Official Relocation Thread for Savannah, Georgia - Relocatees, look for your answers here first. (Atlanta: for sale, apartments)

[WanderingImport]

Stole this idea from the Atlanta forum. Since all of us locals constantly see new threads with questions about relocating to our fair city, why not make just ONE and keep it up top as a STICKY?!

This will help keep our Savannah forum clean and better organized!

Here are a few suggestions from the ATL forum that can help those interested in relocating out...

1. Budget
2. House/Condo/Townhome?
3. Employment Status(commute/work from home)
4. Children(public school vs. private)
5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two
6. Easy access to public transit, important or not?
7. Preferable demographics of desired neighborhood.
8. Renting or buying?

Keeping my fingers crossed that a moderator sees this and grants this as a STICKY!

[hk00107]

Dear prospective Savannian,

Just registered specifically to add to this sticky. Thanks WanderingImport for making it happen, looking at all the posts the Savannah forum def. needs this. A little background: I am VERY well traveled, but mostly in my childhood/teens. Right when I became an adult and ever since I have been a Savannah, GA. native. Not because I love the city, honestly I was just sick of moving around. That said it does give me a better perspective on Savannah since I've lived so many other places but have been here a decade all the same. I will itemize my responses as per WanderingImports suggestions:

1. Budget/Housing

Looking at the Savannah through wikipedia makes this scary. So many impoverished, hell the median income is barely above the poverty level. What that doesn't tell you common sense will. If EVERYBODY isn't making much money, what does that do to prices? You guessed it, the cost of living in Savannah is to my knowledge one of the lowest in the nation. GOOD apartments can be found starting at $500 a month, topping out at $700. I'm living in a rental townhouse for less than that max, in a good neighborhood walking distance from my college. 4 bedroom homes can be reliably found for $1000 a month. And in this economy, the buying market is ridiculously in your favor. Everything from Groceries to Gas is dirt cheap. Gas around $3, enough groceries for one for a month for under $100. Even cigarettes are less than $5 a pack.

2. Nightlife/Vice

On that note, smoking laws are very lenient here. No smoking indoors, but outdoors, smoke to your heart's content. Unfortunately for us smokers restaurants even bars are no smoking now, which has been killing their business I might add. Not a big deal you say? Well Savannah RUNS on liquor. St. Patty's day is among the biggest celebration here in the entire world, seriously, top 10. And its not because we have a lot of Irish! Nope, we just really, really like drinking. Riverstreet and the downtown area is a tourist trap btw, us locals don't bother with those prices, we'd rather hit up the liquor store and head down to Tybee Island to watch the scenery. Good, good scenery. Thank god for SCAD. Ahem... we do have a bit of a drug problem. Not really the whole gangland violence associated with it, just lots and lots of drugs and dealers, the usual drug-related crimes associated with it. ON that note:

3. Crime

Inevitably somebody asks about this, mostly because per capita we are pretty crappy in this area. Thing is, really, I cannot stress enough, common sense is your friend! Honestly, if you got that, you really have nothing to worry about. Crime isn't random here, nor is it confined to a particular area(s). This may sound harsh, but if your a victim of crime in Savannah, its probably your own fault for painting a shiny target on your head. Point blank, if your smart, you can avoid trouble before it starts, simply by a. not being overly flashy with valuables and leaving them around b. don't give anybody any handouts- not just cuz that's an in for con artists and burgers but because the homeless will start swarming you like flies. c. mind your own business and take care the types you get involved with. d. if your walking around in the middle of the night, for God sakes don't go solo. Simple rules like that will keep you safe anywhere in Savannah.

Employment Status:

Now that the shady stuff is out of the way, back to the lighter side of life. Employment... well, put simply, Savannah runs on the good ol' boy system. Your best in into a job is not being the most qualified, its knowing somebody working there. This can make it very difficult for somebody new to the county to find work. Best advice here is don't wait until you've moved here to look for work. Many of Savannah's top employers do their hiring through online applications. Fill as many out as you can. Wait until you get a call. If it looks good, then, and only then move. You'll thank me later.

Commute:

That said commute should be a breeze regardless of where you live in Savannah, traffic is rarely bad, the city isn't huge and the roads are well-planned. Hell, there's even a semi-reliable mass transport system if you don't drive. So don't get hung up on living close to where you work. I know people who live in neighboring cities that commute to Savannah for work everyday and even they don't complain about it, thanks to multiple highway entry points.

