NJ/NY to GA How has your life changed? (Atlanta: real estate, insurance)

[JacquiO]

Hello everyone!

Just wondering, aside from the happy question, how has your life changed in terms of quality of life... better, worse, or no difference? Would you have done things differently or the same?

Thanks for you input!

[sweettea1]

Overall better quality of life. Better life for kids (IMO). Easier living. Better Weather. Cheaper Housing. More disposable income to travel.
Less diversity in each area. Food not as good. Can be provincial and segregated. Need to spend more time finding culture instead of culture being in front of you.
Still realize you're in the south and are amazed at comments that come out of people's mouths. No water nearby.
Overall, a good decision but sometimes question it.

[Georgia]

Atlanta today.

Well, my wife is a North Jersey girl and loves it to death.
I'm an old West Virginian and could leave tomorrow. Go figure.

Then again, I was a fan of South Jersey and not a fan at all with Northeast Jersey, and to be frank the Atlanta area reminds me so much of Northeast Jersey and NYC it could be my main reason of distaste.

I thought it was funny one time when I made a statement like this and a native Georgian told me to get my tail out of here if I don't like "Dixie" Well, it might have been Dixie a hundred years ago but it's New York City today.

So if you love Northeast Jersey, You will without a doubt love the Atlanta metro area.

[PeteyNice]

I lived my whole life in NYC before moving to Atlanta a few weeks ago and I have to disagree that Atlanta "is New York City". There are certain similarities that you see in any major city but beyond that the two are very different. The first reply is correct. This is the south. The pace is much slower. The energy that you get in NYC, and to a lesser extent in the suburbs, is just not here.

It sounds like the second reply just isn't a city person. Especially since he says he likes South Jersey which is much more rural. Not everyone is a city person.

I think the first reply hit the high points pretty well.

[Jomaark]

I also agree with the first poster. Fall and winter are fine. Pollen makes it hard to be outdoors in the spring. Summer heats about the same. You acquire more stuff here, cars, homes, insurance. Atlanta as a whole is more casual than NY but can be boring and suburban.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by PeteyNice

I lived my whole life in NYC before moving to Atlanta a few weeks ago and I have to disagree that Atlanta "is New York City". There are certain similarities that you see in any major city but beyond that the two are very different. The first reply is correct. This is the south. The pace is much slower. The energy that you get in NYC, and to a lesser extent in the suburbs, is just not here.

It sounds like the second reply just isn't a city person. Especially since he says he likes South Jersey which is much more rural. Not everyone is a city person.

I think the first reply hit the high points pretty well.

No I am not a city person for sure, however, many folks from the Hudson area always like to refer to S.Jersey as much more rural. Yes, the Piney's play a large role, however, the western (Philadelphia) side does have some identity to NE Jersey just as SE Jersey has some identity to Sussex and Warren County area.

In my travels on the BQE, LIE, GW upper and lower, I have made the Atlanta NYC comparison to traffic.

[tsdon]

Originally Posted by JacquiO

Hello everyone!

Just wondering, aside from the happy question, how has your life changed in terms of quality of life... better, worse, or no difference? Would you have done things differently or the same?

Thanks for you input!

Much better - even though I want to leave Atlanta now. Been here 13 years and time to move on. But was very good to me. Tons of jobs and reasnable property taxes and insurance and real estate prices. I do prefer a more european-american city though.

[sweettea1]

tsdon,
Am feeling the same. I'm kind of down on Atlanta these days and am trying to decide what else is out there that offers the quality of life of Atlanta but just a bit...well, more. Would be interested to know where you're finding european-american cities!

[tsdon]

Originally Posted by sweettea1

tsdon,
Am feeling the same. I'm kind of down on Atlanta these days and am trying to decide what else is out there that offers the quality of life of Atlanta but just a bit...well, more. Would be interested to know where you're finding european-american cities!

Other than Albuquerque, if I find more, I'll tell you. It's true - I'm in IT so nothing bad to say about Atlanta, but it just feels like a huge sprawl with traffic with a need of character that I know it's not going to get. Time to move on. Way too many people for me now - and I grew up in NY!

[sweettea1]

and every time I think it's going to change, turns out to be one more Sembler development with the same ole' big box stores. You'd think someone would get it by now...