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The vibrant spirit of Mexico’s Día de Muertos will come alive in Hapeville at the 7th Annual Día de Muertos Celebration, set for Saturday, October 25, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Jess Lucas Park.
This free, family-friendly event invites the community to honor loved ones through a colorful evening of cultural traditions, live entertainment, and heartfelt remembrance.
The celebration will feature an array of live performances, showcasing music and dance that capture the essence of this cherished Mexican holiday.
Attendees can savor offerings from local food vendors, explore traditional crafts, and participate in interactive activities that celebrate life and community.
Highlights include altar-building, where families create ofrendas to commemorate those who have passed, as well as cultural art displays that reflect the holiday’s rich symbolism.
Leading up to the event, Hapeville is hosting workshops to engage the community, including a kids’ art contest and a special movie night screening of Disney’s Coco, a beloved film that beautifully portrays Día de Muertos traditions. These activities aim to foster creativity and connection among residents of all ages.
Now in its seventh year, Hapeville’s Día de Muertos Celebration has become a cornerstone of the city’s cultural calendar, drawing families together to share in the joy, color, and unity of this meaningful tradition.
Jess Lucas Park will transform into a vibrant hub of music, art, and community spirit, offering a memorable evening for all who attend.
For more information, visit Hapeville’s official event page or follow local updates. Join the celebration on October 25 to experience a night of culture, remembrance, and togetherness.
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With Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) seeing average delays of 30-45 minutes—and some stretching over an hour—due to air traffic control shortages from the U.S. government shutdown, we know that travelers are doing all they can to keep it together. You can do it!
In this article, we’ve compiled proven tips from FAA experts, Delta Air Lines, and local travelers.
These strategies can save you time, stress, and money as you navigate the world’s busiest airport. Print this out or save it to your phone before heading to Concourse T!
Arrive Early—Way Earlier Than Usual
Why? Staffing cuts mean longer security lines and gate changes. TSA recommends three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international from ATL.
Pro Tip: Use the ATL SkyTrain to zip between terminals (it runs every 2 minutes). Park in the hourly deck near Domestic Terminal for quickest access—avoid the daily lot unless you’re staying overnight.
-Traveler Hack: Maria Gonzalez, the teacher we spoke to yesterday, suggests grabbing Chick-fil-A in the Atrium upon arrival: “It beats terminal food lines later!”
2. Download Apps & Enable Alerts NOW
Must-Have Apps:
Delta App | Real-time gate changes & rebooking | 80% of flights covered; free lounge access alerts |
FlightAware | Live tracking for all airlines | Delay predictions based on ATL ARTCC data |
ATL Airport App | Security wait times & SkyTrain status | MARTA connector schedules |
FAA Airport Status | National shutdown updates | Push alerts for ATL-specific ground stops |
Quick Set-Up: Turn on notifications 24 hours before your flight. Check for “Ground Delay Program” warnings—ATL’s are spiking 53% this week.3. Pack Smart for the Long Haul
Essentials in Your Carry-On
- Portable charger (outlets are packed)
- Neck pillow & eye mask (delays hit evenings hardest)
- Snacks & water bottle (refill stations everywhere)
- $20 cash for vending machines (cards glitch under stress)
ATL Bonus: Concourse F has free charging stations & quiet zones. Families: Head to the Kidspace play area in Terminal S—it’s a delay-buster.
4. Know Your Airline Rights & Perks
Delta (ATL’s Big Dog): Meal vouchers for delays >3 hours; free rebooking if >2 hours late. Call 800-221-1212 or use kiosk help.
- Other Airlines: United/Southwest offer similar—check bags free if rebooked. No fault? Still get $10 snack credit under DOT rules.
- Shutdown Special: Airlines for America says all carriers are waiving change fees through November 1. Text “DELAY” to your airline for instant updates.
- Local Alert: Georgia AG Chris Carr’s office reports a 20% spike in travel complaints—file at consumer.ga.gov if denied perks.
5. Alternative Routes to Dodge the Chaos
Ground Options: MARTA’s red/gold line from downtown to ATL = 15 minutes, $2.50. Skip rideshares (Uber surge pricing up 40%).
