Business
Business

Has “sprawl” returned to metro Atlanta?

April 14, 2016

The Great Recession stalled metro Atlantans’ surge northward in search of bigger, cheaper homes, but the region’s exurban counties are undergoing a huge building boom.

More than 415 subdivisions across Barrow, Bartow, Cherokee, Forsyth, Hall and Jackson counties experienced construction in 2015, according to Metrostudy. More than 5,800 homes were sold — nearly three times as many as 2011.

"We never really gave up our dream of a house in the suburbs. We just put it on hold temporarily, " says Jeff Humphreys, a University of Georgia economist. "And now we are back to our sprawling ways."

Cheaper prices and homebuyers not averse to long commutes, or those who work nearby or from home, are expanding metro Atlanta's footprint ever closer to South Carolina.

More Stories

Keep Reading

Placeholder Image

Why cell service, Wi-Fi have been spotty at ATL’s international terminal

There are several reasons why it has been tough to get reliable cell service and Wi-Fi access at Concourse F and the international terminal. A completed fix is coming soon.

27m ago

Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific shareholders OK merger. Here’s what’s next.

The proposed mega-railroad company would be headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, sending anxiety through the company's Atlanta ranks, where Norfolk Southern is based.

Design firm chosen to turn Midtown Atlanta eyesore into high-profile park

The look and feel of a planned public park in Atlanta’s largest high-rise district is soon going to take form.

The Latest

Older model used vehicles for sale at an independent dealership in Chattanooga, Tennessee, on Nov. 11, 2023. Photo courtesy of Chris Hardesty.

Credit: Special

Beyond the odometer: What matters most in a used car

Why your car’s safety tech needs maintenance, too

OPINION

Saying goodbye to the Porsche 718 Cayman — for now

Featured

Prosecutor Skandalakis has previously suggested that pursuing criminal charges against President Donald Trump may not be feasible until after he leaves office in 2029. (Craig Hudson/Politico/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Credit: Bloomberg via Getty Images

Prosecutor takes helm of Georgia case against Trump. But will he move forward?

A veteran Georgia prosecutor will decide the fate of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis' election interference case against Donald Trump and his allies.

With some solar power tax breaks expiring, Georgians rush to catch the sun

Georgia solar installers say they’re seeing a surge of customers trying to install rooftop solar systems before federal tax credits go away at the end of the year.

‘Automatic for the People’: Weaver D’s still bonds Athens as era nears end

After feeding everyone from R.E.M. to Brian Kemp, and coining a phrase that went global, Dexter Weaver is preparing to close his storied Athens soul food restaurant.