How does Athens compare to Madison, WI (Atlanta: rental, condos)

[Megan1967]

Hello everyone!

I currently live in Madison, WI and am looking to relocate to someplace where it isn't a cold, dark, barren waste land from November until late April. I love everything about Madison except for the winter weather which includes the sun setting at 4pm for months on end.

I checked out Austin and I really don't think I'm ready to live in such a big metro area. Plus, to live in town would be pretty cost prohibitive and I don't really want to live in a suburb if I can help it.

So... What is the price range for a starter home in Athens?

What I live in now and my ideal couldn't be further apart.

Right now I live in a smaller home that I have fixed up nicely, but it is in a vinyl village and every third house literally has the same floor plan. The builder is not know for it's great quality and after 11 years there are problems with nail pops in the drywall, the windows leak and so forth. My house is assessed at 197K.

What I'd LOVE is a nice little Craftsman bungalow in move in condition (remember this is the ideal). Around here that would run me about $275-$350K, maybe more.

I'm interested in finding out from people who have lived in both places how the two compare overall as well.

Thank you so much!

Megan

[DisgustaTruth]

You should find exactly what you are looking for in Athens.. it will remind you of a smaller version of Madison (sans the two lakes)..but witha much more temperate winter. YOu should be to find the type of house you are looking for in your price range in the Normaltown area.

[Megan1967]

Thank you for the reply! I had a feeling they are similar towns, I appreciate the confirmation. I'll trade the lakes for a more temperate climate, but the lakes are really special, no doubt about it.

Did I mention $275-350 was not in my price range? That's just what it would cost me to buy a little craftsman bungalow here. Could anyone tell me what a house like that costs in the Athen's area?

[DisgustaTruth]

a small bungalow in Athens' normaltown neighborhood is considerably cheaper.. Find a little fixer upper and you will save a lot of money.

[Mawoods]

I have lived in MAdison, WI for 5 years and moved back south and so I know the differences. I am a native Georgian and went to school at UGA. BOTH places are fanatically school cheerleaders. Why not? BOTH GREAT SCHOOLS!!! Athens is hotter for a longer period of the year and Madison is colder for a better part of the year. The terrain is different but beautiful in both cases. I do miss those GREAT lakes. Both towns have diversity in thought and people, although while in WI I laughed when people up there thought there were alot of people of color in Madison!!! I missed the real diversity we have down here. There are bigots everywhere, here and up there. YEP!!!! I never knew anybody who ate squirrel or road kill until I met someone from the river area of SW WI. Gardening is different because of climate. We have pansies here during the winter, not summer. Athens has alot of culture associated with the university, along with a great music scene and artists around the area. Being close to Atlanta there is another scene to tap into. Both are great towns. I do think you can do better in housing down here. I remember being shocked at having vinyl on the house when I moved up there. Here depending on age, it would probably be brick or hardiplank. Nevertheless, each town is good and you can be happy in both. HOWEVER, you would love our winter days in the 40s and 50s -- down here that is COLD - picnic weather up in Wisconsin!!!!

[Mawoods]

PS I hate to admit it but people in general are friendlier down here. More courtesy too. I attributed it to all the cold and it makes you grumpy. By March I was crazy - buying flowers at the market just to see color. Here my bulbs are up in February and I have something blooming even in winter and we have green bushes all year too like camellias that bloom in January and February.

[irishvanguard]

I think that in Athens, you will have more neighborhoods that have an "inner city" feel (poverty and crime). Never been to Madison, but I think there will be more neighborhoods that you will want to avoid in Athens, generally.

However, I think as long as you are spending $170,000-$200,000, you will be in a very acceptable neighborhood. Avoid neighborhoods in the $100,000-$120,000 range, which generally speaks of the quality of the neighborhood (cars parked in the street along the curbing and sometimes junk cars littering the lawn, and people wandering the streets at dusk, like vampires) as well as the quality of the construction.

If you need a rental to have more time to house-shop, there are plenty of condos and villa areas that are very nice, as you would expect in a university town.

Athens does not have a drum and bugle corp, btw. The Scouts have ALWAYS been my very favorite.

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by Mawoods

you would love our winter days in the 40s and 50s -- down here that is COLD - picnic weather up in Wisconsin!!!!

We break out the shorts when it hits 50 - okay, maybe 60, but no kidding.

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by Mawoods

and we have green bushes all year too like camellias that bloom in January and February.

Really, green? ALL year long? <whistful sigh!> Sound heavenly.

[Megan1967]

Originally Posted by Mawoods

PS I hate to admit it but people in general are friendlier down here. More courtesy too. I attributed it to all the cold and it makes you grumpy.

A lot of vitamin D deficiency up here - makes people cranky. Sorry you had a bad experience. I'm glad to hear people in GA are friendly - one more plus for Athens in my book.