living in buford vs living in alpharetta
If you are moving to Georgia more than likely you know Alpharetta, GA in Fulton County. Alpharetta is considered the Silicon Valley of Georgia and is ranked #1 suburbs to live in the state by Niche.com, also #2 for best places to raise a family. Due to its high desirability and proximity to Atlanta, Alpharetta is a destination location for families, which has increased home prices tremendously. I talk with fellow Realtor and mother Brittany Ovbey of Milton now, but formerly Johns Creek. She is an expert in her area and shares a bit about the lifestyle in North Fulton.
How are the schools?
Most of the schools in Alpharetta area are A+ by niche.com. The schools are not overcrowded. The schools themselves are actually seeing a decrease in enrollment per an article written by appenmedia.com.
Empty seats in classrooms grow as enrollment declines.
ATLANTA — Fulton County Schools will begin the fall semester in August with more than 14,000 empty desks.
Do you feel safe living in North Fulton County?
Brittany says she feels extremely safe living there and going out late at night and raising her children there. Niche.com gives Alpharetta a C+ for crime with the highest element being theft.
Alpharetta vs buford stats
| February 7, 2023 | Buford | Buford City Schools | Alpharetta |
| Population | 17,683 | 66,108 | |
| Median household income | $54,321 | $122,326 | |
| average home sales price for last 30 days | $512,443/$488,355 | $566,018 | $621,000 |
| average days on market | 59 | 59 | 31 |
| average square footage | 2708/2,617 | 2,784 | 2,800 |
| highest sales price | $1,765,000 | $999,898 | $1,360,000 |
| lowest sales price | $260,000 | $287,000 | $375,000 |
Alpharetta saw a huge influx from the Covid migration. When people could work from home, Alpharetta was a very desirable location and it was affordable. Here are live stats of the Alpharetta vs Buford Housing market.
MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE IN ALPHARETTA
MEDIAN HOME SALES PRICE IN BUFORD
ARe there affordable new construction homes in THE Alpharetta area?
There really isn’t much new construction at all in Alpharetta. Most of the new construction are mini-mansion homes where a buyer tears down an existing home to build a new much larger home. Also there are attached homes in the downtown Alpharetta area. Which are multi-use type environments like Halcyon & Avalon where you can live, dine and work all in one location.
What’s milton?
Milton is to the west of Alpharetta. It’s more rural. Homes are primarily larger properties and larger lots which means they are mostly on septic tanks. Largely mini-mansions and horse areas.
What about property Taxes in alpharetta?
Property taxes in North Fulton are a little higher for Georgia. The majority of the taxes do go to the schools, so if you live there it’s highly likely you have kids in the schools and are taking advantage of what the schools have to offer.
Is Alpharetta a good place to retire?
Fulton County does not have a school bond exemption for seniors, like other counties Cobb or Forsyth in Georgia. There are also not many retirement or active adult 55+ communities in Alpharetta. However, she is seeing some empty nesters downsize and opt to live in multi-use communities like Halcyon or Downtown Alpharetta.
What do you do for fun in alpharetta?
One of the main things they do as a family is hit Lake Lanier. It’s only about a 20 minute drive and it’s easy to access. So, it was convenient after school etc. There is also a pretty great night life in Alpharetta! You can visit Ameris Bank outdoor amphitheater for shows, Roaring Social is also another amazing unique venue. They are revitalizing the downtown Alpharetta area, so if you are a foody you will love the new look. The Parks in Georgia are amazing and Alpharetta is no different.
What other areas should I consider around Alpharetta?
If you are looking at Alpharetta or North Fulton you should also consider Johns Creek, Milton, and Roswell. They are all inter-connected and they flow easily into each other, so you are not on an island!
Biggest negative to Alpharetta? The traffic. Like most of Georgia.
How’s Roswell, GA?
A little more expensive, but it has a little older communities. It’s a suburb of Alpharetta as well. It has it’s own style but is also a wonderful area to be in.
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