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NC is one of the most overrated places around. Lets just say I live in Wake County- don't want to say exactly where because I'm pretty vocal about my feelings. I grew up in Fulton, NY. Generations of my family still live there, and I wouldn't even say my last name because it would be so easy to find my last name there- it's still everywhere. I did not make the choice to move to NC- I was 17 when my parents decided to leave behind generations of my family in Fulton and everything great about upstate (family reunions, community, 4 true seasons) for the lure of cheap land and "something different". Well, they got something different, a non-acceptance and strong dislike of Northerners. I'm buying a house in Fulton in a few months. I'll never come back here for the rest of my life.
I'm on a very similar boat.... only I was the inconsiderate parent who moved the kids down here, not realizing they would miss out on growing up with cousins and aunts and uncles grandparents, and in a strong community. I'm from Rochester, which is one of the biggest metropolitan areas upstate,, and it has way more of a sense of community that many of the "small towns" here in NC. I also live in Wake county, I've lived ALL over Wake County from N. Raleigh to, Cary to Southeast Raleigh, and now we live in Apex. Hoping to move back to Rochester within the year.
Visitor's perspective, indeed. RC *is* a very nice place, but what you need to realize is that RC is not typical nor attainable for many. It is a very *tony* town! Average homes easily start in the $600-750 range. You get what you pay for. People can be nicer when the maid gets the groceries, etc. Same with the "Gold Coast" North Shore. Of course, I exaggerate for effect, but the point remains true.
Want a really nice LI town? Try Huntington Village. Hip, young-ish, seaside, politically aware, progressive, filled with artistic endeavors and creative restaurants. Also will cost you a few bucks, but if you're stuck on LI, it might be worth it. Whenever people talk aout the good things on LI, they usually are talking about Huntington.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dullnboring
A good friend of mine grew up and still lives in the town of Rockville Centre. I've visited her a few times there and fell in love with the town. Assuming I could afford it, if I were to live anywhere on Long Island, it would be Rockville Centre....
Visitor's perspective, indeed. RC *is* a very nice place, but what you need to realize is that RC is not typical nor attainable for many. It is a very *tony* town! Average homes easily start in the $600-750 range. You get what you pay for. People can be nicer when the maid gets the groceries, etc. Same with the "Gold Coast" North Shore. Of course, I exaggerate for effect, but the point remains true.
Interesting. I always knew it was a nice area just in terms of it's reputation, but it never struck me as an obscenely wealthy place. The homes are decent-sized, but not huge or ostentatious that I saw (most I saw were quaint little 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom bungalows) on mid-size lots and the city as a whole is high density. All of the people I've met there, friends of my friend's family, work fairly "typical" professional jobs, some even blue collar, teachers, cops, travel agents, etc. but of course, as I mentioned before, these are people who have most likely lived in the town for years and purchased their homes back when when they were affordable for the working and middle class, but this also gives the people in my opinion a more down to Earth quality than one would expect in an area with similar housing prices.
I know that my friend's parents have debated selling their house (from whcih they'd undoubtably make a killing) and moving South, perhaps to Florida or, you guessed it, North Carolina.
I generally post on the NC board but decided to take a peek of where I live currently LI...to those who are coming I have lived her my entire life and while we have beaches and the city and both area great places. Unfortunately, (I can only spk for LI, not upstate) due to high cost of living and taxes many people are being "forced" to leave even if they do not want to. Jobs on long island are not growing, many companies moving upstate or out of state that leave NYC for work...even many businesses in NYC are leaving but maintaining a small presence and moving most of their buisness out of the area....(again due to cost)- I agree with someone else who said the local politicians promise all and deliver nothing that to me, putting costs aside, there are better places to be...many "nice" areas are looking run down...like in most parts of our country, the middle class is being squeezed away, the areas like great neck, etc are on the No SHore and are very pricey...South SHore - Massape, Merrick, Bellmore, RVC, Wantagh, are somewhat cheaper but the prices are still way out of control...while these areas do have good schools, the taxes we pay, given all of the embezzlement in the area, is just too much, add the cost of electricity which keeps going up by what our lovely eletric co has deemded surcharges...it becomes not only an issue if you can afford all this, but why would you want to?
