Its apparently official....US Cities are dying!

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

I just tried to find your house value on zillow. I searched for bear traps, moat and built in pasta makers but nothing came up in the query

a reply to: peter_kandra

Ever notice your local newcasters call themselves "locals"...but most live our in the suburbs.

In retrospect, Washington D.C....is surrounded by low income..and housing to match.

Live there?

Yeahh... don think its death of the big cities at all... if anything its an expansion of MORE large cities.

the population will shift some out of the MEGA cities to the mid sized ones.. making them bigger.. and the original Mega cities will restore their population over time naturally.

Texas will turn blue
Georgia will remain blue
Arizona will DEFINITELY stay blue

I live in Phoenix now, and the population has grown 3x in the last 6 or so years. Its INSANE.. and it isnt stopping

originally posted by: Hypntick
a reply to: Edumakated

There's no Starbucks

Most people would consider that a plus.

Think of all the money you'll save until you discover the world of real coffee.

originally posted by: Hypntick
a reply to: Edumakated

I'm moving to just outside of a town of 7,000, so far from what I've seen of the town and surrounding areas it's beautiful, quiet, and abundant with outdoor things to do. My wife, who has lived in cities her entire life is a little less enthusiastic, however she is also loving the quiet. When we drive to check the progress on the house it's after 5, so it's pitch black by the time we get out that way, she loves the fact she can actually see the stars so clearly.

I can see most of these things being undesirable for a lot of city dwellers, there's no 24 hour pharmacy, you've got 2 grocery stores but neither of them are Whole Foods or Trader Joes. There's no Starbucks, very few fast casual dining options. There are no large shopping complexes, or any of the conveniences that most are used to. So I agree that most city dwellers will not fare well in rural America, as long as they're not there long enough to bring their failed policies with them, I'm fine with them experimenting.

I'm trying to convince my wife to move to a community about 30 miles outside of Atlanta. It is far enough away that it feels rural and isolated, but close enough that it is easy to drive to the city on weekends for museums, etc. I'd like 5 to 20 acres of land so kids can run around unencumbered.

City living is fun when you are young and no kids (and when you have a lot of money), but I find it over rated as I have gotten older.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

On the plus side my property value has skyrocketed due to the 'Vid.

Yeah same down here in SWFL .

I keep an eye on the real estate market down here and each month the sales and closing are going up in a 45 incline, while the inventory levels are quickly shrinking. Its definitely a good time to sell down here with the inventory and interest rates being low.

a reply to: interupt42

I've considered moving and taking my nasty Libertarian politics and attitude with me to Tennessee or South Carolina but I'm finally finished restoring my house and I'd like to enjoy it for a few years.

a reply to: Edumakated

Yeah we'll be about 40 minutes (no traffic) from where I am in Charlotte on 10 acres. Our neighbors are either folks that had the same idea we've had, so nice houses surrounded by the woods, or farmers. We aren't in the town limits either, so if a deer or turkey is walking about and it's safe to do so I'll have some good eating.

I will say this much, just given my experience on this, buy an existing house or have one hell of a builder. My build is currently 3 months over and looking to push into a 4th month. Having a fully custom house built is the biggest pain in the rear ever.

a reply to: HalWesten

I find it a huge plus, there's a great donut and coffee shop that's in the town. The restaurants that are there, you want to talk "farm to table", the farm's are no more than 5-10 miles away, so everything is super fresh. Been looking forward to making this move for years now.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
a reply to: interupt42

I've considered moving and taking my nasty Libertarian politics and attitude with me to Tennessee or South Carolina but I'm finally finished restoring my house and I'd like to enjoy it for a few years.

Tennessee and SC are both nice but the more I traveled up north during winter time for work , the more I appreciated SWFL and the boating down here.

originally posted by: interupt42
Tennessee and SC are both nice but the more I traveled up north during winter time for work , the more I appreciated SWFL and the boating down here.

I hate Florida humidity. I'd rather deal with shoveling my roof.

a reply to: Lucidparadox

Good lord, I can hear your heavy breathing over here. Get a room for that.

originally posted by: peter_kandra
a reply to: TonyS

I'd be curious to ask some of them why they moved. If they say high taxes, or high crime, then continue down that road and ask why they feel taxes or crime are high. Some people may simply be cashing out due to property appreciation, and some are probably fleeing from issues and problems they may have contributed due to their voting habits.

From everything I have read, it seems to be something of a snowball effect; first the pandemic closed everything down in a place like New York; LA, etc. and these people found themselves trapped. In NYC they were trapped in their crummy apartment buildings. Then the restaurants where shuttered, so.......no food.......then no work but the tax bills keep rolling in and in the meantime, the criminals took over the streets......and all against the backdrop of defund the police.

Then the property sales started up.....and yea, when that happens, you dont want to be the last seller on the street and take a bathl, losing all your appreciation.

Then there's the kids cant go to school problem whilst trapped with them in a crummy apartment.......its a nightmare.

What with the Interwebs and Zoom and such, I don't think the ciites will ever fully recover......they have become somwhat superflous and anachronistic and what the pandemic has done is it has shown up the dark underbelly of society and no one wants to be trapped in close proximity to that.

It is not just cities, states like Cali are experiencing a similar result because of high taxes and a screwed up society that has become too entitles.

a reply to: Edumakated

One can only hope that many will return..........but many will, unfortunately,stay.......

a reply to: TonyS

Also since the RONA a lot of people and companies are beginning to see the feasibility and advantage of working full time remotely. I think this is a trend that is going to expand more even after the RONA is long gone and that will effect where people live as well.

The attraction of living in the city for some was pure economics for the ability to find work and make more money in the city. As more people begin to work online that will likely take a toll in living in large cities as well. I suspect large cities will become more for the younger or single crowds without children or adult children.

Other than outside Atlanta, I am eyeing North Georgia Mountains, Western TN, and Western, NC for retirement. I want to be near small towns but up in the mountains and some what temperate climate.

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: Edumakated

One can only hope that many will return..........but many will, unfortunately,stay.......

Depending on where they go ... they'll learn the hard way that government does not save you in the rural areas. You depend on yourself and your neighbors in most situations like hard weather. My folks live rural on the family property, and if they get a power outage from ice, they could have to wait for a week or so before they get it back. They're only about 7 miles from the nearest town too. And in that same situation, it's not like you just bug out and hit a hotel either. Your roads can be shut down unless you have the personal means to open them ... or neighbors who can and will.

Peeps in London are moving out to the rural areas. Thing is, they bring their city attitudes out here and they need to be pimp slapped as to how country folks do it.


I hate most city people, they smell of diesel and bring their diseases with them.

If you can do your job from home, you can live anywhere.

Cities built up around jobs.

There’s another ATS thread: “Is the office dead?”

Leave out the drama and you have today’s reality.

originally posted by: rickymouse
It is not just cities, states like Cali are experiencing a similar result because of high taxes and a screwed up society that has become too entitles.

Just curious, have you ever lived in California?