Dunwoody, Sandy Springs or Buckhead (Atlanta, North Atlanta: rent, buying a house, job transfer)
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My husband and I are moving from Denver to Atlanta for his job. His office will be in Dunwody & they will possibly relocate to downtown eventually. I would like to find an established community with sought after public schools for my daughters. My older one is going into third grade & the younger one will start pre-k in the fall of '12. I'd prefer to stay away from mostly new construction type suburbs & a long commute for my husband. We have looked at houses online in the $600-800K price range in Dunwoody, Sandy Springs & Buckhead. I'd like to know pros and cons of each....especially regarding public schools. Specifically which schools in each of these areas have the best reputation? Also, please let me know if you recommend other areas that might meet our needs. Thanks in advance!
My husband and I are moving from Denver to Atlanta for his job. His office will be in Dunwody & they will possibly relocate to downtown eventually. I would like to find an established community with sought after public schools for my daughters. My older one is going into third grade & the younger one will start pre-k in the fall of '12. I'd prefer to stay away from mostly new construction type suburbs & a long commute for my husband. We have looked at houses online in the $600-800K price range in Dunwoody, Sandy Springs & Buckhead. I'd like to know pros and cons of each....especially regarding public schools. Specifically which schools in each of these areas have the best reputation? Also, please let me know if you recommend other areas that might meet our needs. Thanks in advance!
I'll start off with Dunwoody, since I live here. It will offer the shortest initial commute. Also, if your husbands job moves to downtown, he can take marta. Overall the cluster is good. Vanderlyn and Austin are the two top elementary schools, with Vanderlyn just a tad better (to me they are just as good). Peachtree Middle can be a bit dodgey. All of Dunwoody's elementary schools are good, however one of the feeders for the middle school is from Doraville. A lot of Hispanic students come from this school (if your child is in honors they will be fine). The high school is good.
Sandy Springs: Look into Heards Ferry elementary. It feeds into Ridgeview Middle, I have heard it is dodgey. Finally, the high school is Riverwood, very solid. I do not know that much about the schools there. Anyone else?
Buckhead: If your husbands job transfers it will be the closest. It is also the wealthiest/most prestigious of the three. Look into Sarah Smith Elementary and Jackson. I think Sutton Middle is solid, but North Atlanta High is so-so. Again, anyone else?
Basically, all three have excellent elementary schools. The middle schools in Dunwoody/SS can be dodgy (I think Peachtree Charter in Dunwoody is better). Dunwoody/SS also have good high schools. If you want your child to be in public school until they graduate, i would advise against Buckhead. Most of my high school friends are from there, and none of them went to North Atlanta. It is sub-par.
You have lots of good choices. But I urge you to try and get here in the next few weeks and visit schools. Unless you can afford private, it is hard for me to imagine buying a house without ever visiting the schools. Most schools are out May 24, so you don't have much time. Perhaps narrow it down from these comments and then hop on plane. (School starts in early August) Given that your oldest is already going to be in 3rd grade, I would try and visit elementary and middle schools. Or I would rent for a year.
If you can't get here while school is in session, I would come and try to meet with principals to ask questions. Schools have very different cultures. Giving that you already have a child in school, I suspect you know what you are looking for. When it comes to children and families, one size certainly doesn't fit all and I have known many people who have purchased homes in the districts of the schools that are perceived to be the best only to find themselves dreadfully unhappy.
I would start with Buckhead. Sutton Middle has really turned around in the last decade and North Atlanta has an IB programme that is well respected. All the elementary schools are good, Garden Hills is very diverse and has lower scores, but I know many parents who just love it. Be aware that Sarah Smith and Morris Brandon have two campuses each, splitting up the kids, I think k-2, 3-5, but I am not sure of the exact configuration. The Atlanta system has had some fairly significant issues, but the Buckhead cluster seems to have weathered it well.
