East of Charlotte - Albemarle? (Gastonia, Concord: to rent, credit, homes)

[MaggieMooster]

My husband is considering a move/transfer to Albemarle area. So if we come, he would have a good job.

I grew up in southeast Virginia and am somewhat familiar with Charlotte area although more familiar with Gastonia area.

We would have to live in Albemarle area and not in Charlotte.

I am a middle school language arts teacher. Although I am not currently working, I plan to go back to work when we move.

We haven't even traveled to the area in 10 years, and of course we would before moving, but I'm looking for advice on where to look.

My biggest concern is schools. Daughter is gifted and strong in liberal arts. Son is strongest in Math. I'm concerned about middle and high schools. I would LOVE a good Science/Technology/Math magnet type school for my son (middle school and or high school) and just a strong middle and high school for my daughter with plenty of available honors/AP/maybe IB program. I prefer a public school, but could decide to do private if that is the only option. Academics and extra curriculars are both important.

Next concern is swimming. Both kids are competitive swimmers and swim 1-2 hours a day year round. My daughter would love a school with a good swim team. She hopes to swim in college. My son is more interested in golf, but he does swim daily because his sister does.

I have an art background (before teaching) and love art, theatre, good restaurants, but we are just as interested in hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. We like to entertain, see concerts, etc.

We would need to rent at first as we still have properties in Florida that we have been unable to sell, but we would be looking for executive type homes. Preferably 4/5 bedrooms - 2,500-4,000 square feet?

So...where to start? I have generally lived in larger areas (Washington DC, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando) but we are currently living in a very small rural area (and hate it). We have had a disasterous school situation the last two years and I am desperate to move to remedy this situation.

Ideas? Suggestions? Does this area sound like a fit for us? My MIL lived in Gastonia for a while and we enjoyed visiting. We are conservative politically, more moderate socially, typical family (husband, wife, two kids, dog, cat and still drive a minivan).

Thanks! Love city-data forums. They are always so helpful.

[Alpha8207]

There's a lot to cover in your post.

Let me start by saying that Stanly County is a very rural county. There is only one middle school that I know of in the entire county. All others are K-8 and then high school.

To my knowledge, and you should verify, none of these schools have swim teams. In fact, I only know of a few swim club pools in the entire county and the ones I know of are outdoor pools.

I think you might be better suited in Cabarrus County (Concord) or Charlotte and let your hubby make a commute. It's not a bad drive from Charlotte (30-40 minutes) or Concord(about the same) and he'll actually be heading away from most traffic since he'd be traveling out of the metro area in the mornings and towards it in the evening.

I'll be more than happy to give you any resources I may have available in your endeavor but if you hate rural life now, you might really be miserable in Stanly County.

[sophialee]

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

I'll be more than happy to give you any resources I may have available in your endeavor but if you hate rural life now, you might really be miserable in Stanly County.

Agree with this.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by MaggieMooster

My husband is considering a move/transfer to Albemarle area. So if we come, he would have a good job.

I grew up in southeast Virginia and am somewhat familiar with Charlotte area although more familiar with Gastonia area.

We would have to live in Albemarle area and not in Charlotte.

I am a middle school language arts teacher. Although I am not currently working, I plan to go back to work when we move.

We haven't even traveled to the area in 10 years, and of course we would before moving, but I'm looking for advice on where to look.

My biggest concern is schools. Daughter is gifted and strong in liberal arts. Son is strongest in Math. I'm concerned about middle and high schools. I would LOVE a good Science/Technology/Math magnet type school for my son (middle school and or high school) and just a strong middle and high school for my daughter with plenty of available honors/AP/maybe IB program. I prefer a public school, but could decide to do private if that is the only option. Academics and extra curriculars are both important.

Next concern is swimming. Both kids are competitive swimmers and swim 1-2 hours a day year round. My daughter would love a school with a good swim team. She hopes to swim in college. My son is more interested in golf, but he does swim daily because his sister does.

I have an art background (before teaching) and love art, theatre, good restaurants, but we are just as interested in hiking, biking and other outdoor activities. We like to entertain, see concerts, etc.

We would need to rent at first as we still have properties in Florida that we have been unable to sell, but we would be looking for executive type homes. Preferably 4/5 bedrooms - 2,500-4,000 square feet?

