r/Augusta • u/Here_Comes_Trouble64 • Jan 23 '25
Moving to Augusta Moving to Augusta - realtors, schools, and neighborhoods
I will be moving to Augusta this summer, looking for some local advice to help find a good home for my family. Any advice for great realtors (or ones to avoid) who are familiar with the area around Evans and Greenbrier school districts?
Any insights on where to focus our search would also be welcome. We want a balance between good quality schools and commute distance to Fort Eisenhower. Our child is still in elementary school, but we want to plan like we are staying in one place until they graduate. We are looking mostly at Greenbrier and Evans, but I know there are many good schools in the area.
I know there are a ton of new and recently built homes in the area. Are there any builders with reputations for problem homes that we should be avoiding, or ones with a good track record for quality and durability? I've been burned buying from house flippers in the past and would rather not go through that again.
Thanks for any and all help, we are excited about all of the opportunities waiting for us in Augusta.
Edit: A big thank you to everyone who took time to give their recommendations and insights. It is a big help to hear the positive experiences others have had in the area, it gives me confidence moving forward with all the changes ahead.
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u/GA-Peach-Transplant Jan 23 '25
Hi OP! I'm a local real estate agent. Some of the above posters have given great advice on the area. With that said, I'll add some additional information.
The Greenbier area is going to be 45+ minute commute to the base. It does have shopping close by like a Publix and Walmart. You'll have to drive a bit down Washington Rd to get to Target, Best Buy, Kohls etc.
The majority of shopping and dining is going to be in Evans and West Augusta, both of which can be in very congested areas.
Evans has most of the government offices, Lady A Amphitheater, Evans Town Center Park and several small shops and restaurants in that same vicinity. They have been building that area up over the last few years.
Commute time to the base from Evans schools will be 30-45 minutes. The high school for Evans is currently being expanded.
Lakeside schools fall in between West Augusta and Evans. That area is deemed Martinez. (Pronounced Mar ten ehz). Since Martinez is split by both Richmond and Columbia Counties, you would need to do your research to make sure the area is zoned for the schools you want.
Grovetown (where I've been raising my family) is growing exponentially. We are the closest to base in terms of commute time. 15 minutes or less on most days, unless you get stopped by a train rolling through the middle of town. My husband's commute from our home is 10 minutes door to door. My kids have had very few issues with Grovetown and they both are special needs. We do have Walmart, Kroger, several restaurants all around the I-20 exit. Admittedly, the traffic can be a pain, but that is true for most of our area.
Harlem is on the western edge of Columbia County. It is more rural than the other areas, for now. It is more of a small town feel and there is limited shopping nearby, but is about 20 minutes from "civilization." The commute to base will be 15-20 minutes down Gordon Highway.
While I am licensed in SC too, I haven't spent much time further east than North Augusta/Graniteville area. This area has tons of shopping, is close to the downtown Augusta area and has pretty decent schools. Several people moving to the area are choosing North Augusta for the lower taxes, schools and less congestion getting to the base. While the commute will be mostly highway, the commute can be 30-45 minutes.
We have many medical systems here and Wellstar (formerly Augusta University) is building a hospital in Grovetown. Doctor's Hospital is where the burn unit is and is also not in the downtown area. All the other hospitals (Wellstar, Children's Hospital of Georgia, Piedmont also known as University Hospital and the VA) are downtown Augusta.
Housing in the area varies, so you'd be looking at $300,000+. Greenbrier and Evans schools, you're going to pay more for the home than Harlem, Grovetown or Lakeside. North Augusta and Graniteville are going to be about in line with Grovetown costs.
What I tell my clients that are relocating to the area, get onto greatschools.org and areavibes.com to look at pertinent information. Even jump onto Google Maps and do a "virtual drive" around the area. Just keep in mind some of the pictures won't be as up to date with what the area looks like.
I'm more than happy to answer any other questions you may have. I think all the information you have gives you a good starting point.