sanibella

I've looked at several threads regarding relocation to Atlanta and the surrounding areas, including Emory. I am starting a new one because I think my needs may be slightly different from any I have seen posted yet. If any of you can help me your advice is welcome.

My husband is considering taking a job at Emory. We have two young children and will probably have more. We need a large house and a very short commute.

Currently we live on a flat lot (a huge bonus for us) in what we thought would be our "forever house." Our current home is 4500+ square feet, has major curb appeal and is in a family friendly, high end neighborhood with fabulous schools. Of course we want the same wherever we move...with a short commute.

I know I am asking a lot but we are willing to pay for it, top dollar, just as we did for our current home.

I've seen a lot about some of the neighborhoods such as Druid Hills, Decatur, ect. Given my criteria, are these still the places you'd recommend?

Thanks in advance for your help.

brandie346

Hi Sanibella,

Starrsville can probably help you out more when she returns, as I believe she lives in Decatur.

Sorry I can't help you out with pricing, but downtown Decatur is adorable, a nice area.

I've also read that Clarkston, a bit northeast of Decatur, is an up-and-coming area.

If I had a choice (and the money), I'd choose downtown Decatur, mostly b/c of its walkability.

Hope this helps a bit. I'm sure others posters will be better able to answer some of your questions.

Lex1

Druid Hills is a wonderful older neighborhood developed in the 1920s and 1930s. The homes, many very large on very large lots, many designed by renowned architects, start at $1,000,000+, and escalate. Property taxes are very high, as much of the neighborhood is in Atlanta/Dekalb. The neighborhood is a designated historical district with a very active core of blue-hair overseers who protect the original character and configuration of the neighborhood. Virtually all children who reside in Druid Hills attend private schools, certainly after grade school; most are invisible, save at the annual Fourth of July parade. The neighborhood is adjacent to Emory and five minutes from most sites downtown and midtown worth visiting.

I would not describe downtown Decatur as "family friendly," nor its schools as "fabulous." It's better for singles and retired folks.

sanibella

Thank you for your replies. Great description of Druid Hills to give me a clear picture. Sounds like it has charm but not family oriented action. Not what we are looking for...we want both!

We don't expect to find a plantation estate, but we do want a big house with beautiful curb appeal...and not in a cookie cutter neighborhood. Our neighborhood now has a few children in a wide range of ages but even the families who do not have children really enjoy the kids. We have huge fun at Halloween and one of our neighbors dresses up like Santa and comes to visit the houses with kids on Christmas Eve. Most of our neighbors send their kids to pricate school, but they don't have to. The school system we live in is great....if we were staying it's where my children would go.

So...does this describe anywhere else within comfortable commute distance of Emory?? Is Decatur for families? Or Clarksville? How far away is Fayetteville from Emory (realistically)? Anywhere else you would recommend?

starrsville

The neighborhoods around Emory are beautiful established neighborhoods. You will find everything from bungalows to mansions - and you will find McMansions recently erected in former bungalow or ranch neighborhood - the infamous infill housing. There are small infill neighborhoods with the gloriously grand McMansions (and no yards) that many seem to want - and the starting point for these seem to be high 400's with most over 500K. So, within 30 minutes of Emory, you will find a lot to choose from.

Pick the school you want and then find the house. There are many good elementary schools. It's a the middle school / high school level that things can be "iffy" but things may change a great deal by the time your kids are that age. Be ready to consider a private secondary school. A lot of Emory kids go to Fernbank Elementary, an excellent DeKalb County school. Morningside Elementary/ Inman MS/ Grady HS is the Atlanta Public School cluster to look for in APS.

You don't say where you are moving from, but the 30 minute radius around Emory is perhaps the prettiest part of Atlanta.

Fayetteville is waaaayyy too far for a commute every day. If you move to Fayetteville, put your kids in Fayette County schools - excellent schools btw.

sanibella

I am not exactly sure what a McMansion is, but I think I get the idea. If it means all the houses in the neighborhood are large and brick and have well manicured small-in-relation-to-house-size yards, and are generally floor plans chosen from 5 or 6 different ones when they are built, then that is what I think of when you say McMansion. Is that right?

If that is correct, we don't mind the brick and well manicured yard, but we want a decent sized yard (doesn't have to be huge, but proportional to house would be a plus). We like the overall idea of neighbors keeping up their homes but we would like a little bit of individualism in our home and maybe even a smidge of character...

We are definitely not interested in the "infills" you mentioned. We want the whole street to be pretty.

We're picky. We know. Got any more suggestions for us? We are listening.

Great descriptions, by the way. THANK YOU!!

sanibella

TTT

starrsville

sanibella, have you had a chance to google a realtor's website and do a MLS search using the info given? I just looked at quite a few homes in the 500K-1M price range in the recommended elementary school district and many of them came up with "Emory" as part of the subdivision name. Truly, the information given so far will give you a very realistic view of your housing options. Believe me, the area includes some of the most prestigious neighborhoods of Atlanta. Owners of these home could not be more possibly more picky then you (your word). They are willing to pay top dollar for luxury homes with both charm and "family oriented action". The neighborhoods will be mixed with all age levels - but often grown children buy homes in the same neighborhood in order to raise their families. I'm not sure how your needs are slightly different from any you have seen posted. Deeper pockets? If so, you'll have even more to choose from.

