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Every good southerner (even transplants) knows not to show out in front of company. Good call, Tryska!
haha - it's bad enough that we have to combat the klansmen/yosemite sam stereotypes of the South in general, to folks from out of state, but then this one pretty much puts on their hood and keeps talking like they are saying something rational and nuanced. No. Just...No.
I moved to Atlanta from the Boston area about 10 years ago, mainly due to cost of living factors. I’ve been very happy with the move, especially regarding the COL.
I hated the heat at first, but have grown to enjoy the weather. It’s been in the mid 70s this week while Boston has still been chilly.
Mixing with southern conservatives was definitely a shock to the system, but it’s not in-your-face. There are tons of transplants in the northern burbs. You can look outside Cobb County too.
Keep in mind the quality of schools is much lower. Highly regarded high schools are limited to a few districts. Boston suburbs have much better schools. On the flip side, you have two solid and affordable in-state colleges- GT and UGA. Up there, you are limited to UMass for public schools, which is not highly regarded.
Hey my "Yankee" Brother, You sound like you are looking for a change of pace and do not wish to sacrifice on stellar public schools to get it. May I suggest you shake off the entirety of the Northern Suburbs and come to Atlanta's southside where you can have access to great public schools and a "not as bad" commute (notice I did not say wonderful LOL). I would recommend to start in "South side Transplant central" in Peachtree City, Georgia and then branch out your search to include all of Fayette County and maybe even adjacent Coweta County. You really will encounter genuinely nice people down here (from all parts of the U.S.) and true southern hospitality along with the accompanied "slower pace of life". You will find Fayette County schools compare well with the best of North Fulton/ East Cobb. Of course, your place of work will also factor into your home search, but a commute to downtown/ midtown Atlanta would be at least comparable or in many cases better from the southwest suburbs. Finally, just like the call letters to one of our radio/ television station down here: WSB (Welcome South Brother) Best of luck with your search.
Definitely looking for a change of pace! I want to slow down, enjoy life, and not spend it shoveling 100+ inches of snow! lol But I did briefly take a look at PTC and will definitely make it out there once we come down this summer. We started our search in Cobb county because we both have family in that area, but wouldn't be opposed to other areas in metro Atlanta. Thank you for the well wishes!
Oy vey. This right here is the fundamental problem with Georgia.
Please know that I've met very few people like that in northern Fulton County. But if you are concerned about the things atler8 mentioned, and find yourself in a situation where those things would matter, then that's a pretty strong indicator that Georgia may not be good for you.
I moved to Atlanta from the Boston area about 10 years ago, mainly due to cost of living factors. I’ve been very happy with the move, especially regarding the COL.
I hated the heat at first, but have grown to enjoy the weather. It’s been in the mid 70s this week while Boston has still been chilly.
Mixing with southern conservatives was definitely a shock to the system, but it’s not in-your-face. There are tons of transplants in the northern burbs. You can look outside Cobb County too.
Keep in mind the quality of schools is much lower. Highly regarded high schools are limited to a few districts. Boston suburbs have much better schools. On the flip side, you have two solid and affordable in-state colleges- GT and UGA. Up there, you are limited to UMass for public schools, which is not highly regarded.
The COL is one of our main concerns as well. We currently live in Hanover on the south shore. Schools are great, but to buy a decent home with a garage is absurd around here! Same to be said for neighboring Norwell, Hingham, Marshfield and Duxbury. The schools are great in those towns too. Just not affordable unfortunately.
Which is why we are looking in places like East Cobb. I looked at houses casually, and there are a good amount of nice homes in our price range.
Michigan transplant, been a Marietta homeowner since 2001, and fortunate that my jobs have also been in Marietta so getting to work has never been an issue.
I lean to the left politically, and that has not been an issue. Anyone with common sense and generally good nature, it goes a long way. Live and let live.
I don't miss Michigan winters and the summers here don't bother me, actually the pollen doesn't either so just lucked out with that.
