starrsville

If you took that much offense to Diana's comments, you are going to have a hard time living in the Carolinas.

Based on your comments, I think Asheville would be the best fit. Other than that, other locations would be a distant second, third, etc. Maybe Cary, Durham, Raleigh. I don't think SC would be a good fit for you - even Greenville or Charleston.

fehgeddaboudit

East. Move to East Carolina.

Ms_Jingles

Yep, be prepared as a Yankee moving to the South! Many will think you are arrogant and rude, because you are from the NE. I've given this advice before, but you have to live in an area that shares your values and beliefs. You will be unhappy as a liberal moving to a conservative state and vice versa. Good luck on your decision.

Tam8ta

I will look into Cary, Raleigh and East Carolina. I took offense to Diana's ignorant interpretation of "ruralness" I meant the ruralness of the landscape, surely not the people!! Very rude and shallow of her! Anyways, I am not getting a good feeling about the Carolinas but will inquire about the places you have all mentioned.

Thanks much for all of your help!

C-A

starrsville

Again, if you took offense at Diana's comments, I would rethink your decision to move south. Ms_Jingles gives good advice.

Tam8ta

Yes, I dont think the Carolina's are ready for us or we're not ready for them! LOL

Thanks Again

uhoh_busted

We just retired to Durham after over 30 years in the DC suburbs. Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill is a totally delightful place. Unemployment is quite low, and many businesses are relocating to the Research Triangle because of the availabililty of good workforce. We were comfortable with our choice to relocate here, because it is a diverse, sociable, and very good place to live.

Last week our daughter came to visit from NYC. She went to college at NC State, and has many friends from UNC  so we met up with some of her old college friends while she was here. The sociability across generations is one of the reasons we "retired" here -- can't imagine living somewhere in Florida where, excuse me, but there's just too many old people.

We drove to Topsail Island for a couple of days and found the beach to be one of the nicest I've EVER been to (we used to visit Assateague Nat'l seashore). There are a handful of motels, but mostly beach houses that rent out by the week/month. It's a very family oriented place, but there were a couple of nice "grown up" restaurants, too. We drove into Wilmington for lunch and to check out the riverwalk along the Cape Fear River before heading home.

Haven't made a trip to the mountains yet, but we only got here June 1 so there is plenty of time for that.

You might want to plan to rent for a while before you buy. The real estate market down here isn't as frantic as it is in the Northeast, so you can take your time to pick out a neighborhood that fits your needs best. That's especially important if you can't take a week to visit before deciding to relocate (which I highly recommend). We've known the general area for many years (my DH is a UNC graduate).

Tam8ta

Great Advice! Thank you!

Gretchen

Think about it--a 2 hour commute to the beach in Jersey might be a tolerable 3 hour in NC.
Take a look at Charlotte. Room for liberal and conservative. 3 hours from the beach.

John_T_Cuttino

SC: Greenville/Spartenburg
NC: Piedmont town with a college or university (Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Greensboro, Charlotte).
Mtns: Ashville, Brevard area

Gretchen

In a post,Tam says " Our take on life is to "Live and let live" just as long as you dont disrespect or hurt my family, friends or my home."

You will be fine in the South as long as you also apply this to those who are already here.

leahinsc

Carol Ann - check out findyourspot.com
I searched and it is still there..may help you. Also bestplaces.net
best wishes to you...

Diana

"I took offense to Diana's ignorant interpretation of "ruralness" I meant the ruralness of the landscape, surely not the people!!"

Bless your heart! Of course that's what you meant - how silly of me. I can't believe I didn't see that immediately.

"Anyways (sic), I am not getting a good feeling about the Carolinas...I dont think the Carolina's (sic) are ready for us or we're not ready for them!"

Please do know that I'm sure we're all crushed that we won't get to experience your mid-life crisis, but do most certainly be sure to keep us in mind for the future after you've "found yourself."

We'd just LOVE to have you!

Wayne

I'm not just shocked, I'm absolutely overwhelmed by the negativism about the so-called conservatism and church addicts in the Carolinas. You can believe me when I say that it is obvious that leahinsc has had some personal problems and has developed some kind of phobia about the South in general. I'm here to tell you that she is misleading you in the meanest kind of way. Her claims are baseless and do not apply to the population in general or even to a large percentage of the population -- except where she said that college football is the number one subject. That's certainly true in the fall anyway.

I don't want to urge you to go somewhere you don't like, but getting out of NJ is probably a good decision for you; and going to the Carolinas is also probably a good decision. I sincerely urge you to visit a few of the towns you might consider, then move to one that appeals to you. If you have some reservations about putting down roots, rent for a year or two as someone wisely recommended. I think you will find that the wild observations about such radical conservatism are completely false.

Shane

Greenville, NC is within striking distance of some of the nicest beaches in the country. You could probably get yourself a sweet waterfront property on the Pamlico River for a decent price. I'm thinking about doing it myself.

aileen679

Your remark about humidity bothers me. The Coastal Regions of South Carolina are HUMID. 100% humidity is not uncommon and it can raise the heat index up into the 100s. If you need to stay in a pool or near the ocean, you may be in for trouble. This time of year the water in pools and the ocean are quite warm. It doesn't do much for cooling a person. In fact, some of the worse humidity may be found near the ocean. If you have any respiratory problems, the South is not for you. We stay in air conditioned homes for months.

A lot of the inland areas of SC are near Swamps. That's pretty bad too. Not to mention the bugs!! It's not called the Low Country for nothing.

TheWeasel

Diana

You've just blown the hell out of the idea that Southerners are well-bred and good-mannered. Congrats!

Shane

After reading Leah's interesting post, I just had to add a story about Sumpter, SC and the "Spirit of the New South." In 1986, as an engineer, I had to do some business with the local Chrysler-Plymouth dealership and the service department manager. He was a black man of about 45 and he sported a gold tooth. His two secretaries were white women of about forty and both looked safely middle-class. The amount of filthy, gutter language that emanated from this man's mouth directed at no one in particular was staggering and was more appropriate to a football locker room. He was completely shameless and without manners. Twenty years before, this man would certainly have not been a manager of anything in Sumpter, SC so I suppose his status as a manager is progress. On the other hand, that such a foul-mouthed, coarse man would be a manager of anything puts to doubt whether his success is in anyway any source of progress.

Shane

Let me second uhoh_busted's delight with Topsail Island, home of some of the most wonderful shoreline in our country. I've vacationed at Topsail for over 35 years and look forward to a week with the family in September and in October, hurricanes permitting. uhoh_busted, just don't let too many people know what a nice beach Topsail is. I like the quiet.

Diana

WeaselBoy,

Sorry darlin,' but there's only so much even the best-bred and raised of us can take before we blow a gasket.

The notion that people can just come on down and expect everyone who was raised here to accommodate and embrace all their neuroses and values can wear a bit on a body after awhile.

I guess I will have to ask the ladies at my next Daughters of the Confederacy meeting or the Junior League luncheon later this week what the official tolerance level is for "losing it" with rude and nasty Yankees.

I used to think it was having had anything to drink containing brown liquor, but I guess The Late Unpleasantness has me a bit unnerved.

Oh, and by the way, "Frankly, I don't give a damn..." This is the New South!