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I'd like to hear all comments, opinions, constructive advice and personal accounts that North Georgian Natives have about people from Florida buying land, cabins, houses, or even Mansions up in the Mountains.
And, I'd like to hear accounts of Florida (or other) transplants who have migrated or are considering migrating to the North Georgia mountain regions.
Here are a few things that we aught to consider.
What do North Georgians think about Floridians buying vacation homes up there? What about Floridians who move there permenantly? Can Floridians find jobs in Blue Ridge, Morganton, Clayton, Toccoa, Hiawassee?
What do any Floridian Transplants think of living up in these parts?
Where do N. Georgians flee to when they don't like where they're living anymore?
How many N. Georgians end up moving to larger cities like Atlanta when they become adults?
Do any Floridian transplants get active in local politics in North Georgia? What's your thoughts on things up there?
Feel free to go where you want with this discussion - I'm just looking for honest feelings and honest opinions, don't hold back!
I don't live in N. Georgia but have spent a substantial amount of time there, especially as a child and young adult. It makes me very sad reading of all the people who are planning to move to the area. Some of the things that makes the mountains so special is the feeling of remoteness and its natural beauty. With new housing communties dotting the landscape and the increased traffic on the narrow winding roads, I can't help but believe that the quality of life for the people living in the area will go down. Some may appreciate the potential income which comes from an increase in population, especially year round business, but if the trade offs are higher taxes and cost of living, I can't imagine many people will openly embrace the changes coming to the area.
You have to remember that much of the South values tradition, for good or bad, and overt changes to the culture cannot be comfortable to long-time residents. Many Floridians, especially those who are more "Northern" in their mannerisms are considered more pushy and less polite than the local population. It's not for me to say if this is true or not, I am simply trying to convey a general, cultural impression. And I do not believe that this is as much a continuation of the Civil War as it is simply old ways vs. new ways which are being imposed on long-time residents.
I imagine that this may be what you guessed and I personally appreciate the fact that you are asking these questions ahead of time. We all should be courteous of local residents when moving to a new area. It's simply common sense to take this in to account, don't you think?
I stil do not understand why the newcomers are "blamed' for the damage to the rural lifestyle and natural beauty. If the local landowners did not sell out to developers this would not be happening. Now, I understand why they do sell their property for millions but if these locals really valued the nature and remoteness they would either set aside the land or donate it to the park service, or pass it on to their families, not sell to the highest bidder. And furthermore, the way some locals take care of their rural area, I am talking about the dumping of trash etc. really makes me wonder if they really have an appreciation of the natural beauty of the area.
I looked for acreage around Ellijay and Blue Ridge 3 to 4 years ago and the price per acre was in my opinion very high. Because of the close proximity
to Atlanta the BIG money from that city has driven values up to the point of
just craziness!!!! I then looked in North Carolina around Murphy and the price
was some what less but in my opinion still high. Finally we looked just over the border in east Tennessee and found just what I was looking for. We are now only about 15 minutes from Blue Ridge in Polk County Tennessee and my property backs up to the National forest and my view is outstanding!!! One last good point....Tennessee has no state income tax, Georgia and North Carolina do.
I am a from Miami (raised my whole life here), and now I will be moving to Clayton over the summer with husband and kids. To be honest, this is not something I am looking foward to. We own a beautiful home in the Persimmon area and my husband feels this would be a great place to raise our kids. But coming from a very big city to a very small town worries me. I also am worried about the culteral difference between myself and the "locals". My husband keeps telling me that there are sooo many
Floridians moving up that way, but I have not met any. Just thought that I would rant.
I am a from Miami (raised my whole life here), and now I will be moving to Clayton over the summer with husband and kids. To be honest, this is not something I am looking foward to. We own a beautiful home in the Persimmon area and my husband feels this would be a great place to raise our kids. But coming from a very big city to a very small town worries me. I also am worried about the culteral difference between myself and the "locals". My husband keeps telling me that there are sooo many
Floridians moving up that way, but I have not met any. Just thought that I would rant.
Well your husbands right there are too many Floridians moving up to those areas preety soon theyll turn them into little Florida. If your fron Miami there will be a big difference in culture. You just have to slow down and respect the locals and dont try to change things. The locals of a lot of parts of North Georgia even people who moved from other states to Georgia are starting to really dislike all the Floridians coming up. But because of all yall most the locals are starting to move away or making plans too so soon yall will have your own little Florida in Georgia.
Well your husbands right there are too many Floridians moving up to those areas preety soon theyll turn them into little Florida. If your fron Miami there will be a big difference in culture. You just have to slow down and respect the locals and dont try to change things. The locals of a lot of parts of North Georgia even people who moved from other states to Georgia are starting to really dislike all the Floridians coming up. But because of all yall most the locals are starting to move away or making plans too so soon yall will have your own little Florida in Georgia.
Well, that is fine if they want to move, don't let the barn door hit ya'll on the way out. . . People have been migrating to Florida for years, and yes, these people could be accused of ruining Florida. I don't see Floridians being unwelcoming to these people. I have never heard such unwelcoming, impolite, and unhospital attitudes. What happened to Southern hospitality? We Floridians will appreciate the natural beauty of the area and will take care of the land and enjoy the scenery. So if you want to leave I guess it will just give us more elbow room.
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!
I think some of the blame for this unlimited destruction of North Georgia belongs to local residents. It seems that most locals couldn't wait to see this happen. A few years ago there was a headline in the local paper (Pickens County Progress) talking about growth plans for this area. I posted a message on the newspaper's online message board, saying something should be done to stop it, because once the small town rural atmosphere is gone, it can never be reclaimed. Almost every answer was from people who were all excited because there was going to be a new fast food restaurant, or a new liquor store, or a new this or that. No one seemed to agree that rampant development is a bad thing.
Greed rules the affairs of men. Locals see dollar signs when they think of growth. Property owners start anticipating all the money they're going to get when they sell out to developers. Developers start salivating like Pavlov's dogs at the prospect of relatively cheap property and big profits. Politicians grin ear to ear when they think of more businesses and population, because there is more prestige to running a large community than a small one.
And one or two people stand up and say "you are ruining this area", but are quickly shouted down by everyone else who can't wait for the streets to fill with lines of cars and the forests to be leveled so there can be another store.
It's too late now. This area is lost forever. There are still places off the beaten track that are owned by wealthy families that will remain undeveloped, but a fat lot of good that does for everyone else.
So, bottom line: Jasper and much of North Georgia is becoming a haven for wealthy politicians and people from other areas, while the average local is becoming poor white trash.
I hope the people of North Georgia enjoy this. In Jasper, they voted a mayor into office who preached growth from the get go. They voted county commissioners into office who preached growth. They sat back and watched all this happen over the past 5 or more years and most of them said nothing.
When you folks get stuck in a long line of traffic or your kids get involved in drugs, thank yourself that it all happened. You could have stopped it. You could have voted for people who believed in limiting growth. You could have protested. You didn't. Live with it.
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