Who else is moving to North Carolina? (Hyde Park, Kent: houses, rent)

[ONS63]

Thx for all the positive post a/b NY vs. NC. The amazing migration from the past 50 years needs to finally go in reverse to help those of us who appreciate the south get a little more space!

Keep up the bashing and hope y'all go back up north...

[jjeffcott]

Originally Posted by homeward bound

Please do "ramble on," lakeman! This is very interesting. I'd say much the same thing about Houston, where my dad lives, and South Florida, where my sister lives. The "communities" there really aren't. They isolate you in "gated communities" or sub-divisions. Classes and races are kept apart in very segregating, alienating ways--there's no natural mix of people but instead a lot of literal and symbolic walling off. If your mom's a doctor and white, you're not likely to have a friend next door whose dad is a plumber and hispanic, etc. Your only real "contact" with people, even people of your own class and status-level, is if you run into them after a long and/or traffic-snarled drive to the shopping plazas. There's no town, no town center, no cluster of churches and libraries and town halls, and often very few sidewalks. Everything depends on the car, and everyone lives in their bubble of air-conditioning and TV-watching, etc. There are homes on the lakes (most of them painfully artificial), but virtually no public or shared (or environmentally healthy) space on and access to these lakes. And you wouldn't want to swim in them anyway. They quickly get slimy with lawn-fertilizer run-off. Beyond these suburbs are blighted inner cities, and older, run-down strips full of nail salons and muffler shops, and farmland that's soon destined to be lost to yet more suburban sprawl. I think a key difference between upstate NY and all these currently-popular places to move to is that the upstate NY towns and small cities developed in an era that was much more congenial to human needs. It wasn't based on the car, and all the isolating sprawl the car creates. The streets with the big houses gradually merge into the streets with the modest houses. You can walk from home to store to church to village green to town hall and home again. The upstate NY towns and small cities also developed when architecture was generally more stately and distinctive--craftmanship and individuality are always evident, nudging you toward a sense of individual responsibility. (I know that sounds mystical but I swear it's there!) And the all-important porch, to put you out in nature and among your neighbors yet also in your home, was a key part of this architecture. The porches on new homes in NC, Florida, Houston, and other sprawl-areas are at best token things. And everyone's hiding from the heat inside their AC, or shopping, anyway! And then when winter comes, people complain it's too cold--AC really pinches their comfort-zone, just as all the focus on shopping makes people bratty when things are immediately entertaining and convenient. Even the relatively few and very far between public parks are generally kid-less from May to October down there. Forget about a kid hopping on his bike and going from the park to swimming in the lake to roaming the woods back to town for a soda, etc. Just doesn't and can't happen in these kinds of places. By contrast, when we visit upstate NY, our kids can be kids again--and that by itself creates an affection and loyalty in and for these towns. Do others agree?

I absolutely 110% agree with this person. All New Yorkers should heed his advice and stay in New York and out of Florida and North Carolina. Everybody would be happier.

Great advice!

[jjeffcott]

Originally Posted by Glen NY

There is very little awareness of north-south anomosity. I actually never in my life ever heard a word about it until I lived down south for a short time. .

That has a lot to do with Northerner's coming down (particularly from NY / NJ) and telling us how much better it is "up north" and then just complaining about every little thing - the heat, the humidity, the a/c, the pizza... If it's so much better "up north", then why didn't they figure that out before they came (in my case) to Florida to live?

I'm married to a 4th generation native Floridian who has wonderful childhood memories of boating and fishing with his dad and grandfather, harvesting oranges on his grandparent's orcharge, hanging out with his friends at the beach, roadtrips down to the Keys, etc. Life is just lived differently down here. It's not necessarily any better or worse - just different.

Coming from California to Florida, I couldn't understand why my husband didn't really care for northerner's in general - but I have to say, I do understand how people moving into the state and then just bashing it from every angle and get under your skin. It's just rude.

[jkc1970]

This is an interesting conversation. I have lived in the north, the midwest and the southeast, including four years in North Carolina. I must say that I like New York and I like North Carolina - From my experience, it is negative regional stereotypes that create the friction. Unfortunately, it is human nature. I currently reside in Colorado and I had forgotten about all the North-South friction. I got on this blog because I have considered moving back to the east coast since all my family is back there. I have been looking into upstate New York, specifically Saratoga Springs or the Albany area.

