Additional Resources for Metro Atlanta

Relocating to Georgia-Welcome,Relocating to another state is a huge family decision. We realize that moving is tough, but it can also be a time of renewal, hope, and opportunity. The professional Realtors at RE/MAX Paramount Properties understand what you’re going through and are here with the resources and compassion to meet your moving needs. We have worked with many of the top corporate relocation companies such as Sirva, AirEs, and Cartus to assist in making the process less stressful and more exciting. Let us help make your transition as smooth as possible. Georgia, named for King George II of England, is considered by many to be the heart of arts and entertainment in the South. Displaying nearly 60,000 square miles of splendor, Georgia is the eighth fastest-growing state in the United States. According to the U.S. Census, over 30% of the population was born outside the state. Many joke that it’s rare to actually find someone that lives in and around Atlanta who is originally from Georgia. As soon as you get here, you’ll realize why they stay. The capial city of Atlanta has been a site of significant growth in the industries of service, real estate, and communications. There are 15 Fortune 500 companies such as Home Depot, UPS, Coca-Cola, Delta Airlines, and SunTrust Banks whose headquarters can be found in the Buckhead, Downtown, and Midtown districts. Employees of these and other businesses often make their homes in neighborhoods like Morningside, Virginia Highland and others. Walking to work or taking MARTA – Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority – is considered a healthier and more attractive alternative to highway rush hour traffic. Other cities with MARTA train stations include Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, East Point, College Park, and Decatur. Aside for work and home, MARTA can also take you on a tour of our most famous sights and landmarks. Attractions like the High Museum of Art, Zoo Atlanta, the Georgia Aquarium and World of Coke bring several millions of tourists a year to our lively capital. Woodstock, Kennesaw, Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Roswell, and Marietta stand out in the state for their rapid growth, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community. Weekly Farmer’s Markets, the Greenprints Project to create walking trails and parks, “Concerts in the Park”, summer art festivals featuring local artists, and “Movies in the Park”, are only a few of the neighborhood events that help to rank them among the top metro Atlanta cities to live and raise a family. If aquatic life is more your style, you might consider moving to Acworth, Cumming, Dawsonville, or Gainesville for the numerous communities around Georgia’s sparkling lakes. Lake Lanier is the largest lake in Georgia and one of the state’s most popular summer holiday destinations. Over 7.5 million people per year visit the lake, including its mar inas and the Lake Lanier Islands resort. Lake Allatoona is one of North Georgia’s best kept secrets. Waterfront campgrounds or rental cabins surrounding the lake combined with boat or Jet Ski rentals provide a perfect weekend getaway. Georgia’s warm climate and abundant rainfall make for lush horse farms. The local equestrian community received world-wide attention when the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers served as the equestrian venue for the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. Today, the more than 15 miles of horse trails at the Park offer scenic views of the former Olympic Endurance Course and wind through wooded areas blended with open pastureland and streams. Additional cities recognized for their farms and equestrian activities include Milton, Cumming, Woodstock, Ellijay, and Douglasville. If the sport of Golf is more your style; Georgia has you covered with over 500 gorgeous golf courses to choose from. Our most famous would have to be the Augusta National Golf Club & Course – home of the annual Master’s Tournament. Other prominent Golf communities include Bridgemill in Canton, Atlanta Country Club in Marietta, Atlanta National and The Country Club of the South in Alpharetta, as well as St Ives, St Marlo, and the Sugarloaf Country Clubs in Duluth. Nicknamed the Peach State, newcomers have been relocating here in record numbers over the past decade to find an undeniable mix of Southern charm, urban sophistication and deeply rooted traditions. Georgia truly does have something for everyone.

Counties at a Glance County Co. Seat Co. Population Millage Rates (uninc.) Median Home price.

• Bartow Cartersville 100,157 7.80 $127,610
• Carroll Carrollton 111,954 8.50 $105,000
• Cherokee Canton 214,346 4.72 $193,606
• Clayton Jonesboro 275,772 11.44 $61,174
• Cobb Marietta 714,692 6.82 $211,994
• Coweta Newnan 118,936 7.15 $156,959
• Dawson Dawsonville 21,484 8.14 $171,400
• DeKalb Decatur 747,274 8.00 $150,732
• Douglas Douglasville 129,703 7.93 $119,327
• Fayette Fayetteville 106,788 7.39 $266,509
• Forsyth Cumming 175,511 3.73 $240,000
• Fulton Atlanta 920,581 10.53 $199,900
• Gwinnett Lawrenceville 808,167 11.78 $167,991
• Hall Gainesville 179,684 6.25 $159,900
• Henry McDonough 203,922 10.97 $132,000
• Lumpkin Dahlonega 26,554 6.91 $145,250
• Paulding Dallas 142,324 6.65 $129,900

