I am confused about what is or isn't brookhaven (Atlanta: fit in, houses)

[happenstance]

Hello All:

I was looking at homes in the buckhead, brookhaven area online when I ran across a home that was good looking and had basically just about every amenity within distance I could ask for. However, upon me looking up the zip code which was 30024. I noticed that this zip code is actually in suwanee. Did I miss something? Did the website make a mistake?

Question 2: Does anyone know if it is possible to custom build my house in one of these subdivisions, I dont like their house plans. I am not sure where in the area I am moving to but, basically I want to "Pimp" my own home. I like the way the homes are built with the exception of the garages (too small), I would like to convert it to indoor multi purpose court and the homes are either too close to the street or, you can't gate your home and driveway off. There are other things like outdoor mutipurpose court as well. I want to be near atlanta as close as I can get it but, still live in a quiet CC gated community if I can. Bike trails, basketball courts, gym, parks and all that good stuff I love. psst a lake would be nice as well though likely improbable. Your advice and reccomendations would be appreciated.

Side bar: I confess I am a cheap skate

[jeweloflight]

Originally Posted by happenstance

Hello All:

I was looking at homes in the buckhead, brookhaven area online when I ran across a home that was good looking and had basically just about every amenity within distance I could ask for. However, upon me looking up the zip code which was 30024. I noticed that this zip code is actually in suwanee. Did I miss something? Did the website make a mistake?

Question 2: Does anyone know if it is possible to custom build my house in one of these subdivisions, I dont like their house plans. I am not sure where in the area I am moving to but, basically I want to "Pimp" my own home. I like the way the homes are built with the exception of the garages (too small), I would like to convert it to indoor multi purpose court and the homes are either too close to the street or, you can't gate your home and driveway off. There are other things like outdoor mutipurpose court as well. I want to be near atlanta as close as I can get it but, still live in a quiet CC gated community if I can. Bike trails, basketball courts, gym, parks and all that good stuff I love. psst a lake would be nice as well though likely improbable. Your advice and reccomendations would be appreciated.

Side bar: I confess I am a cheap skate

That listing must have truely been an error. While Brookhaven and Buckhead are next door to each other, Suwanee is in Gwinnet County and light years away from either Brookhaven or Buckhead. First off, it sounds to me like what you want to do with your house doesn't fit into living in the areas you mentioned. Brookhaven and Buckhead are city living, most of the houses are close to the street because it's Atlanta proper and there isn't the space to sprawl out and add on like it sounds like you want to do. If that's your plan, you need to look into living in suburbia. Secondly, cheap skates will never survive in Brookhaven or Buckhead, as they are very,very, expensive and exclusive areas to live in, with Buckhead being the highest of the two. Basketball courts, gyms and a park you'll likely find. Not so sure about a bike trail. If you desparately want to live in these areas, then bring your checkbook, otherwise, move on to another part of town. Then again, I don't know what part of the country you're coming from, maybe the homes in Buckhead and Brookhaven are a bargain in your eyes. Good Luck.

[happenstance]

Originally Posted by jeweloflight

That listing must have truely been an error. While Brookhaven and Buckhead are next door to each other, Suwanee is in Gwinnet County and light years away from either Brookhaven or Buckhead. First off, it sounds to me like what you want to do with your house doesn't fit into living in the areas you mentioned. Brookhaven and Buckhead are city living, most of the houses are close to the street because it's Atlanta proper and there isn't the space to sprawl out and add on like it sounds like you want to do. If that's your plan, you need to look into living in suburbia. Secondly, cheap skates will never survive in Brookhaven or Buckhead, as they are very,very, expensive and exclusive areas to live in, with Buckhead being the highest of the two. Basketball courts, gyms and a park you'll likely find. Not so sure about a bike trail. If you desparately want to live in these areas, then bring your checkbook, otherwise, move on to another part of town. Then again, I don't know what part of the country you're coming from, maybe the homes in Buckhead and Brookhaven are a bargain in your eyes. Good Luck.

Yes it is a bargain to me for the area... and although I have lived in atlantra georgia before and I am familiar with some parts of buckhead and brookhaven I haven't been to every nook and cranny of the area. However, I do know that even though it's the city there are quiet parts. BTW: I just realized the home that I saw must've been in atlanta because it supposedly is near chastain park,murphy-chandler park, and blackburn park (which I never heard of). Anyway, thanks I will figure things out in do time

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by happenstance

Yes it is a bargain to me for the area... and although I have lived in atlantra georgia before and I am familiar with some parts of buckhead and brookhaven I haven't been to every nook and cranny of the area. However, I do know that even though it's the city there are quiet parts. BTW: I just realized the home that I saw must've been in atlanta because it supposedly is near chastain park,murphy-chandler park, and blackburn park (which I never heard of). Anyway, thanks I will figure things out in do time

Chastain Park is in Buckhead. Murphy-Chandler Park and Blackburn Park are both in Dunwoody. These two areas are like 15-20 minutes apart so I don't know what they were trying to say about the location of the home. The zip code for Brookhaven is 30319. Not all of 30319 is Brookhaven though, as the actual community is very small. The community is split between the Buckhead section of Atlanta and unincorporated Dekalb County. Brookhaven and Buckhead have strict guidelines on what you can and can not build though. They will hand you alot of rules before you design or build so expect that.

If you have elementary aged children try and live on the Buckhead side. Sarah Smith Elementary serves that part of Buckhead and is definately private school quality without the money. Most parents in Brookhaven and Buckhead send their kids to area private schools for middle and high school.

If you want a bigger lot with more privacy you should consider moving to Southwest Sandy Springs, the portion west of Ga-400 and inside I-285. The zip for the area is 30327. When searching online keep in mind that 75% of the zip is in Buckhead. I would suggest searching with www.dorseyalston.com. That site is very nice. You can tell the difference between the homes located in Buckhead and the homes located in Sandy Springs by the elementary schools listed. The elementary school serving the Buckhead half, Jackson Elem., is one of the best in the state and now has the IB program for the elementary school level. The elem. school serving SW Sandy Springs, Heards Ferry Elementary, is not private school quality but still a good public school.

Taxes are cheaper in Sandy Springs than in Buckhead and you might have more freedom to build what you want. In 30327 you can actually have the land you are looking for, you can build your dream mansion, as these are the homes that dominate the area, and you will be only ten to fifteen minutes from the heart of Buckhead. Plus, 30327 is the most affluent zip code in the southeast with the average home price at $964,000 and rising. You should buy before it becomes as expensive as the upscale areas of California and New York. The area is very posh but if you can afford to build a home in Brookhaven you can afford to live in that zip code. If you can afford to buy now, it will prove a worthy investment in the future.