Looking for greener grass in another state
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I have lived in North Carolina for 10 years. And I lived in Virginia for about 10 prior. And I lived in California for about 10 prior to that. My dad was in the Navy, so I've lived in a number of places to be sure.
The biggest enjoyment I get from North Carolina is the climate and the change of pace, even from Virginia. Sure, you can find the rat race, but there are also many areas where you can slow down as well. The geography is varied enough to keep my interest, and we're close to the beach, close to the hills, and within driving distance of many vacation spots. Museums are a short drive to D.C. Disney is a day's drive to Florida. Atlanta is 6 hours away. It's a good middle ground.
The southern charm and way of life is evident here. Some will like that, some won't. I live just west of Fayetteville...about two hours east of Charlotte. Lots of recreation: boating, golfing, hiking, etc. I also enjoy the seasons. I enjoy the hot summers with cold iced tea on the back porch after mowing the lawn. I enjoy the cool fall raking/mowing the leaves. I enjoy the spring, putting out the fertilizer and getting the mowers fired back up.
Most of all: I enjoy not shoveling or blowing snow. I enjoy not having to deal with rusted brake rotors and suspension pieces. The lack of a real winter here is one of many things that keeps me here.
The biggest enjoyment I get from North Carolina is the climate and the change of pace, even from Virginia. Sure, you can find the rat race, but there are also many areas where you can slow down as well. The geography is varied enough to keep my interest, and we're close to the beach, close to the hills, and within driving distance of many vacation spots. Museums are a short drive to D.C. Disney is a day's drive to Florida. Atlanta is 6 hours away. It's a good middle ground.
The southern charm and way of life is evident here. Some will like that, some won't. I live just west of Fayetteville...about two hours east of Charlotte. Lots of recreation: boating, golfing, hiking, etc. I also enjoy the seasons. I enjoy the hot summers with cold iced tea on the back porch after mowing the lawn. I enjoy the cool fall raking/mowing the leaves. I enjoy the spring, putting out the fertilizer and getting the mowers fired back up.
Most of all: I enjoy not shoveling or blowing snow. I enjoy not having to deal with rusted brake rotors and suspension pieces. The lack of a real winter here is one of many things that keeps me here.
I am an Oregon native who's been in Texas for almost 24 years, and in Austin for 21. The economy is good down here in Texas, and Austin is great if you are in your 20s or 30s.
However, I'm finding the older I get, that I really miss Oregon. I was back there last fall and when I was looking at the endless beautiful sights out there, it really struck me that it was my home. I don't enjoy the Austin social scene the way I used to, which makes it all the more easy to pine for moving back home.
I'm looking at it being a retirement time decision, the overall tax load is not that different between Oregon and Texas for a retired individual. Maybe I'll just get an RV and not have to choose. Who knows. Guess time will tell.
P.S.: to the guys who are extolling the virtues of Dallas, forget it. Be honest about the traffic, the crime, and the schools anywhere outside the Southlakes, Planos, Highland Parks and so forth.
However, I'm finding the older I get, that I really miss Oregon. I was back there last fall and when I was looking at the endless beautiful sights out there, it really struck me that it was my home. I don't enjoy the Austin social scene the way I used to, which makes it all the more easy to pine for moving back home.
I'm looking at it being a retirement time decision, the overall tax load is not that different between Oregon and Texas for a retired individual. Maybe I'll just get an RV and not have to choose. Who knows. Guess time will tell.
P.S.: to the guys who are extolling the virtues of Dallas, forget it. Be honest about the traffic, the crime, and the schools anywhere outside the Southlakes, Planos, Highland Parks and so forth.
I don't think I was "extolling the virtues of Dallas." I dislike going into Dallas. I'll only do it by train. Almost everything I want or need is in Fort worth or Arlington. Traffic is terrible but if you live in Austin, you deal with as bad or worse.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Originally Posted By: dparm
I always come back to Illinois. Went to school out west, worked/traveled in a ton of places (MN, NY, NJ, DE, PA, DC), but still love Chicago and Illinois in general. It's very balanced and well-rounded.
Wow. I must be in a different place that is also called "Illinois"...
Very balanced and well-rounded. Huh?
I'm referring to the people who live here. Every state has its problems.
Originally Posted By: dparm
I always come back to Illinois. Went to school out west, worked/traveled in a ton of places (MN, NY, NJ, DE, PA, DC), but still love Chicago and Illinois in general. It's very balanced and well-rounded.
Wow. I must be in a different place that is also called "Illinois"...
Very balanced and well-rounded. Huh?
I'm referring to the people who live here. Every state has its problems.
I can see the well rounded part, especially in more urban areas.
