Why aren't blacks buying houses in Dunwoody/Sandy Springs (Atlanta: sale, selling a home)

[Merin]

Originally Posted by wonderdallas

My BF lives in East Atlanta and his neighborhood is a nice new construction neighborhood. At the cul-de-sac BBQs there are black, whites, asians etc. Gays, straights, married and single people. Everyone gets along and seems to like each other. Yards are kept and people look out for their neighbor. That said, this development was carved out of a not so nice area. As soon as you drive out of the entrance there is garbage everywhere. People walking aimlessly at all hours of the night and shootings on a regular basis. Friends have found bullets on their decks. Tho the area has gotten nicer, it isn't surprising that people make their equity and move to ever more stable areas. This tends to send people to their comfort zone and often that happens to be in nice areas they have spent alot of time in. Nothing nefarious, just human nature and a world that can't change overnight.

-wd

We live in the city of Atlanta. Our neighorhood is very similar to the one you described. Its wonderful.

[stvincent]

Originally Posted by wonderdallas

My BF lives in East Atlanta and his neighborhood is a nice new construction neighborhood. At the cul-de-sac BBQs there are black, whites, asians etc. Gays, straights, married and single people. Everyone gets along and seems to like each other. Yards are kept and people look out for their neighbor. That said, this development was carved out of a not so nice area. As soon as you drive out of the entrance there is garbage everywhere. People walking aimlessly at all hours of the night and shootings on a regular basis. Friends have found bullets on their decks. Tho the area has gotten nicer, it isn't surprising that people make their equity and move to ever more stable areas. This tends to send people to their comfort zone and often that happens to be in nice areas they have spent alot of time in. Nothing nefarious, just human nature and a world that can't change overnight.

-wd

People moving into Grant Park has nothing to do with race or comingling. I am Black and I would never consider moving into a community to gentrify it. This is because I don't want to live in a crime ridden community no matter how much the purchase of my home might translate into a lucrative investment. Most Black people are not buying those new homes in the city. Whites are. This is because Whites want to live in the city now and Blacks, of ALL classes, want to get the hell out.

I think Whites are so willing to move to areas like Grant Park, Mechanicsville, and Kirkwood because they are cheap areas in good proximity to downtown and will eventually bring back a good return. Poor Blacks live in these areas but these yuppies would move into these communitites to buy cheap real estate regardless of what race lived in the area.

[Merin]

Originally Posted by stvincent

People moving into Grant Park has nothing to do with race or comingling. I am Black and I would never consider moving into a community to gentrify it. This is because I don't want to live in a crime ridden community no matter how much the purchase of my home might translate into a lucrative investment. Most Black people are not buying those new homes in the city. Whites are. This is because Whites want to live in the city now and Blacks, of ALL classes, want to get the hell out.

I think Whites are so willing to move to areas like Grant Park, Mechanicsville, and Kirkwood because they are cheap areas in good proximity to downtown and will eventually bring back a good return. Poor Blacks live in these areas but these yuppies would move into these communitites to buy cheap real estate regardless of what race lived in the area.

Last time I checked there was plenty of crime everywhere in the Metro area including the burbs. There are many black people in my Grant Park area neighborhood, I am one of them. My house is new, was not cheap, and a I pay(the ridiculously high) City fo Atlanta taxes. We live here because of the proximity to the city, but ourhouses are by no means cheap. If we wanted 5 bedroom houses for cheap, we would not be living here.

[mxd.Brit]

The more open minded people are the more they will learn, those that want to be 'comfortable' amongst their own are only inhibiting their own education of the human race and different cultures. Even when one person of a certain race does a highly negative thing its not to say their whole race is like that - I take each person as they come judge them only after something has happened whether good or bad. I certainly don't like all people of my race so why would i choose to live in a neighborhood which is solely my race - mix it up a little and you might learn and benefit from other people.

I grew up with a friend from near enough each race and for that I have learnt a lot. . . . traveling and experiencing other cultures does wonders too. A lot of it you can learn from your neighbor tho - change your attitudes and open your minds.......

[pwright1]

The question is why aren't more blacks buying homes in ATLANTA, or even renting in ATLANTA for that matter.

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Originally Posted by pwright1

The question is why aren't more blacks buying homes in ATLANTA, or even renting in ATLANTA for that matter.

CityData info
Races in Atlanta:
· Black (61.4%)
· White Non-Hispanic (31.3%)
· Hispanic (4.5%)
· Other race (2.0%)
· Two or more races (1.2%)
· Asian Indian (0.6%)
· American Indian (0.5%)

Huh?

[LawrencevilleGA]

Stupid question. They choose not to, that's why.

[floridaexchange]

I am a black male doing research on moving to Atlanta and to me Sandy Springs seems to be the best place to move to. It has low crime, good place for a family, and has easy access to downtown, but yet still away from the metro area which is all the things I am looking for in living in a big city.
I fail to see why other blacks may not think the same.

I dont even know about the white/black population their and even though I'm not rich and probably can't even afford to rent their, it still looks like the best choice to make a life for me and my family.
As for real estate conspiracy, you'd have to be really blind and dumb not to realize what is going on. Almost every city and town in America is built on racism. Real estate prices are indeed inflated to keep low income people out and the recent fall in real estate prices is seeing blacks moving into traditionally "white" neighborhoods, (ohh that's scary)...and yes whites are paying the price for these inflated home prices as we can all see in the sub prime fallout that the shaking GLOBAL markets....
It's already been proven that white employers sometimes filter out resumes simply because a name sounds "black". So what is stopping a real estate agents from selling a home to a white person for $150,000 (ALREADY 2 times its actual cost) but if the person is black..tell them that same house is $300,000..why? because they know and we ALL know that blacks were given a raw deal since the end of slavery, and are still trying to gain some equality which is not complete but civil right persons today are straying from real issues and making gay rights and abortion the BIG CIVIL issues of today, when in 2007 white kids are hanging nooses on trees in PUBLIC schools to ward off black students and the principal calls it a joke but sends the black students to jail when they retaliate(and i would have joined in, google "white student nooses")when in fact Black equality is still incomplete and WOMEN equality is also still incomplete.That's why the worse thing and biggest struggle is being a black woman.

[brookdaleresident]

I suppose it depends on area. Where I live, my neighborhood is very diverse and prices have been on the increase, regardless of the race of the homeowner. I have never heard of a real estate agent changing a price on a house depending on the race of the house hunter. My neighbors and I consider people as people. If you aren't interested in maintaining your home and keeping our community safe, we don't want you here, no matter what color you are.

[mxd.Brit]

As highlighted before given the choice ' a lot of' lower - mid income people would choose a large affordable house (and compromise on other issues) than buy a smaller house in a great neighborhood. It's this whole 'moving on up' thing.
Sometimes it's more about social class and aspirations. Unfortunately the majority of black and other minorities are still trying to climb up that social ladder but get lost in the whole 'show them' mentality and do things prematurely just to be seen.