Will Millennials Be the New Atlanta Suburbanites? (renting, condos)

[Big L]

Originally Posted by FromGA

A person really needs to live in the leafy suburbs (OTP) only for about 25 years of their life. About 10 years as a child (assume grades 3-12), and about 15 as a parent (assume 2 kids + time to sell and get out). So there is a significant amount (50 years) of time that one can live in a more urban setting ITP and OnPerimeter, than in a suburban setting (25 years).

I can't say that I agree with this. I can see someone who once live in Atlanta proper or somewhere else ITP wanting to move back, but that may not be the case for someone that spent the bulk of their lives living and/or working OTP.

If a person was born and raised OTP, ends up working OTP after college, then raises a family OTP, what exactly is that person's motivation for moving ITP after the kids graduate or after they retire? You have to keep in mind that as the years go on, you have more and more people that will be Metro Atlanta natives that have never actually lived or worked ITP.

The same thing happened back in Southern California where I was born and raised. The people that grew up, lived, and worked either in Los Angeles or a close-in suburb had a tendency to stay in the area. Those that grew up, lived, and worked in the Valleys, Inland Empire, Orange County, etc. tended to either stay put in their area or move to another suburb. A person that grew up in Rancho Cucamonga who then took a job in Corona probably doesn't have a reason to move to Los Angeles proper unless they ended up taking a job there. Likewise, the same can be said for someone that grew up in Acworth and then ended up taking a job in Alpharetta.

[cqholt]

I can't say that I agree with this. I can see someone who once live in Atlanta proper or somewhere else ITP wanting to move back, but that may not be the case for someone that spent the bulk of their lives living and/or working OTP.

To be closer to doctors, hospitals, shopping, and transit? That way elderly don't need to depend on family to do everyday things, they can catch a bus or train to see a doctor or go shopping. Many of MARTA's bus routes have covered stops outside retirement homes.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by Big L

The same thing happened back in Southern California where I was born and raised. The people that grew up, lived, and worked either in Los Angeles or a close-in suburb had a tendency to stay in the area. Those that grew up, lived, and worked in the Valleys, Inland Empire, Orange County, etc. tended to either stay put in their area or move to another suburb. A person that grew up in Rancho Cucamonga who then took a job in Corona probably doesn't have a reason to move to Los Angeles proper unless they ended up taking a job there. Likewise, the same can be said for someone that grew up in Acworth and then ended up taking a job in Alpharetta.

Yeah. You've got a generation of people that were raised on cul de sacs, separate laundry rooms, finished basements, enough room for trampolines in the back yard, and a pool at the clubhouse. To a bulk of those people, that's the "right" way to raise a kid . . . since they probably turned out okay. If so, they will likely seek out that same or similar ecosystem when they want to start a family. They are not going to see the value proposition in spending more money to give up many of those amenities ITP. Different strokes, different folks. Someone that spent their formative years closer to Atlanta proper probably has a similar view about their own upbringing.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by red92s

Yeah. You've got a generation of people that were raised on cul de sacs, separate laundry rooms, finished basements, enough room for trampolines in the back yard, and a pool at the clubhouse.

These are the exact people that are filling the new apartment buildings intown. There is a bigger city vs suburb sentiment in Atlanta than anywhere else I've been. But even here, a good percentage of educated millennial's are not interested in the lifestyle they grew up with, at least not at this stage of their lives.

[red92s]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

These are the exact people that are filling the new apartment buildings intown. There is a bigger city vs suburb sentiment in Atlanta than anywhere else I've been. But even here, a good percentage of educated millennial's are not interested in the lifestyle they grew up with, at least not at this stage of their lives.

Couldn't disagree more, based on personal observation of my social circle. Most are 26-32 years old, college educated, recently married or engaged, buying their first home, and will likely be starting to have kids in 2-3 years. With limited exceptions, those that grew up in the suburbs are buying in the suburbs and the ones that grew up closer to town, have elected to remain in town.

It may not be a statistically significant study, but I am thinking about a sample size of ~30 people, who have followed this pattern. The suburbanites may have had the "I don't need all that space and like being able to walk to restaurants and bars" mentality right out of college, but the second home ownership and kids enter the picture, their choice of nesting location swings dramatically.

People return to what they know, unless they really, really hated it.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by cqholt

To be closer to doctors, hospitals, shopping, and transit? That way elderly don't need to depend on family to do everyday things, they can catch a bus or train to see a doctor or go shopping. Many of MARTA's bus routes have covered stops outside retirement homes.

