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05/04/2007 08:31:10 AM · #1 |
I really like and trust the dpchallenge community and I thought I'd try to get some feedback from the most reliable internet group in the … universe!
I have family moving to and already in North Carolina. My wife and myself (and my 2 year old) are debating moving there. The number one reason to move from Cleveland is climate.
Some Pros:
WARM! … and closer to the ocean
Near Family (also a con I suppose ;P) … we DO have very opposing political views.
We would like a bigger home to grow the family and moving obviously opens this option
I feels likea new begining … did I mention I'm really hating the cold?
We were debating changing child-care location anyway
Cons:
Wife has established job security and good pay with a great school district
I have an established job with decent pay
Near Family (also a con I suppose ;P) … we DO have very opposing political views.
We have a friends here … so does our daughter
We current live near right a "great" lake
Any thoughts on the Raleigh area or any other in NC …
or any opinions on making this decision??
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05/04/2007 08:57:50 AM · #2 |
Originally posted by metatate:
Any thoughts on the Raleigh area or any other in NC …
or any opinions on making this decision?? |
My wife was born and raised in Raleigh and it's a great area. Her parents still live there and we visit frequently. It's growing rapidly and property values are still climbing (particularly in the inner beltway) despite the recent real estate slow-down. I'm not sure about the job market there, but it really depends on what you do. The area is well known for technology and healthcare and there are several "techy" and medical professions you can get involved in. The education in that area can be top-notch (depending on where you settle) and there are several great universities. Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State, Wake Forest (just to name a few). North Carolina has a wide diversity of topographies within relatively short driving distances of Raleigh. Raleigh is located basically mid-state NC and within 2-3 hours you can be in the mountains if you head west or on the coast if you head east. The Outer Banks are not too terribly far away and is a wonderful place for photography excursions.
Raleigh also has a very diverse population with many opportunities for participation in the Arts, great restuarants, etc. The downside is the traffic (at least in my opinion), but if you're from Cleveland, this won't be much of a problem for you. The climate is certainly much more temperate in Raleigh and if you're not familiar with southern summers, I would recommend a visit to the area in late July or early August. The summers down here can be rather difficult. The problem isn't necessarily the high temperatures (frequently over 100 degrees F), but it's the high humidity coupled with that. Days when it's 103 and 95% humidity can be pretty brutal. If you visit during peak temperature season and think you can handle it, then by all means go for it!!!
ETA: Please feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions about the area, if I don't know the answer, my wife certainly will!
PS... It would also be nice to have someone in the area to go shooting with when I head up for visits.... Any method I can use to avoid my mother-in-law is always welcome! ;-)
Message edited by author 2007-05-04 09:04:51.
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05/04/2007 09:13:51 AM · #3 |
| Pro's: I dont know what the people are like in cleveland but i know the people in NC are a lot friendlier than the assholes in Maryland. I went down there last weekend and last October and I thought I was in Disney World with all the "hello's and how are you's" people actually wave to you also, just to say hello. And housing is very cheap down there at least compared to maryland. I could buy a 3000 sq ft home down there for the price of a townhouse here. |
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05/04/2007 09:38:14 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by metatate:
I really like and trust the dpchallenge community and I thought I'd try to get some feedback from the most reliable internet group in the … universe!
I have family moving to and already in North Carolina. My wife and myself (and my 2 year old) are debating moving there. The number one reason to move from Cleveland is climate.
Some Pros:
WARM! … and closer to the ocean
Near Family (also a con I suppose ;P) … we DO have very opposing political views.
We would like a bigger home to grow the family and moving obviously opens this option
I feels likea new begining … did I mention I'm really hating the cold?
We were debating changing child-care location anyway
Cons:
Wife has established job security and good pay with a great school district
I have an established job with decent pay
Near Family (also a con I suppose ;P) … we DO have very opposing political views.
We have a friends here … so does our daughter
We current live near right a "great" lake
Any thoughts on the Raleigh area or any other in NC …
or any opinions on making this decision?? |
Hi!
My partner and I are in the process of building a home here in NC (it should be done in 2-3 weeks!!!!). We are moving here from Massachusetts so I can totally relate to moving because of climate!!
