Need some help about ATL (Atlanta, Marietta: real estate, new home, neighborhoods)

[DeRicah]

I've read on this board that we should stay North and/or West of ATL and that traffic can be horrendous. I travel a great deal for work, so I wasn't concerned about the day-to-day on the highway to the office, since I will not be going in too often. I'm used to NYC suburban traffic anyway. My husband will be working downtown, so we're wondering what would be the best area to move. We were looking in Cobb: Marietta, Smyrna, Vinnings & Also South Fulton: Fairburn, Fayetteville, Union City.

We've seen some nice new home communities:Walden Park, but that's south of the city. Are there any nice neighborhoods south of of city? I've been reading some threads on this board and it seems that they're aren't.


Help please! My company is relocating me and I need some assistance

Thanks

[atlantagreg30127]

In Cobb, look in the Powder Springs area for the cheapest home prices. Marietta is ok, but prices going up and certain parts of it have a lot of traffic. Kennesaw is a nice area, but parts of it, especially "Barrett Parkway" has absolutely INSANE traffic and I'd strongly suggest avoiding that stretch. Smyrna - very mixed. Some nice pockets, and in others, no one speaks English. Vinings is similar - some pockets you can't even afford (expensive), and others going downhill.

If you don't mind moving further out from Cobb, the next county is Paulding. Rapidly growing, but still bearable and cheaper home prices. West of the city. Hiram and Dallas are the two towns out there that offer shopping, yet a more rural atmosphere.

South of the city, sorry, I can't recommend. Crime, etc. East is getting that way, but if you go far enough out it cleans up a lot.

North is popular, especially the Alpharetta, Cumming, and Forsyth areas - you will have to rely on GA 400 as the main road into the city however, and yes, during rush hours it's VERY crowded.

[derkatzenmann]

I would suggest Woodstock, GA. Its approximately 25 to 30 miles northwest of Atlanta. Nice, upscale area, good schools, and plenty of recreational opportunities. Real estate prices are reasonable compared Marietta and Smyrna. Below are the demographics for the area. Good luck!!

2005 Summary ZIP 30188 National
Total Population 48,539 298,727,898
Total Households 17,213 112,448,901
2005 Population by Race
White Alone 91.1% 73.3%
Black Alone 3.0% 12.5%
American Indian Alone 0.4% 0.9%
Asian or Pacific Islander Alone 1.1% 4.3%
Some Other Race Alone 2.7% 6.3%
Two or More Races 1.6% 2.7%
Hispanic Origin 6.3% 14.5%
2005 Population by Sex
Male 49.4% 49.2%
Female 50.6% 50.8%
2005 Households by Income
Median Household Income $74,434 $49,747
HH Income Under $50K 27.5% 50.3%
HH Income $50K-$100K 43.0% 31.2%
HH Income Over $100K 29.5% 18.6%
2005 Average Home Value ZIP 30188 National
$211,645 $237,831