Zeze
Lifer
I think I'm catching a 'South' fever. Let me know your thoughts all.
I grew up in Northeast. Based on what I'm hearing from many of my contacts, I'm starting to get the feel that living in the south is simply superior as you settle with kids:
1. The biggest factor is the cost of living. We (Boston/NY) prob have to get a pay cut of 15-30%. But even then, the cost of living is disgustingly cheaper. You can live in 0-20 year old homes that are basically mansions at $500K. My friend in ATL has a home with 5 bed, 4 bath, fackton of closets and basement. Boston/NY are 'old historic' cities where homes are commonly 80-90 years old, with rotting frames, and old layout. Even city center parking in ATL was like $3. Boston is like $30, NYC is like $34-40 for one example. Daycare, I pay $2K per child. He pays like $1200 for Bright Horizon franchise. Same BH daycare in Jersey City here is $2300/mo.
2. My second friend is finally doing well for himself. He opened an upscale sushi joint in a ritzy white town in NJ. That's going so well, he'll open a freakin' 250-person seater mega one in Dallas, TX. He and all his partners are moving this summer. Dallas is similar to ATL that everything is facking cheap, including huge new homes for less.
3. As we get older, we no longer care about bleeding edge 'scenes' in the cities. The appeals of Boston and NYC start to diminish tons. You're busy with kids. Any big cities in south will have everything you need - trendy bars, museums, city events, festivities, etc. With this fact, it simply doesn't make sense much to live in NE or West Coast while paying high premium for virtually zero reason. Also these big cities have huge diversity - Dallas, Houston, Austin, ATL, all have fackton of Asians & Indians too for diversity.
4. No blizzard in winter. You get big magazine-style lawn and outdoor patio with kitchen island for cheap and enjoy sippin alcohol year-round.
5. Thank god I didn't settle in CA, holy fack. My third friend lives in Bay Area (San Diego) suburbs- a completely unremarkable suburb with a single-floor 2000 SF with 3 bed and no basement. $1.2 million dollars. What the fack.
Q1: Anyone else familiar with friends/relatives living in south? What do you guys think? I know one of the biggest reason you stay where you are is because of family/friends.
Q2: Am I way off in my assessment? Any other serious disadvantages of living in the south in the big city?
I grew up in Northeast. Based on what I'm hearing from many of my contacts, I'm starting to get the feel that living in the south is simply superior as you settle with kids:
1. The biggest factor is the cost of living. We (Boston/NY) prob have to get a pay cut of 15-30%. But even then, the cost of living is disgustingly cheaper. You can live in 0-20 year old homes that are basically mansions at $500K. My friend in ATL has a home with 5 bed, 4 bath, fackton of closets and basement. Boston/NY are 'old historic' cities where homes are commonly 80-90 years old, with rotting frames, and old layout. Even city center parking in ATL was like $3. Boston is like $30, NYC is like $34-40 for one example. Daycare, I pay $2K per child. He pays like $1200 for Bright Horizon franchise. Same BH daycare in Jersey City here is $2300/mo.
2. My second friend is finally doing well for himself. He opened an upscale sushi joint in a ritzy white town in NJ. That's going so well, he'll open a freakin' 250-person seater mega one in Dallas, TX. He and all his partners are moving this summer. Dallas is similar to ATL that everything is facking cheap, including huge new homes for less.
3. As we get older, we no longer care about bleeding edge 'scenes' in the cities. The appeals of Boston and NYC start to diminish tons. You're busy with kids. Any big cities in south will have everything you need - trendy bars, museums, city events, festivities, etc. With this fact, it simply doesn't make sense much to live in NE or West Coast while paying high premium for virtually zero reason. Also these big cities have huge diversity - Dallas, Houston, Austin, ATL, all have fackton of Asians & Indians too for diversity.
4. No blizzard in winter. You get big magazine-style lawn and outdoor patio with kitchen island for cheap and enjoy sippin alcohol year-round.
5. Thank god I didn't settle in CA, holy fack. My third friend lives in Bay Area (San Diego) suburbs- a completely unremarkable suburb with a single-floor 2000 SF with 3 bed and no basement. $1.2 million dollars. What the fack.
Q1: Anyone else familiar with friends/relatives living in south? What do you guys think? I know one of the biggest reason you stay where you are is because of family/friends.
Q2: Am I way off in my assessment? Any other serious disadvantages of living in the south in the big city?
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