Should I stay or leave Charlotte? (Raleigh, Greensboro: apartment complexes, lease, homes)
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At the beginning of the month, I moved to the Charlotte area from Connecticut to roommate with another person, so I'm not on a lease contract and can stay or leave anytime I wish. So, here are my impressions of the area.
The good...
I really like the Charlotte metro area. I feel comfortable here, even as a homosexual atheist, and have found it easy to make friends, as the people down here are really nice and approachable. Contrary to what people have said, I have found the singles and gay community to be plenty sufficient for me. I like the beautiful scenery (I love hiking) and the climate is pretty good, too, although I wish winter was a more proper winter, with more snow. But that's okay, because I prefer summer anyway. I love how the cost of living is low and you can buy new construction for a very reasonable price in a nice area. And there's plenty of shopping, dining and amenities. Plenty of people in my age group, too.
The bad...
Probably the thing that bothers me most is that the overall Charlotte area feels somewhat isolated from other metro areas. It's annoying that I have to drive for a long time just to get to the next big city. And the cities that are drivable aren't really exciting, except for maybe Asheville. I also don't like how as soon as you leave the Charlotte area, it gets very redneck and southern VERY fast. Suddenly, most people have a thick southern accent and it makes me feel so different and weird. I miss how in Connecticut, you could venture out into rural areas or drive for 50+ miles away from the city and still run into people who talk just like me. So basically, if I stay in Charlotte, I would be limited to a 30-mile diameter bubble if I want to be around mostly people that are similar to me. Look, I have no problem with southerners, but being the ONLY northerner makes me feel just different/weird.
My other gripe is that the overall area feels kind of sterile and bland. The city at large has a very planned/plastic feel to it, with too much new construction and endless apartment complexes that all look the same, everywhere you go. And the quality of the new construction homes down here are not that great. It seems that the new construction homes back up north use higher quality materials and don't look so cheap and plastic. I mean, most of the newly constructed homes in the Charlotte area feature laminate flooring, fake tiles in the bathroom floor, cheap carpeting, cheap doors, cheap molding, and the exterior of the homes just look very plastic and cheap.
Plus, 80% of my family is located in the Hartford, CT area.
Finally, the job market here is overly competitive and unemployment is very high. I've been searching for a job (in a high demand field, too) for weeks and networking, meeting with recruiters, applying to jobs, etc, and have not landed a single interview! I know I am very qualified and have a great resume and a master's degree, but I'm surprised at how long it's taking.
Look, I really like Charlotte, because I think the positives do rival the negatives. Friendly, approachable people, affordable housing, beautiful scenery, decent climate and a sufficient gay population. But I have to decide by Wednesday if I am going to invest in another month of rent to stay here and continue looking for a job, or if I should go back up to CT and resume my life there.
Right now I'm 28 years old. If I did settle here now, I just don't see myself wanting to stay here for the rest of my life, or even 10 years from now. But right now, I do like it.
Sounds like you answer your own question. Seems like the physical characteristics of the area and natives dont meet your cup of tea then we are not going to stand in your way heading back.
Move... sounds like you are love CT and are unwilling to really give Charlotte a chance.
...and seriously, if a southerner moved up North and was surprised people 50 miles outside of a city sounded Northerny I'm pretty sure you would call them more than a few names. I can't believe you were shocked to hear southern accents or have to drive for a while to get to the next city. Its the freakin south...c'mon guy.
Last but not least... it really sounds like you like Charlotte when you aren't comparing it to CT. If you decide to stay for another "month" hopefully you will get over these trivial things and enjoy your time here.
Oh yeah... and I hope YOU make the decision and aren't using this forum as an excuse for not taking ownership of your decision. I only say this because I made a similar move when I was younger and tried to blame outside forces for a bad decision.
You should always give a place much longer than one month in order to get an actual sense of it. I always say at least a year, but it only took me 3 months to be sure that I wanted to stay in CLT (I moved too CLT from the northeast when I was 24 and stayed for two years before leaving for work/school and have missed it!). The good you describe is far more compelling than the bad - I say stick with the adventure. CLT will only get better as spring approaches - you'll see.
NEP - Okay, I can understand all the things you have pointed out about the area and your comfort level here. And tbh, some of the things you find to be a negative are not going to change. This is the South and folks in surrounding areas are natives . . . there are less newcomers than in Charlotte. So that isn't going to change in any appreciable way over the next 25 years.
And I do understand what you are saying about the "vibe" in Charlotte and I see how you could feel the way you do about the housing outside the city core. That isn't going to change, either.
However, it is a good sign that you feel comfortable with meeting folks and having a social life, as that can often be the biggest disappointment moving somewhere new.
