Miami vs. Atlanta - cost of living (Alpharetta, Griffin: extended stay, home owners insurance)

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by MisterNY

They're hardly building here. South Florida market will take a while to recover. Plus, if for any crazy reason you still want to move down here, you're better off buying a house built sometime in the mid to late 90s, because the new ones are small, dont offer any yard (worse than 90s built homes, and those are horrible) and still overpriced. Good luck on whatever decision you make....Just think about it, for a good while. Dont rush, none of these houses are going anywhere...

Yeah, you're right. The building has slowed down, and there's no doubt about that. Building has slowed down in every part of the country.

After three-years, this guy still loves his home. That's worth something. A home is your biggest purchase in life and so many things can go wrong.

I think it's important to remember that cars have better warranties than homes.

[Natali26]

Originally Posted by kc_atl

Hello guys,
I lived in MIA for 20 years of my life but I moved to ATL 3 years ago. I must say that ATL is cheaper to buy but the pay rate is pretty low. When the real estate boomed in MIA several years ago, my fiancee and I decided to leave and head north. That's how we ended up here.

I have a 4/2.5 two story, 2,500 sq ft house with double garage. I love my home but I noticed the housing has dropped severly in MIA. Do you guys think it would be a good idea to sell my house here & move back to my hometown in the 305?

Please do not be shy, I'm here to listen to all commentaries & suggestions.

Cheers,
KC in Atlanta

I own a house in ATL and a condo in MIA.

Although I personally greatly prefer the lifestyle in MIA to ATL, I would not recommend buying property there anytime soon. Realtors there know that MIA is a renters' market right now - pretty darn difficult to sell a house if you need to unload it. Even as an owner renting a condo during high season in a perfect location - the market simply isn't what it used to be. The current trend is that a lot of the Big Money seasonal renters are going to Vegas for their trip rentals and real estate purchases.

However, if you want to move back to MIA and rent - great deals. All deals are open to heavy negotiation in your favor with landlords no matter what the price range.

[Zel Ya]

Originally Posted by Natali26

I own a house in ATL and a condo in MIA.

Although I personally greatly prefer the lifestyle in MIA to ATL, I would not recommend buying property there anytime soon. Realtors there know that MIA is a renters' market right now - pretty darn difficult to sell a house if you need to unload it. Even as an owner renting a condo during high season in a perfect location - the market simply isn't what it used to be. The current trend is that a lot of the Big Money seasonal renters are going to Vegas for their trip rentals and real estate purchases.

However, if you want to move back to MIA and rent - great deals. All deals are open to heavy negotiation in your favor with landlords no matter what the price range.

MIA?


1. MIA----Missing in action? Maybe that's it. Sure sounds as if plenty of people are missing in action down there.

2. MIA----Missing in "AUCTION." Maybe that's it. Sure sounds as if there's plenty of auctions down there.

Miami must have the highest percentage of auctioneers in the country.

I think MIA needs a new acronym. Just sayin'

[kellijo]

If you want to move for no other reason but to just get back to Florida, then don't do it.
I just moved to Weston (Noth Miami) from Cumming, Ga in November. We were renting a place until our house sold in Ga. Our house in Ga was on the market from 9 months, home was 4/3/2. Had to drop the price 30k to sell. We started looking in the Weston area and the houses are double the price and half the size. No yard at all!
Also, think about the property tax and your insurance. Your property tax is 3% of the sale price of the home that you are looking to buy. Tax difference, Cumming, Ga $2100 a year, Weston $5800. Homeowner isurance is very very high. You also need flood insurance which is seperate, all of south Florida is in a flood zone.
Sorry to disappoint you but I would move back to Georgia in a heart beat.

[doggiebus]

KC - You can only say if MIA or ATL is the right place for you. Since we don't know you, we can't give you the right answer. You need to ask your self some questions, here are a few you need to look at. Why did you leave Miami and move to Atlanta in the first place? Are the reasons you left Miami still true? Why do you want to leave Atlanta? Why do you want to go back to Miami? Do some math and see what you come out with. Your salary may be higher in Miami but the cost of living is much in Miami. Do a pro and con list for both places, and see what you get.


Remember that home prices have dropped but Insurance on your car and house is still high. Property taxes should come down some, but still 2% of the sale price.

[blackrabbit]

Originally Posted by rcsteiner

Is that true even if you factor in Georgia's state income tax?

Good point.

