Deciding on where to live, Clayton, Raleigh or Goldsboro (Cary: real estate, home)

[sjlegrice]

Hello all,

This is my first post to the board and I hope you all can offer some good advise and be honest, please.

I am a single mother of a 4 year old daughter. Currently, I live in Goldsboro and commute to Raleigh on a daily basis, it's one hour one way. I have a very good job in Raleigh that pays well. I am trying to decide on where to live. My family lives here in Goldsboro and is very supportive of me, good relationship, I can always call on them when needed, it is great. I have tried to find a job here in Goldsboro but nothing pays more than $10 an hour and no benefits. I have thought about moving to Raleigh or maybe Clayton, not sure which. I love that Ashley has her family around all of the time, I just worry moving 30 minutes or an hour away is going to put a stop to a lot of that. I don't think that would be such a big deal, I just don't want her to be lonely and myself either. Her father doesn't play a part in her life at all, he is in Kansas so I do not have that support and that doesn't play a role. Just my main concern is deciding on where to live, should I just deal with only making a small amount of money to be close to family or move a little farther away for my job and no family? I am so confused and don't know what to do. I know it wouldn't be a problem for my Dad to visit but my Mom doesn't like to drive and she is so helpful with my daughter. Please advise. Thank you!

[findinghope]

i know what you are going through, and i moved 500 miles away from my family. i miss them for my son's sake. but clayton is only 30 minutes away (i think) and this job sounds like it supports you and your daughter. it is not a good time to be losing a good job. maybe 30 minutes seems long now, but it is not so bad, is it?

[benpierce]

Clayton is only 30 minutes away from Goldsboro, and it's really close to Raleigh. It's a great town, with very upscale residential communities, and it is developing really nicely. Smithfield is also good, and closer to Goldsboro. Either one of those will be a good choice, but Clayton is better in terms of sensible real estate investment as its growing very well right now and any home there would have appreciated within five years.

As for being able to keep in touch with family/friends, I live in Raleigh and my brother lives in Cary, which is half an hour away; and we have friends in Clayton and Creedmoor. However, we get together and see each other all the time. I haven't found it to be a big distance, but then I moved from NY and Boston, and 30 minutes is like a breeze for me compared to traveling in the northeast...(*grin*).