DVC'ers from Georgia

[wendydarling826]

It looks like DH is going to be transferred to GA in the near future [Gwinnett County], and as a lifelong northerner, I'm having major anxiety over the move and leaving friends, family, etc. It is a consolation that we will be only a 7 hour drive from our BCV home, though, and I'm wondering if there are any Georgia DVC'ers out there who can tell me the positives about living there.

 

[3pirates]

I've got some...

we moved from the Midwest over ten years ago and are very happy here...

the cost of living will probably be pretty attractive depending on where you're coming from, and you may really like the home you can afford.

Our climate is wonderful....hot Summers, be ready for that, but we get four seasons, a mild Winter...we may see snow, we may not, but if we do you probably won't drive to work until it melts. While we get cold weather it is interspersed with mild breaks. People play outdoor sports year round here. Our Falls and Springs are usually spectacular, with weeks and weeks of color and wonderful outdoor temperatures.

Atlanta is nicely located such that it is easy to get away to the mountains or the beach for a weekend. We just had a wonderful weekend in Hilton Head a couple of weeks ago.

The northern area of Gwinnett county is very suburban, yet you have access to Atlanta and anything you might want to do in a city is available there.

On the flip side, our traffic is legendary, so live near where you work, all of that gorgeous color can play havoc with peoples' allergies, so be prepared.

I don't live in Gwinnett County, but am near it. PM me if you want any help with areas to live... Gwinnett County is very diverse and while ten minutes from the office one direction might be perfect, ten minutes the other direction might feel strange. I don't know if schools are an issue, but they are something to consider as well. Of course, your realtor could help you as well.

 

[starbox]

We live in the actual city of Atlanta and absolutely it! There are numerous great neighborhoods within the city (Lake Claire, Grant Park, Va/Highlands, Buckhead, Atlantic Station/Midtown, Inman Park) or around Decatur. If you want a suburb-style life, Peach Tree City was just rated one of the top 5 places in America to retire, it's really quiet, safe and lovely with an excellent school system (PTC is a planned community a la the EPCOT vision - Disney's town of Celebration was actually modeled after PTC) and the traffic to and from the city is not nearly as bad as the northern 'burbs (Gwinett, Cobb, Marietta, Woodstock).

Cost of living is reasonable, weather is mild, Disney is a reasonable drive, lots of lovely beaches in lots of directions within about 5 hours. If you have kids, and they earn a 3.0 in high school academic classes, they can go to a state university pretty much for FREE with the Hope scholarship.

Of course, we have no water - but who needs water?

 

[pcparamedics01]

We moved from Buffalo, NY 7 years ago! We love it! Traffic is not great, but we think it is the best thing that has happen to us... We would never move back!

 

[Daggett]

I don't know if this is a plus or a minus, but everytime I get ready to move, I get a better job offer to stay. This has been happening for over 20 years! For people in the cable/video/satellite industry, this is the place to be.

Atlanta is a nice place, but as one DVCer above said, live close to work! Right now I have to drive 25 miles to the office and I hate it, to the point of looking for a new house on the north side (South Forysth county).

But... 7-8 hours to WDW (you have to remember the traffic) is not a bad deal. My DW and I will be hitting the road on Nov 21st, stop for an over nighter in Ocala, and check into SSR early on Nov 22nd to begin a 10 day vacation.

 

[3pirates]

I don't know if this is a plus or a minus, but everytime I get ready to move, I get a better job offer to stay. This has been happening for over 20 years! For people in the cable/video/satellite industry, this is the place to be.

Atlanta is a nice place, but as one DVCer above said, live close to work! Right now I have to drive 25 miles to the office and I hate it, to the point of looking for a new house on the north side (South Forysth county).

But... 7-8 hours to WDW (you have to remember the traffic) is not a bad deal. My DW and I will be hitting the road on Nov 21st, stop for an over nighter in Ocala, and check into SSR early on Nov 22nd to begin a 10 day vacation.

We live in South Forsyth, moved in from North Fulton about 10 years ago....PM me if you want info on any areas/neighborhoods in particular. And no, I'm not a realtor or anything, just raising three children in this area for the past ten years, I've learned a lot about the various communities/schools, etc.

 

[global_mom]

DH and I are both lifelong Georgians, both born and raised in Athens, GA. We are about 45 minutes to Gwinnett. The University of GA is in Athens so we have an awesome community. Go Dawgs!!

We go to WDW about 3 times per year (7.5 hours with 2 potty breaks) and we just went to HHI for the first time (4hours, 20 minutes). We spend alot of time on the coast of Georgia at Sea Island and St. Simons. You can be there in about 5 hours. Savannah is also a short 4 hour drive. On the flip side you can be in the North Carolina mountains in about 2 hours from Atlanta and you are close to large lakes like Hartwell and Lanier. We have many friends who live in Athens and work in Atlanta and the surrounding counties. In some cases it can be quicker to drive 50 miles from Athens to Atlanta than to drive 15 miles in Atlanta's rush hour traffic.