I used to work with a guy from Boston and he was nice although he was much younger so we never hung out as such. There are many folks from most everywhere that come to Atlanta, I guess most big city metro areas are like that. Of course, you can't forget that this is the Deep South. If you have a sense of history and understand the legacy of previous battles (Kennesaw Mountain instead of Bunker Hill) that might help, too.
It seems to me the area is still in tremendous transition, even with all the explosive growth it has experienced in the past 30 years. Old paradigms may have proven to be untenable if not intensely unfair, and yet at times, that cliche that the more things change the more they stay the same, is also (but less and less) unfortunately true.
I don't have kids so can't comment on the schools except to say that when dumb decisions were made by people in power, the whole world was watching and that was a good thing.
All the best in your move.
Last edited by Fubarbundy; 03-25-2015 at 06:12 PM..
Reason: no worries
Michigan transplant, been a Marietta homeowner since 2001, and fortunate that my jobs have also been in Marietta so getting to work has never been an issue.
I lean to the left politically, and that has not been an issue. Anyone with common sense and generally good nature, it goes a long way. Live and let live.
I don't miss Michigan winters and the summers here don't bother me, actually the pollen doesn't either so just lucked out with that.
I used to work with a guy from Boston and he was nice although he was much younger so we never hung out as such. There are many folks from most everywhere that come to Atlanta, I guess most big city metro areas are like that. Of course, you can't forget that this is the Deep South. If you have a sense of history and understand the legacy of previous battles (Kennesaw Mountain instead of Bunker Hill) that might help, too.
It seems to me the area is still in tremendous transition, even with all the explosive growth it has experienced in the past 30 years. Old paradigms may have proven to be untenable if not intensely unfair, and yet at times, that cliche that the more things things change the more they stay the same, is also (but less and less) unfortunately true.
I don't have kids so can't comment on the schools except to say that when dumb decisions were made by people in power, the whole world was watching and that was a good thing.
All the best in your move.
Thank you! Definitely refreshing to hear alot of northern transplants happy with their move. Makes the wife and I alot more at easre about it.
I'm from Baltimore! I'm trying my hardest to get up out of this sewer.
We hope Atlanta if he do WE ARE ALL PRAYING HE DO MOVE ANYWHERE BUT HERE be prepared for him to complain about how the stars and cosmos are aligned and how God didn't do it right. Everyday you will have a new thread of him being your biggest party pooper in those Atlanta forums. He's already posting in Atlanta forums and he's not even there and probably never will be and soon you guys will get tired of him complaining about Baltimore in Atlanta specific forums which are insignificant to people in another city. All one have to do is look at the threads and all the post he makes its a shame really that someone is that depressed and obsessed and constantly talk about leaving and even leaving citydata but he never do. If its all that bad you would have been gone by now no matter the circumstance but its been going on long enough. Good ridens yall can have him PLEASE TAKE HIM!!!!!!
Last edited by Northernest Southernest C; 03-25-2015 at 08:10 PM..
Due to work, I have spent time in the Boston area and the west coast as I have represented companies with their main offices in Boston and worked conventions in California and my comment about living in the Atlanta area is Target's motto, "Expect more. Pay Less." I am amazed about how much people pay for houses in the Boston area and in CA for houses people in the Atlanta area would turn up their noses at. Specifically, I have seen houses in the Lexington, MA area which would go for a million, but would be considered "dated" - they look like they are from the Brady Bunch era of the 1970's yet people pay a premium for the location.
In the Atlanta area, it doesn't cost a fortune to buy a home in a good school district - East Cobb is a good starting point for looking. The high schools - Walton, Pope, Lassiter and Sprayberry all have excellent ratings. Wheeler, while part of its district is affluent, also draws from a large area of apartments and that brings its test scores down.
Something you will find different in the Atlanta suburbs is restrictive covenant communities which have mandatory homeowners associations which often have a swim and tennis club for the subdivision. While the HOA puts a lot of pressure on the homeowners to maintain the look of their homes and yards, the swim and tennis club provides a great opportunity to know one's neighbors.
