Starting out as a planned city, gracious Peachtree City had the advantage of beginning from scratch to create a town that through design exudes a sense of community for all ages.  The idea was to integrate homes and businesses to create harmony, and carefully laid-out open spaces, recreation centers and shopping districts have accomplished this.  The city is spread across 15,500 acres, much of it thick greenery, and its four villages are Braelinn, Aberdeen, Glenloch and Kedron.   As would be expected, real estate prices are above the national average, although not by much.  The median home price is $245,000.

Somewhat surprisingly, housing styles are varied and include traditional ranch, bungalow, Victorian, contemporary and Cape Cod.  Single-family homes are in the majority, but there are some town homes, too.  Generally speaking, there are no bad neighborhoods in Peachtree City, so even homes at the lower end of the city's price range come with good neighbors, well-kept lawns and nearby shopping and recreation facilities. 

Prices range from less than $175,000 to the millions, and most homes seem to have at least 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.  Inventory is most plentiful in the $200,000s to $500,000s; there are fewer residences in the $600,000s and above.  Often homes priced less than $250,000 are a little bit older, from the 1970s and 1980s, but no homes here are really old.  The most expensive single-family home we found was a lakefront $3.9 million dollar stunner that looks more like an elegant European hotel than a single-family residence.  Town homes range from around $100,000 (2 bedroom and 1 bath) to $320,000 (4 bedrooms and 3 baths).  Some neighborhoods with older residents include Lake Peachtree, Piney Knoll, Fetlock Meadow and Clover Reach (be aware that Highway 74 is being widened and may create some noise issues in Clover Reach).  

There are also new retirement communities on the way.  Towne Club is a 55+ development opening later in 2008.  It will offer one and two bedroom apartments from $2,300 per month, which will include maid service and 30 meals a month.  Somersby will have apartments for lease, condominiums for sale and continuing care units; prices start at $3,500 per month for apartments and $300,000+ for condos.

 This is an interactive map.  Click on the arrows in the upper left hand corner to navigate the map and click on the +/- signs to zoom in and out.

Apartments are limited, but the average one bedroom rent is roughly $700 per month, and the average 2 bedroom unit is about $1,000 per month.  Three bedroom units range in price from $1,200 to $1,800 per month.  The apartment complexes we viewed seem to be quite nice.

Regarding property taxes, a good rule of thumb is to multiply the purchase price by 1.3%. For example, a Peachtree City home purchased for $300,000 would have annual taxes of about $3,900, which is higher than in many other parts of Georgia.   Homeowners 62 or older whose family income does not exceed $30,000 may qualify for an exemption from state and county property taxes equal to the amount by which the assessed value of the homestead exceeds the assessed value for the preceding tax year.   For those 65 and older who earn $10,000 or less, $4,000 of their property's value is exempt from state and county taxes as well.  

Peachtree City, Georgia, Continued...