) has a good rep. River Green is also going to have an onsite Elementary School. However, River Green is out of your price range by about $100k. Another good subdivision was Bridgemill. Bridgemill is mostly resale now, and you should be able to find something in your price range. Bridgemill had a huge pool, walking trails, and everything else you're looking for. The home prices are in your price range, too.

My office will be in Alpharetta, and I tried the "commute" during rush hour. It was absolutely horrendous - you really only have one way to get between Canton and Alpharetta - route 140 and it's two lanes in a lot of places. So we nixed Cherokee and settled on Cumming in Forsyth County. GA400 is bad too, but they are expanding it and there are alternative back roads one can take to get to where you need to go. Plus the taxes in Forsyth are lower than Cherokee. Have you checked Forsyth County?

[ajandjj2000]

Anyone have opinions about homes built by Sharp Residential?