Thinking of moving from SF Bay Area to Atlanta (Roswell: middle school, catholic church)

[bayarea-girl]

Hey folks, I didn't mean to dog Atla Bates. But everyone bragged about the place being the best hospital in the Bay and my experience was not a good one. Georgia completely spoiled me and I thought every hospital was the same. I will say that I did have an excellent nurse but the facility was lacking.

Also Thank you, you should look into the demographics of the area every county/city has one to give you insight on the population mix. But keep in mind it is the South and in GA you will mainly find white and black. I don't think blacks care too much about what you are as long as you are cool. You might want to check out areas where people have moved from the North/East as they are use to many different types of people and cultures.

[Thank You]

My husband, spent 8 years of his youth in Mobile Alabama and came away w/ a Jaded view of Southerners. I've been trying to convince him Atl is as metropolitan as any other city and that people are moving there from all over the US. I've looked into Roswell because they have a the Catholic schools I've been looking for. I'd like to be close enough to the schools so that my kids can see their friends after school without it being a major traffic issue. Does anyone have any info on the commute to Alpharetta? What about software industries in Roswell. I've noticed a few on Dice.

[Morriah]

You are right, we have so many transplants here that it is rare to find someone who is a native anymore. There is no comparison between Mobile and Atlanta, bring your husband here for a visit and he'll see.

My husaband and his sister both went to St. Jude Catholic school and my sister-in-law is sending her kids there as well. They live in Dunwoody which is close to the school and very close to Roswell and Alpharetta - maybe a 10 minute drive. I don't know about IT jobs but I think Dunwoody is a great location for it's close proximity to Atlanta but with a more suburban, family-oriented feel.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by Thank You

I'm wondering if anyone can give me some info on the the software industry there, is it a strong industry where there are a number of jobs, or are the jobs few and waning.

As with most places, a lot is going to depend on specifics (languages, platforms, frameworks, etc.), and it might also depend on the specific business contexts in which you've worked.

Some skillsets are in very heavy demand, and some aren't.

We're always looking for good people, as are many companies, but we're mainly focused on airline and communications stuff. For more information, feel free to PM me.

Most hiring for technical jobs is still controlled by nontechnical HR people, sadly, which makes the job hunt still a crap shoot. It isn't what you know or what you'd done so much, but rather *WHO* you know.

It shouldn't be that way, IMO, but it seems to be...

[kaday]

Saint Annn's is a huge Catholic church in East Cobb. There are over 2000 students in their CCD program alone (they call it PSR here). They have a Catholic preschool which is excellent. Also there is a great Catholic school in Roswell called Queen of Angels.

[nitaishere]

Hello,

This is my first time posting,I figured why not it could be useful. I'm a BayArea(California) woman with a 9year old son,single. I'm looking to relocate around 2012,when I will be done with school. I'm looking to move near Atlanta. I do not want to live exactly in Atlanta,but also don't want to live far from ATL. Looking for a nice quite surburban area with a good school district. I would hate to move into a new state and make the wrong move !! I have been researching Marietta and Alpharetta, and would like to hear and gain more information about these locations,and your help would be very much appreciated. Not looking to purchase a home, but would'nt mind renting,I'm open to townhouses and or duplexs, so if you are familiar with the cost of living,that will be helpful also. 2bedrm of course. Also concern'd with crime,jobs,shopping and laws thats worth mentioning. Plan to visit sometime in June 2011...and also need to know the areas to stay away from !! WARNING AREAS. A decent place for a single parent raising a 9yr old kid. Please help !!!! Thanks !!!!

[SW30303]

Marietta (East Cobb County) and Alpharetta (North Fulton county) areas are good choices for a single parent wanting decent public schools. With that in mind, I would also research the public schools using GreatSchools - Public and Private School Ratings, Reviews and Parent Community

Keep in mind these areas (north metro Atlanta) cost more than most other areas of suburban because the public schools are considered high ranking. Commute times are also a big factor to consider too.

You definitely want to have a job lined up when you move here unless you have substantial savings to use while looking for a job. Many people say have about 6 months worth. I would encourage people to have even more given the tight job market.

I hope you enjoy your visit and good luck!

Also just post one time with your own topic. You might do even better to start here too:
//www.city-data.com/forum/atlan...ead-first.html

[nyte3k]

Originally Posted by Thank You

Hello All,
Our family lives in the East Bay of the SF Bay Area and my husband is a software engineer, I'm a stay at home mom of 2. As much as there is to like about living here, our standard of living is really becoming difficult. I've looked into software jobs in the Roswell, Alphraetta and from what I can tell the pay isn't much different than what we earn here. I'm wondering if anyone can give me some info on the the software industry there, is it a strong industry where there are a number of jobs, or are the jobs few and waning. Also, any Bay Area transplants there? Could you give my your thoughts on the change?
Thanks allot,
Tracie

As everyone else has been answering the area & Catholic part of your question, I will attempt to answer the IT portion.

