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My family and I had made a trip last May, to search out areas of NC that we may want to relocate to. We drove from FL to Pineville. Most of out "Greater Charlotte" search was south of that.. Union County, Fort Mill, etc. We drove out to Asheville, Robinsville, and then ALLL the way to Raleigh. We absolutely LOVED Waxhaw and the surrounding Union County area.
We are set in 6 weeks to go back for an 8 day trip. We only have about 4 in Charlotte though. We had narrowed our search to Union County because we want land and good schools. But now we want to see the North side of Charlotte, as well as the east and west rural portions.
So here I am asking for assistance to narrow our trip to best use our 4 days there.
We need to be within a very good school district, maybe 30-40 minute commute to the heart of Charlotte, close to a university and in an area that allows horses on mini-farms (min of 2 acres).
The plan is to obviously move when/where we find work. We'd ideally like to rent for 6 mo/1 yr before purchasing but want to rent in the same area we're going to buy as to not uproot our daughter from school, who starts next year.
Our lease is up in October, but we're hoping to move in September, and allow the extra month in case we dont find work right away. (We will not move without work)
So can anyone direct what areas we need to search out when we go so that we dont waste our time falling in love with an area that doesnt fit our needs?
Thanks for any assistance.
Maybe I should be a little more detailed...
Based on a map, (with little knowledge of each area) I think Huntersville, Cornelius, Gastonia would be good areas based on commutes. I obviously dont know what zoning is like in these areas. I also dont know which are close to a college. I am open to other areas as well. I do own a horse, so being near boarding would be nice but I like driving, so not a deal breaker. If I could board on my property that would be a HUGE plus, but we're looking to rent around $800-$1100, maybe a little more if stable is included. Like I mentioned above, where the work is, we will move. But I would like more info on areas that fit what we're looking for so we know where to look for work and housing. Can anyone help with knowledge of any, or a particular area theyd suggest??
LilShorty - just guessing - but I am thinking most folks are hesitant to direct you to any one area without knowing where you will be working, as that makes a HUGE difference here.
Also, you are limiting yourself a lot b/c you said - "close to a university" and I think that may be throwing folks off a bit.
College towns near Charlotte: Rock Hill, SC . . . Charlotte . . . Davidson . . . Hickory . . . Winston-Salem . . .Misenheimer . . . Greensboro . . . and then there are community colleges and tech institutes in counties surrounding the metro.
But recommending any of those won't be very helpful b/c it will depend on where you work as to the feasibility of the commute.
Also - your need for a mini-farm is another criteria that makes it hard to recommend areas.
As far as rent . . . there are thousands of us who would love a place to rent in that price range w/ a stable/barn but I honestly wouldn't even know where to start looking as those places are few and far between (if they exist at all in close proximity to a college and a decent commute back to Charlotte).
Yea I completely understand about the horse boarding, which is why its nto a deal breaker if I have to full board and drive elsewhere. Waxhaw seemed to offer a wide variety of acreage, nice homes in that price range, and within driving distance to most metro areas. I have only completed half required courses to obtain my AA, so community college could be in the running, but im not stopping there, hoping to get a BA in criminal justice, in a minor in business, so.. needing a larger University is prime. I know where i work will determine what areas, but thats why im looking for ALL areas of interest. I wont know where I'm working until the job is secured, but I can wander all over charlotte and determine where I'd like to apply.
Maybe adding that I'm currently in the legal field would help? I doubt it but hey, who knows.. i work for a criminal/PI/Family law office assisting two attorney's.
Maybe adding that I'm currently in the legal field would help? I doubt it but hey, who knows.. i work for a criminal/PI/Family law office assisting two attorney's.
Believe me, if I had a clue I would pass it on. My sister has a BA in international business, a minor in German, and is also a paralegal and she is looking for a job, too. It's just tough right now.
Waxhaw is a great place to live. In addition to the areas you have already looked into, I would also suggest maybe checking out Gaston County - there could be something for rent there, altho basically, I think most farms are gonna be large tracts of land (but you never know!).
Also, maybe around Kannapolis . . . there could be rentals up there, but again - I am just guessing. I haven't seen anything close to what you are looking for in this area. I have in the past in Iredell, Alexander, Catawba, Burke . . . but not recently.
Nothing even without boarding? Just need a 3 bed/2 bath and 2 car garage house with a fenced yard that allows car trailer and ATV trailer. lol doesnt sound TOOOO broad, just sounds like no HOA. lol. Although the part about renting and staying in the same area to buy narrows it. I dont need the land while renting, only to own. But dont want to change my daughters school.
Nothing even without boarding? Just need a 3 bed/2 bath and 2 car garage house with a fenced yard that allows car trailer and ATV trailer. lol doesnt sound TOOOO broad, just sounds like no HOA. lol. Although the part about renting and staying in the same area to buy narrows it. I dont need the land while renting, only to own. But dont want to change my daughters school.
Well, if you eliminate where your job is going to be located, and you eliminate the need for boarding, then you get down to community colleges/universities . . . and 30-40 min. commute time. That would include about everything around the periphery of Charlotte if one is measuring a commute back into the city itself. The variable would be as to cost of rent and schools. Your rent between $800-1000 can get you apartments and may get you a house, as well. But no way to know about individual rental situations (what is available and where) til it is closer to when you would be signing a lease.
Oh - meant to add - you might check out UNC-Pembroke, as I believe they may have a criminal justice degree that is either online or mostly online. The tuition is a real bargain, too.
I don't feel I have been much help, but maybe that lead on the college would be of some interest.
Thank you for at least replying. And it still limits me bc i want to be in an area that at least offers land when i want to buy so i dont make my daughter move schools. In addition, according to some realtor websites $800-$1000 gets you a nice size house with a yard and two car garaqge. Apartment living is out of the question for us. 3 cars , an atv, and a huge car trailer... probably not feasable in an apartment. We just need a house with no hoa to allow that.
I would really like to help with some info in Union County, but if your top range on a rental house is $1,000 you are really only going to find viable options out towards and past Monroe, maybe Matthews, further out in Indian Trail, or South past Waxhaw downtown. The non-HOA will likely be a bit of a challenge.
It's unfortunate that I believe you driving from Pineville down into Waxhaw you passed through Marvin... pretty much a horse lovers dream area, but very expensive. You might have even confused some of that area for Waxhaw.
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