Michigan teachers making a move! (Charlotte, Raleigh: relocate, property taxes, appraise)

[Moving From Michigan]

My wife and I are making a move from Michigan, hopefully in late June/early July, and need some advice on where to consider. We have heard that the Asheville area is beautiful, but then we also have been drawn to the Wake/Johnson County area...most recently Clayton...and then of course, there is the allure of the coast. Our minds are truly spinning.

Initially, the fixation with the coast, mixed with love of North Carolina's natural beauty came a-calling. Then the threat of hurricanes has drawn our interest further inland. Being near the mountains would also be amazing, if there was a good place to call home for a family of four. Now, however, we have been drawn to the Wake/Johnson County areas.

We took a look at Money Magazine's "Best Places to Live" article, and it listed both Apex and Holly Springs in its Top 25. Then, after reading through many of the threads on this board, we were turned off by the massive population influx in Wake County, coupled with the new dump in Holly Springs. Which finally brought us to Johnson County, our most recent base of research...same area, more bang for the buck, less population.

I guess where we our in our thought process is:

1. We want a safe place with a stable economy for our kids to grow up in.

2. We want a house over 2000 sq.ft. with .25 acres or more for somewhere in the neighborhood of $200-250K.


3. Ideally, we'd like to live in a place with a true sense of community.

4. And, most importantly, wherever we end up needs to have goods schools and be in demand of an elementary teacher and a secondary teacher.

Too much to ask for?


Brady

[cooperwx]

The teacher demand is MUCH greater in the piedmont than it is in the mountains. Unfortunately the places with "massive population influx" are the ones where your profession is in greatest demand. The mountains are growing, but with far fewer young families than the major metros in the "flatlands."

[sandycat]

Where from Michigan are you? I'm originally from Michigan. If you hope to have the same teacher benefits and salary than you do in MI, forget it. You will be making much less, and from what I know and have experienced, cost of living is more here than there. But other than that, NC is an awesome place to be!

[Moving From Michigan]

Really? I hadn't heard that one yet. Insofar as salary/benefits, the salary is a bit less, and benefits not quite the same, but fairly commensurate. When coupled with the fact that my wife will be earning money as well, I think we'll be fine.

Thanks for the input.

[dansdrive]

Moving from Michigan! Welcome! You may want to look at Northern Wake County or Franklin County / Granville County. You should be able to meet your criteria there. Northern Wake maybe a little tough to find in the $200k - $250k range but find a good Buyers agent and you may just do that! The area needs Teachers at ALL levels so you should not have a problem with employment. Salary is a different story. As the other poster said you would make less here than Michigan. Check out these Wake Forest communities: Heritage Wake Forest raleigh durham golf course communities neighborhoods new homes wake forest

This is a well planned community that offers a lot. Welcome again!

[sandycat]

I guess when I mean cost of living, I factor in that Michigan's economy is so depressed right now that you can get a house pretty easily. Also, every time my parents come to visit they comment on how expensive our groceries are. Even compared to groceries in my previous city, I think we pay more here. Taxes might be slightly more in MI. But honestly, I think you both will be fine on teacher salaries (but not living high on the hog if you know what I mean). When I moved out of MI, I couldn't believe how little I was getting paid as a teacher in another state. Honestly, teacher salaries in Michigan are pretty good. And surely you will be able to find jobs here. So I would say, take the plunge, come and visit some areas to see where you'd fit in. I really love living here.

[jjg39069]

I don't think it's correct to make a generalization that cost of living is more in NC than it is in MI. It really depends on which area of both states you're leaving and moving to. My best friend and I both purchases homes at the same time 4 years ago...her in Ferndale, MI and me in N. Raleigh and I definitely made out better than she did (she a 1940's bungalow, me a 1990's ranch with 400 more sq ft.). Of course if you're willing to head outside of Detroit metro you could get way more house in MI than I got in N. Raleigh for the same price.

I do agree with the salary info though in that teachers do make less here than in MI.

Moving From Michigan...you will love it here. The sun actually shines in the winter! I remember 2 very specific cases that helped me finalize my decision to leave behind my family in Michigan and start my post-collegiate life in Raleigh. 1. When I was shopping in January in Raleigh and it was 70 degrees out and the sun was shining (although not typical weather, you will see a day or 2 here and there that time of year). 2. When I was riding my bike to class in East Lansing through 6" of snow just one week after enjoying said moment #1.

Also, if you happen to be a Spartan fan there's a place where all Spartan fans gather to watch football games on fall weekends in Raleigh. I know Charlotte area has the same. I'm sure the 'other school' has a gathering place as well but I don't keep up with the 'other school'

[jjg39069]

My biggest complaint about NC after all of these years....no Meijer.
Meijer: Home Page.

[Calvitts]

We, too, have just relocated here from Michigan. We purchased a house in SW Durham (near Southpoint) and got way more house for the money than we would have in the Ann Arbor/Saline area of Michigan.

One big difference we have noticed here is how stable the gas prices are. Gas prices in Michigan would jump $.20 to $.25 per gallon overnight and then slowly (oh so slowly) trickle back down to a few pennies above the earlier price. Here we see gas going up just a few cents at a time. What a difference!

[MI-Roger]

My offer was in the building & construction area, not education. My wife is a Para-Pro in our local district and a MEA Union President in Michigan.

Wake County Schools has a web site that provides all the informaiton you will want, just type WCPSS into Google and step back!

The WCPSS pay scale for my profession is lower than private industry in MI. Their pay scale for Para-pro's is higher than most MI districts. Their pay scale for teachers and school administrators appears lower or much lower, but I could be wrong.

Caveats I discovered while agonizing over my job offer:

1. NC income tax is nearly twice MI's rate. Yes it is a progressive rate; and Yes, MI's income taxes are slated to increase, but NC's highest rate is around 7.5%!
2. The NC State retirement plan for school employees requires a 6% contribution from your take-home pay. The district/state pays 5% and you pay 6%. 401(k) and/or Annuity contributions are in addition to this.
3. Wake County does not pay for spousal health insurance. If only one of you works, the cost for health insurance for the non-employee spouse is nearly $700 per month!
4. Car insurance is less in NC.
5. Property taxes are lower in NC - IF you don't go crazy buying a larger home than you have in MI, and IF your current home is under appraised due to long term ownership and our Headlee Ammendment.
6. Weather is great in Raleigh! It was 77 degrees there on Thanksgiving while we were visiting our son, but snowing 2-inches in MI on the same day.

Wake County is having a juge Teacher Job Fair on December 1st, if I remember correctly, register now.

I am still not sure I made the right decision to reject the job offer.