Possible move to Athens-need help (Atlanta, Athens-Clarke County: to rent, house, transfer)

[SoFLGal]

My daughter and her girlfriend will be moving from NYC to Athens this fall. They've done a lot of research and have found Athens to be at the top of their list. From their research they like-
1. It has a Trader Joes--both of them will be transferring there
2. Its diverse-they're gay and my daughter is white and her GF is black.
3. The property is affordable-They are looking to spend around $200K or so
4. There are things to do-hike, music scene, coffee shops
5. Its a younger demographic-My daughter is 21 and her GF is 27
6. Schools-They will eventually adopt- It seems Oconee has good schools?

And as a mom, Im looking for a safe area for them

They are looking at a few areas but have never visited Athens before. They plan to visit in July and then buy in Sept.

What are your thoughts on these areas-
Barber St
S Milledge and S Lumpkin St
W Lake Dr and Milledge Cir
S Lumpkin St and Greenwood Dr
City Center
Barnett Shoals/College Station
Oconee St and Poplar St
W Lake Dr and Westview Dr
W Broad St and Hawthorne Ave

Given the info above, where would you suggest they start looking?

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

My daughter and her girlfriend will be moving from NYC to Athens this fall. They've done a lot of research and have found Athens to be at the top of their list. From their research they like-
1. It has a Trader Joes--both of them will be transferring there
2. Its diverse-they're gay and my daughter is white and her GF is black.
3. The property is affordable-They are looking to spend around $200K or so
4. There are things to do-hike, music scene, coffee shops
5. Its a younger demographic-My daughter is 21 and her GF is 27
6. Schools-They will eventually adopt- It seems Oconee has good schools?

And as a mom, Im looking for a safe area for them

They are looking at a few areas but have never visited Athens before. They plan to visit in July and then buy in Sept.

What are your thoughts on these areas-
Barber St
S Milledge and S Lumpkin St
W Lake Dr and Milledge Cir
S Lumpkin St and Greenwood Dr
City Center
Barnett Shoals/College Station
Oconee St and Poplar St
W Lake Dr and Westview Dr
W Broad St and Hawthorne Ave

Given the info above, where would you suggest they start looking?

Oconee county schools are separate from Athens-Clarke County. Oconee County is arguably a white-flight suburb of Athens—though it is more diverse and tolerant than the white-flight suburbs of my childhood-it is relatively conservative. There are some pretty good school options in Athens—mostly around 5-points (Barrow), the medical school (Chase street—I think) and Timothy Road (Timothy elementary). You might still want to consider Oconee for the schools, but go in with your eyes wide open—it is very different than Athens (some ways good, some bad).

[samiwas1]

It's odd that Athens doesn't have a sub when it's larger than Macon.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

It's odd that Athens doesn't have a sub when it's larger than Macon.

Macon - 152,663
Athens - 125,691

EDIT: Macon also has Warner-Robins in their region.

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by citidata18

Macon - 152,663
Athens - 125,691

EDIT: Macon also has Warner-Robins in their region.

The list I looked at gave a much different population count. I guess it was outdated.

Their metro populations are similar. Just surprising that they don't have their own sub. But...not the topic.

[jeoff]

One other thing that may still be an issue with Athens schools—they used to rezone their schools often (trying to stem white flight with “creative zoning”). So, it is probably better to live closer to a school you like, instead on the edges of a school zone. If you are on the border of a school zone, you may get zoned out of it.

[SoFLGal]

If we didnt take schools into consideration (since they dont have kids yet), where would you suggest looking?

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

If we didnt take schools into consideration (since they dont have kids yet), where would you suggest looking?

It’s been 6 years since we lived in the area, I am much older than your daughter, and probably much less trendy, and may forget a little...
That said
1) none of the areas you listed strike me as being bad (though, I am not sure what you can find in all of them at your price-point).
2) Barnett-college station has shops—but it is more strip-malls than anything, much less trendy than downtown—guessing not top of her list, unless she can get a much better house than in the other areas.
3) guessing she wants to be close to the old downtown area—broad street/Oconee St —shops, festivals, bars, coffee, etc.
4) lumpkin-milledge is not downtown, it’s five points, which isn’t that far, and does have some restaurants/shops she is looking for, and is probably zoned for a good elementary school (barrow)—I think west lake and greenwood may be close to here, but less walkable (check a map).
5) I think barber st is pretty close to downtown (Normaltown?), and had it’s own shops, and *may* be zoned for a good elementary school (chase) (
6) again, none of the places listed strike me as bad, and it is not like you are dealing with Atlanta traffic, so if she absolutely loves something on her list, I wouldn’t worry too much—Athens is great!

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by jeoff

It’s been 6 years since we lived in the area, I am much older than your daughter, and probably much less trendy, and may forget a little...
That said
1) none of the areas you listed strike me as being bad (though, I am not sure what you can find in all of them at your price-point).
2) Barnett-college station has shops—but it is more strip-malls than anything, much less trendy than downtown—guessing not top of her list, unless she can get a much better house than in the other areas.
3) guessing she wants to be close to the old downtown area—broad street/Oconee St —shops, festivals, bars, coffee, etc.
4) lumpkin-milledge is not downtown, it’s five points, which isn’t that far, and does have some restaurants/shops she is looking for, and is probably zoned for a good elementary school (barrow)—I think west lake and greenwood may be close to here, but less walkable (check a map).
5) I think barber st is pretty close to downtown (Normaltown?), and had it’s own shops, and *may* be zoned for a good elementary school (chase) (
6) again, none of the places listed strike me as bad, and it is not like you are dealing with Atlanta traffic, so if she absolutely loves something on her list, I wouldn’t worry too much—Athens is great!

jeoff is offering really good advice.

I would second neighborhoods going west of downtown towards Normal town, but north of Broad St. Some of the effects of students in the neighborhoods will be lessened and the neighborhoods will get cheaper, but maintain some character stay a fairly nice area.

If they chose to rent, they could find more options with their budget, and it might not be a bad idea for a year or two to make sure they like the town and get to know the neighborhoods themselves.

The only thing I would comment on from what has been said earlier in the thread is I would be careful with the suburban periphery and this would include Oconee County. It isn't that I don't see tolerance in the suburban growth, which is largely driven from professional and professors connected to UGA, it is that the area is more exurban and I don't see as much tolerance coming from the existing rural population in those areas. Something that will not be an issue at all closer to town. Athens definitely has a fun-loving eclectic free spirit to it.

Although, Oconee County does have excellent schools hands down by a large margin.