Lawerenceville, Duluth, or Suwanee (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: apartments, foreclosure, renters)

[simplydeep81]

Its me again the over whelemed one...any-whoo, after much thinking and great advice from everyone..I have narrowed down my top areas to live Lawerenceville, Dultuh and Suwanee. These areas have really great ratings for elementary schools and one of the reason I choose these area was because of that. Can any one tell me about these areas and if you stay here why, and what schools would you recommend? Also my price range for housing in these areas are 600-1000k..Thanks

[reginafilange]

I have a home in Lawrenceville almost right where it connects with both Dacula and Buford. I really love that area. The Mall of GA and all the stores and restaurants it has to offer are 10 minutes from my house. There is also the new baseball stadium there. Incredible schools, too. I would avoid Duluth. Of the three places you mentioned, it's a bit more rundown and has a higher gang/crime rate. Suwanee is also nice and close to the Mall of GA area. I'm not as familiar with their schools, but my realtor friend says they're very good. One thing about that area is that all of the cities are so close. From my house, for example, if I go one direction, I'm in Dacula in less than five minutes. In another direction, I'm in Buford in less than five minutes. Suwanee is about 20 minutes. Even Duluth is only about 20 minutes. Lawrenceville is a good size area, though, and not all the schools there as good as the others. I would avoid the Central Gwinnett school zone, if at all possible.

[Mishap]

Originally Posted by reginafilange

I have a home in Lawrenceville almost right where it connects with both Dacula and Buford. I really love that area. The Mall of GA and all the stores and restaurants it has to offer are 10 minutes from my house. There is also the new baseball stadium there. Incredible schools, too. I would avoid Duluth. Of the three places you mentioned, it's a bit more rundown and has a higher gang/crime rate. Suwanee is also nice and close to the Mall of GA area. I'm not as familiar with their schools, but my realtor friend says they're very good. One thing about that area is that all of the cities are so close. From my house, for example, if I go one direction, I'm in Dacula in less than five minutes. In another direction, I'm in Buford in less than five minutes. Suwanee is about 20 minutes. Even Duluth is only about 20 minutes. Lawrenceville is a good size area, though, and not all the schools there as good as the others. I would avoid the Central Gwinnett school zone, if at all possible.

Uh, I think you may have it a little backwards...Duluth (30097) is one the most expensive areas in Gwinnett. Just so you know that fancy new baseball stadium is in Duluth...right next to the TPC Sugarloaf country club. The avg home costs 287k according to Zillow. Even 30096 averages $155k which is moderate compared to Lawrenceville. Duluth also has a median HH income over 60k when compared to Lawrenceville which is a bit below the US national median at $43k.

Lawrenceville Zips:
30042: 187,000
30043: 163,000
30044:136,000
30045: 143,000

30096 is kind of bad near Pleasant Hill but its not better on the south of I-85 on the Lawrenceville side (30044). If the OP is looking in the 600-1000k range(I hope that means $600,000 - $1,000,000), Duluth works just fine out toward Fulton County side. My parents moved us out of Lawrenceville when I was 10 b/c the schools were so terrible (we would have wound up in Central Gwinnett which had a worse reputation than Berkmar/Meadowcreek etc. We wound up in Snellville/Lilburn area which hasn't fared so well in the last decade unfortunately.

[Carolinagal1995]

The Gwinnett Braves stadium is on 20 in Lawrenceville, close to mall of Georgia, nowhere near the Sugarloaf Country Club or Duluth. Duluth has a mixture of neighborhoods which span several socio-economic groups and is conveniently located. However, the new stadium is nowhere near there. It is hard to go wrong with Suwanee, because it is conveniently located and has great schools. Check out homes in the Peachtree Ridge District. Lawrenceville is not bad if you stay in Collins Hill, Grayson, Archer, and Brookwood clusters.

[Mishap]

Originally Posted by Carolinagal1995

The Gwinnett Braves stadium is on 20 in Lawrenceville, close to mall of Georgia, nowhere near the Sugarloaf Country Club or Duluth. Duluth has a mixture of neighborhoods which span several socio-economic groups and is conveniently located. However, the new stadium is nowhere near there. It is hard to go wrong with Suwanee, because it is conveniently located and has great schools. Check out homes in the Peachtree Ridge District. Lawrenceville is not bad if you stay in Collins Hill, Grayson, Archer, and Brookwood clusters.