We are building in Calabash, which is a coastal community. We are 20 miles north of Myrtle Beach. I absolutely love the area,we have been here since mid January! And I completely agree with Chinabun's assessment of the people... they are genuine, kind and courteous, nothing like the Massholes that I am used to!!!!
Here are some of my pros and cons, and just my opinion...
Pros:
-getting out of the cold!
-Living 5 miles from the ocean!
-Golf, golf, and more golf!
-NOT being in Florida (another post for another day!)
-Laid back mentality - no more fighting in traffic!
-NO MORE SNOW!
Cons:
-Coastal cost of living is higher than we expected.
-Insurance - homeowner, car, hurricane are all expensive.
-Jobs are minimum wage unless you are highly specialized and you won't find a job like that here in coastal areas.
-Laid back mentality - things move at a turtle's pace!
-It's not the heat, it's the humidity!
As for the Raleigh area, I have a friend who lives there Monday through Friday because of employment (she will be eligible to retire in 5 years) and comes home to Calabash on the weekends. The jobs are definitely in that area vs here! If you have specific questions about Raleigh, feel free to PM and I will ask her and get you answers!
Good luck with your decision, it's a big one! But I don't think you regret getting out of the cold!
Beth
Message edited by author 2007-05-04 09:40:30. |
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05/04/2007 09:43:37 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by eac:
We are building in Calabash... no more fighting in traffic! |
AHAHAHAHA! Your friend isn't the only one who goes to Calabash on the weekends. Just wait until Summer, when 1/4 of Myrtle Beach drives up for dinner. ;-)
P.S.- droooool.
Message edited by author 2007-05-04 09:44:18. |
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05/04/2007 09:47:53 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
when 1/4 of Myrtle Beach drives up for dinner.... |
Not to mention surrounding areas!
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05/04/2007 09:55:04 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by scalvert:
Originally posted by eac:
We are building in Calabash... no more fighting in traffic! |
AHAHAHAHA! Your friend isn't the only one who goes to Calabash on the weekends. Just wait until Summer, when 1/4 of Myrtle Beach drives up for dinner. ;-)
P.S.- droooool. |
Fortunately, I won't be here for the summers, well not for quite a few years. We are keeping our cottage on a lake in New Hampshire. I have heard about the traffic down here in the summer! lol
The food here is too delicious... |
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05/04/2007 09:57:03 AM · #8 |
I live in Winston-Salem, NC, about 2 hours North of Raleigh and I LOVE NC. We have the mountains (about 30 minutes away), flatlands (all around) and beach (about 4 hours away, 2 from Raleigh). It does get humid with the summer heat, but we have the best all seasons. Nice Summers, beautiful Springs and Falls and a lovely Winter.
The job market varies, depending on what you want to do. While a lot of furniture plants are closing, we did just build a new Dell plant and there are always nice office jobs as well as plenty of other opportunities.
I have been to/through Raleigh a lot and it is very beautiful. A booming place as well as friendly. The crime is also very low, unless you get into the smaller, poorer parts of some towns, and then it's just a lot of teenagers. You'll also probably be more likely to run over a opossum or have a deer standing on the side of the road than be in a traffic jam.
I love it here and don't think enough people appreciate NC enough. There are plenty of books you can get at the bookstore of all of the amazing places around NC. You can drive an hour away and the scenery will be completely different, which I love and is great just to go for a day and have a change of scenery.
You can always come to Raleigh/wherever for a week or weekend and rent a place and see what you think.
Good luck and if you have any questions, let me know! :) |
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05/04/2007 10:45:15 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by metatate:
Any thoughts on the Raleigh area or any other in NC …
or any opinions on making this decision?? |
Well, it had to happen. The last person living anywhere else has decided to move to Raleigh. LOL I hope you like company. If you have more than one child that will go to public schools you might want to re-consider. There is a war going on with the Board of Education. They want to convert about one-half of the schools to year-round while leaving the rest nine month. So if you're unlucky and have two or more kids they might end up in the two different types of schools. This would make schedules and vacations a PITA. There is a court order right now stopping it. The Board has threatened to go to shift schools if they don't get their way. The reason for all this: uncontrolled growth that is going to rapidly kill all the wonderful "Best City to move to in the US" reports in all the magazines. Also there might be a neighborhood school right down the street from your home. You may have bought your home for just this reason. You'll probably see your child get on a bus and go to a school on the other side of the county. This is already happening and parents aren't too thrilled.
