Where to move in the Carolinas?
Mar 27th, 2003, 11:51 PM
#1
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Where to move in the Carolinas?
My husband and I are considering relocating to the Carolinas. He's in sales with a regional position, so he only needs to be within 45 mins of an airport.
We like things quiet, but we like lots of restaurants and shopping somewhat nearby.
Can anyone give us suggestions?
We like things quiet, but we like lots of restaurants and shopping somewhat nearby.
Can anyone give us suggestions?
Mar 28th, 2003, 04:27 AM
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Coastal areas such as Wilmington etc have the appeal of the water but limited choices for shopping and dining and high airfares. My GF just relocated to Charlotte after having visited there many times on business and having a friend who retired and moved there there three years ago.
My observation, based on a number of short visits.... it's an upscale city with lots to offer for a mid-sized city and it's growing rapidly. Make no mistake - it can't possibly offer bnig city amenities but real estate prices are low by big city standards. The suburbs are sprawlig and there's lots and lots of shopping (one of the major appeals for my GF). Where she lives, in the University Park area, there are also many rolling hills and it's nicely wooded. The downside is the sprawl and in the suburbs the majority of dining options are chain oriented. Get into the "uptown" (center city) area, Dilworth or the South Charlotte area and you'll find older neighbnorhoods with much more in the way of dining options.
I'm originally from a small city (Syracuse NY) that has plenty of character but is economically depressed and has horrible winters - Charlotte is a nice contrast in that regard - decent weather and a growing economy. I've been in the NYC area for the past three years (living in NJ six miles from Manhattan) and it's tough for me to adjust to the cultural limitations of Charlotte but perhaps more so the the driving needed to get everywhere.
Airfares from Charlotte tend to be a bit on the high side because US Airways controls the bulk of traffic. I routinely fly in and out of Greensboro, about a 90 minute drive - much better fares. Hope this helps.
My observation, based on a number of short visits.... it's an upscale city with lots to offer for a mid-sized city and it's growing rapidly. Make no mistake - it can't possibly offer bnig city amenities but real estate prices are low by big city standards. The suburbs are sprawlig and there's lots and lots of shopping (one of the major appeals for my GF). Where she lives, in the University Park area, there are also many rolling hills and it's nicely wooded. The downside is the sprawl and in the suburbs the majority of dining options are chain oriented. Get into the "uptown" (center city) area, Dilworth or the South Charlotte area and you'll find older neighbnorhoods with much more in the way of dining options.
I'm originally from a small city (Syracuse NY) that has plenty of character but is economically depressed and has horrible winters - Charlotte is a nice contrast in that regard - decent weather and a growing economy. I've been in the NYC area for the past three years (living in NJ six miles from Manhattan) and it's tough for me to adjust to the cultural limitations of Charlotte but perhaps more so the the driving needed to get everywhere.
Airfares from Charlotte tend to be a bit on the high side because US Airways controls the bulk of traffic. I routinely fly in and out of Greensboro, about a 90 minute drive - much better fares. Hope this helps.
Mar 28th, 2003, 06:05 AM
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There have been a couple of threads on relocating to this area, so do a search (if it's working) on "Charlotte" or "Raleigh" and you'll see a couple obviously about relocation.
A lot of people like Charlotte, which is the biggest city, and you may like being close to both mountains and South Carolina (although you are inland a bit from the shore).
Let me recommend the Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Chapel Hill area for your consideration as well. Although the future of air travel is considerably difficult to predict at this point, right now RDU can get you a lot of places (including a non-stop to London, unless AA has to cut it out) for less money than other NC airports, because -- as of now -- it isn't dominated by one airline the way Charlotte's is (although Charlotte is a very nice airport).
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Cary each offer you a slightly different ambience. I'm not sure what you mean by "quiet" but unless you have a house right by the highway or right next to one of the college campuses, it's pretty quiet everywhere -- this is a rural state and even the "metro" areas shut down at night, for the most part.
Raleigh: has gracious old neighborhoods outside the downtown area and 2-4 mall shopping areas with upscale shops. I'm guessing you'd like the area around Glenwood Avenue but not ON Glenwood. Downtown can be sketchy but is pulling itself together. West of downtown is NCState -- that wouldn't be so quiet.
Durham: Some old beautiful neighborhoods, new upscale neighborhoods, somewhat funky downtown with a couple of nice areas and some very dicey areas. Duke dominates the west side, but that's an asset because it's a gorgeous campus.
Chapel Hill: lively college-town with fun downtown and eclectic, atypical population compared to the rest of NC. Gourmet shops side-by-side with college watering holes. Very lovely neighborhoods but most expensive in the area. Can be congested when school's in session but a dream when it's not.
Cary: a sprawling suburb without a real center, more or less. Many malls, almost all new-growth development housing. Schools rapidly surpassing Chapel Hill's (sorry!) in quality, but you can't live without a car.
A lot of people like Charlotte, which is the biggest city, and you may like being close to both mountains and South Carolina (although you are inland a bit from the shore).
Let me recommend the Raleigh-Durham-Cary-Chapel Hill area for your consideration as well. Although the future of air travel is considerably difficult to predict at this point, right now RDU can get you a lot of places (including a non-stop to London, unless AA has to cut it out) for less money than other NC airports, because -- as of now -- it isn't dominated by one airline the way Charlotte's is (although Charlotte is a very nice airport).
