Possible relocation from S.F., CA. to West Point, GA area (Atlanta: new house, buy)

[Pixie42]

Need some help, my husband recently lost his job at an auto manufaturing plant in the S.F., CA Bay area, we have both lived in this area our entire lives! Now he is being considered for a position at an auto manufacturing plant in West Point, GA. Since neither of us has ever made such a big move before, I am looking for some advice on what are some good places to live in that area? We would like to find a home under $300k and with a decent commute to the plant (so less than 30 minutes). We also have two small children, one of which will be starting school in the fall so we would like to be in an area with good schools. Also a little land but with shopping and such near by would be nice but, the land part is not a requirement. Any suggestions?????

[mccarley]

The area is not San Francisco. It is all small ex textile towns. Lagrange, Ga is a nice small town, has a college and is an easy commute. West Point , Ga is very small ,has not had much growth due to the exit of textile mfg,but the Kia plant should revive it. The Alabama towns nearby Lanett, and Valley are all ex textile and have been hard hit. Columbus ,Ga is a fairly large town, but may not be a 30 min. commute. I don't know anything about the schools . $300,000 or less should get you anything you want. I grew up in the area and once worked in the textile plants, but that was in the 60's.
If you can do the small town bit, its not a bad place.

[JLA]

Hopefully you guys have come to visit the area already. Harris county is a nice bedroom county to the north of Columbus, GA. By the way, $250,000.00 to $300,000.00 will buy you a lot of house here. Harris county has some very good schools and so does Columbus. If you desire to live in a more urban setting, then Columbus would be more to your liking, but please be forewarned, this is not San Francisco. Atlanta is only an hour and a half away; it is the only true urban city in the whole state. And to be honest it might not compare well to San Francisco either. I wish you all well.

[Pixie42]

Yes we do currently live in the San Francisco Bay area but, we live about 60 miles outside of S.F. in a slightly rual area and we like the small town feel. Because this is the Bay Area that 60 miles means a 1 and a half to two hour commute (each way) and THAT is what we would like to avoid if we make the move to GA.
I have heard good things about Peach Tree City, if that very far from West Point? Does any one know what the schools there are like?

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by Pixie42

Yes we do currently live in the San Francisco Bay area but, we live about 60 miles outside of S.F. in a slightly rual area and we like the small town feel. Because this is the Bay Area that 60 miles means a 1 and a half to two hour commute (each way) and THAT is what we would like to avoid if we make the move to GA.
I have heard good things about Peach Tree City, if that very far from West Point? Does any one know what the schools there are like?

Columbus is nice, but it sounds too big for you guys, roughly 200,000 in the city. If you want a nice small town that is close, check out Hamilton or Pine Mountain just north of Columbus but south of the KIA plant. Very good schools, small town feel, close to Columbus for shopping/food, and close to KIA. Peachtree City is nice, but that would be a good size commute. You are closure to Atlanta there so you will fight a lot of traffic. Best bet is to stay south of KIA in Harris County if you are looking for a smaller town feel.

[AuburnAL]

Auburn, Alabama would be best. It's expensive for Alabama, but you can get a good house for under 300000. It has great schools. The population is about to explode so you can probably sell your house in a few years and make out like a bandit. Plus SEC football atmosphere puts NFL football atmosphere to shame so if you liked going to 49ers or Raiders games you'll be in heaven. The commute's probably about an hour though. Of course its about an hour from Montgomery, AL too, and it also has a big car plant.

[Tdiddy0027]

Auburn, AL- why do you think the population is about to explode?

[10ofus]

Pixie42 - I just came on to post something similar, so I had to write a note to you! We also live in the SF Bay Area (north bay) and are seriously considering a move to Georgia! We've lived here in CA all our lives, too. I wonder if a California person can make the transition to Georgia living?!?! Guess one or both of us will find out. :>) Best wishes in your search!

[AuburnAL]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

Auburn, AL- why do you think the population is about to explode?

A few reasons. One, the last few years have seen a ton of housing going. I graduated over two years ago, and it was going on then. I've been back a few times for football games and friends' graduations, and I pass more new houses and subdivions each time. Two, Montgomery and Columbus are both growing adding jobs (or were until the economy tanked), and Auburn's schools are a lot better than either one without being too unrealistic of a commute. Three, you talk to Auburn graduates, and most would rather live in Auburn than the Atlanta or Birmingham metro areas where many end up now. The town has historically lacked enough jobs in the nearby area, but with the growth in Auburn, Opelika, Columbus, and Montogmery in the last decade or two its possible now for a lot of graduates to remain or move back. Auburn itself now has some factories and warehouses which is something you wouldn't have seen 20 years ago. Fourth, according to something I saw on AOL or Yahoo a few months back Auburn had the sixth highest growth rate on building permits comparing this year to last in the country so it seems to be weathering the recession well.

Thirty years ago there wasn't much in town other than the university, but Auburn is poised to break into the top 10 Alabama cities by population in the next decade. Given the desire of so many alumni to live there, the growth, and the great schools I think there is every possibility the city could have a population nearing or past 100,000 by 2020 which would be almost double the latest figures I've seen.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by AuburnAL

A few reasons. One, the last few years have seen a ton of housing going. I graduated over two years ago, and it was going on then. I've been back a few times for football games and friends' graduations, and I pass more new houses and subdivions each time. Two, Montgomery and Columbus are both growing adding jobs (or were until the economy tanked), and Auburn's schools are a lot better than either one without being too unrealistic of a commute. Three, you talk to Auburn graduates, and most would rather live in Auburn than the Atlanta or Birmingham metro areas where many end up now. The town has historically lacked enough jobs in the nearby area, but with the growth in Auburn, Opelika, Columbus, and Montogmery in the last decade or two its possible now for a lot of graduates to remain or move back. Auburn itself now has some factories and warehouses which is something you wouldn't have seen 20 years ago. Fourth, according to something I saw on AOL or Yahoo a few months back Auburn had the sixth highest growth rate on building permits comparing this year to last in the country so it seems to be weathering the recession well.

Thirty years ago there wasn't much in town other than the university, but Auburn is poised to break into the top 10 Alabama cities by population in the next decade. Given the desire of so many alumni to live there, the growth, and the great schools I think there is every possibility the city could have a population nearing or past 100,000 by 2020 which would be almost double the latest figures I've seen.

I agree completely. The Columbus/Auburn/LaGrange triangle, as I like to call it, is exploding with growth right now. There is literally billions in new construction going on in this region.