If you were planning a trip....

[Chad Dwyer2]

If you were planning a trip to the South, where would you go. The wife and I would love to go to one of three States, Georgia, Tenn., or Alabama.



It's more than just a vacation, we'd love to get the heck out of California but have no idea where to begin our search.



We're very spoiled out here, there is everything you could possibly imagine but we are tired of the political crap and would love to raise our kids in a town where you didn't have to lock your front door. Small town, near big town ammenities and neighbors that know you by your first name.



So, if you were to make the move where would you go (in these three States).



It's probably safe to say that the wife wouldn't be too willing to give up Nordstroms for Wally World...anyway, just wondering what you all thought.



Oh yeah, what about the weather? You guys get some serious rain back there and them Twisty things too! We like the heat and sun and don't care too much for the cold or snow.



A great friend of mine is trying to talk me into Albany, Ga. actually, it's the outskirts of town. Anyone have any opinions of Albany of surrounding areas?



Thanks for the help.



Chad

 

[Texas Transplant]

Wife and I have given some thought to moving to the Birmingham (AL) area. She has family, south of Birmingham (extended suburb). Lay Lake is very close, and Logan Martin not too far off. Not all that far down to Eufala either.



Her family is from the Columbiana area. Really a small town, and small town atmosphere.



Now, if I was raising a family, I'd really consider the Tyler, TX area. However, the employment picture, would not be as open as the Birmingham area, as Tyler is much smaller.



I love Tenessee. Lot's of options there - Memphis, Nashville, Chatanooga, etc. Mountains, plains, foothills.



Tex

 

[Teri C.]

I have often thought of moving to Nashville. As soon as I lose my job here, I will probably move there.

 

[Travis Smith]

Id move to the south in a heartbeat. I would love to move to Tennesee. Thats where I would move to.





T.S.

 

[Michael S]

Chad growing up in the South my entire life and having spent alot of time in Tenn because my sister went to St.Judes I would have to say Tenn had some of the prettiest places around.....



Tenn. gets my vote....

 

[Dan J.]

The Albany area is a beautiful, rural setting. The city is big enough to have all the wants you'd be missing, yet you can be 10 min. outside the city limits and be smack dab in the middle of the country. It's worth considering.



I chose the North Georgia Mountains. I'm less than an hour from the Smokies and numerous legendary lakes, while living on the shores of "the best spotted bass lake in the country", (BASS mag. 2003 / FLW mag. 2004) Lake Lanier. Within an hour of downtown Atlanta ("NY City of the South") you can find many small communties where we all know each other and look out for one another.



Visit some of the key areas that interst you and try and place yourself doing your everyday routines there. Good luck on whatever you decide!

 

[Carlos Hathcock III]

Oak Ridge Tenn, and Scotsdale Alabama Not sure of what order.



Carlos

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

If you come through Memphis give me a shout, I might be able to sneak out to Pickwick or Kentucky lake one afternoon.



Personally I like the northern Alabama or west central Tennessee areas, but it would depend what exactly you're looking for.

 

[TrepMan]

9 years ago we were living in Houston and offered a paid transfer to a dozen cities, we only wanted warm climate so we had these as options: LA, San Jose, Atlanta, and Birmingham. We looked at housing costs (having at the time a 1600 sqft ranch in Houton on a 5th acre worth about $80k) any CA city was out. We looked at Birmingham and Atlanta, and from the ability to find work in the IT area it was no contest, the size and scope/scale of companies in Atlanta offer way more potential future opportunties. We picked the North side of Atlanta.



We're 4.5 hours from Savanah and the cost, 5 mins to Lake Allatoona, 40 mins to Lanier, 30 to the Chatahoochie river, an hour or 2 from some of the worlds BEST trophy Trout streams in North GA. Oh and 30-40 mins from EVERY major shopping area you could EVER want in the city (Nordstrams, Lord/Taylor...) oh, and 45 mins from Bass Pro shops!!



And the housing is CHEAP compared to ANY other top 10 sized city. We love it here!



I wouldn't mind the southern Alabama cost area for retirement, but as a working stiff, there Atlanta is one of the best work cities there is. YES traffic STINKS, but nothing like LA, San Francisco, Chicago, NY or other areas.



