Is GA the place for me? (Atlanta, Roswell: how much, neighborhoods, living in)

[SnAgNerD]

Hey all,

Im considering moving from NYC to Ga (mainly in Atlanta). I have never been to GA and I am a city girl to the day I die. I love the convinence of the corner store and constantly running public transportation in NYC. But GA seems to be the state where alot of people are moving to (especially those of us who are from Brooklyn) because the cost of living is cheap. Should jump on the ATL bandwagon? Advice appreciated!

[earthlyfather]

While Atlanta is big - with a metro pop of 5.5 mil or so - it is not for the most part like New York/Brooklyn, with the conveniences. Mass transit is very limited. Very car dependent from my perspective. We moved about 70 miles away from Atlanta 10 years ago, so I am not as familiar with the intown neighborhoods as I once was. Decatur, Little Five Points come to mind, as maybe meeting your city criteria. I know there are others now, I'm just out of touch. Best Wishes.

[SnAgNerD]

Thanks!

[testa50]

It could work for you, but you're going to need have an open mind and be very choosy with where you locate. No area in Atlanta can really approach the density and amenities of NYC, but living in a Midtown highrise isn't a bad life either. There are great bars, restaurants, Piedmont Park, comedy clubs, museums, MARTA, and--yes--plenty of corner stores within walking distance. This can usually be had for around $1.25-$1.50 a square foot/mo for a renter, less if you look hard.

I've noticed lots of New Yorkers who come on here and talk about how much they regret moving to Atlanta chose to live in a place like Roswell; if you're looking for urban living, don't do that.

Good luck.

[cwkimbro]

The whole region is sprawled and not connected well enough, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few places that are livable with an urban lifestyle. Atlanta is fairly cheap compared to NYC. It gives people the ability to choose where they live more carefully. Most people appreciate it for kid-friendly suburbs when they settle down with families.

What I do like about Atlanta's more urban landscape is there are more trees and hills it is built around.

If you know people who have moved down here... I would come down and visit over a weekend or two to decide. Outside that I agree with what testa50 said "lots of New Yorkers who come on here and talk about how much they regret moving to Atlanta chose to live in a place like Roswell; if you're looking for urban living, don't do that." Many people do move here and straight into the suburbs, because you can get a big place for the money, but if you want urban living you need to stay near the center of town.

[kitkat1125]

I'm a New Yorker (southern Westchester near Yonkers) and I spent about a year and a half in Gwinnett County (Duluth/Lawrenceville area) with my uncle in 2007-2008. I absolutely loved it but I don't care for the urban city life of NYC. My main complaints were that I couldn't get a decent slice of "Real" New York pizza and the public transportation in the area where I was sucked. You definitely need a car if you plan to go outside of Atlanta. The only time I spent in Atlanta was the airport so I don't know that area. Driving is also definitely different than NY. I loved the slower pace and the people. I didn't notice too much of a difference in the cost of things while I was there. Of course some things are cheaper and other things just aren't. It's a trade off. I loved it so much that I'm looking to move there next year. I would definitely advise spending some time there before making that decision. I would even venture to say make 2 trips of at least a week a piece if you can't do a longer trip. Visiting and living there are different feelings.

[Georgiafrog]

It sounds like you would most enjoy areas like Virginia Highlands, Midtown, Grant Park, Little Five Points, or some areas around Buckhead. Folks are right about the density not even coming close to an NYC scale, but there are lots of great communities inside the perimeter(285). If you are so attached to big city life, please visit first. Choose well, and you will love Georgia. I am originally from Atlanta, but needed to get away, so I moved north into the more mountainous regions, and will never leave it. Georgia has something for everyone, but again, don't go in blind. Never a good idea.

[Caltovegas]

Give up the NY comparison. Georgia is a whole different animal. You will miss the NY style of food. for me it was the sandwiches and the Chinese food. But here in the south it's"soul food" and barbecue. As for the people there's still the race thing going on. People tend to work together and tolerate each other. The race issue isn't so much out in front but it's there.

Georgia is quite laid back and yes it's slower but it is possible to be happy there. Give it a visit and if you like it make the change you can always go back to NY to visit. If your a male there's plenty of women but if your a woman looking for a southern gentleman you have major competition. There's soooo many single women in the Atlanta area not to also mention the married ones out looking. "Home wrecking isn't cool...

[Georgiafrog]

Originally Posted by Caltovegas

Give up the NY comparison. Georgia is a whole different animal. You will miss the NY style of food. for me it was the sandwiches and the Chinese food. But here in the south it's"soul food" and barbecue. As for the people there's still the race thing going on. People tend to work together and tolerate each other. The race issue isn't so much out in front but it's there.

Georgia is quite laid back and yes it's slower but it is possible to be happy there. Give it a visit and if you like it make the change you can always go back to NY to visit. If your a male there's plenty of women but if your a woman looking for a southern gentleman you have major competition. There's soooo many single women in the Atlanta area not to also mention the married ones out looking. "Home wrecking isn't cool...

The end of your post got weird.

[tweetybird11208]

Noooooooooooo stay in NYC you'll regret it. ATL is a nice city but doesnt have much to offer like nyc.