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We have heard many good things about Alpharetta and are planning to move there from NJ. From what I have gathered so far, Alpharetta seems like a really nice place to raise a family (good schools, safe, good restaurants etc.) but the traffic is really bad. Since I work from home, I don't have to commute to Atlanta or anywhere really far from home (at least for now) Is traffic that bad in and around Alpharetta as well? Is it bad only during peak hours or it's crazy almost the whole day.. We were also thinking about Dallas but summer has really been brutal this year and the feels like temperatures in Dallas have been 100F + most of the days so we started thinking about alternatives. We would probably rent first and then buy, our budget is around 500K. Alpharetta housing market is really confusing, I see some nice houses for 275K and then some bad ones listed at around 450K. Maybe there are some locations in Alpharetta that are not so desirable? We are from India but definitely prefer diversity, especially where schools are concerned. Many thanks in advance!
We have heard many good things about Alpharetta and are planning to move there from NJ. From what I have gathered so far, Alpharetta seems like a really nice place to raise a family (good schools, safe, good restaurants etc.) but the traffic is really bad. Since I work from home, I don't have to commute to Atlanta or anywhere really far from home (at least for now) Is traffic that bad in and around Alpharetta as well? Is it bad only during peak hours or it's crazy almost the whole day.. We were also thinking about Dallas but summer has really been brutal this year and the feels like temperatures in Dallas have been 100F + most of the days so we started thinking about alternatives. We would probably rent first and then buy, our budget is around 500K. Alpharetta housing market is really confusing, I see some nice houses for 275K and then some bad ones listed at around 450K. Maybe there are some locations in Alpharetta that are not so desirable? We are from India but definitely prefer diversity, especially where schools are concerned. Many thanks in advance!
From my understanding the entire suburb of Alpharetta is pretty desirable and there are no pockets that I'm aware of that you may need to avoid. I personally havent been house shopping in that area for a long time but even when I was it was practically impossible to find something for $275k in that area so I am uncertain what you are seeing.
Is traffic bad in 'Alpharetta' persee? ...It kind of depends on where i -- nevermind...yes it is.
Its much worse during commute hours and moderate to rough during normal hours. There are times where it isn't terrible however. If you don't have to commute on GA-400 its entirely doable. If you do... ...it will suck... If you work from home, will your office also be located in Alpharetta? in the event they change and require you to come in, it would be very ideal that your office is located there in Alpharetta.
For traffic, avoid McGinnis Ferry Rd, Old Milton Pkwy, Holcomb Bridge Rd, GA-9 and GA-400 during commute hours.
Mansell, Haynes Bridge Rd, N.Point Pkwy, and Westside Pkwy move decently.
Edit: Decided to look around, in the $275k range it looks like townhomes are available in Alpharetta.
Last edited by Need4Camaro; 08-21-2019 at 03:38 PM..
We have heard many good things about Alpharetta and are planning to move there from NJ. From what I have gathered so far, Alpharetta seems like a really nice place to raise a family (good schools, safe, good restaurants etc.) but the traffic is really bad. Since I work from home, I don't have to commute to Atlanta or anywhere really far from home (at least for now) Is traffic that bad in and around Alpharetta as well? Is it bad only during peak hours or it's crazy almost the whole day.. We were also thinking about Dallas but summer has really been brutal this year and the feels like temperatures in Dallas have been 100F + most of the days so we started thinking about alternatives. We would probably rent first and then buy, our budget is around 500K. Alpharetta housing market is really confusing, I see some nice houses for 275K and then some bad ones listed at around 450K. Maybe there are some locations in Alpharetta that are not so desirable? We are from India but definitely prefer diversity, especially where schools are concerned. Many thanks in advance!
ALL of Alpharetta is desireable. It is just that some areas are extremely desireable while others are just desireable lol. The traffic in Alpharetta is heavy during rush hour, but I would give it a light-medium for all other times. Usually the roads are most congested from 6am-8pm, but they are pretty empty before and after this time.
Alpharetta is awesome because it basically has everything you could want without having to go to the city. You have shopping (normal and regular), amazing restaurants, and a decent amount of mostly small-medium (but Verizon (Now Ameris Bank) gets large shows). If you don't like the traffic of Alpharetta, you could check out Milton. Milton has 1 acre lot size minimums, excellent schools, and pretty much zero traffic. There are a decent of things to do in Milton, but with being right next to Alpharetta you are never isolated or very far from anything. Milton might be out of your budget though.
You could also check out Cumming. It is less expensive and there are some patchier parts, but it is also very nice. The schools are great as well. It also have a lot to do amenity wise and it is close to Alpharetta.
In terms of diversity, I would probably go Alpharetta, then Cumming (Cumming gives Alpharetta a good run for its money and it might even be more diverse in some areas), and then Milton as distant third.
Alpha has lots of Indian families, is desirable with good school, and with so many jobs it's almost becoming its own hub independent of Atlanta.
That said, it is busy most of the time. Roads that should be 2 Lanes in each direction are just one and the city has been slow to update. Hwy 400 gets backed up like any highway, so not too different there. It's actually not the commute traffic that's worse than average in Atlanta, it's the inadequate side roads that set it apart in my opinion.
