From Raleigh to Hockessin area? Stay or go? (Wilmington, Newark: chapel, house)

[bakerliz]

My family (including a 4-year old and an 8-month old) are considering a move to DE. My son goes to Montessori school and we definitely need to continue that for our sanity. My husband is looking at a job in New Castle and our son would most likely go to a school in Hockessin.

Can anyone tell us what it's like in that general vicinity. (Probably closer to Hockessin than to New Castle)? Are there good grocery stores? Are most places convenient?Traffic? We're on the "natural" side, so we definitely need a Whole Foods or a good regular grocery store. Or farmers' markets. :-)

We're in Raleigh, NC now and everything is really convenient and I don't think the traffic is bad. We're fortunate to have great doctors (our son requires weekly physical therapy) and many specialists like pediatric dentists, etc.

This would be an easy decision without kids, but our son has many people in his life here and we want to feel like this would be a positive move for all of us...

Any thoughts on the schools, the area, or DE in general would be greatly appreciated. :-)

Liz

[Nelly622]

Funny, we're moving from Hockessin to Raleigh right after Christmas. We settle on our house down there (Cary) December 28.

I've lived in Wilmington all my life (57 years) and have lived in Hockessin for the past 14 years. I really like the Hockessin area. There is a good montessori school (Hockessin Montessori), a very small farmers market during the spring/summer months, and Lantana Square Shopping Center is less than 5 minutes away. Closest grocery store (in Lantana Square) is an Acme. Hockessin has more of a small town feel than most areas of Wilmington. Also, Pike Creek is just up the road a couple of miles, and it was just rated as one of the top 10 best places to live by Money Magazine. Another nice area.

[bakerliz]

Hey! That is funny! Thanks for your response. I've looked into Hockessin Montessori and it seems like a great school. I think we would be very happy in that area. The interview is on hold due to "department changes" so we don't know what's happening. Oh well, we win either way, I guess.

I think you will like Cary and Raleigh (and Chapel Hill). If there's any way I can help you, please let me know. When my husband got a job down here, his boss's wife really helped me find good neighborhoods, doctors, etc. Please do let me know if you need anything. :-)

Liz

[elizamary]

Originally Posted by Nelly622

Funny, we're moving from Hockessin to Raleigh right after Christmas. We settle on our house down there (Cary) December 28.

I've lived in Wilmington all my life (57 years) and have lived in Hockessin for the past 14 years. I really like the Hockessin area. There is a good montessori school (Hockessin Montessori), a very small farmers market during the spring/summer months, and Lantana Square Shopping Center is less than 5 minutes away. Closest grocery store (in Lantana Square) is an Acme. Hockessin has more of a small town feel than most areas of Wilmington. Also, Pike Creek is just up the road a couple of miles, and it was just rated as one of the top 10 best places to live by Money Magazine. Another nice area.

That is funny and what a small world. There is a reason you both found each other......I'm sure.

[Nelly622]

Thanks, bakerliz. I just might need your help. I'm a bit overwhelmed with leaving my family/friends and then getting down to Cary and having to look for new doctors, dentists, good shopping places for my 2 teenaged daughters, places to go/see, things to do, etc...

Same goes for here. I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

[UDFightinBlueHens]

I've lived in the Hockessin area for almost my entire life and I LOVE it! There is such a convenience to the bigger cities of Philly, NY, Baltimore, and DC, but still the small town feel. There is a natural foods store right off Rt 41 (which is the main road through Hockessin) and, as a vegetarian, I love having it.

There are also a number of nearby advantages for family activities, including the PAL center, a new health club, and a few state parks that have seasonal hayrides and campouts and such. The big thing about Hockessin is that it has grown a LOT in the past 10 years or so. Not in the skyscraper sense or anything, but in the quality of life. A lot of out-of-staters have moved to the area due to its convenience, property values, tax free shopping, etc. So they have a lot of GOOD things very close by to cater to the upper-middle class. I've never had a problem finding a specialist or a good education.

Hope that helps

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by bakerliz

My family (including a 4-year old and an 8-month old) are considering a move to DE. My son goes to Montessori school and we definitely need to continue that for our sanity. My husband is looking at a job in New Castle and our son would most likely go to a school in Hockessin.