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and Cary each offer you a slightly different ambience. I'm not sure what you mean by "quiet" but unless you have a house right by the highway or right next to one of the college campuses, it's pretty quiet everywhere -- this is a rural state and even the "metro" areas shut down at night, for the most part.
Raleigh: has gracious old neighborhoods outside the downtown area and 2-4 mall shopping areas with upscale shops. I'm guessing you'd like the area around Glenwood Avenue but not ON Glenwood. Downtown can be sketchy but is pulling itself together. West of downtown is NCState -- that wouldn't be so quiet.
Durham: Some old beautiful neighborhoods, new upscale neighborhoods, somewhat funky downtown with a couple of nice areas and some very dicey areas. Duke dominates the west side, but that's an asset because it's a gorgeous campus.
Chapel Hill: lively college-town with fun downtown and eclectic, atypical population compared to the rest of NC. Gourmet shops side-by-side with college watering holes. Very lovely neighborhoods but most expensive in the area. Can be congested when school's in session but a dream when it's not.
Cary: a sprawling suburb without a real center, more or less. Many malls, almost all new-growth development housing. Schools rapidly surpassing Chapel Hill's (sorry!) in quality, but you can't live without a car.
Mar 28th, 2003, 08:28 AM
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I suggest the Upstate South Carolina region. The Greenville-Spartanburg-Anderson metro has about a million people in it and its growing really quickly. Greenville is an upscale small-city with an excellent economy. GSP airport is a good airport, and ATL-Hartsfield is only 1 1/2 hours away.
The geography of this region is beautiful... mountains, waterfalls, and state parks dominate the area. You're also only about 3-4 hours from Charleston and the beach.
The geography of this region is beautiful... mountains, waterfalls, and state parks dominate the area. You're also only about 3-4 hours from Charleston and the beach.
Mar 28th, 2003, 01:24 PM
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Thank you for the insights (and such detail)!
This really helps me out - giving me a place to start and things to reference.
When I say quiet, I mean we like neighborhoods, etc. that don't have the houses so close together you can hear your neighbors' conversations.
We want to get a place with some land, hopefully a couple acres. Are there any nice lake communities in these areas? I'm sure that coming from the LA area we will be at a great advantage with the real estate prices!
I'm also looking for clean places that look fairly polished. I like upscale but not snobby.
Again, thanks for the input!
Quinty
This really helps me out - giving me a place to start and things to reference.
When I say quiet, I mean we like neighborhoods, etc. that don't have the houses so close together you can hear your neighbors' conversations.
We want to get a place with some land, hopefully a couple acres. Are there any nice lake communities in these areas? I'm sure that coming from the LA area we will be at a great advantage with the real estate prices!
I'm also looking for clean places that look fairly polished. I like upscale but not snobby.
Again, thanks for the input!
Quinty
Mar 28th, 2003, 10:46 PM
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I have lived in or near 2 or the suggested places-- BOTH Charlotte and Raleigh area--
I LOVE Raleigh better as it is easier to manuever around, has FABULOUS restaurants, great access to entertainment ( concerts ,plays,symphony) and is close to Durham and Chapel Hill-- It is the best of all worlds----has the smallness yet also a larger city feeling......
Charlotte,on the other hand , is already similar in feel to Atlanta-way too much traffic.
Both cities have GREAT airports- and BOTH are close to the beaches- just different beaches-
Raleigh is close to Morehead City beaches and Wilmington- 2 1/2 -3 hrs
and Charlotte is close to Myrtle Beach,SC ( where there is tons of stuff for kids! )- only 2 1/2 hrs away...
I LOVE Raleigh better as it is easier to manuever around, has FABULOUS restaurants, great access to entertainment ( concerts ,plays,symphony) and is close to Durham and Chapel Hill-- It is the best of all worlds----has the smallness yet also a larger city feeling......
Charlotte,on the other hand , is already similar in feel to Atlanta-way too much traffic.
Both cities have GREAT airports- and BOTH are close to the beaches- just different beaches-
Raleigh is close to Morehead City beaches and Wilmington- 2 1/2 -3 hrs
and Charlotte is close to Myrtle Beach,SC ( where there is tons of stuff for kids! )- only 2 1/2 hrs away...
Mar 28th, 2003, 10:51 PM
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Charlotte has two nearby lakes, Lake Norman north of the city and Lake Wylie mostly in SC. Tega Cay is a really nice area on Wylie... Panthers coach and some players live here. Great schools.
Columbia has Lake Murray, about 20 mins northwest of downtown in a the booming area of town called Harbison. Very upscale area. This area also has great schools and is really convenient to shopping and the freeways.
Columbia has Lake Murray, about 20 mins northwest of downtown in a the booming area of town called Harbison. Very upscale area. This area also has great schools and is really convenient to shopping and the freeways.
Mar 29th, 2003, 08:10 AM
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Sounds like Cary might be precisely what you want. Small lakes all around there, larger lake Jordan and Falls Lake not too far away.
THere's nowhere around here where you have to live as close as you describe. It's too wooded, for one thing. I only have 1/2 acre, but when the trees are fully out, I can't even see my neighbors.
You will make out like bandits re:real estate prices. Y'all come!
THere's nowhere around here where you have to live as close as you describe. It's too wooded, for one thing. I only have 1/2 acre, but when the trees are fully out, I can't even see my neighbors.
You will make out like bandits re:real estate prices. Y'all come!