[ready2move]

So all these responses and nothing from the OP?

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by kellijo

If you want to move for no other reason but to just get back to Florida, then don't do it.
I just moved to Weston (Noth Miami) from Cumming, Ga in November. We were renting a place until our house sold in Ga. Our house in Ga was on the market from 9 months, home was 4/3/2. Had to drop the price 30k to sell. We started looking in the Weston area and the houses are double the price and half the size. No yard at all!
Also, think about the property tax and your insurance. Your property tax is 3% of the sale price of the home that you are looking to buy. Tax difference, Cumming, Ga $2100 a year, Weston $5800. Homeowner isurance is very very high. You also need flood insurance which is seperate, all of south Florida is in a flood zone.
Sorry to disappoint you but I would move back to Georgia in a heart beat.

Sorry to say, but that was a bad move, unless other aspects of your move were favorable. I wish you had asked around, before making that move. Ouch..

[masonbarge]

Remember why you moved in the first place. It really takes about five years to get fully settled into a new city, although three years is a pretty good trial.

Miami has such a distinct personality that it's hard to tell someone else whether it's "better" to live there than in Atlanta. I'd say that overall, the cost of living is pretty similar. So it's just a question of which city you like better, IMO.

Miami: Better weather, less pollution, better food, more fun, more sunshine, even worse drivers than Atlanta

Atlanta: More stable, more conservative, more neighborhood feeling (generally), four seasons

In both places, a LOT depends on where you live, especially for crimes, schools, and traffic congestion.

I will say this: I grew up in Florida (Winter Park, near Orlando) although I lived in Atlanta a couple of years. I had a lot of family and family friends in Atlanta, so it was easy for me. If I had it to do over again, I think I would have been happier in Winter Park. Of course, it's a beautiful town. But other than that, it is really nice to have a group of friends you made in elementary and high school.

[Caleb Longstreet]

Originally Posted by kc_atl

Hello guys,
I lived in MIA for 20 years of my life but I moved to ATL 3 years ago. I must say that ATL is cheaper to buy but the pay rate is pretty low. When the real estate boomed in MIA several years ago, my fiancee and I decided to leave and head north. That's how we ended up here.

I have a 4/2.5 two story, 2,500 sq ft house with double garage. I love my home but I noticed the housing has dropped severly in MIA. Do you guys think it would be a good idea to sell my house here & move back to my hometown in the 305?

Please do not be shy, I'm here to listen to all commentaries & suggestions.

Cheers,
KC in Atlanta

KC,

I guess home is home but I have to tell you that after living in Atlanta from 83 to 89, South Florida/Broward/Jacaranda from 89-97 and back to Atlanta, I wouldn't ever move back down there again.

Weather is great for outdoors and I did take advantage of that whenver possible. The diving trips off Key Biscayne/Elliot Key and hijinx therein could certainly entertain but, overall it's the people.

I got tired of all the bad-debt, nasty attitudes of South Florida. It's the only place I know you could pay $300 for a Hotel room and the attendant/service acted like they were doing you the favor. Too many Telemarketing types....scamsters galore. Everyone with a dream and a scam ends up there and inevitably, on COP's at some point or another it seems.

Great place to visit, great place to have fun, better place to live away from me thinks.

This is a fair assessment. I spent the better part of 8 years selling in South Florida to all types of businesses. The products didn't wear me out so much as the people. Christ, I had to wrestle with the pool guy, the lawn guy, the painter guy, the roofing guy, the mechanic, the real-estate lady upon departure.

It NEVER ended. Even the Seniors at Century Village were routinely rude. Can you imagine arguing with an 80 year old about a shopping cart? Can you imagine an older person even being rude? Our generation, sure, but a Senior?

The daily grind of hassles with receptionists on up just flat wore me out. Atlanta is far from perfect but, after living between the two over the last 25 years? Atlanta, and the Southeast in general, win hands down.

Don't you remember trying to sell to people who did not show up as scheduled, didn't produce their paperwork as asked, slow/no pay, etc...etc.???

You are best to try and remember some of that and consider their traffic as well. I still go down there routinely for business and what used to take an hour in Broward is now an hour and a half. Traffic is a wash.

Housing is volatile to say the least down there. Check out what the prices are now! What goes up, certainly goes down.

I could bash South Florida for days but to be fair, Orlando and Tampa are similar now.

If it works for you, great. I do sincerely wish you the best but for me, the Southeast is now "home".

Best wishes.