Relocating? This isThe Thread for YOU!

[Obsession8]

Originally Posted by Little32

I am probably the only person on the board that prefers cold to heat.

No, you're not, soror. It's the lesser of the two "evils" for me, which is one of the reasons I can't wait to go back home to AK once my "stay" here in The 5th Circle of Hell is over. If I were to stay here in LA, it'd have to be in Baton Rouge (where most of *my* fam ended up post-Katrina). As far as other options go, I'll co-sign with the majority in considering Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas (in that order).

Now, back ttt...

[RedefinedDiva]

How did you wind up in Louisiana ALLLLLLL the way from Alaska?

[Obsession8]

Originally Posted by RedefinedDiva

How did you wind up in Louisiana ALLLLLLL the way from Alaska?

LOL, soror! I get that a lot. I'm originally from LA (Kenner; most of my fam on both sides still lives here), but moved to AK when I was little. So, it's "home" for me.

Originally Posted by SummerChild

Soror would somebody PLEASE tell me the fascination with Atl? My parents caught the Atl bug and moved there back in 1990 and even then people had been flocking there. So I've lived there but, um, why are the masses going there? I might just move on back to be with family, especially now that i have a niece, but here's my viewpoint:

1. it's hard for many people (ex: teachers) to get a job b/c everybody and their mother is moving there and market is oversaturated to some extent
2. the ratio of single and heterosexual AA men to AA women is approximately 3 to 10 (lol) or something like that - does anybody know a woman who was not in college at the au who moved to atlanta and actually found a man that wasn't already married to somebody else?
3. it's not that scenic - there's no water, no mountains, no beaches
4. it gets kinda cold in the winter for it to be the south

so really ya'll, what gives? i love seeing that AA girl in the mural when I come up the escalators at the airport and i love the numbers of AAs. is that basically it?

do tell b/c a sister has been going there at least 5-6 times a year since i graduated from college there in 97 and i don't see it.
what.is.the.fascination?
SC

I see where you're comin' from, soror. I see those as (relative) weak points as well (I'll add bad traffic/gridlock as #5). But, I have fam there...lived there during my junior high school years...went to Spelman for a year (94-95), etc. So, I have roots there as well. I'm always chomping at the bit to go visit, especially now that I'm an auntie (and anything to get out of Monroe for a while ). I guess my personal fascination with The ATL can be summed up in two words: SHOPPING (i.e. Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza) and EATING (i.e. The Cheesecake Factory {my fav restaurant, Olive Garden is a close second}, other local and franchises not in LA or AK, etc.), namely the former. I'm just shallow that way. As long as I have those things, I can make do.

[icebrAKA]

Sorors yall read my mind!

Alaska to Louisiana, Wow. Baton Rouge is a great city in Louisiana. I know that I couldn't live in Northern Louisiana. For some reason Atl is not on my "to-do" list. I'm sorry yall but I prefer to be in diverse settings. Not in settings in where one race is the dominant race. Plus the hetero rate to homo rate is a lil scary for me.(I'm just being real)

[SummerChild]

Soror would somebody PLEASE tell me the fascination with Atl? My parents caught the Atl bug and moved there back in 1990 and even then people had been flocking there. So I've lived there but, um, why are the masses going there? I might just move on back to be with family, especially now that i have a niece, but here's my viewpoint:

1. it's hard for many people (ex: teachers) to get a job b/c everybody and their mother is moving there and market is oversaturated to some extent
2. the ratio of single and heterosexual AA men to AA women is approximately 3 to 10 (lol) or something like that - does anybody know a woman who was not in college at the au who moved to atlanta and actually found a man that wasn't already married to somebody else?
3. it's not that scenic - there's no water, no mountains, no beaches
4. it gets kinda cold in the winter for it to be the south

so really ya'll, what gives? i love seeing that AA girl in the mural when I come up the escalators at the airport and i love the numbers of AAs. is that basically it?

do tell b/c a sister has been going there at least 5-6 times a year since i graduated from college there in 97 and i don't see it.
what.is.the.fascination?
SC

Originally Posted by Obsession8

No, you're not, soror. It's the lesser of the two "evils" for me, which is one of the reasons I can't wait to go back home to AK once my "stay" here in The 5th Circle of Hell is over. If I were to stay here in LA, it'd have to be in Baton Rouge (where most of *my* fam ended up post-Katrina). As far as other options go, I'll co-sign with the majority in considering Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas (in that order).

