Anyone from North Carolina?

[Robin Carlton]

Hey chicklets!

My hubby and I are getting wild ideas. Arizona just doesn't feel like home. We want trees and open space and a house with a porch and seasons and small town neighbors with convenient access to a metropolitan area if we want to go out to dinner / do some shopping. CHANGE.



Thinking Raleigh/Durham/Cary/Chapel Hill/Holly Springs, etc area - anyone from around there who can give me some insight, ideas, experiences or just anything you think might be helpful for someone (a california/arizona girl) considering a possible move?

Looking forward to hearing from you guys!
Robin

[Leah]

Oooh that sounds adventurous Robin!

[hmlentz]

I grew up in Raleigh, NC. It's gotten too big for me personally, but I love NC. All of my family (parents, brother and sister and their families) still live there. My DH grew up in Burlington. If I were moving back there, I would go for the Cary area. Stay away from Durham unless you like a lot more "excitement" than I do. But then I never went there b/c I was afraid to go there. I'm sure if you're living there you know where to go and not to go.

What specifically did you want to know? Oh, also Raleigh more on the north side I would probably go to. I have a friend who moved their riding barn from middle Raleigh farther out that way and it's nice. But I don't like big cities. Traffic around Raleigh has just gotten CRAZY. I grew up across from the Leesburg K12 school. The older neighborhoods have great houses with nice big yards. Of course, newer construction has smaller yards.

[Robin Carlton]

Hi Heidi : )

I dont know that I want to know anything specific. I suppose just general impressions of schools, the people, the areas, the vibe. Keep in mind that the only thing I've ever known is Southern California and Phoenix - so you saying Raleigh has gotten too big for ya makes me giggle as no matter how I look at it it seems soo small town compared to what I know.

Have you been to big cities like Orlando, Dallas, Phoenix, LA? Are Raleigh or Durham comparable in that they have all the malls, restaurants, movies, etc you would ever want even if you decide to live in a quiet burb off the beaten track or is it... smaller... than that.

I know it sounds like a strange question but when we were thinking of moving from California to Arizona, I remember thinking Arizona was nothing but sand and cactus and was shocked when we drove into the sprawling city that Phoenix really is for the first time. I think I'm having the same misconception about NC now, so I'd love if someone told me how it really is from that perspective, as the only places on the East Coast I've been to are NYC, DC, Williamsburg and Orlando really.

Any specific areas/towns you would love to live in? Any you would absolutely avoid? Why? Is it really as pretty everywhere in reality as it is in pictures....?

Hahaha - I suppose I had more questions than I thought

Thanks again!
R

[joelsgirl]

I don't live there so it's totally not my business to be up in this thread, BUT I vacationed in Wilmington once, and I would move there in a heartbeat!

[nun69]

I am not from there either, but you could always come up to WA/Oregon....beautiful and they get all 4 seasons

[Julie Billingsley]

Originally Posted by nun69

I am not from there either, but you could always come up to WA/Oregon....beautiful and they get all 4 seasons

the 4 seasons meaning cloudy, partly cloudy, raining, and pouring.

[Robin Carlton]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

the 4 seasons meaning cloudy, partly cloudy, raining, and pouring.

Haha this made me laugh as we have sunny and warm, sunny and hot, sunny and Surprise... Monsoon! and Sunny and OMGWTFHOT! Oh and it's brown.. so so brown.

We could go anywhere really. This is sorta what we're looking for though...



If it's near you for under $300k - let me know

R

[nun69]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

the 4 seasons meaning cloudy, partly cloudy, raining, and pouring.

not where I live...did you see all that damn snow we got a few weeks ago!!! holy moly :P

[deepounds]

Originally Posted by Julie Billingsley

the 4 seasons meaning cloudy, partly cloudy, raining, and pouring.

Amen!

[Coila]

We live in AZ too and want to leave for the exact same reasons! I think when we eventually do leave we are going to Missouri though

[schock77]

Bumping to see if anyone has updates as we research the area.

[Susan Bartolini]

Um Robin....BOSTON! With global warming and all, it isn't as cold as it used to be in the winter. (Still waiting for snow.)

I lived in Charlotte for one year during a company re-location. While Charlotte wasn't really for me, the weather was awfully nice. Very mild...and spring was just beautiful!

Good luck with your adventure!

[Darcy Baldwin]

We're beginning to put out our feelers for when I'm not tied down to this area (I have a family member here that I am responsible for who cannot be moved). We're looking at TN and NC. I can't wait

[schock77]

Let's go together Darcy... I would miss my parents and sister, but I also think with technology the way it is today, it wouldn't be that bad. And since it's climate is similar to here (unlike Colorado, where we we looking before) they may even follow us eventually... I'm about 90% sure the in-laws would...

