Moving from Southern California (Atlanta, Alpharetta: condos, low crime, houses)

[dreamy]

Mu husband has an opportunity to transfer to Duluth, GA. We currently live in orange county.....yes we have a TV show the OC and The real Orange county housewives...a little on the pathetic side. Anyways, if we were to move to Georgia I want to live in a suburb that is well manicured, clean, good schools, and low crime. Any advice of where we can live that would be no more than a 25 minute commute for my husband? Also how is the housing market there? Have prices dropped? Thank you

[jxu66]

Two locations I could think fit your criteria:

One is John's Creek. They have very good public schools and it is next to Duluth (just west of Duluth). A lot of upscale neighborhood you can buy. If you want most privilage, you can always buy Country club of South.

Another is Sugarloaf country area in Duluth. Again, you can always find a home in the country club there if you want privilage. A lot of professional players live there too.

[QuinnMallory]

We just moved here to Suwanee from Orange County as well (Lake Forest). It's nice. I don't have a commute as I work 5 minutes from where we live, but I can tell you the housing prices are great--considering what we're used to in OC.

[kicksavedave]

Originally Posted by QuinnMallory

We just moved here to Suwanee from Orange County as well (Lake Forest). It's nice. I don't have a commute as I work 5 minutes from where we live, but I can tell you the housing prices are great--considering what we're used to in OC.

I'm about to make a similar move, from San Diego to Alpharetta. I guess what sealed it for me was when I looked for housing in San Diego county, between $250K and $500K, over 2000 sq ft.

I found roughly 10 houses in the entire county, and they were all run down dumps in unsafe neighborhoods near the crummiest schools in the county with insane commutes to my job. Near my job, nothing under $800K is available besides tiny little 2br condos conversions

I ran the same search around Alpharetta, and had to narrow it down to $250-$350K and go to ~3000 sq ft just to make the results fit onto one page. There were so many nice properties to choose from, I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Basically, getting 3 times more house, for 1/3 the price, in a great neighborhood with tops schools, allowing me to have a 5 minute commute, the choice was a no brainer. I'll miss San Diego and the perfect California weather. But being homeless in nice weather isn't much of a choice, now is it?

[SBinJuly]

My husband and I will be moving to the Douglasville area very soon from Orange County (Ladera Ranch). I grew up in the South, so I have a decent idea of what to expect. But my husband.... Before meeting me, he had never been east of the Mississippi River. While he's been to the Atlanta area for family visits, he is very, VERY nervous about the move on many different levels. He's worried about the weather, the lack of outdoor activities (as compared to Orange County), the possibility that our son may grow to become a racist hillbilly or religious fanatic. I am confident that these concerns are irrational and will be forgotten once we get settled. But I would welcome any comparisons between Atlanta and OC (especially POSITIVE comparisons) and any words of wisdom on making the transition.

Thanks!

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by SBinJuly

My husband and I will be moving to the Douglasville area very soon from Orange County (Ladera Ranch). I grew up in the South, so I have a decent idea of what to expect. But my husband.... Before meeting me, he had never been east of the Mississippi River. While he's been to the Atlanta area for family visits, he is very, VERY nervous about the move on many different levels. He's worried about the weather, the lack of outdoor activities (as compared to Orange County), the possibility that our son may grow to become a racist hillbilly or religious fanatic. I am confident that these concerns are irrational and will be forgotten once we get settled. But I would welcome any comparisons between Atlanta and OC (especially POSITIVE comparisons) and any words of wisdom on making the transition.

Thanks!

will never be Orange County, CA.

The more affluent section of metro Atlanta which might compare on paper to OC would be Alpharetta, John's Creek and the Sugarloaf Country Club area.

Many Fortune 500 corporations are based here, there are excellent colleges --(GA Tech, Agnes Scott, Ogelthorpe, GA State University, Atlanta University)and universities and there are many cultural venues, including the High Museum of Art that hosts internationally acclaimed exhibits. The Atlanta Symphony--the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Fernbank Museum of Science, Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Somewhere there must be statistics on the diversity of the population, education and annual income--whether this sort of FYI would allay your dh's concerns--I cannot say.

As for outdooor activities---tennis--ALTA/Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association--many levels of expertise --many opportunities to compete; bicycling--serious cyclists--Bicycle Club of the South, IIRC; soccer, swimming, horseback riding, almost any and every physical activity or sport.

And yet--there will always be those that choose to stereotype the South.

I frankly don't have a very high opinion of the OC--but that is neither here nor there.

best of luck to you

sls

[SBinJuly]

OC has its stereotypes as well! While television shows like "The O.C." and "Real Housewives" paint a caricature of the culture here, I believe there is at least a kernel of truth. OC has a ton of positives, e.g., the weather, the ocean, the live-and-let-live attitude. OC has its fair share of negatives too, e.g., the high cost of living and emphasis (obsession?) with image and wealth.

We understand that Atlanta is very different from OC, and we're not looking to re-create OC in Atlanta. But I'm curious to know, from those who have moved from SoCal to Atlanta, how life has been different for you in Atlanta. In particular, was there anything about life in Atlanta that was pleasantly surprising to you?

[TakeAhike]

Originally Posted by SBinJuly

OC has its stereotypes as well! While television shows like "The O.C." and "Real Housewives" paint a caricature of the culture here, I believe there is at least a kernel of truth. OC has a ton of positives, e.g., the weather, the ocean, the live-and-let-live attitude. OC has its fair share of negatives too, e.g., the high cost of living and emphasis (obsession?) with image and wealth.

We understand that Atlanta is very different from OC, and we're not looking to re-create OC in Atlanta. But I'm curious to know, from those who have moved from SoCal to Atlanta, how life has been different for you in Atlanta. In particular, was there anything about life in Atlanta that was pleasantly surprising to you?

Truthfully, I will be surprised if there are many responses from relocated Socal posters. West GA is developing now --for many years it was farmland and manufacturing was a major industry.

Douglasville Tourism/Convention Center>>>
Welcome :: Douglasville, GA CVB (broken link)

I remember a post from a Socal transplant --he was homesick for the coast and there just isn't any water to speak of within 5 hrs of Atlanta--and then that would be the Atlantic Ocean--very different from the Pacific.

North Georgia mountains are lovely if you enjoy hiking---the Appalachian Trail begins near the GA/TN or NC line.

sls

There have been a number of threads about Douglasville in this forum. Here is one that might provide some insight>>>
Moving from Dallas, Tx to Douglassville, GA

[reloCA-GA]

Would love to hear current updates from those that relo'd from Orange County, as we are considering leaving OC for Alpharetta area.