If you could predict the future...will Atlanta become a HCOL city? (Kennesaw: real estate, apartments)

[Phil P]

Nope. It's too easy to build in ATL and that will squash sustained price soaring. Sure N. Atlanta suburbs and exurbs are getting real pricey, but even there it's still below Denver prices. But other directions of Atlanta, especially south, still are affordable with newer builds and a lot of SQFT. So portions may price out people, but that won't ever happen metro / CSA wide.

Most every place with soaring costs have some sort of severe supply problem where there's big hurdles to new development. In CO for the big cities on the front range, they are literally out of water for big new developments unless they pump it across a couple mountain ranges and there's no more land left to develop that's not hail alley prairie out east. Atlanta can grow in every direction.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by Atlanta-Native

I'd say quality of life is going to be very much an individual perspective. For me, if I were still living in the city of Atlanta, I'd say the quality of life to housing cost would be awful. Others might be ok with it.

Now living OTP, I think the quality of life is fantastic. Housing costs have gone up everywhere recently (and will fall back before long), but housing cost to quality of life, OTP, from my perspective, is great. Big lots, great schools, housing isn't as outrageous as ITP etc.

Again, I think it depends what matters most to each individual. I have zero interest in 'walking the beltline', or being part of the urban scene, it's not my thing. Also, I like the idea of much lower crime and safety in general.

I have to agree with everything you said except the idea that housing will fall back. Unless there is a huge recession, I expect houses to keep rising although at a much slower pace. At worse, kind of sit at the same prices instead of rising.

[aslowdodge]

Originally Posted by First24

Not sure Atlanta will reach the price points of the cities you listed, but I believe Atlanta could very well become an ‘expensive’ city. Financial segregation is a thing. People with the means will pay a premium to price out those they consider less desirable to live near.

I don’t think they pay a premium to push out less desirable people, but the premium rising prices do result in that in the end.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by offset

Typical of "blue areas". This is the natural progression of the disease.

And you know this how?

[offset]

Originally Posted by JMatl

And you know this how?

Look at other peer cities in the same predicaments. Several have been listed already: NYC, San Fran, LA, etc.

[MichiganderTexan]

Originally Posted by offset

Look at other peer cities in the same predicaments. Several have been listed already: NYC, San Fran, LA, etc.

Every large and growing city that has people moving there is in this predicament as well. Nashville, Austin, Dallas and others. Just so happens most large cities lean liberal so that's not really saying anything, because large cities generally cost more than small towns to begin with. The liberal cities where people aren't moving aren't seeing these COL increases. Most of the large cities in the Midwest are generally blue but since they aren't seeing massive population and job growth, their costs aren't going up like the previous mentioned cities.

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by offset

Look at other peer cities in the same predicaments. Several have been listed already: NYC, San Fran, LA, etc.

LOL! NYC, San Francisco and L.A. are not peer cities of Atlanta. You were just pathetically attempting to turn this thread political.

[Citykid3785]

To me, certainly the N. Atlanta area would qualify as a MCOL city. It is a top 10 sunbelt metro afterall.

Low taxes and jobs have historically been a draw to grow cities, weather being secondary. So I would argue that we have all 3.

[K1404]

Originally Posted by bellhead

I live in the Northern Suburbs & the entry price for a 4 bedroom 3k square foot house is around $600k now.

$200/sq. ft. is pretty cheap. Low taxes make it even more affordable relative to most major metro areas.

[ShenardL]

It is becoming higher cost of living, still a lot cheaper than some cities but a lot more expensive than it used to be. You won't find bargains in the northern burbs anymore but you can find them in the southern metro area. The southern metro area has a lot of room for growth.