Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My husband was just offered a wonderful job in Jacksonville, NC. When we visited I really liked the area and the friendliness of everyone we met. We are very excited about the move but do not know much about the area.
We are from the NY/NJ area and only visited the one time. Any information would be helpful to us as well as a good area to live.
We would like to be within 30 minutes to the main area of Jacksonville. Our plan is to rent for a year until we are able to spend more time to decide where would like to buy. We did visit Swansboro and Emerald Isle and they were very pretty.
Our kids are in college so no concern for schools but really need some help.
I'll throw my hat in for Swansboro. Close to Jacksonville, close to Bogue Banks, but far enough away where you'll never get the brunt of the seasonal traffic to the North of you or the 1st/15th traffic to the south. It's all relative, though, and the traffic may be hardly noticeable to you coming from where you're from. Swansboro has a really nice downtown, area, though small. Though it's in Onslow County, it's so closely associated with the Carteret County beaches that it appears in all of the Crystal Coast literature.
Other options on the south end would be Sneeds Ferry, North Topsail, to maybe as far south as Hampstead. These would put you that much closer to Wilimington, which is the only Metropolitan area on the coast. North Topsail, and Sneeds Ferry or a little more off the beaten path, but beautiful areas/beaches/waterways. Hampstead would put you about 30-40 minutes to Jacksonville and 25-35 minutes to Wilmington depending on traffic.
Off shore fishing charters, a public Library, restuarants, beaches, medical facililities, small population, Hammocks Beach state park, walking, bike riding, and alot more stuff to do in Swansboro..and plenty of homes to buy or rent also...
I am thinking of relocating there as well. Well anywhere really in NC. I am so sick of the desert I can't even tell you. I am feeling the ocean calling me. I want to be able to fish again. I am looking for a place to plant my feet for awhile. I hear the folks are nice. What about the cost of living? How is the job market?
The job market around Jacksonville is largely service-oriented; with Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station being the target customers of these businesses. If you are looking for a decent living in the Jacksonville community, and you are not an active duty Marine, then your best bet is to either become a Federal Civilian Employee or a Federal Contractor with the big boys in the defense industry like Lockheed, Raytheon, Homeland Security Solutions, and Johnson Controls. (Construction.) Make no mistake; this city is all about the USMC and the Navy; it's the lifeblood of the entire community. Those that dislike Marines, Sailors, and the military in general are advised to stay away.....
Unfortunately, The service-related jobs tend to be much lower paying. (Restaurants, Bars, Auto Shops, Pawn n' Loans, retail clothing chains, swinging around a pole, etc.....) Rents are very high in Jacksonville, because the landlords keep a close eye on the servicemember's B.A.H. (Housing Allowance) rate, and raise rents each year. It's a total rip-off, and these clowns know it.... but it's also a legal one.
I am thinking of relocating there as well. Well anywhere really in NC. I am so sick of the desert I can't even tell you. I am feeling the ocean calling me. I want to be able to fish again. I am looking for a place to plant my feet for awhile. I hear the folks are nice. What about the cost of living? How is the job market?
Jobs can be the challenge, it just depends on your skills and how much money you need to survive. There are rental homes around and even some which will take pets.
You can find small homes in good shape from around $170K up. As is often the case when you are near the water, how close your home is to the water can matter more than what your home actually is.
We came down from SW Virginia a few years ago. Property taxes in Carteret County are much lower. Property insurance is much more expensive. We use our air conditioning more than we do our heating, but we have found utility expenses somewhat less expensive. Car insurance is more. Gasoline is more expensive than in Virginia. Food seems to be a toss-up, but fresh fish is easy to get and hard to beat.
Overall the huge drop in property taxes still makes it less expensive for us here on the Carolina coast. It is worth noting that Roanoke, Va is one of the least expensive places to live in the east so saying that we find the coast a little cheaper is a positive thing.
The fishing, boating, and access to water is just exceptional. It has been a wonderful fall here on the coast. It took a while for the fishing to really kick in, but we have been enjoying ourselves most of November.
This a picture of a flounder I caught on Monday of this week in the White Oak River.
Last edited by dsobotta; 11-20-2010 at 09:12 PM..