Now, back ttt...

[Eclipse]

Originally Posted by SummerChild

Soror would somebody PLEASE tell me the fascination with Atl? My parents caught the Atl bug and moved there back in 1990 and even then people had been flocking there. So I've lived there but, um, why are the masses going there? I might just move on back to be with family, especially now that i have a niece, but here's my viewpoint:

1. it's hard for many people (ex: teachers) to get a job b/c everybody and their mother is moving there and market is oversaturated to some extent
2. the ratio of single and heterosexual AA men to AA women is approximately 3 to 10 (lol) or something like that - does anybody know a woman who was not in college at the au who moved to atlanta and actually found a man that wasn't already married to somebody else?
3. it's not that scenic - there's no water, no mountains, no beaches
4. it gets kinda cold in the winter for it to be the south

so really ya'll, what gives? i love seeing that AA girl in the mural when I come up the escalators at the airport and i love the numbers of AAs. is that basically it?

do tell b/c a sister has been going there at least 5-6 times a year since i graduated from college there in 97 and i don't see it.
what.is.the.fascination?
SC

LOL I wish I knew what the facination was with Atlanta. I hope people soon realize it is all hype and stop moving here. Traffic is bad enough as it it.
Here are my thoughts on your comments from someone who went to college in Atlanta, moved to Minnesota for a while and then moved back.
1. I can't really speak to teaching jobs, but I do know there are a lot of other jobs in Atlanta. Atlanta's housing is also cheaper than the Northeast, hence people moving here and buying mini mansions.
2. Yeah, supposedly there are a lot of down low/homosexual brothers in Atlanta. I have heard (not sure if it is reliable) that ATL is only second to San Francisco for per capita gay men. I am not sure, but I can tell you that I know plently of folks who have met and fallen in love out side of the AUC. I'm talking young (and not so young since that is now my demographic), professional black women who met and married young black men.
3. You are right about that. No water, unless you count the Chattahoochee River or Lake Lanier. No mountains, unless you count Stone Mountain.
4. I don't think it gets that cold here and when it does, it does not stay cold for that long. You could have a cold spell where it is in the 20s for a few days, but don't be surprised if it is in the 60s or 70s a few days later.

I love Atlanta. There is plenty to do, people are friendly and the salaries are decent given the cost of living. I was out of work 2 years ago and seriously considering relocating. I could have made the same amount that I am making now in cities like LA or DC, but my cost of living would have been dramatically reduced.

[Sugar08]

I know that the South and the Midwest are getting most of the love here, but let me put in a plug for the Bay Area of CA... I grew up in California and went to school in D.C. (LOVED it there), and now I live in Central NJ.

But California has a sizable population of upwardly mobile black professionals in both L.A. and the Bay. I do prefer the Bay slightly.

As for Atlanta, I went there once in high school and hated it, went back in college and liked it... but I don't think I "get it," either.

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

I know that the South and the Midwest are getting most of the love here, but let me put in a plug for the Bay Area of CA... I grew up in California and went to school in D.C. (LOVED it there), and now I live in Central NJ.

But California has a sizable population of upwardly mobile black professionals in both L.A. and the Bay. I do prefer the Bay slightly.

As for Atlanta, I went there once in high school and hated it, went back in college and liked it... but I don't think I "get it," either.

Los Angeles and the Bay are pretty much the only places you can go to have somewhat of a breadth of black professionals now. If that's the key for relocation, I can't recommend California. You need two incomes to buy a house, unless you're going to inherit (which is my situation). Quite a few men, particularly those who are born/raised out here, have Orenthal syndrome.
I lived in Charlotte in 1993-94. I did like the city, very attractive and with sophistication when it came to restaurants, shopping, upscale groceries (loved Harris Teeter in wealthier neighborhoods) but left because of a horrible work situation. But I would rather live in a drier place with no rain.

[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

Quite a few men, particularly those who are born/raised out here, have Orenthal syndrome.

Ok, you definitely have me there. I was in Northern California over Mother's Day Weekend, and I was complaining to my sister about that very issue.

Nonetheless, CA is home to me, so I'll always recommend it. And as far as the housing market, prices are being forced down, so if there were a time to buy, it's going to be now or in the near future.

