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I have been searching to relocate out of SF Bay area...single mom with 2 little guys on limited budget.
North Carolina looks pretty and seems to be very good for education (universities are cheaper, and it appears very proactive with good schools)
Charlotte looks beautiful from the pictures, and very very pretty houses!But, the desireable areas are a bit expensive for me ($140K is my approximate budget...my boys and I don't want a townhome...we want a pretty house and backyard in a desireable neighborhood with little crime.) and I am very saddened at how much crime/gangs are in the Charlotte area.
Is there a N.C. University county with less crime and hopefully less expensive?
Also: are there a lot of mosquitos etc in the hot summer months?
I have been searching to relocate out of SF Bay area...single mom with 2 little guys on limited budget.
North Carolina looks pretty and seems to be very good for education (universities are cheaper, and it appears very proactive with good schools)
Charlotte looks beautiful from the pictures, and very very pretty houses!But, the desireable areas are a bit expensive for me ($140K is my approximate budget...my boys and I don't want a townhome...we want a pretty house and backyard in a desireable neighborhood with little crime.) and I am very saddened at how much crime/gangs are in the Charlotte area.
Is there a N.C. University county with less crime and hopefully less expensive?
Also: are there a lot of mosquitos etc in the hot summer months?
If you wanted to live in "Charlotte proper" you could probably find a good deal on a home in the University City/North Meck County area.
As the previous poster mentioned, Mt. Holly & Belmont are also nice, quiet areas.
If you want to live within the Charlotte city limits many equate the West side as rough but that is only closer to uptown area look beyond 85 area of Charlotte about 5 miles and you may find home in the price range you are looking for and this area borders Mt Holly, Belmont but you will pay less property taxes if your outside Mecklenburg tax district
I'll also vouch for the University City area (zip 28269). Houses are $120k-$250k on average, with some random outliers. Of course you've got UNCC in the area (but you don't need to live right next to it). I can't speak much about schools since I don't have kids yet, but the wife and I have made a plan to stay in the area for the foreseeable future...starting with our first home purchase back in March, in the area. You'll see differing opinions about the area on this forum, but for the most part, a positive image is made from those who know the area.
For your budget, you won't beat the University City area (still within the Charlotte limits, just dubbed this name due to its proximity to UNCC). You could buy something in nearly every part of the city for that price, but it will be in somewhat undesirable and/or inconvenient areas.
All this said, however, you may be looking at our region at just the right time. I'm betting there will be an abundance of houses on the market that NEED to be sold in the not-to-distant future given the bank stuff going on.
In any case, I don't recommend moving here straight into a house. We rented for a little bit to figure out the area on our own...because no matter who you talk to, not matter how much research you do, you'll never get as good of a take on an area as your own. I am the king of over-researching things and didn't even come close to figuring it all out about Charlotte until we lived here for a about 6 months. And just FYI, short term (3, 4, 6 month leases) are much more common here than other places. It was nearly unheard of in Central Florida (where we moved from) without an exorbitant fee for doing so.
There appear to be a dozen or so homes in Mint Hill (east of the city) for sale for under $140,000. Mint Hill is a great little place, and I would think it would be pretty safe, too. If you search on CarolinaHome.com in the city of Mint Hill, you should be able to find them.
Renting first is a good idea, too, as someone else said. That way you're not stuck in a part of town that's not where you really want to be.
Good luck!!
Also: are there a lot of mosquitos etc in the hot summer months?
Yes!
Quote:
Is there a N.C. University county
Are you wanting to live near a major university? Thinking about residency status? As long as someone is a NC resident (one year minimum), they qualify for in state tuition.
...Also: are there a lot of mosquitos etc in the hot summer months?
Forgot to comment on this...
Don't let that deter you. Yes, they can be annoying, but it's not something that should make your decision to move to a great place! there are many factors to look for when choosing a place to live to reduce, if not eliminate, any mosquito issues.
stay away from water features (lakes, streams, rivers, wetlands)
wooded lots or close proximity to woods, even without water features, will have a higher tendency for them
In any case, I don't recommend moving here straight into a house. We rented for a little bit to figure out the area on our own...because no matter who you talk to, not matter how much research you do, you'll never get as good of a take on an area as your own.
This is GREAT advice. I am always curious where in the SF Bay Area people are from when they say that (from the North Bay myself).
Good Luck!!
Location: Between Belmont & Cramerton, North Carolina
199 posts, read 958,027 times
Reputation: 124
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momandboys
North Carolina looks pretty and seems to be very good for education (universities are cheaper, and it appears very proactive with good schools)
K-12: There's a very reactive approach with bad schools. Schools in metro areas are overcrowded, teachers severely underpaid. College: Yes, UNC is great (but so is Berkeley, UCLA, etc). I don't think that I'd move here for a better education.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momandboys
Also: are there a lot of mosquitos etc in the hot summer months?
Yes I sat on my porch for 2 hours yesterday afternoon and got bitten 3 times.
NEVERTHELESS: Charlotte is a LOT cheaper than Cali and you can find decent houses in your price range. So, if your main goal is to live somewhere inexpensive, Charlotte is a great option!!!
Last edited by cgballer; 10-02-2008 at 02:07 PM..
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I sat on my porch for 2 hours yesterday afternoon and got bitten 3 times.
