South Forsyth - Cumming (Atlanta, Roswell: apartments, how much, houses)

[Adie's Daddy]

Does anyone have an opinion about the South Forsyth area, particularly the Cumming area east of GA-400 and south of SR 20? It seems like a perfect place to raise a family...excellent schools; close to Johns Creek, Lake Lanier, Avenue at Forsyth, Mall of Georgia, etc.; has three viable options for commuting to Atlanta (GA-400, I-85, and Peachtree Parkway; and plenty of affordable homes ($200-$300k). It seems too good to be true. I know traffic is probably a downfall but in my opinion, traffic is an issue in just about every metro-Atlanta suburb. I would love some feedback from people who live in the area. I am primarily focused on the Windermere Parkway area and the new James Creek community. One more thing, are there many stay-at-home moms in the area (my wife would be staying at home)?

[cwkimbro]

well you say traffic is the downfall... but its probably the downfall of every suburb.... you're skipping a small but important step....

Where are you commuting to? Most people in that area don't go all the way into Atlanta for Work. That difference is key. There are alot of jobs on the northside in N. Fulton and Gwinnett and a few in Forsyth itself... That is where most in that area are commuting to. Oh yea and Forsyth is also a premiere location for people who can work from home.

But yea that area has alot going for it... its just important to note... whats going for it is access to northside jobs (Northpoint, Mcginnis Ferry @ Medlock Bridge, Peachtree Corners, Gwinnett (mall, Sugarloaf, Suwanee). Perimeter is probably reached with some moderate to moderate high traffic headaches.

The real question I would ask... does this are meet your needs with where you can find work... or where you need to go?

I'm a big fan of data and maps... Just a few past publications from the ARC to ponder over....

http://www.atlantaregional.com/File%...12_Workers.pdf (This has an interest matrix table that shows how much of each regions employment commutes from each place)
http://www.atlantaregional.com/File%...elPatterns.pdf
http://www.atlantaregional.com/File%...congestion.pdf
http://www.atlantaregional.com/File%...ly2010_web.pdf (*Note that all routes in and out of that area are the top 10% congested)

[ATLTJL]

I'd say the biggest downfall is the culture.

You know how there are some people who like to claim Georgia is redneck and backward, and in metro Atlanta we just kind of scoff at those people knowing they don't know what they are talking about?

Well, when you get up into Cumming, it's still a little redneck.

Now, I'm not talking specifically about the area that you are asking about, I'm speaking more about actual downtown Cumming on down to SR 20. I'd want to really investigate the area and see if it has the kind of people that I'd like to surround myself with. The area you describe may have turned around and become a bit more cosmopolitan (I'm sure someone here can say if that is true), but I'd want to know for sure. Of course, if you don't mind an area that retains some of its southern roots, it might be a total non-issue.

[Adie's Daddy]

Thanks for the advice cwkimbro. I love maps/data too and the links you sent are very helpful. We currently live in the southern suburbs and my commute to Atlanta (midtown) is about one hour (each way). With that said, I do not mind keeping my commute at an hour if it means being in a nice, safe area with good schools. I would probably leave each morning by 6:15 so I believe I would beat most of the traffic allowing me to stay within the one hour timeframe. Ideally Roswell/Alpharetta would be good but the houses are more expensive.

ATLTJL, I definitely understand your concern with the lack of culture. However, after driving around the area a good bit, the area seems to be very cultured, especially around Johns Creek. I do think downtown Cumming may be more "redneck" but we really wouldn't have a need to go that direction given all of the shopping/restaurants along Peachtree Parkway.

Thanks for the responses. Any more feedback?

[flyonpa]

If you are hitting 400 at at or around 615, you should be able to keep your 1h, Some Do MARTA @ the Park/Ride @ Windward, But most Take the extra drive down to Sandy Sprint Station. (There are NO non/rush hour express buses to the P/R, they stopped running them years ago, and the P/R lot empties within a week.) and the 1 hour? local bus just does not make it worth it.

There is no reason to go into "Downtown" Cumming. There is very little shopping, Restaurants there anyway.
GA400 @ exit 14 there are the whole assortment of stores, but you can also find them all on GA141 in Johns Creek (There is a new Walmart planned for the area behind where the Target is. ) The school are good, That area will feeds into South Forsyth or Lambert HS.

[GeorgiaLakeSearch]

Originally Posted by Adie's Daddy

Thanks for the advice cwkimbro. I love maps/data too and the links you sent are very helpful. We currently live in the southern suburbs and my commute to Atlanta (midtown) is about one hour (each way). With that said, I do not mind keeping my commute at an hour if it means being in a nice, safe area with good schools. I would probably leave each morning by 6:15 so I believe I would beat most of the traffic allowing me to stay within the one hour timeframe. Ideally Roswell/Alpharetta would be good but the houses are more expensive.

