Considering relocating to NC (Charlotte, Raleigh: neighborhoods, public schools, colleges)

[disappointed]

Hello,

I am in my early thirties and also, need info. on the best areas to meet a husband. T.I.A.

[sommer]

My husband and I are thinking about moving to Asheville North Carolina, we are a interracial couple, I'm not sure how it will be for us living there, can someone give me some feedbacks on live in Asheville as an interracial couple.

Thank you

[backfist]

I'd be curious as well (although we're primarily interested in Charlotte metro).

I know for some, these kinds of topics are uncomfortable, but when a couple or family is considering relocating anywhere, this can be as important a question to ask as about schools or home prices.

We'd consider Asheville, except we've lived in mountain towns in Colorado and California. And the cons seem to outweigh the pro's such that we'll probably just be content to take day trips to Asheville, instead of trying to find jobs there.

[jasonkruk]

Originally Posted by sommer

My husband and I are thinking about moving to Asheville North Carolina, we are a interracial couple, I'm not sure how it will be for us living there, can someone give me some feedbacks on live in Asheville as an interracial couple.

Thank you

I don't know how well you would be taken there, in 2005 it was 78% white, 17% black and 5% hispanic. There are still areas in NC that white supremecy is still a way of life . Most people have gotten over this, but some areas, especially near and in the mountain region, have not.

[backfist]

Thanks, Jason.
While it's a shame that folks still think that way, it's pretty much the same here in the Colorado mountains. And in the California mountains. Those folks are going to exist (the good news is their numbers are shrinking) and sometimes you just have to look past them or deal with them. In any event, though, I'm sure there are many decent people of all stripes in Asheville.

My wife and I have done both for 20 years, and feel like we're at a time in our lives when we just need to live a boring urban/suburban life and surround ourselves with a good, healthy mixture of people of goodwill. Sure, NC is still part of the South, but Charlotte is still a polite place to live no matter who you are.

[Bethanytedder]

I live in Greene County, North Carolina, Snow Hill to be precise. We are about 75 feet above sea level. The weather is fairly mild. But being only about 50 miles from the Pamlico Sound region, we usually get hurricane activity about every other year. 1996 was a bad year with Bertha and Fran hitting us. But by far the worse one in my recent history in Floyd that struck in 1999. It destroyed nearly 2/3 of the county. So if you are not looking forward to possible evacuations during the hurricane season that runs 6 months of the year from June 1-November 30th, I would say Hickory is the place to go. Of course in the winter, you will get snow there. But it is beautiful up there. Very peaceful.

[mm34b]

Even North Carolina snow is not like the snow in the Northeastern U.S. While the populated NC mountain region does gets some snow, the amount is much less and gone within a few days due to the temperate climate.

The average season snowfall for Asheville-Hendersonville Airport at 2,164 feet above sea level, is around 15". This past season we had less than 2" according to the National Weather Service station in Asheville. If you enjoy winter sports, NC is not for you unless you like man-made snow.

[Bethanytedder]

Originally Posted by sommer

My husband and I are thinking about moving to Asheville North Carolina, we are a interracial couple, I'm not sure how it will be for us living there, can someone give me some feedbacks on live in Asheville as an interracial couple.

Thank you

I can't actually speak for Asheville and interracial couples but it is the accepted norm here with a lot of African/american/white couples as well as white/Mexican couples. And we are about 20 years behind the cities. So my take is if we are accepting it without a problem, Asheville probably won't even bat and eye.

[roxors]

I've lived in Asheville for four years now. I like the city, but you do not want to move here unless you are prepared to pay very high prices for housing or have a good job, one which you will have little chance of losing. I make a good salary (over 60K) which would put me in the top 5% of the city I would guess. If I were to lose my job here, I would have to be prepared to take probably close to a 50% pay cut. There just are not good jobs here, it is a service economy tied to tourism. Very little industry or high tech. House prices are rising like crazy, my wife and I are going to relocate to the Greensboro area in about 2 years and will easily be able to afford a nice house there for probably 60% of what we would pay in Asheville for the same house. Don't get me wrong, I really do like it here, but it is not the place to live for everyone. For a retiree with disposable income and money in the bank it's great, but for young families starting out it will be hard to get going. The schools are good for North Carolina, my son attends a school in the Buncombe County school system. We live in the South Asheville area which is very nice, and rent a very nice townhouse. Housing is cheaper in the surrounding counties but the school systems there are not up to par. Also, be prepared for a lot of snow days if you move here and have kids in school. The first three winters I lived here there were an average of 10 per year, this year only 4. A half an inch of snow shuts the schools down. The winters are great and the summers here are good too, not hot at all. I think in four years here we've had maybe 3 days over 90.

[Town Crier]

Originally Posted by Aestrae

Hey Moveme, we're considering moving from Dallas to NC/Charlotte so I can tell you about MY location just north of Lake Lewisville which is just north of Dallas. I'm trying to figure out if DH's desire to get a job with competent administrators outweighs leaving our great house (4000 sq ft on a wooded acre near trails leading to a now mostly dry lake). Schools here are great and new and all are within 1.5 miles. Of course it took us 10 years of looking to FIND a house outside of the cheek to jowel dressed up Texas kitsch house though ours is definitely on the kitschy side (brick with arches inside and massive master bathroom and closets while the kids have teensy closets).

Many local schools have lots of portable building and still some overcrowding due to the massive influx of folks looking for more-affordable housing which we DO have. In my neighborhood homes are 2800 to 4100 sq. foot and run from $280 to $420. Good quality kitchens, ceramic tile, granite countertops. Swimming pools. Winter lasts…we didn’t have one really this year .. it last from about mid-December til mid February. It’s March and everything’s in bloom and I expect to be in the pool by the end of the month.

Figures we finally moved to our big house just 1.5 years ago.

My MAIN concern about moving to the Charlotte area where my husband’s looking at UNC Charlotte is the schools. I’d appreciate any input positive or negative in hopes of figuring out what to do. With 3 kids, 2 in elementary and one in HS, I know how important finding a good fit can be. I’ve got kids interested in Art/Music/Biology, at least right now. As a stay-at-home Mom I add enhancements to what the schools have and don’t know just what Charlotte has to offer besides a very good Children’s museum. The DFW area has tons to do with kiddos of all ages -- we have 2 good zoos, the Kimbell and the Dallas Museum of Art. Complexes of museums with history/science and various other areas to learn about. So though the area ain’t “pretty”here by coastal standards, it is QUITE liveable for those with kids who find that a trip to the local SuperTarget or Walmart is an outing. AND there is now an AIKEA in Frisco!

The minuses. Water bills are REALLY high. Ours run about $300 a month at times because you must water your house’s foundation or it cracks due to expansive clay soil. Property taxes are Very Scary. The state needs to work on formulas for school funding. Traffic here can be a NIGHTMARE though really not THAT bad for anyone used to real nasty traffic. You just don’t take certain roads at certain times and/or make sure you live in the right direction from work. There are loads of new roads planned and if we don’t move we’ll be sitting pretty when all the destruction is done.

Anyone know what traffic is like in Charlotte if you work at or near the University? We’d like to live near nature/streams and trees but in an area where folks’ pride in their school isn’t just linked to sports.

Traffic in or around the university area.... can you spell horrible? Actually it is that way across the board in the Charlotte region. The growth has exceeded the infrastructure. I am an NC native and it gets worse each year from that standpoint.