Future of MA (Boston, Cambridge, Brockton: apartment, rent, mortgage)

[Ronniec78]

Nantucket is great. I have gone to the Nantucket Wine Festival the past 4 years and I'm hoping to get there this year as well.

[elijahwilliams]

Originally Posted by Rhaven

Over time, it took its toll with our mortgage, cost of oil, etc. We started looking for a better place, and ended up moving to NC.

Rhaven, how do you like the schools in NC? My parents are originally from there and after moving around the world are now retired there. They are constantly trying to get us to relocate there but after spending 4 years there for my undergrad degree I just don't think I'd like to raise my kids there. The religious right climate scares me as someone who feels strongly about gay marriage and many other social justice issues. Where in NC are you? Are there some area of NC that seem more "progressive"?

[brightdoglover]

A friend of mine is planning to move to NC, from Portland, OR, for the weather. She is looking at Raleigh, the city itself, and is concerned about general political climate. She knows there's a lot more religion in NC than Portland, or in many urban places. She also considered the Triangle Park area, as a more cosmopolitan place.
I personally wouldn't care for the summers there, but then, I don't mind winters in New England.

[LeavingMA]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

A friend of mine is planning to move to NC, from Portland, OR, for the weather. She is looking at Raleigh, the city itself, and is concerned about general political climate. She knows there's a lot more religion in NC than Portland, or in many urban places. She also considered the Triangle Park area, as a more cosmopolitan place.
I personally wouldn't care for the summers there, but then, I don't mind winters in New England.

I've been to Raleigh and other parts of North Carolina many times and not once has religion ever came up in a conversation. Even so, I don't have a problem with it as long as people aren't "preachy". I don't need people telling me what I should or shouldn't do regarding any aspect of my life unless I specifically ask.

[Annemieke Roell]

I lived on Cape Cod for 25 years until I moved to Oklahoma 4 years ago.

I cannot stand Cape Cod ..... find the people cold, unpleasant and superficial.

Despite the fact that my kids and grandkids still live on Cape Cod, this is the best move I have ever made. Okies are warm, pleasant people, the economy here is strong and getting stronger every day. The real estate market is still where it should be and values increase steadily, making it a great place to invest. The cost of living is low, the quality of life is high. And while I am in the middle of the bible belt, nobody holds it against me I am a pagan and nobody has tried to convert me.

Had some land in Maine where we were going to build but just sold it a few months ago because it was getting much too expensive to live there too.

Still have the Cape Cod property because I can see the town or state being interested in the 3 acres I have in Teaticket for low income housing one of these days.

I will come back for visits but will never live there anymore.

[Annemieke Roell]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

A friend of mine is planning to move to NC, from Portland, OR, for the weather. She is looking at Raleigh, the city itself, and is concerned about general political climate. She knows there's a lot more religion in NC than Portland, or in many urban places. She also considered the Triangle Park area, as a more cosmopolitan place.
I personally wouldn't care for the summers there, but then, I don't mind winters in New England.

The real estate market in Raleigh right now. She may want to rent there for a while before buying anything.

[Ronniec78]

I was actually in Tulsa yesterday and I had a blast. It was my first time in OK and I had a blast. I did find Tulsa to be a very ugly city but maybe I was in the wrong part. I didn't find the people as warm as TX people though. In many respects they reminded me of New England people but I was only there for the day.

[smarty]

Sorry to bring this old thread up...

For those who are interested... check out Chronicle (channel 5) at 7:30pm. They have special all week... looking at places with growth... Ireland, Vancouver, ...

Last night was Ireland... free tuition (K- University), low tax (half of the other european country), high educated workforce, ....

[findingmesomeday]

I have to say I'd rather deal with the religious right (NC, if that's true) than the political left (MA).

[dish1217]

I was born and raised in southeastern MA, went to school in Boston and recently relocated to Metro Raleigh, NC with my husband. We like it down here, but the religious right has finally gotten to us. We are relocating back to MA this summer, we miss family and that "Bostonian" attitude.

We came down here for the lower cost of living, warm weather, and change in general. We have realized, cost of living or not, home is where the heart is.