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Old 03-27-2012, 02:25 PM
 
Location: Wilmington, NC
431 posts, read 1,137,925 times
Reputation: 145

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I also know that Bell Partners apartments don't allow ferrets. They own several apartments in Wilmington. But there are plenty more you can contact.
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Old 03-28-2012, 05:14 AM
 
551 posts, read 1,870,059 times
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The two places you are considering -- Wilmington and Philadelphia -- that it is a bit baffling why these are your two choices. What I think this says is your main focus is where you can live and support yourself rather than being any specific place. Maybe best is see where you can get a job first, then look at housing costs and such. Wilmington has 11% unemployment right now. Good luck to youl
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Old 04-05-2012, 02:40 PM
 
25 posts, read 87,032 times
Reputation: 31
Hello everyone,
We are also looking to relocate to the Wilmington,NC area. I have to be honest though, and have been a bit scared off after reading some of the different threads on here (or maybe it's just the negative people that post!)-I am originally from NY (long Island) but have moved around a bit over the past decade. I am looking to the middle east coast because I miss being near the ocean but don't like the direction the NE is going financially.Is there much to do in Wilmington or is it a "sleepy fishing town" like others have reported on here?How are the schools?Looking to rent initially and then buy a home.Any positive feedback would be much appreciated!
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Old 04-05-2012, 10:03 PM
 
Location: St. Louis, MO
4,009 posts, read 6,832,383 times
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Hi there!
I've lived in the area for 4 years and *cannot wait* to move away (doing so at the end of the year). I'm technically 45 minutes away from Wilmington- but usually go there for shopping / groceries / dining out because of the lack of options in my own town. I've also spent time in Philadelphia although never lived there.

My personal preference if I was given the opportunity of Wilmington vs Philadelphia would be Philly hands down.

I would however think that Wilmington is a cheaper option than Philadelphia, but "cheap" comes with a price (excuse the pun).

It may be just my experience, or what I have seen, but compared to other places I have lived, due to NC being a "right to work" State, a lot of employees, especially those in the entry level / minimum wage sectors seem to be treated abysmally. Again, this is just my personal opinion- I realize it depends on the company or organization or management, but the point is, in North Carolina due to very lenient labor laws, employers can get away with lesser conditions for employees than in some other states.

Additionally, I hate the weather here. It's way too hot and humid for my liking. The heat may be refreshing at first if you're coming from the north, but it gets old really, really quick! Obviously that's personal preference though.

I've personally found that there seems to be more to do in Philadelphia than in Wilmington. Philly has more history, more culture, more shopping, and even Casinos (the closest from Wilmington are the Casino Boats in Myrtle Beach- which are literally just sea sickening little boats).

No matter where you choose though, start making a laundry list of what you need to do before you move:

1) Find a job, both you and your boyfriend! A definite job, even if you have to travel to Wilmington for a few days for the interviews.

2) Find out the *exact* amount of minimum hours you'll be getting, and then work out Federal and State Tax so you'll know your income and therefore your budget

3) Get some quotes on Auto Insurance in NC to work this into your budget.

4) Start looking for accommodation the second you get a job. There's a website called Wilmingtonyardsales (google it!) which has classifieds for private rentals in addition to stuff area locals are selling. I found my house (private rental) on there. Private rentals are oftentimes more lenient when it comes to pets, and sometimes more affordable than apartment complexes. However, you're running the risk of the owner not maintaining the house as well as they would in an established complex. For the sake of your ferrets though, this may be a worthwhile option.

5) Pack, move, go nutty for a few months with the stress of a new job + unpacking and settling into your new home and city! (a good nutty!)

6) Once you're settled, start looking at colleges. As another poster said, the Community Colleges around here do Cosmetology, but it's cheaper if you have residency. I'm not 100% on the residency requirements but you may have to live here a certain amount of months before getting the residency discount.

Anyway, best of luck with whatever you choose! (choose Philly, choose Philly, choose Philly! )

Have you ever considered the Midwest? My husband and I are moving to St. Louis this year, as I used to live there. It's considerably more affordable across the board than either Wilmington or Philly.

Again though, good luck!
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Old 04-06-2012, 07:56 AM
 
Location: Wilmington, NC
431 posts, read 1,137,925 times
Reputation: 145
Quote:
Originally Posted by allisonmh View Post
Hello everyone,
We are also looking to relocate to the Wilmington,NC area. I have to be honest though, and have been a bit scared off after reading some of the different threads on here (or maybe it's just the negative people that post!)-I am originally from NY (long Island) but have moved around a bit over the past decade. I am looking to the middle east coast because I miss being near the ocean but don't like the direction the NE is going financially.Is there much to do in Wilmington or is it a "sleepy fishing town" like others have reported on here?How are the schools?Looking to rent initially and then buy a home.Any positive feedback would be much appreciated!
I'm not sure why it would be called a "sleepy fishing town", because it's not. Not in my opinion at least. You're going to either love it or hate it. Yes, it gets very hot in the summer. But it's the south. I feel like sometimes people seem surprised at how hot it can get. There are things to do, it just depends on your interests. As for schools, most people say Topsail our in Pender county is one of the best districts nearby. I would definitely encourage visiting, especially this summer, and going from there.
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Old 04-06-2012, 08:27 AM
 
Location: Sneads Ferry, NC
13,340 posts, read 26,827,950 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by coffeebean330 View Post
I'm not sure why it would be called a "sleepy fishing town", because it's not.
Yeah, I though that comment was weird. Wilmington has about 100,000 people, and lots of college students among them. It has industry and recreational fishing, yachting and access to beaches. Some houses are in the $2 million range. There are museums, theater, art gallerys and live music venues.

You can rent a house much more reasonably than in the north-east.
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Old 04-06-2012, 09:47 AM
 
25 posts, read 87,032 times
Reputation: 31
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it!We are planning on coming for a short visit next week and plan on taking a look at the different areas, probably closer to the beach (Ogden, Bayshore). Any "must sees" in Wilmington?
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Old 04-06-2012, 10:17 AM
 
Location: Wilmington, NC
431 posts, read 1,137,925 times
Reputation: 145
Quote:
Originally Posted by allisonmh View Post
Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate it!We are planning on coming for a short visit next week and plan on taking a look at the different areas, probably closer to the beach (Ogden, Bayshore). Any "must sees" in Wilmington?
Next week is the Azalea Festival, so there will be plenty to see and do.
North Carolina Azalea Festival
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Old 04-07-2012, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Surf City, NC
413 posts, read 698,876 times
Reputation: 1134
The residency requirement for community colleges is one year. When you apply, they ask questions regarding when you got your NC driver license, paid NC taxes, etc. I waited a year to start taking classes because there is a BIG difference in tuition. I'm taking Art classes at Cape Fear Community College. I've been impressed with the quality of instruction and the students.
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Old 04-07-2012, 10:07 PM
 
Location: Wilmington, NC
431 posts, read 1,137,925 times
Reputation: 145
Quote:
Originally Posted by Johanna25 View Post
The residency requirement for community colleges is one year. When you apply, they ask questions regarding when you got your NC driver license, paid NC taxes, etc. I waited a year to start taking classes because there is a BIG difference in tuition. I'm taking Art classes at Cape Fear Community College. I've been impressed with the quality of instruction and the students.
I second that. They want a lot of details for residency, so make sure you do things like register your car, get a NC license, have bills with your NC address, etc.
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