Hello all,

I'm planning on moving from Chicago to Charlotte next year and would like some suggestions on which neighborhoods are good. I will start off in an apartment for about six months then purchase a house. I'm a single female and would like a safe and semi-quiet neighborhood if possible.

You might look at the listings for Summit Properties. They have apartments all over Charlotte, including uptown. Where will you be working--uptown, SouthPark, University?

I'm not sure where I will be working. I'm in the process of looking for a head hunter but it may be too early. I'm not planning on moving until fall of next year. I want to be close to work and I will also attend UNC. Everything is so up in the air now, but I'm trying to plan ahead. Thanks for your post Gretchen.

You will find good apartments throughout Charlotte. UNC is accessible from the city--or you may want to live in the University area. Feel free to hail me--I would love to be of help. there are many opportunities in Charlotte for young professionals.

I would suggest moving into one of Charlotte's older streetcar neighborhoods like Dilworth or Elizabeth. They are quieter but have most of the best restaurants and unique shopping. You're also just minutes away from Uptown. Dilworth is the most popular with the most to offer but Elizabeth would be a little cheaper. You could check out apartments like Latta Pavillion in Dilworth. In both neighborhoods there are plenty of small, historic bungalow style homes. All of Charlotte's older neighborhoods have awesome tree canopies. It's also much easier to meet people in these neighborhoods as the sense of community seems stronger there then in the newer parts of the city and almost everything you need is a short walk away. UNCC offers classes for working professionals uptown and Wake Forest is moving their MBA program Uptown which would both be convenient, however it isn't hard to get to the University area from the center city.

Thanks for your response JPreston. I haven't logged on in awhile, and I have to say with all of the hurricanes part of me is starting to question if moving to NC is safe. I don't want to be spastic, but I also don't want to move to an area that may be a high risk. Does anyone have any insight as far as how far inland Charlotte is from the coast. I know there is a possibility for a natural disaster wherever you go, but it's usually just a blizzard here in Chicago. Thanks in advance for your response.

Charlotte is 200 miles from the coast. We did get hit badly in 1989 by Hugo but that was truly an anomaly.

Hugo was still a hurricane when it hit Charlotte in 1989 and hurricanes do travel inland.

If hurricanes bother you I suggest somewhere closer to Chicago.

Yes, today is the anniversary of Hugo--100mph winds. BUT, c'mon, it was truly an anomaly. Anything is possible, but that pretty well seemed impossible. Rain, yes, but the wind really did us in.

Possible hurricanes shouldn't scare you away, if anything, it's how NC responds to blizzards (meaning anything over a trace of snow) should scare you away. We don't know how to handle snow and ice, and we don't plan on learning. And then there are idiots who think they can drive on the ice and cause wrecks.

You're right about that. Every southern SUV driver thinks they have died and gone to heaven because NOW they have 4 wheel drive. They are totally clueless that 4WD is great for going forward but does NOThING for stopping. And I do drive one.

Just want to make sure you're talking about UNCC, not UNC in Chapel Hill. And you'll want to make sure you get in before you do too much relocation planning. Good luck.

Thanks to all of you for your responses. I have a lot to think about. I will probably visit Charlotte next year around April or May when I have some time off from school and work. This will be a big mid life move for me, and I want to be sure that I'm making the best decision. I have to say the comment about the snow or lack of cracked me up, we can get up to 20" and we are still expected to get to work on time. Brian thanks for the heads up about UNCC.

Snow days in Charlotte are wonderful. You wake up and everything has come to a standstill. If you have kids you stay glued to the radio/TV until it is official that school is closed. Then if it is a really nice snow, the dryer is going constantly, the hot chocolate is on the stove and the "mud room" lives up to its name. Since the snow has been predicted and predicted and anticipated, the supermarkets are totally sold out of bread and hamburger.
Equally funny is when the snow does NOT come--the TV commentators have been staked out on some overpass intoning words like "this is clear and dry now but tomorrow it could be a slippery slope of glass like ice". Tommorrow does come, but NO snow. It is a riot--you're gonna love it!!

There is a pethora of other posts on here regarding Charlotte, just do a Charlotte search, or search on any of the posters names on here.