Leaving NJ. Where to go? FL or GA?

[Loop2kil]

Stay away from Macon, it's a shithole.
Tifton, GA might be a good fit for you....not too far from FL so you can visit family without making it a huge event involving a long drive.
My advice is to rent somewhere first and then drive around yourself to find what suits your needs.

How much are you looking to spend? Do you need employment? Are you retired? The north side of Atlanta is the nicest area but it comes with a price tag that's higher than most other parts. Gwinnett, Hall and Forsyth counties all have areas that fit into what you are looking for. You also need to consider that these areas are also a huge part of ATL's 'rat race' and it's very crowded and traffic sucks.

I live about 40 miles east of ATL away from all the crap and absolutely love it. The trade off is that I'm not close to stuff that's going on in Atlanta. They do film a lot of movies and TV shows out here though

 

[StinkyPinky]

Any state that shares a border with Alabama is a no go zone.

 

[BUTCH1]

The summer months in FL will take some getting used to, humidity is extremely high and stays that way, foreclosures have been rampant in FL last couple of years so a nice house can be had for the cheap. Employment is another matter though, a lot of our economy was based on construction and tourism and both have been shit for awhile now so the new job prospect can be bleak. One last thing, if you want to be on the ocean in FL (or probably anywhere), prices are much higher and insurance is difficult to find and pricey when you do.

 

[shadow9d9]

I grew up in NJ and moved to Florida for 5 years. What a shithole. Yeah, it is cheap, but for a reason. People are hicks, don't speak english, are unfriendly, and generally low class all round. Kids wear confederate flags on their belts to school and even the best counties have no funding for school books. It is hot enough in the summer may-october that it is way worse than any weather NJ has to offer. I moved back 1.5 years ago and love it! Nice to be back to civilization and high class people again.

I wouldn't be caught dead living in a hick state again/ You get what you pay for.

 

[shadow9d9]

A covered in-ground pool (surrounded by a screen house) and air conditioning are the answer to that problem. I will NEVER miss the snow and cold, trust me. I may be 1/4 Norwegian, but I certainly didn't get the "cold weather" gene.

If you think air conditioning will protect you, then you were protected in NJ by heating, right?

 

[shadow9d9]

Oh, also, Atlanta would be great for you if you enjoy beggers on every street corner.

 

[xanis]

Based on my visits and experiences in both states, I'd go with Georgia. I was in and around Alpharetta not too long ago and I really liked the area.

If I were to pick Florida though, I'd probably go with the Fort Myers area.

 

[Q]

As a few have mentioned in the thread, consider NC, it's a beautiful state, nice weather, and in a good location.

 

[hoyaguru]

If you think air conditioning will protect you, then you were protected in NJ by heating, right?

Well, yeah, when it is cold outside, the heating in the house warmed me up. But, I find it a lot easier going outside in the summer when it's 100 degrees outside than going outside in the winter when it's 20 degrees and a foot of snow. Going into an air conditioned house or jumping in a nice big pool are easier than trying to warm up in the winter time.

 

[hoyaguru]

As a few have mentioned in the thread, consider NC, it's a beautiful state, nice weather, and in a good location.

How is NC, compared to FL or GA, when it comes to the humidity?

 

[Demo24]

How is NC, compared to FL or GA, when it comes to the humidity?

Depends on where, but not drastically different than most of GA. It will be somewhat better than the rather southern parts of GA and FL.

 

[shadow9d9]

Well, yeah, when it is cold outside, the heating in the house warmed me up. But, I find it a lot easier going outside in the summer when it's 100 degrees outside than going outside in the winter when it's 20 degrees and a foot of snow. Going into an air conditioned house or jumping in a nice big pool are easier than trying to warm up in the winter time.

Why would going into a heated room or a hot tub be slower?

 

[gsellis]

Forget Macon and central GA. It gets hot. Really hot. Texas Hot.

