Raleigh vs. Winston-Salem (Greensboro, Cary, Wilmington: HOA, homes, job market)

[Kentuckyyank]

I am going to retire in North Carolina and would like to know what people think about the areas of Raleigh and Winston-Salem. I have read many posts here about both places, good and bad, but hopefully someone can give me some insight on the two areas.

I am an avid golfer and will work either full-time or part-time at a nice golf course when I retire and my wife really likes to window shop and have a nice large mall nearby.

We don't really care for heavy traffic, so living downtown is not something we want. We want to live in a nice neighborhood with a good HOA that is close to both golf courses and shopping malls (within 20 minutes).

Please let me know what you all think.

Thanks.

[Florida15]

I grew up in and around Winston-Salem and moved with my job to Florida for fifteen years and now am living in Wilmington,N.C. I still have family in Winston-Salem and visit there often and also go to Raleigh occasionally.I would definitely choose Raleigh for what you're looking for.If you don't want to be right in the congestion of traffic, Cary and Apex are good alternatives, but still have access to everything Raleigh offers.They have a lot of beautiful developments either with or close to golf courses to choose from.I don't know anything about the HOA's though.You'd have to get that information from someone who actually lives there now.The shopping is great there also(much better than Winston)People travel from here in Wilmington just to shop there.We've did that ourselves.Also another good plus is you're not but a couple of hours from our beautiful beaches and golf courses here.

Best of luck to you!

[Florida15]

I forgot to comment on the job market.It's much better in Raleigh also than Winston.

[NC man]

I grew up in Greensboro and moved to Raleigh/Cary 12 years ago, all my family lives in Greensboro still and most of my freinds in Winston. Heres my take on it, Better Golf coarses around the piedmont area in Greensboro/winston, Like Millcreek in burlington, Stoney creek, The challenge course, Bryant park, Tanglewood, Oak Hollow, Jamestown golf coarse, Oak ridge and lots more. Homes are much cheaper and traffic is alot less congested right now. In winston you are less then an hour from the mountains and about three and a half from the Beach. Now Raleigh has a lot less good golf coarses but alot of cookie cutter golf communities have popped up all over the place, the job market is better here but if you are retiring not an issue. Raleigh is very much urban sprawl and is getting worse every day. Wake county one of the fastest growing counties in the country and having real growing pains,I would not really consider either of these areas to be top retirement locations for NC. I would say check Pinehurst, Ashville,Boone Newbern, or the southern coast down as far as Myrtle beach SC. Raleigh and Winston are more urban working type cities

[Dire Wolf]

I grew up and still have family in W-S, but have lived in the Raleigh for the last 20 or so years.

Since you specifically mention retirement, Winston-Salem may be a good choice. Take a look at the beautiful Buena Vista neighborhood near the Country Club. There are some great old homes in that area. (Raleigh has a similar old neighborhood near the old Country Club, too, but is generally much more expensive and congested).

The Raleigh area has more shopping options that W-S. But Winston does at least have the old Hanes Mall. Not as flashy as the new malls near Raleigh (or even the heavily renovated older Crabtree Mall).

IMO Raleigh is a much, much better place to live if you have to work. So much more opportunity. I don't see how Winston even sustains itself these days with Hanes bought out by Sara Lee and most of those jobs gone, and RJR now a shadow of its former self. But if you are retired, this may not be a concern.