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My wife and I recently relocated to Knoxville, TN from Arizona and are ready for another change in scenery. My wife's degree dictates where we would be potentially moving to and as a result we have limited our new search to the above locations. Atlanta it would be in the Emory area, George Mason (Outside of D.C.), UNC Charlotte, Loyola in Chicago and UT Austin. I have been to D.C., though its been awhile and as for the rest, neither of us have visited any of them. I am in the mortgage industry though looking to make a change for obvious reasons so as far as jobs go a strong banking community would be great. We spend alot of time outside and my personal favorite city is Seattle if that gives anybody any particular idea of the direction we are looking. I know this is vague but if anybody has any insight it would be much appreciated.
Last edited by mlj09; 01-20-2010 at 10:15 AM..
Reason: clarification
Well as of right now, Charlotte's banking industry isn't what it used to be, but it's not in ruins either. The banks are starting to hire again, and we even have mortgage-related companies that are hiring big-time. We've got our fair share of things to do outdoors and we're pretty much midway between the mountains and the beach.
Of all the cities you're considering, I would have to say it's a toss up between both Austin and Charlotte.
Both cities are progressing nicely, offer substancial opportunities and are located in pleasant settings.
Austin has the beautiful "Texas hill country and Lake Bonnell as a beautiful backdrop ... while Charlotte sits in North Carolinas rolling piedmont, offering the majesty of the Great Smoky Mtns just a few hours west and the coastal areas a bit further east.
I've visited Austin and once lived in Charlotte. In other forums, I have come across as being somewhat harsh with regards to Charlotte, so my recommendation here may "startle" more than a few other posters on this site.
Charlotte has experienced extremely rapid growth that has created some problems ... but even I now acknowledge that this has been an issue that is being addressed in various ways.
Austin is simply gorgeous ... and offers a very funky, hip vibe ... a very youthful feel is present there.
So, it's a fair "toss up" here. I'd personally recommend both Austin and Charlotte ... it's a very close match!
By the way ... an honourable mention goes to Atlanta. It's also a vibrant, progressive and beautiful city ... just be aware though of the vast "sprawl" that is seemingly never ending.
Last edited by JohnDBaumgardner; 01-20-2010 at 10:31 AM..
Reason: x
UT is a fantastic school with beautiful campus in downtown Austin, but Austin isn't much of a banking town. It's more of a city for people working for a university, or in (Texas) politics, high tech, entertainment, and I guess real estate (considering the growth rate of the area). Not that I'm an expert, but I don't think Austin has a big banking community.
Normally I would agree with the person who said Charlotte or Austin but because you said you wanted a change of scenery I would suggest Chicago. The other cities are pretty similar to where you are (NC-Tennessee) or where you've been (Arizona-Texas).
Normally I would agree with the person who said Charlotte or Austin but because you said you wanted a change of scenery I would suggest Chicago. The other cities are pretty similar to where you are (NC-Tennessee) or where you've been (Arizona-Texas).
Atlanta similar to Knoxville, TN? LOL I don't think so.
If the Emory area of Atlanta is an option, consider yourself lucky; some of the best neighborhoods in the city surround its' campus.
Here is a link to an earlier post I made about the Atlanta/Seattle comparison; I'm very familiar with both cities.
Loyola's location on Chicago's North Side is pretty damn good. That's what my personal choice would be. However, you should think about whether or not you want to live in a big city before moving to Chicago. Cities like Atlanta and DC are both big, but compared to Chicago they feel pretty small. Compared to inner/downtown Chicago they feel downright tiny. The area surrounding Loyola seems to be very good. Lincoln Park--one of the nicest neighborhoods in the entire city--is located to the South with Evanston to the North.
You mentioned you like to be outside...do you prefer to be near water, or near woodsy/forest areas? If you prefer the woods, Northern Georgia is absolutely beautiful. You may have access to relatively similar areas in Knoxville, but it's still worth a look. Lake Michigan in Chicago is absolutely beautiful. Though, it's not the same thing as an ocean, it's pretty close. If you're living in the Loyola area you'd be living within a few blocks of the lake.
Washington DC is lucky enough to be close to both the ocean and mountains. The mountains of Virginia/WV to the West and the beautiful Chesapeake and Delaware Bays to the East. The outdoor options of Washington DC blow the other cities you've listed out of the water.
In regards to professional opportunities for yourself: are you into consumer banking or financial services? I think regardless of the area, you'll find Chicago comes out on top. It's the #2 financial center in the Americas, and one of the ten best on the planet. Charlotte is another great location, however they've taken a huge hit since the economy has tanked (as have everyone). From what I've heard, many of the investment management positions of Bank of America have been moved up North to New York and Boston.
Either way, all five of these cities are pretty good...here's how I would rank them if I was in your position:
1. Chicago
2. Washington DC
3. Atlanta
4. Austin
5. Charlotte
LovinDecatur, thanks for the link, very useful. Choosing78 I definitely get what you mean with Chicago being vastly different than either Tennessee or Arizona. I definitely agree with everyone that big cities have their pros and cons, but overall I think that both my wife and I are ready for it. From the sound of it Charlotte has been hit very hard so that may be a last resort for us. My wife's family is all in Knoxville which is one reason why Atlanta sounds good, its a short distance but still a massive city. I have done primarily consumer banking but have investment licenses as well as mortgage lending experience so I'm open to all options on that front.
If you're interested in being located in a very big city, seriously consider Chicago. My (short) experience there was great. I've heard the North Side--where Loyola is located--is the best area of the city too. I guess the same rings true for Emory, as LovinDecatur said earlier it's located in one of the best neighborhoods in the city.
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