Children (Schools):

eh... well... I don't want to raise my kids here. Just saying. The schools suck royally. Not even the private schools are decent. If you do, well, lower your expectations. He or she will start partying and experimenting with drugs early on. Will likely stay out of school and hopefully come back later in life. Thankfully the colleges here ARE decent. My school, Armstrong Atlantic State University aka AASU, is quite good, fairly ambiguous college in terms of major focus. Typical state college in other ways including cost, minus the fraternities. Its a dry campus. Their ARE several other colleges here, everything from technical to doctorate degree offerings, but I only got the 411 on one other, SCAD. Savannah College of Art and Design. Sounds prestigious, and so does the hefty price tag. Only its not. Its where wealthy young adults go to spend daddy's money and party their hearts out and learn how to draw and pretend their arteeeeests, only finding it has no prestige in the job world and daddy wasted a lot of money and they are now working at Chu's Convenience Store. Seriously not recommended at all. And this is coming from the child of two professional artists. Its called self-employment. You don't need a degree for that. You need artistic talent. That can't be taught. Period. There is talk of a medical college starting up in Memorial hospital. I have high hopes for that one, but I doubt it would hold a candle to Emory in Atlanta.

5. Suburban or Urban lifestyle preference or a mix of the two

This is the part I truly love about Savannah, where it shines to me. Its the perfect-sized city. Small enough where people are friendly, lots of conversation with random strangers, lots of trees and parks, yet big enough that there's plenty to do, plenty of places to shop, plenty of new areas to explore. Honestly can't say anything bad here. If you are undecided of whether or not you like the big city or the small community better, or if you really don't like either one for the drawbacks, chances are you'll find what your looking for here.

6. Demographics (Racial)

Out-of-towners couldn't be more wrong about Savannah here. Their is this prejudicial assumption that the South, and Savannah being the heart of it, is, well, prejudice. One quick glance at our cities racial makeup should dispel this myth right away. Straight from the 2010 census through wikipedia: The racial makeup of the city was 57.08% Black, 36.09% White, 4.52% Asian, 2.23% Native American, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.93% other races, and 1.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.23% of the population. Not mixed enough for you? Let's compare it to one of those international cultural centers, like NY, NY: White: 44.6%, (Non-Hispanic) Whites: 35.1%, Black or African American: 25.1%, American Indian: 0.4%, Asian: 11.8%, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 0.1%, Some other race: 16.0%, Two or more races: 2.1%, Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 27.5%. Honestly the statistics look comparable, with in Savannah a quote on quote minority African-American group being the majority unlike NY, and there being far more Native Americans, though there does seem to be more Latino and Asian folk in NY, the point is Savannah is actually quite multicultural. So much so, that unlike NY where there is China Town, Little Italy, Harlem, ect. there is no such unimposed segregation in Savannah. Its is far more likely your roommate is a different color than several neighborhoods down. Not to demean NY but this idea that the south is stuck in the past before racial equality could not be any more wrong in Savannah! Only downside to this, with cultural ambiguity, looses cultural identity. Nobody really gives a s*** about that stuff here. This could be good or bad depending on your perspective, but is definitely progressive comparatively from where I'm sitting.

Demographics (neighborhoods):

Savannah is broken up into several sections, including neighboring towns worth mentioning. Most are named due to their point on the compass respective to the cities center, Midtown. Midtown is well, in between everything else, and is thus a mostly residential section for those that want to be equidistance to everywhere. It is also for those who want to be very close to Downtown without actually living Downtown. It isn't bad neighborhoods, but not good either. Of course that describes the whole city. Bad neighborhoods are more like bad blocks, then there's a good one, then there's a bad one, and so on and so on, so you really can't look at Savannah the same way you would other cities in this respect. The Eastside is for those who want to be close to the beaches, Tybee Island, but cannot afford to live on it, or actually plan to work in the city and go there on weekends. The Southside is generally superior neighborhoods with regards to the rest of the city, but as it is on the fringes of the city limits most who live there will have to commute to actually do anything. The Westside conversely is poor neighborhoods, though that's not to say dangerous. Just poor. Not a lot to offer in terms of anything there either. Downtown is where its at for most urban-lovers, and many choose to live there as well. I avoid it for its expense, then again I prefer fairly insular activities. Garden City is located far north and a bit west of Savannah, for those who wish a more homely small neighborhoods to live in, though it is so close to Savannah the distinction between the two is technical at best. Pooler, a bit farther out and close to the airport, and especially its neighbor Bloomingdale, is for those who care not for the city yet for work related reasons cannot abandon it completely. Everything else in Chatham County is getting too far of a commute to mention in this Savannah section, though even Bloomingdale could be an option.

