Moving back to Long Island from NC (Huntington, Elmont: neighborhood, school districts)

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by NYC2RDU

Anywhere in the Northeast presents the relatively same list of issues. Utilities, taxes and cost-of-living feeds (e.g. insurance, cost of services etc.) are high enough to consume any increase income you're likely to appreciate.

The benefit of living elsewhere is in the amount of effort required to live your life and how much of that life you're able to enjoy.

After having passed our one year anniversary as transplanted New Yorkers living in North Carolina I can state with great certainty that life away from Long Island is easier. The pace is slower but not slow, the bigger cost of living factors are much lower and thus the amount of stress we're under is greatly reduced.

As for relative convenience in terms of traveling to New York, we visit at least quarterly and while it's not the shortest drive it's also manageable.

The northeast shouldn't be generalized so broadly, it's unfair. Just as it is (and as both natives and transplants point out) to generalize the whole south. The cost of living in my area of upstate NY is actually lower than in Raleigh. Schools are better too. Taxes and utilities are higher here but still not enough to off-set the lower cost of everything else. If a person generalized all of NC after only experiencing Lumberton, Wilson, or Fayettville, it would be the same thing. Or if they generalized the whole south by only visiting rural mississippi or west virginia!

[engineman529]

Originally Posted by nymom

You are making a big mistake if you are moving to just run away from your financial difficulties. My brother and his family moved down to NC 11 years ago because of the same reason and they constantly complain about it. They miss family and friends and they're always trying to get us to move down there. (Just so we can share in their misery?). They have thought about moving back up to LI but they could never afford it now. Yes they have a nice house and lower taxes but they still need two incomes (even though they thought they wouldn't) and my sister-in-law has changed jobs several times because she has no patience for the "southern mentality" of the people she has worked with.
I say, if you want to move there, do it because you have visited and thoroughly researched it. If you really like it then good luck to you. But don't go just because you think there will be greener pastures. Trust me, you will be miserable.

Vey well said NYMom. My wife and I researched it and visitied a half a dozen times before moving here. We will be back up north somewhere by April. Cant wait to leave NC.

[threesons]

I happen to love NC. Do I miss NY, Yes. What do I miss- the friends I made, my family (very little do I have), the knowing of where everything is, NYC proximity (although I did not go in very much). What I do not miss- the cold weather, high taxes, utility bills, insurance, the 50 year old house, the rude people (well not all are rude), the traffic. I think you will find pros and cons with everything in life. The fact remains that you are the one that has to be happy with who you are, what you do for a living, hobbies and your immediate family. It is not about convincing other people to come and join you whether it is in your happiness or misery. The grass ALWAYS looks greener on the other side.

[Georgie713]

Originally Posted by threesons

The grass ALWAYS looks greener on the other side.

Especially when the grass is greener longer in the South, than in NY. LOL! Just a little humor.

[threesons]

Originally Posted by Georgie713

Especially when the grass is greener longer in the South, than in NY. LOL! Just a little humor.

Thanks for putting a smile on my face!

[Georgie713]

Originally Posted by threesons

Thanks for putting a smile on my face!

You aren't still on the Island are you? Where you about in NC?

[threesons]

Originally Posted by Georgie713

You aren't still on the Island are you? Where you about in NC?

I am in NC for 1 year now- Charlotte (Marvin). Some days I love and some days I just like it. I can't say I ever hate it. The days I am feeling blue I want to run back to LI. It is exhausting starting new with EVERYTHING! And things don't always go smoothly. But overall it is great.

[OCEANSEA]

me and my family moved to nc lived there for 10 months loved it at first got a very nice home with 5 ac got 2 horses 2 goats it was like living in paradise,my home was huge and beautiful never dreamed we could have all this.Bnot sell the house in long island ,know we are back in LI i am so happy we really miss everybody here that'S why we are back.NC is very nice,very nice people nice homes.very lay back.But i just think they should have more activities,amus parks more fun stuff for teens. my daughter was very bored out there so was i. know we are stuck with two morg.intill we sell the home in nc which has been in the market for 5 months.well hopefully it will sell soon it is in the 600,000 price range so its harder to sell . good luck to you folks that make the move from LI to nc.I will never move from LI agin never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[threesons]

Originally Posted by OCEANSEA

me and my family moved to nc lived there for 10 months loved it at first got a very nice home with 5 ac got 2 horses 2 goats it was like living in paradise,my home was huge and beautiful never dreamed we could have all this.Bnot sell the house in long island ,know we are back in LI i am so happy we really miss everybody here that'S why we are back.NC is very nice,very nice people nice homes.very lay back.But i just think they should have more activities,amus parks more fun stuff for teens. my daughter was very bored out there so was i. know we are stuck with two morg.intill we sell the home in nc which has been in the market for 5 months.well hopefully it will sell soon it is in the 600,000 price range so its harder to sell . good luck to you folks that make the move from LI to nc.I will never move from LI agin never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a teenager also, and yes he is bored but that is the age. My other 2 younger sons are very much busy with sports. 10 months is definitely not enough time to re-establish what took years to build in LI. Starting over is really tough, but there is a lot for the kids to do. You have to look and you will find. You may have to drive a distance. It sounds like you were in farm country so that IS a lot different than LI. There are amusement parks, skate parks, just plain old parks with lakes, baseball park, dance, cooking school, hockey rinks, skate rinks, HS football games, etc......
The starting over is Real Tough but once a kid finds his/her place things just fall into place.
There is no doubt you can get lonely.

[slynn41072]

Originally Posted by OCEANSEA

me and my family moved to nc lived there for 10 months loved it at first got a very nice home with 5 ac got 2 horses 2 goats it was like living in paradise,my home was huge and beautiful never dreamed we could have all this.Bnot sell the house in long island ,know we are back in LI i am so happy we really miss everybody here that'S why we are back.NC is very nice,very nice people nice homes.very lay back.But i just think they should have more activities,amus parks more fun stuff for teens. my daughter was very bored out there so was i. know we are stuck with two morg.intill we sell the home in nc which has been in the market for 5 months.well hopefully it will sell soon it is in the 600,000 price range so its harder to sell . good luck to you folks that make the move from LI to nc.I will never move from LI agin never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am interested in what part of NC you moved to. NC is a very large state. Just as LI is different from Upstate NY, parts of NC are different. Sound like you were in a rural part.
We are in Cary and we have tons of stuff to do all the time. We are far from bored here.
I actually was bored in LI. All we did when we lived there was go shopping or work on fixing up our old house every weekend.