Please do not blast me - this is a serious inquiry (Atlanta: houses, schools)

[bryantm3]

Re: the groups not mixing. Look back at my posts from when I joined in 2011, trying to find the most dangerous part of town or whatever. I didn't realize it at the time but I was afraid of people of other races, and I guess looking for some kind of thrill I drove through what I considered at the time, dangerous places. Eventually I realized that there wasn't anything to be scared of. In fact, there's a lot to be excited by. I have had the best time of my life in places I would have been afraid to go into in 2011 and have discovered so many interesting people, cultures, foods, because I was willing to step outside of my comfort zone, even if my initial motivations for doing so weren't the right ones, it helped free me of that fear. I think a lot of other Atlantans are starting to have this experience, too, but many people are still afraid to wander too far outside their own group.

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by Sprawling_Homeowner

The conveniences of lower costs of living and cheaper housing have a price. George is highly racist, and culturally backwards. Education is awful. Where you are now, New Jersey, is more expensive, but near you, you have beaches, New York City, outstanding schools, and the opportunities your children will have to live life in the real world... not the Klan world of the American South.

There is a reason it is cheaper here and that ties to demand that ties into desirability. You wont get any of the culture and amenities you have in the BoshWash area you are from; you get what you pay for.

[primaltech]

To say that there's no culture in Atlanta is purely false. There's plenty of culture vibes in pockets of in-town, and even some OTP spots like Marietta.

There's just less of it than the much more urban cities of the north and the west coast. With a lot more sprawled suburbia.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Sprawling_Homeowner

I have lived most of my live in the tri-state area of New York. I currently live in NJ very close to New York City and work in Manhattan.

I have never lived in the south, but in recent time I've thought of moving to a southern area due to lower housing costs, lower costs of living, and the fact that people I know made such moves and are happy they did.

The greater Atlanta area, with towns like Suwanee and Alpharetta, has caught my attention. I've looked at Zillow and researched schools, and am pleased with what I've seen... lovely towns, good schools, and family-oriented neighborhoods.

As well, I lean conservative in both social and political issues, so I am under the impression that this area would be a good fit.

However, I was told by another member of this website (Paraphrased but original message unchanged):

The conveniences of lower costs of living and cheaper housing have a price. George is highly racist, and culturally backwards. Education is awful. Where you are now, New Jersey, is more expensive, but near you, you have beaches, New York City, outstanding schools, and the opportunities your children will have to live life in the real world... not the Klan world of the American South.

I am not trolling; I have been on this website for many years, and I do not disrespect others based on where they're from. I'm simply a regular Joe with a family who is considering alternatives to the NY tri-state area - an area I love and have a lot of history in, but which is prohibitively expensive. And as I wrote, folks I know moved to the south (Suwanee) and I've only heard good things from this particular family. They have purchased a home.

I am asking also to get both sides of the story - the good and the bad - so I can be informed.

The person who wrote that was a really bad kind of bigot. Hypocritical and self-deluded in addition to being bigoted.

Schools are great in Suwanee and Alpharetta. They aren't good everywhere in Georgia, but those and other areas are very good. And Georgia is the "real world," at least as far as America is concerned. NY City is a place very different from the rest of the U.S. and is probably the most parochial place in the country. Racism is a shadow of what it was 50 years ago. Open racists are very rare and not "socially acceptable." And its probably not any worse in Georgia than in the New York area.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

There is a reason it is cheaper here and that ties to demand that ties into desirability. You wont get any of the culture and amenities you have in the BoshWash area you are from; you get what you pay for.

Fewer people (meaning more available land) and less restrictive land use policies mean lower prices. Atlanta is growing rapidly, but still has low prices relative to the northeast. Houston and Dallas have been growing even faster and have even lower housing prices. There are reasons, but its not "culture and amenities."

And while you might see Rebel flags in rural Georgia, that doesn't mean those people are KKKers. The 20 or so KKKers in the state are using a symbol that simply means regional pride to most Southerners.

[bu2]

As far as the fine arts, of course, Atlanta is not NYC or DC. First time I went to the art museum here, I got to the top floor and wondered, "Is that all there is?" The ballet about 5 years ago briefly used recorded music as they couldn't afford an orchestra. There are a number of theater companies, but other than the Alliance, all seem to be micro-targeting their audience, one that does southern plays, one that does black plays, one that does women's plays, one that does gay plays. But I've never met anyone not involved in the industry who bases where to live on art museums, the opera, ballet, symphony and theater. The arts DO exist here. And for that matter, even the Met pales in comparison to the museums in Europe.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by bu2

Fewer people (meaning more available land) and less restrictive land use policies mean lower prices. Atlanta is growing rapidly, but still has low prices relative to the northeast. Houston and Dallas have been growing even faster and have even lower housing prices. There are reasons, but its not "culture and amenities."

And while you might see Rebel flags in rural Georgia, that doesn't mean those people are KKKers. The 20 or so KKKers in the state are using a symbol that simply means regional pride to most Southerners.

There are plenty of KKK types in the north as well.

And geographically speaking, NY is big time Trump country. As is the case here, the urban areas go blue but once you get out of the cities...

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by bu2

Fewer people (meaning more available land) and less restrictive land use policies mean lower prices. Atlanta is growing rapidly, but still has low prices relative to the northeast. Houston and Dallas have been growing even faster and have even lower housing prices. There are reasons, but its not "culture and amenities."

And while you might see Rebel flags in rural Georgia, that doesn't mean those people are KKKers. The 20 or so KKKers in the state are using a symbol that simply means regional pride to most Southerners.

There are fewer people due to a lack of desirebility.

While land use matters Atlanta isn’t near the level of demand for land prices to be a premium like in the Boshwosh with it’s culture and amenities that are nearly unmatched which is why that area cost more than Atlanta.

[AnsleyPark]

Having lived in both the North East and the South, people are people - there is little difference between Northerners and Southerners. You have great folks, whether they are liberal or conservative, black or white, Christian or whatever, in both areas. You have good and you have bad. The cultural divide is, simply, not really a divide as much as it is a nuance.

Come on down - you will find a great fit for yourself!

[Forhall]

Originally Posted by arjay57

There are plenty of KKK types in the north as well.

And geographically speaking, NY is big time Trump country. As is the case here, the urban areas go blue but once you get out of the cities...

Yes, the story of 2018 elections is the southern cities and suburbs are voting like northern cities and suburbs, while the rural areas of the north have started voting like rural areas of the south.

It's become metros (city and suburb) vs rural areas, regardless of region, politically speaking.