Flight Swaps: Consider Spirit or Frontier for cheaper reroutes to Orlando/Tampa—fewer delays on budget carriers right now.
Backup Plan: If flying out, drive to Chattanooga (CHM) airport—1.5 hours north, lighter traffic. Or Greenville (GSP), SC—2 hours east.
Holiday Heads-Up: Book backup trains via Amtrak’s Crescent (ATL to NYC) now—seats filling fast with flyers bailing.Final Word
Traveling is much more a hassle than it used to be. Patience is key, but preparation wins. Check atl.com/delaytracker before you leave home. Over 200,000 passengers cleared ATL yesterday despite hurdles— you can too!
If you’re thinking about traveling abroad, make sure you get your passport, as soon as you can.
To save money, look for the cheapest flights from Atlanta that are on sale. To keep costs down, use these travel hacks to save money and time.
To Atlanta is one of the most convenient places to travel to and from. A large part of that is because Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is so accessible.
Not only is it the world’s busiest airport, but it’s state-of-the-art in every way. If you’re interested in traveling around Atlanta via car or even on scooter, here’s what to know.
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Traveling Soon? Check Out Our International Checklist
- How to Travel For Less On Your Next Trip
- How To Get A Cheap flight Out Of Hartsfield Airport
- Strategies That Work: How To Save On Travel
- 10 Travel Hacks That Save You Time And Money
*Stuck in line? Snap a photo and tag @Atlantahappenings for real-time shoutouts. Safe travels, Peach State! Email tips@tjohnson@atlantafi.com.
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On Monday morning, October 20, 2025, Atlanta police arrested 49-year-old Billy Joe Cagle from Cartersville, Georgia, inside Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport following a disturbing social media threat.
Family members alerted authorities after Cagle posted intentions to “shoot up the terminal,” prompting a swift response.
Man Arrested After Threatening To ‘Shoot Up’ Hartsfield Airport
Officers discovered a loaded AR-15 rifle with 27 rounds in Cagle’s nearby truck, confirming his intent to retrieve it for the attack.
The incident coincided with the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, adding urgency to the situation.
As a convicted felon, Cagle is prohibited from possessing firearms, leading to felony charges including terroristic threats and illegal firearm possession.
Timeline of Events
Here’s a timeline of how the ordeal occurred, according to police:
- ~9:30 a.m. ET: Cagle entered the airport unarmed after live streaming threats on social media, apparently to “scope out” the location.
- ~9:40 a.m. ET: Cagle’s family, concerned after seeing his livestream, called Cartersville police, who immediately notified the Atlanta Police Department (APD) of the threat.
- ~9:42 a.m. ET: APD officers located and arrested Cagle inside the airport without incident.
- Post-arrest search: A search of his parked pickup truck outside revealed an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle.
- Background details:
- Cagle has a prior criminal history, making his possession of the firearm illegal.
- Officials, including Mayor Dickens, believe he may have been experiencing a mental health episode.
- Intended plan (per APD Chief Darin Schierbaum): Cagle planned to return to his truck, get the rifle, and carry out the attack in the crowded terminal area.
- Key to quick response: Made possible by the family’s calls to the police.
- Charges facing Cagle:
- ✅ Terroristic threats
- ✅ Criminal attempt to commit aggravated assault
- ✅ Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon
- APD Chief Darin Schierbaum: “He came in to scope it out… He was going to go back out to his truck and get the g*n and come back in and do what he said he was going to do.”
- Mayor Andre Dickens: “This could have been tragic but was averted… A crisis was averted today.”
The rapid intervention by law enforcement is credited with preventing potential mass casualties at one of the nation’s busiest airports. The investigation remains ongoing.
Check Out Our Atlanta Travel Guide
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the world’s busiest hub for passenger traffic, is grappling with escalating flight delays due to severe air traffic control staffing shortages, exacerbated by the ongoing U.S. government shutdown now in its 20th day.
Tempers flared around midday in the airport when a man yelling he was going to “shoot up” the facility was detained by law enforcement.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed early Monday, Oct. 20 that these issues are rippling through major gateways, including Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, and Newark, leaving thousands of travelers stranded and disrupting the city’s vital role as a Southeast travel nexus.
