Winston-Salem, Union County or Lake Norman??? (Charlotte, Greensboro: homes, buy, construction)

[familymom]

We have been exploring all different areas of North Carolina and am now very confused. Winston-Salem sounds so pretty and a good buy for your money. Union County is the "in" spot for relocation and am wondering if we missed our boom. Lake Norman, especially the west side seems to be a up and coming area? How would you rate these areas if you could pick any spot to live and enjoy.
PS we have a large family and my husband is in the construction business.

[zakian]

Originally Posted by familymom

We have been exploring all different areas of North Carolina and am now very confused. Winston-Salem sounds so pretty and a good buy for your money. Union County is the "in" spot for relocation and am wondering if we missed our boom. Lake Norman, especially the west side seems to be a up and coming area? How would you rate these areas if you could pick any spot to live and enjoy.
PS we have a large family and my husband is in the construction business.

I'm in Mich. from what I've learned ,the Lake Norman area is an area to look into.

[superk]

A lot of where you want to be depends on what you want, and what you want to be close to.

For example, we lived in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Jamestown before moving to Charlotte and finally Huntersville (Lake Norman). Now, living in the Piedmont-Triad region made for a nice easy trips up into Virginia to visit by brother and SIL and our niece and nephew. However, a trip to Georgia to visit my other SIL took a long time. And, I found that we usually were driving down to Charlotte regularly for a lot of our entertainment and nightlife and visiting with the people we know from this area. Since we were driving to Charlotte and Georgia more often, we decided it would make more sense to be closer, and then make the occasional, but longer, trips to W-S or VA. Also, I had wanted to get a boat, so I thought it would make more sense to be closer to Lake Norman and Lake Wylie.

[cooperwx]

Picking between the three, I would choose Winston Salem for the manageable rate of growth. I think I know what Winston-Salem will look like in 15 years. I can't picture either of the other two areas in 15 years, and that scares me.

[Dire Wolf]

But for someone in construction, that very slow rate of growth might not be a good thing.

[cooperwx]

Oh, I answered the question (...if you could pick any spot to live and enjoy), without taking her family's livelihood into account.

Still, you have to think that more construction in an area = more construction companies there. The volume of business cannot be a predictor of demand for service. But if you're looking for the next area to be overrun with development, that's the west side of the Lake.

[familymom]

Cooperwx, how do you picture Union county and Lake Norman in 15 years? Do you think the roads and sewage along with all the congression will make theses areas a terrible place to live. I know there is alot of talk about the infra stucture so I had to ask. Also my husband does air conditioning and heating so I don't think there is a great problem with work in any of these areas, maybe just a different pay scale? If anyone has insight on that I would love to hear about it.

[nyxmike]

I don't think they will become terrible places to live. Maybe to a native NCer, but not if your from somewhere else. It all depends on your perspective of what is nice and what isn't.

[familymom]

Living in NJ, it has its good and bad. I am fortunate enough to have bought in an area that allows homes to be built on 1.5 acrea lots. There are even towns were they only allow 15 acrea lots now!!! I feel this keeps the value up for our town. Are there any areas among the Charlotte, Lake Norman or Winston-Salem that put that type of control on the builders. I hope there is someone.

[nyxmike]

There are towns/counties around Charlotte that do that. Lincoln County I know for a fact, Union might do that and maybe parts of Cabarrus but I am not 100% positive.