My bad...for some reason I kept thinking it was toward the north side of Sugarloaf. It's been a couple years since I lived/worked in the Duluth area. Not sure why I kept thinking it was near the Civic Center area. Brookwood's technically part of Snellville though. That and Grayson's not really Lawrenceville either. I do remember that much.

There's nothing terribly wrong w/ Lawrenceville but most of the people I see w/ 600-1M to blow tend to head for northern parts of Duluth, Alpharetta, East Cobb, or Buckhead + private school. This is of course accounting for the fact that they can reach work from those areas. If the OP is meaning $600-$1,000 to spend per month on rent then Lawrenceville/Suwanee/Duluth is very feasible in more or less decent areas.

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by Mishap

30096 is kind of bad near Pleasant Hill but its not better on the south of I-85 on the Lawrenceville side (30044). If the OP is looking in the 600-1000k range(I hope that means $600,000 - $1,000,000), Duluth works just fine out toward Fulton County side. My parents moved us out of Lawrenceville when I was 10 b/c the schools were so terrible (we would have wound up in Central Gwinnett which had a worse reputation than Berkmar/Meadowcreek etc. We wound up in Snellville/Lilburn area which hasn't fared so well in the last decade unfortunately.

The OP wants to rent an apt/house --$600-1,000/monthly.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

The OP wants to rent an apt/house --$600-1,000/monthly.

If they are looking to rent an apartment at that range then check out the apartments beside Georgia Trust Bank at Mall of Georgia. Gated, etc. Granted, you will be at the 1k area, but you get what you pay for.

As far as home rentals, at that range may be tough and one main piece of advice. Make sure you check out the landlord as much as they check out you. Been many an article in the paper where folks are moving into homes as renters in the Atlanta area only find out 90 days later when the Marshall is knocking on the door that the landlord never paid their mortgage and now the home is in foreclosure.

Good Luck

[mrdkb]

Originally Posted by Carolinagal1995

The Gwinnett Braves stadium is on 20 in Lawrenceville, close to mall of Georgia, nowhere near the Sugarloaf Country Club or Duluth. Duluth has a mixture of neighborhoods which span several socio-economic groups and is conveniently located. However, the new stadium is nowhere near there. It is hard to go wrong with Suwanee, because it is conveniently located and has great schools. Check out homes in the Peachtree Ridge District. Lawrenceville is not bad if you stay in Collins Hill, Grayson, Archer, and Brookwood clusters.

Terrific post. I live in the Archer school district. Nice quiet. Tribble Mill Park and Harbins Park.

[kenyettadudley]

Originally Posted by Carolinagal1995

The Gwinnett Braves stadium is on 20 in Lawrenceville, close to mall of Georgia, nowhere near the Sugarloaf Country Club or Duluth. Duluth has a mixture of neighborhoods which span several socio-economic groups and is conveniently located. However, the new stadium is nowhere near there. It is hard to go wrong with Suwanee, because it is conveniently located and has great schools. Check out homes in the Peachtree Ridge District. Lawrenceville is not bad if you stay in Collins Hill, Grayson, Archer, and Brookwood clusters.

I agree that you can't go wrong with Suwanee. I love it in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Roswell and Alpharetta. LOVE it. Suwanee is very nice. Not much when it comes to mass transit & being in walking disatnce to your local favorite surburban spots (Starbucks, Publix, Barnes &Noble, etc.) when compared to the four I mentioned above. However, Johns Creek (Suwanee) is a very desirable place to live if you are priviliged. A friend of mine lived there for four years. She loved the schools and ELC's near her home on State Bridge Road-just into Johns Creek. I wanted to move there. I wouldn't mind so much when my career is more stable. Great environment.

[ccr4tigers]

As always I must put in my support for Suwanee. And, you can walk places if you live near the Town Center. From my house I can walk to restaurants and shopping.