Seriously considering a move to N/NW of Atlanta (Sandy Springs: rentals, houses)

[HoneyBadger302]

There are a lot of details to be worked out, but in your opinions/personal experience, what cities/areas would be good for what I'm seeking?

• Not too far from backroads/hills/mountains (aka "twisties") - 20-30 minutes to get to them max
• Reasonable access (20-45 minute drive) to nice hiking area(s)/parks
• Reasonable access to a major artery/freeway (5-15 min or so preferably)
• Access to general shopping fairly easy (regular grocery store or super-center store is fine)
• Not terribly far from other shopping options such as Trader Joe's, etc
• Safe, quiet area. Rural-ish is fine!
• Rentals in the sub-$1600/month or houses<$250K for 2+bed w/garage
• A potential job market, or a commute under an hour to a good job market area - I prefer remote jobs, but that's not always a promise in life, so want options available should they be needed

There are a few other things that would be "nice" (such as being in a suburb where I could still get delivery pizza sometimes ), but most of the other things I want would be very house-specific. No kids, so really don't care about school districts or the like.

[Soccernerd]

If you found work in North Fulton or Perimeter Mall, then Dawsonville could fit. It should be within an hour's commute and wouldn’t be too far from North Georgia outdoors activities.

[back2atl]

Acworth? Woodstock? Cartersville? Canton? Question marks because I’m not sure of current price points.

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger302

There are a lot of details to be worked out, but in your opinions/personal experience, what cities/areas would be good for what I'm seeking?

• Not too far from backroads/hills/mountains (aka "twisties") - 20-30 minutes to get to them max
• Reasonable access (20-45 minute drive) to nice hiking area(s)/parks
• Reasonable access to a major artery/freeway (5-15 min or so preferably)
• Access to general shopping fairly easy (regular grocery store or super-center store is fine)
• Not terribly far from other shopping options such as Trader Joe's, etc
• Safe, quiet area. Rural-ish is fine!
• Rentals in the sub-$1600/month or houses<$250K for 2+bed w/garage
• A potential job market, or a commute under an hour to a good job market area - I prefer remote jobs, but that's not always a promise in life, so want options available should they be needed

There are a few other things that would be "nice" (such as being in a suburb where I could still get delivery pizza sometimes ), but most of the other things I want would be very house-specific. No kids, so really don't care about school districts or the like.

Because the traffic congestion north of Atlanta can get very rough sometimes on major commuter routes like I-75, I-575, GA-400, GA 141, the Top Half of the I-285 Perimeter and I-85/I-985 and I-85/GA 316, you are probably best advised to know exactly what your work situation will be (working remote, commuting to work, or a combination of both) before making a financial commitment to rent a dwelling or purchase a house.

Otherwise, some of the major job markets in the greater Atlanta metropolitan area/region will be:

1) Downtown Atlanta

2) Midtown Atlanta

3) Buckhead (Atlanta's very upscale 'Uptown' business district)

4) Perimeter Center (large major mid-Northside business district at and around the major freeway junction of I-285 and GA-400)

5) Cumberland/Vinings (large major mid-Northwest inner-suburban business district at and around the major freeway junction of I-75 and I-285 Northwest in Cobb County)

6) Alpharetta (rising upscale suburban business district along the GA-400 corridor in highly-affluent North Fulton and Forsyth counties north of Atlanta)

7) Peachtree Corners (along GA 141 in Gwinnett County northeast of Atlanta)

8) Emory University (highly-prestigious private university and public research area in north-central DeKalb County in near-Northeast metro Atlanta)

9) North Cobb County (along US-41, I-75 and I-575 in the Kennesaw and north Marietta areas northwest of Atlanta)

10) Fulton Industrial Boulevard/Six Flags area (near the junction of Interstates 20 and 285 west of Atlanta)

11) Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (a large industrial-oriented business district that is anchored by a facility that is currently the world's busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic)

12) I-85/I-985/GA-316 Northeast Corridor (through the Norcross, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Suwanee and Buford areas of Gwinnett County and into Barrow and Jackson counties)

13) Gainesville/Hall County (the main industrial and business hub of the greater Northeast Georgia Mountains region)

[Born 2 Roll]

Cherokee County (Woodstock, Holly Springs, Canton, Ball Ground), Pickens County (Jasper) Gilmer County (Ellijay), western Dawson County (Big Canoe, Amicalola Falls) and even Fannin County (Blue Ridge, Morganton) can be good/decent outer-suburban/exurban North Georgia foothill/mountain living options for commuting to and from work in areas along the I-75/I-575 Northwest Corridor.

