How Atlanta Decided It Can’t Out Suburb the Suburbs (Alpharetta: neighborhoods, private school tuition)

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Yep. And folks, too, need to understand what their property tax will be wherever they live. For example, I live in the burbs in a house of similar size and yard of similar size to my previous home in Midtown. However, my property taxes out here are one sixth of what they were in Midtown.

But you can walk to only 1/6 of the amenities you could in Midtown, if that sort of thing is important to you like it was in Midtown.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by jsvh

My 4 bedroom home in town was $150k, it is in the Jackson HS district which is one of the best up and coming districts. Plus near some good charter schools.

Of course if you are still going to have a long car-dependent commute you are right that you will not see those cost savings. That is why many employers are heading the call of their employees and are locating closer in and / or near transit stations.

I am also discussing the larger population as a whole. Most cannot afford transportation costs of living & working in the suburbs.

It is good that you were able to find a home for that price in that area. I personally wouldn't want to gamble on my son's education by moving into APS, but to each his own.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

Big L, I wish more folks were financially conservative like you are. Just read a story on CNN that 25% of Americans have saved nothing for retirement and another 16% have only $1,000 - $10,000 in retirement savings. That's pretty darn scary! Looking back, I wish I had scrimped a bit more on housing when I was younger and put more away in savings. I pray my children are learning to be good savers so that they can comfortably retire before they are too old to enjoy retirement.

1 in 4 have less than $1,000 saved for retirement - Mar. 22, 2016

I'm not saying that we are perfect because Lord knows that we still blow money at times


We still have a ways to go with the retirement savings, but we are on the right track. Once you start seeing more people around you that are at or near retirement age (parents, aunts/uncles, etc.), it really hits home how what you are doing now will determine how you will live then.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Big L

It is good that you were able to find a home for that price in that area. I personally wouldn't want to gamble on my son's education by moving into APS, but to each his own.

To each his own, but you are trading time with your family (stuck in traffic) and increased risk of injury & death for you and your family (auto accidents) just to fulfil your urban prejudice. That is not a trade I am willing to make.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by cqholt

But you can walk to only 1/6 of the amenities you could in Midtown, if that sort of thing is important to you like it was in Midtown.

Oh, I absolutely agree with you. I was simply making an observation about property tax differences since we happened to be on the topic costs.

[Dkeating]

I don't see the Jackson cluster as much of a gamble; most of it seems more like a sure thing. I think buying in Gwinnett is more of a gamble, because it's getting poorer every year and I'd worry about my property values. When I was in high school 20 years ago several schools that were considered top of the line in Gwinnett and Cobb are now the ones people are more likely to avoid.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by Dkeating

I don't see the Jackson cluster as much of a gamble; most of it seems more like a sure thing. I think buying in Gwinnett is more of a gamble, because it's getting poorer every year and I'd worry about my property values. When I was in high school 20 years ago several schools that were considered top of the line in Gwinnett and Cobb are now the ones people are more likely to avoid.

Agreed. When you buy a place you are not betting on the area 10 years ago or even today, you are betting on the area being great years into the future.

[jeoff]

Originally Posted by Dkeating

I don't see the Jackson cluster as much of a gamble; most of it seems more like a sure thing. I think buying in Gwinnett is more of a gamble, because it's getting poorer every year and I'd worry about my property values. When I was in high school 20 years ago several schools that were considered top of the line in Gwinnett and Cobb are now the ones people are more likely to avoid.

I am pretty sure that the "gamble" that was in reference to (an older?) child's education--not financial. If you do not have kids yet, or have very young kids, then I don't think Jackson is a bad bet at all--and is probably a superior financial risk. But, transferring a kid in middle school or high school anywhere is a gamble, and if you throw in relatively low test scores, and an iffy reputation, then of course it is a "gamble".

[Big L]

Originally Posted by jsvh

To each his own, but you are trading time with your family (stuck in traffic) and increased risk of injury & death for you and your family (auto accidents) just to fulfil your urban prejudice. That is not a trade I am willing to make.

I spent most of my life in urban areas, so I definitely don't have an "urban prejudice". Also, as referenced before in one of my previous posts, since I work in North Fulton (Alpharetta, to be exact), the commute from either our current home in Gwinnett or a home intown would really be what-and-what. Moving intown would not reduce my risk of injury or death, especially when you also factor in that most accidents occur closer to home whether the home in question is in the city, suburbs, exurbs, or in a rural area. Hell, the worst accident that I was involved in was less than two minutes from my old apartment when some idiot pulled out from a stop sign without paying attention. That could happen just about anywhere.


On another note, due to the locations of my home and job, I don't even have to take the interstates to or from work. It is still a long commute, but as stated before that wouldn't change if I moved ITP.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by jeoff

I am pretty sure that the "gamble" that was in reference to (an older?) child's education--not financial. If you do not have kids yet, or have very young kids, then I don't think Jackson is a bad bet at all--and is probably a superior financial risk. But, transferring a kid in middle school or high school anywhere is a gamble, and if you throw in relatively low test scores, and an iffy reputation, then of course it is a "gamble".

Our son will start Kindergarten this year. The "gambles" in question are as follows:


1. If you move into a crappy school district with charter schools, you still have to hope that your child can get into the charter if your house is not zoned for it. If you can't get in, then you are stuck with the local school that your home is zoned unless you can spring for private school tuition.


2. You are hoping that the middle and high schools in the area are better by the time your child gets there. I can't speak for every school in every city, but my experience is that it is more likely for a good school to turn bad than for a bad school turning good. Since Maynard Jackson HS was the school that was mentioned earlier, I will say that I highly doubt that school will become any better by the time our son gets to high school.


3. I will preface this one by stating that my wife and I are both African-American. With that being said, when you are talking about some intown areas (not all, but some), there is a chance that there will still be a good number of indigenous parents and students that will not share that same enthusiasm for learning and parental involvement. That could happen anywhere of course, but the risk is even greater if you are relocating to an already-crappy school district.