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I am very excited about finally moving my family to the Charlotte area at the end of next year and was hoping to get some good advice on the best area to relocate to in Charlotte!
Here are some of my details:
My wife and I are in our early 30's, with a 17 month old and are looking for a home in the $600k-$700k price range. I am in sales so I will be traveling mostly in Charlotte and South Carolina and my wife works in the hospital so she will be looking for a job at any medical center.
The most important things for us are:
-good schools
-families in our age range
-close to a lot of restaurants, shopping
We currently live in Orlando and are really disappointed about the lack of community (people stick to themselves) and friendliness of the people.
I would really appreciate any advice on some good areas. Currently we are leaning towards Ballantyne area but we will be visiting in February and are open to everything!
I am very excited about finally moving my family to the Charlotte area at the end of next year and was hoping to get some good advice on the best area to relocate to in Charlotte!
Here are some of my details:
My wife and I are in our early 30's, with a 17 month old and are looking for a home in the $600k-$700k price range. I am in sales so I will be traveling mostly in Charlotte and South Carolina and my wife works in the hospital so she will be looking for a job at any medical center.
The most important things for us are:
-good schools
-families in our age range
-close to a lot of restaurants, shopping
We currently live in Orlando and are really disappointed about the lack of community (people stick to themselves) and friendliness of the people.
I would really appreciate any advice on some good areas. Currently we are leaning towards Ballantyne area but we will be visiting in February and are open to everything!
More than anything, try to live near one of the major highways in the area, 77,85,485. Also check the traffic patterns so that you arent stuck in traffic at the times you need to get around for your job. Nothing worse then living in a place that is over 10-15 mines away from any highways, with busy traffic as well.
More than anything, try to live near one of the major highways in the area, 77,85,485. Also check the traffic patterns so that you arent stuck in traffic at the times you need to get around for your job. Nothing worse then living in a place that is over 10-15 mines away from any highways, with busy traffic as well.
Thanks for the feedback! Is Providence area and Ballantyne about the same as far as age demographic or is one a little older or younger than the other?
What public school system would you suggest?
Thanks for your help!
This describes Charlotte as well. People tend to be very "clickish" here.
I would tend to agree. Finding the right church will help you establish a sense of community. (And if you are not church-going, you may want to reconsider moving here. It's a very major part of the Charlotte lifestyle, for better or worse.)
All of Mecklenburg County is one school system with wildly different quality of schools. Ballantyne is a very good area - stick to areas that feed into the following 3 high schools: Audrey Kell (this would be Ballantyne), Providence High (best test scores in country), and Myers Park (excellent test scores and highly acclaimed International Baccalaureate program). Most Elementary schools and middle schools feeding into these high schools will be high quality especially in the areas of your price range. You'll get a McMansion for your money further from Charlotte like Ballantyne and Union County, but if you want a more established city neighborhood feeding into Myers Park, you can find a smaller house in the Dilworth, South Park, or Cotswold areas. Dilworth is right next to Carolinas Medical Center and is close to I77. It's a fine neighborhood with sidewalks, parks nearby and tall mature trees. I prefer this area, but if you prefer a more suburban environment, then Ballantyne would be the way to go.
I would tend to agree. Finding the right church will help you establish a sense of community. (And if you are not church-going, you may want to reconsider moving here. It's a very major part of the Charlotte lifestyle, for better or worse.)
Really? After living here 15 years and not going to church I do not feel like I am a social outcast. I think that is a broad generalization that does not match up with the truth. My opinion.
Really? After living here 15 years and not going to church I do not feel like I am a social outcast. I think that is a broad generalization that does not match up with the truth. My opinion.
I agree completely.
To the original poster: One of the things that impresses me most about Charlotte is its active and welcoming sports community. Cycling, running, etc. Tons of groups you can join, if you're into that sort of thing. That's how we've made most of our friends here. I certainly don't think you have to be a church-goer to find your niche in Charlotte.
To the original poster: One of the things that impresses me most about Charlotte is its active and welcoming sports community. Cycling, running, etc. Tons of groups you can join, if you're into that sort of thing. That's how we've made most of our friends here. I certainly don't think you have to be a church-goer to find your niche in Charlotte.
I agree with both of you. My family (wife, myself, and two kids) doesn't go to church. Quite a few of my co-workers don't go. Many of my neighbors don't go (you get the point by now).
At any rate, meeting people is easy if you are the "going out" type (street festivals uptown, ball games, the gym, jogging, bicycle riding). I tend to meet folks just by jumping in on a pick-up game of basketball around town. Meeting people has more to do with the individual than it has to do with the city you live in.
Dilworth and Cotswold, while gorgeous, feed into Myers Park HS but their elementary and middle schools are somewhat lacking. Most people I know who live in those areas send their kids to private school and then into public for high school. I'm not a huge fan of Ballantyne but you should definitely consider it.
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