Alpharetta? Roswell? Somewhere else? (Atlanta, Woodstock: condo, townhome, employment)

[Jessilc]

I've been lurking since my spouse's company mentioned opening an office in Alpharetta. Today the relocation offer is in the process of being accepted and signed. Would love some feedback on where we should land in February, 2012.

1. Budget:$275k-$325k
2. House/Condo/Townhome? House (4br/2ba)
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home): Husband will be working off North Point Parkway in Alpharetta. The company's current office is on Cicero Drive, and the new office is likely to be in that area. I will be working from home.
4. Children(public school vs. private): This is important. We have three children under 4, so schools are a priority. We would prefer public.
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two: 5 years ago I would have said "a mix of the two, with an emphasis on diversity and walkability." But with my new brood, I am ok with suburban (the other two things would be nice pluses). We would prefer to be in an area with lots of activities for families and children, and close to shopping. A nice town center with great restaurants would be lovely, too.
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not? Unimportant.
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.: Unimportant.

Roswell keeps popping up in my research--family-friendly, close to husband's work, and it has what looks like a cute, walkable downtown. We're coming from Boston, so the housing prices are a dream to me, but living in a subdivision will likely take some getting used to. We're heading to Atlanta next weekend to check out houses, so community recommendations would be great. Thanks in advance!

[BobKovacs]

You can also look in eastern Cherokee County. You'll get more bang for your buck than in Roswell, as well as great schools. It's more suburban, and there are walkable downtowns in Woodstock and Canton. Hubby's commute wouldn't be hellacious (30 minutes on most days), especially once he figures out the backroads to the office, and provided he can work around the school bus travel times.

[lorilove]

Your budget is on the low side for Roswell newer homes but is still doable. You can't go wrong with either area. North Point Parkway has a huge mall and all the big box stores and movie theaters you will ever need. Roswell is going to give you the more unique walkable retail areas.

I would look in both areas for comparison.

[Mattie]

The commute from Eastern Cherokee can be a bear, both coming and going. There are plans to widen Arnold Mill, but it is still years away from making a difference.

Roswell and Alpharetta both have lots of family friendly features. I think the edge might be to Roswell with the wonderful programs held at Roswell Area Park on Woodstock Rd. That area is also an easy walk to the downtown area.

But, you really can't go wrong with either Alpharetta or Roswell as it pertains to lots of young families and great schools.

[Jessilc]

Thanks, everyone. Regarding the budget--is that low? We could go higher, but it seems like there is lots of inventory in that range. I've been wondering about the new construction versus older homes. I personally like the look and feel of more established neighborhoods, but can understand the appeal of a brand new home, too. Coming from the Northeast, buying "new" is relatively rare. Is it something I should be looking into? Can you get a solid "used" home for around $300k in Roswell?

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

You can also look in eastern Cherokee County. You'll get more bang for your buck than in Roswell, as well as great schools. It's more suburban, and there are walkable downtowns in Woodstock and Canton. Hubby's commute wouldn't be hellacious (30 minutes on most days), especially once he figures out the backroads to the office, and provided he can work around the school bus travel times.

Not sure about that. I've done Hwy 140 from Roswell to Canton during afternoon rush hour and wanted to put a gun to my head.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Not sure about that. I've done Hwy 140 from Roswell to Canton during afternoon rush hour and wanted to put a gun to my head.

That's why you don't take 140- you take Lower Birmingham or some of the other east-west roads. Distance may be a bit longer, but time-wise it's faster, and the scenery is nicer.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

That's why you don't take 140- you take Lower Birmingham or some of the other east-west roads. Distance may be a bit longer, but time-wise it's faster, and the scenery is nicer.

If anything, this demonstrates why Atlanta needs better secondary roads.

[ATLTJL]

If you work in Alpharetta, I don't see why you wouldn't live there too.

I think Alpharetta and Roswell are pretty comparable communities, which one has an edge over the other is going to depend heavily on who you ask. Personally, I find Roswell to have worse traffic and I think Alpharetta was planned out a little better. Of course, the flip side is Roswell has the historic downtown.

However, if I had a job in Alpharetta, I wouldn't even consider living somewhere else. Why bother? Roswell is going to be an extremely similar experience, so why would I want to add extra time to my commute? If historic areas are important to me, I'd rather just drive 10 or 15 minutes to it on weekends instead of adding 20 or 30 minutes to my daily commute just so I could live closer to it.

If the job is east of 400, I would consider looking in Johns Creek as well just because that commute wouldn't be too bad. If it's west of 400, I wouldn't even bother with Johns Creek. I'd consider Milton and Alpharetta. A lot of it is going to depend on exactly where the office is.

[researchnerd]

I second the suggestion for East Cherokee, where you can easily find a really nice 4-bedroom house in your price range. Yes, Arnold Mill and 140 are a mess, but there are a number of alternate routes. I commuted from Canton and Ball Ground to Windward for 5 years via Old Campground Road or 372 and my drive was reliably 30 min each way. Check out the Hickory Flat area of Canton too.

South Forsyth County between McFarland and 141 on Ga 400 would also offer decent schools and an easy commute for your spouse. It has some pricey areas, but I believe there are some nice subdivisions in your price range.

And welcome, from another former Bostonian!