Long Islanders that have made the big move?? (Raleigh, St. James: car insurance, neighborhood)

[bsing]

Hi, We're considering a move from Suffolk Co. LI to NC (Johnston County) this summer for all the obvious reasons (high taxes, mediocre schools, stressful commute to NYC everyday). We visited Raleigh in Feb and loved the friendliness of the people and the look of the area. While we're able to afford LI (barely) and our kids (6,7,10) are happy at school and with the neighborhood we longing for something more..bigger house, friendly community, longer summer, lower taxes etc. I was hoping that LIer's that have made the move to the Raleigh area could offer some insight into the move...overall are you happy, are the kids adjusting, are living expenses lower? Any information at all would be really helpful before I uproot the entire family for what we perceive are greener pastures. Thanks!

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by bsing

Hi, We're considering a move from Suffolk Co. LI to NC (Johnston County) this summer for all the obvious reasons (high taxes, mediocre schools, stressful commute to NYC everyday). We visited Raleigh in Feb and loved the friendliness of the people and the look of the area. While we're able to afford LI (barely) and our kids (6,7,10) are happy at school and with the neighborhood we longing for something more..bigger house, friendly community, longer summer, lower taxes etc. I was hoping that LIer's that have made the move to the Raleigh area could offer some insight into the move...overall are you happy, are the kids adjusting, are living expenses lower? Any information at all would be really helpful before I uproot the entire family for what we perceive are greener pastures. Thanks!

There are many threads here about and from folks who have moved from Long Island. Just do a search (the search function on these forums works very well, I've been impressed) and you'll find tons of advice and I am sure if any specific questions come up, someone will be able to answer them.

[lynnsprufera]

Originally Posted by bsing

Hi, We're considering a move from Suffolk Co. LI to NC (Johnston County) this summer for all the obvious reasons (high taxes, mediocre schools, stressful commute to NYC everyday). We visited Raleigh in Feb and loved the friendliness of the people and the look of the area. While we're able to afford LI (barely) and our kids (6,7,10) are happy at school and with the neighborhood we longing for something more..bigger house, friendly community, longer summer, lower taxes etc. I was hoping that LIer's that have made the move to the Raleigh area could offer some insight into the move...overall are you happy, are the kids adjusting, are living expenses lower? Any information at all would be really helpful before I uproot the entire family for what we perceive are greener pastures. Thanks!

We relocated from St. James last year and I really feel it was for the best. It has been tough moving but it would have been difficult no matter where we went. The key is to find the right place to move and visit the schools. You and the kids need to get involved in activities/clubs etc..
As for the schools, I am in Wake County. My children are 9,11,17. The younger ones adjusted a bit easier than my HS son. He was really a straight A student in NY and has struggled with the Math and Spanish. The students here are ahead in Spanish and Math. The HS uses a block session whereby the subjects are longer and only 1/2 yr courses. Many students go ahead of grade level this way and work very hard. He took his Spanish regents- 3rd year in NY and aced it only to find the students here in Spanish 4 are like a year ahead. Thank God he is smart and works hard because he really could have just faltered. The math on LI is Math A and B. This math is really not preparing the students for the AP Calculus. My son got a A in PreCalc only to have a tutor in AP Calc. He was really amazed. We came from an excellent school district. So much for the 16,000. per year in property taxes I was paying! Johnson County has a particular program where the students are encouraged to enroll in a local college in the senior year and I believe one of my clients said there is a preschool at the local elementary she was looking into.
Make sure that you are working with a good realtor who can help you. If you need or want a relocation package email me at fmrealty.com. If you have any other particular questions, feel free to email for an apples to apples comparison. It was a great move for our family, brought us closer together and back down to earth. Remember you're children will have a future also. Good Luck getting out of Dodge!
Living expenses- Heat,light,power for household is 1/3 less in summer and 1/2 less in winter. That seems pretty consistent with my relocation people's comparison. Taxes are a whole lot cheaper also. They vary by area but are still amazingly cheaper. Another perk is lower car insurance. There are also many newcomers to the area and everyone is in the same situation. There are new students at the schools all the time.

[bsing]

I really appreciate you both taking the time to give me some advice. I'm really concerned about making the big move but I feel that it's for the best. Things are getting tougher and tougher here on the island and we really need a better quality of life. My kids are young so if I promise them a puppy they'll move anywhere I'm glad that you've had good experiences with the school system and am surprised and happy to hear that they are ahead of us.

[alice_61]

Lynn,

That's good news about the challanging level of the high school. Which high school does your son attend?

Thanks,
Alice