What would you do different if you were to move to atl again? (Atlanta: neighborhood, buying)

[crux]

Spend the few extra grand to get your house at the right location.... in the back of a community. People fly through neighborhoods like they do on the freeways. Buy in a cul de sac so the SoBs are forced to slow down. I probably wouldve bought on the north side as well. The racial divide and bickering in Henry/Clayton bs is absurd - and it's now spilling into the next county.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Georgia

Easy one. NO I would NOT move to the Atlanta area. I was relocated here by my employer in 2004 when they opened a new division, however, since then they are reversing this decision in pieces and returning it back to Chicago.

I have lived in many areas during my life from Philadelphia, to NYC, to Chicago, etc., granted Atlanta is not the worst place I have lived, but it does not rank anywhere near the top.

It is all personal opinion. My opinion is the Atlanta area no longer offers any culture, no down home feel, and no comfort.
Yes, you can buy a home less than just about any other large metro area in the US, but there is an old saying, You get what you pay for.

In short, this area has suffered from massive growth, to fast, to soon, for infrastructure to keep up. To compare Atlanta to Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Denver, Phoenix, or NYC, well there is no comparison. Just my view, some love it, some don't.

I'm sorry that you feel that way, and I hope that you find what you are looking for wherever you go. Me, I find that there is abundance of amusement here if you want it and make an effort to seek it out. I've found that (and I don't know this is true of you, of course)many people here complain often and loudly about the lack of 'things to do', but these things are there and in abundance if you make a little effort to seek them out IMO. I'm kind of suspicious of a lot of people that make this claim...would they really leave the comfort of their TV to seek these things out regards of whether they lived in midtown Atlanta, NY or San Francisco?

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by aries4118

You chose Atlanta for college, but did you enjoy your time at Oglethorpe? Was that a good school choice for you? (Of course, I assuming that's where you attended since you always mention Brookhaven).

No, actually, I lived in Brookhaven but attended an arts college in Buckhead at the time. I just enjoyed living in Brookhaven, to answer your question.

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

About atlantagreg30127's comments about choosing somewhere different for college - I'm wondering, do Americans normally see choice of college as choice of adult residence? As a Canadian, the go-away-to-college ritual is unfamiliar to me. Canadians normally attend university at the undergraduate level, in their home city, except of course for rural residents who are obliged to leave home to attend college. Those that go beyond the bachelor's degree to graduate school customarily move away to a different school at that point.

I have no idea what the percentage is here in the U.S., but generally speaking as dumb as it sounds - if the family has enough money to send the kid "away", the kid is usually very much into wanting to do it. Generally it's the kids whos families unfortunately can't afford a huge college bill who wind up staying in the home town and going to a local community college. The others leave the state.

I think it's a combination of kids generally just wanting to get out on their own here (and by that it usually means getting as FAR away from the folks as possible), and also that some states here actually charge lower tuitions to students who come from out of state as well. That doesn't mean they STAY away, though. Kids these days are the most mature it seems - many of them just can't cope with the "real" world and I'd say it'd be a safe bet to say that at least 25% who go away to college come back home to live for at least a while when they graduate (or quit) school.

I grew up in Charleston, West Virginia. Population 55,000 in the city and a somewhat stagnant economy. I probably could have stayed there and got a PHD in something and I'd still wind up getting a job at the mall for $8.00 an hour as that's the only stuff available much of the time in that area. So for me and many others in my grad class in high school, the only hope of a life was to leave and head for a larger market area.

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

If you want to see "poorly maintained roads" try driving around the Northeast sometimes- you'll quickly begin to wonder where all the tolls being collected are going.......

No kidding. Frost heaves, pot holes, and roads that stay that way for months or years are what you'll see in the northeast. Georgia and the Atlanta area in particular have nearly pristine roads with smooth pavement, painted markings, and reflectors on even small local roads. I don't think people who have only lived in the south appreciate the great roads here.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by RainyRainyDay

If I had our move to do over again, with today's knowledge, I'd probably try to move ITP to an area with a more urban feel and liberal politics than East Cobb. My family's social transition would have been a lot more comfortable if we'd done that.

About atlantagreg30127's comments about choosing somewhere different for college - I'm wondering, do Americans normally see choice of college as choice of adult residence? As a Canadian, the go-away-to-college ritual is unfamiliar to me. Canadians normally attend university at the undergraduate level, in their home city, except of course for rural residents who are obliged to leave home to attend college. Those that go beyond the bachelor's degree to graduate school customarily move away to a different school at that point.