Final Thoughts:

Savannah has history. Lots of it. We know it. We capitalize on it. Hell, half our economy comes from tourism from it. This makes it appealing to start, but that nuance fades with time. In the end its just another city. We've got problems like any other, namely crime and poverty, probably quite linked to our lacking education systems. For these reasons I'd dissuade prospective family units from moving here, but would encourage retirees and young adults alike to it. Its not the greatest place to raise a family, but there are many good times and memories to be had and friendly faces to meet, whether your tastes are simple, or more reckless, we can provide. In the end, its your choice, and fortunately for a traveled person as myself, I know for a fact that need not be a permanent one. For now, the city suites me just fine, and I expect to live here well into my career after college, just long enough until I decide to start a family of my own. Then I'm moving :P

[WanderingImport]

Thank you hk for breaking the ice. Not sure if this thread confused people or they just didn't see it yet... Anyway, I couldn't hold my typing fingers anymore, just had to put my ten cents in....

Budgeting for Savannah
Looking at the Savannah through wikipedia makes this scary. So many impoverished, hell the median income is barely above the poverty level. What that doesn't tell you common sense will. If EVERYBODY isn't making much money, what does that do to prices? You guessed it, the cost of living in Savannah is to my knowledge one of the lowest in the nation. GOOD apartments can be found starting at $500 a month, topping out at $700. I'm living in a rental townhouse for less than that max, in a good neighborhood walking distance from my college. 4 bedroom homes can be reliably found for $1000 a month. And in this economy, the buying market is ridiculously in your favor. Everything from Groceries to Gas is dirt cheap. Gas around $3, enough groceries for one for a month for under $100. Even cigarettes are less than $5 a pack.

First of all, I'm gonna post a link to the income info for those interested, most data is from 2009. Median home price is roughly around $150K
http://www.city-data.com/city/Savannah-Georgia.html
As for the average cost of an apartment? Sure, you can find a studio for $500-ish. Could you find a 2 bedroom for that? I wish! Average prices are more like $680 for a 1-br, $800 for a 2-br and so on. For luxury apartment living, you're going over $1000 a month. Compared to other areas of the country, this IS in fact very cheap though. If you're a student going to SCAD, you can find a roomate and rent a place downtown. I was lucky enough to have a place of my own (however, I had 3+ roomates) with everything included (even internet) 2 blocks from Forsyth Park for $425. Living conditions weren't exactly the best though and I would only recommend my living situation for a student or similar. As for groceries, I was lucky if I spent $100 a month for that, for just me. These things vary per person though. My average was more like $250 a month...for just me. Gas and cigarettes are a statewide affect, meaning the taxes in the state determine how high or low those are. GA gas prices right NOW are at $3.55 on average and Savannah's average is even lower. Cigarette tax (glad I don't need to know this!) is 48th lowest in the nation at $0.37.. add that to the cost and you get your final price.
Savannah GA MSA Average Apartment Rental Rateshttp://www.tobaccofreekids.org/resea...s/pdf/0097.pdf

Nightlife in Savannah
On that note, smoking laws are very lenient here. No smoking indoors, but outdoors, smoke to your heart's content. Unfortunately for us smokers restaurants even bars are no smoking now, which has been killing their business I might add. Not a big deal you say? Well Savannah RUNS on liquor. St. Patty's day is among the biggest celebration here in the entire world, seriously, top 10. And its not because we have a lot of Irish! Nope, we just really, really like drinking. Riverstreet and the downtown area is a tourist trap btw, us locals don't bother with those prices, we'd rather hit up the liquor store and head down to Tybee Island to watch the scenery. Good, good scenery. Thank god for SCAD. Ahem... we do have a bit of a drug problem. Not really the whole gangland violence associated with it, just lots and lots of drugs and dealers, the usual drug-related crimes associated with it.

Ah, the smoking ban. A lenient one, I certainly agree. Has it had an effect on businesses in Savannah? Well, one can only give an opinion on this matter as it hasn't even been a year since it began. Savannah bans smoking in bars starting Jan. 1 | savannahnow.com As for my opinion, I haven't seen it affect the bar scene at all and I'm so grateful for it as I can go to more places I once couldn't because of the smoke. Ah, but alas, it is only my opinion, though I hope to hear some facts about this next January.
St. Patrick's Day you say? Ohhh yess, we're definitely top 10 in the entire world. I've scoured the internet looking at surveys and rankings and I've consistently seen that Savannah stays within top 6 at least 90% of the time. To anyone curious about it, google 'top 10 St. Patrick's celebrations in the world' and see what you come up with. Lots of people in Savannah can call themselves Irish since their ancestors lived there, however, I don't believe there are a lot of new Irish immigrants in Savannah. Couldn't find a lot of info on that. We Savannahians love our liquor though. As for the locals frequenting downtown, it's a fact of life. There are perceptions among lots of people that River Street is for the tourists and City Market is where tourists and locals meet. I agree with this perception. I, myself rarely went down to the river while you could find me between Bay Street and Broughton several times a week. Prices in bars do trend higher downtown than, say Capone's on the Southside or Fannies on the Beach at Tybee.
The drugs are about on par with the crime. Not every Chatham County high school graduate or dropout becomes a drug dealer. I attended the public schools here so I can give personal (albeit opinionated and limited to those I know and know of) experience on that.