Robin, did you end up moving? I can't remember....

[Robin Carlton]

Originally Posted by schock77

Robin, did you end up moving? I can't remember....

Nope! Still here in Arizona My hubby got promoted, so we're staying for a bit.

R

[abm234]

"We want trees and open space and a house with a porch and seasons and small town neighbors with convenient access to a metropolitan area if we want to go out to dinner / do some shopping."

I think you just described central Iowa! Well, the metropolitan area might be stretching it. You could definitely get a house like that for <$300,000 and top of the line public schools.

[schock77]

Ok... reviving this thread. Here I don't even have a laptop with photoshop at the moment and still I come here for advice

My husband went from thinking of moving "maybe one day" to being on his third interview with the company asking when the kids go back to school and talking about their relocation package. Eeek! This is getting very real, VERY fast.

Anyone have info on the Raleigh area? I'm a sp.ed. preschool teacher and have two kids- one going into 4th and one going into 1st, so the school district info is of particular interest to me. Any info on anything is MUCH appreciated.

[BrattyMeg]

haha @ reviving this thread since Robin just moved a couple weeks ago to NC

I <3 the Raleigh area but know nothing of living there. I know the schools in NC rank pretty high on the charts!

[tsbegley]

Originally Posted by schock77

Ok... reviving this thread. Here I don't even have a laptop with photoshop at the moment and still I come here for advice

My husband went from thinking of moving "maybe one day" to being on his third interview with the company asking when the kids go back to school and talking about their relocation package. Eeek! This is getting very real, VERY fast.

Anyone have info on the Raleigh area? I'm a sp.ed. preschool teacher and have two kids- one going into 4th and one going into 1st, so the school district info is of particular interest to me. Any info on anything is MUCH appreciated.

One of the things I like about the Wake County school system is that there are traditional schedules and there are year round schedules. My daughter started fourth grade this week.....she is in yearound school so she's in for 9 weeks, out for 3 (sometimes 4). We LOVE the yearound system but it's not for everybody.

[Jennifer]

Steph--I'm going to finish up my PM to you on Facebook ASAP!

[schock77]

Thanks ladies! since I'm a teacher too the schools are my biggest concern at this point. if he takes this job they're offering a house hunting trip and 30-60 days temporary housing (which is good because I'm not going to float two mortgages!)

It just seems like this is just happening fast so the more I know the better.

[Robin Carlton]

Stephanie, We just moved a couple of weeks ago. We're in the Charlotte area, but I have to tell you I have ZERO regrets about moving here. It is the only place I've ever moved that I've felt instantly at home. I wish we had moved years ago because it's soo stunningly gorgeous. The people are wonderful. The schools are great. It's dreamy and I know you're going to love it. Don't be nervous at all, you're moving to a great part of the country!

R

[schock77]

Glad to hear it! He flies out for a face-to-face interview on August 2- looks like I may be here to start my school year and then move shortly after if he gets it. EEEEK! Now to get this house in order fast just in case!

I need to research the schools- I may end up having to sub as the beginning of the school year is not a good time to job hunt. I see some do yearound here and others on traditional cycle... hmmm... that's different... so much to learn!!!

[BrattyMeg]

bumping this up for you Steph..I was watching the View (watching=background noise) til Barbara Corcoran from Shark Tank came on then i paid attention. Anyways she's a real estate mogul and she was asked best places to buy houses right now and Raleigh was ranked #2 behind Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was based on housing market, job availability, and school districts. I'd say that's pretty great for the city

[schock77]

Yay! Thats funny because Austin always ranks high too. We sold our house for asking price in three days so instead of my hubby starting his job and leaving us behind for the house to show and sell, we will only be apart for about 2 weeks.

Driving from Austin to Raleigh the last week of September to move my hubby there as he starts his job October 1 and hopefully will have luck with the house hunt. We close October 12 and then they have someone packing and moving us there. Still a bit anxious as I work on getting all my teaching certificates for NC and will probably just sub for awhile until I figure out the schools. But also with me not having a job or prequal will be less than what we've had.

Thinking we may shoot for a short term lease when we first get there so we have some time to house hunt. Be sure we get into the right schools (BIG district and so different it has me worried about getting into the right place) but with 3 dogs that may be a challenge! We will see in about a month!

My husband likes Cary, apex, holly springs area so that's where we are searching will be excited to check it out myself.