Looking to move - Louisiana? (New Orleans, Baton Rouge: renting, buy, construction)

[melissa3296]

I currently live in Erie, PA, but am looking to move - just not sure where yet. I run an online marketing company from my house, so work is not really an issue - I can do my job from anywhere. I am looking for a few things though. I have a one year old son, so the school system is a big issue. I am also looking for somewhere close to the city, but not right in the city. I will be looking to eventually buy a home, but renting is fine for the time being if it is easier. I have a dog, so that may be something to take into consideration as well. Since I have lived in a winter state for my entire life, I am looking to live somewhere warmer all year round - I have had enough of the snow. If anyone has any suggestions as to where a good place to raise my son would be, please let me know.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by melissa3296

I currently live in Erie, PA, but am looking to move - just not sure where yet. I run an online marketing company from my house, so work is not really an issue - I can do my job from anywhere. I am looking for a few things though. I have a one year old son, so the school system is a big issue. I am also looking for somewhere close to the city, but not right in the city. I will be looking to eventually buy a home, but renting is fine for the time being if it is easier. I have a dog, so that may be something to take into consideration as well. Since I have lived in a winter state for my entire life, I am looking to live somewhere warmer all year round - I have had enough of the snow. If anyone has any suggestions as to where a good place to raise my son would be, please let me know.

I'd like to suggest Greenville, SC Do some reading on it, it's a nice little city. Though you might see snow once a year, it's not subtropical like Lousiana, so the summers and falls are more pleasant. You will be hard pressed to find great schools in Louisiana and the places where they are good (Livingston and Ascension parishes) are getting VERY overcrowded.

[melissa3296]

Thanks for the input. You are the third person to suggest Greenville. I am definitely checking into it more.

[kimberland]

SC would be a much better bet than Louisiana. Nicer people, more stable demographics, no Hurricane Katrina and FEMA issues.

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by kimberland

SC would be a much better bet than Louisiana. Nicer people, more stable demographics, no Hurricane Katrina and FEMA issues.

You won't find any better people in the world than those in Louisiana! And the food - ohmygod - second to none anywhere in the nation. It is a GREAT place to live, just maybe not while you have young children to educate in the public schools

[SBCmetroguy]

Bossier Parish schools are also very good for Louisiana, and certain Caddo Parish schools. You won't find the overcrowding in Caddo Parish schools, and while Bossier Parish schools are generally overcrowded they did just open 2 new schools there and have 1 more under construction. I know Airline High School is overcrowded. When I graduated there about 10 years ago you could barely walk through the halls for all the kids. Over these past 10 years that part of Bossier has experienced non-stop growth, so I can only imagine what it is like now.

Louisiana isn't all bad, you just have to be very particular about school districts. Bossier City is quite nice, and some parts of Shreveport. The Lafayette area is also quite nice, as are Baton Rouge and suburban New Orleans.

And yes, the people and the food in Louisiana are great. You won't find a lot of the real Cajun food here in north Louisiana, but there's plenty of great BBQ.

Oh and as much as I hate to admit it, but I also agree with Greenville, SC. VERY nice place!

[melissa3296]

Schooling is one of the top things I am looking for when I move, so somewhere with overcrowding just won't work. And by the name of the schools you talked about, I am assuming the are religiously affilaited, and I want to stay away from that as well. Thanks for the input!

[hdwell]

Originally Posted by melissa3296

Schooling is one of the top things I am looking for when I move, so somewhere with overcrowding just won't work. And by the name of the schools you talked about, I am assuming the are religiously affilaited, and I want to stay away from that as well. Thanks for the input!

You mean parishes?LOL. No, parishes in Louisiana are what the rest of the states call counties. Those weren't religious schools, just political divisions. BTW, choose carefully among the southern states. Many people talk about the virtues of a region which may or may not be true.

[SBCmetroguy]

Yeah when I say Parish, I'm talking about our version of counties... I would never recommend a religion-affiliated school to anyone. I can't blame you for wanting to steer clear of that. Airline High is named for Airline Drive, which gets its name from running next to Barksdale Air Force Base. Some cities have a "Baseline Road," here we have Airline Drive.

[melissa3296]

Ha! Silly me. Wasn't even thinking when I wrote that. I will do some reserach on Louisiana and see if I can find something suitable.