Why Are So Many People Moving To North Carolina? (Charlotte: high crime, how much)

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by MagicWife

Well, this is my first visit to city-data and your thread in particular. Very interesting reading (even when it gets a little "off-topic").

I do feel a little embarassed to admit that I'm from the Still-Booming Southern California area - San Diego specifically. I'm even one of those people who managed to buy a house for $200,000 ten years ago which is probably worth about $650,000 now. Not a mansion either. A little tiny 1950's house with very little charm but lots of the important Location, Location, Location. We make enough to pay our bills, but it's an adventure making it happen each month, and while our kids are covered, we can't afford health insurance for ourselves. My husband's self-employed and I'm a stay-at-home mom now. I tell you all this not to "whine" but to make sure you realize we are not rich Californians looking to buy up all the cheap NC property and p*** off the natives.

I did what one poster suggested and made a list, but found there were only three things on it about San Diego that were positive...
1. perfect weather
2. my whole extended family lives here
3. san diego chargers are actually superbowl contenders

The other list of negatives was much longer and included:
1. traffic
2. outrageous cost of living
3. crime
4. illegal immigration
5. no real "hometown" feel at all....just overcrowded masses of people rushing rushing rushing everywhere in giNORmous, road-hogging SUVs.

So, every so often my husband and I talk about selling our house to move somewhere we can actually afford. I have never been to the East Coast, but my husband became fixated on/fell in love with North Carolina during a business trip years ago. Since I gave up working to have another child, and my husband's income has steadily declined, talk about moving keeps coming up. And with it - North Carolina as a permanent relocation destination.

We don't want to become annoying SoCal transplants that encourage WalMartism and deforestation. We just want a better place to live. Yes, we do want a bigger and better house, and it would be really nice to be able to pay cash for it with our equity and not have a huge mortgage payment hanging over our heads. But we're not looking for cookie-cutter developments. Maybe we do want a slightly more developed Mayberry. The question is, where in NC would we be welcome? Where would we fit in? How does one go about making a major move like the one we are contemplating?

I've looked on the real estate sites for certain cities and I sit at my computer drooling over the NC listings. All the homes look like mansions compared to where we live now.

So, all you NC natives and transplants alike, I would very much appreciate your input and suggestions on where in NC we should consider.

About our family:
We are conservative in our politics.
Our family attends church regularly.
I homeschool my kids.
We want to become part of a community of friendly people, but really do spend most of our time at home.
My husband is an entertainer and needs to be close to a city of some size.

Thanks for any guidance you can give!

I am a Calif. transplant now living in this wonderful state everyone keeps talking about! Do not by any means get discouraged from a few select people on this board who will try to intimidate you and convice you you are not welcome.
I am sure you will be welcomed and fit in just about anywhere (except maby living next door to some of these people who are trying to scare you to begin with!!!).
It is a wonderful oportunity to turn that great equity some of us Californians have been blessed with and run with it. Yes, you can have that brand new home surrounded by the lovley tree's here that would have cost us well over a million dollars in Ca.You can buy that home you are drooling over,buy brand new furniture, a new plasma tv and have enough left over to even buy a boat.Wow what a difference some equity makes

[Donna7]

I just want to take a moment and thank all the Californians that are moving out of CA. This makes more room for the rest of us that want to move there. Happy 2007!

[Mvn2nc]

Originally Posted by Donna7

I just want to take a moment and thank all the Californians that are moving out of CA. This makes more room for the rest of us that want to move there. Happy 2007!

And have a ball trying to find a decent place to live for under $700k.Happy home hunting

[Donna7]

I know that the housing prices in CA are not cheap. The trouble is that I don't know of any place that "I" want to live that is cheap.

[Summer16]

My husband and I have been discussing a move to NC for ten years. It first came up when we first got married and a job opportunity presented itself. At the time, we did not have children, and I wasn't ready for such a change. We did, however, understand that we someday would most likely be moving there.

It's ten years later, and for about two years now, we have been visiting and researching NC. There are many reasons why we most likely will be moving to this area.

For the people who have lived in NC all their lives and have many issues with the changes:

I come from a small town in NJ. I grew up here and still live here, as does most of my family and friends. My husband grew up here, too. But it is not the town I remember. I grew up with farms and small classes in school, and little mom and pop stores.

But I understand time changes things, population grows, economy changes, trends change, etc. Over the course of twenty years, we have become quite the busy town: no more farms and little businesses. Housing developments, overrun roads, etc had come in. Now the town is maxed and other towns are getting hit (think Marlboro, Holmdel, Colts Neck).

Over the years we adapted. You can say we had been invaded by New York, and we dealt with many of the complaints that have been listed above.

Bottom line though: Everyone is allowed to better their lives and make a new home and make new roots for themselves. So many people that came in are fantastic, and love to hear about the town history and do their part to keep our town clean and safe. In no way can I blame the person from Staten Island for all the strip malls. They were coming whether he/she moved here or not. And I shop in those stores, also. Not that I don't want to find the little small shop, but it isn't there. And such and such store is.

Now as we leave our town that we grew up in, and decide for my children to let them have a new place to take root, this will be my home, too. I will respect and care about my new community. It will be my home just as much as someone that has had generations of families there. And in no way will I feel blame for stores or schools or any problems that some people want to place blame on for newcomers.

I've been through small town changes on a personal level, and it isn't any individual's fault. I admire the people that came to do what was best for their families. And most people want to be respectful and a part of the community. Human nature, there are the mostly good and a few bad apples. The town is all our homes. I don't have any more title or claim to the area as they do.

So good luck to all those moving. To those there, thanks for any help you can provide in learning about the area!

[berryjuice4life]

Summer very well put my friend.

[Ms.Charlotte]

Great post, Summer16! So true that most of us moving have already seen the population explosion in our home states. It's sad, but inevitable.

[mikeandali]

The only way I can explain it is there is a tangible difference in "life" from NC compared to PA where we are now. People are nicer, life seems to have more enjoyment....and the state itself is simply wonderful....I admit, life in general is what you make it, but we were much happier when we lived in NC (and we lived in Fayetteville to boot). We have been back here in PA for 10 years and have talked about moving back to NC the entire time...we're finally doing it...just working on the "JOB" part....anyone need an accountant in the Raleigh area????

Mike and Aliesha

[antares]

I grew up in New Bern, in the James City community. In the 70s and 80s it was just a community bordered by two rivers. Progress has changed its landscape. It is totally different now. Though I always welcome progress, it will eventually erase my neighborhood. I moved away almost 30 years ago and want to go back as I have property on the Neuse, but developers are trying to move in and move the residents out. Unfortunately the neighborhood is flooded with those who don't have roots there so will easily let it go and just walk away; the point Carolina Native makes. I will probably settle in western NC.

For spiritartman: New Bern is a nice historic town. Lots of water (flanked by two rivers) and 45 minutes from the ocean. It's becoming a retirement location. If you are looking for lots of bustling activity and excitement, New Bern aint it.

[CJ-FROM-NJ]

I can tell you why I want to move to NC. I can't afford to breathe in NJ anymore. I will never own a home, the taxes are crazy, our state is becoming more and more corrupt by the hour, people are nasty, traffic is insane, if I stay I'll have a nervous breakdown, welfare is draining the state. I want my own home, with my own yard, and my own BBQ grill in MY Backyard.

I am tired of paying $1200 a month in rent and owning NOTHING! I am tired of the air polution, hmmm what else....Oh and everyone is miserable here because the stress of life is killing them slowly.