North DeKalb County (Brookhaven, Chamblee, Dunwoody, Doraville), North Fulton County (Buckhead, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek), Forsyth County (Cumming, Sharon Springs), Dawson County (Dawsonville), Lumpkin County (Dahlonega) and maybe even White County (Cleveland, Helen) can be good, decent or acceptable suburban-urban and outer-suburban/exurban North Georgia foothill/mountain living options for commuting to and from work in areas along the GA-400 North corridor.

North DeKalb County, Buckhead, Gwinnett County (Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Duluth, Lawrenceville, Suwanee, Buford), Hall County (Gainesville, Flowery Branch), White County and Habersham County (Cornelia, Demorest, Clarkesville, Tallulah Falls) can be good, decent or acceptable suburban-urban and outer-suburban/exurban North Georgia foothill/mountain living options for commuting to and from work in areas along the I-85/I-985/GA-316 Northeast corridor.

If you get hired to a job where you will be working either mostly and/or completely remote, just simply take your pick of the aforementioned areas north of Atlanta that give you good access to the Blue Ridge/Southern Appalachian foothill and mountain recreational areas in North Georgia, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger302

There are a lot of details to be worked out, but in your opinions/personal experience, what cities/areas would be good for what I'm seeking?

• Not too far from backroads/hills/mountains (aka "twisties") - 20-30 minutes to get to them max
• Reasonable access (20-45 minute drive) to nice hiking area(s)/parks
• Reasonable access to a major artery/freeway (5-15 min or so preferably)
• Access to general shopping fairly easy (regular grocery store or super-center store is fine)
• Not terribly far from other shopping options such as Trader Joe's, etc
• Safe, quiet area. Rural-ish is fine!
• Rentals in the sub-$1600/month or houses<$250K for 2+bed w/garage
• A potential job market, or a commute under an hour to a good job market area - I prefer remote jobs, but that's not always a promise in life, so want options available should they be needed

There are a few other things that would be "nice" (such as being in a suburb where I could still get delivery pizza sometimes ), but most of the other things I want would be very house-specific. No kids, so really don't care about school districts or the like.

I think you can find all you list pretty easily. The one thing is your job market commute. I live in Marietta and I feel I have all that you list, but I don't have a job that I have to commute to. I enjoy weekend drives and find many country roads to drive on.

[Stormhammer]

Originally Posted by HoneyBadger302

There are a lot of details to be worked out, but in your opinions/personal experience, what cities/areas would be good for what I'm seeking?

• Not too far from backroads/hills/mountains (aka "twisties") - 20-30 minutes to get to them max
• Reasonable access (20-45 minute drive) to nice hiking area(s)/parks
• Reasonable access to a major artery/freeway (5-15 min or so preferably)
• Access to general shopping fairly easy (regular grocery store or super-center store is fine)
• Not terribly far from other shopping options such as Trader Joe's, etc
• Safe, quiet area. Rural-ish is fine!
• Rentals in the sub-$1600/month or houses<$250K for 2+bed w/garage
• A potential job market, or a commute under an hour to a good job market area - I prefer remote jobs, but that's not always a promise in life, so want options available should they be needed

There are a few other things that would be "nice" (such as being in a suburb where I could still get delivery pizza sometimes ), but most of the other things I want would be very house-specific. No kids, so really don't care about school districts or the like.

I love you. As a fellow touge enthusiast myself, Dawsonville would honestly be your best bet. Cumming honest hits a lot of those, but it pushes past the 30-minute mark ( north of Dahlonega is where the twisties start ), but hits the other marks.

Basically, look up "Six Gaps" https://sixgap.com/

https://tailofthedragonmaps.com/six-gap-north-georgia/

[HoneyBadger302]

Originally Posted by Stormhammer

I love you. As a fellow touge enthusiast myself, Dawsonville would honestly be your best bet. Cumming honest hits a lot of those, but it pushes past the 30-minute mark ( north of Dahlonega is where the twisties start ), but hits the other marks.

Basically, look up "Six Gaps" https://sixgap.com/

https://tailofthedragonmaps.com/six-gap-north-georgia/

Definitely familiar with the Tail of the Dragon aka Deal's Gap, but haven't actually been there (but have been - in a car - on many of the other beautiful roads in the region).