I live in Suwanee (Gwinnett), GA. 2nd largest population in the state behind Fulton (Atlanta and areas N and S). A 300k home has $3900 property tax. Income tax. Gwinnett is mostly transhipping companies, so many warehouse jobs, but some serious IT like NCR and Scientic Atlanta (Cisco) are here. I work IT at the airport for the airline here and that is a 42 mile one-way commute (but under an hour most of the time in the HOV lane). My wife works at Suntrust and takes a Gwinnett transit bus to 2 blocks from her building. $4 each way and a monthly pass is available.

N. Gwinnett is just inside the 'Wedge' zone. The Wedge is a weather thing where easterly and northeasterly winds draw cold are out of the mountains (which you can see the thumbnails of on clear days from the ridges). That happens about 20 days out of the year though.

I grew up in Orlando area. The humidity in GA just does not compare. 90 in Orlando is hotter than 95 in Atlanta. Few 100 degree days in either place, but central GA and north central FL (Ocala and North) get them.

If we could, we would move to Dahlonega, Young Harris, or Blairsville. In or at the edge of the mountains. Also, Wally world is nearby. Too far to commute though and no high tech there. But Dahlonega is in range of N. Fulton and Forsyth Counties and there are high tech companies there. The bridges across the Chattahoochee from Gwinnett to those areas make a 25 mile commute an hour and a half job. Cumming is up and coming (pun intended). GA 20 at GA 400 has about everything you could need. South about 15 minutes is a Fry's Electronics (there is one over here in Gwinnett too about 15 minutes from my driveway).

Where I am at, I have a lot of choices. There is a Super H (H Mart) 5 minutes away along with an Assi plaza. The competing Korean grocery stories are getting more and more cacausian as folks discover them. Example, 2 lb + lobsters were $7.99 this weekend.

GA is a little behind in some things. They are fighting over allowing Sunday liquor sales here. Was a shock on the first Sunday right out of Orlando. Planning... But, GA is ahead too. One of the more liberal concealed carrier states in the country. Folks are friendly and the racial stereotyping is totally off. In fact, reverse racism is probably a bigger issue. But I have shot the bird at some whitesheeters in Douglasville in the early 90's. They would get their asses kicked if they tried anything anywhere near downtown.

Downtown Atlanta? Nah, it won't be much cheaper than what you are leaving.

Helen GA is 45 minutes away. Just over an hour to Franklin, NC and 1.5 hours to Highlands, NC from here. All those are in the mountains. Check out Highlands and Helen some time. Highlands went for the Scotish side and is a FL refuge in the mountains (highest incorporated town east of the MS at 4100 feet in a temperate rainforest). Helen went for the German mountain town look and is a tourist kind of place, but still fun.

Homeowner insurance... about $120 with a rider.
Gas price this morning was $2.95 at Kroger.
Multiple credit unions in the area (I belong to Delta Community CU - free checking, interest paid no matter what the balance, etc.)
Kroger, Publix, WalMart, Food Lion, and the above - we just got Martin's Potato Rolls in some stores

Negatives... NE GA is multicultural. Some areas are too multicutural like eastern Gwinnett. You get some areas that are a bit like Ghettos (I mean that in the old Europe sense, not Harlem - if you don't understand the Ghettos in Europe and the seperation, don't make assumptions). Dekalb and Fulton are heavily Democrat. Forysth, Cobb, and Gwinnett are Republican. And the Liberatarians are all about. Neal Boortz lives in Fulton and I am not sure where Herman Cain lives, but I think Fulton.

The weather does get hot (103 was max last year with a heat index around 110). Cold for the area is USDA Zone 7a-7b (max low over 100 years is 0F). It was 4F in Douglasville in 1994. It has not been below 12F here in Gwinnett. ATL itself is an urban heat island. It can be 8-12 degrees warmer in the winter.

Oh, the 300k house is on a lake with a basement. I think it is 3500sqft under air.

 

[brandonbull]

Pick any where except FL. We have too many people from the NE as is.

 

[gsellis]

Pick any where except FL. We have too many people from the NE as is.

And in FL, the Speed Limit of 45 means everyone goes 40. In Atlanta, 45 means 55.