Thinking of moving from D.C. to Atlanta (Sandy Springs, Alpharetta: credit, loan)

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Invest Atlanta - Atlanta Ranks No. 2 In Job Growth

Georgia No. 1 for women-owned biz growth - Atlanta Business Chronicle


Business startups in Atlanta decline, but still 2nd in nation *| ajc.com

America's Melting-Pot Cities - Jobs & Economy - The Atlantic Cities


Atlanta economy is very diverse with several industries, Atlanta is not a city with one or two main industries.

With Hartsfield (our central air-traffic location), central location for interstates, central location for multiple gas pipelines, and one of the three 3 largest rail junctions/corridors. We our heavily invested in transportation and moving of goods.

This also leads to us having a huge market for the wholesale of goods/merchandising.

We have one of the largest concentrations of convention space, so we have a large hospitality industry.

We have a large (but not HUGE in the nation-wide competition) of financial services.

We are also strongly invested in the information sector. We have a strong internet backbone here for large companies that needs huge bandwidths at cheap prices to operate. We have Cox communications, The Weather Channel, Turner Studios, and CNN.

We also have the second highest concentration of federal government employees (Federal Reserve bank of Atlanta, CDC, countless southeastern center for a bunch of smaller agencies, and we just landed a new U.S. Census data center that will be built soon)

The CDC in combination with Emory and nearby GA Tech and UGA is helping anchor a growing health/biotech sector.

And of course construction from our rapid growth.

In short compared to most cities our size we are fairly diverse.

Strip clubs bring in more money to the city than the Braves, Hawks, Falcons, Thrashers COMBINED with over $240 million annually.

Atlanta has become a regional location for many national law firms.

One of the largest concentration of Fortune 500 companies exists in Atlanta.

More than 700 film and television projects have shot in Georgia mostly in Metro Atlanta with economic impact of $2.4 billion

Ga is ranked in the top 5 in U.S. for Film and Television Productions

Atlanta's economy is and what we stress to potential businesses
http://www.metroatlantachamber.com/f...ta_english.pdf


Although if I had to pick any 1 factor that drives all our economic growth of all types.... it is transportation (in part of a central location). This drives transport of raw materials, goods, and people. Many of our businesses are based off that.

Now tell her about the unemployment rate and the number of new people getting on unemployment everyday. All that stuff you post above means nothing if you can't get a job.

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

It's most definitely the South. Hell, it was in the Confederacy. But we're not opening that can of worms.

And pretty much all of their major cities are outperforming Nashville which isn't doing too bad itself. But I think you're exaggerating just a tad to make Nashville seem like the best performing city in the South.

Compare cities based on size proportions. Nashville outdoes them all.

Even if not, it attracts quality young folk and is very progressive in both politics and socially ( I saw Asians with black men). It's not about flash there.

[alinka72]

WOW! Just WOW! This is the first time TonyGA's cheerleader team refuses to come to his rescue with dubious polls and 'articles' from biased publications and hysterical propaganda.

Nothing will debunk the reality on the ground. The reality of those who live in your building, sub-division, the reality of your co-workers, family members and colleagues who reside in ATL.

To the OP. There is NO EVIDENCE to state you will find a husband in Atlanta. I was the only person married in my circle and the other ladies who wanted to settle down were struggling, playing games and etc.

Salaries in Atlanta are not commensurate to its cost of living for the most part. Security Clearance was never a ticket to a job and it does not apply to 70% of the workforce in this country, much less to Atlanta. There is no guarantee of finding a job fast (I mean the low wage, cashiers and customer service rep ones are a dime a dozen) no matter what your field is HOWEVER, good interview practices and common sense go a long way there and are not practiced by Atlanta residents (specially at the undergraduate level) no matter what Southern College they graduated from (the strongest schools are Ga Tech and Emory everyone else is educated to stay in GA). More than half of the job vacancies are given to inter-state transfers: people requesting their positions to be transferred from the West coast or from up North to the South. All those people who did that in the 90s and early 2000s, are now well established. They sold their 500k property up North and bought the same or more for less in Atlanta, paid their taxes and whatever was left they invested. Then there was the Katrina disaster that brought lots of 'refugees' to Atlanta and saturated their market even more. I know people from Atlanta that after the bubble burst of 2008 has not yet recovered (some have degrees, the ones who do not are treading water).

Another detail to note there is a lot of 'flashiness' there. You will notice a lot of 30k/year earners millionaires or how they say it there 'the broke baller'. People who live in more upscale areas (Midtown, Buckhead, Druid Hills, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta) drive leased 'imported' vehicles but purchase their groceries and gas on credit, pay the min payment every month and/or have Moms & Pops pick up the rest of the bills. That is TYPICAL of Atlanta culture, especially with the women. Beware of that and do not fall for the fad and hype that they have a good salary because they most likely do not.

I am one of those people with lots of requisites to include a security clearance who moved out of Atlanta to reside in the DMV area as the QUALITY of living is superior to Atlanta by FAR. In my circle, as someone else mentioned, most of people who were not raised in the South got out of Atlanta for its lack of opportunities, options, entertainment, art, character, culture and most of all the devaluation of their Real Estate. For people who experienced and know better; Atlanta is like a spin-off of the big cities that has not found its identity yet, tries too hard and falls flat every.single.time. If you cannot see through its phoniness and lameness after the honeymoon is over (3 months max living there) then you will be fine and love it.