I grew up in small town IL and there were no people of color. Mom worked in STL and had folks from the lab over for a fish fry. Smalltown, IL police folk had never seen so many people of color with out of state tags and did laps around the block to "keep the peace."
Mostly just ignorance and insulation as it wasn't until the mid 1980's that an "ethnic family" even moved into the county.
I'm sure some folks talked. Others didn't care as they were exposed to different backgrounds through their work, travels or military experience to name a few.
But I can see how some might not see downstate as accepting compared to more urban areas.
I grew up in small town IL and there were no people of color. Mom worked in STL and had folks from the lab over for a fish fry. Smalltown, IL police folk had never seen so many people of color with out of state tags and did laps around the block to "keep the peace."
Mostly just ignorance and insulation as it wasn't until the mid 1980's that an "ethnic family" even moved into the county.
I'm sure some folks talked. Others didn't care as they were exposed to different backgrounds through their work, travels or military experience to name a few.
But I can see how some might not see downstate as accepting compared to more urban areas.
Originally Posted By: javacontour
I can see the well rounded part, especially in more urban areas.
I grew up in small town IL and there were no people of color. Mom worked in STL and had folks from the lab over for a fish fry. Smalltown, IL police folk had never seen so many people of color with out of state tags and did laps around the block to "keep the peace."
Mostly just ignorance and insulation as it wasn't until the mid 1980's that an "ethnic family" even moved into the county.
I'm sure some folks talked. Others didn't care as they were exposed to different backgrounds through their work, travels or military experience to name a few.
But I can see how some might not see downstate as accepting compared to more urban areas.
people of color?? What is that a tan from the beach or what??
I can see the well rounded part, especially in more urban areas.
I grew up in small town IL and there were no people of color. Mom worked in STL and had folks from the lab over for a fish fry. Smalltown, IL police folk had never seen so many people of color with out of state tags and did laps around the block to "keep the peace."
Mostly just ignorance and insulation as it wasn't until the mid 1980's that an "ethnic family" even moved into the county.
I'm sure some folks talked. Others didn't care as they were exposed to different backgrounds through their work, travels or military experience to name a few.
But I can see how some might not see downstate as accepting compared to more urban areas.
people of color?? What is that a tan from the beach or what??
The cost of living anywhere "downstate" in NY is vastly more expensive than "upstate", defined as anywhere starting 4 or more hours away from NYC. A new-build 1600 square foot house in a good school district in a decent area of a decent suburb starts at $150k. Taxes aren't horrible compared to "downstate", and the folks are friendlier.
Have you considered moving "upstate" to Rochester, Buffalo, or Syracuse? Lower taxes, houses are affordable, and the economy's at least predictable. I know quite a few NYC transplants to "upstate" who like it better up here.
Have you considered moving "upstate" to Rochester, Buffalo, or Syracuse? Lower taxes, houses are affordable, and the economy's at least predictable. I know quite a few NYC transplants to "upstate" who like it better up here.
This thread reminds me of why I want to be out of PA in the worst way. I am ready for somewhere new. We should have never bought a house that is for sure.
If you move to Charlotte, make sure everyone has a job lined up BEFORE the move. It's not the utopia of cheap living and plentiful jobs that it was once seen as.
I am a NC native and lived in Charlotte for five years. The cost of housing is fairly cheap, but nothing else really is.
Charlotte was hit hard with the credit collapse, which is why houses are cheap...there are foreclosures on every street. The housing market tanked around 2008. I lived down the road from a neighborhood with 4000+ sq ft houses that was being developed at the time. Construction simply stopped in 2008/09 when the neighborhood was half complete and never got going again.
There are jobs in the area, but expect hundreds or thousands of others to be competing for them as well. It's a very tough job market there and employers have their pick of people lining up for any opening. Trucking is big in Charlotte, so if anyone in the family already has a foot in the door there, I'd look for trucking jobs. Not just driving, but logistics and such as well. Siemens recently opened a manufacturing facility there and has been bringing in some high paying jobs, but again, expect tough competition for them. A lot of the jobs in Charlotte are low paying service industry or retail jobs. Even those can be tough to get.
Crime isn't as bad in Charlotte as it is in some Southern cities, but it's definitely there. I know some people who had their doors kicked in, got robbed at gun point, etc. Avoid the Plaza area, most of East Charlotte, Hidden Valley, anything directly off Tryon St., Derita/Nevin/Statesville Rd, and West Blvd. South Charlotte is nice, but expensive. Cheap/safe living can be found on the outskirts of the city, SC, Iredell county, Cabarrus county, and Union county. There are lots of "bedroom" communities like Huntersville and Harrisburg where houses are not very expensive and crime is low compared to the city.
