Want to relocate this spring, is Norfolk a good area to move to? (Virginia Beach: best cities, apartment)

[INeedOutOfOhio]

I'm a 22 y/o male working in call center management who wants to move out of Ohio this spring. I want a nice climate, close to the beach, and a decent job market and cost of living. I don't go out a lot, but a good nightlife would still be a plus. I also write, and would like a decent intellectual, artistic community. Out of the above list, Ohio has the cost of living... see my dilemma?

How are the sales/call center jobs in the area? What about marketing and technology jobs, for moving along my career? How bad will cost of living hit me? I don't like to drive, and would love not to have to pay for a car, so I would prefer an area with good public transportation. Obviously, I'd like the most reasonable rent possible, preferably less than $600-800 a month for studios or one bedrooms. How is the dating scene? Is Norfolk or any of the surrounding area what I'm looking for? If not, any suggestions on another area?

Thanks!

[chesapeakesim]

Hi, IMO, short answer is no . Take a look at some of the other posts on this board and you will get a feel for the positives and the negatives of this area. Some people love it here and others hate it here. One thing to note is that you mentioned Norfolk, but this area is really made up of 7 cities all intertwined such as Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, so when considering a move here you can take the Hampton Roads area as a whole. Here are my thoughts on your list above.

Nice Climate - We do have that, winters are mild and we have 4 seasons. Summers are hot and humid, but not as bad as say Florida.

Close to the Beach - Check, most anywhere in Hampton Roads you can get to the beach in less than an hour.

Cost of Living - Prepare to be shocked. The COL is high and when average salary is factored in, this is in the top ten most expensive places in the country. I wouldn't expect to pay less than $800 for a decent 1 bedroom and you are probably looking at more like $800-$1000. I know my last apartment is now going for around $940 a month and it was just an average place.

Intellectual, Artisitc Community - There is an area in Norfolk called Ghent that sort of has this, but we aren't really known for that here so you would be better off with this in another city.

Good Nightlife - Nothing special really, most any big city will have bars/clubs so this probably wouldn't make/break your decision to move here.

Public Transportation - You will need a car if you live here, things are spread out and there is no real downtown area that would give you everything you need within walking distance. The public transportation system is pretty lacking.

Jobs/Career Advancement - Unless you are military or connected to the military, the job market here is pretty awful. Very few jobs and if you do find one, it will most likely pay low especially in sales/call center type jobs. Making under $30K with a degree is common here. Not a lot of corporate type jobs either that would offer the opportunity for advancement.

Dating Scene - Ugh, for a 22 year old male the dating scene is, hmm, can't think of a word worse than god awful, so yeah god awful. Have you ever seen the show The Bachelorette? Think of it like that just on a larger scale.

Have posted similar things in other posts so sorry if I sound like a broken record. But I know what it is like when you are thinking of moving to a new area and know nothing about it. If you are looking for a larger city type environment, here is a link that shows some good cities for young professionals.

Best Cities For Young Professionals - Forbes.com

These would be my picks:

Raleigh
Austin
Milwaukee
Charlotte
Chicago
Minneapolis

Are you looking at a certain area of the country, or are you open to any area? I know you said you wanted close to the beach, is that an absolute requirement or are you ok with inland areas if they meet your other criteria? Let us know and we can maybe suggest some other areas. Or people can disagree with me and say you should move here instead .

[twilight61108]

You should come visit and get a feel for the place. Even though when my husband, infant, and myself visited it was still hard for us to find an apartment. Luckily he talked to someone from his new job and they helped us find an apartment. Its a one bedroom, in west ghent and we pay $700. We feel really lucky considering we were going to move to a not so nice area and the rent was more then we were going to pay here. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[xGrendelx]

Originally Posted by INeedOutOfOhio

I'm a 22 y/o male working in call center management who wants to move out of Ohio this spring. I want a nice climate, close to the beach, and a decent job market and cost of living. I don't go out a lot, but a good nightlife would still be a plus. I also write, and would like a decent intellectual, artistic community. Out of the above list, Ohio has the cost of living... see my dilemma?

