Moving to Valdosta? (Atlanta, Savannah, Nashville: transplants, real estate, apartment)

[mary88]

Hi, My husband and I are considering moving from Rhode Island to Georgia.We have become particularly interested in Valdosta. Does anyone have any advice regarding Valdosta? Also I have been told that parts of the South can still be kind of racist. Is this true, as we are a biracial couple we would like to avoid any problems. If anyone has any info on jobmarket,real estate taxes, or average annual salary I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks Mary88

[ellie]

Try using the search feature from this site, at the top of the page. Might be best to start with the advanced option in order to get the best results. There's plenty of info on most of the issues you're concerned with. I'm sure there will be others who are willing to chime in and help you along the way. Good luck.

[Valdosta Resident]

I posted on another thread with the same question. Valdosta is a very progressive town. Forget the Old South stereotypes. We have a large Air Force Base here, a large state university and a significant and growing industrial sector. Bi-racial couples are not at all uncommon and won't even generate any stares let alone comments. Our neighborhood is an upper middle class one that is racially diverse and perfectly wonderful. Look up the chamber of commerce website, they'll give you all the info you need.

[flattopnm1]

Originally Posted by Valdosta Resident

I posted on another thread with the same question. Valdosta is a very progressive town. Forget the Old South stereotypes. We have a large Air Force Base here, a large state university and a significant and growing industrial sector. Bi-racial couples are not at all uncommon and won't even generate any stares let alone comments. Our neighborhood is an upper middle class one that is racially diverse and perfectly wonderful. Look up the chamber of commerce website, they'll give you all the info you need.

Sounds like the area has made PROGRESS since I was stationed with the 347th TFW at Moody AFB in mid to latter 80s. We had several Lowndes County Sheriff's officers that liked to lean on black airmen including the 3-man on my F-4E weapons loadcrew.

Personally, I didn't have a problem being a white 'boy' air force NCO since I had a gun rack in the back window of my pickup truck with a 30-30 and a 10-ga Roadblocker shotgun always mounted. There were some interracial couples that would get dirty looks and comments from some ignorant folks. I did notice that when a white guy stands up to racists in defense of their black or multiracial friends, the crud (read explicitive for bovine excement) dies down. I didn't tolerate the morons harassing my friends and co-workers.

Once in a while errant Kluckers had a rally out in the swamp east of Bemiss RD south of the base. The Old South, in the mind of this Montana raised country boy and former Marine, still existed in the 80s. It CERTAINLY has lightened up since I was a little kid and my father was stationed at Benning in the 60s. Anything was better than that.

Great things about South GA: Friends, Hunting, Fishing, great dog breeders (FL & Quitman) and my baby girl (now 22 YO) was born there. I learned how to bow hunt while stationed there.

Lousiest things about south GA: FLEAS, too far to go anywhere interesting on a GI weekend with small kids. Oh yeah, that darn GA state Flag....

PS don't remind the locals that the North won the Civil War AKA War of Northern Aggression!

Good luck and Good Bless!

Semper Fi!

[enough4me]

Hi, I'm moving to Valdosta and was wondering what you came up with between when you posted last year and now April 27, 2008 regarding relocating (you and your husband). I'm recently divorced....came out on the down side financially and just looking for a new start in Valdosta. I've had 2 interviews there where I had to travel 3 hours for them, but nothing came of it. My last job was in customer service (call center) which I'd rather drink muddy water and sleep in a hollow log before I did that again. Before that I did secretarial/clerical work. I love dogs and wouldn't mind work in a vet's office. Just looking for a reasonable apartment to rent for now and a JOB!!!!!!!!!! I have transportation, such as it is. But just need information about links to the city, neighborhoods, shopping, WAL-MART is my favorite store and I've been to the one on Norman several times.

I am a black female and I too have heard about racial problems there but being black, I've had to deal with it all my life so I don't plan to let it bother me. I stay pretty much to myself anyway but I hope that changes once I get to Valdosta and get settled.

I find it hard looking for a job on the net this way and I don't have the money to run from Florida to Valdosta for job interviews so if anyone has any ideas of whose hiring so that I can apply directly to the employer, that would be great and also if anyone knows of reasonable storage company incase I get a job but no apartment right away. Also reasonable apartment to rent, doesn't have to be in a complex, just roomy and pet friendly in a decent neighborhood. Any info you could share will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks inadvance,

[todd_307]

I have lived in Valdosta since 2004 going to Valdosta State University. I am originally from Savannah. The University though is made up of over half the students being from the Atlanta metro. But as soon as you step off of the campus there is a HUGE difference. You can easily tell who is there for school or new in town and the locals. Racism stills runs very much rampid there. The sad thing is though is its the whisper about you and give you dirty looks kind. I am a white male but have friends of all races and was appalled at the treatment I saw. We were once going to a bar and my white friend and I got in free but when my black friend who was right behind us there was all of a sudden a cover. It was ridiculous. The students and the base sometimes can outnumber the locals and make it an ok place. But I am very glad to be graduating this weekend and moving to a more welcoming place. It seems like you have to be on the coast of georgia or in Atlanta to escape the Good Ole Boys that only want their kind there. But if behind your back racism is something you can tolerate the city is growing and I think it will only get better as more new people move in and it begins to evolve more.

