Peachtree City Advice!!! Please (Atlanta, Newnan: transplants, condo, daycares) - Georgia (GA) - City-Data Forum

Tmal372 · 09-14-2014, 06:20 PM

Hi!

My family and I will be moving to the Peachtree city area soon due to a job relocation. Unfortunately, we do not have time to visit beforehand. I've been doing a lot of research online and see that PTC is a great place to live but, was wondering everyone's thought on Newnan. Good and Bad? We are in our early 30's and have a toddler. We are looking for a nice family oriented area where we will have the opportunity to meet new friends and also be fairly close to shopping.

Also, can anyone give advise on daycares and which ones you would highly recommend?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Feel free to share any other information you think might be of help. I want to know everything about PTC and it's surroundings. The good and the not so good!

Thanks I advance!!

cwkimbro · 09-14-2014, 07:08 PM

Both cities are a part of Metro Atlanta, but are sort of buffered from the rest of the growth on the quieter southside. Peachtree City is jokingly referred to as 'the bubble.'

PTC is a really nice area that attracts much of the executive style housing for the southside. In no small part it is appealing to professionals that work near the airport. It is a highly planned environment. Many of the businesses aren't allowed to build up within open view of the main roadway through town. There are tree buffers everywhere. All of the neighborhoods are connected to walking/biking/golf cart path trails. It is usually a desired area. The only flaw is most of Atlanta's jobs have grown north. It leaves the area quieter, but out of reach for many.

Newnan is an older more traditional city in the county next door. It is much more middle of the pack and there is less executive housing. It is also planned more normally in step with the rest of the region. Businesses are highly visible from the road, for better or worse. You won't find all of the golf cart paths. It is slightly less of a bubble, but it is like a traditional suburb. There are new shopping complex that popped up called Newnan Crossing that is fairly nice. It has an old town center with a more traditional town feel, but much of the housing in the area is in disconnected suburban developments straddling the freeway. There is a central square with a courthouse.

Both cities have large housing lots with plenty of trees. Both cities have neighborhoods on golf courses. Newnan has a few more townhome and cheaper tract housing in the mix.

The schools in PTC will be more sought after. Newnan isn't bad though. You will get more house for the money in Newnan.

cislga · 09-15-2014, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tmal372

Hi!

My family and I will be moving to the Peachtree city area soon due to a job relocation. Unfortunately, we do not have time to visit beforehand. I've been doing a lot of research online and see that PTC is a great place to live but, was wondering everyone's thought on Newnan. Good and Bad? We are in our early 30's and have a toddler. We are looking for a nice family oriented area where we will have the opportunity to meet new friends and also be fairly close to shopping.

Also, can anyone give advise on daycares and which ones you would highly recommend?

Any advice is greatly appreciated! Feel free to share any other information you think might be of help. I want to know everything about PTC and it's surroundings. The good and the not so good!

Thanks I advance!!

I live in PTC. It's a very family oriented place. Most of my friends are SAHM moms but I do know the daycare right across from Starr's Mill HS is suppose to be good. Sorry, I don't know the name. It's off Hwy. 74 S.

PTC has a newcomers club that I met several moms at when we first moved here.

HTH

enchantrss20 · 09-19-2014, 06:07 PM

Hi All... Been trying to track various threads and weather/climate patterns for the PTC-Newnan areas, and would really like to hear some viewpoints and feelings on the amounts of sun, clouds, rain, cold, heat/humidity - and bugs - how enjoyable or not, how does it all affect you? I know it gets cold and quite rainy, but haven't noticed a lot of screened patios/pools, and with all the golf cart paths and trees so abundant, I am hoping that means it is pleasant to be outside a good portion of the day/year, able to enjoyably walk, swim, garden, and grill outdoors, even some evenings, etc... Would greatly appreciate all comments - thanks so much!

Brian_M · 09-19-2014, 07:10 PM

For the OP... I couldn't imagine a worse fate than having to live in PTC... but I'm "different". It's about the opposite of Everything I value in life... very Stepford Wives-ish.

As to the weather, it all depends on where you're coming from and your tolerance. My wife was born and raised her (about 30 miles south of PTC/Newnan), I'm from Wyoming. She gripes that I ruined her by making her live in the Rockies for a few years because we can only enjoy being outdoors here for about 2 months of the year. The rest of the time it is just simply too hot and humid, to the point that I now have to wear a hat or bandana while outside for even a few minutes or I'll have sweat dripping into my eyes. I don't know Anyone who willingly spends time outside (relaxing or recreating), so the few screened porches that exist are pretty much just decoration. We have a nice outdoor space with a shade sail and good tree cover, I think we've used it one time in the past year. Showers at night are a requirement else we can't sleep for the sheets sticking to our sweaty bodies.