ALL of Alpharetta is desireable. It is just that some areas are extremely desireable while others are just desireable lol. The traffic in Alpharetta is heavy during rush hour, but I would give it a light-medium for all other times. Usually the roads are most congested from 6am-8pm, but they are pretty empty before and after this time.
Alpharetta is awesome because it basically has everything you could want without having to go to the city. You have shopping (normal and regular), amazing restaurants, and a decent amount of mostly small-medium (but Verizon (Now Ameris Bank) gets large shows). If you don't like the traffic of Alpharetta, you could check out Milton. Milton has 1 acre lot size minimums, excellent schools, and pretty much zero traffic. There are a decent of things to do in Milton, but with being right next to Alpharetta you are never isolated or very far from anything. Milton might be out of your budget though.
You could also check out Cumming. It is less expensive and there are some patchier parts, but it is also very nice. The schools are great as well. It also have a lot to do amenity wise and it is close to Alpharetta.
In terms of diversity, I would probably go Alpharetta, then Cumming (Cumming gives Alpharetta a good run for its money and it might even be more diverse in some areas), and then Milton as distant third.
Thanks for your response, I will definitely check our Cumming.
Did you mean 8 "AM" to 6 "PM". That's pretty much whole day, no?
All of Alpharetta is desirable, also you should consider South Forsyth County and Johns Creek. Alpharetta traffic is bad but if you are living in the nearby area traffic would not be a huge problem. Our summer weather is much cooler than Dallas, Atlanta rarely goes above one hundred degrees. However, Atlanta is much more humid then Dallas which causes low 90s to seem unbearable at times.
Most of the apartments in Alpharetta are around North Point Parkway and several of the apartment complexes are more than 70% Asian Indian.
Alpharetta, Johns Creek and South Forsyth county are diverse. However, many subdivisions in those areas are 70%+ Asian. Many elementary schools in South Forsyth are becoming majority South Asian. Daves Creek elementary in South Forsyth county is more than three fourths Asian with the majority being Indian. Many other elementary schools in South Forsyth county are also majority South Asian. Johns Creek has a lot of Indians as well. Northview High school in Johns Creek is majority Asian (53%), it is currently the only majority Asian high school in Georgia. Alpharetta, Lambert, Denmark and South Forsyth high schools have very fast growing Asian population and may become majority Asian in the next ten years.
500 K will get you a pretty nice house in a well established neighborhood, you can also buy a 4-5 bedroom new house as well.
My memories of Alpharetta are 1970's when open green fields abounded. Then we teenagers seemed to have wide open discovery areas to ourselves. Fun in nature, not young people with smartphones and credit cards in congested place with mediocre air quality from excess of vehicle fumes. Today Alpharetta but another developers construct of excessive consumption and materialism. End goal being maximum extraction of others wealth. Of course no return to less congested times of past, but given choice, will choose large areas of nature, small towns, cleaner air and far fewer shopping choices anytime over places like Alpharetta. When no longer have moral tug to be available to elderly parents, will vacate these suburbs north of Atlanta as soon as possible. Many higher quality of life places to live judging on open spaces and less congestion. Seldom the places mentioned in "Best Places to Live" lists. Not where one may think to live, not with the weather that may appeal to many, but healthier places to live regardless. In fairness seen firsthand western European countries visited in 1970's have upon revisits decades later, also lost some of their charm having becoming more crowded, costly and with societal undercurrent (for many, not all) of tension from waves of immigration. The diminishing sense of personal spaces, increased emphasis on consumerism and false importance placed upon the trivial are not to my thinking, what equate to better mental health or a good place to call home. Likely many come here for better paying job. Get that. Build your retirement savings to place where you feel comfortable, and when you've had enough of congestion and the pointlessness of consumerism - get out for somewhere healthier.
Last edited by trouillot; 08-24-2019 at 07:28 AM..
My memories of Alpharetta are 1970's when open green fields abounded. Then we teenagers seemed to have wide open discovery areas to ourselves. Fun in nature, not young people with smartphones and credit cards in congested place with mediocre air quality from excess of vehicle fumes. Today Alpharetta but another developers construct of excessive consumption and materialism. End goal being maximum extraction of others wealth. Of course no return to less congested times of past, but given choice, will choose large areas of nature, small towns, cleaner air and far fewer shopping choices anytime over places like Alpharetta. When no longer have moral tug to be available to elderly parents, will vacate these suburbs north of Atlanta as soon as possible. Many higher quality of life places to live judging on open spaces and less congestion. Seldom the places mentioned in "Best Places to Live" lists. Not where one may think to live, not with the weather that may appeal to many, but healthier places to live regardless. In fairness seen firsthand western European countries visited in 1970's have upon revisits decades later, also lost some of their charm having becoming more crowded, costly and with societal undercurrent (for many, not all) of tension from waves of immigration. The diminishing sense of personal spaces, increased emphasis on consumerism and false importance placed upon the trivial are not to my thinking, what equate to better mental health or a good place to call home. Likely many come here for better paying job. Get that. Build your retirement savings to place where you feel comfortable, and when you've had enough of congestion and the pointlessness of consumerism - get out for somewhere healthier.
I don't think the OP cares much about your nostalgia or your pontificating on the virtues of country living. He/she was asking for practical advice about an upcoming move to Alpharetta.
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