Reason: Left out link
My skills are in sales so I can pretty much get a job anywhere. I have been reading a lot about having a job when you get there but also have been hearing that the companies want to look at the locale people first. It is hard to know what to do. I first have to sell my home and that is going to take awhile. I want to finish school. I have about 3 more months. My GF is an MA and I am a biller and coder for insurance. I have heard there are some good health care companies in the city of Raleigh/ Durham area. I don't need to live right on the water but a short drive away would be cool. I am 50 and my GF is 30. We are both female and that is a concern, but we don't flaunt our sexual orientation so that should not be a problem. I need to be warm so snow is out of the equation, water is a must, see the changing leaves I have missed it so much. I moved from Utah to AZ and now it is time to move again. I have to go through a short sale of my house and any real estate agent knows how that goes so I won't get into that. I have a tons of experience at sales and my customers always get what they need and want, sometimes they have to pay a lot for that but they know they made the best deal possible. I can sell almost anything I believe in. So if you hear of some high end sales positions or know somebody who knows somebody who does, let me know. I don't know how to overcome the job thing, I can't move right now, but I need a job to move. And who the heck pays for a relo package anymore? That is a real cool pic of the flounder, although it scares me a little. Looks like a pain to clean. I am a trout fan myself. I guess I haven't had real good sea food yet.
NC is calling me, I just don't know where. Any Ideas?
Raleigh/Durham may be your best bet. Possibly also Wilmington and the Outer Banks. (The Catch-There's no large communities along the Outer Banks.) With the exception of those two communities, living right on the coastline you wll be largely exposed to the military community. (USMCAS Cherry Point and Norfolk NSY near the northeast, and Camp Lejeune along the mid-southern coastline.) You two don't seem to be affiliated with the military, You made no mention) and you're gay- hence, you might not find a military community sporting a 61 percent guy to girl ratio overly welcoming. I'm not bashing you, but I honestly don't think you'd be comfortable with a community like that. Therefore, I suggest more inland towards Raleigh/Durham; which is largely more academic and techologically oriented with the Research Triangle. Also, avoid the Fayetteville area- that is Fort Bragg and the U.S. Army's turf; with a high crime ratio to boot.
I have been looking in the Raleigh Durham area, it seems close enough to water and just a short drive to the ocean. The job market is the question there. I mentioned we are both looking at the health care industries so finding a job is key. I have some feelers out but I have just started looking, and I have seen in other posts that it is harder to land a job out of state. I would think in the world of technology a web cam interview would not be out of the question. But who knows. Where in Raleigh Durham is the close access to lakes and such? I would love to live where I can be fishing in 15 to 20 minutes. The commute does not bother me. I have commuted up to an hour for a great life style. I also want to be near a good country bar that may allow me to dance with my GF or other ladies that can 2 step. That will be a different post though. Thank you for steering me away from the military it has changed my mind on the Jefferson area.
It's funny that you would assume they'd have troubles due to their sexual orientation on the coast in military concentrated areas, when the exact opposite is true. Hell, Fayetteville, the number one military town of military towns in NC has a LGBT club that advertises on their most popular radio station. Somone who is gay would actually have more trouble in the rural communities outside of the military communities on the coast. Wilmington aside. There are reasons why someone wouldn't want to live on the coast or even in a military community, but homophobia isn't one of them.
Quote:
Originally Posted by blackandgold978
got2getoutofaz-
Raleigh/Durham may be your best bet. Possibly also Wilmington and the Outer Banks. (The Catch-There's no large communities along the Outer Banks.) With the exception of those two communities, living right on the coastline you wll be largely exposed to the military community. (USMCAS Cherry Point and Norfolk NSY near the northeast, and Camp Lejeune along the mid-southern coastline.) You two don't seem to be affiliated with the military, You made no mention) and you're gay- hence, you might not find a military community sporting a 61 percent guy to girl ratio overly welcoming. I'm not bashing you, but I honestly don't think you'd be comfortable with a community like that. Therefore, I suggest more inland towards Raleigh/Durham; which is largely more academic and techologically oriented with the Research Triangle. Also, avoid the Fayetteville area- that is Fort Bragg and the U.S. Army's turf; with a high crime ratio to boot.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Cost of Living
