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I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now. I have to say is the folks that live out there are very helpful. My wife and I with 2 little boys are considering to move out of this very expensive city state. Where we live $700K gets you 3 bed 1 bath 1500sq home, how much is that in property tax you ask try $7500 a year. I am barely making ends meet and wants to start a new beginning. We are debt, credit cards, bills, it's just too much to live here. I know I will be giving up alot ot go out that way but I tired of being broke. From reading the different posts, I see that Charlotte, Raleigh, or Winston, is the best place to live out there. Is any one of these cities rains less, warmer weather, or close to lakes. Any suggests please welcome. Thanks.
I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now. I have to say is the folks that live out there are very helpful. My wife and I with 2 little boys are considering to move out of this very expensive city state. Where we live $700K gets you 3 bed 1 bath 1500sq home, how much is that in property tax you ask try $7500 a year. I am barely making ends meet and wants to start a new beginning. We are debt, credit cards, bills, it's just too much to live here. I know I will be giving up alot ot go out that way but I tired of being broke. From reading the different posts, I see that Charlotte, Raleigh, or Winston, is the best place to live out there. Is any one of these cities rains less, warmer weather, or close to lakes. Any suggests please welcome. Thanks.
Hello Zen It's not that Charlotte or Raleigh are necessarily the "best" places to live, it's just that those are the two biggest population centers in the state and offer the most job opportunities. In addition, they are both nice places to live! So, I would say this...research the job market first for the kind of work you do and let THAT help you decide where you should possibly relocate to.
When we relocated, we based our decision on work. For what my husband does (banking-related) charlotte was the answer. Please feel free to PM me if you would like any additional info or have questions Best of luck in your move!
I am an automobile estimator for an insurance company, wife is a hair stylist, we might consider opening a salon and I can find the same type of work. I would probably like the city life with warmer climate, less humindity. Is there such a city in NC. Is the humindity the same throughout the state or some city are better than others? I might consider opening a auto body shop. Where is going for small business opportunities.
Where we live $700K gets you 3 bed 1 bath 1500sq home, how much is that in property tax you ask try $7500 a year. I am barely making ends meet and wants to start a new beginning. We are debt, credit cards, bills, it's just too much to live here. I know I will be giving up alot ot go out that way but I tired of being broke. From reading the different posts, I see that Charlotte, Raleigh, or Winston, is the best place to live out there. Is any one of these cities rains less, warmer weather, or close to lakes. Any suggests please welcome. Thanks.
Zen, we just relocated to the RDU area just last month, and bought a home. Yes, more reasonable here. And, if you are looking for a great loan, I mean the best out there, PM me and we can exchange numbers. It wasn't until I arrived here that I found a major bank that had this great program. I still can't believe it.
Anyway, that's cheaper... housing. Gas is too. Milk really isn't. Neither is natural gas. Most retail items are the same. Taxes, well, I'm figuring that they are different in many ways. Just haven't figured it all out yet.
As far as giving up a lot... you won't. I did, because I worked in Hollywood. And, I love the Pacific. But, from where I am now, we are only 2-3hours from the coast (depending on which one), and all the major stores are here too. Many with long hours. And, Trader Joes will arrive in Cary soon. In-n-Out, not yet and not in the near future.
Before moving here, we visited the entire state, practically. Visited Charlotte. Like the rejuvination downtown. Housing prices increasing there, but still reasonable, relatively speaking. South Charlotte is nicest, but priciest too. Downtown is getting real hot for real estate, I've heard.
Weather? We're experiencing differences already. They do have seasons here. Winters aren't as terrible as up north, but it has gotten cold, thus far. 27 degrees yesterday morning. Average lately, about 45-60. But, when winter hits, I've heard down to 15. But that's not too terribly long. The other thing I'm not looking forward to is ice. Last year was very mild, but one never knows. Things do ice up here. Haven't hit ice on the road yet, but I hope I don't. That's why I avoided Big Bear in the Winter evenings. The roads got icy up there at night.
