I need the real deal on Tifton,i may move up from Fla (Macon: sales, real estate)

[Elastoman]

I have lived in florida most of my life.But now because of the property taxes,homeowners insurance and other costs it is just getting too expensive to live here.I live southwest of Ocala.I am a painting contractor and my business is driven by a good healthy real estate and new construction sales market and as most people know both markets have all but died here.I have been in my own business for 30 years and i intend to continue painting up until retirement age.My wife is in the accounting field (not an accountant) but does billing & receiving and other clerical work.She will also be looking for work in the Tifton area,can anyone who has lived in Tifton for any length of time offer any suggestions? For example how is the realestate and new construction market there and are there good paying jobs availble for someone in the line of work that my wife does? Any help would be very much appreciated.thank you

[MRS-TAB]

I grew up in Tifton, GA. It is a very low crime area I think you and your wife would love it living there, but as for the job. Right now I would say construction business is booming due to Tifton is growing alot now. There are some accounting offices in the area, but your wife will probably have to look farther then Tifton for work. She may have to commute to some of the small towns nearby like: Moultrie, Sylvesta, Omega, Adel, Fitzgerald, Ocilla, and Cordele, GA. These are the towns within 15 minutes of Tifton. She can also commute to Albany and Valdosta, GA which is 45-50 minutes from Tifton.

About the town, it's a wonderful place to stay where you'll feel very comfortable unless you are a person that like alot of action. It's a very clean town. You don't have many people hanging out in the streets of the town area.Traffic is not bad at all. There are one major shopping centers on US Hwy 82 where the Super Wal-Mart, one small shopping center on Virginia Avenue where there is K-Mart, and Dollar Tree, Downtown/Uptown shopping area where there are specailty stores. There's a Mall there on Virginia Avenue but it's small. I hear there's going to be a new Mall off of US Hwy 82.

[mlpotts]

I am a lifetime resident of Tifton. It is a small, rural town in South Central Georgia. It is located approximately 45 miles north of Valdosta on I-75, 40 miles east of Albany, 100 miles south of Macon. The latest full census (2000) showed a population of approximately 15,000 residents in Tifton proper with a county population of around 40,000. Tift County is a relatively small county in land area.

The Tifton economy, like most places, has taken a big hit over the last 12 months. We've lost several companies (over 1000 jobs) to closure. The fact that I-75, U.S. Hwy 82, and U.S. Hwy 319 dissect Tifton explains why Tifton has a large number of hotels, restaurants, and truck stops. Tifton is also home to Tift Regional Medical Center (Welcome to Tift Regional Medical Center) providing Tifton with one of the finest hospitals in Georgia. It is also the city's largest employer.

Crime in Tifton is probably average to slightly above average for a community its size. It is divided noticeably between the haves and have nots. With the large medical community, a State College, a technical college and the Univerity of Georgia Tifton Campus, there is a disproportionate number of MDs and Phds. Tifton has numerous churches of various faiths.

I recommend visiting Welcome to the City of Tifton Web Site for more information.

[lzbthc82]

I live in Tifton and I'm not a realtor, so I couldn't give you exact facts and figures on the housing market. That being said, there are very few jobs in this town. This area is really slow on jobs at the moment. The unemployment office here recently runs out the front door every morning. I have a neighbor with a MBA that has been laid off a few times in the past two years, because of plant closing and such, and has resorted to driving a delivery truck.

The town thrives on the interstate. Many of the jobs here are in the service industry. With the addition of the super wal-mart, most of the grocery and hardware stores etc closed. And the "good ole' boy network" is still very alive. My father is looking at branching his electrical into his own business, but wouldn't have dreamed of doing it when he first got here. It took him 10 years to get to know enough people and get enough references to sustain a business.

This town is a very small town with a growing college and a town full of football fans. You may be able to make it here, but I would suggest that you really get to know the area and possibly get your wife a job liined up before you pack up.

To get a better idea of the housing market, you may want to look at trulia or zillow. They show how long a house has been on the market etc.

[paul1993]

Don't move here the unemployment rate is 8.1, the foreclosure's are up too.

[KimmaAnn]

Low crime rate??? I would check that. I have friends there and that is all they complain about.This town is not what it used to be. The black hole of Albany has opened up and spread east.
There is a nice college and a nice hospital. Downtown is nice. But to live there? I personaly wouldn't.

[Dart03]

As far as Tifton goes, I have never really heard awful things about it. Its on the interstate and is about 40 miles from the regional hubs of Albany & Valdosta so you would have easy access to shopping in stores that wouldn't be in smaller cities like Tifton.

A nearby town I have heard a lot of positive things about, as far as economic growth this year, is Moultrie. You may want check into there as well!

Good Luck!!

[Bulldawgfan]

Elastoman,

Tifton is an OK place. There are worse places to put down roots. That being said, as a long time resident of Florida (Tampa area), I expect you will not experience the type of growth you have witnessed in Florida anywhere in central Georgia. Perhaps maybe in the Warner Robins area, but even that growth is not anything like what I witnessed in the Tampa area. As was mentioned in one of the previous posts, I really think a 'good 'ol boy' network does exist in the smaller towns in Georgia. Outside of the major metropolitan areas, it seems to me that growth is less important to the locals than just maintaining status quo. Not to sound negative or anything, but I would imagine it would be difficult to establish a service based company in one of these smaller 'stand alone' communities.
Good luck

[brentyoung12]

Originally Posted by Bulldawgfan

Elastoman,

Tifton is an OK place. There are worse places to put down roots. That being said, as a long time resident of Florida (Tampa area), I expect you will not experience the type of growth you have witnessed in Florida anywhere in central Georgia. Perhaps maybe in the Warner Robins area, but even that growth is not anything like what I witnessed in the Tampa area. As was mentioned in one of the previous posts, I really think a 'good 'ol boy' network does exist in the smaller towns in Georgia. Outside of the major metropolitan areas, it seems to me that growth is less important to the locals than just maintaining status quo. Not to sound negative or anything, but I would imagine it would be difficult to establish a service based company in one of these smaller 'stand alone' communities.
Good luck

Since when was Tifton in Central Georgia?

[Bulldawgfan]

Originally Posted by brentyoung12

Since when was Tifton in Central Georgia?

Its not eastern Georgia... its not western Georgia... it must be central Georgia. Think vertically.