In addition to walking and biking trails, playground, tennis courts and more, Smyrna’s 200-acre master-planned community Barnes Mill offers multiple pools and clubhouses.

As a future or new Atlanta resident, you’re probably stressed enough about a new job, a new school, a new life. Plus, you have to navigate a new area, finding things to do and new friends to do them with. But imagine living in a neighborhood where shops, restaurants, jobs, your child’s school and amenities like walking and biking trails, parks, aquatic centers, sports fields, tennis courts and more were part of the development. A place with a true sense of community, where getting out and interacting is encouraged by the countless activities. A place where both you and your children are sure to make new friends and have plenty to do. It seems impossible, but this idea isn’t as farfetched as you might think—if you make one of Metro Atlanta’s master-planned communities your next home.

Typically, master-planned communities offer a tremendous number of amenities and encompass an enormous amount of land. Because of the size of these communities, multiple builders join together to develop different sections. All the amenities generally are included in the original plan—developers try to anticipate the future needs of the homeowners and devise a master plan based on these needs. Thus, they may include schools, shops and other amenities that exceed the pool and clubhouse often found in many other neighborhoods. Some even include office space in their development plans or employ activities directors, which are especially great for new residents looking to meet others in their community.

“Master-planned communities offer a level of convenience many other neighborhoods don’t,” says Shea Whitmire, president and CEO of Whitmire Residential, one of the builders in Mundy Mill, a masterplanned community located in Gainesville.

Mundy Mill’s plan includes retail space as well as sites for a future business park and school. “With today’s families being so much busier, saving even five minutes means a lot,” he says.

Located in Hall County, Mundy Mill homes range from the $170s to the $300s. Amenities in the community include multiple family recreation parks, extensive walking trails and approximately 100 acres of green space. The main recreation park will showcase a Central Clubhouse, multiple tennis courts, a zero-entry junior Olympic-size swimming pool with water features, cabana and more. Future plans include an additional recreation park.

Kimberly Garwood, marketing manager for Traton Homes, a builder in Smyrna’s masterplanned Barnes Mill neighborhood, says master- planned communities bring back a sense of community. “When moving to a new home, in particular to a new city, you are looking for so much more than just a house with granite countertops, hardwood floors and stainless steel appliances. When you purchase in a master-planned community, you are choosing a community that includes your family’s future friends. A master-planned neighborhood provides so many opportunities to meet neighbors and become somehow weaved into the fabric of that community.”

The elegant clubhouse at Providence features a fitness center, swimming pool and tennis courts.

In addition to single-family homes, 200-acre Barnes Mill offers two luxury townhome communities and ranch villas. The amenities package includes multiple swimming pools; community clubhouse fashioned after the historic Gann House in Mableton; walking and biking trails; community sidewalks; playground; 50 acres of green space; four tennis courts; and direct access to the Silver Comet Trail. Plans also include a site for a future retail and office development. Homes are priced from $199,900 to the $400s.

Also in Cobb County, John Wieland Homes’ master-planned Providence community is located just outside I-285. A clubhouse with fitness center, swimming pool and tennis courts acts as the ideal backdrop for neighborhood gatherings. A gated entrance, sidewalks, over 30 acres of natural area and walking trails create an inviting landscape for active living. Townhomes begin in the low $300s, while single- family homes range from the mid-$300s to the $400s.

Some communities, like River Green, a “newly fashioned traditional American hometown” in Canton, employ activities directors. “With a full-time activities director to plan activities for everyone in the family, as
well as trails, tennis courts and pools, it’s a wonderful place to relax,” says Sandy White of Chatham, which co-developed River Green with John Wieland Homes. “People form friendships. They get together with their neighbors.”

	River Green’s Heritage Club boasts state-of-the-art aquatic and ftness centers.

Located on the outskirts of historic Canton, River Green is 600 acres of field, forest, lakes, stream and the Etowah River, all carefully preserved for neighborhood enjoyment. Amenities in the community—self-described as “the town your heart remembers”—include two club houses, two aquatic centers, a racquet club with six tennis courts, Legacy Lake and Central Park, complete with a tennis pavilion, tree-shaded parks, 10 tennis courts, a playground and walking trails, basketball court and multi-purpose event/sports field. The master plan also includes “hometown” commerce and shopping. Townhomes start in the mid-$110s; single-family homes range from the high $200s to the $400s-plus.

“One of our best features is our new on-site elementary school Knox Elementary, which just opened in August,” says Gloria Skinner, a sales associate for Legacy Realty, a division of Chatham. Developers David Chatham and John Wieland worked with the Cherokee County Board of Education to secure a site for the new school within walking distance of the homes.

Beyond offering amazing amenities and a true sense of community, master-planned neighborhoods generally are great investments. “Residents of masterplanned communities take great pride in their community,” Kimberly Garwood notes. “Homeowners associations play an important role in the ongoing maintenance of the community’s common areas and help protect the owner’s investment for years to come. As time goes by, the homeowners association refreshes amenities so the community continues to be desirable over time.” Gregg Shelton with Telfair Brokers, selling in Paulding County’s master-planned Seven Hills, agrees. “Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons these days to invest in a home in a master-planned community is that they hold their value,” he says. “If you were transferred again and had to resell, it could be easier to sell in one of these communities.”

Seven Hills, located about three miles from the Cobb County line in Dallas, offers “green rolling hills, meandering streams and stands of tall pine trees.” Homes are priced from the $200s to the $600s. The centerpiece is the 13- acre Seven Hills Park, a private community oasis with playgrounds, acres of walking trails, tennis center, water park pools, playing fields, sport courts and more.

	The beautiful homes at Seven Hills are priced from the $200s to the $600s.

Master-planned neighborhoods indeed have their benefits, but one word of caution for those looking at these and other types of communities: “As with any new home purchase, buyers should look at the architectural integrity and overall quality of the community as well as the reputation of the builder(s) in the community,” says Garwood. “Now, more than ever, it is important to look for a builder with a long-standing, solid reputation.”

FEATURED COMMUNITIES

Barnes Mill
770-438-6128
www.barnesmill.com

Mundy Mill
770-535-6605
www.mundymill.net

Providence
678-945-5975
www.jwhomes.com

River Green
678-493-4874
www.rivergreenusa.com

Seven Hills
www.sevenhills-atlanta.com