Move to Norfolk. A good idea? (Virginia Beach, Hampton: sales, real estate, apartments)

[nicandmegan]

Hello there! My husband and I are looking to relocate and are considering the Norfolk area, as well as Charlotte, NC. What are the pros/cons of the area? We could probably afford $2000/mo in rent easily, and would wan to live close to downtown. We are in a unique situation in that my husband works for himself on the internet, so we would definitely be set with one income. I work in marketing/sales management- what is the job market like? What are some things we should consider? Any comparisons with Charlotte, NC?

[shellytc]

the norfolk downtown is not going to be as large as charlottes. But we have some really neat areas downtown: Ghent, Colonial Place, Larchmont. You can check out Colley Ave for walking to shops and restaurants. there is MacArthur Center and around there for shops and art/theatre. Our area seems to be handling the recession pretty well. we do have the military so that helps keep things afloat. Marketing jobs are harder to come by here, but sales are around. If you have any military, gov't, secret clearences... you will have a better chance, but still there are many industries to look into.

Shelly

[chesapeakesim]

The main pro of this area is that it is close to the ocean. Other than that I think Charlotte has Norfolk beat hands down. Norfolk does have some decent areas like Ghent, but it isn't a true downtown like Charlotte is. From what I have seen a lot of Norfolk is run down and dirty. Other things to consider:

- Cost of living is much cheaper in Charlotte in terms of housing.
- From my experience, people are a lot friendlier in Charlotte than here.
- No pro sports team or major college teams in Norfolk (or anywhere in Hampton Roads) .
- The poster above is right, this area seems to be handling the recession better than other areas. Not sure what Charlotte's economy is like now with the financial crisis, but I would imagine it is still better than other areas as well. The pay scale in HR is surprisingly low for what it costs to live. Your husband would be ok as his pay is not determined by the area, but for you you will probably be shocked unless you come from a small town. There aren't many marketing jobs and the sales jobs are mostly retail.
- The military influence is huge here, think there are over 50 bases overall. That could be a positive, negative, or doesn't really matter. I will say that if you aren't in the military or not connected to the military somehow and do move here sometimes you feel like an outsider.

I have always been a big fan of Charlotte and would move there if I could . If you have the choice I would pick Charlotte. But if you haven't been to either area, visit both and you will see what I mean. Or maybe you will like here better, who knows.

Where are you guys coming from? What is your main reason for moving (e.g. escape cold weather, better place to start a family, etc.)?

[gizmobizmo]

Wow! A question about 2 areas I've lived in!

I lived for awhile in Hampton Roads then moved to Charlotte. Although I miss the ocean, I'm glad we left the area and moved here.

Norfolk and the Hampton Roads area have the ocean, TONS of military bases and loads of history but unless you really like those things, it's just not that darned appealing. Sure, there are some interesting areas like Ghent but overall, it just wasn't for us. The bridge tunnels made commuting a nightmare, also.

When we moved to Charlotte, I was thrilled to see the scenery. It's so green here compared to Hampton Roads. Gently rolling hills, lots of beautiful trees, terrific greenway system, dramatically better public transit system and numerous recreational and dining options. The real estate is much more reasonable in Charlotte, as well.

I really don't want to come across like I'm bashing the Hampton Roads area. It has a following and there are plenty who wouldn't trade the ocean or the history in the area for anything. It just held little appeal or charm for us.

[chesapeakesim]

Originally Posted by gizmobizmo

When we moved to Charlotte, I was thrilled to see the scenery. It's so green here compared to Hampton Roads. Gently rolling hills, lots of beautiful trees, terrific greenway system, dramatically better public transit system and numerous recreational and dining options. The real estate is much more reasonable in Charlotte, as well.

That is one of the things I really liked about Charlotte as well, it was very scenic and aesthetically pleasing. You just don't find that here in Hampton Roads. It seems that they took some time to plan things rather than just build everywhere they could find a spot. Plus you have the mountains real close by, lots of lakes, and places like Asheville to visit.

[gizmobizmo]

Originally Posted by chesapeakesim

That is one of the things I really liked about Charlotte as well, it was very scenic and aesthetically pleasing. You just don't find that here in Hampton Roads. It seems that they took some time to plan things rather than just build everywhere they could find a spot. Plus you have the mountains real close by, lots of lakes, and places like Asheville to visit.

I always felt like the Hampton Roads area had a very "industrial" look to it overall. Sure there are some nice areas but the general feel of the place seemed cold and sterile. It's also very flat. It's sort of funny when the highest point in the region is the former dump, aka Mount Trashmore.

