Looking for Areas near MARTA stations (Atlanta, Sandy Springs: rent, crime, houses)

[FLPL75]

I just found this forum. There is allot of great information.

There is a chance( lol I say chance so I won't jinx it) that we may be relocating from NE FL to Atlanta in the next 6 to 9 months.
From the research I have done the biggest issue is traffic. Originally from the NJ area I am thinking "Garden State Parkway heading south on a Friday in the summer". those of you from NJ may be able to let me know if this is how bad the traffic is.
DH has said he would have no problems with a 20 to 30 min drive to a MARTA station. then take MARTA downtown to where he could be working. It is difficult enough moving to a new area without having a stressed out DH every evening. The problem is it is hard to tell what the nice areas are and what the realistic distance is from looking at the MARTA map.
We are looking for a nice area $250 to $300k.range. I would like some land minimum .5 acre to lets say 1.5. the ability to fence is a must.
We have no children(unless you consider our 3 dogs)so schools aren't a real issue
Some of the areas I have been checking out online are
Powder Springs
Dallas
Hiram
Those seem to have nice size lots with nice looking houses
also
Marietta
Alpheretta
Any suggestions or information about these areas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Karla

[atlantagreg30127]

Well, I live in the Powder Springs area. True, there are still some older homes here with larger lots (ours is about 1 acre). The newer subdivisions that are popping up EVERYWHERE in the Powder Springs and Hiram area however, do not typcially have larger lots (most of them are at most, 1/4 acre to MAYBE 1/2 acre for the nicer ones).

Here is your problem - MARTA does not come to Cobb or Paulding County at ALL (Powder Springs and Marietta are in Cobb, Hiram/Dallas in Paudling). None. Zippo. Cobb County has its own very limited bus system (CCT), but it does not even run out to Powder Springs at all. They did start once single "express" route that connects to MARTA and it's very popular, but they're always changing/altering routes so I would not personally make a move based on that.

I've brought up Atlanta's "race tensions" before so I won't beat it to death here now, but to sum it up, when the MARTA rail system was built in the 70s, Cobb and Gwinnett dropped out of the 1-cent tax system to pay for it, so the rail was not extended into those counties. Every so often through the years they'll let voters vote on whether they will allow it to come out and they always vote "no". The basics - Atlanta is very urban, higher crime, and has a lot of "ghetto" areas. The burbs are in many areas upper-middle yuppie and very white. If you get a native suburbanite drunk enough they'll usually slip up and actually say something like, "we don't want THOSE PEOPLE from downtown to be able to get out here easily, if ya know what I mean... wink wink". Yeppers... it's the South. Enough said. Our last governor created a regional transit agency that had the power to override local governments (as in, had the power to say, "tough crap, we're building it there anyway!"), but the current governor does not put public transit as a high priority, that agency has had budget cuts, and they are powerless to do much except put in an express bus route now and then.

So you would be stuck with about a 20-25 minute ride along I-20 eastbound in order to get to the furthest most MARTA station going west (W5 Hamilton E. Holmes station). Problem is, the West line is the WORST line in terms of rough charactors riding it, as it passes through a few housing projects type of areas. Of all the lines N/S/E/W, the West line isn't the land of Oz. The Holmes station is one of the higher crime stations as well (car break-ins in the parking lot, a few muggings now and then, etc). The short of it is that unless you want to chance that one express route out of Powder Springs, you really don't have any public transit options out here on this side of town.

Explore the North, and Northeast MARTA lines. You do have higher congestion/traffic in those areas, but they're lower crime than the others, and you could still find a decent place within a 20-30 minute drive of a MARTA station there, too. The Eastern areas used to be nicer, but I've known two people who have lived in the Stone Mountain area who have recently moved out, saying crime is on a big upswing around there.

[FLPL75]

Thanks Altlantagreg
that is very helpful information. We are going to cross that option of using that marta station off our list. What would you estimate the drive time from PS to downtown? My husband keeps saying he won't mind doing some driving if it means he can come home to a nice house on a larger lot. He enjoys doing wood working and would love to eventually have a workshop built. I know allot of the new subdivisions would not allow an out-building. Thats why we were looking for around 1 acre or so.
Thanks
Karla

[jxu66]

I will pick Doraville or North Springs station. Pick 20 minutes to the north up from that.

