North Georgia and Florida Migration (Atlanta, Toccoa: homes, buying, public school)

[soujourner]

twink i am interested in a house trade.

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by mountainhermit

I moved to Jasper GA 6 years ago, from California. It was a quiet retirement community. There was little or no traffic, even at peak times. Crime was so minimal it almost didn't exist. Housing costs were very affordable, and driving around in the area was a wonderful experience, seeing the natural beauty here. In only 6 short years, much of that has changed. Traffic into town is a mess at various times of day. Development is everywhere. Forests are being torn down, mountains being leveled, and the face of this area is being radically changed. Local politicians and developers are gleefully turning this once-pristine area into another suburb of Atlanta. Local residents who don't own large acreage are being left behind. Property values have escalated to the point that this is no longer the affordable area it was only 6 years ago. When I moved to my present location, it was the only street with housing on it for miles in every direction. Now, in just that short time, there are subdivisions all around us, with about 450 homes...and 250 acres of subdivision coming to this immediate area soon. Cost of new homes is high, except for a few that sell in the mid 100,000 range...and those are cheap junk that look nice from the street but are finished inside with the cheapest crap the builders could find.
Crime and drug use is now rampant and makes the headlines of the local paper each week. Local politicians brag about the development and rapid increase of population as though it was a good thing. Most of the new population is from out of town, of course.
Politicians trumpeted the "new jobs" that would be here for people, but in reality, the new jobs are minimum wage jobs in fast food restaurants and so forth. The local newspaper has very little work in it. People who live here and people moving here have very few employment opportunities. My wife, who does various office-related work, has not found any openings anywhere for almost a year. A few specialized positions pop up each year, and that's it.
So what is a person to do who moved here to find a place that was a small, quiet, country setting without all the crime, drugs, and traffic of suburbia?
Moving farther north means colder weather. I have health issues that make me sensitive to cold, so it's cold enough here, thank you.
I'm completely disappointed about North Georgia, at least this part of it. If I could afford to, I'd gather up my belongings and leave immediately. But, first my wife would have to be able to find work, and we would have to find another pretty, affordable rural area, free from greedy politicians and developers. Does such a place exist? I'm starting to doubt it. If you know of one, let me know!

Have you tried Alabam or Mississippi,lots of rural undeveloped land,and even in neighboring South Carolina there is lots of undeveloped land

[ItsMe123]

[quote=Prichard;380955]I agree with much of what mountainhermit says, except two things. One, "Work" and truly rural regions don't go together. Not the kind of work everyone seems to want. Sure, if you want to pick fruit and vegitables for large land owners, you can find that kind of work. Or, if you have millions of dollars and a wealth of knowledge about agriculture, you could buy yourself several hundred acres some equipment and farm the land. I guess you could own a small retail store to supply the agriculture community. But, most likely someone has beat you to it.

what happens is that the agriculture labors are going to be low wage hispanics,then comes in the middle class hispanic(most those from overcrowed urban areas and the second generation children) who opens restaurants, small to medium retail to cater for them and next thing you know becomes another Miami or California.It happened in Florida ..even 10 years ago the hispanic populations of Tampa,Orlando and other Florida cities was small,today they make up 20% and growing and are going up to Georgia and coming down from the Carolinas as well..

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by Blairsville

This may be a little long, but I hope that it helps the native Georgians to understand the heart of most native Floridians who are moving here. We probably are your closest ally in wanting to save the way of life and culture here.

Some of my earliest memories are of trees. Back in the sleepy 1950's town of Orlando, Florida, the stately oak trees protected us from the hot sun. Their Spanish moss decorated branches invited us kids to climb aboard for a merry adventure high above the ground. It was not unusual, in the Orlando of my childhood, for roads be built in a circle around a big old tree. For no one had the heart to cut down such a specimen of beauty.

We proudly called that Orlando "The City BeautifuI" and we truly believed that it was the most beautiful city in the whole world. We lived our days surrounded by shiny lakes, thousands of acres of delightfully scented orange groves, and the sweet southern smiles of our neighbors and kin.

If you are one of the many Georgians who are puzzled and a little unnerved by the migration of native Floridians to Union County, perhaps this blog will help you understand. To us, life in the Northeast Georgia mountains feels like we have once again found our lost childhood home. Not surprisingly a large number of us trace at least a few of the roots of our family trees right back here to Georgia.

You won't find us chopping down all of the trees on a property just so that we can have an "unobstructed view." We cringe along with you when we see the mountains leveled for yet another department store or restaurant. We have carefully chosen our beloved "adopted" home. We promise to be good stewards of this land and this way of life because we are in it for the long haul. Like the old hymn, "Just As I Am," we love Blairsville just as it is. We wouldn't change a thing!

After Disney Orlando changed ,the Orlando of today resembles more a Miami

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by MrsA

I'm with you, MountainHermit. My husband and I were just talking about wanting to quit the "rat race" and find a small town to move to, where it wouldn't take us 45 minutes to go to work 16 miles away, where people knew each other and looked out for each other, and builders weren't claiming every empty lot they saw. We can't find any that we can afford!

When we moved to Jacksonville, it was considered one of Florida's "smaller" towns, in comparison to Orlando and Miami, although it encompasses the entire county of Duval. The previous mayor was trying to promote tourism to get the snowbirds to stop on their way to Boca and Ft Lauderdale. I wanted to cry when I thought about all of that following us out of S Florida.

Are there any places left that developers and politicians haven't found, and started to destroy in the name of progress? You're right - all they see are the dollar signs, not the crime figures or the unemployment numbers. It's just sickening.