Trep

 

[Wendell Little]

As an ex-Californian, I vote for Georgia. Alabama has serious budget problems and thier schools aren't so hot either. Tennessee is nice. Gonna get some snow up there. I'm in Harris County, just north of Columbus (3rd largest city), GA. Good schools, local colleges/university, HOPE scholarship, huge community sports involvement, low crime, yada yada. Harris is a rural area that's become a bedroom community with 2 acre minimum lot size for new housing. I've got 5 acres and can't see my neighbors even when I walk out to the street. Housing and energy is affordable. 90 mi to Atlanta Hartsfield airport. The Chattahoochie is 400+ miles long with lots of excellent lakes on it. Can navigate south from Columbus 160 mi. all the way to Gulf. Been all over the world and all over the U.S. When I retired from Uncle Sammy I had my pick to where I wanted to go, I chose God's Country.

 

[Rich D]

If something unexpected happens, I would relocate to eastern TN, around Knoxville. But I prefer the cooler weather and the chance for snow still. If it were up to the wife, it would probably be GA.



Rich D

 

[TrepMan]

Wendell - only thing i'd argue with you on is "Good schools" in GA. We have some decent public schools in select counties/cities, but overall last year GA ranked LAST just ahead of DC in SAT scores. AND We're in the Top 5 % nationly for $ per Student spent, so it's not lack of tax dollars. I personaly don't understand it, and a few years ago GA has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies.



If you have kids, you need to look VERY closely at the school systems before you buy a house down here.



Trep

 

[Chad Dwyer2]

Man! Thanks for all the info guys! I would love to pull the trigger and just go but, it takes a lot of time to make a decision like this. Your input has helped and I'm ready to go get on a plane and start checking it out.



Being a Native Californian, it's hard to imagine leaving everything we have (and family) to go chace a dream of living in "Mayberry". It's kinda scary but exciting at the same time.



I have worked hard to build my business (Insurance Agency) and we are doing pretty darn well even when you consider the rediculous amounts of money it takes to "make it happen" here in California. The thought of having to start all over is a little nerve-racking but I'm sure I could do it again.



Thanks again for all the help (keep it comming), I'll post any updates or trip agenda's as they develop.



Kindest regards,



Chad L. Dwyer

Nitro Promo Team

 

[TrepMan]

Hey Chad - Just think of this, friends or ours came to visit from PaloAlto, CA. They saw our old house, 2000 sq ft, 2 story with a full basement 1000 sq ft unfinished basement, 2 car side entry attached garage, 1 acre wooded cul-de-sac, in a very private swim/tennis neighboorhood. Cost in 1995 was $142,500, sold it in 2003 for $180,000. Told us they'd NEVER be able to afford something as BIG as this house in CA, it would cost (house alone not the land) over $1m!!! WOW



SO, if you're housing and realestate costs are anything like Silicon valley costs, then you could move here, take your profit, pay CASH for a HUGE estate for cash and put the remaining into building your business out here!!!



We were in San Diego 3 weeks ago, wife LOVED the weather and beach and we looked at 2 bedroom townhouses w/in 5 mins of the beach to see what it would cost. MAN $600k PLUS for a FIXERUPPER!!! Nope, i'll say here in North Atlanta thank you!!! LOL

 

[Chad Dwyer2]

I know, it's ridiculous. I have a 3000 square foot home in a town called Granite Bay. We moved here about 9 years ago from the SF Bay Area. At that time we had no idea that Granite Bay was "the place" to be. Prices were much lower than the Bay, but now it's just about as bad.



It currently takes about $600,000 to get into a starter home. No yard and only about 18 or 19 hundred square feet. Just about all of the home tracts in Granite Bay are gated and very private. Many of the Sacramento Kings live here, Eddie Murphy and a couple of other celebs too. It's a little too "snooty" if ya know what I mean.



This area is the landing pad for most of the folks that joined the "great white flight" out of the Bay Area. Very little, if any, diversity around here. It's a very nice and safe community but some of the people get real caught-up in living in "Granite Bay". Just not my cup of tea.



Having grown up in the Bay, we lived in an area that was really diverse and very friendly. That's all changed now. Everyone locks their doors, the punk kids carry guns and no one really even says hello. It's pretty sad...and scary! I'm glad I'm out of there.



Business calls. Gotta go for now, but thanks for the info.



Chad

 

[Christopher Laurencio]

I say ............ New Jersey, uh just kiddin.