Best Kept Secret :Albemarle, NC (Stanly County)

[TomnNC]

Small city of approximately 16,000 people provides for a quality of life and a business friendly environment that few places can imitate. Albemarle is located less than an hour's drive from the major cities of Charlotte and Greensboro, and the world famous golf resort of Pinehurst. The climate of south central North Carolina offers changing seasons while being moderate enough to enjoy the outdoors year round. The countryside around Albemarle continues to maintain its rural charm with farms and pastures dotting its rolling hills. Several highway improvement projects are currently underway that will enhance the area's highway network. These include widening of NC 24-27 and NC 49, and the eventual widening of US Hwy 52 to four lanes to connect with Interstate 85. .

[ucghandyman]

Most every other nice, pretty area of NC (of which there are many) has become bloated & unfortunately that may also happen to nice lil Albemarle which I just discoved myself recently. I may move there someday but I expect in 20 years it may not be a place I wanna live anymore.

The 'triangle' area around Raleigh, Durham, & Chapel Hill where I grew up are also beauitiful, but have about doubled in size in the last 20 years. Of course the older in town areas haven't changed much but it's just a smaller part now surrounded by huge city-ness, traffic, congestion, noise, rudeness, increasing crime, malls.

I should say tho, the whole of NC isn't bad when compared to older large cities like Detroit, NYC, Chicago from what I understand & hear. NC is beautiful & there's still more less-inhabited areas we can retreat to when the nice areas like Albemarle get congested & become a gridlocked bedroom community for another sprawling metropolis. We enjoy a large, beautiful, lush state here.

Handyman

[LindaIL]

Thanks PamelaCmi, for the info. on Albemarle! It sounds like a nice place! We are currently living in a somewhat rural area also (15-20) to most shopping areas. We like the open and quiet rural areas too. Although, a 10 min. drive to the stores would be a little nicer. We'll definitely have to check out Albemarle and the surrounding area! Thanks for your help!

Linda

[stickgirl]

I currently live in Charlotte and work from home. I'm a software engineer. I used to go downtown every day, but I became a permanent home-based employee for my company and love it!

I am planning to move to a more rural area, but would like to remain within commuting distance of Charlotte. My hope is that I will be able to continue to work from home for the long term, but I do not want to limit my options. Albemarle sounds like it may be a good fit. I have visited Morrow Mountain park and enjoyed it. I grew up in a small town, but I've become accustomed to luxuries such as big book stores and other shops you don't find in small towns. I'm worried that I've become too spoiled and will not be happy giving those things up.

I'm thinking of looking for a rental somewhere around Albemarle to try things out and save money for another home. I need to find something inexpensive but clean and with high speed internet available, that will allow me to manage two house payments until my home is refurbished and sold.

I was wondering about a couple of specific things:

1. What high speed internet options are offered in the area? If both DSL and Cable are available, is one service more dependable than the other? Is one of them notably faster than the other?

2. I'm not very familiar with the development that has occurred at Badin Lake. As a kid I camped on wooded shores and don't remember the lake being very developed or crowded. I see from online searches that there are now luxury homes and a club, etc. but I don't know how crowded the lake is. Is there any availability of 3 to 6 acres of lakefront property at a price that is reasonable for building a more modest home? Are there any hidden, quiet coves left? Is the lake too busy to be enjoyed anymore? I would love to have a lake outside my window but I'm moving because I want privacy, not because I want to join a country club. I hope to build a beautiful, quality home, but a small one that is efficient and easily maintained. I would appreciate anyone's advice as to whether the lake is a good fit for my needs. If the lake isn't a good option, maybe there is land available nearby on a good creek or river?

Any advice is appreciated! Thanks for reading.