Suwanee, Duluth, Alpharatta, Roswell, west side of Norcross are best bet.

[FLPL75]

thanks jxu66
I took a look at some of the hosues in those areas and saw quite a few that I liked.
Quite a few had basements and large lots. I think we are going to really consider these areas.
I can't believe what you get for the money in the Atlanta area.
Karla

[jennydowd]

Hi Karla,

I responded to your PM before looking at the forum. Most of the questions I asked you in my reply about what you are looking for are here in your postings. So ignore my message.

I agree with jxu66 about those places to live if you want to be near a Marta station, but bear in mind that Marta does not run like NJ Transit or the NYC subway system. Driving 20 monutes to a station and then waiting for a train could make for a longer commute than sitting in traffic would. In addition to what jxu66 suggested, look at Dunwoody and Sandy Springs too. Very close to Marta and very Jersey-like in the housing choices.

Oh, and yes, the rush hour traffic is the same or worse than Friday night benny traffic. But you can avoid it by going to work super early.

If he's willing to drive to work, look into Kennesaw, Acworth, and Woodstock. They are still in growth-mode, so you can get a lot for your money. It would probably be about a 30-45 minute commute into Atlanta (depending on what time he leaves for work).

Good luck!

[FLPL75]

hey jenny
I just sent you a pm
thanks
Karla

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by myfask

Thanks Altlantagreg
What would you estimate the drive time from PS to downtown? My husband keeps saying he won't mind doing some driving if it means he can come home to a nice house on a larger lot. He enjoys doing wood working and would love to eventually have a workshop built. I know allot of the new subdivisions would not allow an out-building. Thats why we were looking for around 1 acre or so.
Thanks
Karla

------------------

On a "good day", you can get to downtown Atlanta from Powder Springs in around 40 minutes. Note this is Atlanta.. the "L.A. of the East Coast" in terms of traffic. During rush hours (6:30am-9am and 3:30pm-6:30pm or so), any "good times" people give you... double them, or more if there are accidents. Not all doom and gloom, there still ARE a few good traffic days here, but they're not nearly as numerous as they were just a few years ago.

Note that the city of Powder Springs tends to change and alter their codes quite a bit, sometimes bordering on the insane. If you want to guarantee an outside "shop" type building, buy the house around but not *IN* the city limits of Powder Springs. Not long ago and I think it's still in effect, that any type of outbuilding had to be 35 feet from the back property line of your neighbors. Might was well attach it to the house! lol

Try to get a basement. While tornados are not an everyday thing, and ours tend to be smaller (F0 to F1 mostly), we do get them in the Spring, and a finished basement makes a nice safety area for that kind of thing.

I really do suggest to people that they RENT something for just 3 months if possible if they move here first, though. Rent it in the area you currently THINK you want to live in. Spend that time driving around, learning the major and minor roads of that area. You may find you love it there and can then go on your search to buy a local home... but you may also find traffic or other issues are a complete turn-off and decide to move further out or in, too.

[FLPL75]

thanks atlantagreg
you have given me allot to think about
renting is not an option we have 3 dogs and I don't think i can convince my husband to move twice. lol
once we know what is going on I plan on a week long visit. that way we can go to the areas we like and "drive" the morning rush
Karla

[atlantagreg30127]

I wish I was ready to move now... I'd sell you MY house! LOL!

I moved to Powder Springs 11 years ago to "get away from it all", but development is catching up to this area and I want to move further out. But as far as house/lot goes, it would be perfect for you - 3BR/3BA ranch, older home, sits on a perfectly flat 1 acre lot with 1/2 acre of it fenced back yard.. etc. I also have three dogs; indoor large mutts but go out and use the yard a lot. Great for kids and pets. Too bad this isn't a couple of years from now 'cause we could have maybe worked something out. Timing sucks.

My neighbor is selling her house, though. 3BR and one room downstairs. Promise me you don't have a ton of screaming kids and you don't leave your dogs outside to bark all night, and I'll tell you more about it. LOL