What was not taken into consideration before you moved to Atlanta? (Duluth: how much, hotels)

[klugo1]

Originally Posted by Go Blue 99

The one thing that surprised me was that, as someone else said, houses are not as cheap as you might think. I used to go on realtor websites all the time before my move and see the cheap beautiful homes. After I moved, I realized these homes are meant for those who are cool with one hour commutes.

On the bright side, real estate is still very reasonable for a major corporate city. We just bought a new townhouse in the Perimeter area, and I know my friends from Boston/NYC/Cali are going to be amazed by the price we paid.

where exactly is the perimeter area of atlanta?

[klugo1]

Originally Posted by backfist

1. Didn't anticipate the separateness of communities in this, the 21st century.

2. Didn't anticipate the lack of people-moving and transit for such a heavily populated metro area. Nor did I anticipate such an illogical aversion to transit.

3. Didn't anticipate the ineptness, incompetence and small-mindedness of state and local governments in Atlanta AND the suburbs.

4. Didn't anticipate the natural beauty of Georgia.

5. Didn't anticipate the size of metro Atlanta's Asian population (I love it; it reminds me of California)

6. Didn't anticipate the incessant media coverage of crime.

Interesting you mentioned the asian factor, im perto rican and korean, and i was curious about that, some people are to politically correct to mention race because of the possible negative effects, thanks for the candidness (sp?)

[gottaGetOut]

That Atlanta, more than a city, is a several county area that takes almost an hour to travel over 50 miles, one way, when the traffic is light

That one can shop at a myriad of international grocer/markets and find produce and other items you may not recogize, but can have a lot of fun experimenting in the kitchen with

That the area would be home to one of the finest beer educational institutions in America, Taco Mac

That the mass transit would be so limited, denigrated, unprofessionally managed, considered in such closed-minded terms, and so many residents would be so averse to using it

That I would need to hang onto my scarves, parkas, and boots for those periodic but definite days of temps below 30 f

That there would be such a joyful array of Asian restaurants, some unbelievably affordable to dine in

That yarn shops would be so far and few between

That Hawks' games don't draw celebrities the way they do on TV in other markets

That European NHL players would be happy here

That City Gov't would be so corrupt

That the city police cars would have such a DORKY paint scheme

That you could make a great friend and learn later, you'll never see them, because they live 45 minutes away or more

That a radio personality with no southern drawl or sensibility could host one of the area's most popular talk shows, somehow busting the myth that an assertive loudmouth is automatically shunned here

That franchised, cookie-cutter restaurants would be more popular that unique and individual operations where food is honestly good

That trees and vacant land could be so devalued and unappreciated

[NorthmeetsSouth]

Originally Posted by klugo1

where exactly is the perimeter area of atlanta?

I-285 is a hwy that forms a circle around Atlanta. It is called the perimeter. Generally, when you hear someone refer to INP or OTP they mean Inside the Perimeter or Outside the Perimeter. However, when you hear someone say that they live in the Perimeter area they are generally referring to the area just north of 285 around where the perimeter mall is.

[cocopuffy]

I was NOT prepared for the traffic and high costs of apartments in Atlanta. I'm glad I ended up in Midtown, but not happy that living costs are comparable to what I was paying in Boston. Other than that Atlanta has a lot more to offer than what people give it credit for.

[Mamato3BB's]

I was not prepared for traffic AT ALL. I thought I knew, but I had no idea LOL

[applejuice]

Traffic is not fun when you are near Atlanta!

[sahara18]

Originally Posted by cocopuffy

I was NOT prepared for the traffic and high costs of apartments in Atlanta. I'm glad I ended up in Midtown, but not happy that living costs are comparable to what I was paying in Boston. Other than that Atlanta has a lot more to offer than what people give it credit for.

I'm moving to the midtown/buckhead area and I'm happy you have all been so open and honest. I've decided to pay a bit more and risk living in a less-safe area to live near work. Any recommendations on who to rent from? I'm looking for good amenities, relative safety and quiet (I realize these are unreliable wants) and close to shopping for <$1500/mo. Thanks!

[reggie_michaels]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

The lack of heat in the summer (I was expecting a summer that was hotter than a Minnesota summer -- instead, Atlanta has more of the same, but for three times longer). The fact that some things related to roadways ... reflectors, dotted line guides across intersections for turn lanes, some type sof road signage) are done much better here than they are in the Twin Cities (and some things are not as good here, like a lack of right turn lanes in some very surprising places on major roadways).


Yes. It's different than the midwestern city where we came from, but it's a lot less different in many ways than I thought it would be before I actually moved down here.

Hello dere former Minn-eh-sotans! I am also looking to make a move to the southern regions of the country, and was contemplating that GA would be an option (I have family both in Covington, GA, Talla, FL, & Miami, FL), so moving to Atlanta may be a viable choice. Coming from Minnesota, what did you think of the move? I admit, I love the cold (subzero excluded), and having lived 17 years of my life in S. FL, I know for sure that I prefer a snowy day in MN. Alas, I have aging parents that will require some seeing after and the north is not an option for relocating them.

Tell me what your impressions are of the following since your Big Move:
Job Climate, GA winters, housing?

Thanks in a Winter Wonderland,
Reg

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by reggie_michaels

Hello dere former Minn-eh-sotans! I am also looking to make a move to the southern regions of the country, and was contemplating that GA would be an option (I have family both in Covington, GA, Talla, FL, & Miami, FL), so moving to Atlanta may be a viable choice. Coming from Minnesota, what did you think of the move?

Having a very limited budget at the time, we used U-Haul trucks, packed and loaded them ourselves, and towed our cars behind. Never again.

While the trucks were adequate mechanically and we made it safely, it was a very long and slow drive at times, especially up and down one particular steep hill on I-24 in Tennessee. It had a few dirt runaway ramps for trucks here and there on the downhill side, and I didn't like it. Monteagle?

So far the actual shift between places has been a pleasant surprise for the most part. We've been here three years now. Crime is something to actually be concerned with down here, which is one change, but it isn't a war zone by any stretch of the imagination. We have an alarm system, etc.

Tell me what your impressions are of the following since your Big Move:

Job Climate

I don't know, really. I moved down here because I couldn't find decent work in the Twin Cities, but I had a job lined up down here before we moved, so in that sense Atlanta is better by definition for me. But my wife had little problem finding passable work once we moved down here, and a year or so later she actually found something which might be potentially long-term.

GA winters,

Georgia does have four seasons, but while it'll get well below freezing at night several times a year, you won't see much in the way of snow. Every few years they'll get an ice storm -- we saw a small one in the fall of 2004, and they aren't to be taken lightly. The fall down here is beautiful, and the spring isn't as messy (no snowpiles full of sand melting all over the place).

housing?

Lots of houses in the Atlanta metro, and prices are generally lower here than in the Twin Cities for a comparable house/yard/location, but the quality is more variable down here and you do need to be careful. Everything built in the past 20 years seems to be organized into cohesive subdivisions with each house having somewhat similar features. We managed to get a house with a nice front porch and a partial basement with a wooded lot inside a 10-mile radius from our workplaces for under 250k.

The key in Atlanta is to live within a reasonable distance from your workplace. The Twin Cities has a few problem traffic areas, but the whole Atlanta metro is that way (at least the interstates). Long drives can be very painful here.

Thanks in a Winter Wonderland,
Reg

Yeah, we flew up there for Christmas. The snow was beautiful.