If you are a history buff or a military buff, you'll love the place though. I did like Williamsburg for the history lessons and Sandbridge for the beach.

I like mature, stately-looking trees and it seemed that many in the area appeared anemic . I never understood why the oak trees in my neighborhood looking skinny and sickly. Here, they are full and lush.

Anyhow, I think the OP should research the areas online then pay a visit to each to decide what would be a good fit for her and her family. Just because I'm not a fan of a certain area doesn't mean it wouldn't be the perfect fit for someone else.

I will gladly put in a plug for Charlotte, though. Pretty city and near the mountains.

[phonelady61]

Before our decision to move to kentucky from florida we had thought about charlotte and boy were we dissapointed when we read the responses from everyone on the charlotte forum. we heard that the charlotte crime rate is through the roof and that jobs are non exsistant . so I would say stay away from charlotte and go with norfolk although that being said most of virginia is very high in taxes and way too close to dc and their through the roof crime rate as well . so if I am wrong someone please correct me ,but I did check out crimespot .com and that made our decision for us .

[gizmobizmo]

Originally Posted by phonelady61

Before our decision to move to kentucky from florida we had thought about charlotte and boy were we dissapointed when we read the responses from everyone on the charlotte forum. we heard that the charlotte crime rate is through the roof and that jobs are non exsistant . so I would say stay away from charlotte and go with norfolk although that being said most of virginia is very high in taxes and way too close to dc and their through the roof crime rate as well . so if I am wrong someone please correct me ,but I did check out crimespot .com and that made our decision for us .

You are correct that the crime rate is higher in Charlotte. I was looking at a crime map yesterday and it showed the majority of the violent crime either in downtown or within a 10-15 mile radius. The OP should keep that in mind when considering a move to the downtown Charlotte area.

With that said, quite a bit of the crime appears to be in the questionable areas. The OP can afford a $2,000 rent and may be able to live in a better area. I haven't priced apartments in Uptown so I can't say one way or the other on that one. Much of the violent crime seems to stay in the obvious places that smart folks avoid anyway. There have been some who were the victims of crime that put themselves in harms way by either being in a bad area or using poor judgement. (In other words, don't go to the liquor store at 11pm in the trashy neighborhood.)


Should the OP choose Charlotte, she would be pleased with the light rail train that runs through downtown. It connects many wonderful shops, nightclubs, restaurants, the Panther Stadium, Bobcat Stadium, banks, etc...There are some sharp looking condos and apartments being built beside the rail line that would be perfect for someone looking for an urban lifestyle. Currently, there is no light rail in Norfolk and it is years away.

Virginia's taxes were more reasonable than where I'm originally from but it is subjective. It depends on what you are used to. Charlottes taxes are reasonable for what you get. I can get a much larger house and better neighborhood for the same $$ in Charlotte than I could in Hampton Roads and the taxes are about the same.

As for employment, most cities are in the same boat right now. Every metro area is known for certain types of employment opportunities. Norfolk's job base is mainly military and their contractors. Mostly related to the shipping or transportation industry.
Charlotte's is heavy on banking along with warehousing. A persons field of expertise will be the factor to consider when job hunting in any city.

[nicandmegan]

Hmm.....thanks for the info! Looks like Charlotte may be a better fit for us. We aren't really history buffs but do love the beach. However, I think Charlotte is definitely within driving distance to make an easy weekend trip to the coast every so often. I like that the cost of living seems to be lower in Charlotte as well. As far as why we are relocating, we have lived in Northwest Arkansas and Southern California, and are kind of just looking for something in between, and something new. We love the city life but So-Cal is so overcrowded....and you have to drive a really long way to really feel like you can break away. We also like a little variety in our weather, and California just doesn't offer that. (Where we are at least). Northwest Arkansas was a nice area, but too small. We want something that offers more of a city feel but still gives us the option to escape for a weekend pretty easily. I'm not too worried about the crime rate- after loooking into rental prices I feel that we can afford a nice place in a nice area of town, and we are very smart about where we go and when. We do not have any kids yet....but plan to someday. With that being said, how would the school's compare in Norfolk and Charlotte? We still have another 10 years or so probably before we would have school aged kids, but it still would be nice to know. As far as taxes go.....California is just dang expensive and Arkansas has one of the highest sales tax rates in the country (over 9%) so I don't think we'll be shocked too much in that sense.

[shellytc]

nicandmegan, if you were to come to hampton roads, i would recommend Virginia Beach for you. The schools are very sought after, and you can live at the beach for your rental amount.... and still be close enough to go to the city for what that offers. You would have a pretty good life here and get to enjoy the beach. BTW, our water is warm versus the pacific where the water is cold!!!

shelly