The shutdown, which began on October 1 amid partisan gridlock in Congress, has forced approximately 13,000 air traffic controllers nationwide to work without pay, leading to a spike in sick calls and absences.
Government Shutdown Snarls Air Traffic in Atlanta
At Atlanta’s Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), which oversees vast airspace across the Southeast, staffing has been cut by up to 50% in some shifts, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
This has triggered ground delays averaging 30 to 45 minutes for incoming and outgoing flights, with some passengers reporting waits exceeding an hour.
“We were supposed to be wheels up at 6 p.m. for a quick hop to Orlando, but we’ve been sitting here since 5,” said frustrated traveler Maria Gonzalez, a Atlanta-based teacher waiting at Concourse T. “It’s chaos—families with kids, business folks missing meetings. This shutdown is hitting home hard.”
The airport released the following statement on social media earlier in the day.
Similar stories echoed through the terminal, where Delta Air Lines, which routes over 80% of flights through ATL, issued apologies via overhead announcements and offered meal vouchers to those affected.
The FAA’s advisory highlighted that the Atlanta ARTCC is among the hardest-hit facilities, alongside towers in Chicago’s O’Hare and Newark Liberty.
Flight tracking data from Cirium shows over 3,000 delays nationwide in the past week alone, with Atlanta contributing hundreds—up from a typical 5% staffing-related delay rate to 53% during peak hours.
Experts warn the situation could worsen as the holiday travel season looms, potentially mirroring the 2019 shutdown when absences ballooned and New York-area traffic was throttled to avert crises.Pre-existing woes compound the crisis. The FAA has been short about 3,500 controllers for over a decade, relying on mandatory overtime and six-day weeks even before the furloughs.
“We’re already critically understaffed, and now unpaid workers are understandably calling out,” said Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA). “In Atlanta, that means fewer eyes on the skies over one of the busiest corridors in the country—safety is non-negotiable, so delays are the only buffer.”Local leaders are sounding the alarm. Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, whose city economy leans heavily on airport revenue—generating over $40 billion annually—called for swift congressional action in a statement Monday.
“ATL isn’t just an airport; it’s Atlanta’s economic engine. These delays are costing jobs, small businesses, and peace of mind for our residents,” Dickens said.
Georgia’s congressional delegation, split along party lines, has traded barbs over the impasse, with Republicans blaming Democrats for blocking funding bills and Democrats pointing to spending cuts as the root cause.
Airlines for America, the industry’s trade group, echoed the urgency: “It’s safe to fly, but these shortages strain the system, spacing out flights and slowing everything down.”
Delta, a Peachtree City headquarters giant, has rerouted some flights and urged passengers to check apps for updates, while offering flexibility for rebookings.
As negotiations stall in Washington, Atlantans are advised to arrive three hours early, monitor FAA alerts, and consider alternatives like MARTA rail or rideshares to navigate the terminal snarl.
Final Word
With fall break underway and Thanksgiving on the horizon, the pressure mounts: Will lawmakers ground the gridlock before it grounds the Peach State?
Traveling with your significant other is the best way to go. Looking for a destination? There are some great cities that you can vacation in for cheap right now.
Check Out Our Atlanta Travel Guide
- Holiday Travel Tips To Save Time and Money
- Traveling Abroad? Pack This International Travel Checklist
- How To Save Money Flying Out of Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
AtlantaFi.com is your source for hyper-local coverage. Have a tip? Email tjohnson@atlantafi.com.
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Days after rapper NBA YoungBoy was to perform in Atlanta in what would have been the largest venue in the Southeast, he returned to his home state of Louisiana, serenading nearly 18,000 fans in New Orleans.
The Baton Rouge native, whose “Make America Slime Again” (MASA) Tour has been a whirlwind of highs and hurdles, turned his hometown-adjacent stop into a cathartic celebration of survival, street poetry, and unbreakable fan loyalty.
NBA YoungBoy Leaves Atlanta for Nola, Performs for Thousands
For Atlanta’s hip-hop faithful—still stinging from the abrupt cancellation of YoungBoy’s State Farm Arena days earlier — this NOLA spectacle served as both a vicarious victory and a reminder of why the 25-year-old phenom remains a force impossible to contain.The arena, packed to its 18,000-capacity brim after selling out in mere hours.
