Single Professional female, cannot decide where to relocate: NYC or ATL (Atlanta: appointed, rent)

[MonkeyButler7000]

Originally Posted by YBF

Being that you dont live in either (have you ever lived in either?) you cant possible give advice. Besides the fact that Atlanta has been hit hard as well and that it was high up on the list of unemployment rates. And as long as she has a job in either city she wont need to worry about that

I was pretty clear that I don't live in either place and that I am basing my opinion on what I know to be unbiased facts, since I have no personal attachments. If she is okay with that, than I think that my advice is just as good as the next anonymous stranger that posts advice on these threads.

Secondly, I wasn't talking about the possibility of her finding a job, I was talking about possible quality of life issues that could affect her regardless of employment. A person with a job will still be affected by cuts in basic city services.

[YBF]

Originally Posted by MonkeyButler7000

I was pretty clear that I don't live in either place and that I am basing my opinion on what I know to be unbiased facts, since I have no personal attachments. If she is okay with that, than I think that my advice is just as good as the next anonymous stranger that posts advice on these threads.

Secondly, I wasn't talking about the possibility of her finding a job, I was talking about possible quality of life issues that could affect her regardless of employment. A person with a job will still be affected by cuts in basic city services.

Your opinion was that Atlanta was better off...You speak about quality of life but unless you have lived in either place or currently do you cant really give advice on which is better to relocate to. "A person with a job will still be affected by cuts in basic city services" Atlanta is experiencing cuts in basic services too like the police for one....so unless you keep up with all news regarding either city....... you not living now or before in either city makes your opinion really not valid. Atleast the other posters on here can say "well I like Atlanta better because or I would live in NY because"...but in your original post it seemed to me that your opinion was based off of media hype and not facts or that you may be a bigger fan of the south than the NE...but this is JMO.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by Monica2009

I am an African American single, professional female and cannot decide which city to relocate to.

I am currently in graduate school for my MBA and will graduate at the end of the year.

Any current advice from locals or those who have visted NYC or ATL.

I posted this thread also in the NYC forum and got some feedback but am interested in receiving feedback from the ATL forum.

Move to Chicago.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by coolyfett

Move to Chicago.

Cooly, surely you're not discouraging single women from moving here?

[mmenomen]

I think visiting both cities would help in making your decision. Finding a job though may be tough in any market so I would focus on securing a job first. Since you are quite young, you can move on to another city. I think NYC would be more interesting for someone young, but I cannot speak from direct experience, some good suggestions have already been posted. Good luck.

[coolyfett]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Cooly, surely you're not discouraging single women from moving here?

I can't breath!!

[Mishap]

As an ATL native who went to college in NY, I have lots of college friends based in NYC. I briefly considered moving there for job opportunities in the '05-'06 pre-collapse years but simply couldn't justify the cost/benefit given my industry. As a young/single person it is the make or break place of the world...there are hundreds of thousands of similar career minded young adults crowding every corner of the city. If you are willing to put up with the ridiculous housing costs and being exceptionally poor regardless of a six figure income, then NYC is the place to be.

Unfortunately, my industry only pays about 20%-30% more in NYC while requiring far more work which really ruled it out for me since my family is in ATL and it didn't make sense to make low six figures and spend 20-30k/yr on rent. Most of my friends in NYC in my industry lived at home w/ their parents into their late 20's. Additionally, I had no plans of living out in Queens or Brooklyn just to save money since that kind of ruined the point of living in NYC. I realized I'd only be able to live in Jersey City and reasonably work there but rent was still relatively steep.

As it stands I have several friends that went the ATL -> NYC route and obviously haven't figured it out yet. One makes 70k, lives in a $3,000/mon studio in Times Sq and depends solely on his wealthy parents to afford his lifestyle up there since 90% of his net income goes to housing. Another couple (driven by her fascination w/ the Carrie Bradshaw lifestyle), pulled themselves out of a very comfortable lifestyle down here. Despite having the quintessential yuppie lifestyle w/ close to 200k combined income (a couple sizable condos, Bimmers), they are now squeezed into under 500sq ft and paying more for their studio apt than their combined mortgages here with only maybe 20% more income. As bad as those stories are...they aren't moving back so there's obviously something to Manhattan.

Also, I don't know of a single friend in NYC (outside those that live in LI or the outer boroughs) that has/needs a car. Beyond the need to go to Ikea (minivan rentals are dirt cheap), the trains and taxis provide all the transportation you'll ever need. Even my banker friends who consider paying $1,000/sqft for condos normal, don't have cars despite being the prime demographic for a nice Ferrari.

BTW, I find it a bit odd you're picking your city before you finish your degree. Most MBA's I know wind up where the job takes them. One NYU MBA I know is getting sent to Cincinnati b/c that's the only job she could find in her field. I don't think she even has a driver's license.

So after all those anecdotes...if you know you can find a job that supports your lifestyle in NYC, go for it. Manhattan is something for when you're young...older people tend to care more about owning property and retirement savings (two things my NYC friends never have).

[MisterNY]

I know plenty of people that are in the same predicaments. They are making more than they would in the South but are paying out their butts to live in some subpar spot in Soho, DUMBO, Clinton Hill or Brooklyn Heights. A good chunk of their salaries go towards RENT , clothing, a parking spot and some leisure. Most have nothing to show for imho.

I really like the places I just mentioned. They have their charm that maybe most Southern natives would not understand or appreciate.
They are nice when you are young, have no kids, can do the party/club/lounge thing. After a while it gets old. You grow up, desires and needs change. Then you move to places like Atlanta, Raleigh, Charlotte,....some that cannot leave NY move to Long Island/Westchester areas..you get the picture.

They grow out of the whole urban/concrete jungle love.

[DeaconJ]

It would be affordable to live that "Carrie Bradshaw lifestyle" if you could sublet Monica and Rachel's place...

I have known a few people in NYC, San Francisco, and D.C. who got lucky and fell into a very cheap sublet situation. That makes living in an ultra-expensive city feasible.

[coolyfett]

Carrie Bradshaw...good one!