I can't remember what type of career you're looking for, ..... but if it's high tech you'll probably have pretty good job security right now. Research Triangle Park is just down the road from Raleigh. Plenty of jobs there.
As far as all the slow pace of life and all the friendly people.... YMMV. Remember there are darn few original Raleigh residents anymore. More then 70 percent of the people came from somewhere else. When they came, they brought their old habits with them.
And for those who say it never snows. LOL About once every 15 to 20 years we get a 15 to 30 inch snowstorm. And about every 3 years we have a 5 to 10 inch snowstorm. Because it snows so seldom there are almost no snowplows available. So if you're a fast paced person who expects the roads to be cleared quickly after a snowstorm, expect to be pissed off every now and again. Since so many people travel the limited roads here a storm with .25 inches of glare ice can completely shut down the roads here. Because roads are having a difficult time keeping up with all the people moving in expect traffic to be a PITA at times. Compared to the bigger cities it will still be an improvement.
I'd advise a two week vacation to the area if you're planning on moving here. See what it's like and drive the roads a lot. I've given you a lot of "bad" things to think about since you've read all the good things in magazines. If you decide to come, Welcome to North Carolina. Good to have another DPC member. I live about 20 miles North of Raleigh. The suburbs just passed by me headed North and accelerated. At current rates of development Raleigh's city limits should be at the Virginia border in 2018.
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05/04/2007 11:52:09 AM · #10 |
Thank you all so much for the information. My mother just closed on a house there and she too says that people are extra-friendly there.
I have had the feeling for several years that I wasn't really where I belonged (I'm originally form Vermont, then Massachusetts, then NJ, then Chicago, then PA, then Ohio) … but being married and having child/ren makes moving a thousand percent more difficult. Moving is the most stressful thing they say so I really appreciate all of this input and welcome any others.
Any job offers are welcome also ;P :
Prepress specialist with Graphic Design BA and skills as well as freelance background and an addiction commonly known as Open Shutter's disease (or DPC-itus) … ok maybe not commonly known.
Message edited by author 2007-05-04 11:53:22. |
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05/04/2007 12:02:09 PM · #11 |
| I used to live in Chapel Hill. I have little useful advice, but I will say that the countryside is beautiful. |
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05/04/2007 01:26:27 PM · #12 |
| You know what they say Cary (suburb of Raleigh) stands for, Central Area for Relocate Yankees. And its true. |
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05/04/2007 01:46:01 PM · #13 |
| I live in western/piedmont NC.. if I had my choice of any place in NC to move, it would be closer east, closer to Wilmington. You have the best of a lot being that close to the coast; Outer Banks, N Carolina Beaches, S Carolina Beaches, NC Art Museum (my fav),.. etc As far as *city* life, I don't know why Raleigh is our capital, Charlotte is much nicer and more fitting of the title.. but NC is an OK place to live, but being on the coast makes it way better. |
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05/04/2007 01:52:02 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by aerogurl:
I live in western/piedmont NC.. if I had my choice of any place in NC to move, it would be closer east, closer to Wilmington. You have the best of a lot being that close to the coast; Outer Banks, N Carolina Beaches, S Carolina Beaches, NC Art Museum (my fav),.. etc As far as *city* life, I don't know why Raleigh is our capital, Charlotte is much nicer and more fitting of the title.. but NC is an OK place to live, but being on the coast makes it way better. |
One could make the same argument for being closer to the mountains. You've got beautiful scenery, the blue ridge parkway, skiing in the winter and loads of waterfalls so you can do stuff like this.
I'm about to move away from Boone and I'm gonna miss it a bunch. I will however be moving to the beach so I hope you're right:)
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