Anyway, this place does get rain. But the tradeoff is beautiful greenery year round. Certainly, it's not Seattle or Northwest rain. And it comes and goes quickly. Of course, when it comes to weather, I'm sure a local living here for years can account for such things better than I.
Btw, plenty of lakes nearby in the RDU area. The city of Cary is supposed to be very nice -- kind of like O.C. in many ways. Chapel Hill is a college sort of town. Durham, it's old but coming around. Raleigh has come around further and ahead of Durham in progress, and I like the up and coming downtown area there (Durham will have it's downtown around hopefully soon). Then there are all these other towns and cities. The Streets of Southpoint is a nice mall, sort of like the Newport Plaza down there in Newport Beach. Very nice.
Anyway, it's late and I must run. I hope this helps as a starting point. Best to you on your decision. But visit first if you can and plan an itinerary. We visited the entire state, practically, in just under two weeks. It's worth it. And Delta runs a non-stop from LAX too to RDU. It can be a hundred bucks plus fees each way if you book ahead of time. Shop around. Other flights are comparable, just not non-stop.
I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now. I have to say is the folks that live out there are very helpful. My wife and I with 2 little boys are considering to move out of this very expensive city state. Where we live $700K gets you 3 bed 1 bath 1500sq home, how much is that in property tax you ask try $7500 a year. I am barely making ends meet and wants to start a new beginning. We are debt, credit cards, bills, it's just too much to live here. I know I will be giving up alot ot go out that way but I tired of being broke. From reading the different posts, I see that Charlotte, Raleigh, or Winston, is the best place to live out there. Is any one of these cities rains less, warmer weather, or close to lakes. Any suggests please welcome. Thanks.
I second everything Caliboy says. I left Calif. for some of the same reasons you stated and so far so good. I was never looking for Utopia to begin with but all i really miss in Calif. so far of course is friends and family.
I live very close to Lake Norman so i am close to some type of water.I cant say i miss the ocean either.Out of site, out of mind so to speak.
We are starting to meet people and everyone has been warm and inviting.Our brand new home will be ready this weekend, a little over $300k,2,400 sq.ft on 3/4 of an acre surrounded by alot of tree's!! Cant find that in Calif!
Good luck with your decision.
We just relocated from SO CAL. Love it here and if you have any specific questions feel free to PM me. We did a ton of research over Summer and then moved ratehr quickly!
Thanks for all the replys, I guess I won't know until actuall trip is made. We are planning to visit in 2 weeks only for 2 days. Any suggestions which cities that a westerner might fit in or like. Will look for communities with homes between $200-$300k, my main concern is business opportunity.
Thanks for all the replys, I guess I won't know until actuall trip is made. We are planning to visit in 2 weeks only for 2 days. Any suggestions which cities that a westerner might fit in or like. Will look for communities with homes between $200-$300k, my main concern is business opportunity.
Don't disregard the Greensboro area. It's betwwen Charlotte and Raleigh. Probably a better place to raise small boys that Winston. Try the NW suburbs of greensboro. Good schools, alot of house for the money, lower taxes.
Are you looking for a new house or an older house with character in an established neighborhood?
I did EXACTLY what you are planning about a year and a half ago, and it's the best decision I ever made in my life. Cashe out the equity, bought a house cash and was able to find a job I LIKE going to, without having to worry about making the mortgage payment every month.
People: People out here are very friendly, as long as you embrace the culture here instead of trying to change it. You'll be in the Bible belt, so if that's not your cup of tea, just learn to accept it.
Schools: Every public school in the USA has good teachers and bad teachers. Some that are there because it's the only job they can get, some that are there because they love kids and love teaching. It's all a matter of luck. That's not to say that you shouldn't look up the schools scores when deciding on an area to live. That's going to be about the same anywhere in the country that you look. Many of the schools are overcrowded, but many new schools are being built and will be opening soon.
