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Old 03-05-2014, 11:48 AM
 
Location: Sputnik Planitia
7,824 posts, read 11,714,264 times
Reputation: 9044

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I'm from Southern California considering a possible move to Atlanta area sometime next year. Other possible choices are Austin, TX and Dallas-FW area.

Everytime I ask someone from Texas or Georgia or wherever what they think of their city I get a host of negative responses of how their city/state suck and I am so lucky to be living in Southern California. Sometimes it makes me wonder IF some of these places I am considering are really so bad? I lived for a year in Southern Alabama about 18 years ago and remember it to be a good, albeit a bit slow experience. I can't recall having any issues with the weather and the people were very warm and friendly. I certainly don't remember living in some horrific part of the country like many are making it seem.

When I ask SoCal natives what they think of Atlanta I get "eeks" and "ewwws", but that is expected...most Southern Californians are steadfastly proud of the fact that they can get to live here and consider everywhere else outside of California to be inferior in some way.

Southern California has great weather but it's plagued with a huge host of other problems including low wages relative to the absolutely astronomical cost of living, welfare state mindset, high unemployment and highest taxes in the country.

So my question to you Atlanta natives is this... do you like living in your city? Are you living there by choice? Or would you rather live somewhere else...if so why?
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Old 03-05-2014, 12:11 PM
 
7,112 posts, read 10,085,111 times
Reputation: 1781
Austin might be a good choice as its future looks bright. It's sort of what Atlanta was 40 years ago before it became a huge sprawling metro.
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Old 03-05-2014, 12:23 PM
 
Location: Sputnik Planitia
7,824 posts, read 11,714,264 times
Reputation: 9044
Austin is a candidate as well but I like ATL for a few reasons:

- I am a Software Engineer and job listings in the ATL area are massive in my field, there are even more jobs in ATL than there are in Southern California and the interesting thing is that the pay is about the same as here!!!
- I am an avid SCUBA diver and I also like the beach, Florida beaches are 5 hr drive (manageable) or the Keys and Bahamas are only an 1-2hr flight away, I could do this in a weekend getaway.
- I also like snowboarding in the mountains, granted there are no mountains near ATL like here in SoCal but I hear there is some skiing/snowboarding north of ATL. Texas has none of this at all!
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Old 03-05-2014, 12:32 PM
 
106 posts, read 154,726 times
Reputation: 61
Best city in the country
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Old 03-05-2014, 12:48 PM
 
41 posts, read 80,215 times
Reputation: 30
I can't speak to the SoCal-to ATL transition, but having lived in mid-Atlantic and New England states, I find Atlanta a wonderful change. Native Atlantans who haven't lived elsewhere may be shocked to hear it, but my husband and I see a greater love of life and more-relaxed pace here. It's an "easy" city in which to live. We've been happy. Are you planning to live close in? I think that might make a huge difference as we find that complaints about traffic, chain restaurants, etc simply are not true here; I suspect in further-out suburbs, they might be more valid. It's more expensive to live close in but might be worth it for quality of life. Austin appeals to me, too, but because of its smaller-city feel. I think it's apples and oranges, comparing Atlanta and Austin. Good luck with your decision!
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Old 03-05-2014, 01:41 PM
 
10,974 posts, read 10,804,521 times
Reputation: 3435
Atlanta is awesome.

You can find about any lifestyle you want to live for a very reasonable cost of living in the Atlanta metro.
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Old 03-05-2014, 01:50 PM
 
42 posts, read 113,393 times
Reputation: 72
I love Atlanta. First off, people who hate something tend to be more vocal than people who are content with something, so that's probably why it seems more people you meet hate Atlanta than like it.

As to why some people dislike Atlanta, there are many reasons, but the biggest reason I see over and over is that they live in a part of town ill-suited to the lifestyle they want. The reality is that Atlanta is diverse enough to fancy any taste. I lived in Pittsburgh before Atlanta and loved Pittsburgh for its diverse burroughs that each have their own feel. As a result, I made it a point to live in a portion of the city that felt like some of the intown burroughs of Pittsburgh.

