Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I cant speak for the job aspect, but as a MA transplant to NC and a parent of 3 children, this area has what you are looking for in regards to the other aspects. I would highly suggest driving down to get a look at the area before you make a commitment though. What is one persons dream area is another persons nightmare.
with the winter you guy's just had...I could see you moving quickly!
we moved here 12 yrs ago, with no family or friends down here...guess what? Some have followed us down! yay!
great place to raise a family - great weather, lots of new englander's to make you feel at home.
Take a vacation or two down here in the triangle as you start to job search and such to get a feel for the area. I'd visit in the summer as well as the spring and fall to make sure you can deal with all the temps...
My family and I moved here from Boston in 2009 and we looooove it here. It's a great middle ground between big city and small town. Great access to nature, but lots to do in town as well.
Chapel Hill is more expensive as far as housing (nothing compared to Boston though!) and has a reputation for great public schools. I live in Southwest Durham and find that the neighborhoods are really nice, the houses more affordable, and I feel very safe here. South of I-40 has some nice newer neighborhoods, and the Woodcroft area just north of 40 has some lovely neighborhoods.
I didn't know anyone prior to moving here, but I've found people very friendly and we've befriended several families.
Getting around is so very easy. Buses in Chapel Hill are free and run decent schedules. Traffic is virtually non-existent.
I second what some have said about not having family here and lack of a big city feel. I moved from Maine with no family here. Nobody is following us either. I miss things like taking the Amtrak from Portland to Boston. Being 30 minutes to the beach and 1 hour to the mountains. Unfortunately for us, we did not move to a s/d that is plentiful with transplants. Nobody here talks to us, they might wave to us or nod their head, but thats it.
Just think about it.
When we move back, I do not look forward to the long winters, but I will NOT miss the oppressive and long summers here in NC.
There is no perfect place to live. NC is nice, but without family and friends I just can't wait to move back.
Last edited by BeachBound2012; 03-11-2011 at 12:33 PM..
Reason: spelling
Please think it over well before you move, after living in So Fl for nearly 30 yrs and born and raised in NYC. This is a beautiful state but without freinds and family it gets very lonely and boring after a short while, again I am not trashing NC but it takes a lot of effort to make it work, it lacks that "Big City" feel. It tries but in my opinion it fails, again having lived in FT Lauderdale and NYC. Having school age children I imagine will help a great deal because you meet people a little easier through your kids, school etc. It lacks decent Mass transit, as does So Fl. Most of the fun stuff that we do involves day trips to the mountains or the beach, but with gas prices rising, that gets expensive. Though I love the Mountains. Again first and foremost what makes it easier to adjust here is Family or friends, and without neither I am miserable at times ! So please think it out, and best of luck to you and your family !
Please think it over well before you move, after living in So Fl for nearly 30 yrs and born and raised in NYC. This is a beautiful state but without freinds and family it gets very lonely and boring after a short while, again I am not trashing NC but it takes a lot of effort to make it work, it lacks that "Big City" feel.
Well...if you are looking for the Big City, then the Raleigh Area is definitely not for you. However, I have to disagree with it getting very lonely and boring. We moved here 4 years ago...we have no family here but have made great new friends and have a great church family. If you are looking for a great place to raise a family, I think this is a great place.
We both understand we're not moving to New York or Boston. We're looking for a nice, quiet safe place to raise a family and continue our careers. Having two school age kids should make meeting new people easier, but I appreciate the concerns about being lonely.
We have lots of friends who have moved away, and have done alright making new friends in their new locations.
Everyone's feedback has been terrific - if we move down, it will be with a full arsenal of information!
\We relocated from MA in 2007. We lived out in the country, so my experience is probably different from those who lived in the city.
The cost of living is not nearly as cheap as its sometimes made out to be. Salaries are generally lower. Housing, property tax and insurance are cheaper. Income & sales tax, groceries, utilities and services (doctors, dentists ) are more expensive. For us it pretty much all evened out except we got a bigger/nicer house and Dh has a much shorter commute. If you are relocating from Boston it self, NYC etc. you might find it cheaper but many of the transplants Ive spoken to feel the way I do.
In general I find people friendlier but I also definately encounter a "keeping up with the Joneses" and "cliques" mentality which I cant stand. I guess you get that everywhere!
Weather is nice, except it gets quite hot in August. I'll take that over the long cold winters though.
We are neutral about the area. Moving here wasnt really a choice (Dh's job). I dont see us living here indefinately. We dont have any family in the US, so are not tied down to a spesific area. We hope to eventually move more south/mid west. Done with the north!
Eat a Kelly's roast beef before you move, because it will be your last roast beef since they don't exist in NC.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) are more expensive. For us it pretty much all evened out except we got a bigger/nicer house and Dh has a much shorter commute. If you are relocating from Boston it self, NYC etc. you might find it cheaper but many of the transplants Ive spoken to feel the way I do.
