Old Irvin Park (Greensboro, Winston-Salem, Salem: condo, houses, neighborhoods)

[JerseyGirl3624]

Hello everyone. Saw in a recent Kiplinger Report that Old Irvin Park in Greensboro was good place to retire.
What is your opinion? Would be moving from New Jersey; NYC is a train/bus ride away. Our town has lots of mall stores and restaurants. I actually don't shop that much downtown just because most of the stores are for younger people but like having a vibrant downtown.
However, won't be able to afford to retire here and looking for a nice, safe town/city.
If we move, would we be asked about church etc.? Would hate to be considered a d*mn Yankee.
Would it help if they knew I subscribe to Southern Living for over 20 years?
We are easy going people.
Ideally would be great if there is a Traders Joes nearby since we like to cook, but a good grocery store and farmers market would be great.
Any recommendations on towns around the Greensboro/WS?
Looking for a ranch style house or condo around $250,000 - $300,000 range. Would love to be able to walk to some stores but know that may not be possible.

[BC1960]

Old Irving Park is a beautiful neighborhood, but the average home price is probably around $500,000 or more. Lots of other nice neighborhoods around it, and near it, in your price range.

Not really sure how to respond to your other questions. Its likely a neighbor will invite you to church. Its fine to politely decline or say you already have a church.

Greensboro does not have a Trader Joe's. There is one in Winston-Salem. There are not a lot of walkable neighborhoods, but there are spots in some that are. There are a couple of existing threads on here concerning walkable neighbor hoods in G'boro and Winston that you can access by using the search feature.

It sounds like you haven't decided what type of area you want to live in, nor have you visited the area. i'd suggest doing both, then asking more specific questions.

[ta2010]

You can probably find some houses in your price range around the edges of Irving Park (as the other poster alluded to, the core of Old Irving park is Greensboro Country Club so the housing prices go up).

There is not a Trader Joes in Greensboro (W-S has one), but quality grocery stores are plenty...Harris Teeter, The Fresh Market, Whole Foods, or Earthfare. Also Greensboro does have a big farmers market, though it is on the other side of the city from where you are looking. There is a smaller one downtown on weekends, which would be closer.

As for being asked about church, my advice would be to move to a city of you do move south. I strongly advise against moving to a small town if you are non-religious. Small towns in these parts have their social networks built around churches, but in the city there is more diversity and religion tends to be a more personal (and optional) thing. That said, your generation may be a little more religious than me and my fellow millennials so you'll probably have to decline a church invite or two.