Crime in Savannah
Inevitably somebody asks about this, mostly because per capita we are pretty crappy in this area. Thing is, really, I cannot stress enough, common sense is your friend! Honestly, if you got that, you really have nothing to worry about. Crime isn't random here, nor is it confined to a particular area(s). This may sound harsh, but if your a victim of crime in Savannah, its probably your own fault for painting a shiny target on your head. Point blank, if your smart, you can avoid trouble before it starts, simply by a. not being overly flashy with valuables and leaving them around b. don't give anybody any handouts- not just cuz that's an in for con artists and burgers but because the homeless will start swarming you like flies. c. mind your own business and take care the types you get involved with. d. if your walking around in the middle of the night, for God sakes don't go solo. Simple rules like that will keep you safe anywhere in Savannah.

Most everything typed is right on par. Couldn't have said it better myself. Crime certainly is not random here and RARELY happens to tourists. Use common sense anywhere you're at, whether you're in Savannah, New York or Martha's Vineyard. Crime can happen anywhere. You might find certain areas to be a bit more conducive to criminal activity, however. Areas that aren't properly lit, near abandoned properties, etc. There are those areas of Savannah that are known for the drugs and prostitution, though it is on an extremely limited scale. The Metropolitan neighborhood and West Savannah have areas that aren't so safe, not to say they aren't safe 24/7 and will never be safe, but I wouldn't walk around them by myself at night. That said, there has been progress made with revitalization and increased police presence. The Historic District? You're fine, even at night, though anyone should ALWAYS use common sense. I was comfortable walking around by myself at night in the Historic District and would frequently walk or ride my bicycle home to the Thomas Square neighborhood after drinks since there were usually unannounced check points throughout the city.
One thing every tourist and SCAD student should know: NEVER give money to the beggars. As was said earlier, they swarm you if they know you give and though they are almost always harmless yet annoying, there is that rare crazy guy. Bottom line, you just never know.

Employment in Savannah
Now that the shady stuff is out of the way, back to the lighter side of life. Employment... well, put simply, Savannah runs on the good ol' boy system. Your best in into a job is not being the most qualified, its knowing somebody working there. This can make it very difficult for somebody new to the county to find work. Best advice here is don't wait until you've moved here to look for work. Many of Savannah's top employers do their hiring through online applications. Fill as many out as you can. Wait until you get a call. If it looks good, then, and only then move. You'll thank me later.

Also very well said for the most part. Many of Savannah's employers have you do online applications and sending in a professional resume will do some good. Sure, there are places in town that run by that retched "good ole boy system" but there are also those employers that specialize in certain industries that experience will help you go a LONG way in the long run. DO submit an application/resume, DON'T wait forever for that call. Call them back a few times, but not three times a day, or even once a day. Give it a little time, then call once or twice. If you can, visit your potential employer, or at the very least, Savannah, where your employer is to see if the place is a good fit for you if you haven't already (and you should have already BTW). After all is said and done, if the employer doesn't see that you are THAT interested, I would definitely search elsewhere for employment. My overall point: Make sure you have employment options before your move here!

Commuting in Savannah
That said commute should be a breeze regardless of where you live in Savannah, traffic is rarely bad, the city isn't huge and the roads are well-planned. Hell, there's even a semi-reliable mass transport system if you don't drive. So don't get hung up on living close to where you work. I know people who live in neighboring cities that commute to Savannah for work everyday and even they don't complain about it, thanks to multiple highway entry points.

I'll go half on this one. Sure, Savannah's commute can be a breeze for the most part COMPARED TO other larger cities in the country. Some days can be downright crazy though and throughout the years as the western communities have grown, so has the traffic on 16. Granted, the rush hour here can be pretty short, it's not getting better as the concrete starts cracking due to lack of upgraded roadways.
The layout of the area is mediocre. Savannah doesn't have good access to the beach, that's for sure, but the Truman Parkway has made it much easier for one to travel from downtown to Oglethorpe Mall on the Southside in less than 20 minutes drive time. For your morning commute from Pooler in to Savannah's downtown? That can vary widely, from an easy 25 minute commute to an hour depending on what time in the morning and if there are accidents. 516 can be a mess too going to the Medical area of midtown (DeRenne).