ATLTJL, I definitely understand your concern with the lack of culture. However, after driving around the area a good bit, the area seems to be very cultured, especially around Johns Creek. I do think downtown Cumming may be more "redneck" but we really wouldn't have a need to go that direction given all of the shopping/restaurants along Peachtree Parkway.

Thanks for the responses. Any more feedback?

Oh God, I think I will refrain from responding to this.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by Adie's Daddy

Thanks for the advice cwkimbro. I love maps/data too and the links you sent are very helpful. We currently live in the southern suburbs and my commute to Atlanta (midtown) is about one hour (each way). With that said, I do not mind keeping my commute at an hour if it means being in a nice, safe area with good schools. I would probably leave each morning by 6:15 so I believe I would beat most of the traffic allowing me to stay within the one hour timeframe. Ideally Roswell/Alpharetta would be good but the houses are more expensive.

ATLTJL, I definitely understand your concern with the lack of culture. However, after driving around the area a good bit, the area seems to be very cultured, especially around Johns Creek. I do think downtown Cumming may be more "redneck" but we really wouldn't have a need to go that direction given all of the shopping/restaurants along Peachtree Parkway.

Thanks for the responses. Any more feedback?

Just a quick thing... There is another thread where someone is asking about commute times from Newnan to downtown. Y'all seem to be doing opposite things. It might be worth conversing with one another and helping each other out. https://www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...wn-newnan.html

I think the problem you will face is at the height of rush hour you're probably looking at a bit more than an hour on a good day. If you use HOT-lanes ($12is/day), or push your commute forward or back with a flexible schedule you can probably get it down. Add rain and wrecks it will get really bad.

The one thing I would note for you coming from the southside is there are so many more people on the Northside, than you're use to. They are all competing for the same road space. Albeit, the southside suburbs seem to be further away and have a larger buffer from the city by sheer distance. The northside isn't like this. It is a much denser suburban build with alot of areas of towhomes and apartments the closer into town you get.

I would at least consider looking further south in Gwinnett if you can't find anything affordable in N. Fulton closer to Roswell/Alpharetta, even the Suwanee/N Duluth/Collins Hill area will help shave quite a bit off a midtown commute (but would still be long w/traffic).


Now if you need good schools, decent commute, suburban lifestlye, don't mind being in an older area, and would be willing to drive a little bit further for high-end retail you might want look further south in Gwinnett in the Parkview and Brookwood districts. I hesitate suggesting this area, because its a different look and feel from what you're looking at in S. Forsyth, but the schools are nice if you look them up.

At the height of rush hour on a good day to Midtown from Parkview it would be 40 minutes and it would go up to an hour. (add 10-15 minutes for Brookwood depending on where). It isn't a short commute, but considerably shorter than S. Forsyth and probably more consistent/less chances of a bad day. Leave early you could probably do it in 30-35 minutes.

I also would recommend checking out Cobb Co. a bit! I know Cobb has similar areas, schools and commutes. I just don't know the nuances outside of E. Cobb (which I think will be too pricey for you if you can't afford Alpharetta). There is another poster in the forums that goes by Aries__. They know Cobb alot better than I do, but these are the reasons more of Midtown's workers live in the core counties.

[BobKovacs]

I'd look at southern Cherokee County as well- great schools, plenty of houses in your price range, a range of shopping options, and a +/- 1 hour commute to Midtown if you leave at 6:15.

And don't worry about GeorgiaLakeSearch's "culture" comment- in his mind, if you don't live in Buckhead and spend your weekends at the High Museum and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, you're not "cultured"........

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

I'd look at southern Cherokee County as well- great schools, plenty of houses in your price range, a range of shopping options, and a +/- 1 hour commute to Midtown if you leave at 6:15.

And don't worry about GeorgiaLakeSearch's "culture" comment- in his mind, if you don't live in Buckhead and spend your weekends at the High Museum and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, you're not "cultured"........

oh no not at all...... you can still spend your weekends at the High and the ASO.... its just about your address and age of your house.

[livinginbuffalo]

I live in that area and many friends of mine do as well. We don't head up to Cumming for much of the shopping because, like you said, there is plenty on 141. But the area right around 20 is still not redneck anyway. I don't go north of where the Home Goods plaza is and that's probably about as north as someone who lives where you are talking would shop anyway. Many stay at home moms in the area, great schools and great people.