Brian_in_Charlotte

What you are describing is Druid Hills. Other than the flat lot that is. It can be a bit hilly over there.

But that is where you'll find the large, well kept homes with great curb appeal in close proximity to Emory.

sanibella

This helps. A lot. Thank you so much!

p.s. Our pockets are not terribly deep, I am not trying to be obnoxious. It's just that where we live is a major priority in our house and we adjust the budget accordingly. Thanks so much for your help.

starrsville

I ate Emory last night and thought of you as I drove past Druid Hills High school and saw all the kids leaving afterschool functions. It's a great area. Really. I have a realtor recommendation if you decide to come down and "shop". He sold my house for me in the 'burbs and specializes in intown neighborhoods. Lives in a small bungalow neighborhood in Decatur. Drove past a cute bungalow in Avondale listed in the mid-200's, new Craftman construction in the mid-400's and many established neighborhoods in the Emory/Druid Hills area. Lots to choose from depending on your price point - but with small kids I'd start with those two elementary schools as feeder locations. My best friend retired from one of them after decades teaching there and family members attend the other.

Lex1

It's funny how different people can see the same things so differently. I view the houses in the Emory area (not including Druid Hills), but certainly including the area in the immediate vicinity of Druid Hills High School, as small (if you want 4500 sq. ft. you will pays loads), old, and devoid of any curb appeal. Same goes for much of Decatur. You really, really need to want to live close in. Do get a real estate agent to drive you around; there are plenty of neighborhoods in Atlanta that fit your description, though fewer within 30 minutes of Emory during rush hour (6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.).

Again, Druid Hills has much of what you want, though the families are in vastly different orbits. My inlaws and my very good friends still live there, and I go there often. You won't see young children frolicking in the yards, or neighbors chatting across fences. There are plenty of flats yards, as well as yards with slopes.

sanibella

Well this certianly gives me a good starting point at least. Before doing my Fodor's research I could not have even told you the name of a neighborhood. Now at least I have a frame of reference.

This is just my starting point. Of course I will visit often, see a great realtor (I might be posting for recommendations) and ask people who live there. I plan to research large and long before making such a big move!

Thanks for your help, it is much appreicated.

padams421

You have been given excellent advice and descriptions of neighborhoods near Emory. Druid Hills, Morningside, Decatur and the LaVista Rd./Briarcliff Rd./Northlake Mall areas are the only short commute to Emory. The traffic around Emory can be quite heavy because there are no major (4 lane) roads that reach it. There are families in the areas I mention above but the neighborhoods are quite diverse in terms of age. The most "family oriented" is probably the Oak Grove Elementary area off Briarcliff. However, that area is full of older ranches on decent size flat lots that are being knocked down for new large homes. Morningside, Decatur, and Druid Hills have more charm. Druid Hills has beautiful large homes on good sized lots.

The public schools are pretty good in those areas but you are considering moving to a state that ranks approximately 47th in the country. Some of the families in these neighborhoods send their kids to private schools such as Paidaia (not sure I spelled that correctly) or The Friends School.

For "curb appeal" "high end" homes that are not "cookie cutter", you could also look at Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and the northern suburbs such as Alpharetta and Duluth. However, the commute would be horrendous IMHO.

What's your price range? Where do you currently live?

From reading your posts, I'm not sure you'll like the Emory area. You really need to visit before your husband accepts the job (and consult a local realtor). Try searching for houses on the Atlanta real estate firms websites harrynorman.com or jennypruitt.com.

brandie346

Starrs, you ATE EMORY last night?

Thanks a lot, I have, er, HAD a part time job there. Guess I'd better head over to monster.com.

starrsville

brandie, I saw that after I posted. Thought about correcting it - but decided just not to call attention to it. Yes. I MEANT to say I ate in the Emory area last night. Actually, on the Emory "campus". French. Yummy!

Just got back from the play. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TICKETS! This is turning out to be a very continental birthday week. French on Monday. Tuscany on Wednesday. Maybe I should have Greek food on Friday

Therese

Sanibella, I live in Druid Hills and work at Emory. My house (4,000+ sq ft) is walking distance to Emory, and I do walk when my schedule and the weather permit. So a very short commute indeed.

Some of the information you've been given here doesn't quite give the whole picture. There are plenty of houses over $1 million, particularly on Lullwater, but there are also houses under $1 million, and based on your description of your present home it sounds like you might well be able to afford houses in this price range.

I'll also point out that many Druid Hills children attend public school. Mine have done so all the way through (one's presently in junior high at Shamrock, and the other's in high school at Druid Hills).

The area is hilly, so many lots are not flat. Oakdale and Oxford have some flat lots, whereas Clifton and Lullwater are more likely to have a slope in either the front or the back.

Decatur is also a great area, and I recommend it to potential colleagues. Absolutely fantastic for families, in my opinion, though the houses tend to be a bit smaller than your target size.