Looking for a NC town, help? (Charlotte, Greensboro: real estate, homes, job market)

[CaraRandall]

Okay, my husband and I live in Southeastern Indiana and we are thinking in the next few years we might want to relocate. We're going to take a summer vacation in the NC area and I'd like to find out about some towns to look at that might meet our criteria. Here goes:

*Small town with thriving stores.
*Clean homes, no slummy-looking run-down places with junk cars
*Affordable housing, meaning a 3-4 bedroom farm home for about 250,000 (that range)
*Country area with quiet farmland (preferably just outside the aforementioned small town with thriving stores. We'd like to buy a small farm of about five acres)
*Community events, arts community (not necessary, but nice. We'd love to have a town that has events to attend and cares about its people)
*Nearby (30-45 minutes away) job opportunity in IT and nursing
*Decent schools with good community
*Friendly folks

Yeah, I know, we want the moon....I know no place is perfect, but we would just like to live in the country which is outside a thriving, well-kept town with nice stores to shop at, and that we don't have to drive more than perhaps a half hour or so to good jobs. My husband does network engineering, and I am just graduating with my RN. Does anyone also know what nurses make in NC?

Obviously I know nothing much about the area. Give me some towns to head to and we'll check them out this summer. Oh, and if there are towns which match these criteria in neighboring states, that would be good to know, too. We can check them out when we are going through.

Thanks so much!

Cara

[SunnyKayak]

There are so many options in this state for you to choose base on job and there no telling with the national economy about the job market but you are both in sound fields that your job hunt might be easier than most.

I would look into small towns that surround the larger cities like Greensboro, Raliegh and Charlotte.
Good luck.

[tkhk3746]

Hi Cara.

I would check out Hendersonville. Remember, you're moving from the north to the south...culture very different. (We moved here from Ohio.)

[QueenCityBeanCounter]

Hi Cara,

We moved to the Hickory area to escape some of the growing pains in our hometown of Charlotte. We live in a small town called Claremont just outside of Hickory. One of the great things about this area is that it meets most everything on your list but you can commute to Charlotte (45 minutes to 1 hour) with the rest of us if you are unable to get the money you need in Hickory. Hickory has a great job base for nursing and some IT opportunities. Due to the popularity of offshoring IT jobs the competition is tight. I would suggest doing your real estate homework while you are here since real estate prices here are not going down yet. The area is still experiencing high demand. There are still some great deals in the Hickory area though.

Based on your requirements, you should stay away from Charlotte and suburbs. I still work in Charlotte and it is more of a wealthy urban professional lifestyle. The real estate prices are $500K up for good neighborhoods and the tax base is high. Even the "country" areas on the outskirts of the city do not meet your definition of affordable ($250K)

[GouldCottage]

We looked all over NC before settling on Southern Pines, when I read your wish list, it seemed like you were describing our little town.

[Boss]

Be sure to check out Rowan county once you are outside Salisbury the area you decribed is to the east. there are 10 acre farms and lots in the area

[joe91]

I would suggest Cary, NC

[cball75]

I would suggest Union County for Monroe or Mineral Springs.

[ceelcee]

Originally Posted by joe91

I would suggest Cary, NC

Wow Joe, you really don't want anyone other than natural born in NC do ya?

How sad for you.

[dunroven55]

I would recommend Rock Hill and live in some of the areas like Newport,
York, Clover, Lake Wylie. You get the advantage of lower taxes and you can buy land at an affordable price.

Good luck with your search!~

Dunroven