AJC > Sandy Springs > Blog > Archives > 2009 > January > 26 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USUpgrade It…Does Sandy Springs need a re-do?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A couple of years ago the folks in our neighborhood noted with raised eyebrow that some of the homes that were being built in sites previously occupied by ‘50s-era brick ranch were going for $950,000.
Homes within two miles were going into seven figures.
A lot of people predicated Sandy Springs was going to become a place where only the wealthy could afford to live, as though 30328 was going to become the next 90210. To hear some tell it Donald Trump and Oprah would be Sandy Springsteens any day now.
And this inevitably led to the usual outcry over what prosperity would bring; it would force out “the little guy.” I have no idea exactly who this little guy is, but he always seems to be trotted out to bear the brunt of societal change. Are tall people and women immune to these things?
Two years and an economic meltdown later many of those pricey homes are still sitting there, waiting for their first homeowner, which leads me to believe the little guy still walks in our midst.
But it does beg the question of whether there is something wrong with our neighborhoods going through an upgrade?
I get it — when homes go up in size and price it blocks a certain segment of the population out of a community, but I don’t recall making sure everyone can afford to live in a zip code being a requirement. I know a few builders and all are in business to make money. I have yet to meet a single one whose business plan is to put up enough luxury homes in a specific area to price out a certain group.
And Sandy Springs has already survived that scenario once. When the population started to grow in the early ‘60s the city was jam-packed with young families. As the kids grew up and left for college and beyond the value of the homes their empty-nest parents remained in increased sharply. The result was neighborhoods full of high-priced homes that were out of the grasp of young families, or young adults looking for their first home.
And guess what? Sandy Springs did not find itself in a state of societal perdition. The walls did not come a’crumblin’ down.
Which begs the question — what is it about prosperity that offends and scares certain segments of the population? Why would it be a bad thing if five years from now the average price for a home in Sandy Springs was $1.5 million?
I know, I know — it would price out the little guy. But one would hope in five years time the little guy would have gone back to school, gotten a degree and built a business that would allow him to live wherever he wanted.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Jim Osterman
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By Chris B
January 27, 2009 9:07 PM | Link to this
Your last paragraph shows just how truly ignorant people are of the struggles that the “little guy” goes through. You make it sound as if all he needs to do is go back to school and Poof! In five years time he’ll be able to live in that million dollar home. Having a degree and starting a business will not guarantee living a prosperous lifestyle, especially in this economy the “little guy” owning that business is going to struggle more compared to previous times.
There is nothing wrong with having an average home price worth millions, I would really love it if my neighborhood would reach those kinds of prices. High prices will move people living in lower economic brackets to other areas and those places will thrive with the new young families that will establish themselves and depending on their situations they could move into the more expensive & exclusive Sandy Springs. People need to realize that you have earn that million dollar home; young families fresh out of college should look to live within their means, it may help eliminate a lot of the debt that even supposed wealthy families deal with.
People need to live within their means, if you see that homes in an area like Sandy Springs are out of your price range then move on to the next area. I’m sure that there are neighborhoods more than willing to accommodate bright young families that can cause another area of Atlanta to flourish and thrive with new ideas and vitality. Sandy Springs will do just fine based on the existing residences and any new families that move into that area will obviously be within the higher economic bracket that will help it thrive.
By Tabitha
January 30, 2009 12:25 PM | Link to this
That’s why I live in Tucker in our “first” home. When we’re ready we’ll either join you in Sandy Springs or purchase a larger home on the other side of the tracks—literally. In the meantime, we’ll continue to live within our means and strive for more.
The sense of entitlement in Atlanta in particular is enough to get me to the polls every election day. I don’t want handouts or a stimulous package or any other regulations that hurt the wealthy in an effort to help me, a member of the middle class. I plan on becoming wealthy one day and once I’ve earned that title I certainly have no desire to turn around and offer handouts to the little guy. Doing this only makes him smaller.
By Atlliberal
February 4, 2009 12:00 PM | Link to this
The problem with forcing “the little guy” out of your community is that it takes everyone to make a community successful. If the teachers,police officers, firefighters, janitors, clerks, and daycare providers can’t live in the community too, the quality of life for everyone goes down.
By Anita
February 7, 2009 12:21 PM | Link to this
Your last paragraph was nothing more than “elitism.” I hope you never have to downgrade YOUR lifestyle because of job loss, ill health, or any myriad of other reasons outside of a person’s control (I’m not talking about living above your means; I’m talking about real-life circumstances). Middle- and lower-class people are entitled to live where they can find work and be near public transportation, shopping, medical care, etc.
You, Mr. Osterman, are a JERK. Period.