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Old 03-21-2008, 10:28 PM
 
2 posts, read 6,802 times
Reputation: 12

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Hi all,

I am a single, Christian, 30 something professional lady looking to move to the Hampton Roads area this summer. Originally from NYC but used to suburbian living.

Looking for imput on the following concerning my move:

* Safest city/neighborhoods in Hampton Roads
* 2 bedroom townhouses (preferred) or apartments to rent below $1,000
* Close to restaurants and shopping
* Prefer a racially diverse neighborhood

Am I asking for too much? Thanks for your input. I hear so many "mixed" views of this area . . .
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Old 03-24-2008, 01:36 PM
 
Location: NE Suffolk
12 posts, read 47,931 times
Reputation: 12
Northeast Suffolk is safe, and developing new commercial outlets every month. Very nice area with average priced housing... Very racially diverse... IMO
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Old 03-24-2008, 02:16 PM
 
Location: Virginia Beach, VA
10 posts, read 55,807 times
Reputation: 11
Quote:
Originally Posted by nia4ursoul View Post

* Safest city/neighborhoods in Hampton Roads
* 2 bedroom townhouses (preferred) or apartments to rent below $1,000
* Close to restaurants and shopping
* Prefer a racially diverse neighborhood
First...Good Luck.
The rent around here is a bit high. But you really need to take commute into consideration when looking for a place. If you are working in Norfolk...don't look for a place in Hampton unless you are okay with two 45 minute stop-and-go drives a day. The money and sanity you save may be worth the higher rent in a more convenient location.

However you can live in Norfolk and work in Hampton or Virginia Beach without as big of a headache.
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Old 03-29-2008, 08:43 AM
 
Location: Va Beach
3,507 posts, read 13,449,073 times
Reputation: 1034
Sandbrige, an area of Virginia Beach is nice. Rent for 1,000 in this area, especially for a townhome is gonna get you someplace in Norfolk. Do not rent in Ghent, that is a high crime area. Knots Island is nice too and the folks in that area have lived there a long time. Suffolk is nice as well as someone had mentioned. It just depends on where you are going to work and I'm sure being from NYC, the commute is minimal than what you are used to. Chesapeake has some wonderful places to live as well. You can go through a realtor to find the right place to rent.
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Old 03-31-2008, 12:19 AM
 
Location: Hampton, VA
28 posts, read 103,129 times
Reputation: 19
Default Question

My first question for you for an accurate response is; What city will your job be located in? After we establish this we can go from there. :-)
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Old 06-23-2008, 09:22 AM
 
Location: Hampton, VA
17 posts, read 48,043 times
Reputation: 12
Default If you expect a decent salary...

....Don't move to Hampton Roads. This is a military area, and as such, the salaries for jobs are exponentially lower than points north. The major employers are the military, or government. White collar "career" positions; positions you'd be paid straight salary and good benefits for elsewhere, are paid hourly down here and many times with no benefits due to the largely transient population in the area.

Employers don't have to pay competitively and so they don't. I moved down here 2 years ago from Richmond when I met my husband. I wish I'd put more pressure for him to move to Richmond instead of me moving to Hampton Roads.

I'm currently doing a job down here for less than $40K a year that I would be paid $62K to do in Richmond. Closer to DC? $80 and above. I'm being paid hourly. It's an insult to my education, experience and professionalism.

I was in a doctor's office the other day speaking with a man who moved down here from DC because his fiancee is a long-time employee of a local municipality and didn't want to give up her benefits to move north. This man had to take a $25,000 cut in his base pay to stay in his field, and then found out he was viewed as an hourly person (this is a white-collar professional, working in advertising!) and would have to clock in and out daily. He mentioned that every place he interviewed, the standard was to pay people as wage-earners, not salaried employees. His experience was the same as mine has been. I came down here thinking there would be MORE opportunity - not less. The job market is awful down here.

If you're a professional woman, particularly one from the North, I'd advise against moving down here. The jobs aren't there - not at the pay rate you're probably used to making. The pace is much slower, m u c h s l o w e r . Depending upon where you live, it's also pretty darned boring down here - you have to drive for miles to get anywhere interesting. You say you're used to suburbia, so perhaps that's a non-issue for you. For me - it's a huge issue - and I live within a three minute walk of downtown Hampton. And yet...the sidewalks roll up at 5:00 pm during the week. I'm not sure about other areas in Hampton Roads, but Hampton is boring, soulless and unimaginative. It's also very economically depressed. I dunno - p'raps if we could turn City Council upside down and shake them out - a complete overhaul of the city government might help - but that's not in the near future.

If you are still moving down here, be VERY selective about where you choose to live. Also - remember, there are two tunnels that connect the peninsula with southside. (Norfolk, VA Beach, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, etc.) HRBT is awful during rush hour morning and evening. Horrible. The MMBT is okay - usually you can get through with a minimum of effort, but there are days, and they're becoming more frequent, where it's just as bad as the HRBT. For many, Hampton Roads is THE place to live. For me? It's got it's good points, but for my money, I can't wait until the opportunity arises for me and Mr. Snarfy to move North.
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Old 06-23-2008, 09:41 AM
 
Location: Va Beach
3,507 posts, read 13,449,073 times
Reputation: 1034
I wouldn't move north. You may make more, but the cost of living IMO is astronomical!
Medical Professionals do very well. Cardiology..over the top.
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Old 06-23-2008, 10:53 AM
 
Location: Hampton, VA
17 posts, read 48,043 times
Reputation: 12
We're planning on going NORTH - out of Virginia. Not Northern Virginia or DC or Maryland. We're thinking about Pennsylvania - for my profession as well as my husband's we can make significantly higher salaries. I'd really like to go to New Hampshire up in the White Mountains, but the jobs just aren't there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Erma View Post
I wouldn't move north. You may make more, but the cost of living IMO is astronomical!
Medical Professionals do very well. Cardiology..over the top.
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Old 06-23-2008, 12:16 PM
 
Location: 757
328 posts, read 1,539,692 times
Reputation: 112
I'd recommend Ghent in Norfolk for a nice, safe area in Norfolk ..Again depends where your job is. The commute through tunnels is awful. Rush hour here is between 1400-1900. Lots to do in Norfolk, its diverse, and even so, it is close to VA Beach which there also has a lot to do
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Old 06-23-2008, 01:32 PM
 
Location: Hampton, VA
17 posts, read 48,043 times
Reputation: 12
Quote:
Originally Posted by BikesareBetter View Post
I'd recommend Ghent in Norfolk for a nice, safe area in Norfolk ..Again depends where your job is. The commute through tunnels is awful. Rush hour here is between 1400-1900. Lots to do in Norfolk, its diverse, and even so, it is close to VA Beach which there also has a lot to do
Ghent is quite nice. I also love our little neighborhood, too. I just want to go someplace where it's not as hot and where I'm paid at least within the bell curve for what I do. Central PA is one area we're looking. The pay scale is right (for white collar work) and the cost of living is lower, even though their real estate taxes are higher.

I'm a Yankee anyway -geographically by birth AND by genetics - my entire family is from New England. I've never acclimated well to the South. I guess you guys can start chanting "Yankee go home!" to me now. Actually, the South has some wonderful things to offer - and for t hose who really love a mild climate, Hampton Roads is probably perfect. I'd be great with it if we didn't get summer here.

Two of my favorite things about the south: Fried Chicken and Pork BBQ (Pierces!)
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