Chalvey's advice is a bit dated. Things have really turned around at the Buckhead middle and high school, to the point they need a larger high school, coming within the next few years and a larger middle school (will move into the old high school, I believe.)
Sandy Springs. Riverwood High School is one of my most favorite high school in metro Atlanta. It is diverse, but offers strong academics. Ridgeview Middle is getting better, but there are still many, many families that go private through 8 and then send their kids public for high school. I think that is changing slowly. The school I hear the most about is Heards Ferry, but I am unclear about the others. North Springs High School is also very good. I hope someone can chime in on the elementary schools here. There were some new schools opened a few years ago in SS and I am unclear how things are now.
Dunwoody. Lots of good choices. In your price range, most homes will be in Vanderlyn, Austin or Dunwoody Elementary, most in the first two. Peachtree Middle and Dunwoody are fine, Dunwoody High has some academies that students and parents love. DeKalb School System is in horrible shape with a new superintendent who may or may not be able to make all the changes that are needed.
Commute to Dunwoody, probably immensely doable from all three of your choices. Parts of Buckhead are very close to Dunwoody and probably would be considered a reverse commute.
Any idea when the downtown issue will be known? If it is a strong probability, and you like more urban areas, you might want to consider the Grady High School cluster -- lots of great houses with charm and good choices for elementary school, but a bit of a commute up to Dunwoody.
Last edited by lastminutemom; 05-10-2012 at 05:10 AM..
You have lots of good choices. But I urge you to try and get here in the next few weeks and visit schools. Unless you can afford private, it is hard for me to imagine buying a house without ever visiting the schools. Most schools are out May 24, so you don't have much time. Perhaps narrow it down from these comments and then hop on plane. (School starts in early August) Given that your oldest is already going to be in 3rd grade, I would try and visit elementary and middle schools. Or I would rent for a year.
If you can't get here while school is in session, I would come and try to meet with principals to ask questions. Schools have very different cultures. Giving that you already have a child in school, I suspect you know what you are looking for. When it comes to children and families, one size certainly doesn't fit all and I have known many people who have purchased homes in the districts of the schools that are perceived to be the best only to find themselves dreadfully unhappy.
I would start with Buckhead. Sutton Middle has really turned around in the last decade and North Atlanta has an IB programme that is well respected. All the elementary schools are good, Garden Hills is very diverse and has lower scores, but I know many parents who just love it. Be aware that Sarah Smith and Morris Brandon have two campuses each, splitting up the kids, I think k-2, 3-5, but I am not sure of the exact configuration. The Atlanta system has had some fairly significant issues, but the Buckhead cluster seems to have weathered it well.
Chalvey's advice is a bit dated. Things have really turned around at the Buckhead middle and high school, to the point they need a larger high school, coming within the next few years and a larger middle school (will move into the old high school, I believe.)
Sandy Springs. Riverwood High School is one of my most favorite high school in metro Atlanta. It is diverse, but offers strong academics. Ridgeview Middle is getting better, but there are still many, many families that go private through 8 and then send their kids public for high school. I think that is changing slowly. The school I hear the most about is Heards Ferry, but I am unclear about the others. North Springs High School is also very good. I hope someone can chime in on the elementary schools here. There were some new schools opened a few years ago in SS and I am unclear how things are now.
Dunwoody. Lots of good choices. In your price range, most homes will be in Vanderlyn, Austin or Dunwoody Elementary, most in the first two. Peachtree Middle and Dunwoody are fine, Dunwoody High has some academies that students and parents love. DeKalb School System is in horrible shape with a new superintendent who may or may not be able to make all the changes that are needed.
Commute to Dunwoody, probably immensely doable from all three of your choices. Parts of Buckhead are very close to Dunwoody and probably would be considered a reverse commute.
Any idea when the downtown issue will be known? If it is a strong probability, and you like more urban areas, you might want to consider the Grady High School cluster -- lots of great houses with charm and good choices for elementary school, but a bit of a commute up to Dunwoody.
