To all those seeking to live in NC, what exactly is it that you are after? (home, find a job)

[mmdj43]

Originally Posted by NCKatie

When I read about just how unaffordable it is where so many of you live it makes me count my blessings...about 10 fold.

If I were in your situation, I would do the very same thing.

Being a native of the south it has been hard watching it change, and change it has, very quickly. My resolve of being so hard nosed about all the northern transplants coming in (because of so much rudeness I've witnessed with those that have come before you) has taken a turn to more compassion for all of you. I will have to say that the people seeking advice on this forum have been so very nice and have really tried to assure us that the very thing that you are escaping other than the high cost of living is the same rudeness that we have witnessed here by a lot of the northern transplants.

Good luck to all of you in your move, and I hope your quality of life greatly improves when you get here. It is a wonderful state as is all the southern states and maybe, just maybe, we will all benefit by learning from each other.

Thank you so much for your kind words. It's a great feeling to know that we can be given a warm welcome. And as most of us are, we are looking to adjust to the southern lifestyle, rather than what we are used to today, which is our main reason for leaving the North. Thank you again!

[Ms.Charlotte]

That's what's great about this forum. I never even knew there was a huge influx of transplants going to NC when we chose to live there. I also never even considered the resentment that might be felt towards us. It's good to be prepared, and aware. We can be more sensitive to eachother that way.

Thanks from me too, NCKatie!

[Kofelover]

Originally Posted by JAS

I read an article in our local newspaper last week that both the Triad (Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point) and Charlotte were in the top 10-15 in the nation in the number of trucking jobs available. I doubt that he would have any trouble finding a job in those two areas.

Thanks for the information. I am finding just about anywhere we look there are jobs in the trucking industry some are more desperate than others. There is a lack of qualified drivers with the requirements becoming stricter and stricter and as far as I am concerned reasonably so. I know I cringe when I see some young gung ho kid fresh out of Truck Driving school getting behind the wheel not realizing just what it is he/she holds in his/her hands. My husband is new to the business but not new to driving. He started trucking at 33 with some life experience behind him. Again thanks for your input it was much appreciated.

[mmdj43]

Originally Posted by fastfilm

There's no place for middle class Americans any more there...

Neither in Long Island, NY. Young couples can't afford to buy homes on Long Island because of the drastic increase in real estate. Now, all the new construction homes they're building are starting at $800K and up. Long Island is becoming for the rich and the poor. The middle class don't have a chance. Sad but true.

[NCKatie]

Originally Posted by mmdj43

Thank you so much for your kind words. It's a great feeling to know that we can be given a warm welcome. And as most of us are, we are looking to adjust to the southern lifestyle, rather than what we are used to today, which is our main reason for leaving the North. Thank you again!

You are very welcome and I was sincere about my post. I seem to be walking a tightrope here and angering or frustrating some people (jerseymom I'm sorry). I'm not very forthcoming with the names of the "most perfect town" or publicly steering everyone to a specific town and I'm sorry about that - truly I am, but I am more than willing to tell you what I know about specific towns when asked if I know anything about them.

[CAKD]

Fastfilm & enlightenme your posts made me want to cry! I have lived in CA all my life. We make an excellent living and could "survive" here if we had to. But we simply don't want to. I don't want to raise my kids in this environment any longer. I don't want to worry about money even though we are making well into the 6 figure mark. Mainly I don't want to be around self absorbed materialistic people any longer. We too will be leaving our family and years of friendships behind. It will be tough but in the long run a better quality of life, we feel. Most of our friends are jealous that we have this opportunity and frankly jealous that we are "brave" enough to take it. We have been trying to get out of CA for 10 years. But the opportunity just wasn't there. In those 10 years the decline in this state has gone straight down the toilet. Living in Southern CA is even worse! I could go on and on. I think most of us moving are moving for all the right reasons. Our motto today is doing the right thing is never the easiest!

[Ms.Charlotte]

NCKatie,
There's no need to apologize. I wasn't angry about your comments on that thread. I understand completely the frustration of having a town change because it is suddenly "discovered". My frustration was regarding a different post there. Not everyone can get their point across as tactfully as you and so many on this forum who have helped out. I shouldn't let it bother me.

[lovethecarolinas]

Originally Posted by CAKD

Fastfilm & enlightenme your posts made me want to cry! I have lived in CA all my life. We make an excellent living and could "survive" here if we had to. But we simply don't want to. I don't want to raise my kids in this environment any longer. I don't want to worry about money even though we are making well into the 6 figure mark. Mainly I don't want to be around self absorbed materialistic people any longer. We too will be leaving our family and years of friendships behind. It will be tough but in the long run a better quality of life, we feel. Most of our friends are jealous that we have this opportunity and frankly jealous that we are "brave" enough to take it. We have been trying to get out of CA for 10 years. But the opportunity just wasn't there. In those 10 years the decline in this state has gone straight down the toilet. Living in Southern CA is even worse! I could go on and on. I think most of us moving are moving for all the right reasons. Our motto today is doing the right thing is never the easiest!

Our decision to move was not an easy one....most of my life I had lived in Southern CA..our family was given an opportunity that seemed to good to pass up...but when you are of an age (closing in on the new 30 ) and your parents are of an age (already arrived at the new 50 ) and to boot your an only child with parents that are not in the best of health...my first response (without any thought at all) was NO!...I am not moving. Days went by...and after much thought and sleepless nights...I realized that my first priority was my immediate family and what was best for us (thinking back..my own parents had made the move to CA from AZ when they were younger). After pleading with my parents to come go with us they finally told me that they just felt that they were to old to start over again...so with that said (and one heavy heart) we left for the Carolina's. Now cut ahead to 8 months after moving here...when out of the blue...my Father called....they had made the decision to sell and move back to the Carolina's too..and could I come pick them up and bring them back....3 weeks later I was out the door and on my way. I only bring my story up...because I know there are others out there that will be making these same decisions...I wish a very good luck to you all!

[I'minformed2]

You are very lucky. My parents can't stand the humidity. When it's 80 degrees they think it's WAY too hot and want to turn the AC up on full blast. That and, in the harsh truth that I hate to think of... they wouldn't survive the trip. My mother needs to use oxygen from time to time and she couldn't take that on a plae with her, and a 700 mile roadtrip would just be out of the question. They don't know it yet, but I plan on buying a very large house when we move back with a 1st floor master and inviting them to live with us. Is that what your parents are doing? Living with you? If so, how is that arrangement?

[Sugar Magnolia]

That is kinda in the boat we are in. I just started making some really good close friends and our families who we are extremely close with are here. But at the same time, we are not happy here. And we are at a point in our lives that we can move (no mortgage, no children, don't like our jobs).

We anticipate our family members moving eventually. It was actually my boyfriend's parents idea a little over a year ago to move to NC, and I was the one against it, until I went there and experienced it myself. Now I'm the one running around trying to convince everyone to pack up and move! Now I think they are waiting for us to take the plunge before they up and move. (we're the brave ones and the stubborn ones of our families) I don't know how well I'm going to fare without my sister here, as we are practically inseperable, but hopefully she'll make her way down in a few years too. And my mom will not live far from her babies so I'm sure she'll follow too.

In any event, with or without family, we are going to make new friends and have so many wonderful experiences when we move, and bad ones I imagine too, but at least you can't get from one end of the state to the other in 2 hours. LOL. Not much to explore here.