There are lots of transplanted people in the area, so you won't get a lot of harassment for being a Yankee. The problem you will run into is everyone is running there for the same reasons you are, and like I said it's not quite a utopia. Traffic is bad, people are as nasty as they are anywhere else, and the city has the same problems as any other larger city. It's not all bad, but it's not all good either.
When I had my fill of Charlotte, I went further south. I didn't pick Bham at random, I have a lot of family here and had a job lined up before I moved. Birmingham has more character than Charlotte and in some ways more going on, but also rampant poverty, bad ghettos, and the city/county/state are flat broke and Bham is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. Everywhere has its problems.
I am a NC native and lived in Charlotte for five years. The cost of housing is fairly cheap, but nothing else really is.
Charlotte was hit hard with the credit collapse, which is why houses are cheap...there are foreclosures on every street. The housing market tanked around 2008. I lived down the road from a neighborhood with 4000+ sq ft houses that was being developed at the time. Construction simply stopped in 2008/09 when the neighborhood was half complete and never got going again.
There are jobs in the area, but expect hundreds or thousands of others to be competing for them as well. It's a very tough job market there and employers have their pick of people lining up for any opening. Trucking is big in Charlotte, so if anyone in the family already has a foot in the door there, I'd look for trucking jobs. Not just driving, but logistics and such as well. Siemens recently opened a manufacturing facility there and has been bringing in some high paying jobs, but again, expect tough competition for them. A lot of the jobs in Charlotte are low paying service industry or retail jobs. Even those can be tough to get.
Crime isn't as bad in Charlotte as it is in some Southern cities, but it's definitely there. I know some people who had their doors kicked in, got robbed at gun point, etc. Avoid the Plaza area, most of East Charlotte, Hidden Valley, anything directly off Tryon St., Derita/Nevin/Statesville Rd, and West Blvd. South Charlotte is nice, but expensive. Cheap/safe living can be found on the outskirts of the city, SC, Iredell county, Cabarrus county, and Union county. There are lots of "bedroom" communities like Huntersville and Harrisburg where houses are not very expensive and crime is low compared to the city.
There are lots of transplanted people in the area, so you won't get a lot of harassment for being a Yankee. The problem you will run into is everyone is running there for the same reasons you are, and like I said it's not quite a utopia. Traffic is bad, people are as nasty as they are anywhere else, and the city has the same problems as any other larger city. It's not all bad, but it's not all good either.
When I had my fill of Charlotte, I went further south. I didn't pick Bham at random, I have a lot of family here and had a job lined up before I moved. Birmingham has more character than Charlotte and in some ways more going on, but also rampant poverty, bad ghettos, and the city/county/state are flat broke and Bham is on the verge of declaring bankruptcy. Everywhere has its problems.
Yeah, its not always sunshine and roses moving to another state.
Every state has armpit dumps and crime in certain areas, the goal is to stay out of those areas.
I'll probably stay in FL for another 10-15 years and retire in another area.
Every state has armpit dumps and crime in certain areas, the goal is to stay out of those areas.
I'll probably stay in FL for another 10-15 years and retire in another area.
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I don't think I was "extolling the virtues of Dallas." I dislike going into Dallas. I'll only do it by train. Almost everything I want or need is in Fort worth or Arlington. Traffic is terrible but if you live in Austin, you deal with as bad or worse.
I agree. I'm not far from you, Mansfield. However, I am currently preparing to move to Waxahachie on 5 acres to get away from the DFW traffic and "urban changes" it's going thru.
I don't think I was "extolling the virtues of Dallas." I dislike going into Dallas. I'll only do it by train. Almost everything I want or need is in Fort worth or Arlington. Traffic is terrible but if you live in Austin, you deal with as bad or worse.
I agree. I'm not far from you, Mansfield. However, I am currently preparing to move to Waxahachie on 5 acres to get away from the DFW traffic and "urban changes" it's going thru.
Originally Posted By: Spazdog
I don't think I was "extolling the virtues of Dallas." I dislike going into Dallas. I'll only do it by train. Almost everything I want or need is in Fort worth or Arlington. Traffic is terrible but if you live in Austin, you deal with as bad or worse.
Nah, I live in Central Austin and have a 2 mile commute. I ride my bike a lot, also.
Austin is bicycle friendly as far as large Texas cities go but it doesn't approach my hometown in ease of use.
I don't think I was "extolling the virtues of Dallas." I dislike going into Dallas. I'll only do it by train. Almost everything I want or need is in Fort worth or Arlington. Traffic is terrible but if you live in Austin, you deal with as bad or worse.
Nah, I live in Central Austin and have a 2 mile commute. I ride my bike a lot, also.
Austin is bicycle friendly as far as large Texas cities go but it doesn't approach my hometown in ease of use.
Greener Grass area usually requires larger green back to live there.
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