Best Counties/Citites for Property Appreciation

[JPD]

Originally Posted by wxjay

Nothing against you personally, but I love how people would think Suwanee is "close" to downtown Atlanta. It's just an Atlanta thing I think, growing up in Providence and all.

I agree. Suwanee is definitely not close to downtown.

[spacelord75]

This is always an interesting topic. It funny, having lived here my whole life, seeing how different areas of town b/c "hot" and then, 10 years later, the area is over-run with renters, illegals, bad schools, and congestion. My recommendation is to find a place that has some competitive advantage over other areas, and focus your search there. Examples would be - central location to town, easy, fast access to interstates, strict zoning regulations, strong business corridors with diverse industries. Many people will list schools within this, which is always good, but they also change UNLESS there is another strong factor that may help keep high-acheiving individuals in the area (like those mentioned above). A lot of these outer reaching suburbs will like by cyclical, b/c there really is no over-riding reason for people to live there, other than they are cheap. Typically, this does not bring people to the area who are really invested in the area or interested in its long-term success. Remember the 3 most important rules of real estate - location, location, location! This NEVER changes, and is always your guide to long-term success. Why do you think it's still hard to buy a good house someplace like Dunwoody? You have access to 400 and 285 right there, diverse businesses located right there (ie, not dependent on one industry), a powerful HOA with strict zoning regulations, and people who have lived there a long time and want their property values to increase. That is why you still have to pay a premium for a crappy 70's reno'! If I were to pick a couple areas you might consider as being strong long-term investments, I would recommend Mableton and the west-side of Atlanta (Bolton Rd. near S. Cobb/James Jackson)...both are still in the very early stages of good dev't, but just wait 5-10 years - their access to town is unreal, as well as Smyrna and Vinings.

[Twinkletoes]

No, I didn't say Suwanee was close. I said it was "close enough". If you want to go shopping, if you need special medical care, etc. then you can be downtown in 45 minutes.

I agree, though, that might seem like a long time depending on your perspective. I routinely drive 30 min. to an hour to get somewhere on the weekend, visit friends, shopping, etc. To someone who doesn't live here, that might seem like a long drive.

[nibseysgirl]

Originally Posted by Twinkletoes

No, I didn't say Suwanee was close. I said it was "close enough". If you want to go shopping, if you need special medical care, etc. then you can be downtown in 45 minutes.

I agree, though, that might seem like a long time depending on your perspective. I routinely drive 30 min. to an hour to get somewhere on the weekend, visit friends, shopping, etc. To someone who doesn't live here, that might seem like a long drive.

Heck, where I live in Fl you can drive 45 minutes just to get to the other side of the county(still in the same "city" ...45minutes wouldnt both me a bit...Gives me a good idea to look at Suwanee as a possibility to relocate...Im narrowing my search down but dang its still hard...Alot of good choices and with only a four day trip planned to get a feel for the area for the first time(husband has been to GA many times and loves it)I think I still have some work to do...lol
Take Care

[sumiller2000]

From my observation, Atlanta is quickly moving toward a European metro area model, with the highest price areas being intown and the inner suburbs being the lower income areas. This transition is not complete and there are exceptions in the inner suburbs (Dunwoody for instance). However, if I was you I would buy intown (Va High, Morningside, Inman Park, Candler Park, Lake Claire, Buckhead, Midtown, Decatur, Grant Park, etc) or buy out pretty far like in Forsyth County/Cumming.

With the exception of places like Dunwoody, I would avoid the inner suburbs.

[Merin]

I agree. I believe intown will appreciate at a faster rate simply because the amount of area to develop intown in limited.

[wxjay]

Originally Posted by sumiller2000

From my observation, Atlanta is quickly moving toward a European metro area model, with the highest price areas being intown and the inner suburbs being the lower income areas. This transition is not complete and there are exceptions in the inner suburbs (Dunwoody for instance). However, if I was you I would buy intown (Va High, Morningside, Inman Park, Candler Park, Lake Claire, Buckhead, Midtown, Decatur, Grant Park, etc) or buy out pretty far like in Forsyth County/Cumming.

With the exception of places like Dunwoody, I would avoid the inner suburbs.

I would add Vinings and the "Smynings" area particularly along Atlanta Road, South Cobb Drive, and E-W Connector to your exceptions.