This all annoys me to no end because I'm accustom to being outdoors. I like camping, hiking, used to love golf, and now it's a decision of trying to enjoy it through cloths so saturated with sweat that it drips off the hem of my shirt. I simply can't play golf anymore because wet hands (even with gloves, I can squeeze them and have sweat drip out) don't play well with gripping a club. My outdoor activities now start in October and run through March, when I'll go kayaking. The rest of the year I'm hiding inside next tot he AC register. Meanwhile, when I visit my folks (Montana) every winter, I'm more than happy to tromp around outside in high temps of -0F for the whole day. It never gets "cold" in GA, I don't think I've ever had to break out winter clothes in the ~7 years I've lived in the state, even through the very limited snow/ice days that occasionally happen.

So, it's all in your perspective... do you thrive in hot temps and hate cold? You may like it here (clearly some people do).

Bugs are around, gnats tend to be the most annoying unless you're out in the woods then you're going to run into ticks, deer flys, etc... and roaches are just something you do your best to mitigate because you simply will NOT keep them out. I'm finding them dead daily in a house I'm renovating ~ it's been unoccupied for nearly a year now and no food/water on site. It's actually fairly sunny in GA (about 60% of days have sun, meaning no clouds or only part clouds), which is the same rough average for the entire country.

We wouldn't be here if my wife could stand the guilt of living away from her folks. But 7 years away was too much for her, so we're stuck until her parents pass. Trying to make the best of it, but it's very hard when you're Used to doing things outside and suddenly find yourself choosing to stay in because you don't want to be sweaty.

hunterseat · 09-19-2014, 07:25 PM

Just today a coworker told me she was going to look at some houses in Newnan tomorrow. She's a native Georgian and wants to downsize from the ranchette they have now. I'd say that's a great recommendation.

hunterseat · 09-19-2014, 07:26 PM

The only chance you'll get to negotiate is at the start. After that... fugetaboutit

enchantrss20 · 09-19-2014, 07:43 PM

Wow Brian_M, so sorry to hear you are so uncomfortable there and miss the mountain climate you love... And I appreciate hearing your full perspective... Our only other option is Salem, Oregon (and vicinities), which has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. We don't need Eutopia, just trying to find best reasons to choose one or the other. (We have grown kids in both areas, need to keep Kaiser Healthplan, and don't want to bounce between coasts.) We also want some space between houses, not the sardine neighborhoods, so thought PTC/vicinity amenities might carry more weight - still donno, and still hoping to hear more comments... Thanks again!

cislga · 09-20-2014, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by enchantrss20

Hi All... Been trying to track various threads and weather/climate patterns for the PTC-Newnan areas, and would really like to hear some viewpoints and feelings on the amounts of sun, clouds, rain, cold, heat/humidity - and bugs - how enjoyable or not, how does it all affect you? I know it gets cold and quite rainy, but haven't noticed a lot of screened patios/pools, and with all the golf cart paths and trees so abundant, I am hoping that means it is pleasant to be outside a good portion of the day/year, able to enjoyably walk, swim, garden, and grill outdoors, even some evenings, etc... Would greatly appreciate all comments - thanks so much!

It's GA, so naturally it will be hot and humid in the summer. But, for me, Oct thru Dec, is usually very nice weather. The humidity has passed and it's cool in the AM but usually warms up during the day 50's to 70's.

Jan thru March, is cold, but it's all relative. It's cold for us but probably not for someone who lives farther north. March\April can be nice or chilly, depends on the year. One of the worst snowstorms in ATL occurred in early April. I do not agree that you can only enjoy the outside for 2 months out of the year. June thru Sept is when the heat and humidity kick in but even on the hottest days their are people out an about, gardening, grilling, enjoying the outdoors.

PTC because of the access to the trails, is a very active community. I see people run/walk/bike everyday of the year. Just walk out your door and onto the trails. PTC hosts all kinds of 5K, 10K and half-marathon races. The last one was 2 weeks ago and yes it was hot and humid but everyone seemed to deal with it fine and have a great time. We had participants from all 50 states run in the half-marathon. People were not dropping like flies because of the heat/humidity.

Whenever we go out west to ski, my face/lips/skin, chap from the lack of humidity. As soon as we return and they open the doors to the plane, I'm like yes, moisture! I always fill hotel/condo bath with water to help put some humidity in our room. I was told that's an old CO trick for moisture.

As far as Stepfordish, yes, you will find that here. But, their are plenty of people that are not like that, it's all who you choose to surround yourself with, I run from the women who talk about size of their houses, designer clothes they wear, etc...PTC is full of transplants, as is a lot of ATL metro.

I am a firm believer in bloom where you're planted

enchantrss20 · 09-20-2014, 11:40 AM

cislga - What an informative, helpful, and welcomed response - thank you so much! I believe firmly the same as you stated and will be happy wherever... just trying to make this our last move. (Great tip about the tub, for the little vacs we take to dry spots/hotels.) Folks have been very friendly with my queries and calls, no one trying to discourage us, so that is a great sign... just like we always found in the South - it's there if you seek it...

Was curious about the bad storms within the last year or two, but never heard them affecting PTC area much so just wondered... and someone did mention the bugs were intolerable, but I didn't recall that issue before... Anyway, thanks again and still welcoming all comments. :-)