I'm a software engineer and have been for a few years as I run a small software company and I also contract. From my standpoint it appears IT is doing well here, even through the recession.

There are still a ton of jobs that I see listed on the various job sites for this area, and I still get calls and emails from prospective employers months after I made it known I am no longer in the market. I was however, not immune to the recession as I was laid off in 2008, and "unemployed" for a year and a half. It was by choice for me to take a break for a year (and it was fantastic!)

I think it really depends on your skills as to what positions you will find. If your skills include the run-of-the-mill enterprise stuff like Java or .NET, you should not have a problem. I used to be a java developer, but now I am primarily an iOS and Mac developer, and it's so far going great. There are FAR FAR less positions for this(iPhone/Mac) market, but there are also WAY less candidates as well, so it works out.

What I've noticed in the Atlanta market, is that the positions that use the new and shiny technologies that many west coast start ups use are pretty non-existent here. Even today, I'm amazed and how little iPhone and Android development positions there are here. Personally I sometimes see it as a blessing, as you have a greater chance of demanding more money and leading new ideas/products for the company you work for as you'll be the only commodity with that specific knowledge.

One thing you may also want to do, is join some Atlanta-area software developer meetup groups...job postings at times come through those avenues as well. Usually those positions are for startups and the cooler companies out there, if you would rather avoid the giant corporation atmosphere.

Alpharetta area has a ton of the IT jobs in the area, but I've also been seeing more positions in the west midtown area as it offers the classic brick industrial buildings that a lot of the younger companies like. (I believe MailChimp is out that way) Buckhead and Perimeter area might also have a few pockets of IT jobs.

Personally, if I were you, and you wanted to be a safe area, nice schools, decent home prices, and easy access to both Alpharetta and Buckhead/Midtown/Downtown area for jobs or recreation, i would consider Sandy Springs. Depending on where you live in Sandy Springs, you have easy access to Marta bus or train as well as major roads and interstates. (plus you can avoid Atlanta taxes )

I hope this wasn't too much info and it helped some.

[nyte3k]

Originally Posted by nitaishere

Hello,

This is my first time posting,I figured why not it could be useful. I'm a BayArea(California) woman with a 9year old son,single. I'm looking to relocate around 2012,when I will be done with school. I'm looking to move near Atlanta. I do not want to live exactly in Atlanta,but also don't want to live far from ATL. Looking for a nice quite surburban area with a good school district. I would hate to move into a new state and make the wrong move !! I have been researching Marietta and Alpharetta, and would like to hear and gain more information about these locations,and your help would be very much appreciated. Not looking to purchase a home, but would'nt mind renting,I'm open to townhouses and or duplexs, so if you are familiar with the cost of living,that will be helpful also. 2bedrm of course. Also concern'd with crime,jobs,shopping and laws thats worth mentioning. Plan to visit sometime in June 2011...and also need to know the areas to stay away from !! WARNING AREAS. A decent place for a single parent raising a 9yr old kid. Please help !!!! Thanks !!!!

You shouldn't have a problem finding a townhome or single family to rent. Like the previous poster said, Alpharetta, and Marietta are nice choices. (I'm not really a fan of Marietta, is it seems WAY to suburban for me, but i'm single with no kids, living in Buckhead so i'm a totally different demographic )

Also check out Sandy Springs, Roswell, and perhaps Brookhaven or Dunwoody area. In those areas, there aren't really places to avoid necessarily (unless someone else can chime in). As far as the metro area, I would avoid the south side (primarily south of interstate 20). There are some nice pockets there, but there are also larger pockets of not so nice areas. If you would rather live in the southern suburbs, I would consider Fayette county's Peachtree City area as well, but you'll be far from any jobs that are usually concentrated in the north-metro area.

June is a perfect time to come here. If I were you I would stay for a bout a week, or at least stay part of a work-week and into the weekend, just to see how different areas are. If possible, I would also try to visit during the school year as that adds to the traffic a bit in some areas.

I'm assuming you're familiar with our weather here, but if not, when you come in June, be prepared to sweat. If you come now, be prepared to bundle up (and shovel snow/ice if it were the pat few days). And if you come in Spring or Fall, be prepared to fall in love with the area (unless of course you're allergic to pollen in the spring)! Basically we get all four seasons which I love.

[Tresninas]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

I'm a former Catholic so I tend to notice Catholic churches and I've found the biggest concentration to be in the city. However, I know little about the Alpharetta area.

There are some really dynamic Catholic Churches north of Atlanta (and I'm sure elsewhere, but I'm just not familiar with them). I attend St. Brigid in Johns Creek (it's kind of on the Johns Creek/Alpharetta border). Lots of ministries, activities, great religious education program.

I moved to the area from the Philadelphia area, and was pleasantly surprised by how many Catholics there are in the Atlanta-area.