Who's here for the long haul?? (Atlanta, Columbus: real estate, universities, living in)

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by jazzcat22

I have to believe it's a sign of good mental health to bloom where you are planted!

Great observation, jazzcat. That should etched in stone at the top of EVERY city forum!

[No2Monsanto]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Great observation, jazzcat. That should etched in stone at the top of EVERY city forum!

Totally agree!!

[sirrob]

Great thread!

Yes, I plan to ride it out for good, once I make it back to ATL. It's the only place that keeps drawing me back in. Like someone else said earlier, the city is ingrained in my soul. Everything about it just speaks to me in a positive and vibrant way. Also, my chosen field (IT) seems to be booming, and that is a definite plus.

I'm 90% sure I won't be living in the city, but in one of the the immediate burbs.

[jpk1292000]

Here for the long haul. After moving here from PA in 2000, it took some adjusting but now this city has my soul. When I'm away from it for more than a few days, even on vacation, I want to come home. And when I return to where I grew up in eastern PA, it takes only a few hours to realize how much this city has that many people take for granted. The weather, shopping, attractive physical setting, food, outdoor activities, festivals, global connectivity, access to great music, accessibility to the best beaches in the US in a 5 hour drive, unique neighborhoods and (mostly) friendly people. And all of this at a very reasonable cost of living considering what you'd pay in cities in the Northeast and on the West Coast.

I'm not blind to the city's issues, though. Every place has their own. We're really behind on transportation as people and companies move here in droves. There is some hope for improvement on transportation but it still feels years away before any solution is in place. Hopefully we don't get to a point of complete gridlock before transportation relief arrives.

And crime is relatively high in this city, though it's certainly down from when I first moved here. I suspect it will continue to slowly decrease as the professional class population of the city continues to increase, but at the expense of crime elements moving to areas surrounding the city. Not sure what the fix is for this.

[No2Monsanto]

Originally Posted by jpk1292000

Here for the long haul. After moving here from PA in 2000, it took some adjusting but now this city has my soul. When I'm away from it for more than a few days, even on vacation, I want to come home. And when I return to where I grew up in eastern PA, it takes only a few hours to realize how much this city has that many people take for granted. The weather, shopping, attractive physical setting, food, outdoor activities, festivals, global connectivity, access to great music, accessibility to the best beaches in the US in a 5 hour drive, unique neighborhoods and (mostly) friendly people. And all of this at a very reasonable cost of living considering what you'd pay in cities in the Northeast and on the West Coast.

I'm not blind to the city's issues, though. Every place has their own. We're really behind on transportation as people and companies move here in droves. There is some hope for improvement on transportation but it still feels years away before any solution is in place. Hopefully we don't get to a point of complete gridlock before transportation relief arrives.

And crime is relatively high in this city, though it's certainly down from when I first moved here. I suspect it will continue to slowly decrease as the professional class population of the city continues to increase, but at the expense of crime elements moving to areas surrounding the city. Not sure what the fix is for this.

I keep hearing various posters talk about the crime in Atlanta lately. I haven't been back home in 7 years, but will later this year. All this talk about crime is starting make me nervous! Is it concentrated in certain areas, or just spread out everywhere? I mean, before moving away, I lived in Gwinnett, Conyers, Austell, Vinings, Sandy Springs, and Smyrna. I NEVER had not even a slight or near miss incident of crime. Wow, I suppose lot can change in 7 years.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by No2Monsanto

I keep hearing various posters talk about the crime in Atlanta lately. I haven't been back home in 7 years, but will later this year. All this talk about crime is starting make me nervous! Is it concentrated in certain areas, or just spread out everywhere? I mean, before moving away, I lived in Gwinnett, Conyers, Austell, Vinings, Sandy Springs, and Smyrna. I NEVER had not even a slight or near miss incident of crime. Wow, I suppose lot can change in 7 years.

Crime is down drastically from 7 years ago in pretty much every part of the city. I wouldn't worry too much.

[Zanarkand A East]

I'll never leave. If anything, I want to move EVEN closer to the city and only drive like twice a week, which with my commute (Midtown) and activities (Beltline, biking, and bar-hopping) would be possible.

Great thread, btw!

[afdinatl]

I left Ga when I was 19 to see if i would like another place better. I came back in 2005 and left again for DC. Them moved back a few years later. I never found a city that i liked better. As a city other places are more urban but overall I like it here more. I tried liking LA but I never got that connection that I have about Atlanta. I'm visiting it again soon to try it out again. I'm going to visit Chicago twice this year even though I been their b4. Atlanta isn't perfect but when you factor in the cost of living, no real snow, our airport, topography, entertainment, low taxes, no toll roads,etc it can't be beat. I'm here for life. If I was rich I might buy a condo in Manhatten but my main residence will be here

[MathmanMathman]

I would like to give Kim Jong Un Atlanta's coordinates. He's already threatened Seattle, San Diego, and Austin of all places.

[AcidSnake]

I'm not moving anywhere.

Born and raise here. Same with my parents and grandparents.

Plus I am on a personal mission to ensure that political conservatives are beaten back into the caves where they and their regressive and incredibly contradictory logic belong.

All Atlanta needs is a good 21st Century New Deal program and it will do just fine.