Education in Savannah
eh... well... I don't want to raise my kids here. Just saying. The schools suck royally. Not even the private schools are decent. If you do, well, lower your expectations. He or she will start partying and experimenting with drugs early on. Will likely stay out of school and hopefully come back later in life. Thankfully the colleges here ARE decent. My school, Armstrong Atlantic State University aka AASU, is quite good, fairly ambiguous college in terms of major focus. Typical state college in other ways including cost, minus the fraternities. Its a dry campus. Their ARE several other colleges here, everything from technical to doctorate degree offerings, but I only got the 411 on one other, SCAD. Savannah College of Art and Design. Sounds prestigious, and so does the hefty price tag. Only its not. Its where wealthy young adults go to spend daddy's money and party their hearts out and learn how to draw and pretend their arteeeeests, only finding it has no prestige in the job world and daddy wasted a lot of money and they are now working at Chu's Convenience Store. Seriously not recommended at all. And this is coming from the child of two professional artists. Its called self-employment. You don't need a degree for that. You need artistic talent. That can't be taught. Period. There is talk of a medical college starting up in Memorial hospital. I have high hopes for that one, but I doubt it would hold a candle to Emory in Atlanta.

There is a huge perception about the Chatham County school system not being up to par. Well, mostly, they aren't. However, every school in town isn't as bad as some people depict. There are those diamonds in the rough such as Savannah Arts Academy, part of the public system. Johnson High, my alma mater, has a thriving robotics program and career shadowing programs that most people don't hear about when Chatham public schools are discussed. From what I've heard about the private schools, they're fine, though I would want my child to experience more diversity like that of the public schools, but again, just my opinion. I believe I turned out alright. =)
Colleges and universities... Yes, there is Armstrong Atlantic State, then there is Savannah Technical College, Georgia Tech at Savannah, Savannah State University, there has been a medical university in Memorial for a few years now affiliated with Mercer. I'm sure even I am leaving a school or two out besides the one Savannah is known for... the Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). This school has made Savannah over and has done great things for the Historic District. If only Savannah had jobs to keep these talented individuals here. It's not just about literal art, BTW, there is clothing design, and increasingly television production and so on. A lot of the kids that attend this school do have help from their well off parents, but not all. There are many kids who work their butts off to attend this school and there are degrees worth having too. Many of the locals don't usually mingle with the SCAD kids, however, so lots of people just see them as a merely a part of downtown like the tourists.

Suburban & Urban living in Savannah
This is the part I truly love about Savannah, where it shines to me. Its the perfect-sized city. Small enough where people are friendly, lots of conversation with random strangers, lots of trees and parks, yet big enough that there's plenty to do, plenty of places to shop, plenty of new areas to explore. Honestly can't say anything bad here. If you are undecided of whether or not you like the big city or the small community better, or if you really don't like either one for the drawbacks, chances are you'll find what your looking for here.

As a small town, Savannah can be considered pretty spread out. Coming from a larger city, however, definitely not so much. The Savannah Metropolitan Statistical Area encompasses Chatham County, the central core of Savannah, Effingham County to the northwest and Bryan County to the west and southwest. To shorten this up a little, I'm giving distances within Chatham. Bloomingdale is Chatham's furthest west municipality and, needless to say, the furthest town in Chatham from Tybee. Driving distance is 34 miles, or anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on conditions, to the beach. Mileage is from google maps. That gives you a west-east perspective.
Going south-north, Savannah Mall being on the southern end of Savannah's Southside before entering the Georgetown area, (which is west over the Forest River on Abercorn Extension) to Broughton Street in Downtown Savannah, it is 9.3 miles of stop and go traffic on Abercorn, or 12.7 miles with assistance from Truman Parkway. Average trip time between 15 minutes to just over a half hour, again depending on conditions.
Most commuters will drive to either Downtown Savannah, Midtown Savannah around DeRenne or to municipalities like Garden City or Port Wentworth for port and manufacturing jobs. Average Savannah commute time is 20.8 minutes compared to 26.9 for the rest of Georgia. Not too bad.
Savannah::Chatham Community Indicators Database - by the Armstrong Atlantic State University Public Service Center

Other stuff =)
Savannah is broken up into several sections, including neighboring towns worth mentioning. Most are named due to their point on the compass respective to the cities center, Midtown. Midtown is well, in between everything else, and is thus a mostly residential section for those that want to be equidistance to everywhere. It is also for those who want to be very close to Downtown without actually living Downtown. It isn't bad neighborhoods, but not good either. Of course that describes the whole city. Bad neighborhoods are more like bad blocks, then there's a good one, then there's a bad one, and so on and so on, so you really can't look at Savannah the same way you would other cities in this respect. The Eastside is for those who want to be close to the beaches, Tybee Island, but cannot afford to live on it, or actually plan to work in the city and go there on weekends. The Southside is generally superior neighborhoods with regards to the rest of the city, but as it is on the fringes of the city limits most who live there will have to commute to actually do anything. The Westside conversely is poor neighborhoods, though that's not to say dangerous. Just poor. Not a lot to offer in terms of anything there either. Downtown is where its at for most urban-lovers, and many choose to live there as well. I avoid it for its expense, then again I prefer fairly insular activities. Garden City is located far north and a bit west of Savannah, for those who wish a more homely small neighborhoods to live in, though it is so close to Savannah the distinction between the two is technical at best. Pooler, a bit farther out and close to the airport, and especially its neighbor Bloomingdale, is for those who care not for the city yet for work related reasons cannot abandon it completely. Everything else in Chatham County is getting too far of a commute to mention in this Savannah section, though even Bloomingdale could be an option.

