Anybody on their way out of Charlotte..... (employment, live)

[Akhenaton06]

I do plan to leave Charlotte within the next year or two, but it really has nothing to do with the state of the economy here; I'll just be moving to the city I really want to be in (DC). But I'll certainly miss this place when I do. Even in this recession, it's pretty cool to see a city significantly grow up and fill in before your very eyes.

[sleedog95]

Well, I guess I'm really not "on my way out" of Charlotte since I never made it there. Bought a home in Charlotte in Dec 07 and then moved my wife and child down there while I searched for a job and stayed employed up north. Then the credit crunch and the job losses. I never found a job down there. We just found a renter for our home...maybe in a year or two the market will be better in Charlotte and I can try to find a job.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by ckwyviorka

Loves, I moved from Charlotte to Syracuse right before Xmas. Mind you, I am a native NYer, but had been in charlotte for 10 years. It just never felt like home to me so I was happy to come back. Life is very different in NY, but not a bad different. People think differently and enjoy the little things alot more I think because you don't deal with the traffic at all, it seems that everything is within 20 minutes driving and there really is alot to do here. I didn't miss Charlotte when I left, but I do miss all of the great friends that I made. I enjoyed Charlotte when I lived there, but happy to be back "home". My husband says that home is where you make it and it is very true. NY is also not struggling with the high unemployment that is hitting Charlotte, you do not see the lay-offs or the foreclosures so NY does have an upside (the only downside that I see are the taxes, but there is a huge stir up in the govt. here in Albany so hopefully things will start changing, I know I'm on optomist :0). I don't mind paying the taxes though because instead of homeschooling my children or putting them in private school like I would have if we had stayed in Charlotte (CMS), I can put them in public school here (which my taxes are already paying for) and they will get a really good education.
I wish you and your hubby the best no matter where you end up!

Thanks for the nice post! I'm an optimist too and I am looking forward to seeing all there is to see in the beautiful Finger Lakes region near Syracuse. Shoot, by the time I've seen all I want to see our time there will most likely be up and we'll be heading south again

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by sleedog95

Well, I guess I'm really not "on my way out" of Charlotte since I never made it there. Bought a home in Charlotte in Dec 07 and then moved my wife and child down there while I searched for a job and stayed employed up north. Then the credit crunch and the job losses. I never found a job down there. We just found a renter for our home...maybe in a year or two the market will be better in Charlotte and I can try to find a job.

I hope things will work out for you. Things will pick up here in Charlotte eventually - but not sure what sectors for employment. With 2 banks being corporate headquarters here, we had a lot of openings for IT, for example. With that changing, I don't know that the IT sector will ever be the huge draw it was. However, other companies are moving in (and I believe will continue to move here) . . . so even if the same types of jobs as we once had are not available, new ones will be opening.

I also don't think residential construction is gonna be back on its feet for several years. Commercial real estate . . . just don't have a grip on that. With so much available space for lease uptown, I do wonder how quickly anyone is going to want to move forward w/ the financing it takes to build more uptown.

I am just really sorry to hear that you all have not been able to work it out for your family to be here together in Charlotte - and hope you will be able to make the move here permanently in the near future.

[amour217]

I'm looking to leave Charlotte since I got a job in Columbia, SC and don't want to make the drive back and forth. Hopefully I can sell my house in Stallings.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by amour217

I'm looking to leave Charlotte since I got a job in Columbia, SC and don't want to make the drive back and forth. Hopefully I can sell my house in Stallings.

Good luck, Amour. And congrats on finding a job!

[Gregory P]

I'm with Brain1970 and CouponJack.

We came back north and realized the reasons we left were valid.

And as CouponJack said...dropping $8-$10K a year on prop taxes alone (not to mention higher insurance/utility rates) makes it very difficult to live in a nice house/neighborhood in the NE unless you make an outstanding amount of money.

We came down to Clt the first time and had no interest in the big houses. Same goes for coming back...just a nice modest home my kids would be happy to live in...with a handful of neighbors who like to grill and put back a few while the kids run around.

We're back down in a month. Looking forward to it and realizing it's not perfect.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

I'm with Brain1970 and CouponJack.

We came back north and realized the reasons we left were valid.

And as CouponJack said...dropping $8-$10K a year on prop taxes alone (not to mention higher insurance/utility rates) makes it very difficult to live in a nice house/neighborhood in the NE unless you make an outstanding amount of money.

We came down to Clt the first time and had no interest in the big houses. Same goes for coming back...just a nice modest home my kids would be happy to live in...with a handful of neighbors who like to grill and put back a few while the kids run around.

We're back down in a month. Looking forward to it and realizing it's not perfect.

I hope things work out well for you - and I bet they will! Your criteria seem realistic. Let us know when you get here so we can properly welcome you back HOME!!

[BrianH1970]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

I'm with Brain1970

I just want to quote this Freudian slip for posterity.

Continue....

[ultraviolet*]

My sister is leaving Charlotte for San Antonio. She lived there for several years in the 90s. She hates the job she has here, doesn't have one out there yet, but is convinced she will find something better there.

She also says it's not warm enough for her year round here.

To be fair, I think she only came here from Philly in the first place because she was divorcing her husband, and me and our other sister live down here. So she probably just wanted to be near family during a trying time...