There are large tracts of undeveloped land still left in South Carolina,Alabama and Mississippi and the climate is if not milder..

[ItsMe123]

Beautiful Alabama (except near the beaches).

You are right,with the exeption of the Gulfport/Mobile area which is next to Biloxi and its casinos and developmnet most of Alabama is still pristine .

Why am I saying this,now Floridians will hop into Alabama which is closer and weather is milder than most of Georgia.

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by Florida-haf-back

I have been here for 10 years after spending 25 years in Fla. I have had no problems with the locals. oh yea Ive been called yan-kee, dam yan-kee,floridiot and a number of joking names. you can't worry what anybody thinks when its your decision to move and enjoy this wonderful land that GOD built. You see none of us has a claim on any of this land. We will die one day and it (the land) will go into someone elses hand. Remember Ellijay is the original starting point of the "the Trail of Tears" This is where Governor Gilmer (now Gilmer county) made the Indians leave thier home and marched them hundereds of miles across the US to the west in the dead of winter. Many died on the way, Check it out! There is a small monument that hardly anybody notices located in East Ellijay on 515 in front of the Econo station at the red light (the starting point). Many don't want to remember that. The locals here are very nice people who would be willing to do anything to help you here in Ellijay if you were in need. You just have to respect them as you would want to be respected if it was the other way around. I left Florida because I was sick of the crime,heat and wanted to see 4 seasons again. Im originally from Michigan by way of Chicago and Conn. Im a Vietnam era vet and have served this country along side people from all over this great nation. Ellijay has been the best place for us. My son graduated from Gilmer High and met his wife here. I agree, expansion is going to change this place. I saw what happened to Fla. after moving there in 1971. But as we all know you can't stop progress. Jobs are scarce paying anything over 7 to 8 bucks an hr. We were kind of self suffecient and made our own way here. But if your semi retired or can work for yourself it would make a difference. As progress increases jobs will too, but along with that so does the crime & taxes. as far as worrying about waht people would think about you as floridains, I would'nt even think about it. The beauty here keeps my mind off such things. So yall comeon and will see ya at the waffle house!

You have nothing to worry I do not think the the mountain area of Northwest
Georgia will ever look like Miami...The terrain alone impeads this..

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by nibseysgirl

Hi,
Just a few comments on your post.
I understand your frustration but I must disagree(at least THIS NORTHERN) it is unfair to lump us all together. I lived in MA and NH for 40 yrs and now live in FL. I appreciate the beauty of the areas which I have always lived in and I would respect and embrace the county and home values. That is after all what alot in other parts of the country lack. Sterotyples of norntherns being rude and less polite is really tragic. I am as northern as it gets and I am neither rude nor disrespectful of the land, people or traditions. I understand that some area but that is everywhere...We have southerns back home that would curl your hair ....I think it all comes down to attitude of all...Have a great day and thanks for your views...Much appreciated if not completely agreed with...Take Care

You are right,many Northerns have settled for exapmle in the Florida Panhandel and have not changed it ,but rather embraced it..

Its not the state ,but the region where you live weather it is urban or rural .

Many Northerns come from big cities and like the S.E. coast of Florida ,but others are like everyone else and preffer the relaxed,layed back east coast .

personal taste..

Remember that even up north,not everyone is from urban centers many northerns lived in suburbs and rural areas up north where they are from

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by dubuqueaskme

Sure, buy a vacation home up here in North Georgia, that may SEEM remote at the moment, but in 10 years, I guarantee wherever in N. Georgia you go, that the suburbs will make their mark, and continue to expand to the TN/NC border. I'm not sure if you like that sort of thing,but it is a reality,and nothing can be done about it.

So you are saying Charlotte-Columbia-Atlanta will be one sprawling metropolis

or lets go further Miami to Boston....

[ItsMe123]

Originally Posted by Prichard

I look at it this way. My little cabin is in a very accessible area, but it is also remote. All of the houses around it are on about 10 acres, with some on 20-40 acres. I love the area right now. It is lush, green, can't see any other houses during the spring, summer and fall; and in the winter you get a nice view of the mountains. It's dead quiet. If all that changes, I figure that will just drive up the price of my little paradise. At that time, I might opt to sell out and find a more remote area. Or, I might decide to live there full time.

Nothing's perfect, and I'm not going to live forever. But, I see it this way. I made a little money on an investment and it's been a life long dream to have a place in the beautiful Georgia mountains with the intent on moving there some day. I could have waited until I could live there full time, and then miss out on all of the fun I'm having there now with my family. I would probably miss the very narrow opportunity where I could afford to buy the place now, when in the future as prices go up, it would quickly slip outside of my financial ability to purchase. I can allways sell it or exchange it - but I've got my little piece of Heaven on Earth locked in, no matter what I decide to do. And I thank God for it!


As far as what North Georgians think of me, I can't say that I don't care, because I do. I'd hope that they find me very respectful, nice, moral, and generally fun to be around; that's generally what I think of most of the people I've met in Rabun Co. We get along just fine. But, I recognize that not everybody is going to like me, and maybe just because I'm from Central Florida. This is no different than me carrying certain prejudices about outsiders moving into Central Florida. When it comes right down to it, I'm probably much more hardened in that regard than N. Georgians. I've been living with it for over 30 years. I've seen hoards of people move in; and most of the Central Floridians who are like myself had moved to Georgia and North Carolina over 25 years ago.

Central Florida is loosing its SOuthern charter sad ,but true.

It is starting to look and act like Miami,if you get my drift