Here’s how just some of the night went, courtesy of late-night footage from New Orleans:
Emerging in a black hoodie emblazoned with his Never Broke Again logo, YoungBoy—fresh off house arrest and legal battles that have shadowed his meteoric rise—wasted no time diving into a two-hour set that blended his signature melodic trap with moments of haunting vulnerability.
Kicking off with the thunderous “Outside Today,” a track that feels like a personal manifesto of defiance, YoungBoy commanded the crowd like a conductor of chaos. Hits like “Bandit,” “My Window,” and “Rags2Riches” had fans on their feet, phones aloft in a glowing constellation of shared nostalgia. The energy peaked during a mid-set medley of deeper cuts from Sincerely, Kentrell and The Last Slimeto, where YoungBoy paused to address the room directly: “Y’all the reason I keep fightin’. New Orleans raised me—y’all my blood.”
Read about NBA YoungBoy’s homecoming concert in New Orleans.
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We all love our local LA Fitness, but when the North Georgia air is crisp, few things are as exhilarating as a brisk walk or run in the park. You may be wondering where to go.
In this article, we’ll list some of the best Atlanta parks for some brisk walking or running.
Where To Jog: The Best Running Trails In Atlanta
All of these parks in and around Atlanta are free to enter except Stone Mountain, which charges a fee because it is a state park.
Of course, you could jog in the evening too if that fits your schedule better.
1. Westside Park
Johnson Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Westside Park is a beautiful greenspace with paved walkways perfect for a morning or evening jog. Officially 280 acres, the park has several places to cool off and hydrate all along a backdrop of a awe-inspiring quarry.
2. Piedmont Park
400 Park Dr NE, Atlanta, GA 30306
Piedmont Park Is the city’s green space centerpiece. If you don’t want to walk around the circumference of the park, there is a clay track that you can job on.
3. Chastain Park
135 W Wieuca Rd NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30342
Chastain Park in Buckhead is nestled between mansions along Northside Drive and Wieuca Road, to name two border streets.
4. Stone Mountain
1000 Robert E Lee Blvd, Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Photo credit: Instagram Stone Mountain in DeKalb County is one of the most beautiful parks in Georgia. You can run or job on several trails throughout the park or up the mountain itself.
How Much Does Stone Mountain Park Cost?
To enter Stone Mountain Park, it costs $59.95 for an annual pass. A one-day ticket costs $19.95 for adults and children age 3 and over.
For the price of admission into Stone Mountain Park, you get access to Scenic Railroad, Dinosaur Explore, Historic Square & Mini Golf.
5. Ansley Park
15th St NE #16D, Atlanta, GA 30309
Midtown’s other great park is Ansley Park, an expansive green space anchored by a golf course.
6. Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area
The Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area has some of the best running trails in the city. You can’t beat the beautiful greenery and tons of offshoot trails.
7. Atlanta Beltline
I couldn’t make this list without including the Beltline, the 22-mile loop connecting many of the city’s best neighborhoods. The most famous part of the Beltline is its Eastside Trail, which stretches from Midtown Atlanta to Old Fourth Ward and more.
On the southside of town, you can jog on the Westside Trail, which encompasses Washington Park, Gordon White Park, and Adair Park. The paved West End Trail is 2.4 miles and runs from Rose Circle Park to Westview Cemetery.
There are also some pretty good restaurants along the Beltline, but that’s another story.
Final Word
With the weather being so nice, it’s a perfect time to get in some outdoor exercise: jogging. You don’t have to stay on the treadmill at your local LA Fitness to get a workout in. All you have to do is venture to one of Atlanta’s great parks.
If you’re in need of some exercise, few things can be a nice, brisk walk. Atlanta, Georgia has plenty of places you can walk or jog.
If exercise if your thing, here are some workout routines you can do in a gym. If you’re not going to the gym right now, here’s how to workout at home.
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Have you ever wondered who owns many of the parcels of land you pass by or utilize every day? Atlanta’s urban nature means “landownership” is often measured by total acreage across parcels, including campuses, parks, and developments.
