Alpharetta? Roswell? Somewhere else?

[RainyRainyDay]

Originally Posted by Jessilc

Thanks, everyone. Regarding the budget--is that low? We could go higher, but it seems like there is lots of inventory in that range. I've been wondering about the new construction versus older homes. I personally like the look and feel of more established neighborhoods, but can understand the appeal of a brand new home, too. Coming from the Northeast, buying "new" is relatively rare. Is it something I should be looking into? Can you get a solid "used" home for around $300k in Roswell?

I think the East Cherokee fans have not read or attended to your comments above. We seem to get a ton of people on the forum here for whom pristine new construction is a top priority and amply worth sitting in their car for a longer commute. This might even be a majority view. However, it's clearly not your view. I'd say yes, in the current market you can certainly get a nice older home (well, I'd call it nice) in an established Roswell neighborhood for $300K.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

I think the East Cherokee fans have not read or attended to your comments above. We seem to get a ton of people on the forum here for whom pristine new construction is a top priority and amply worth sitting in their car for a longer commute.

Yup- I've owned enough older homes, ranging from 20 years old to 60 years old, and this time I knew I wanted something brand new. I was more than happy to exchange an extra 10-15 minutes each way on my commute to avoid having to deal with constant repairs, renovations, etc., and also to get closets that actually fit all of our possessions, windows that you can't feel the wind through, and a kitchen with plenty of counterspace. To each his own, though.

[atlanta28]

You'll find some great subdivisions in Johns Creek that offer easy access to North Point Rd. I feel Johns Creek offers much better value than Roswell, and the schools are ranked better too. This summer, we found a great 5br, 3ba home with 2900sq ft. in the Hillbrooke neighborhood for less than $275,000. Don't have to necessarily worry about new homes, as there are many great updated homes in your price range built in the past 20 years. If you need a realtor recommendation please let me know. Happy Hunting!

[mike7586]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

If anything, this demonstrates why Atlanta needs better secondary roads.

SR 140 is on the project list to be widened if the transportation referendum passes:

SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) from East Cherokee Drive to Mountain Road ‐ Widening

SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway) from I‐575 to East Cherokee Drive ‐ Widening

SR 140 (Hickory Flat Highway / Arnold Mill Road) from Mountain Road to Fulton County Line ‐ Widening

And not to get off topic, but if work is in Alpharetta, why not look there? Schools are good, there are plans to expand downtown Alpharetta plus downtown Roswell and the Chattahoochee River are close by, you have plenty of shopping and dining, easy access to the city of Atlanta outside of rush hour, etc. Milton is also an option... but I would start in Alpharetta first.

[berkeleylake]

I would look in Alpharetta or Johns Creek. Schools are good in that area. Roswell is also another possibility. There are plenty of houses for sale in the price range you mention.

[Jessilc]

Thanks for all the ideas. We visited the area a couple of weeks ago and saw some nice homes. We're currently pulled between three houses. Two are in Johns Creek--lovely homes in pool communities. One home is in the Cambridge neighborhood, which seems like kid heaven (we have three of 'em, ranging from 9 months to 4 years). The third is a smaller home in Roswell. We like everything about it, including the fact that it seems "closer" to everything (although we fear we may grow out of it as our little ones become big teenagers), but the immediate issue is that there is no pool in the neighborhood.

If you have kids, is living in a pool community a big deal? Would we regret not going the pool subdivision route? What do people w/o pools do to cool off in the summer?

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by Jessilc

If you have kids, is living in a pool community a big deal? Would we regret not going the pool subdivision route? What do people w/o pools do to cool off in the summer?

I'd say it is- it gets pretty hot here in the summer, as I'm sure you know, and being able to take a short golfcart ride to the community pool is an almost daily occurence for my wife and kids.

If your subdivision doesn't have a pool, you can look into swim clubs or community pools, as well as the YMCA. The downsides are the cost, and the fact that you're likely to have a longer ride to get there.

[staywarm2]

Originally Posted by Jessilc

Thanks for all the ideas. We visited the area a couple of weeks ago and saw some nice homes. We're currently pulled between three houses. Two are in Johns Creek--lovely homes in pool communities. One home is in the Cambridge neighborhood, which seems like kid heaven (we have three of 'em, ranging from 9 months to 4 years). The third is a smaller home in Roswell. We like everything about it, including the fact that it seems "closer" to everything (although we fear we may grow out of it as our little ones become big teenagers), but the immediate issue is that there is no pool in the neighborhood.

If you have kids, is living in a pool community a big deal? Would we regret not going the pool subdivision route? What do people w/o pools do to cool off in the summer?

If you are considering selling in a few years, a swim/tennis community is very important. Most people seem to want that.

Roswell traffice can be a nightmare, especially on Holcomb Bridge or Alpharetta Hwy.

Alpharetta also extends on the east side of GA-400, east of North Point Mall. Many nice areas and traffic not too bad. Very good schools. The Greenway is near the Mall and goes for 6 miles or so--lovely for biking, walking, etc.

[northwinds]

Look in the Crabapple area which is the juncture between Alpharetta and Milton.....doesn't really matter if you live in Alpharetta or Milton its all about the same.....these "city" lines were drawn for political reasons. Either way your kids will be going to Crabapple Crossing, Northwestern Middle and Milton High School.....some of the very best public schools in the State. That way you can spend your money on a mortgage. Your budget is a bit low for this area....but there are certainly some nice neighborhoods you can get into in that price range. Look at Brierfield, Crabapple Chase, Crabapple Crossing and several older neighborhoods off of Charlotte Drive....good luck.