As always lastminutemom has the best school advice! I would definitely consider the Grady cluster. I live in Buckhead and use private schools, but if I wanted to use public I would definitely go with Grady. Grady has become an amazing school in recent years. Many people in the intown neighborhoods who could afford private schools have begun to send their children to the Grady cluster. It is also a diverse school(economically & racially). The feeder elementary schools that people seem to like the most are Springdale Park(SPARK), Mary Lin, & Morningside. The middle school Inman is also great.
It would be a commute up to Dunwoody but, if your company is moving soon definitely consider it.
Any of the areas you are looking at buying in are great. They all are areas that hold their values.
Thank you all! We are really not sure about timing & exact location regarding the company's relocation yet. But, as I find out more I may be able to expand my search. It sounds like the areas on which we are currently focusing would all be a fine commute to/from the current Dunwoody location. I think I need to narrow my search to a couple of great public elementary schools and find houses zoned to those schools. We are not too worried about middle & high school at this point as we would probably send them to a private school if needed or have to relocate again by that time. Considering our needs, if you had to pick two or three elementary schools on which to focus your search, which ones would you choose? We would like to live in an affluent community with a great elementary school, a lot of parental involvement, and extra funding from the parent community. Thanks again for your help!
Grady is the best high school cluster out of Dunwoody, Sandy Springs, and Buckhead. Very nice intown neighborhoods with older, remodeled homes, neighborhood character, and walkability.
Thank you all! We are really not sure about timing & exact location regarding the company's relocation yet. But, as I find out more I may be able to expand my search. It sounds like the areas on which we are currently focusing would all be a fine commute to/from the current Dunwoody location. I think I need to narrow my search to a couple of great public elementary schools and find houses zoned to those schools. We are not too worried about middle & high school at this point as we would probably send them to a private school if needed or have to relocate again by that time. Considering our needs, if you had to pick two or three elementary schools on which to focus your search, which ones would you choose? We would like to live in an affluent community with a great elementary school, a lot of parental involvement, and extra funding from the parent community. Thanks again for your help!
Sarah Smith or Morris Brandon -- I think. Buckhead is more affluent than Dunwoody, I think and those schools supplement system resources more than any other school in metro Atlanta, I think. Morningside Elementary also would fit, but a less desirable commute to Dunwoody.
Chalvey's advice is a bit dated. Things have really turned around at the Buckhead middle and high school, to the point they need a larger high school, coming within the next few years and a larger middle school (will move into the old high school, I believe.)
Sorry about that. It's been a couple of year since I graduated high school, and all my Buckhead friends are now in uni, so its been a while since I knew what was happening.
Thank you all! We are really not sure about timing & exact location regarding the company's relocation yet. But, as I find out more I may be able to expand my search. It sounds like the areas on which we are currently focusing would all be a fine commute to/from the current Dunwoody location. I think I need to narrow my search to a couple of great public elementary schools and find houses zoned to those schools. We are not too worried about middle & high school at this point as we would probably send them to a private school if needed or have to relocate again by that time. Considering our needs, if you had to pick two or three elementary schools on which to focus your search, which ones would you choose? We would like to live in an affluent community with a great elementary school, a lot of parental involvement, and extra funding from the parent community. Thanks again for your help!
Second what LLM said. I would also look into Vanderlyn (I went there in the late 90's-early 00's). Brilliant school. The only thing going against it is the 30-40 minute one way rush hour commute to downtown
We found out that the office is not moving downtown. They are staying in Dunwoody. Given that information, would we be okay to focus primarily on Dunwoody? It sounds like Vanderlyn and Austin are the best elementary schools in that area. Do most of the kids from Vanderlyn go to the public middle school? Also, can anyone give feedback on the Dunwoody Club Forest neighborhood? A few of the houses we like are in that subdivision. What health club do most people in Dunwoody join? I'm looking for a private club with an extensive list of yoga classes, pool, family programming & child care. Thanks!
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