How are the sales/call center jobs in the area? What about marketing and technology jobs, for moving along my career? How bad will cost of living hit me? I don't like to drive, and would love not to have to pay for a car, so I would prefer an area with good public transportation. Obviously, I'd like the most reasonable rent possible, preferably less than $600-800 a month for studios or one bedrooms. How is the dating scene? Is Norfolk or any of the surrounding area what I'm looking for? If not, any suggestions on another area?

Thanks!

I think the Ghent area of Norfolk would suit your social needs, as far as an intellectual and artistic scene. It's also got decent night life with bars and restaurants along Colley Ave, and it's in close proximity to Downtown Norfolk. The beach isn't too close, however. The Ocean View area of Norfolk isn't too too far away, and they've got some nice beaches (really quiet and mostly locals), but Virginia Beach is a good 30 mins away on the interstate.

Like some others have said, I don't think one place in Hampton Roads is going to have everything you're looking for, unfortunately.

[Shoobie]

Originally Posted by chesapeakesim

Dating Scene - Ugh, for a 22 year old male the dating scene is, hmm, can't think of a word worse than god awful, so yeah god awful. Have you ever seen the show The Bachelorette? Think of it like that just on a larger scale.

I'm in the same boat. lol Good luck brother, we all need it.

INeedOutOfOhio: Good luck on getting here. It is expensive, but a decent place to live. I've almost been here a year and it's grown on me. Still miss home, but with the pace I live at here, I don't have too much time to miss it. lol Oh, and if you are looking for call center jobs, do a search on Hotjobs or Monster.com. I know of a few banks, IT centers, and outsourcing companines that check there on a daily basis. Also, pose a resume there and make sure to mark it down for all 7 cities.

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Shoobie

I'm in the same boat. lol Good luck brother, we all need it.

INeedOutOfOhio: Good luck on getting here. It is expensive, but a decent place to live. I've almost been here a year and it's grown on me. Still miss home, but with the pace I live at here, I don't have too much time to miss it. lol Oh, and if you are looking for call center jobs, do a search on Hotjobs or Monster.com. I know of a few banks, IT centers, and outsourcing companines that check there on a daily basis. Also, pose a resume there and make sure to mark it down for all 7 cities.

Well look what the cat dragged in! Glad to see ya back Shoobers! Your fellow peeps need your imput!

[Shoobie]

I've been in hibernation. Winters here are so boring that I can't do much else except sleep and work. :/

[Erma]

Originally Posted by Shoobie

I've been in hibernation. Winters here are so boring that I can't do much else except sleep and work. :/

Take a vacation to some place warmer!
Actually, this is a strangely cold winter for us. Last Feb. we had 80 degrees. Wish the midwest and canada would keep the cold there.

[gallowsCalibrator]

Originally Posted by twilight61108

You should come visit and get a feel for the place. Even though when my husband, infant, and myself visited it was still hard for us to find an apartment. Luckily he talked to someone from his new job and they helped us find an apartment. Its a one bedroom, in west ghent and we pay $700. We feel really lucky considering we were going to move to a not so nice area and the rent was more then we were going to pay here. Good luck with whatever you decide.

However, once your little one gets a little bigger and needs a bedroom of his/her own, finding a two-bedroom at that price will not be easy.

Originally Posted by Shoobie

I've been in hibernation. Winters here are so boring that I can't do much else except sleep and work. :/

Welcome back, indeed.

As for the OP poster, I will have to agree with most everyone here that Hampton Roads is not the place for you. I would recommend Raleigh (North Carolina) for having everything you need.

[The Dissenter]

As much as i love Hampton Roads and Norfolk, it ain't for you. I'm 20 year old male and i always have had something inside me guiding me back to Hampton Roads but the cost-of-living makes me realize that that something inside me is likely gas (hehe).