ATL's exurbs growing fast (Atlanta: college, to live, buses)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by fzx

The problem of this comparison is on absolute bases, how much each area is growing. A 100% increase on a small base, say 10 people, wont catchup with a 2% growth of a city with a population of 500,000.

According the chart, exurban growth was very fast not only in terms of percent but in absolute numbers.

We went from 756,480 in 2000 to 1,284,923 in 2010. That's nearly half a million people!

In the city of Atlanta proper I think we only grew by a few thousand.

[Atlanta_BD]

We all know that more and more people are getting transferred here for jobs, and more and more people continue to move to "Atlanta" for "cheaper housing."

This is not to start a flame war but a legitimate question:

Could it be that the exurbs are growing because living in safe neighborhoods with good schools in Atlanta proper is cost-prohibitive to most people with families?

They are going to have to build more amenities in the exurbs because people who want to own homes can't afford to live in town.

We can see from the threads a lot of people moving here from other places want to spend on average no more than $250k or $1500 a month for a single family home in good school districts with great amenities. It's impossible to get that in town, so they have no choice but to move way out.

People are told that Atlanta is great because of the cheaper housing, but I think what they are not told going in is that they have to move way out in order to get it. It's no different than any other major city in that regard for those who feel they must live in a single-family home.

I know a guy who used to live in Buckhead and loves hanging out there but soon as he got married he moved to the burbs to buy a home because that's what his wife wanted and they couldn't afford a house in town--and he's an ad sales executive for a local TV network and makes a lot of money.

People need to stop saying homes in Atlanta are cheaper, they need to start saying home in the suburbs/exurbs are cheaper.

[10 feet tall]

I totally agree that in-town living is expensive, definitely moreso than it is made out to be (all I ever hear is how Atlanta is less expensive than other major cities). However, it may be less expensive than Boston, SF, and Manhattan, but so is everywhere else in the country. By and large, Atlanta is just as expensive as every other comparable city. If people are moving here for a nice 250K home in Ball Ground, then they should realize what they are getting in terms of location.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Could it be that the exurbs are growing because living in safe neighborhoods with good schools in Atlanta proper is cost-prohibitive to most people with families?

They are going to have to build more amenities in the exurbs because people who want to own homes can't afford to live in town.

We can see from the threads a lot of people moving here from other places want to spend on average no more than $250k or $1500 a month for a single family home in good school districts with great amenities. It's impossible to get that in town, so they have no choice but to move way out.

Atlanta is remarkable in that you can still find cool intown housing at very reasonable prices. However, as in almost every city, the best intown neighborhoods are going to be pricier. Just the old laws of supply and demand at work.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Atlanta is remarkable in that you can still find cool intown housing at very reasonable prices. However, as in almost every city, the best intown neighborhoods are going to be pricier. Just the old laws of supply and demand at work.

Affordable for single people with no kids who are renting apartments or roommating or affordable for families? I live in town and the houses in town are not anywhere near cheap. You can buy a cheap one bedroom condo, but many of the people moving here for the cheaper housing are couples with children and unless they are making high six-figure or seven figure salaries, they cannot afford to buy a house in town, especially not in the best school districts. My child went to school in one of the best school districts in town and houses around her school start at $750-$800k. And a NICE two bedroom apartment in that area starts at $1500 and three and four bedroom apartments for as much as $4000 a month.

Who can afford that?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Affordable for single people with no kids who are renting apartments or roommating or affordable for families? I live in town and the houses in town are not anywhere near cheap. You can buy a cheap one bedroom condo, but many of the people moving here for the cheaper housing are couples with children and unless they are making high six-figure or seven figure salaries, they cannot afford to buy a house in town, especially not in the best school districts. My child went to school in one of the best school districts in town and houses around her school start at $750-$800k. And a NICE two bedroom apartment in that area starts at $1500 and three and four bedroom apartments for as much as $4000 a month.

Who can afford that?

Well, a lot of people can afford them.

It's just the law of supply and demand. Nobody can simply decree "these houses will cost less."

The good thing is that if you do want to live intown, there are several areas where you can still get in on the ground floor at a reasonable price, and have safety and good schools. There are places like Riverside and Kirkwood where the opportunities are terrific. Just like more mature neighborhoods like Oakhurst and Morningside and East Lake and Candler Park and Virginia-Highland, you'll have to roll up your sleeves and do the hard work to make your community excellent, but that's the way the world works. Once you get it done, you'll be sitting on one valuable piece of real estate and your house will command a big price, too.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Well, a lot of people can afford them.

Really?

When you say a lot of people, do you mean the average person, or a lot of doctors, lawyers?

[arjay57]

All kinds of folks, at all income levels, live in town, just as they do in the suburbs.

[Nanosolar]

Originally Posted by 10 feet tall

I totally agree that in-town living is expensive, definitely moreso than it is made out to be (all I ever hear is how Atlanta is less expensive than other major cities). However, it may be less expensive than Boston, SF, and Manhattan, but so is everywhere else in the country. By and large, Atlanta is just as expensive as every other comparable city. If people are moving here for a nice 250K home in Ball Ground, then they should realize what they are getting in terms of location.

What is expensive though. Atlanta is by far the cheapest major city in the US to live in.

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Caleb, I truly don't understand the regular drumbeat of city bashing in this forum. A whole lot of us who live in the city have a great quality of life and it has been a good choice for us and our families. My house is from the 20s and yeah, it has taken a lot of work over the years. However, I like doing that -- it sort of makes it "mine" and now that we've fixed it up it's as good as any place else. We have plenty of room for kids and dogs, great schools, virtually zero crime, and great access to the airport, the freeways, MARTA, shopping and the whole shebang.

Why do we so often get bashed as if we're living in some awful, crime-infested jungle that only a lunatic would choose to live in? We have more joggers, cyclists and folks out walking than you can count. As Herman Cain would say, "We are not stupid."

I don't think you have caught the humor....lighten up