So...where to start? I have generally lived in larger areas (Washington DC, Tampa, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando) but we are currently living in a very small rural area (and hate it). We have had a disasterous school situation the last two years and I am desperate to move to remedy this situation.

Ideas? Suggestions? Does this area sound like a fit for us? My MIL lived in Gastonia for a while and we enjoyed visiting. We are conservative politically, more moderate socially, typical family (husband, wife, two kids, dog, cat and still drive a minivan).

Thanks! Love city-data forums. They are always so helpful.

Hate to break it to you, but you are going to a very rural area, I'm not even sure they have AP classes much less the IB program! I'd suggest visiting the handful of schools first to see for yourself what they do and don't offer before you decide to live in Albemarle. One solution would be to live in Concord and have your husband commute to Albemarle. This would be a better commute than to Charlotte, where you would find the things you are looking for for your kids. But Cabarrus County (Concord) does offer more than Stanly County (Albemarle) schools. Best of luck to you.

[MaggieMooster]

Thanks. I knew the area was rural, and I knew that I likely want to live as near to Charlotte as possible, but he'd be REQUIRED to live outside Mecklenburg county (to the east and I think part of the north). But we could live RIGHT at the line. He can commute some, but he just wouldn't be able to live IN Charlotte.

I guess I was hoping suburbs spread out far enough. We are going to make a trip up, but I'm not even sure where to start looking. Honestly, my entire decisions will likely be made on schools. We don't have to make this move and I don't want to leave one bad situation for another. Other opportunities will come up. Headed to look at Cabarrus County schools now. Thanks. Any other ideas?

Right now I'm 1 1/2 hours from any city. 2 hours from a medium city and 3 hours to a Charlotte sized city.

Thanks.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by MaggieMooster

Thanks. I knew the area was rural, and I knew that I likely want to live as near to Charlotte as possible, but he'd be REQUIRED to live outside Mecklenburg county (to the east and I think part of the north). But we could live RIGHT at the line. He can commute some, but he just wouldn't be able to live IN Charlotte.

I guess I was hoping suburbs spread out far enough. We are going to make a trip up, but I'm not even sure where to start looking. Honestly, my entire decisions will likely be made on schools. We don't have to make this move and I don't want to leave one bad situation for another. Other opportunities will come up. Headed to look at Cabarrus County schools now. Thanks. Any other ideas?

Right now I'm 1 1/2 hours from any city. 2 hours from a medium city and 3 hours to a Charlotte sized city.

Thanks.

If he would be required to live outside of Mecklenburg then there is no reason to go toward it - you have to be in it to get Charlotte schools. I still think Concord (Cabarrus County) is going to be your best bet

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by MaggieMooster

Thanks. I knew the area was rural, and I knew that I likely want to live as near to Charlotte as possible, but he'd be REQUIRED to live outside Mecklenburg county (to the east and I think part of the north). But we could live RIGHT at the line. He can commute some, but he just wouldn't be able to live IN Charlotte.

I guess I was hoping suburbs spread out far enough. We are going to make a trip up, but I'm not even sure where to start looking. Honestly, my entire decisions will likely be made on schools. We don't have to make this move and I don't want to leave one bad situation for another. Other opportunities will come up. Headed to look at Cabarrus County schools now. Thanks. Any other ideas?

Right now I'm 1 1/2 hours from any city. 2 hours from a medium city and 3 hours to a Charlotte sized city.

Thanks.

Carolina Christian School is a great private school in the Locust area and you might like Locust for it's proximity to other more urban areas but there's still the swim issue that you simply aren't going to find in Stanly County. Unless there's something I'm unaware of.

Carolina Christian School

[MaggieMooster]

Well, I thought living nearest to Charlotte for the other activities we like, but schools have to be outside the area.

I just called Cabarrus County schools and they do not have magnet schools any more, but they did say all schools have AP classes. They weren't all that helpful in the NUMBERS of classes and seemed a bit miffed that I'd ask. Hmmm...

Evidently high schools have swim teams but not middle, so I wonder if there are community based teams?

[anifani821]

I am trying to figure out what to suggest as far as private schools, but I am not familiar with them except by name. I have heard of First Assembly Christian, which I believe is SACS accredited but I bet they don't have a swim team.

I would at least check private schools to see what may be available.

[SouthernBelleInUtah]

You can check schools on www.GreatSchools.net; they compare schools within a state, but not state to state. You can search by city or county or school district. Good luck!