Now that is strange. YOu might think about the Research Triangle.

leah, don't leave out South Florida. It seems like everyone is moving from South Florida.

My mother and father in law afford their house because they've lived in it for 50 years and my mother in laws hobby since the beginning of time is buying up real estate. Not selling, just buying and sitting on real estate.

My husband graduated with his master's in mechanical engineering and he has held different positions with various jobs. With two young children to care for I guess I never realized that his title had changed. I never really gave that much thought. He is very talented, but to be honest, I don't always understand what he is talking about when we disscuss his work. He is posted on Monster and we will continue to look online for employment .
Research Triangle is a possibility for us. We were just trying to get closer to the mountains first. We are concerned about the build up in that particular area over the next five plus years though. Chapel Hill sounds pretty. Not sure if it's got that small town feel we are looking for to raise our children. Housing seems possible out there so far(Chapel Hill).
Thanks so much for everyone's help.

I don't know if 'small town' and software engineer positions coincide.

Gotravel, I agree. We wish we had other skills that could be used outside of the city. I guess we are hoping for a nice medium town that my husband could maybe communte a short distance. He is concidering starting his own contracting company. He is tired of working towards other peoples goals and not his own. We know it will be difficult, but not impossible.

My husband and I do not have children, but we are in our 30's and are looking for a lot of dif. things incl. a lower cost of living than Long Island NY, mountain views, and much less snow. So we had done years of research, finally came up with 2 places, the first one and where we will prob. end up is Knoxville Tn. The second ares is Winston/Salem NC. There are jobs there (for instance Dell just moved in there) and both areas have all we are looking for. We are going this coming wk to just pick the one we like best. But if you want to stay in NC, check out Winston-Salem and the surrounding towns to live....btw, they are both up and coming cities.
Just a thought.....faythe
PS- we have 2 other friends(couples) and one has a baby, that are relocating to Knoxville soon, and we know one other couple from Long Island who moved last year with 5 kids.

I forgot to mention in my last post, we did check out Ashville NC too. My husband is a musician and it is an artsy area - but the area is very expensive. It reminds me of the Hamptons on Long Island (although not as expensive I'm sure). faythe

www.franklin-chamber.com My wife and I operate business in Atlanta and found this hidden treasure just 2 hours from Atlanta. (1 hour from Asheville). Purchased mountain home with 60 mile views and acreage under 200. We commute practically every weekend. Will soon "retire" there. Every activity and culture very close by.

As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for. Moving to a small town sounds wonderful but it is a big adjustment and a culture shock. It's a totally different way of life and is not for everyone. After 2 years I have realized that "country livin" isn't really my thing but like someone else mentioned it has gotten to the point where you can't afford to move. I have watched homes in the large cities near me double in value within the last 2 years. I can't say the same where I am. I guess if I wait long enough the city will come to me in time. You say you get bored with the towns you live in - you might want to keep that in mind when looking at small towns. Those cute little shops close and roll up the sidewalks, at least around here, by 5 p.m. In this day and age I'm stunned that someone would move first and expect a good job to follow, but maybe in your husbands profession it's possible. Have you checked any of these towns stats as far as economy, schools and crime rates? I would check into the Cary or Apex areas as another possibility. Think twice - move once is my advice.

Wow! thanks so much for all the input. We are now thinking that Roanoke,Va or Charlottesville, VA would be a nice place to relocate. We are planning on going up Thanksgiving week to check them out. Any input on those cities would be great. Believe me, we only want to move once. We will continue to research and mull it all over until the move is possible.

I came across this site while I too look for info on relocating to Western NC. I just wanted to say that I just came back from a week trip to Franklin, NC with my 5 year old daughter and 2 dogs. We are going to move from SW Fl soon- so we went to check it out and it is beautiful. I have been doing research for these areas as well, as I am looking to simplify our lives. I too would like to have all the culture along with other things. I choose not to spend as much as it takes to get into those areas. In Franklin there is Drake's Software which is the largest employeer in Franklin. You would be close to Ashville, Atlanta and Greenville, SC. I have lived in many places and I want to enjoy what I have and not work to have. It isn't a big town but it has enough, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, K-Mart- restaurants,movie theatre a Fun Factory for the kids. I fell in love with Cowee Valley. Go to http://www.coweeharmonygardens.com and look how awesome and beautiful. Who knows maybe we'll meet up there.

Also to check out this posting- go to MSN Real Estate 8 cheap place you'd want to live- Ashville is # 1.

SillyBilly - Since you are coming up to Asheville around Thanksgiving, I'd highly suggest that you check out Polk County while you are here. It is about 45 minutes south of Asheville, just off of 26, one exit above the South Carolina border. It has a great small town character to it (Tryon, Saluda, Columbus)....lots of nice mountains, flatlands, streams, forests, horse farms, vineyards, organic gardens, a little theatre, and an interesting history.

Many writers, artists and actors live here. For a tiny area, there are lots of activities and groups to get involved with, if that is the sort of thing you like to do.

You can hike, tube on the Green River, kayak, etc. Rents are reasonable, and real estate has not gone through the roof yet. People are friendly. They'll chat with you in the grocery store line, wave as you pass their house, and tip their hat as they pass on the sidewalk.

Jobs are almost non-existent, which is probably why the cost of living remains low. But, if you are willing to spend a little time in the car in exchange for the lifestyle....Spartanburg, South Carolina is only about 20 minutes away....Greenville is 40 to 45 minutes away and hosts large companies like BMW and many smaller ones where your husband might find employment.

Also, many people move here and make dramatic life-style changes....creating their own jobs or switching careers.

It's definitely worth looking into.

Many of us "transplants" to the area love the moderate year-round temperatures, the fact that we get to experience all four seasons and the slow pace of life surrounded by awesome beauty.

Just a leisurely Sunday drive around the county would show you what we have to offer here, and newcomers are always welcomed with open arms.

Since this post is over a year old, I'd bet sillybilly has moved by now.