Dh is offered job in Norcross, Georgia-anyone from around there (within 45 minutes any direction) I can ask a couple things?

[HappyGrace]

I would love to hear anything and everything you can you tell me about this area-we'd like to live within 1/2 hour max of Norcross, since that's where he'd be working. Feel free to PM me if you prefer!

 

-how is the economy, housing, school/property taxes, etc.?

 

-Norcross itself looks like housing is kind of pricey? What are good suburbs to settle in for a family around that area? Our income is only $53,000-would we be able to do ok there? (we are paycheck to paycheck here and realize we might be like that there too, but at least we'd be in good weather with probably lower taxes!)

 

-how is the homeschooling, are there university model schools or co-ops? are there any good private schools that have a lot of financial aid?

 

-what do you like/not like about the area? We'd be coming from the northeast.

 

Thank you SO much-I have never moved out of state before and have NO idea where to even start with seeing if this is a good location fit for us!

[DragonFaerie]

I'm from that area and currently live about 45 minutes from there.  I would NOT live anywhere near Norcross.  IMO, it is a gross area.  However, there are quite a few nicer areas if your DH is okay with driving in to work.  Suwanee is particularly nice, as is Sugar Hill and Flowery Branch.  Here is a recent blog post about the 50 safest cities in GA.  From that list, Auburn, Braselton, Jefferson, Duluth, Flowery Branch, and Suwanee are all reasonably close by (and all are in the top 20, too).  HTH!

 

ETA: Of those choices, Jefferson and Suwanee would be my top two.

[Carrie12345]

I can't help you with details, but I'm pretty sure there are a lot of OTP and ITP (outside the perimeter and inside the perimeter) homeschoolers here. I know there are a ton on my FB groups.

 

My family lived in Norcross and now they're in Duluth. I do not like it down there. I think the traffic is insane (and I'm a NJ-taught driver!) but they absolutely LOVE it down there.  Lots and lots to do. Decent COL.

But, holy cow, the traffic!!! And the heat!!!

[zoobie]

The nice residential area nearest Norcross is probably above budget, but the areas DragonFaerie mentioned would have affordable, good family areas. I really wouldn't worry about where on the safe list the city is. The larger cities have safe and unsafe (marginally unsafe--my neighborhood watch email list goes nuts when a car gets broken into, kwim?) areas, but it's pretty obvious from the condition of the property around you whether you should go walking there at night. ;) There's a wide range from $$$ golf course houses all the way to apartments.

 

The economy seems stable. The housing market is vastly improved, but I don't think it's a "seller's market" yet. Property taxes are low. You can look up any house's property taxes on the respective county's website.

 

Co-ops are easier to find if you are evangelical/fundamentalist Christian. I don't believe there are university model schools here. Maybe out toward Alpharetta/Roswell there's one? The private schools out where DragonFaerie listed are small, more likely religious. Financial aid would be easier to find at the larger schools which are (generally) closer to Atlanta. Greater Atlanta Christian is a large, private school in Gwinnett County. I'm sure their website details financial aid. If you want secular schools and co-ops, those are usually more toward Atlanta as well. The largest one I know of is in Decatur. There's a smattering of smaller private schools in Alpharetta/Roswell, and maybe a secular co-op too?

[Stacia]

One thing to consider if you are going to live a little further away from his work & he will need to commute is which way/direction to live in relation to work so that he would be traveling against the traffic at the heaviest times. Atl & suburbs have traffic all the time, but it can help to at least be 'going against the flow' during peak traffic times.

 

And Carrie is right... traffic, hot weather = :eek:

[DragonFaerie]

I don't know if you're interested at all, but there is a really good STEM school for Gwinnett County residents, GSMST, ranked #3 in the country.  "The US News and World Report Best High Schools National rankings places GSMST as the #3 Best Public High School in the Nation.  US News and World Report also ranks GSMST #2 Charter School in the Nation, and #1 High School in Georgia."

[Cinder]

There are 5 university-model schools in GA. Check the NAUMS website, under Directory of Schools you can download a PDF that gives specifics.

[Lilaclady]

Check out peachtree corners, Berkeley lake area. Some of that is in norcross and the areas are quite nice. Duluth and Suwanee are close cities to Norcross that are also nice. There are lots of homeschoolers around. You can join the peach homeschool yahoo group that is based in Gwinnett to get some idea of what goes on.

[HappyGrace]

Thanks, everyone-this is all helpful so far. We just found out that apparently this job has been posted for many, many months, so we're starting to wonder why :glare:

[MusicMama]

You DO NOT want to live in Norcross.  So much traffic.  So. Much. Traffic. I would look into the John's Creek area, North and slightly east.  Avoid going South, Also, Cumming, Buford, Alpharetta are good areas.  Those are the "bedroom" communities outside Atlanta.  Housing is picking up from a low last year, but still is buyer friendly.  Outside the perimeter is cheaper, and really, who wants to live inside the perimeter? :) As far as homeschooling, there are a lot of active groups and co-ops, but for the majority of them, you need to sign some kind of statement of faith.  That can be a problem if you don't fit cleanly into the evangelical christian bubble.  I've lived here all my life, so I don't have anything to compare it with.  You are close to the ocean, close to the mountains.  I like it.  HTH!