[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

North Carolina is clearly your better bet in terms of jobs, quality of life and overall cost of living. Charlotte is nice but I would also urge you to check out the Raleigh-Durham area which has many more IT jobs in my opinion, not to mention three major university employers (UNC, NCSU and Duke) and also a better quality of life (not as congested/sprawled as Charlotte). I lived there for many years and found the Triangle to be a great place to live. I'm not sure how you stumbled across Deltona but can tell you it's not ideal. It's less expensive but is pretty far from anything substantial in terms of work or recreation/culture. I also left out the school situation. It's far and away better in the Raleigh-Durham area than anywhere else mentioned.

Raleigh, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Durham, North Carolina - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Research Triangle Park

Agree with everything. I lived in Chapel Hill and Raleigh and loved it. We only moved back to Florida because of family and only considered one town in FL that we'd ever live in.

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by Swimmom32

huge difference on housing...much cheaper and much bigger in NC than here in Florida...

What you save on housing in NC is really on property tax but they just get that back since there is state income tax. We found it really equaled out.

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by ComSense

Of course car insurance is going to be cheaper in NC than S FL. That goes without saying, sadly. I was speaking more specifically about housing.

Taxes on your cars each year in NC and inspections.

[ComSense]

Gatornation, which city in FL did you consider?

[Deef1]

You may want to read the thread under Fla RE Rick Scott and the comments on what a total disaster the leadership of our state is in along with the options for our future leadership. It may make you run like the wind to NC! (Of course, I have no idea what shape NC is in)

[Gatornation]

Originally Posted by ComSense

Gatornation, which city in FL did you consider?

Gainesville since we went to school there and we always planned to live in a college town. Without ties to UF though I'm not sure someone from another state would love it. We would have lived in Chapel Hill otherwise which is a place that I think anyone could love no matter if you had ties to the school or not.

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by Gatornation

What you save on housing in NC is really on property tax but they just get that back since there is state income tax. We found it really equaled out.

The cost of home is much lower in NC we had a 3000 sq ft home 4 bedrooms and 3 full baths didnt pay alot and we were in a very desirable community/Area in the best schools..our property taxes were 2100 a year...even with housing going down here you arent at least where I live in florida going to get ALOT of house for a reasonable price... although yes we paid property tax on our cars and well that was about 300 a year for both cars...but the Income/State Taxes were pretty high...

[Swimmom32]

Originally Posted by Deef1

You may want to read the thread under Fla RE Rick Scott and the comments on what a total disaster the leadership of our state is in along with the options for our future leadership. It may make you run like the wind to NC! (Of course, I have no idea what shape NC is in)

I can tell you its no better politically in NC than anywhere else...the Schools are a Mess like alot of places, People really are in lala land if they think Cost of living isnt going to go up there and the Taxes will eventually go up too...so eventually it will be all relevant...Cheaper doesnt mean Better...Ive lived in 5 states and can tell you its the same crap everywhere its what u make of it...and where you are comfortable and what is good for me might not be good for the next person...

[tropical]

Trini2685, I grew up in Northern Jersey and am also from the caribbean. Like you, I couldn't take the cold anymore either. I've been living in Raleigh NC for the past 4 years. It differs from Jersey. Low property taxes/insurance, great schools, wonderful quality of life, less traffic. However everything has its pros & cons. We are taxed on everything here like 'clothes, car tax etc'. It's a quiet town, the downtown area offers more nightlife & restaurants than shopping.

There are tons of plazas around all of the neighborhoods and that's pretty much where you do your grocery shopping and of course the malls.

The weather is milder than Jersey but last winter was pretty nippy, as it was in the rest of the US.

My husband (being caribbean as well) feels it's too quiet for his taste, he'd prefer to be in Florida in the hustle and bustle.

Rental prices are awesome here and your hubby being in IT would be able to apply in RTP(Reasearch Triangle Park) many great companies there.

Feel free to PM me.

[Swimmom32]

I can tell you OP your dh wont find much in IT here...but in NC he will...Unless he knows someone here...my dh had quiet a few connections which is what got us here..