Lots of good stuff, though I'm not sure the Southside would be considered superior to other places around town. I'd give that title to Skidaway Island aka the Landings and possibly Savannah Quarters out in Pooler. Superior middle class, IMO, is Wilmington Island. Ranch homes galore with big sized lots to go with your good sized home. Thinking mainly of Wilmington Park.
Bad blocks? Yeah, I can agree with that. That's something to watch out for on those numbered streets and even portions of Ardsley Park. Though Ardsley is certainly a gem with very few of those bad blocks. (Most of those are concentrated on the northwestern fringe of the neighborhood west of Abercorn)
Other than Savannah proper, there is Bloomingdale to the far west, Pooler and Port Wentworth, in central Chatham, Garden City, Georgetown, just south of Savannah proper, then there is Tybee Island, the far eastern town in Chatham. The Islands consist of Wilmington, Whitemarsh, Talahi, Oatland and Isle of Armstrong. Next to, and in some cases, included with the Isle of Armstrong is Thunderbolt, right on the Intracoastal Waterway. Skidaway Island is separated from the other islands, but mainly consists of the sprawling gated neighborhood called the Landings, which is located south of Savannah along with Montgomery, Sandfly, Dutch Island and Isle of Hope. These communities aren't far from the Historic site of Wormsloe.

Savannah has history. Lots of it. We know it. We capitalize on it. Hell, half our economy comes from tourism from it. This makes it appealing to start, but that nuance fades with time. In the end its just another city. We've got problems like any other, namely crime and poverty, probably quite linked to our lacking education systems. For these reasons I'd dissuade prospective family units from moving here, but would encourage retirees and young adults alike to it. Its not the greatest place to raise a family, but there are many good times and memories to be had and friendly faces to meet, whether your tastes are simple, or more reckless, we can provide. In the end, its your choice, and fortunately for a traveled person as myself, I know for a fact that need not be a permanent one. For now, the city suites me just fine, and I expect to live here well into my career after college, just long enough until I decide to start a family of my own. Then I'm moving :P

8 million annual tourists for Savannah mean the economy here thrives on tourism. Personally, I would love that number to continue to grow as the city becomes more popular (and with that popularity come tourist dollars for more entertainment and so on). Many locals don't feel the way I do in that regard, but so be it, I can only hope I'm in the majority. Sure, families can survive and thrive here in the right conditions. There sure is plenty to do and see. Lots of culture and events for just about anybody. We're not just about St. Patrick's Day. There are Music festivals, Pirate fests, Movie festivals, parkside events like the sidewalk chalk event in Forsyth, and of course our minor baseball team the Savannah Sand Gnats to name a few. If that's not enough, it's a short 4 hour drive to Atlanta & Orlando, 2 hours to Charleston & Jacksonville and 8 hours to DC & Miami.

Well done hk for the input. I'm sure it took a while to type all that info in because it sure as heck did for me! =) I hope I have been helpful to everyone interested in knowing more about Savannah!

[hk00107]

I have to concur with most everything you said as well WanderingImport. The things we differ on are slight and honestly just like there are two sides to every coin, both are perspectives are accurate in their own aspect. Though I do feel I owe an explanation to the numbers I listed in the Budget section. The prices WanderingImport listed for housing are far more common and easier to find, however I stand by mine as entirely possible in Savannah. Point blank, right now I'm staying in a two story, two bedroom townhouse with w/d, dishwasher, fireplace, privacy fenced backyard, ect. on the Southside for $695 a month. I have stayed in a single bedroom apartment midtown for $450 a month and a Victorian 4-bedroom house for $1000 just to name a few. These prices are difficult to find, even for a local like myself, but they are out there. Free resources for housing I have used include two free local weekly periodicals called ConnectSavannah and Pennysaver. The later is just classifieds, but is good for housing, auto, and job hunting, the former is a must read for those new and old to the city to see what's available for everything from social life to concerts, good stuff. Craigslist is also a decent resource to find housing deals. Also about groceries, as WanderingImport stated, this really is about personal taste. When I gave my estimate I should have realized most aren't happy with a palate of ramen noodles and hot dogs to save like myself :P. As a side note to WanderingImport, went to Johnson myself, in 2000-2001. I was part of the international baccalaureate program. Though I was glad they had it, it didn't meet my standards, albeit high ones- I made top 5% in the state with ease. That said, had a lot of fun at Johnson hanging on Tybee, good times.

