relocating from CA to Gainesville, GA (Atlanta, Conyers: best towns, crime, houses)

[D&KfromCA]

My wife and I and our 3 kids are considering moving from Ventura, CA to Gainesville GA. Looking for info on how Gainesville compares to our southern CA surf town. We're looking forward to a slower pace of life and ready for the humidity,but have questions about

Bugs, snakes and other critters - how often and how dangerous?

Tornadoes, hurricanes?

Best towns/areas to live - we've found a lot of houses online in the Cumming/Forsyth county area- how does that compare to surrounding areas

What about crime and areas to avoid?

Any other CA natives who can share their relocation wisdom to us/

I know it's a lot - having never been to GA we are very curious...thanks for your feedback and God bless you

[irishvanguard]

Hi,
I hope you are planning an extended visit before you move. Your move from a Mediterranean climate to Georgia's humidity will be a big change. The humidity makes 45 degrees feel like freezing and makes 90 degrees feel like 100. However, Gainesville is 20 minutes from the mountains, and the summertime temperatures don't often exceed 90-92 degrees. Wintertime will bring you one or two snows a year that probably will not remain on the ground through the afternoon warming.

There are bugs, critters, and snakes....but staying in populated and cultivated areas will steer you clear of them mostly. The occasional snake will wander into a yard, but you have to keep your eyes open anywhere you live. Bugs you control with skin repellent.

The inner city of Gainesville has seen more than its share of illegal immigrants (chicken house workers), but south Hall County as well as north Forsyth seem to be popular relocation areas. Cumming has plenty of subdivisions with all the amenities. People avoiding the metro Atlanta growth (or actually getting 10 years ahead of it) are going a little closer to the mountains around Dawsonville and Lumpkin.

Lake life is very nice around Lake Lanier, but I don't know what price range you are looking for or whether this lifestyle is what you are looking for. Land on the waterfront can be very expensive.

Hurricanes and tornados won't affect you much. Hurricanes bring mostly drenching rains, and if they stall rather than moving on, possible flooding. Maximum residual winds from a hurricane that makes landfall has usually died down to 40-50 mph winds by the time it reaches this area.

The area of Georgia you have chosen is beautiful and green.

[catsi1]

I would definitely research more about Gainesville. Most of the signs are written in some foreign language other than English. Crime is quite high. You should check out Bethlehem or Winder area. They are great areas to raise a family and the schools have a great reputation also. I lived in Northern California for 4 years and it was a beautiful place. You will enjoy Georgia.

Just my opinion,
Cat

[southern no more]

Those were good reviews of the area. I live in Gainesville and teach in Cumming. I choose not to teach close to home because the school system is much better in Cumming, Forsyth co.. We like living in Gainesville pretty well, but we have lived in the area all of our lives so not a lot to compare with. I do not think you would choose to live near the Gainesville city epicenter anyway, but the outskirts are pretty nice. The property taxes will be lower in Hall co. and they do not require advalorum tax on your cars. Just a few perks. The lake is nice, but very low water levels have made it not as pretty as it once was and somewhat dangerous. Good luck with your move and go to greatschools.net for a good overview of the schools in the area.

[mlammons]

I lived in N. Forsyth county for 4 years and LOVED it. I would never have moved to Gainesville from there. It just doesn't compare. Cumming is a very nice town (IMO) and even better if you can live close to Lake Lanier. You can't beat lake living. However, I moved from the area almost 2 years ago (I had to for work) and I have heard the water level of the lake is awful now. I'm sure someone still in the area will have more info on that.