Charlotte is a good place to get to other places . . . that really isn't a bad drive to Asheville and it isn't a bad drive to Charleston . . . and other metro areas such as Greensboro and Raleigh are not a bad drive, either (nice to go there for concerts and festivals, for ex). SO once you have made a close circle of friends, traveling together to some special events at these places - or to hang out for the weekend - is going to actually be a fun change of pace.
In all honesty, I think you can overcome some of the negatives you are currently feeling.
What DOES concern me is that you don't have a job. However, I truly do not feel you have given it enough time. There are folks who have had to look for a year or more to replace a job they lost here. So my bottom line would be . . . if you can give it some more time, set a date - and if you don't have a job by that date - then pack up and move back home. Otherwise, I would give the area a chance. You are young. If you found a job here and stayed a few years - you may find that you really enjoy the lifestyle you would have here. If you never acclimate, then you could move back home and still be 30 or so - a great age to be putting down roots.
I just don't think you have given the region enough time. If you had found a job, I think you might be more inclined to see things in a positive way and not even notice some of the things that have seemed a drawback right now.
I am sad that you are so turned off by the accents and what you consider to be "rednecks" outside Charlotte's city limits. I wish you would give folks a chance and not view everyone through a stereotype. I know as a gay man that you would not want others to view you stereotypically - and it works both ways! You really should expand your comfort zone and not make so many assumptions about folks that you don't even know.
Why don't you set a date - 3 months, 6 months - to find a job. Start with that being the cornerstone of your decision-making.
Probably the thing that bothers me most is that the overall Charlotte area feels somewhat isolated from other metro areas. It's annoying that I have to drive for a long time just to get to the next big city. And the cities that are drivable aren't really exciting, except for maybe Asheville. I also don't like how as soon as you leave the Charlotte area, it gets very redneck and southern VERY fast. Suddenly, most people have a thick southern accent and it makes me feel so different and weird. I miss how in Connecticut, you could venture out into rural areas or drive for 50+ miles away from the city and still run into people who talk just like me. So basically, if I stay in Charlotte, I would be limited to a 30-mile diameter bubble if I want to be around mostly people that are similar to me. Look, I have no problem with southerners, but being the ONLY northerner makes me feel just different/weird.
Well... if you look at Connecticut's land vs. North Carolina's land, there's quite a difference.
Charlotte is no where isolated. You've got the Triad, Triangle, Asheville, Atlanta, Columbia, Charleston, Wilmington, Greenville and Hampton Roads within a 5 hour drive. Plenty of things to do and plenty of metros to discover.
Also, what do you mean "as soon as you leave the Charlotte area"? Going up 77, the entire ride all the way to Statesville is highly developed and definitely not "redneck."
I don't think you've drove around enough to experice Charlotte.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nep321
My other gripe is that the overall area feels kind of sterile and bland. The city at large has a very planned/plastic feel to it, with too much new construction and endless apartment complexes that all look the same, everywhere you go. And the quality of the new construction homes down here are not that great. It seems that the new construction homes back up north use higher quality materials and don't look so cheap and plastic. I mean, most of the newly constructed homes in the Charlotte area feature laminate flooring, fake tiles in the bathroom floor, cheap carpeting, cheap doors, cheap molding, and the exterior of the homes just look very plastic and cheap.
Charlotte is highly respected upon it's urban feel. It isn't like Hartford. Everything is mostly new, hence the "New South" term.
Your statement is very broad. How in the world do you know what kind of doors and floors are in every Charlotte house? Don't judge an entire city based off of your few findings because my bathrooms have real tile floors.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nep321
Finally, the job market here is overly competitive and unemployment is very high. I've been searching for a job (in a high demand field, too) for weeks and networking, meeting with recruiters, applying to jobs, etc, and have not landed a single interview! I know I am very qualified and have a great resume and a master's degree, but I'm surprised at how long it's taking.
What field are you looking in? Two weeks isn't much compared to people who have looked for months and then have successfully found a job.
If you like the area, I don't see why you felt the need to post this.
I agree on stereotyping... thats pretty rude, its the south... why would one expect non southern accents in rural areas?
..and 2 weeks and no interviews in a highly competitve field? They probably haven't even viewed your resume yet. Unless you have an inside connection why would one expect to jump to the front of the line.
I've been searching for a job (in a high demand field, too) for weeks and networking, meeting with recruiters, applying to jobs, etc, and have not landed a single interview! I know I am very qualified and have a great resume and a master's degree, but I'm surprised at how long it's taking. .....
What do you think?
I think this is the crux of your problem. It can be demoralizing and make you look for solutions that don't have anything to do with your job search.
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