[merome]

Hi interracial couple,
We live in Heny ****y. We would like to move to Valdosta (Hahira to be exact). We have no problems in Henry Conty. We live in Locust Grove. I have seen at least 30 interricial Couples here. I don't feel intimidated. In fact, my friend and co-worker are both in a BF/WM relationship. We have two children each from the marriage. I am a little curious about the problem we might have in Valdosta. But you can't be afraid!!! Just do it, girl!!

[happyfamily2008]

I've lived in Valdosta for 11 years. It's nice here. It's very much the South, with a strong church-going traditional Southern culture so it's not necessarily progressive, I mean they just now started serving liquor in restaurants on Sunday and THAT was met with use scorn. HUGE. It's growing like everywhere else in the sunbelt, which is both good and bad. Good for the new businesses, bad because the traffic is getting worse and worse each year. We have alot of "half backs" - people who retired to FL, can't afford it and have moved 1/2 way back and end-up in this vicinity. The neighborhoods are nice and it's fairly recession-proof with MAFB, the University, the hospitals and a variety of manufacturing. Not too many professional corporations, though. There's a few things to do, lots of golfers and hunters. The shopping is OK, and there are nice restaurants, a good University symphony, an active theater guild and a fun downtown with 1st Friday's to promote everything. I've found the job market poor unless you are in healthcare so I'd not ever move here unless I had a locked-in job that had good benefits. I'm in IT and I work as a consultant and travel because of the lack of jobs here. And travel is tough as Delta has all but stopped service at our airport so you'll have to drive to Jacksonville, Tallahassee or Atlanta to fly anywhere. The salaries are way-below national average and as previous posters said, there is an astonishing lack of professional courtesy so you can apply for jobs and have a great interview but you never hear back. The average home price is around $200,000, which seems high for a community of this size where the average salary is around $30K. Racism is alive and well around here and it's evident across economic differences. You'll see plenty of confederate flags and some bitter poverty and all that it brings but it won't come looking for you, KWIM? My largest complaint is those born and raised here are rigid, narrow-minded, insular and seem nice on the outside but they aren't and they just simply don't welcome in outsiders. 11 years later I have one friend who is from here. But, I rarely see or hear from these people and you'll find you'll make many friends because there are so many transplants and it's the type of place where it's easy to find people who are liked-minded through the things you like to do. It's a nice and manageable place to live, a good place to raise a family and the town is pretty and the area around it lovely. I've enjoyed it here quite a bit.

[wildheart5150]

I agree with happyfamily2008. We moved here 6 years ago. My husband is from here, and our main reason was to help with his grandmother. Coming from Nashville, TN, the lack of things to do the lack of decent work with insurance and other benefits, the poor pay and the cost of housing as well as other things was a shock. I went to one group attorney's office for an interview. When I asked about insurance I was told, "most of us have wives that work with the school system and we have insurance through them so we don't offer it." Talk about a lack of professional courtesy.

My husband grew up here, and, even with him only being gone for about 10 years, has yet to redevelop old relationships. Both of us are closer friends with other transplants. Racism is alive, but it goes both ways. We have close friends who are interracial couples and are frowned upon by both races. I've seen poor whites turned down for assistance stating they were out of funds only for the black person behind them get assistance. I've also heard people say they didn't want blacks in their houses and would rather it sit vacant rather than have a good tenant because the good tenant wasn't considered caucasion.

If you can get past the above, and have a good job secured (check the benefits) before moving here, as well as a place to live secured, it is a good place to live with quite mphasis made to families. I have seen it grow quite a bit, and continue to do so when other areas of the States just barely holding their own or going under. If you decide to move here, know that you will be welcome, at least by the other transplants.

[Romeo2]

Mmm! I was wondering while reading the thread how would I be considered there as a Puerto Rican Female, whom is not black, nor white?
I somehow came up with the idea that considering moving to Valdosta was a great choice as per 'relative' low cost of living, very reasonable rent costs and quiet residencial spaces.... but now I think I'm changing my mind....I work for the federal government and there are various positions there for me to transfer to... Any more suggestions, please!?

thanks