We both worked, and lived in Atlanta, prior to getting married. Do make sure that you choose your home location close to your work location. Atlanta's traffic is horrific as the others have posted.

You will love GA and there are plenty of DVCers to connect with. Wishing you grest success with your move!

 

[Demosthenes]

DH and I are both lifelong Georgians, both born and raised in Athens, GA. We are about 45 minutes to Gwinnett. The University of GA is in Athens so we have an awesome community. Go Dawgs!!

'Sic em (I'll see you next week for Troy!)

To the OP, I live in Gwinnett, and there are some great areas of the county, but like any place, there some not-so-great areas as well. What city is your DH going to be working in?

 

[TinkRN]

Hi,

I grew up in NJ (Jackson). Went to Rutgers, worked in Princeton...
Husband got transferred to NC. Spent a few years there and now we are in Gwinnett (Grayson)

I love it here. I do work in Atlanta, but during off hours so traffic isn't so bad. (nothing worse than the GSP or Turnpike)

Feel free to PM me if you have specific questions. More than happy to help!

TinkRN

 

[SaratogaShan]

Hi!

Grew up near Atlanta. Wonderfully low cost of living here. I live in the western suburbs, Douglasville/Villa Rica area. Very nice community with some of the lowest home prices around.

Traffic, as others have pointed out, can be an issue. I guess you just get used to it!

Good Luck!

 

[bandjbaine]

I am also from Athens, GA ( just north of Gwinnett county ).
Born and raised here as well, but left to live in California for a while.
While I've never lived up north, I imagine our mild winters will be exciting for you. Especially when everything closes down for a "snow day"- you probably don't get that much up north.

And, if your into football, definately take in a University of Georgia game- SEC football (and tailgating in paticular) is quite a spectacle.

Go DAWGS......( still giddy from our weekend defeat of the gators )

 

[global_mom]

Go DAWGS......( still giddy from our weekend defeat of the gators )

That was the best game in many years!!!!! We watched it from HHI.

Glad to know that there is a fellow Athenian who follows Disney as closely as they follow the Dawgs! I knew that there must be more of us in town!!

Looking forward to the Troy game (and the tailgate).

Again, to the OP....you will love GA, we cant imagine living anywhere else.

(sorry to get off topic)

 

[brkgnews]

I think I'm the only person in GA who doesn't live in Megalopolis I live in a very nice rural area (hint: cable TV doesn't even run past my house!)

Very quiet, lots of friendly folks. Georgia is also a nice location in that it's centrally located to several vacation spots.

 

[ead79]

I have lived in Georgia all my life, so I can't tell you how it compares to living elsewhere, but I can tell you what I like about living here.

We have nice weather with distinct seasons, but we don't have super cold winters. Generally speaking, Southerners are friendly folks, and I like that about living here--people will smile at you in the grocery store, hold doors open for you, etc. a lot. We're pretty close to WDW! We live close enough to a big city to have access to neat things like concerts, plays, etc.

I live in Marietta, a northern suburb of Atlanta, and schools in my county are superb. Marietta is a nice place to raise a family, and there are lots of other similar cities in the metro Atlanta area.

 

[wendydarling826]

Thanks so much everyone for all the positive comments! It's official now - DH will be transferred to Lawrenceville in just a couple of weeks, and DD and I will move down once our house is sold. I've still never been there and am looking forward to exploring and finding a community in or around Lawrenceville to settle in. It's somehow comforting to know there are other DIS'ers in the area!

 

[pcparamedics01]

Thanks so much everyone for all the positive comments! It's official now - DH will be transferred to Lawrenceville in just a couple of weeks, and DD and I will move down once our house is sold. I've still never been there and am looking forward to exploring and finding a community in or around Lawrenceville to settle in. It's somehow comforting to know there are other DIS'ers in the area!

Put Alpharetta on your list. Housing is higher but great schools! I use to live in Lilburn which is very close to Lawrenceville.

 

[debbiedoo]

I live in Alpharetta(moved from FL), it was a change, but I love it here. Yes it is higher to live here, but schools here are great! There is a lot here in our area. I do not think you will be disappointed. (been here for almost 12 yrs now)

 

[pcparamedics01]

I live in Alpharetta(moved from FL), it was a change, but I love it here. Yes it is higher to live here, but schools here are great! There is a lot here in our area. I do not think you will be disappointed.

Hi Debbie! It is a small world. Where in Alpharetta? Old Alabama area?

 

[pouncingpluto]

I don't live there now, but I'm from coastal Georgia (St. Marys), went to school at UGA, and lived in Atlanta for a few years. We might move to Atlanta after I finish law school... Georgia or Texas... not sure!

 

[debbiedoo]

Hi Debbie! It is a small world. Where in Alpharetta? Old Alabama area?

It is not far from me, I live in the Crabapple area