Something else I have noticed that is different in Atlanta from the Boston area (And the NE in general) is just common courtesy. When you walk in a store here, the clerks are more friendly and will say thank you when you check out. From my experience, it is rare in New England to hear that.
Certain things like granite countertops, and upgraded kitchen cabinets are considered basics in houses here above $200K. Also, houses built before 1990 are considered to older in some suburbs of Atlanta - that will be a significant difference from Boston.
Even though it gets quite hot and humid here during the summer, usually after 7PM, the temperature begins to drop and it's not that bad to be outside. You won't get home from work to much earlier than that anyway.
Also, some have mentioned the politics of this area. Most people don't wear their views on their sleeves. I noticed in Boston there is a lot more civic engagement with people waving signs and campaign banners on the side of the street for municipal elections - there is just no that level of civic engagement here.
Due to work, I have spent time in the Boston area and the west coast as I have represented companies with their main offices in Boston and worked conventions in California and my comment about living in the Atlanta area is Target's motto, "Expect more. Pay Less." I am amazed about how much people pay for houses in the Boston area and in CA for houses people in the Atlanta area would turn up their noses at. Specifically, I have seen houses in the Lexington, MA area which would go for a million, but would be considered "dated" - they look like they are from the Brady Bunch era of the 1970's yet people pay a premium for the location.
In the Atlanta area, it doesn't cost a fortune to buy a home in a good school district - East Cobb is a good starting point for looking. The high schools - Walton, Pope, Lassiter and Sprayberry all have excellent ratings. Wheeler, while part of its district is affluent, also draws from a large area of apartments and that brings its test scores down.
Something you will find different in the Atlanta suburbs is restrictive covenant communities which have mandatory homeowners associations which often have a swim and tennis club for the subdivision. While the HOA puts a lot of pressure on the homeowners to maintain the look of their homes and yards, the swim and tennis club provides a great opportunity to know one's neighbors.
Something else I have noticed that is different in Atlanta from the Boston area (And the NE in general) is just common courtesy. When you walk in a store here, the clerks are more friendly and will say thank you when you check out. From my experience, it is rare in New England to hear that.
Certain things like granite countertops, and upgraded kitchen cabinets are considered basics in houses here above $200K. Also, houses built before 1990 are considered to older in some suburbs of Atlanta - that will be a significant difference from Boston.
Even though it gets quite hot and humid here during the summer, usually after 7PM, the temperature begins to drop and it's not that bad to be outside. You won't get home from work to much earlier than that anyway.
Also, some have mentioned the politics of this area. Most people don't wear their views on their sleeves. I noticed in Boston there is a lot more civic engagement with people waving signs and campaign banners on the side of the street for municipal elections - there is just no that level of civic engagement here.
Funny you mention Lexington, it is in the top 5 school districts in the whole state of MA. Thats exactly why people (wealthier) have no problem spending $600k-800k on a complete fixer upper. Its like that in all the suburbs with great to excellent schools. So basically, if you want your children to have a great education, you better be a lawyer or a doctor up here.
The attitudes of people up here are one of the main reasons why my wife and I want to move so badly. We are just fed up with pissy, arrogant people who make life miserable for everyone around them. We consider ourselves to be fairly outgoing people (for NE standards I guess) but we never seem to connect with anyone in our area. Most younger couples like us are too self centered and already have their group of friends that they've known since childhood and thats all they want. (A lot of people around here never end up leaving the towns or area they grew up in, or their parents grew up in, so they have this almost "tribe" like mentality and only socialize with friends and relatives that they grew up with, and they usually don't feel the need to meet or interact with anyone else. We call those people "townies")
As far as the politics are concerned, I am fully prepared and aware that moving to greater Atlanta will be sort of a "political culture" shock for us. Like I said in a previous post, I am more of a moderate. I agree and disagree with some aspects of both political parties. I like my guns and to go shoot them, but I am not going to the gun range in a pickup with islamaphobic/anti-gay bumper stickers all over them either. Definitely middle of the road. I hope I can find some balance like that in an area around Atlanta.
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