[Sunny_Isles]

For a non-student, I have to disagree about the rental prices. I can't imagine living in any 4BR house that rents for $1,000 in Savannah. For perspective, I've posted two examples of condos like the ones that we own. One is a 2BR and one is a 3BR. We do not own the examples to which I've linked. I can provide some photos on permanent link and not connected to an ad later. Again, these are not our condos linked in this post, and I know nothing about them other than they are like ours and give a good idea of what you can get for these rental prices.

Example 1 - Henderson Place:

We rent out a condo we own that is a 2BR, 2B, one-floor condo at Henderson Place for around $900 a month. Here is an ad for one for sale, which shows you about what you get for that price for rent (not the sale price): 76 Al Henderson #B8, Savannah, GA

Ours is a top-floor condo with cathedral ceiling in the living room and a tray ceiling in the master bedroom. The top floor units do not have patios, but do have small balconies. Our unit has a view of the golf course. There is no pool, tennis court, nor playground. We also include a washer and dryer, and they all have a W/D "closet" that I consider larger than just a closet, but not really a room. Ours does have ceiling fans in the LR and master BR and a gas fireplace. Because they are fairly new they are in good condition. We also keep our nicely painted and with carpet in good condition. Just putting it all into perspective for what you get.

This is an area by the Henderson Golf Course, Savannah Christian Church (not affiliated with Savannah Christian School), and fairly near the Berwick Plantation. It's off Highway 17/Ogeechee Road and near I-95. Here's a map for 76 Al Henderson Blvd.

Example 2 - Oglethorpe Place:

We also own (but have not yet rented out) a condo at Oglethorpe Place at 455 Mall Blvd, which is literally down the street from the Oglethorpe Mall, so it is very centrally located. Here is one for rent now which is comparable to ours. The rent is $1,100 monthly. I would say that ours is much nicer (and much more neutral), but the layout of that one is exactly the same.

For $1,100 you get a two-story 3BR, 2.5B condo with fireplace, galley kitchen with small pantry closet and eat-in area at the end, separate dining room, W/D closet in kitchen, living room, and a fenced-in patio. There is a pool and tennis courts, but no playground. Here's a nicer 2BR one renting currently for $825. That one happens to be for sale, so the fact that the tenant might have to move or that they will be showing the unit might be reflected in the rental price. This is a much older complex with quite a few of the original owners still living there.

Neither of these complexes are luxury complexes, and for both you will pay more than what has been cited in this thread so far. You can also Google search these addresses and see what you find with more photos for examples. Note that at Oglethorpe Place that the units might be listed by inner street names other than Mall Blvd, but those are no longer actually used. Again, I'll try to post some permanent link photos of examples when I can get them.

[lj42660]

My husband accepted a job in Savannah because he could not find one in the Atlanta area. Though this move saved his sanity, it seems to have had the opposite effect on me!

I do not like extreme heat- this is one reason I do not like the Savannah area- it is very hot and humid. We live down the street from Savannah in a small town. It is a very big challenge to find a place to eat. Either the restaurants aren't that good or they have been out of business for years and their phone numbers are still posted on the web. The hospital in this small town was an absolute nightmare. I've never experienced anything like that visit in my 51 yrs. on this earth. It was like something straight out of a Stephen King novel. South Georgia is VERY underdeveloped. It's as if they felt like any development in Georgia should start in Atlanta and move north. Don't get me wrong- I am definitely not a city dweller, a happy medium would be nice though. I have to stay that I am thankful that I do not have to worry about the schools. The bugs are very bad in this area. I am always covered in bug bites. As far as the job market- it really is not good here. I have been applying to jobs since I have been here and haven't heard a word- it has been 5 months now. I would take the lower rate of pay if someone would just call. My husband and I agree that when we tell people we live in Savannah they ooh and ahh- if they lived here they would probably feel differently about their reaction. People will tell you there is alot to do- welllll! Unless you are into the historic district downtown or the beach, there really is not alot to choose from. Most of the shopping and restaurants seem to be situated on one street. I do not care for traffic, we just moved from traffic. That one street has ALOT of traffic and it is situated in a way that the surrounding areas look like less then desirable neighborhoods. Historic Savannah is nice, but I think it is far from spectacular. We moved from a house into an apartment and that has been a hard adjustment. We have dogs but continuously have to watch for others who do not leash their dogs- it's a real big headache. As far as the stucture of the apartment it is nice. Since we have moved here I have made myself basically housebound. I don't know what to do with myself. I don't want to sweat to death by going outside. I wish my husband would continue looking for another job.