In this article, we’ve compiled this list based on the most recent available data from property records, municipal reports, and market analyses.
Who Owns the Most Land in Atlanta?
Gone are the days when moguls controlled huge swaths of countryside of America. Public entities dominate due to large-scale holdings like airports and educational facilities.
Private ownership tends to focus on fragmented urban lots, with estimates derived from unit counts and average lot sizes (approx. 0.2 acres per single-family home).
Note: Exact figures can fluctuate with acquisitions or rezoning; these reflect October 2025 assessments. Acreage includes developed and undeveloped land under single-entity control.
Rank Landowner Type Estimated Total Acreage in Atlanta Key Holdings/Notes 1 City of Atlanta Public (Municipal) ~9,700 acres Includes Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (4,700 acres), city parks and green spaces (5,000 acres managed by Dept. of Parks & Recreation). Largest by far due to aviation and recreation infrastructure. 2 Emory University Private (Educational) 631 acres Main Atlanta campus in Druid Hills; includes academic buildings, research facilities, and green spaces. Titles held via Emory’s endowment trusts. 3 Atlanta Public Schools (APS) Public (Educational) ~1,090 acres 82+ school sites across elementary, middle, high, and specialty facilities; total from FY2023 district inventory (stable since 2022). Deeds primarily in Fulton/DeKalb Counties. 4 Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) Public (Educational) 400 acres Midtown campus with academic, residential, and research parcels; expanding via recent acquisitions in Technology Square area. 5 Invitation Homes Private (Corporate/REIT) ~1,600 acres (est.) ~8,000 single-family homes in metro Atlanta; largest corporate residential landlord by unit count. Acreage estimated from average lot sizes; focused on suburban rentals. 6 Pretium Partners Private (Corporate/Investor) ~1,400 acres (est.) ~7,200 homes; second-largest institutional single-family owner, with heavy concentration in South Fulton and DeKalb. 7 Amherst Holdings Private (Corporate/Investor) ~800 acres (est.) ~4,000 homes; key player in post-foreclosure acquisitions, titles often under subsidiary LLCs. 8 Cousins Properties Private (REIT) ~500 acres (est.) Major office portfolio (e.g., 10M+ sq ft in Midtown/CBD); land under buildings/parking estimated from site footprints. Top office owner per 2022-2024 reports. 9 Prologis Private (REIT) ~450 acres (est.) Industrial/warehouse holdings in South Atlanta and airport vicinity; leads in logistics space (50M+ sq ft total). 10 Cortland Private (Multifamily Operator) ~400 acres (est.) 75,000 multifamily units nationally, with significant Atlanta portfolio (10,000 units); Atlanta-based HQ, focused on urban apartments. Acreage from community sites. Additional Insights
- Public vs. Private: Public entities control ~70% of Atlanta’s largest holdings, emphasizing infrastructure and education. Private owners like REITs dominate commercial/multifamily but hold smaller contiguous parcels.
- Trends in 2025: Recent mergers (e.g., Rayonier-PotlatchDeltic HQ relocation) boost corporate presence but focus on rural timber, not city land. Urban land scarcity drives vertical development over acreage growth.
- Data Sources: Derived from Fulton County deeds, APS facilities reports, university profiles, NMHC multifamily rankings, and Georgia State University studies on corporate rentals. atlantapublicschools.
- For specific deed searches or title verification, contact Fulton County Clerk of Superior Court or provide parcel IDs for detailed lookups.
Final Word
Landownership is still one of the main drivers of wealth in America — and Atlantans are on the short end of the stick.
Atlanta’s real estate has delivered consistent returns, with home and land values rising 7–9% annually over the past decade—far outpacing the national average. In 2025, metro counties like Fulton (45% appreciation) and Cherokee (38%) lead due to tech expansions and job influxes. This makes land a hedge against inflation, turning modest parcels into wealth-builders over time.
If you want to become a property owner, read our guide on how to buy land.
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If you’ve been scrolling Zillow or peeking at open houses, you’ve likely noticed the headlines: home prices in Atlanta are indeed dropping. According to Redfin’s latest data for September 2025, the median sale price in the city dipped 5.1% year-over-year to $375,000, with homes taking an average of 76 days to sell.