Education: There are many things my two small boys learned here in NC that they would have never learned in Southern California
1: How to catch a fish
2: How to skip a rock
3: How to climb a tree
4: How NOT to climb a tree
5: Falling out of a tree hurts.
6: Playing outside and building forts is as much fun as a video game.
7: Doing a canonball into a lake is more fun than into a swiming pool
8: For every hill you ride down on a bike, there's a hill you need to ride up.
9: How to build a snowman
10: the meaning of that kids utopia called... "SNOWDAY"
11: How to catch a frog
12: The difference beween a frog and a toad
13: How to properly roast a marshmallow without burning it to a crisp
14: The difference betwwena twig, a stick and a log.
15: The importace of applying misquito repellent
16: Leaves fall off of trees in the fall
17: From what height can you comfortably jump into a pile of leaves.
18: Sweet Tea is great because it's loaded with sugar.
19: It's OK to talk to the neighbors
etc. etc. They learned lot's of little things that boys need to learn. Stuff they'll never learn in California (I lived there for 25 years).
I know of a teriffic neighborhood if you're looking for an older house in an established neighborhood, very close to water (fishing, swiming, boating), great school district (well above the sate average in every category), Houses in the 200K-450K range, friendly neighbors.
Thanks for all the replys, I guess I won't know until actuall trip is made. We are planning to visit in 2 weeks only for 2 days. Any suggestions which cities that a westerner might fit in or like. Will look for communities with homes between $200-$300k, my main concern is business opportunity.
I did EXACTLY what you are planning about a year and a half ago, and it's the best decision I ever made in my life. Cashe out the equity, bought a house cash and was able to find a job I LIKE going to, without having to worry about making the mortgage payment every month.
Don't disregard the Greensboro area. It's betwwen Charlotte and Raleigh. IMHO, Probably a better place to raise small boys that Winston. Try the NW suburbs of Greensboro. Good schools, alot of house for the money, lower taxes.
People: People out here are very friendly, as long as you embrace the culture here instead of trying to change it. You'll be in the Bible belt, so if that's not your cup of tea, just learn to accept it.
Schools: Every public school in the USA has good teachers and bad teachers. Some that are there because it's the only job they can get, some that are there because they love kids and love teaching. It's all a matter of luck. That's not to say that you shouldn't look up the schools scores when deciding on an area to live. That's going to be about the same anywhere in the country that you look. Many of the schools are overcrowded, but many new schools are being built and will be opening soon.
Education: There are many things my two small boys learned here in NC that they would have never learned in Southern California
1: How to catch a fish
2: How to skip a rock
3: How to climb a tree
4: How NOT to climb a tree
5: Falling out of a tree hurts.
6: Playing outside and building forts is as much fun as a video game.
7: Doing a canonball into a lake is more fun than into a swiming pool
8: For every hill you ride down on a bike, there's a hill you need to ride up.
9: How to build a snowman
10: the meaning of that kids utopia called... "SNOWDAY"
11: How to catch a frog
12: The difference beween a frog and a toad
13: How to properly roast a marshmallow without burning it to a crisp
14: The difference betwwena twig, a stick and a log.
15: The importace of applying misquito repellent
16: Leaves fall off of trees in the fall
17: From what height can you comfortably jump into a pile of leaves.
18: Sweet Tea is great because it's loaded with sugar.
19: It's OK to talk to the neighbors
etc. etc. They learned lot's of little things that boys need to learn. Stuff they'll never learn in California (I lived there for 25 years).
Are you looking for a new house or an older house with character in an established neighborhood?
I know of a teriffic neighborhood if you're looking for an older house in an established neighborhood, very close to water (fishing, swiming, boating), great school district (well above the state average in every category), Houses in the 200K-450K range, friendly neighbors.
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It's not that Charlotte or Raleigh are necessarily the "best" places to live, it's just that those are the two biggest population centers in the state and offer the most job opportunities. In addition, they are both nice places to live! So, I would say this...research the job market first for the kind of work you do and let THAT help you decide where you should possibly relocate to.
I made that move and love it.