The flip side of being a city diverse enough to fancy any taste is that there will inevitably be parts of town that represent what you really, really don't like. I know many people who hate Atlanta just as I know many that love it, and from a very general perspective the common theme I seem to hear is that they lived in the wrong part of town for what it is they wanted. If you hate aspects of the suburbs (lack of walkability, lack of character, lack of older architecture, lack of diversity), then you simply shouldn't live there. If you hate certain aspects of intown living (homelessness, a thin layer of dirt on everything, noise, property crime [primarily auto-break ins]), then you shouldn't live intown. If you hate driving, then you shouldn't live 20 miles from your work. If you must be able to take public transport, then live in a part of town with easy access to Marta. If you want to live a slow-laid back southern lifestyle, Atlanta has plenty of people who share your view. If you want to live a more up-tempo rat-race lifestyle, there's plenty of those types too. It goes on and on.

I will say that a 5 hour drive to the beach is kind of a PITA to me. My fam is in Charleston, SC, which is 5 hours away, and it's just far enough to ever really do on a normal weekend, primarily because traffic getting out of town on Friday afternoons is always pretty horrendous. On the plus side, with Delta being located here it's really great never having to take a connecting flight anywhere in the country (and pretty much in the world). No matter where I want to go for a long weekend it's only one flight away.
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Old 03-05-2014, 01:57 PM
 
219 posts, read 269,253 times
Reputation: 326
Quote:
Originally Posted by k374 View Post
Austin is a candidate as well but I like ATL for a few reasons:

- I am a Software Engineer and job listings in the ATL area are massive in my field, there are even more jobs in ATL than there are in Southern California and the interesting thing is that the pay is about the same as here!!!
- I am an avid SCUBA diver and I also like the beach, Florida beaches are 5 hr drive (manageable) or the Keys and Bahamas are only an 1-2hr flight away, I could do this in a weekend getaway.
- I also like snowboarding in the mountains, granted there are no mountains near ATL like here in SoCal but I hear there is some skiing/snowboarding north of ATL. Texas has none of this at all!
As a fellow software engineer, there is so much work here and so many good companies. You have Fortune 500's to startup's, Java to .NET to JQuery. If I put my resume out, I'll get at least 15 calls the first day (most from recruiters, but they have jobs). I never worry about not having a job.

I was offered a job a few years ago in Newport Beach area, they flew me out there, wined and dined me and then offered me 8% over my current salary. Your COL compared to Atlanta was almost 30%. It's a great state, and great weather, but I like seasons. So I'd rather live like a king in a city a little less than desirable than LA.

The only problem is the non-centralized core of tech companies. If you do move here, live in the city. There is a very large swath of tech companies in Alpharetta, as tempting as they are, don't do it. You'll hate yourself after a few years. If absolutely necessary, take a job in Alpharetta to get yourself moved here, and then start exploring the city/neighborhoods/companies. Find a place you want to live, then find a tech job close to your new home. Do not do it the other way around. Your field provides you the utmost flexibility and earning power, take advantage of it.

The other really amazing advantage is there are direct flights everywhere. In 3 hours you can be in Belize, diving to your hearts content. Or a 3 hour flight to Denver for skiing. Delta provides an amazing advantage to those residents who love to travel.
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Old 03-05-2014, 02:57 PM
 
Location: Vinings/Cumberland in the evil county of Cobb
1,317 posts, read 1,630,660 times
Reputation: 1551
Question: Anyone like living in ATL?
Answer: Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 03-05-2014, 03:00 PM
 
16,212 posts, read 10,742,846 times
Reputation: 8437
I like living in Atlanta too.

It has its issues but it is a decent city and I would rather live here than in So Cal any day.
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