New to Atlanta and need commute help (Sandy Springs, Dunwoody: real estate market, house)

[Atlnewguy]

Hi my family and I are new to atl and really struggling to find the size house we need with good schools and an ok commute.

I'll be working in the old Fourth ward...and right now we are looking at a few area

Northern Burbs
Sandy Springs
Dunwoody
Peachtree Corners

Southern Burbs
Tyrone
Peachtree City
Fayetteville

We really like the southern Burbs but I'm hearing horror stories on the commute into the city. Like 90 mins with NO traffic.

Can anyone shine a little light on the commute to old fourth ward from these locations.

My head is starting to really pound and my time is winding down

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Atlnewguy

Hi my family and I are new to atl and really struggling to find the size house we need with good schools and an ok commute.

I'll be working in the old Fourth ward...and right now we are looking at a few area

Northern Burbs
Sandy Springs
Dunwoody
Peachtree Corners

Southern Burbs
Tyrone
Peachtree City
Fayetteville

We really like the southern Burbs but I'm hearing horror stories on the commute into the city. Like 90 mins with NO traffic.

Can anyone shine a little light on the commute to old fourth ward from these locations.

My head is starting to really pound and my time is winding down

My one-time paralegal lives in Fayetteville and commuted into midtown. Would take her 1.25 - 1.75 hours each way.

[ronricks]

Originally Posted by Atlnewguy

Hi my family and I are new to atl and really struggling to find the size house we need with good schools and an ok commute.

I'll be working in the old Fourth ward...and right now we are looking at a few area

Northern Burbs
Sandy Springs
Dunwoody
Peachtree Corners

Southern Burbs
Tyrone
Peachtree City
Fayetteville

We really like the southern Burbs but I'm hearing horror stories on the commute into the city. Like 90 mins with NO traffic.

Can anyone shine a little light on the commute to old fourth ward from these locations.

My head is starting to really pound and my time is winding down

You are really trying to make not only your life but also your family's life miserable with the commutes you would have from these places. I wouldn't live in any of those and commute to the O4W especially the Southern burbs. Sorry.

[AtlJan]

What is your housing budget and home size desired?

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Atlnewguy

Hi my family and I are new to atl and really struggling to find the size house we need with good schools and an ok commute.

I'll be working in the old Fourth ward...and right now we are looking at a few area

Northern Burbs
Sandy Springs
Dunwoody
Peachtree Corners

Southern Burbs
Tyrone
Peachtree City
Fayetteville

We really like the southern Burbs but I'm hearing horror stories on the commute into the city. Like 90 mins with NO traffic.

Can anyone shine a little light on the commute to old fourth ward from these locations.

My head is starting to really pound and my time is winding down

None of the areas you posted are as far away as 90 minutes with no traffic.

Though, on really bad traffic days (inclement weather, collisions, delays, etc) each of those areas could be as far as 90 minutes away (and longer) from the Old Fourth Ward.

The commutes generally will be longer between the Northern suburbs and the Old Fourth Ward than they will be between the Southern suburbs and the Old Fourth Ward area....Though the commutes between the Southern suburbs and the Old Fourth Ward will still be prone to delays during peak traffic hours, just not as delay prone as the Northside commutes can be at times.

The I-75/I-85 Downtown Connector south of the I-75/I-85 merge/Brookwood Interchange, I-85 southbound south of the I-85/GA 400 merge, the stretch of GA 400 southbound leading into the I-85/GA 400 merge (particularly during morning rush hours) and the I-285/GA 400 interchange will especially be areas to watch out for when it comes to significant traffic delays during rush hours on the Northside.

The I-285/GA 400 interchange is slated to go through a massive reconstruction project over the next few years, a massive reconstruction project that is certain to generate many major (and lengthy) traffic delays before traffic improves after the project is completed sometime early in the next decade of the 2020's.

If you opt to live in one of the Northside areas you noted, you seriously may want to check to see if MARTA trains and buses may be a viable option for you to use during your commutes to and from work in the Old Fourth Ward area.

You might also want (and/or need) to expand your search to include some ITP/Intown areas that might offer a much shorter (and much less painful) commute to and from your place of work in the Old Fourth Ward area.

(...And you might also want and/or need to alter your expectations of what kind of housing you'll be willing to accept in order to obtain a much-shorter, less-painful and less-stressful rush hour commute if you choose to look at ITP and Intown housing options.)

Each of the areas you mentioned are great suburban areas with many great amenities....Though the commutes between those outlying suburban areas and an Intown area like the Old Fourth Ward can (and will) be challenging on many days....Though the Northside commutes will be the heaviest (and most delay-prone) on the most consistent basis, with the Southside commutes being heavy and experiencing delays on some days as well, but not as heavy (or as delay-prone) as the Northside commutes.

[Clayton white guy]

I would try the Union Grove High feeder pattern (Eastlake Elementary, Timberidge Elementary, Union Grove Middle, Union Grove High) in Henry County. Take 675 north to 285 west, go one exit (Moreland Avenue) past Starlight Drive in, turn left on McDonough Road (past Atlanta Federal Prison) turn right on Boulevard, pass through Grant Park and Cabbage Town and >>>Old Fourth Ward thirty-five to forty-five minutes, really.

[Atlnewguy]

Originally Posted by AtlJan

What is your housing budget and home size desired?

Hi. We are looking for 4 bed 3 baths. Would like 3000 sf min. Budget max is 500k

Schools matter as well

Thank you

[Atlnewguy]

Thank you tremendously for this info. I'm sharing this with my wife. This is going to be extremely different from what we r use to

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by Atlnewguy

Hi. We are looking for 4 bed 3 baths. Would like 3000 sf min. Budget max is 500k

Schools matter as well

Thank you

Your housing budget will generally go farther on the Southside (in south suburban areas like Peachtree City, Tyrone and Fayetteville) than it will on the Northside (in closer-in north suburban areas like Dunwoody and Sandy Springs and even some parts of Peachtree Corners, particularly the parts of Peachtree Corners back by the Chattahoochee River).

The Southside also may likely have more housing inventory available to choose from than the Northside might because of the much larger massive cluster of employment and amenities on the Northside.

The real estate market has been extremely competitive at times throughout many areas on the Northside over the last several months and three and four-bedroom homes may not always stay on the market for all that long in Northside areas like Dunwoody and Sandy Springs and even parts of Peachtree Corners.

[DreamerD]

What about Decatur or Brookhaven? I mean da**, all those cities you listed are so far. You wouldn't ever see your family again with all that traffic lol j/k.