Smyrna/Vinings/Alpharetta (Atlanta: sale, apartments, condos)

[Valerie-Lydie]

Hello

We are moving into Atlanta soon, coming from St. Louis Missouri. We don't know Atlanta at all. We have 2 teenagers of 16 with no friends there. We have visited 2 houses, one in Alpharetta, the other in Smyrna. We find difficult to choose between both; I like Alpharetta more even if it is quite far away in the sticks, my husband prefers the Smyrna house, also because he was told that if we were to sale the house in the future, it would sell better.
What do you think? what are the advantages and disadvantages for both these towns? I'd like the opinions of those who have been living in Atlanta for a long time if poss.

Valerie

[pellur]

Lots of factors you missed mentioning

Importance of Schools?
Work place?
Price Range?
What things do you want to be closer to ? (lakes. downtown, rural area, golf course etc)

[Valerie-Lydie]

Pellur, thank you for your question.
I liked what I saw in Alpharetta, big trees. I don't dislike golf but I don't play. I love trees. I am not sure I like too much a place where there are no small shops or a village or a little town nearby but I can do without that. Schools might be important, but I am sure that it will be their friends-to-be that will make it good or not, so I cannot say on that neither. overall, I need to feel safe, in a friendly neighbourhood, and I don't like people putting their nose in my business (nosy) ie: neighborhood associations. I need to get this feel of freedom, freshness, sun, happy area or peaceful.

Thanks for your question,
Valerie

[netdragon]

Based on the age of your kids, there won't be any difference living in Smyrna or Vinings as long as you are in the Campbell High district, other than you'll probably save a little money on a home in Smyrna.

Alpharetta and Smyrna/Vinings are two completely different places. Smyrna/Vinings is more cosmopolitan and although it is family-oriented, it also has a large single professional population (living mostly in condos and apartments) and a lot more to do than Alpharetta, which is almost as spread out and boring as you can get. Alpharetta has much bigger lots because land goes for a lot more in Smyrna/Vinings. However, Smyrna has a lot of parks.

By the way, if you are thinking Alpharetta, have you also considered East Cobb?

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by Valerie-Lydie

Pellur, thank you for your question.
I liked what I saw in Alpharetta, big trees. I don't dislike golf but I don't play. I love trees. I am not sure I like too much a place where there are no small shops or a village or a little town nearby but I can do without that. Schools might be important, but I am sure that it will be their friends-to-be that will make it good or not, so I cannot say on that neither. overall, I need to feel safe, in a friendly neighbourhood, and I don't like people putting their nose in my business (nosy) ie: neighborhood associations. I need to get this feel of freedom, freshness, sun, happy area or peaceful.

Thanks for your question,
Valerie

Well if you like trees you should like just about any part of metro Atlanta because they are everywhere. Alpharetta isnt the only place in north georgia with trees and i'm pretty sure the trees in places like Smyrna are no different than the trees in Alpharetta.

[Valerie-Lydie]

Thank you

So what I am hearing is that one is more lively and family oriented (although our kids are 16 and really do not wish anymore to spend their time much with us, they avoid us) with also a population that is business like and busy, whilst Alpharetta is boring and nothing else.

Funny enough, if I look at both demography on Wikipedia (perhaps not a reliable source?) the families in Alpharetta seems to be more well off compared to Smirna, and yet Smirna seems to be more expensive...

I was wondering in terms perhaps of what people do in both those areas, it seems that not much happen in Alpharetta compared to Smirna from what you are all saying.

I can still take my car to find fun anywhere...

I wonder what would make me like one more than the other without even looking at what I like or want

Valerie

[lastminutemom]

What is your plan for schooling?

[Valerie-Lydie]

Well, we are not sure yet, as they have already started their year; they might just finish in their school now and will enrol in a new school next year. They are a little difficult as they don't want to loose their actual friends. It will have to be a high school; I could take them there but there are probably some school buses going to these too no?

Valerie

[Mattie]

Alpharetta is a family oriented area, with great schools. The teenage entertainment, through my experience, is largely school-related. Lots of sports and clubs for the kids to keep them busy. When my kids go out they either head to the movies, the bowling alley, or the homes of friends. I have sons, so they aren't into the shopping so much. There are lots of restaurants though, and groups of kids frequently meet to eat after football games and so on. Everything requires driving!

[Saintmarks]

You will find Smyrna more diverse as it is an older suburb but because of its closer location it has more infill and dense growth in pockets. Smyrna started developing post WWII, Alpharetta really did not experience growth until the 80s. So more of the growth in Alpharetta is large upper class suburban developments that are 20 years old and less.

Smyrna has some lower income areas north of Windy Hill but some high dollar housing off Atlanta Road. My brother's old 50's era brick ranch off Atlanta Road was purchased and torn down for an $800k McMansion recently. He bought it for about $40k in the early 80s sold it for about $150k in the late 90s, would have gotten a lot more than that if he had held on to it longer.

The difference here is Smyrna's access to the perimeter and shorter commute. Until the 90s Smyrna was considered a more blue collar suburb but its fortunes have taken off with its location. There are still pockets of poorer areas, but the whole place is primed for redevelopment, that is why the realtor thinks your investment there will appreciate better than Alpharetta.

I would say Alpharetta is pretty much built out by now, it is too new for redevelopment but might be a little past its heyday in that so much of Atlanta is starting to look back toward the center with the crush of rush hour and fuel prices. It's not going to fail or go bad, but the areas that are prime as far as investment and appreciation seem to be going back toward the perimeter and inside it.

Both areas are prime areas, just depends on your wants and needs. Alpharetta is more homogenous, Smyrna more eclectic and more likely to see further transformation because of its location.