Rockdale Conyers 85,215 15.33 $139,000                                                                   

          Alpharetta Just 22 miles north of Atlanta, Alpharetta offers a full spectrum of attractions, excellent schools, sensible housing costs and historic, Southern charm, while remaining close to Atlanta’s global employers—part of the reason that Forbes magazine chose Alpharetta as the nation’s No. 1 “reloville” in 2009. Decatur Decatur stands alone as the home to the most and best festivals. Many of these festivals take place in the heart and soul of Decatur—the square is a quaint town quad that is surrounded by a list of diverse and award-winning restaurants and shops for every taste, perfect for indulging your artistic sensibilities. Douglasville With a downtown listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the bustling Arbor Mall ranked as the fourth largest mall in Georgia, the Foxhall Resort & Sporting Club reaching across 1,100 acres and offering everything from fishing, hotels and a championship golf course, and an outdoor amphitheater, Douglasville has a little bit of something for everyone. Duluth Close to I-85, this Gwinnett County city is a short commute from the heart of Atlanta and is close to Stone Mountain and Lake Lanier. In town, Duluth is home to retail and cultural centers, modern health care and a high quality of life. Dunwoody Even though it is one of the metro area’s youngest cities (incorporated in 2008), Dunwoody has quickly established itself as a shopping, dining and cultural hotspot. The city is convenient to Perimeter Mall and home to fun events like the annual Dunwoody Music Festival and the Dunwoody Green Market. Johns Creek Nestled along the banks of the Chattahoochee River and at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, this city’s beautiful landscape offers additional aesthetic appeal to an already beautiful metropolis. Schools here are the strongest in the state, lawns are well-manicured and business is booming, making Johns Creek the wealthiest city in Atlanta. Lawrenceville Gwinnett County’s oldest city, Lawrenceville, known as the Crepe Myrtle City, is equal parts old and new. The city’s mixture of recently established buildings and teams like Georgia Gwinnett College and the Gwinnett Braves exist seamlessly among antebellum homes, the town’s original town square and the area’s best courthouse, the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse. Marietta A true cultural hotspot, Glover Park, one of downtown Marietta’s most prominent features, is a classically Southern green spot surrounded by fun shops, a slew of restaurants and a number of one-of-a-kind offerings, like the Strand Theatre and the Gone With the Wind Museum. Norcross Nestled in west Gwinnett County, Norcross combines the feel of an idyllic small town with a reverence for its own history. A comprehensive beautification plan has restored many of the town’s historic sites to their full glory, and the addition of restaurants, businesses and recreational venues and events ensure that Norcross remains dutifully progressive. Cherokee – North of Atlanta “Where Metro Meets the Mountains” http://www.cherokeega.com Chair: Canton, Largest City: Woodstock Parks: Hobgood Public School Boundaries Cobb – NW of Atlanta “Expect The Best” cobbcounty.org Chair: Marietta: http://www.mariettaga.gov/default.aspx Largest City: Marietta Parks Map: http://prca.cobbcountyga.gov/documents/ParksMap.pdf DeKalb –East of Atlanta http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/index.html – 3rd Most populous county in the state Chair: Decatur, Largest city: Parks: DeKalb County Public Schools: http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/schools-and-centers Cities: Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain Douglas – SW of Atlanta Fannin – Blue Ridge properties – One of the Northern-most cities in GA one of the most popular tourist destinations in GA. LakeBlue Ridge & ToccoaRiver surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, near the southern tip of the Appalachian Trail Outdoor activities: fishing, kayaking, boating, tubing, swimming, hiking, camping and blueberry picking, to name a few. downtown area of the city is populated with several shops and antique stores. tracks for the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway bisect the downtown, with the Scenic Railway itself operating out of the town’s historic 100 year old depot. downtown area also serves as host for several seasonal festivals. Chair: Blue Ridge Fannin County Schools: 5 total. School List Forsyth – Cumming properties – N of Atlanta Fulton – Includes Atlanta and stretches both north and southwest of the city Most populous county in the state Gwinnett – NE of Atlanta – 2nd most populous county in the state http://www.gwinnettcounty.com/portal/gwinnett/Home Hall – Gainesville & Flowery Branch – Very North and East of Atlanta Jackson – Braselton – Very North and Very East of Atlanta – NW of Athens Pickens – Jasper / Big Canoe – Very North / Above Cherokee County Lumpkin – Dahlonega – just over an Hour North of Atlanta Chair: Dalonega Lumpkin County Schools: http://lumpkincounty.schoolinsites.com/?PN=Schools2 Monroe – North of Atlanta, Outside of Gwinnett County Chair: Forsyth The city has a total area of 5.0 square miles, all land. Motto: “What you need when you need it” Monroe County Schools Website: http://www.monroe.k12.ga.us/pages/Monroe_County