This softening isn’t a crash, but a welcome shift toward balance after years of skyrocketing values. With inventory climbing and buyer power rising, the question on everyone’s mind is: Does this mean it’s time to jump in as a buyer, or pull back as a seller?
Let’s break it down.
The Current Atlanta Market: A Buyer’s Breeze Emerges
Atlanta’s housing scene has cooled considerably since the height of the seller’s market in 2021-2022.
Metro-wide, the median sales price for single-family homes and condos held steady at $450,000 in Q3 2025, showing 0% change from last year, per Sotheby’s International Realty.
But drill down to the city core, and you’ll see that 5%+ decline, signaling broader pressure on prices as more homes linger unsold. Key trends as of October 2025:
- Inventory Surge: Active listings in Metro Atlanta jumped 24% year-over-year to 15,700 properties by the end of Q3. marketupdates.sothebysrealty.com Nationally, new listings rose 4.1% in early October—the biggest bump in months—giving Atlanta buyers more options than they’ve had in years. redfin.com
- Slower Sales Pace: Closed sales totaled 11,100 units in Q3, down 2% from 2024, while days on market stretched to 47— a 42% increase. marketupdates.sothebysrealty.com In the city, that figure hits 76 days, meaning sellers are more open to negotiations.
- Months of Supply: Hitting around 4.6 months in mid-2025, we’re squarely in balanced territory—neither favoring frantic bidding wars nor leaving homes to rot. noradarealestate.com
Mortgage rates play a starring role here, hovering at 6.69% for a 30-year fixed as of early October.
That’s down from summer peaks but still above the sub-4% glory days. Add in Atlanta’s robust job growth in tech, film, and logistics, and you’ve got a market that’s thawing without boiling over.
Forecasts point to modest price growth of 1.5-4.9% through 2026, but only if rates ease further. In short: Prices are dropping (or at least plateauing), choices are multiplying, and fall—especially mid-October—is prime time for deals, with up to 15% more listings and less competition.
For Buyers: The Stars Are Aligning—But Act Smart
If you’re eyeing a bungalow in Inman Park or a townhome in Midtown, this dip is your green light. Here’s why now could be golden:
Pros for Buying Now Cons to Consider Lower Entry Prices: Save $20K+ on a median home compared to last year—enough for closing costs or upgrades. redfin.com Interest Rate Hurdles: At 6.69%, monthly payments on a $375K loan (20% down) run about $1,920—still a stretch for first-timers. Negotiation Leverage: With homes sitting longer, sellers are slashing prices (21% of Southwest listings cut in September) and throwing in concessions like repairs or rate buydowns. churchillmortgage.com Potential for Further Drops: If rates fall more in 2026, prices could soften another 1-2%—but waiting risks missing inventory. More Choices: 36% more homes hit the market mid-year, from affordable East Atlanta gems to luxury Buckhead condos. noradarealestate.com Qualifying Challenges: Rising incomes help, but only 24% of 2025 buys were first-timers—explore down payment assistance programs. My Advice: Buy if your finances are solid and you’ve got a 3-5 year horizon. Atlanta’s population boom (projected 1.8 million new residents by 2025) ensures long-term appreciation.
Get pre-approved, target motivated sellers (look for “price reduced” listings), and focus on neighborhoods like West Midtown or Decatur, where values hold strong. Mid-October’s “best week” (Oct 12-18) could net you even sweeter deals.
For Sellers: Patience Pays, But Don’t Drag Your Feet
Sellers, you’re not sidelined yet—Atlanta’s demand remains fueled by transplants and upsizers. But with inventory up and competition fiercer, strategy is key.
Pros for Selling Now Cons to Weigh Steady Demand: Sales may rise 9-13.5% in 2025, driven by job growth and suburban appeal. lamonteam.com +1 Cash buyers (26% of transactions) love turnkeys. Longer Market Time: 47+ days means staging, marketing, and showings stretch out—factor in carrying costs. Capture Equity Gains: Even with softening, prices are up 230-328K range long-term; lock in before any deeper dips. sageandgracere.com Price Pressure: Expect 5-10% cuts in hot spots; overpricing leads to expired listings (up metro-wide). Buyer Incentives: Offer closing help to close faster in this negotiation-heavy environment. Balanced Shift: No more multiple offers—price realistically to avoid stagnation. My Advice: Sell if you’re relocating, downsizing, or cashing out (hello, empty nesters at age 63 average).