[bronxite]

New York and New Jersey are better places to live.Even though you pay more the people are better,better public transportation,and the city offers a lot more to do.I'm living in a suburb of Atlanta now.I'm stuck here temporarily.When I'm done with high school I'm moving back to NYC.The Bronx is the best.And the NYers who move down seem to be the yuppie types who move from place to place all the time.The real true native new yorkers who have lived there all their lives seem to be staying put.I have less than a year and I'll be very happy being out of the South.

[Lauri_25ny]

Originally Posted by jjeffcott

That has a lot to do with Northerner's coming down (particularly from NY / NJ) and telling us how much better it is "up north" and then just complaining about every little thing - the heat, the humidity, the a/c, the pizza... If it's so much better "up north", then why didn't they figure that out before they came (in my case) to Florida to live?

I'm married to a 4th generation native Floridian who has wonderful childhood memories of boating and fishing with his dad and grandfather, harvesting oranges on his grandparent's orcharge, hanging out with his friends at the beach, roadtrips down to the Keys, etc. Life is just lived differently down here. It's not necessarily any better or worse - just different.

Coming from California to Florida, I couldn't understand why my husband didn't really care for northerner's in general - but I have to say, I do understand how people moving into the state and then just bashing it from every angle and get under your skin. It's just rude.

It's not people from NYC/NJ just going south with the attitude that can be irritating, it's when they come to Upstate, NY, too. (and i'm not talking about White Plains. I mean Upstate)

I live in a village with a population of under 1000. The town's population is about 3-5k. Not real sure on that number, though.

They move up here, then complain that there's no delivery available. Ummmm, that's because we actually cook for ourselves. It just tastes better. You want the movies? That would be a minimum 30 minute drive for a theatre with more than one screen. 12 minutes if one screen will suffice. Yes, there's a manure spreader holding up traffic....the ratio of cows to people in this town is about equal, although I think the cows outnumber the people, personally! Yes, it has an odor. We call it fresh country air!

No, that's not a black and white cat outside your door in the morning. Try not to move fast, and you won't be sporting a new, not so flattering perfume. Move slow, and they'll go away once they realize that you're not going to harm them.

You want to see a play? The high school kids put one on twice a year. They're actually pretty good, too!

I'm just referring to the very rural areas. Naturally, there's urban areas Upstate that do have the things that these people are looking for, but for whatever reason, they choose to move here and then complain about it.

I sometimes think that people move to these far-outlying areas without doing the research about what they're getting into. Personally, I won't live anywhere else. I like not locking my doors at night and leaving them wide open when it's warm. I love walking down the street and knowing everyone I see.

Just my $.02!

Lauri

[fopt65]

As more and more people move to the Carolinas and the demand for more schools, roads, and other improvements builds, watch the taxes rise exponentially. Then watch the same old "we can't afford to live here" chorus arise, and the mass exodus out to find a cheaper area to ruin.
Unfortunately, as areas become the new fad, and the herds follow, it makes irreversible changes to the area.

[bythesea]

homeward bound,
You just perfectly described what's wrong with most of America. Where are the city planners? They are being taken to lunch by the developers. People really need neighborhoods, with stores, churches, schools and movie houses to walk to.

[I'minformed2]

Originally Posted by fopt65

As more and more people move to the Carolinas and the demand for more schools, roads, and other improvements builds, watch the taxes rise exponentially. Then watch the same old "we can't afford to live here" chorus arise, and the mass exodus out to find a cheaper area to ruin.
Unfortunately, as areas become the new fad, and the herds follow, it makes irreversible changes to the area.

UNBELIEVEABLE! I am so glad more people believe this than just me! It's so stupid that we as americans keep on doing this. I currently live in NC and am moving back to NY shortly.... because NY is HOME. I don't care if NC has warmer weather or cheaper taxes (for now).... it wont last long and as mentioned the school situation gets more ridiculous every day.

[a1m1700]

Originally Posted by lakeman

I think that is the biggest misconception for people moving south. They think they are miving to place similar to where they live, just with better weather and lower taxes. That was what I was expecting when I moved and boy was I wrong.

In your opinion, if I hated NY and never regretted moving west and have never returned, do you think I will like NC?

I grabbed on your some people think it's similar phrase and that's what's I had been worried about. Does anyone think NC is similar to NY and if so in what respect?

Thanks!