[gepeach]

I haved lived in Gainesville all of my life. It is a wonderful place to live. I would not live any where else. We do not have a lot of crimes, no more than any other town. We have beautiful Lake Lanier where the Olympic rowing events took place. We are only 45 minutes from Downtown Atlanta. There are professional ball teams such as The Atlanta Braves, The Atlanta Hawks, we are getting a baseball farm league. We have a pro hockey league. We have a number of concert venues in Atlanta. We are olso not far from Helen, Georgia that is in the mountains. It is a beautiful replica German town. Gainesville has a fall festival, concerts downtown Gainesville, Gainesville State College has concerts, fireworks, car shows. We have a Memorial Day Parade down Historic Green Street. Where there are beautiful mansions that were built in the 1800's. At Christmas there is a tour of the houses that are decorated and some one tells about each house's history. We have the best school's in the state. My neice teaches and I have number of relatives and friends that are teachers and principal's. You will not be sorry by moving here. There are some very nice people that live here. There are a lot of famous people from Gainesville like Country singer Ronnie Milsap, Golpher Tommy Aaron, EX Brave Phil Neikro lives in Flowery Branch. The Atlanta Falcon's Football Team have there traning camp in Southern Hall County in Flowery Branch. If you need to know anything about Gainesville you can ask me, I would be glad to help. My family has lived in this area since the early 1800's. I think you would be very happy here, Welcome!!!! You can go to hall-county.org. It is avery good site. Gainesville,Hall County was picked as one of the most growing cities in the USA and the best place to raise a family! Thanks, Gepeach!!

[RSHaas]

Hi..
I can answer your question about snakes in the Gainesville area. The venomous species are the northern copperhead (fairly common) and the timber rattlesnake (much less common). The cottonmouth (aka water moccasin) does not occur anywhere in NE Georgia despite claims by uninformed bumpkins who think every harmless watersnake is a "moccasin." How dangerous? There are no fatal cases of copperhead bites anywhere in the medical literature go way back to the 1800's. The docs rarely if ever administer anti-venom for copperhead bites. The bites are painful, however. Bites from the timber rattlesnake can be very serious and fatalities have occurred even in the modern era. Timber rattlesnake venom ranks fairly high for toxcicity among the 35 odd species of rattlesnakes, higher than the venom of the eastern diamondback for example.

RSHaas

[caliboy76]

Hmmm,
I havent been to Gainesville yet, but most suburbs of atlanta are pretty similar to me no matter where you go. Lots of green trees, woods, one lane roads and newly built homes lol.. Im a native of southern cali as well, and as far as comparisons, well, it doest quite compare at all! Its just completely different.. Since you havent been to georgia before, I would just caution you to do your homework, and you may even want to just visit first if at all possible.. Moving from Ventura is going to be a huge culture shock.. Me and my wife and kids moved here to Conyers about a year ago from Lakewood

[TLC1988]

Originally Posted by southern no more

I do not think you would choose to live near the Gainesville city epicenter anyway, but the outskirts are pretty nice. The property taxes will be lower in Hall co. and they do not require advalorum tax on your cars. Just a few perks. .

Sorry but we do pay advalorum tax however our cars do not have to pass emission test. lived in Oakwood for 12 years.

[Larry Davis]

Originally Posted by RSHaas

Hi..
I can answer your question about snakes in the Gainesville area. The venomous species are the northern copperhead (fairly common) and the timber rattlesnake (much less common). The cottonmouth (aka water moccasin) does not occur anywhere in NE Georgia despite claims by uninformed bumpkins who think every harmless watersnake is a "moccasin." How dangerous? There are no fatal cases of copperhead bites anywhere in the medical literature go way back to the 1800's. The docs rarely if ever administer anti-venom for copperhead bites. The bites are painful, however. Bites from the timber rattlesnake can be very serious and fatalities have occurred even in the modern era. Timber rattlesnake venom ranks fairly high for toxcicity among the 35 odd species of rattlesnakes, higher than the venom of the eastern diamondback for example.

RSHaas

You must be the famous Haas from the Miami Serpenterium, right? Or, at least related. I thought the Haas family moved over to Ft Myers or somewhere along the SW Florida coast when they sold the Serpenterium property. Gosh, the memories!!! Driving along Dixie Hwy in the '50's and '60's and always seeing that big cobra statue! And then later seeing it in front of South Miami High School (the Cobras).
Thanks for all of the great things the Haas family has done!
And the wonderful memories of living in what once was close to utopia!
Larry Davis
Ex Miamian living peacefully in the mountains of NC.