Gastonia (Charlotte, Concord, Mooresville: low crime, mortgage, homes)

[Mass Exodus]

We are a family of 5 from MA and have been looking at the Triangle but have been impressed with the areas around Charlotte in our recent searches as they seem to have preserved the local character a bit more - from what we can tell anyway.

What do you folks think of Gastonia?

Dave

[cbfrommass]

Originally Posted by Mass Exodus

We are a family of 5 from MA who has been looking at the Triangle but have been impressed with the areas around Charlotte in our recent searches as they seem to have preserved the local character a bit more - from what we can tell anyway.

What do you folks think of Gastonia?

Dave

Mass Exodus - welcome to the club. I can't wait to get out of MA.

Good luck!

[Mass Exodus]

Originally Posted by cbfrommass

Mass Exodus - welcome to the club. I can't wait to get out of MA.

Good luck!

Thanks! That makes two of us. Actually three. My wife cannot wait either. Where are you from?

Dave

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Mass Exodus

We are a family of 5 from MA and have been looking at the Triangle but have been impressed with the areas around Charlotte in our recent searches as they seem to have preserved the local character a bit more - from what we can tell anyway.

What do you folks think of Gastonia?

Dave

There are things to like about Gastonia, but it is not my favorite place. The commute back to uptown Charlotte is fairly good however, if that is important. What is the approximate price range you are looking to buy in, that will help us to direct you to particular areas.

[Mass Exodus]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

There are things to like about Gastonia, but it is not my favorite place. The commute back to uptown Charlotte is fairly good however, if that is important. What is the approximate price range you are looking to buy in, that will help us to direct you to particular areas.

We are looking at anything from $175K to $250K ideally. We want a nice town. We have three little kids. I am self empolyed so commute in not a concern. We also homeschool. We want a nice community in a nice town that has some character and a downtown preferably. Low crime is also nice. My wife likes all the convenience close by too.

Dave

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Mass Exodus

We are looking at anything from $175K to $250K ideally. We want a nice town. We have three little kids. I am self empolyed so commute in not a concern. We also homeschool. We want a nice community in a nice town that has some character and a downtown preferably. Low crime is also nice. My wife likes all the convenience close by too.

Dave

In your price range and for all the things you list that you want I would recommend the little city of Concord just northeast of Charlotte

[YorkshireLass]

Hi everyone, having lived in Charlotte for quite a while and working in Gastonia I never understood the appeal of Gastonia. In my opinion (please no flames ) Gastonia had all the negatives of Charlotte (crime, traffic and congestion) without any of the positives. My husband and I used to argue about this point of view regularly. I did however like Lowell and Belmont. I have to wonder why the mass exodus out of MA. I've had two clients from MA in the past week.

Good Luck to you in your search

[Mass Exodus]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

In your price range and for all the things you list that you want I would recommend the little city of Concord just northeast of Charlotte

Thanks. If my price range went up to around $275 or so, would you add any other towns to the list?

Thanks again,

Dave

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by Mass Exodus

Thanks. If my price range went up to around $275 or so, would you add any other towns to the list?

Thanks again,

Dave

Yes, I would then recommend the Ballantyne section of south Charlotte. This planned community is not a neighborhood, but a little city within a city so to speak. There is wonderful retail, movies, great schools and many different neighborhoods anchored by the Ballantyne Resort and Golf club. They is also a great YMCA, doctors offices, access to I485. It is nicely laid out and not as congested as other planned areas like Birkdale on the northe end of the county.

Also, to be totally out of Charlotte, but with access to it, besides Concord look at Mooresville and Davidson - great little towns near the lake.

[Mass Exodus]

Originally Posted by YorkshireLass

Hi everyone, having lived in Charlotte for quite a while and working in Gastonia I never understood the appeal of Gastonia. In my opinion (please no flames ) Gastonia had all the negatives of Charlotte (crime, traffic and congestion) without any of the positives. My husband and I used to argue about this point of view regularly. I did however like Lowell and Belmont. I have to wonder why the mass exodus out of MA. I've had two clients from MA in the past week.

Good Luck to you in your search

So you liked Lowell but not Gastonia? Reason enough for me to stay out of Gastonia. Actually Lowell's downtown does have a charm to it.

Any towns or areas that you like in particular?

As for the exodus from Mass it depends of the person but ours is mostly economic and weather related (plus, we are just southerners born in exile, we like it when people smile in the streets and say "hi" to strangers). I paid nearly half a million dollars (that I could not afford but needed to move into for my business) for a 2200 sq ft home on an acre of land. Paying my mortgage is a challenge and it has kept us from saving for our kids future and our retirement to any great extent. Plus, we hate the winters where our kids spend 4 months stuck indoors. For others it ranges from being unaffordable to gay marriage to our new governor who makes Mike Dukakis look like a fiscal conservative - which means higher taxes. Businesses are leaving and going to... North Carolina. It, Massachusetts, is the only place in the Union whose lost more than they gained in population. There is no future here but for a select few the state is being run onto the ground.

Dave