Acworth in Georgia, is it safe? (Atlanta, Cartersville: transplants, houses, live)

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by Valerie-Lydie

true. Alpharetta, the HOA refused our wish to paint the house we wanted to purchase in pale yellow. It took them 4 days to give us an answer. So, we are put off and won't buy it. Smyrna was a possibility until we were proposed one in Acworth...and I really like the countryside so I don't mind. however, we will have to comute to norcross sometimes...

Wanted to know what you thought about Acworth as a community... if I know the rush hour, I might be able to avoid it. how long will it take to Norcross?

To be honest, I have been in TX for five years now, lived in Marietta just off 75 and Canton Road, there were times then that it could take an hour or more to get from Marietta to Norcross.

Acworth is far flung when you consider the zip codes and mailing addresses. There are some areas in the city proper that are less appealing, remnants of its rural, non suburban days. Most of the developments surrounding it are newer. Have several friends in the area, would consider it a good area, even the "less desirable" parts are better than many other places in the metro area.

What specific area? You can have an Acworth address and be in Cobb, Cherokee, Bartow or Paulding counties.

[neil0311]

"Rush hour" isn't literally an hour...it's a figure of speech. You've never heard? Most cities, like Atlanta have a period during which people commute to work and traffic and transit routes are more congested. Figure at a minimum, 7am to 10am and 4pm to 7pm. Can be better or worse depending on the day and weather.

[Valerie-Lydie]

I understand what rush hour is...pleaaase...
just wanted to know what you understood by rush hour, meaning: what time, so your second answer responded to the question. no need to be sarcastic.

We'll avoid the rush hour then.

However my first question was how is Acworth?
By the sound of the lack of responses, not very exciting, is it?
but it's safe, yes?

[Saintmarks]

If you want a more laid back country feel but still with suburban conveniences, Acworth is a great area. It is on the edge where metro Atlanta becomes rural Georgia, so you get a mix of both. It is more built up along US 41 and I 75, the old town part is in between. It has a very nice lake area with a nice beach, great for the kids, nice golf courses, nice homes, older historic areas, a little bit of everything. But it has less to do than closer in suburban areas and of course downtown Atlanta, but all that is within a convenient drive.

If you can arrange your work situation where you don't have to drive to Norcross during rush hour everyday, it is a great area. Like I mentioned before, the area that has an Acworth mailing address is much larger than the actual town of Acworth. I prefer the areas that are outside the city limits, save for the older historic district between the main street area and Lake Acworth. Love that part of the town.

You will find a mix of suburban developments in the outlying area with an Acworth address and some areas still feel downright rural. There is a real eclectic mix along Lake Allatoona, some massive expensive homes and down the street some old trailers and all sorts of stuff in between. You will find starter home subdivisions and some exclusive country club communities, Brookstone and Governor's Ridge (Governor's something, it was just starting to develop when I moved from the area).

Hope all this helps a little better.

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

If you want a more laid back country feel but still with suburban conveniences, Acworth is a great area. It is on the edge where metro Atlanta becomes rural Georgia, so you get a mix of both. It is more built up along US 41 and I 75, the old town part is in between. It has a very nice lake area with a nice beach, great for the kids, nice golf courses, nice homes, older historic areas, a little bit of everything. But it has less to do than closer in suburban areas and of course downtown Atlanta, but all that is within a convenient drive.

If you can arrange your work situation where you don't have to drive to Norcross during rush hour everyday, it is a great area. Like I mentioned before, the area that has an Acworth mailing address is much larger than the actual town of Acworth. I prefer the areas that are outside the city limits, save for the older historic district between the main street area and Lake Acworth. Love that part of the town.

You will find a mix of suburban developments in the outlying area with an Acworth address and some areas still feel downright rural. There is a real eclectic mix along Lake Allatoona, some massive expensive homes and down the street some old trailers and all sorts of stuff in between. You will find starter home subdivisions and some exclusive country club communities, Brookstone and Governor's Ridge (Governor's something, it was just starting to develop when I moved from the area).

Hope all this helps a little better.

Acworth is as close to Atlanta, if not closer than Suwanee. Does that mean Suwanee is also on the edge where Metro becomes Rural ? I dont get why people think Acworth is a country redneck place in the middle of nowhere. It's closer to Atlanta than half of Gwinett County.

[Valerie-Lydie]

Saintmarks & Al., very kind of you, thank you for the information. I am left feeling very good about it.

[Homer12]

Originally Posted by Valerie-Lydie

I understand what rush hour is...pleaaase...
just wanted to know what you understood by rush hour, meaning: what time, so your second answer responded to the question. no need to be sarcastic.

We'll avoid the rush hour then.

However my first question was how is Acworth?
By the sound of the lack of responses, not very exciting, is it?
but it's safe, yes?

I am going through the same decision as you, I have been planning to move to Atlanta. Many of my friends and co-workers live there. If you leave by 6am you should be fine as far as traffic is concerned.

I thought most parts of Acworth were very nice, to me it is not just the Town, but the community in that town. Kennesaw is a little closer and I have it above Acworth on my list, but that is not to say if I found a better community in Acworth I would not buy there.

Good Luck

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Valerie-Lydie

I understand what rush hour is...pleaaase...

Sorry, no insult intended. It honestly seemed to me like you were asking "what hour is rush hour".

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by matt8325

Acworth is as close to Atlanta, if not closer than Suwanee. Does that mean Suwanee is also on the edge where Metro becomes Rural ? I dont get why people think Acworth is a country redneck place in the middle of nowhere. It's closer to Atlanta than half of Gwinett County.

Don't think I said a thing about Acworth being redneck (but not denying it either, there are some bubbas in the trailers off Glade Road leading out to Allatoona). Suwanee has Buford just past it with the biggest mall in the Southeast, Acworth has Allatoona just past it which gives it a more country feel once you go past the town center to the north or west.

Distance from the core city doesn't apply equally, Atlanta hasn't grown in equal concentric circles. My mother lives 50 miles southwest of the capital in Atlanta right off 85 in a total rural setting. You can go the same direction north on 85 and be in a much more built up area.

You can find rural areas in south Fulton just beyond 285, go the same distance outward into north fulton, Cobb or Dekalb/Gwinnett and you are in the thick of suburban sprawl.

OK, enough examples. I don't know Suwanee as well as Acworth. Last time I was out that way it had the Discover Mills and The Mall of Georgia, so that is a much more developed area. Acworth is north of the Town Center area, there isn't much past Acworth til you get to Cartersville, and that still has a small town feel.

Don't know why metro Atlanta having a transition zone from built up suburban into rural would be a contentious thing. The line has to happen somewhere, hazy as it may be. Maybe I am reading your post in a wrong light.

[Valerie-Lydie]

Homer I understand. We were proposed a house in kennesaw but I lost the add and everything with it, could not find it back. Then we had our eyes on another one in Acworth, and it seems to be ideal.

I am not after the crowd of the city but when I want it I know I can go there. I work from home so I guess it is a priviledged or practical in many ways. I find myself much much better when surrounded by trees and nature, and I just hope to have this house. So I am trying to find out what are the pros and cons, and if there are huge obstacles to us settling down. I think it is quite a small area (12 000 inhabitants?) and they might not like "strangers" coming into their area...I have no idea but I have to consider those things sometimes, as it would be difficult for us to move straight away if we did not feel comfortable there.

This said, I need to think about what "a better community" means