Now the plus points- the winter was nice, auto insurance is cheaper than in the Atlanta area. It is sunny most of the time- if only the temps and humidity wouldn't be so high.

If you move here I wish you the best. It's not for everyone, but just as I dislike it, there will be the ones who love it.

[Hawknest]

I lived out in Thunderbolt and Wilimgton Island for a while in the 60's and it's changed a lot since then. We occasionally visit there from time to time. Some day we may retire there, but not now.

[WanderingImport]

Originally Posted by lj42660

My husband accepted a job in Savannah because he could not find one in the Atlanta area. Though this move saved his sanity, it seems to have had the opposite effect on me!

I do not like extreme heat- this is one reason I do not like the Savannah area- it is very hot and humid. We live down the street from Savannah in a small town. It is a very big challenge to find a place to eat. Either the restaurants aren't that good or they have been out of business for years and their phone numbers are still posted on the web. The hospital in this small town was an absolute nightmare. I've never experienced anything like that visit in my 51 yrs. on this earth. It was like something straight out of a Stephen King novel. South Georgia is VERY underdeveloped. It's as if they felt like any development in Georgia should start in Atlanta and move north. Don't get me wrong- I am definitely not a city dweller, a happy medium would be nice though. I have to stay that I am thankful that I do not have to worry about the schools. The bugs are very bad in this area. I am always covered in bug bites. As far as the job market- it really is not good here. I have been applying to jobs since I have been here and haven't heard a word- it has been 5 months now. I would take the lower rate of pay if someone would just call. My husband and I agree that when we tell people we live in Savannah they ooh and ahh- if they lived here they would probably feel differently about their reaction. People will tell you there is alot to do- welllll! Unless you are into the historic district downtown or the beach, there really is not alot to choose from. Most of the shopping and restaurants seem to be situated on one street. I do not care for traffic, we just moved from traffic. That one street has ALOT of traffic and it is situated in a way that the surrounding areas look like less then desirable neighborhoods. Historic Savannah is nice, but I think it is far from spectacular. We moved from a house into an apartment and that has been a hard adjustment. We have dogs but continuously have to watch for others who do not leash their dogs- it's a real big headache. As far as the stucture of the apartment it is nice. Since we have moved here I have made myself basically housebound. I don't know what to do with myself. I don't want to sweat to death by going outside. I wish my husband would continue looking for another job.

Now the plus points- the winter was nice, auto insurance is cheaper than in the Atlanta area. It is sunny most of the time- if only the temps and humidity wouldn't be so high.

If you move here I wish you the best. It's not for everyone, but just as I dislike it, there will be the ones who love it.

I'll share a little secret I have... the heat is just as bad here in Atlanta as it is in Savannah. Maybe slightly less humidity, but still as hot. Also, why would you want to live in a traffic nightmare with endless sprawl when you've got the walkability of Savannah?

All the restaurants in Savannah are certainly NOT centered on just one street. Maybe in another universe. You've got great places on not just River Street, but Bay, Broughton, Bryan, St. Julian (where city market is) Bull, Oglethorpe (Great sushi at TaCa)... and that's just downtown. Plenty of other places on the south side of town.

There is also more to do than just downtown and the beach. You've got the Mighty Eighth Air Force museum in Pooler, The Skidaway Island Aquarium, Wormsloe Plantation, you could go kayaking down many of the rivers and through the marshes....the list goes on.

Honestly, I think you just had a negative mentality that took over you when you moved here. Change that and you might start to look at the area from a different perspective. Though I will give it to you when it comes to the bugs. They aren't nearly as bad if you live out in places like Pooler though. At least when compared to the Islands.

[CowGirl2011]

Love the thread and thank you for the piece of mind about the crime. Coming from a city double the size of Savannah we were concerned about the crime rates we can find - however knowing its mostly "invited" crime puts me much more at ease!
As to the job sitch, I have to say we're finding a LOT of very interesting postings for companies in Savannah online. We just started looking, but so far I am not at a loss for places to apply and I find that very encouraging. Can anyone comment here on the general work environment in Savannah, though? Again, coming from a bigger city, I'm used to too fast and too long of days at work (think work harder not smarter) though I am hoping its a bit slower and smarter in Savannah. Any comments??

[gentlearts]

I just want to say that I live in Pooler and have absolutely not had any bugs at all in over a year of living here. No gnats, and only the occasional mosquito, and they are everywhere, so I don't know what the big bug issue is in Savannah.
I have had 2 roaches in my bathroom, but one was already dead. No big deal.