Price at or below comps, invest in curb appeal, and list in fall for serious buyers avoiding holiday chaos. Neighborhoods like East Cobb or Alpharetta still move quickly despite the cool-down.
Final Thoughts: The Time Is Now—For the Right Move
Atlanta’s dropping prices aren’t a red flag; they’re a recalibration, creating a fairer market for all. Buyers, this is your moment to snag value in a city that’s only growing hotter. Sellers, leverage your equity before the pendulum swings back.
Whichever side you’re on, consult a local pro (hint: that’s me) to tailor a plan—rates could dip more, but opportunities won’t wait.
Whether you’re dreaming of a BeltLine loft or selling your Sandy Springs starter, Atlanta real estate rewards the prepared. Let’s chat; your next chapter starts here. What’s your move?
Given how much homes cost in Atlanta, if you’re an investor, this may be a great time to buy. On the other hand, if you’re selling a home, you may get less than you anticipated.
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In the high-stakes arena of technology, Atlantans woke up Monday, Oct. 20 without many of the services they rely on every day: Amazon Web Services (AWS), the colossus powering roughly a third of the global cloud infrastructure, suffered a cascading failure that rippled across the internet like a digital earthquake.
What started as a regional hiccup in Northern Virginia’s US-EAST-1 data centers left millions of users staring at error screens, from Fortnite lobbies to Venmo transactions.
The outage was yet another stark reminder of our collective over-reliance on a single web provider for all things internet.
How Is Atlanta Being Affected?
Atlanta, Georgia, often dubbed the “Silicon Peach” for its booming tech ecosystem, is no stranger to AWS dependency.
With over 150 companies in the metro area relying on the platform for everything from data storage to app hosting, and major players like Delta Air Lines and The Home Depot headquartered here, the outage exposed vulnerabilities in a city that’s become a Southeast tech powerhouse.
During the outage, which peaked around 3:11 AM ET, users reported widespread issues with the Delta app and website—delayed check-ins, inaccessible boarding passes, and stalled reservations.
While no flights were grounded (thanks to redundant on-ground systems), the digital chaos meant longer lines at counters and frustrated travelers scrambling for paper tickets.
The Spark: A DNS Glitch Ignites Global Chaos
The outage kicked off around 3:11 AM ET (12:11 AM PDT), though user reports began flooding Downdetector as early as 8 AM GMT.
AWS’s status page quickly lit up with alerts: elevated error rates and latencies in core services like DynamoDB (a NoSQL database powerhouse) and EC2 (virtual computing backbone)
The root cause? A DNS resolution failure for DynamoDB API endpoints in US-EAST-1, the most trafficked AWS region and a de facto nerve center for global services.
Amazon Responds
Engineers at Amazon sprang into action, deploying mitigations across parallel paths, but the damage was done. By mid-morning, over 15,000 complaints had spiked on outage trackers, with AWS confirming “significant signs of recovery” only after 6 AM ET.This wasn’t a cyberattack—no evidence of foul play emerged—but a classic operational gremlin: a configuration slip or network overload in Virginia’s data hubs, which host critical control planes for worldwide AWS operations. 12 The fallout? A “domino effect” on any service leaning on AWS for storage, compute, or authentication.
The Casualties: A Roll Call of Digital Dependencies
The breadth of the blackout was staggering, underscoring how AWS isn’t just infrastructure—it’s the invisible scaffolding of our online lives.
