Relocating from California to Atlanta, GA.?

Question

I am considering a relocation from the Bay area to Atlanta. I have never relocated before. What should I be thinking about and taking into consideration?

If any of you have done this move do you regret it?

Answer 1

I moved from New York to Atlanta in 1998 -- when gas was .99 cents for PREMIUM! I have never regretted my move!

Before packing the first box, research the price tag of the move you are about to do. Whether you move to a lower-cost location could help if you don’t have a job, but if you move into a higher-cost location and don’t have an increased source of income, finances could be a little tight.

How much will your lifestyle cost if you relocate?
Unfortunately, the job market in a city does not portray a full picture of how much it costs to live there. Water is a valuable commodity in the Southwest and therefore costs more; energy is expensive in California because of past shortages. Gas is expensive in certain Midwest states because of laws mandating the use of reformulated gas. The local newspaper is a great source of information for a cost analysis of the city; you can look at news stories and analyze what seem to be major issues. You can also check out grocery store promotions, car ads and housing and classified employment ads.

Study the housing market
The cost of housing is one of the easiest yet most complex aspects of deciding to relocate. While the housing market is booming, the best houses, apartments or condos will, understandably, be either taken or expensive. It’s easy because you can find home-price comparisons on the Internet, in newspapers and through real estate agents. It’s complex because in order to find a house that fits your personality, you may have to take more things into account, such as the school district you’ll be in, the crime rate, the proximity of grocery stores, malls, or a Wal-Mart, the personality of the neighborhood, and trash collection policies. Check out how much homeowners’ insurance is and what the mortgage rates are. And try to get sample bills of the area – do you want cable TV or Internet access? Will you get your water from the city or have a septic tank and well?

Pay attention to taxes
Don’t let high taxes scare you away from deciding to relocate to an area, however. Those tax dollars are paying for something – is the public school system highly rated? Are there local public swimming pools? Good libraries? Trash collection? Saving on taxes may lead to higher expenses in other categories.

What will you new life cost you when you relocate?
This is a list of items you should have an estimated cost for. Subtract from your total income and see if the number is comparable to or lower than the number for your current situation.

Transportation: parking, commuting costs, gas, auto insurance, auto registration

Expenses : Monthly mortgage or rent, maintenance, water, gas, electric, trash collection, property taxes, income taxes, condo fees, homeowners insurance

Everyday expenses: Food, childcare, restaurant meals, entertainment, lawn service, cable TV, hair care, medical care, dental care, family vacations, long-distance phone bills, school tuition fees

If you'd like to receive a relocation package, just drop me an email with your address. I will have one to you the next day.
___________________________________________

CAROLINE SIMMONS
REALTOR® & Affordable Housing Specialist
O. 866.894.3601 - C. 404.787.8685 - F. 404.745.8019
E. [e-mail]
AIM/YAHOO. Caroline Simmons

Answer 2

Keep your house in California, the prices are a lot less back east. If you are planning to live in California later, lease your house out here until such time, otherwise, you'll have a hard time coming back into the market. On the other hand, if you sell your house in California and expect to live there, you wil have a very large bank account, a very beautiful home, 4 times the size, at a 8th of the price, and you can buy matching BMW's if you want to and still have change!!! I do have a few friends that have moved there, took a little time to adjust, slower than California, but happy they did, and with the extra money you'll have if you sellyour home here, you can always take a quick flight out, or buy your friends a ticket to visit.

Have a good time.

Answer 3

I didn't really like Atlanta when I lived there, but I am a river rat and all those people and crazy traffic made me go ballistic. One thing you should know is that Atlanta has one of the worst traffic problems in the USA. I would be remiss if I didn;t let you know that. If you can't deal with it, a better option would be to maybe live and work in the suburbs. The traffic is why I left Atlanta. Visit there to get a better idea of whether or not you will like it. Go during the week.

Answer 4

Atlanta is great! There is alot of opportunity here and affordable housing you can stretch your money, education is affordable and you can actually have a diverse lifestyle and Get culture. Atlanta is a melting pot. You probaly will come across a Bay area crew in the ATL if you ever miss home. Signing off - Clearly Kilbs

Answer 5

Try contacting a local real estate agent. They will know everything there is to know about the local scene. A really good website to browse local real estate/real estate agents is: http://www.realestateforsaleingeorgia.com

It's really easy to navigate and is full of info about realtors with links to their personal websites. Most of their websites will have all the available homes/rentals in the area along with community info, so you can do some research before you contact anyone. Hopefully that works for you. Good luck!

Answer 6

You should consider hiring a Realtor to represent you. They know the local area and what to look out for and have access to nearly every home on the market.

You can expect more affordable living conditions and a much warmer summer.

Regards,
Joe Ballarino
http://www.AmerivestRealty.com

Answer 7

Not Atlanta, come on.

Answer 8

You will love the South its a slower paced life.

Answer 9

Life is about to become even better!
Best of luck!

Answer 10

my mom is doing that