Can anyone tell us what it's like in that general vicinity. (Probably closer to Hockessin than to New Castle)? Are there good grocery stores? Are most places convenient?Traffic? We're on the "natural" side, so we definitely need a Whole Foods or a good regular grocery store. Or farmers' markets. :-)

We're in Raleigh, NC now and everything is really convenient and I don't think the traffic is bad. We're fortunate to have great doctors (our son requires weekly physical therapy) and many specialists like pediatric dentists, etc.

This would be an easy decision without kids, but our son has many people in his life here and we want to feel like this would be a positive move for all of us...

Any thoughts on the schools, the area, or DE in general would be greatly appreciated. :-)

Liz

I'm a neighbor, here in Mebane, but, lived in Delaware, Newark for a few years growing up. Excellent schools, real winters, friendly people, my family moved around a lot, Newark was my favorite place, I still miss it from time to time. I haven't seen a real winter for quite some time, have almost forgotten how to ice skate, not a lot of that here in N. Carolina, nor snowmen, snowball fights, sledding, skis, pickup hockey games (only after I became an adult did I learn that hockey had rules) D

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by bakerliz

My family (including a 4-year old and an 8-month old) are considering a move to DE. My son goes to Montessori school and we definitely need to continue that for our sanity. My husband is looking at a job in New Castle and our son would most likely go to a school in Hockessin.

Can anyone tell us what it's like in that general vicinity. (Probably closer to Hockessin than to New Castle)? Are there good grocery stores? Are most places convenient?Traffic? We're on the "natural" side, so we definitely need a Whole Foods or a good regular grocery store. Or farmers' markets. :-)

We're in Raleigh, NC now and everything is really convenient and I don't think the traffic is bad. We're fortunate to have great doctors (our son requires weekly physical therapy) and many specialists like pediatric dentists, etc.

This would be an easy decision without kids, but our son has many people in his life here and we want to feel like this would be a positive move for all of us...

Any thoughts on the schools, the area, or DE in general would be greatly appreciated. :-)

Liz

Originally Posted by Nelly622

Thanks, bakerliz. I just might need your help. I'm a bit overwhelmed with leaving my family/friends and then getting down to Cary and having to look for new doctors, dentists, good shopping places for my 2 teenaged daughters, places to go/see, things to do, etc...

Same goes for here. I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

I believe you don't know this yet, but Cary is close to where I live (same county) message me here if you need help. D

[bakerliz]

Nelly,
I guarantee you will have no problem with shopping. We have good malls with Saks fifth Avenue, Talbots, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Apple, etc. I think there are more malls here (and good ones) than I've seen anywhere. If you have money to spend, this is a great place to live! In Cary, you have every chain that you can imagine (for better and worse) including Whole foods and Trader Joes. There was talk of a Wegman's, but I don't know what happened. EVERYTHING is convenient here.

Great stuff off the top of my head--in Raleigh (you can google these to see what's there if you get bored...:
Cameron Village (downtown)
Crabtree Valley Mall (close to me, so I'm biased)
Triangle Town Center
Carolina Hurricanes (Hockey) at the RBC Center
Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts

Durham:
Southpoint Mall
Durham Bulls
Duke Hospitals (excellent)

Cary
name a store-- it's here

Chapel Hill
love it!
UNC

As for medical care, with UNC & Duke, there are great doctors and dentists (and great vets from NC State) No offense intended if I've missed a school and its specialty! The great thing is that the techniques seem to be very very current and there are just tons of really smart people.

Personally, I think the big negative (Dusty, what do you think?) is finding people to fix stuff on your house or car or whatever. We had a HORRIBLE realtor, a tragically worse inspector, THREE bad pool company guys, questionable plumbers, a great painter and after a couple years we learned of a great contractor guy --until his heart condition made him quit! I have a friend whose plumber won't allow her to give out his number because he's too busy!

And on the positive side again: great, friendly, warm people. People seem to LOVE children, and I think it's easy to get around and and traffic seems to be pretty civilized in my experience.(I think Cary's traffic is worse, but it depends where you are in Cary or Raleigh.

UDFightin: Thanks for the great info! I'm definitely on the alternative side and I need a good natural food store. I've been spoiled with the Whole Foods across the street from my son's school!

Sorry, it's late and I'm sure I'm forgetting all the big things!

Thanks for all your help everyone!

Liz

[Nelly622]

We'll be living in Cary in less than 2 weeks, Bakerliz. Can't wait to explore all those stores and shopping centers you mentioned. I'll holler if I have any trouble locating any of them. Thanks so much for all your input! Left you a rep point for that post.