Relocating to GA from OH. Your input appreciated. (Atlanta, Alpharetta: for sale, real estate market)

[CraigG_]

We are a family of 4, with a kindergartner and a 2nd grader. We currently live in an eastern suburb of Cleveland, OH. It's nice homes, great schools, solid infrastructure. We are looking for something similar in GA. The core of our search is a great school system. We don't mind going private, but prefer to keep our kids in a public program. We basically started our search with this criteria:

- 8+ rated school system
- 4500+ sq feet
- 5 or more acres in a development/private street
- ~30 min from Atlanta
- Close to common shopping options (Grocery, Target, Home Depot, Marshalls, etc)

While this option is readily available in Ohio, it's proving to be a bit more difficult in the Atlanta suburbs. We did find some success in the periphery of Peachtree City, southern Fayetteville area, but we are really struggling to find the 5+ acres in a development. There are quite a few homes that match our search, but they are tucked off of a main road, not a private street... or it's the one 5+ acre monster in a development of smaller lots/homes, which is not our desire either.

If we concede some of the acreage, those same cities remain options, but many other cities are introduced in to the mix. We are planning to take a trip in the spring to tour our options, and knowing what you now know, can you give us some places to research?

Your advice is really appreciated, and I assure you that there is no wrong answer. Thanks in advance.

[citidata18]

I will be honest. You're going to be hard pressed to find 5 acres of land AND the best of the best schools AND close proximity to shopping anywhere within 30 minutes of Atlanta. You will likely have to compromise on something

Just having 1 acre of land in an above average school district is a big deal in the Atlanta area (including the places you looked into), let alone 5 acres.

That being said, it would help us make suggestions if you could share a bit more information about your situation. As ypu're probably aware, Metro Atlanta is huge in land area and the traffic in parts of the region can be extremely awful.

Are you relocating for a job? If so, I would recommend focusing your search on areas nearest to your place of employment, just to ensure you have a short, relatively stress-free commute. Also, is there a a budget for housing you have in mind? Depending on how much you're willing to spend, you may have even more options than the places you're already looking at.

[markjames68]

Budget?

[OhioNative]

Yes, the key to metro Atlanta is living close to where you will be working. Our 2 AM traffic is worse than Cleveland’s rush-hour. When my wife and I go back for a visit we get a kick out of the traffic reports and what is considered bad traffic up there. Lol

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

Yes, the key to metro Atlanta is living close to where you will be working. Our 2 AM traffic is worse than Cleveland’s rush-hour. When my wife and I go back for a visit we get a kick out of the traffic reports and what is considered bad traffic up there. Lol

Traffic there means you have to tap your brakes a few times

[CraigG_]

Thanks for the information thus far.

I know I was a bit vague on some common details, but that's because I didn't really want them to be part of the criteria, even though they are core issues for most people moving.

I'll try to provide the information that you're asking for:

- We don't need to be near anything specific. We have been to several Atlanta suburbs over the years and thought that it may be a great place to start a new chapter. Just having relatively close proximity to the city is our goal. Traffic comments noted, and totally agree that it's not comparable to Cleveland.

- Budget is a very interesting concept in the cities that we've looked at so far. I fully expected to be looking at $800k-$1M homes to match our needs (such as it is in NEOhio), but when we started looking, we realized that there is some incredible value in the $500k-$700k homes that are currently for sale. So now that I know what I know about the prices, value will play a larger role than if I were to compare it to the area where we currently live, which is almost certainly in a bubble.

With that being said, I have no reason to exclude the cities that I've already mentioned, but if it's a matter of looking at smaller lots, say 2+ acres... I just wonder what other locations should be considered.

Thanks so much.

[citidata18]

Originally Posted by CraigG_

Thanks for the information thus far.

I know I was a bit vague on some common details, but that's because I didn't really want them to be part of the criteria, even though they are core issues for most people moving.

I'll try to provide the information that you're asking for:

- We don't need to be near anything specific. We have been to several Atlanta suburbs over the years and thought that it may be a great place to start a new chapter. Just having relatively close proximity to the city is our goal. Traffic comments noted, and totally agree that it's not comparable to Cleveland.

- Budget is a very interesting concept in the cities that we've looked at so far. I fully expected to be looking at $800k-$1M homes to match our needs (such as it is in NEOhio), but when we started looking, we realized that there is some incredible value in the $500k-$700k homes that are currently for sale. So now that I know what I know about the prices, value will play a larger role than if I were to compare it to the area where we currently live, which is almost certainly in a bubble.

With that being said, I have no reason to exclude the cities that I've already mentioned, but if it's a matter of looking at smaller lots, say 2+ acres... I just wonder what other locations should be considered.

Thanks so much.

Forsyth County is a possibility where you may find something close to what you desire in terms of acreage. But it's a good 45 minutes away from Atlanta.

Alpharetta is another option too that you put you within a 30 minute distance from Atlanta, but the lot sizes are smaller.

[OhioNative]

Originally Posted by citidata18

Forsyth County is a possibility where you may find something close to what you desire in terms of acreage. But it's a good 45 minutes away from Atlanta.

Alpharetta is another option too that you put you within a 30 minute distance from Atlanta, but the lot sizes are smaller.

Or Milton. Those homes tend to have large lots and the schools are top notch.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by OhioNative

Or Milton. Those homes tend to have large lots and the schools are top notch.

Lots of places with acreage as well. Family friendly and a good amount of diversity.

[Born 2 Roll]

Like the other posters have stated, you can (and should) look in areas like Forsyth County, and Milton (in North Fulton County).

You can also continue to search in Fayette County, but in the Starr's Mill, McIntosh and Whitewater school clusters.

In addition to the aforementioned areas where the schools are highly-rated and you may find your best chances for finding the type of acreage you desire, you can also look in areas like:

> Cherokee County in the Etowah, Woodstock, Sequoyah, Creekview and River Ridge school clusters

> Jackson County, northeast of Atlanta in northeast Georgia in the cluster of schools anchored by Jackson County High School

> Oconee County, east-northeast of Atlanta near Athens in the Oconee County Schools system, which is a great outer-exurban school system in the Atlanta exurbs

> The Union Grove and Ola school clusters of the Henry County Schools system.

The greater Atlanta metropolitan area/region likely is a bit more geographically spread out than the greater Cleveland metro area/region, so finding someplace with your criteria of a 4500 square foot home on 5+ acres in a development or on a private street near prime retail amenities in a school district with 8+ rated schools within 30 minutes of Atlanta probably is not going to be as easy to find as in a metro area with a less-competitive real estate market like Cleveland and Northeastern Ohio.

With an economy that has been booming (including in the Tech and Entertainment fields) and teeming with numerous high-profile corporate relocations from other parts of the continent, and with robust and rapid population growth rates that are typical of many major Sun Belt and Southeastern metros (Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Northern Virginia, Nashville, Dallas, etc.) during good/decent economic times, the Atlanta metropolitan real estate market has been highly competitive over the past 3-4 years or so.

Properties that fit your criteria (4500 SF, 5+ acres in a development or on a private street near prime retail amenities in a school district with 8+ rated schools, etc), and even less, often 'fly off the shelves' so to speak, particularly if they are reasonably priced and near high-quality retail amenities in a good school district.

With a budget of up to $1 million dollars, you might also want to look in areas like:

> East Cobb County (in the Walton, Pope, Lassiter and Wheeler school clusters)

> West Cobb County (in the Harrison, Hillgrove, Allatoona and Kennesaw Mountain school clusters)

> Gwinnett County (in the North Gwinnett, Brookwood, Mill Creek, Peachtree Ridge, Archer, and Parkview school clusters)