You can save $12,560 a year by leaving Atlanta for the suburbs (Forsyth: homes, school district)

[samiwas1]

Originally Posted by Forhall

I don't understand why people argue about living somewhere cheaper. Cost is entirely due to demand and desirability. It costs more to live on the beaches of Australia than a rural village in Cambodia. It costs more to live in NYC metro than in Nowhere, Kansas. We all know there are cheaper options, but like with everything in life people pay for what they want. No one argues that McDonalds exist when someone says how much they enjoyed dinner at Aria or Eugene the night before. Why do people always try to push the suburbs as some kind of great deal, when there are clearly downsides, hence the lower price.

I'm pretty sure no ones said that there are no downsides to living in the suburbs. But, there are several here who paint living in the suburbs, even those as close as a few miles from the city, as some sort of hellish existence that has no benefit to anyone. To many people, suburbs offer exactly what they want. They might not like city life and dense environments.

When you watch house hunters and the people say they want to be near cafes, museums, cafes, entertainment, cafes, shops, and more cafes, that's those type of people. That's not everyone. Not everyone wants that. If I didn't have any need to be in the city, and had the money, I'd live in something like this. Now, if I were single and wanting to go out all the time, I'd want to be more in the city. It's all about what you want in life.

Originally Posted by Forhall

Poster above me is right though. Lake Claire kind of fits the bill, as does many other more secluded, wooded neighborhoods in northeastern Atlanta.

Sure. You an get an older, smaller house in one of those neighborhoods. If you want a more modern (as in, built in the last ten years), 2,000 square foot, 3-bedroom house for under $350,000...you're either going to a not-so-great neighborhood or heading for the suburbs. There are literally two houses for sale ITP, north of 20, and east of I-75, both with tiny lots and surrounded by old ranch homes. Or, I could head to Mableton and get a 4-5 bed, 3 bath brand new home in a gated neighborhood with pool, tennis, playground and clubhouse for the same price. It's all about what you value in life. If I have to sit in traffic for another two hours per week, but get a much better living situation, I could make that trade.

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by AnsleyPark

I saved about $19k in taxes alone.

Congratulations on your 1.7 million dollar home!

[LadyK314]

Originally Posted by samiwas1

It all depends on what people want in their life. To many, living in a concrete jungle of dense buildings on grid streets is soul-crushing. Sure, you might have shorter commutes, but there's a whole life outside of work. If you enjoy open space, nature, lakes, etc...living in the middle of the city might not be for you.

THIS RIGHT HERE.

I do NOT miss living in NYC, the restaurants perhaps (we cook at home SOOO much now, the food just doesn't taste righthere), but not living there. I have a darn PARK as a backyard...a PARK. We're living such a healthier and in a more cost effective way I thank God that we moved here. It's like I have my own little kingdom. .

And there was NO way I would have been able to have chickens, turkeys, ducks, dogs and goats and at the same time be close to a city like area for work.

The city pays well, but it DRAINS your soul. Good luck to people wanting to grind, but I prefer to keep what money I make.

[magnetar]

The city may drain your "soul", in your estimation, however people who live in cities are healthier than those who live in the country: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001...34442652581806

And their life expectancies are three years longer: Life Expectancy Gap Between City And Country Folk Widens: How Access To Health Care Plays A Part

So I guess what's good for your soul must be really terrible for your heart, liver, etc.

I'll gladly pay an extra $12,560 (which is still a 100% made-up number) for three extra years on this planet.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by magnetar

The city may drain your "soul", in your estimation, however people who live in cities are healthier than those who live in the country: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001...34442652581806

And their life expectancies are three years longer: Life Expectancy Gap Between City And Country Folk Widens: How Access To Health Care Plays A Part

So I guess what's good for your soul must be really terrible for your heart, liver, etc.

I'll gladly pay an extra $12,560 (which is still a 100% made-up number) for three extra years on this planet.

suburbs =/= country
I seem to remember some "study" (aka just random stats thrown together) that showed Forsyth county as the healthiest in the state. So are you going to move there to extend your life?

[whodean]

Surely he did not mean that a healthy city person who moves to"the suburbs" automatically becomes less healthy, right?

So silly.

[primaltech]

Suburbs generally have better air quality than their city, but Atlanta might be a special case exception to that for the most part, since it's so low density and has so many trees. Probably not much worse than the suburbs. (Basically it IS a suburb.)

(Except for around the industrial areas, obviously.)

[LadyK314]

Originally Posted by magnetar

The city may drain your "soul", in your estimation, however people who live in cities are healthier than those who live in the country: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001...34442652581806

And their life expectancies are three years longer: Life Expectancy Gap Between City And Country Folk Widens: How Access To Health Care Plays A Part

So I guess what's good for your soul must be really terrible for your heart, liver, etc.

I'll gladly pay an extra $12,560 (which is still a 100% made-up number) for three extra years on this planet.

Why would you assume Suburbs automatically mean country? That being said neither cities nor suburbs can claim exclusive rights to good health, there are various social economical factors that play into that.

Joe Smo who makes 15k yearly, sharing a 1 bedroom with 3 roommates in the city, can NOT afford the same level of health care that Sir Ellington of Marigold, who lives on a private Island in the middle of no where, can. But you seem to think that MERE proximity to health centers has NO correlation to income levels and education.

I stated that urban dwelling drains your soul, as in emotional or intellectual energy. There has been numerous studies that shows the mental "drain" of urban living, this is not up for debate.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...mental-health/

Synopsis-

Their analysis revealed that growing up in the city nearly doubled the likelihood of psychotic symptoms at age 12, and that exposure to crime along with low social cohesion (that is, a lack of closeness and supportiveness between neighbors) were the biggest risk factors.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2996208/

Synopsis- [/LEFT]
The range of disorders and deviancies associated with urbanization is enormous. Some of the disorders are severe mental disorders, depression, substance abuse, alcoholism, crime, family disintegration, and alienation. Dementia and major depression are two, dementia and major depression are the two leading contributors, accounting, respectively, for one-quarter and one-sixth of all disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in this group. Most people with dementia live in developing countries: 60% in 2001 is projected to rise up to 71% by 2040. Rates of increase are not uniform: numbers are forecast to increase by 100% in developed countries between 2001 and 2040


But, think how you will. I have no issues with city living for others, besides, someone need to keep those mental health institutions filled or PLENTY of people I associate with would be out of work.

[jhtrico1850]

Originally Posted by LadyK314

THIS RIGHT HERE.

I do NOT miss living in NYC, the restaurants perhaps (we cook at home SOOO much now, the food just doesn't taste righthere), but not living there. I have a darn PARK as a backyard...a PARK. We're living such a healthier and in a more cost effective way I thank God that we moved here. It's like I have my own little kingdom. .

And there was NO way I would have been able to have chickens, turkeys, ducks, dogs and goats and at the same time be close to a city like area for work.

The city pays well, but it DRAINS your soul. Good luck to people wanting to grind, but I prefer to keep what money I make.

Long commutes drain my soul

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Congratulations on your 1.7 million dollar home!

Owning it was one of my dumber financial mistakes. Selling it was one of my best financial successes.