Communities
Lawrenceville
The homeowner: Lawrenceville, the county seat of Gwinnett County, was formed in 1821, making it second oldest city in metro Atlanta. But it hasn’t lived in the past, drawing recent buyers such as Michael and Maien Reyland in search of affordable homes. Last year, the family moved into a new four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath home in the Scenic Overlook neighborhood, which is priced in the mid- to high $100,000s. The county’s melting pot reputation was evident and appealing as their neighbors represent a mix of races, said Mike, 35, who is white, while Maien, 33, is Afghan. The family also desired to be in a high-ranked school district and near shopping. “We don’t have to go very far for everything we need,” he said. “There is every single thing you can imagine within a mile or two from our house -- Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Publix, Kroger, Home Depot, Lowe’s. The Avenue Webb Gin [an outdoor shopping center] is right across the street.” In addition, the downtown Lawrenceville square has undergone a resurgence, with a variety of new restaurants and shops, plus a summer concert series at the Gwinnett Historic Courthouse and seasonal family-friendly festivals.
About the community
Lawrenceville
County: Gwinnett
Price range: $30,000s-$500,000s
Taxes: About 1.4 percent of the sale price
Styles: Traditional, ranch, arts and crafts
Schools: Margaret Winn Holt Elementary, Lawrenceville Elementary or Craig Elementary, Richards Middle or Alton C. Crews Middle, Central Gwinnett High or Brookwood High
More on schools: schools.ajchomefinder.com
Getting there
Take I-85 north to Ga. 316 to the Sugarloaf Parkway exit and turn right. Travel about 2 miles. Turn left onto Lawrenceville Highway/U.S. 29. Follow the road about 3 miles to downtown Lawrenceville.
Community information provided by Sandy Jenkins with About Sales.
For sale right now
$399,900: 1001 Henry Terrace, Lawrenceville 30046. A four-bedroom, three-and-a-half-bath ranch home built in 1997 in Cramac Plantation with a pool and details such as travertine tile in the master bathroom.
$149,900: 981 Camden Hill Court S.W., Lawrenceville 30046. A four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home built in 1986 in Camden Square with a full basement.
Housing trends in ZIP code 30044
Sales of new homes: 96, down 51 percent
Sales of existing homes: 953, up 17 percent
Median price of new homes: $196,250, down 3.5 percent
Median price of existing homes: $100,000, down 27 percent
Source: AJC’s Metro Home Sales Report, 2009 data. Data for ZIP code 30046 unavailable; ZIP code 30044 also is in Lawrenceville.
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