1st time relocation to Atlanta need help (Savannah, Roswell: to rent, condominium)

[bigup]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

That is good that you are kind of expecting a major culture shock.

But even for as big of a culture shock that you might be expecting, expect something even bigger, more massive and probably more jarring than you currently might be imagining coming from a place like the sparsely-populated Alabama Gulf Coast.

Be prepared to live a dramatically different lifestyle than the one that you likely have lived during your entire life up until now.

Oh, come on, in Lawrenceville or Lilburn, GA? I might say that to someone departing the US for Russia, but the OP isn't even leaving the south. To me a drastically different lifestyle would involve adapting to new foods, cultural norms or even a new language. Don't forget your passport!

[Born 2 Roll]

Originally Posted by bigup

Oh, come on, in Lawrenceville or Lilburn, GA? I might say that to someone departing the US for Russia, but the OP isn't even leaving the south. To me a drastically different lifestyle would involve adapting to new foods, cultural norms or even a new language. Don't forget your passport!

The OP and her family are going to be moving from a sparsely-populated area on the Alabama Gulf Coast (...an area of a slow-paced, laid-back coastal lifestyle that is unique to relatively very few parts of the U.S.) to the North Atlanta suburbs (severe traffic congestion, super-long rush hour commutes, overcrowding, crime, undocumented immigration, very large international population, ultra-diversity, Northerners/Northeasterners, significantly higher cost-of-living, etc.).

As far as OP and her family are concerned, a move from the laid-back Alabama Gulf Coast (no traffic, pretty much no crime, beaches, water, etc) to the fast-paced, overcrowded North Atlanta suburbs might as well be a move to Los Angeles.

The OP and her family will eventually adjust but the early going will definitely be a challenge.

If the OP and her family want to live in a semi-rural outlying area, the OP and her family are more than likely going to have to accept a long commute to and from her husband's job in Norcross.

If the OP and her family want to live in an area that is a relatively short commute to and from her husband's job in Norcross, the OP is probably going to both pay more money than they might like to live and live in an area that might be more urban than they might like and/or be used to.

The OP and her family seems to have spent most of their lives (if not their entire lives) in a laid-back, slower-paced sparsely-populated coastal rural area on the Alabama Gulf Coast, so moving to and living in an increasingly overcrowded, increasingly fast-paced, increasingly high-priced, landlocked international metropolis overrun with Northerners is most likely going to be jarring in the early going and is going to take some time for the OP, her husband and her children to get used to.

[bhammaster]

OMG, this thread.

OP, are you from Mobile or Baldwin county by chance?

If so you should be familiar with the traffic on the I10 bridge during rush or beach time and Airport Boulevard. Just imagine that everywhere during rush hour in the morning and afternoon commutes.

There seems to be some wild exaggeration going on about the "Alabama gulf coast" as if it were the boonies. Lol.

[bhammaster]

Originally Posted by Born 2 Roll

The OP and her family seems to have spent most of their lives (if not their entire lives) in a laid-back, slower-paced sparsely-populated coastal rural area on the Alabama Gulf Coast, so moving to and living in an increasingly overcrowded, increasingly fast-paced, increasingly high-priced, landlocked international metropolis overrun with Northerners is most likely going to be jarring in the early going and is going to take some time for the OP, her husband and her children to get used to.

That really depends on where in the "Alabama Gulf Coast" they are from. The area has a CSA of about 700k and well over a million people in a 60 mile radius. It's not Atlanta but it's not the "boonies" or rural at all either lol, it is bigger than August and Savannah population wise.

[avic77]

Originally Posted by bhammaster

OMG, this thread.

OP, are you from Mobile or Baldwin county by chance?

If so you should be familiar with the traffic on the I10 bridge during rush or beach time and Airport Boulevard. Just imagine that everywhere during rush hour in the morning and afternoon commutes.

There seems to be some wild exaggeration going on about the "Alabama gulf coast" as if it were the boonies. Lol.

LOL yes We are from North Mobile County. It probably is the boonies to most people but I travel I10 during summer beach rush. And am frequently on Airport Blvd.
My husbands current commute is about 30 minutes.

I have been looking north and east from Canton area to about Auburn.
So i guess that is east of 575 and North of 29.

Im going to need a really good Realtor who specializes in relocation! I am actually excited about living in a subdivision and in a place where there is always something to do!

[ATLTJL]

Is there ANY way you can boost your budget? Because I just really don't think you're going to be happy with anything you will find in the area for $200k, unless you go out to the boonies, which will turn your husband into an intolerable monster after a month of commuting.

One thing you didn't say is how big your family is. Can you fit into a townhouse, or a 2-bedroom apartment for six months while you scope things out? Can you husband move ahead of you for a couple of months and live in temporary housing a bit while he surveys the area and figures out what makes the most sense for you?

Finally, how stable is the office in Norcross? Lots of people buy houses in Atlanta to be close to a company and then the company picks up and moves its office to another part of town.

[CaliDreaming01]

I agree with Born2Roll. You are definitely going to be in for culture shock and I don't think anything we can post here will prepare you for it.

I was in the opposite position several years ago in that I moved to Mobile, AL after having lived in the Atlanta metro area for many years off and on since birth. I was moving from Washington D.C. and was looking for a more balanced work/life balance and wanted to be closer to family members in ATL.

Long story short, I stayed 1.5 years in Mobile, decided it wasn't for me and moved back to the Atlanta metro area for good in 2005. I could not adjust and never felt I fit in there. It's not so much the size, but I found the Gulf Coast region to be a place where everyone is pretty homogenous in the way they think and live. I felt very alone with no one I could really relate to even though Mobile is not a small city and fairly diverse. I am an African-American professional and was young and single at the time.

I think you will know very quickly whether Atlanta is for you or not just as I did when I moved to Mobile.

[fieldm]

Originally Posted by avic77

LOL yes We are from North Mobile County. It probably is the boonies to most people but I travel I10 during summer beach rush. And am frequently on Airport Blvd.
My husbands current commute is about 30 minutes.

I have been looking north and east from Canton area to about Auburn.
So i guess that is east of 575 and North of 29.

Im going to need a really good Realtor who specializes in relocation! I am actually excited about living in a subdivision and in a place where there is always something to do!

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

Traffic will be horrible for him

[avic77]

Originally Posted by fieldm

No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No No

Traffic will be horrible for him

I meant no further north then Canton. It looked like 140 was a straight shot down to Norcross.

I have a lot to learn, i know!

[fieldm]

What are his work hours?