The suburbs have doctors, hospitals, and shopping as well. Transit isn't there of course, but these days most people continue to drive until they are no longer able to do so. At that point, they usually either move in with family or to a retirement home.

Let's take where I live for example. Eastside Medical Center (formerly Emory Eastside) is about a 10-minute ride from my house. Gwinnett Medical Center is about 15-20 minutes and Clearview Regional is about 15 minutes in the other direction. A person can easily retire in their 60's and then drive to any of those hospitals if they need to. On top of that, there are numerous clinics and small doctor's office all over the place.

I don't feel that MARTA is unsafe at all. However, I would feel more comfortable having my parents or other older relatives either drive or be driven to their local hospital/doctor instead of waiting on a bus or train. These people have worked for most of their lives; why should they be inconvenienced in their later years?

As far as shopping goes, I can't think of too many suburbs that don't have grocery stores that are only 5 minutes or less from someone's house. Again, an older person can easily drive to the nearest Kroger, Publix, or Walmart in the suburbs just as they can in the city.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by Big L

The suburbs have doctors, hospitals, and shopping as well. Transit isn't there of course, but these days most people continue to drive until they are no longer able to do so. At that point, they usually either move in with family or to a retirement home.

Let's take where I live for example. Eastside Medical Center (formerly Emory Eastside) is about a 10-minute ride from my house. Gwinnett Medical Center is about 15-20 minutes and Clearview Regional is about 15 minutes in the other direction. A person can easily retire in their 60's and then drive to any of those hospitals if they need to. On top of that, there are numerous clinics and small doctor's office all over the place.

I don't feel that MARTA is unsafe at all. However, I would feel more comfortable having my parents or other older relatives either drive or be driven to their local hospital/doctor instead of waiting on a bus or train. These people have worked for most of their lives; why should they be inconvenienced in their later years?

As far as shopping goes, I can't think of too many suburbs that don't have grocery stores that are only 5 minutes or less from someone's house. Again, an older person can easily drive to the nearest Kroger, Publix, or Walmart in the suburbs just as they can in the city.

How many accidents are caused by elderly because their timing and reaction is slower? I know we had to force my grandparents to give up their licenses, but it was safer for everyone. There will be a time when you can't drive and don't want to inconvenience your family and you'll have to choice to go without.

[Big L]

Originally Posted by cqholt

How many accidents are caused by elderly because their timing and reaction is slower? I know we had to force my grandparents to give up their licenses, but it was safer for everyone. There will be a time when you can't drive and don't want to inconvenience your family and you'll have to choice to go without.

That may be true, but that doesn't mean that person is going to leave what is familiar to them and move into the city to take MARTA. If they have been in their home for many years and have family in the area, then they really shouldn't even have to consider doing that.

Older people tend to like routine. Although most of us on here aren't at that stage, most of us don't like to switch doctors, dentists, churches, barbers/beauticians, and so on unless we have to. Now, if someone our age (30's-40's) doesn't like to change those things, how do you think a retiree feels about doing that?

If you had the option to allow your parent(s) to live with you or in a nearby retirement home, would you really skip that and make them move into the city to walk or hop on MARTA? My family has had situations where we had to make older relatives stop driving as well, but we didn't make them move out of the suburbs just because we didn't want to be "inconvenienced". Hell, the 18 years your parents spent guiding you to adulthood wasn't easy, so if anything a child should be grateful to have to opportunity to help their parent(s) when it gets to that point.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by cqholt

How many accidents are caused by elderly because their timing and reaction is slower? I know we had to force my grandparents to give up their licenses, but it was safer for everyone.

Frankly I'm much more concerned about idiotic, impulsive and aggressive younger and middle aged drivers, especially those who text and read email while driving. They cause far more accidents than elderly drivers. There will be a time when they simply can't drive and don't want to inconvenience their family and they'll have the choice to go without.

I'd like to see these people herded up in walkable communities where they can get around on foot without endangering the rest of us.

[cqholt]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Frankly I'm much more concerned about idiotic, impulsive and aggressive younger and middle aged drivers, especially those who text and read email while driving. They cause far more accidents than elderly drivers. There will be a time when they simply can't drive and don't want to inconvenience their family and they'll have the choice to go without.

I'd like to see these people herded up in walkable communities where they can get around on foot without endangering the rest of us.

That's why I refuse to drive in metro Atlanta, terrible drivers.
When my parents get too old to drive, they can either move into a retirement home or move into an apartment in the city, that way they can use transit to get around, still be independent, and not rely on me to get around.