You hit it on the head. "regular folks" can't buy in anymore. And, for the money, yes, that *is* all you'll get.
People in Nassau county clamor for RC; some go sight-seeing through te twon to look at the "gorgeous" homes. (Everything on Long Island is relative.)
Most "typical" people i know (I'm a 10 year teacher, for example) don't even entertain RC as a place to buy. They'd like to.
You know what, though, RC is also seems to be one of those towns where everyone is continually getting a facial or cosmetic surgery and driving their pedigreed dog to the groomer in their big, black, garish Mercedes.
Maybe not such regualr Joes after all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dullnboring
Interesting. I always knew it was a nice area just in terms of it's reputation, but it never struck me as an obscenely wealthy place. The homes are decent-sized, but not huge or ostentatious that I saw (most I saw were quaint little 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom bungalows) on mid-size lots and the city as a whole is high density. All of the people I've met there, friends of my friend's family, work fairly "typical" professional jobs, some even blue collar, teachers, cops, travel agents, etc. but of course, as I mentioned before, these are people who have most likely lived in the town for years and purchased their homes back when when they were affordable for the working and middle class, but this also gives the people in my opinion a more down to Earth quality than one would expect in an area with similar housing prices.
I know that my friend's parents have debated selling their house (from whcih they'd undoubtably make a killing) and moving South, perhaps to Florida or, you guessed it, North Carolina.
I generally post on the NC board but decided to take a peek of where I live currently LI...to those who are coming I have lived her my entire life and while we have beaches and the city and both area great places. Unfortunately, (I can only spk for LI, not upstate) due to high cost of living and taxes many people are being "forced" to leave even if they do not want to. Jobs on long island are not growing, many companies moving upstate or out of state that leave NYC for work...even many businesses in NYC are leaving but maintaining a small presence and moving most of their buisness out of the area....(again due to cost)- I agree with someone else who said the local politicians promise all and deliver nothing that to me, putting costs aside, there are better places to be...many "nice" areas are looking run down...like in most parts of our country, the middle class is being squeezed away, the areas like great neck, etc are on the No SHore and are very pricey...South SHore - Massape, Merrick, Bellmore, RVC, Wantagh, are somewhat cheaper but the prices are still way out of control...while these areas do have good schools, the taxes we pay, given all of the embezzlement in the area, is just too much, add the cost of electricity which keeps going up by what our lovely eletric co has deemded surcharges...it becomes not only an issue if you can afford all this, but why would you want to?
Could not have said it better. As much as we would all love to be close to our families, I don't think they would feel good seeing their children, etc. struggle with making their rent/mortgage payments. And as much as they want us to stay, we are the ones that have to pay these ridiculous bills.
The upstate one has been losing population for decades resulting in an ever-escalating tax burden on those remaining. Costs still go up (contractual obligations, unfunded mandates, etc.) and the number of taxpayers goes down. Result: higher per capita taxes.
Long Island and Downstate has gained through immigration and a strong job market. However, if your property taxes are going up at 8% a year (cheap on LI), your taxes will double in 9 years. (Rule of 72)
Then the State offers the smoke-and-mirrors "Star" tax program, resulting in slightly lower local taxes....only to be more than made up for by higher State taxes, but the cause of the higher taxes can't be identified as easily and local politicians/school officials go unscathed. Net taxes go up. LI school districts always look for more "State Aid" so the State raises taxes to offset the artificially low local taxes....and everyone is happy...for some reason that escapes me. They take more out of your left pocket but don't rob the right one as much.
I took my business and left.
I was an auditor/accountant and did decades of tax work. People don't want to see the truth.
And by the way Upstate isn't all depressed and dumpy... most of it isn't actually. Buffalo has seen much better days, But Rochester and Syracuse were able to sustain population growth through the 90's as well..... Rochester grew by more people than the entire Upstate region did.
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There are two New Yorks
