patrick.net

You can get a screaming deal in ATL or the suburbs. Co-worker and I found nice 2,000 sq. ft. homes in great shape for like $80k.

But, it's hot and humid as crap out that way.

I'm not that familiar with Atlanta but they just had a huge teaching scandal in their public schools. I'm all for public schools but if you plan on having kids and living there I'd highly recommend either private or to live in the suburbs. Ten years worth of cover up is enough to invalidate the system.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303678704576441752866036530.html

joshuatrio says

But, it's hot and humid as crap out that way.

I stayed there for a week but humidity seemed less than NJ humidity.

Yes, the RE there might be reasonably priced now. Unemployment is real bad there. Lots of factories shut down over the last couple of years, etc.

Plus I have no idea how the rise of other nearby big cities may have negtively impacted Atlanta. Decades ago Atlanta was a major "regional capital", but then Charlotte and (to an extent) Birmingham, and other cities nearby finally "grew up" so that could not have helped. I'm sure that someone who actually lives there know can give better reasons as well.

zzyzzx says

Plus I have no idea how the rise of other nearby big cities may have negtively impacted Atlanta. Decades ago Atlanta was a major "regional capital", but then Charlotte and (to an extent) Birmingham, and other cities nearby finally "grew up" so that could not have helped.

It definitely did impact Atlanta. Charlotte is king of banks, for example (and is a Case-Shiller city that has held up relatively okay despite being a bank capital). Atlanta definitely started the trend, but the rise of other southern cities did cause companies to take a second look when locating their national or regional headquarters. They looked to places like Nashville, Charlotte, and other growing cities with low costs of living. Atlanta is still the largest of them, of course, but it's not the only option any more. If you're a technology company, you'll take Research Triangle over Atlanta, and maybe even Huntsville over Atlanta with its cottage industry led by NASA.

Based on what I have seen on HGTV's House Hunters, Atlanta is knee deep in urban pioneers wanting to live downtown in hip lofts.

Atlanta has always been one of those higher priced WTF areas with many micro hoods all priced special for one reason or another.
I firmly believe that Atlanta is behind (always is) at least a year maybe two on my areas housing trends. I get alot of "it's different here" tude from Hotlantians. so much so,.. I started to believe it too.
are things really changing from a year ago?