You are lucky to have a family member there to ease things up for you, you have visited Atlanta several times and it seems your mind is pretty much made up. Atlanta may not be a culture shock to you and you may find someone you know or who likes you to 'hook you up' with a job. State, city government and some private sector hiring practices in GA still go back to the provincial times of hiring family and friends, so be cognizant of that.

I personally would never ask a bunch of strangers opinion on a life changing move as such but that is your prerogative.

Good Luck!

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

You know me, I think attracting young professionals is the lifeblood of a city.

That's why I thought getting rid of the Buckhead nightlife was such a devastating blow. Not so much for myself, but because it really did a lot to attract young people to the area.

Nashville has a very thriving nightlife/music scene. Everybody who goes there loves it. It also has a lot of natural beauty, being in the mountains.

A lot of young people who want to live in the south seem to be looking at Nashville. I have no data on it, just a buzz that I've heard anecdotally.

I know a lot of people here would argue, but even though I don't have any plans on leaving any time soon, I officially think Atlanta is done and has seen its brightest days. Again, anecdotally, I don't know anybody who wants to move here and a lot of quality people who did live here have left and many are looking to leave. That's just in my circle. I'm not saying Atlanta will never come back, but you need a horizon longer than 10 years to have any hope of seeing it happen. And it might not ever.

[alinka72]

Originally Posted by Onthemove2014

Now tell her about the unemployment rate and the number of new people getting on unemployment everyday. All that stuff you post above means nothing if you can't get a job.

THANK YOU and AMEN to that! NO Article with predictions of grandeur will make the DOL Unemployment Insurance line shorter or get people out of temp agencies.

[tonygeorgia]

Btw, I pay $700 for a beautiful apartment in a nice area. Atlanta is a 2 hour flight to 80% of the country with the largest airport in the world, we have one of the largest professional population,etc. As far as entertainment no other city can compare. Other cities are pretty boring compared to here. Our city is beautiful and exciting. When you want to visit home our airport which is the largest and the most busy will get u there quickly. Welcome to Atlanta. Nashville is a joke, I'm not going to even respond to that. Atlanta has more entertainment, our nightlife is better, our transportation system is miles ahead of Houston, we have better weather, our city is prettier, we are closer to better cities when its time for a vacation, etc.

[Onthemove2014]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Btw, I pay $700 for a beautiful apartment in a nice area.

Link to the properties site please.

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

we have one of the largest professional population,etc.

Source please. I think DC has us beat.

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

As far as entertainment no other city can compare.Other cities are pretty boring compared to here.

I am sure the people in Vegas, Miami, NYC, LA and Orlando would disagree. Also apparently Savannah has a better nightlife.
//www.city-data.com/forum/savan...as-report.html

[Onthemove2014]

OP, we have real estate professionals and city counsel men here.

Look at this unemployment rate.
Unemployment Rates for Metropolitan Areas

Now look at these threads.
//www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...b-atlanta.html

Some posters will not be honest with you. Unless you are in IT or Medical stay in DC.

[tonygeorgia]

You will enjoy your stay here. The amount of money you are spending on an apartment in your city you can have a nice house here. You can start applying for jobs now by using your brother address on your resume

[ATLTJL]

Btw, I pay $700 for a beautiful apartment in a nice area

LOL. Your apartment is either:

1) Not what most people would consider beautiful
2) Not in an area most people would consider nice
or
3) Less than 650 square feet

[alinka72]

Originally Posted by tonygeorgia

Btw, I pay $700 for a beautiful apartment in a nice area. Atlanta is a 2 hour flight to 80% of the country with the largest airport in the world, we have one of the largest professional population,etc. As far as entertainment no other city can compare. Other cities are pretty boring compared to here. Our city is beautiful and exciting. When you want to visit home our airport which is the largest and the most busy will get u there quickly. Welcome to Atlanta. Nashville is a joke, I'm not going to even respond to that. Atlanta has more entertainment, our nightlife is better, our transportation system is miles ahead of Houston, we have better weather, our city is prettier, we are closer to better cities when its time for a vacation, etc.

I do not know a person who pays $700.00 for an apartment in ANY nice area in Atlanta. Atlanta is hardly a 2 hr flight from 80% of this country... Do you realize how vast this country is? And why in the heck someone would fly out of Atlanta at all if it is so perfect and full of life as you claim? The Airport is the busiest but not the largest and it is the most expensive airport to fly out of with 20% more taxes on ticketed flights than any other airport in the nation. Atlanta does not have one of the largest professional populations... As compared to where? Costa Rica? Italy? Korea? That is a debatable statement but a hyperbolic one. Atlanta has the most run or the mill 'entertainment' one can get. It is a bunch of clubs and bars that have a huge turn around, Disney-esque, tourist trap 'amenities' and the most dull downtown one can ever expect to see, strip malls to no end, overcrowded with chain restaurants, all venues are overpriced, unimpressive and a ONE TIME see show. There is NOTHING beyond Atlanta proper, NOTHING. No notable body of water, no major city within 100 miles radius. Sorry Savannah or Macon do not count. You resort to straw man statements with no common sense to back up your claims and you look and sound very dumb doing it as usual. The public transportation system is sub-par and all 'proposals' for expansion are generic, broad and will take an absurd length of time to come to fruition. Better weather? Also debatable. Not everyone appreciates smog and overcast skies for 200 days of the year. City is prettier? Than where? Very debatable as well, but I guarantee I have never heard anyone telling me Atlanta is 'pretty'. It has some nice neighborhoods but that does not encompass the city. I know cities with true historical landmarks that are miles away from anything 'pretty' Atlanta has to offer.