I've lived in both North and South, and I've found that the cultures are vastly different. (Although, Soror, I did notice that you live in San Diego... and I'm pretty sure it's heaven, so if you don't love that city, I can't see you liking any other part of the state. )

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by Sugar08

Ok, you definitely have me there. I was in Northern California over Mother's Day Weekend, and I was complaining to my sister about that very issue.

Nonetheless, CA is home to me, so I'll always recommend it. And as far as the housing market, prices are being forced down, so if there were a time to buy, it's going to be now or in the near future.

I've lived in both North and South, and I've found that the cultures are vastly different. (Although, Soror, I did notice that you live in San Diego... and I'm pretty sure it's heaven, so if you don't love that city, I can't see you liking any other part of the state. )

Soror, I do have love for San Diego.
Great climate, good restaurants, decent shopping, not to mention a wonderful chapter. I'm a native San Diegan, and right now, I am technically a bi-city person because I work in OC.
I haven't spent significant time in Northern California since 1989, but I did like my summer at Berkeley.

[Obsession8]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

Quite a few men, particularly those who are born/raised out here, have Orenthal syndrome.

That's the predominant situation where I'm from (and, something I'll have to "grapple" with when I go back). I agree with Soror icebrAKA about wanting to live where there's diversity, but that can be a personal drawback when you're not looking "elsewhere" to date. I guess it's a good thing I'm not the "marrying kind".

ETA: More about my take on Atlanta...

My fam (and I, back in the day) lives on the "outskirts" of ATL (Lithonia, Decatur, Riverdale, the Cascade area, etc.), not in the heart of the city where (most of) the problems that have been mentioned exist. So, that's why I wouldn't mind going back if need be. The whole dating scene issue *would* be a concern, but that seems to be the issue no matter *where* I am (just MHO; refer back to the "marrying kind" statement).

[ChanelLover]

Originally Posted by Obsession8

ETA: More about my take on Atlanta...

My fam (and I, back in the day) lives on the "outskirts" of ATL (Lithonia, Decatur, Riverdale, the Cascade area, etc.), not in the heart of the city where (most of) the problems that have been mentioned exist. So, that's why I wouldn't mind going back if need be. The whole dating scene issue *would* be a concern, but that seems to be the issue no matter *where* I am (just MHO; refer back to the "marrying kind" statement).

Really Soror, I live in Lithonia!! I don't usually meet many people from Lithonia.The area is pretty nice, sure there are some areas that aren't so nice but thats anywhere. The housing situation is pretty good. There are tons of jobs avaibable in the area. Dekalb County(which Lithonia and Decatur are in) is actually the second wealthiest county in the country for Blacks. Overall, I would give ATL a chance., and I'm not just saying that because I'm from ATL. We have some of the best law firms in the country, not to mention some really good universities.

[Wonderful1908]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

Los Angeles and the Bay are pretty much the only places you can go to have somewhat of a breadth of black professionals now. If that's the key for relocation, I can't recommend California. You need two incomes to buy a house, unless you're going to inherit (which is my situation). Quite a few men, particularly those who are born/raised out here, have Orenthal syndrome.
I lived in Charlotte in 1993-94. I did like the city, very attractive and with sophistication when it came to restaurants, shopping, upscale groceries (loved Harris Teeter in wealthier neighborhoods) but left because of a horrible work situation. But I would rather live in a drier place with no rain.

I co-sign. I am from the Bay Area and I wouldn't recommend it either, I LOVE being from California but all the reasons you stated above are why I will never move back. It's funny my Dad's wife is from Thailand, and don't get me started there. I wouln't call it teh Oriental Syndrome its the anything not a sista syndrome.

[Sugar08]

Originally Posted by Wonderful1908

I wouln't call it teh Oriental Syndrome its the anything not a sista syndrome.

Ha! (and so sad.)

[SummerChild]

Hi Soror,
So the weather in Charlotte is really rainy? How did you find the social scene in Charlotte? Do they get a winter with snow up there?
SC

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

Los Angeles and the Bay are pretty much the only places you can go to have somewhat of a breadth of black professionals now. If that's the key for relocation, I can't recommend California. You need two incomes to buy a house, unless you're going to inherit (which is my situation). Quite a few men, particularly those who are born/raised out here, have Orenthal syndrome.
I lived in Charlotte in 1993-94. I did like the city, very attractive and with sophistication when it came to restaurants, shopping, upscale groceries (loved Harris Teeter in wealthier neighborhoods) but left because of a horrible work situation. But I would rather live in a drier place with no rain.