So, I've noticed the whole college-admission ritual, of course. But I hadn't realized that it implies a person is especially likely to find a job after graduation in the town where they attended college.

Going away for college is commonly seen as an american rite of passage.

(But then, not all students go to college.)

However, compared to other countries, somehow leaving the parent's nest at 18/19 is definitely an American rite of passage.

[SAlexander]

In the South it is not uncommon for families to live with in 5 miles of each other for life. Money no object. This forum is chock full of NYers and people not from the South or having any idea of what culture they've moved into.

Nowdays of course people move away more often, and college more available to all. For a lot of people though out west and down south, this is not the course of action. I suppose it is left over agra societies.

[Georgia]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

I'm sorry that you feel that way, and I hope that you find what you are looking for wherever you go. Me, I find that there is abundance of amusement here if you want it and make an effort to seek it out. I've found that (and I don't know this is true of you, of course)many people here complain often and loudly about the lack of 'things to do', but these things are there and in abundance if you make a little effort to seek them out IMO. I'm kind of suspicious of a lot of people that make this claim...would they really leave the comfort of their TV to seek these things out regards of whether they lived in midtown Atlanta, NY or San Francisco?

As stated Decatur, it is a matter of opinion. I guess I became a little spoiled from living where I have over the years. Trust me, I am hardly the TV hound, watch about an hour per week if that much, which is mostly news.

I'm just used to cities that offer so much at your fingertips, the places I have mentioned previously have areas like Little Italy, Chinatown, Greektown, the Polish Communities, Germantown, and mostly identity. Sorry, but I don't find that here. Yes there are some locations that stand out and say Old South. like Mary Mac's Tea Room off Ponce De Leon, Little 5 Points, and even what used to be nice, The Underground. I think what sets so many other cities apart from Atlanta is the overall leadership of the cities. I think you will find that do matter the party affiliation, the other major cities in America have leadership that "love" the city and not for the most part in "love" with themselves. When leadership attempts to make a city a standout then the overall attraction of different items appear.

I think the best overall example is Chicago. We all know the Mayor and leadership of Chicago is, well, lets just say they work in mysterious ways Heck, it's not the windy city for nothin', but the main thing is Dick Dailey "loves" Chicago. The leadership "loves" Chicago. Basically, it is all about marketing and advertising everything about Chicago. Here in Atlanta, nah. We have one Mayor in Jail, and the other is to busy advertising herself as the Sewer Queen and expanding panhandling, not to mention riding massive deficits and "misplacing" millions in TAD allocations.

Frankly, Atlanta has everything all the other cities have in it's general population, heck we are a melting pot. Imagine the jewel Atlanta could become only if it had a city government that loved Atlanta more than loving their own agenda's.

Again, just my opinion as others may differ.

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Where is this "poorly maintained road system" you're talking about? I've yet to find a section of road in the Atlanta metro area that I'd call "poorly maintained". In fact, I'm often amazed by the repaving projects that take place on perfectly good stretches of roads around here. The 75/85 repaving that's currently going on is a perfect example- there was nothing wrong with most of the road that they're currently resurfacing. If you want to see "poorly maintained roads" try driving around the Northeast sometimes- you'll quickly begin to wonder where all the tolls being collected are going.......

You must not get out much. Atlanta's roads are atrocious for a sunbelt city. I've lived in the NE and Midwest where the road systems are very bad, but they actually have an excuse, albeit a small one. Atlanta rarely has to put salt down on the roads and it doesn't suffer from the extreme freeze-thaw conditions that northern cities experience. Atlanta's streets are in shambles.

[LazyT]

Originally Posted by Georgia

I think the best overall example is Chicago. We all know the Mayor and leadership of Chicago is, well, lets just say they work in mysterious ways Heck, it's not the windy city for nothin', but the main thing is Dick Dailey "loves" Chicago. The leadership "loves" Chicago. Basically, it is all about marketing and advertising everything about Chicago. Here in Atlanta, nah. We have one Mayor in Jail, and the other is to busy advertising herself as the Sewer Queen and expanding panhandling, not to mention riding massive deficits and "misplacing" millions in TAD allocations.

FImagine the jewel Atlanta could become only if it had a city government that loved Atlanta more than loving their own agenda's.

Finally! Someone in this thread that actually understands what a mess Atlanta is in. Atlanta can become a top US city again, only if its people elect competent officials who actually love the city more than their own private agendas. Hopefully tomorrow, the people of Clayton County will wrestle their county back from the charlatans that have run that county into the ground.