Here’s a snapshot of the hardest-hit sectors and players, drawn from real-time reports and user outcries:
Sector Affected Companies/Services Impact Highlights Gaming & Entertainment Fortnite (Epic Games), Roblox, Pokémon GO, PlayStation Network, Disney+ Servers offline; millions unable to log in or stream. Roblox saw a 10x spike in complaints, halting virtual economies mid-transaction. 2 Social & Communication Snapchat, Signal, Facebook (partial), Reddit Login failures and messaging blackouts. Snapchat, with 400M+ daily users, went dark globally, stranding friends in limbo. 10 Finance & Crypto Coinbase, Robinhood, Venmo, Lloyds Bank (UK) Trading halts and payment glitches. Coinbase assured users “all funds are safe” but couldn’t process logins; Venmo users joked on X about “free IOUs.” 0 Productivity & Tools Canva, Duolingo, Slack, Zoom, Perplexity AI Design files frozen, lessons paused, meetings derailed. Perplexity’s CEO tweeted: “Root cause is an AWS issue—we’re resolving.” 3 Amazon Ecosystem Amazon.com, Prime Video, Alexa, Ring E-commerce carts abandoned, smart homes silenced. Ring users reported being “trapped” indoors by unresponsive alarms. 6 Other Essentials McDonald’s app, HMRC (UK gov), OnlyFans Fast-food orders stalled; tax filings disrupted. Even niche hits like Wordle and MyFitnessPal joined the fray. 14 Airlines like Delta and United saw app glitches but no widespread flight delays, per FlightAware.
Globally, the pain was uneven—hardest in the US and Europe, lighter in parts of Asia—but it touched everything from crypto validators to AI queries.
Lessons from the Rubble: Building a More Robust Digital Future
Outages like this aren’t novel—recall the 2024 CrowdStrike fiasco that grounded flights worldwide—but they sting sharper in an AI-accelerated era where downtime means lost queries, frozen models, and evaporating trust.
AWS mitigated the core issue by 6:48 AM ET, with most services throttling back to life, though lingering delays persisted into the afternoon.
Amazon’s stock barely flinched in premarket, a nod to investors’ outage fatigue, but for everyday users and businesses, it was a wake-up call.
Final Word
The cloud’s promise was boundless scalability, not brittle centralization.
October 20 exposed the cracks, but it also spotlights how resilient a city and state can be when systems go down.
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In a move that’s sure to ripple through the city’s passionate soccer scene, Atlanta United has parted ways with head coach Ronny Deila, the club revealed Sunday morning, Oct. 19.
Atlanta United Fires Coach Ronny Deila
The decision comes on the heels of a grueling 2025 season that left fans yearning for the glory days of the club’s 2018 MLS Cup triumph.
Deila’s tenure with the Five Stripes was a short and turbulent one, marked by a dismal 6-18-13 record across all competitions.
The team limped to a 14th-place finish in the Eastern Conference, scraping together just 28 points—barely edging out the league’s wooden spoon holders, D.C. United.
For a fanbase accustomed to sold-out Mercedes-Benz Stadium roars and playoff chases, the results were a bitter pill.
The Norwegian tactician stepped into the hot seat back in December 2024, bringing a resume that once sparkled with promise. Deila etched his name in MLS history by guiding New York City FC to the 2021 MLS Cup title.
Before that, he made waves abroad, steering Belgian powerhouses Club Brugge and Standard Liège, and more recently, managing Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates.
But in Atlanta, the magic never materialized amid injuries, tactical mismatches, and a squad that struggled to gel.
“It’s clear our level of performance this year didn’t live up to the expectations we set for ourselves,” said Atlanta United CEO and President Garth Lagerwey in a statement. “After discussions with our senior leadership, we’ve concluded that a change in direction is what’s best for the club moving forward.”
Lagerwey didn’t mince words about the debt owed to the supporters who’ve packed the stands and turned Atlanta into a soccer hotbed.
“At the end of the day, we owe our incredible fans a far superior product on the pitch, and we’re fully committed to delivering that to this vibrant community without delay.”
The club extended its gratitude to Deila for his efforts during a challenging year. “We appreciate Ronny’s dedication to Atlanta United and wish him nothing but success in his next chapter,” Lagerwey added.
As the offseason dust settles, all eyes in ATL turn to the hunt for Deila’s successor. With the 2026 campaign looming, can the club reignite the fire that once made Mercedes-Benz Stadium quake? For now, it’s a reset—and a reminder that in Atlanta soccer, anything less than contention just won’t cut it.
Stay tuned to AtlantaFi.com for updates on the coaching search and roster moves. Share your thoughts: Who should be next in the dugout?
