Anyone move from New England? (Charlotte, Raleigh: big house, buy, high school)

[kalamoso]

Hi, was wondering if anyone here has moved from New Engalnd to this area? I'm sick of New England winters ( foot of snow forecasted for tommorow, yuk), just interested to here from relocated New Englanders, about the area compared to the north east. Our family (wife and two kids) will be coming down to the area to check it out in April. I've read the schools are decent, weathers got to be better, and houses are much cheaper than we can get in Massachusetts. Any info about the nearby power plant (in terms of problems or scares), also tornado activity, my kids ages 7&5 are really nervous about that. Thanks in advance!

[superk]

Yes. We both grew up in CT and lived there until the economy really tanked at the beginning of the 90's. We then moved to upstate NY in order to continue employment. After three years, when the opportunity for a job presented itself, we were able to move to Winston-Salem in the Spring of '96. From there we've lived in various locations throughout the Piedmont area, and are currently near Lake Norman and Charlotte in Huntersville. A few years later, my parents left CT and also settled in Greensboro. They've really enjoyed their time living there.

I haven't seen much need to fret over tornadoes. They don't occur with much frequency here. Hurricanes and ice storms are more prevelant.

I like to think of NC as "New England South". There is a similar topography, history, architecture, and culture. There are four distinctive seasons, with each one lasting just about an even three months. Spring and Fall are the best seasons.

[superk]

By the way, there was another similar topic recently:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...nd-nc-but.html

[kalamoso]

thanks superk, checked out the other topic, very helpful

[Ann in Oriental]

No the weather is not better unless you enjoy being in a sauna for at least 5 months of the year. In Mass. as I remember it would probably snow on and off from Dec. thru March. The roads would get cleared very quickly and then it was cold but good winter clothing took care of that. Here one really can't go outside for 5 months without being TERRIBLY uncomfortable. There is only so much one can legally take off. The other thing has to do with religion. If you are a born again christian type you will be okay but athiest, agnostic, pagan or unitarian...forget it. You will not be tolerated. Same thing with politics...keep your mouth shut if you are a democrat in most of the state. On the plus side, the beaches are lovely as are the mountains and the housing and food prices are a LITTLE bit less expensive. The schools are not too bad, it's really up to the child, and one will find gangs and drugs anywhere now so that evens out.

[castufari]

Ann, 95 runs north too.

[Ragdoll Kitty Lover]

HI, here's an answer I posted I left for another subject - "If you hate NC, then why are you still here?"

Amazing how differently people view situations. I'm from New England, 15 miles inland from the ocean all my life until we moved here in Spring 2007. I had always heard how hot and humid it was here, but I agree with UrbanCharlotte. We had more humidity this summer than last, but neither summer can beat the humidity we had in Mass. There we had 7 months of winter and when summer finally came after a questionable Spring, we would get whacked with incredible humidity. But I was used to it and never knew any differently.

Living here, I love having just 3 months of winter, an incredibly gorgeous Spring and Fall when you can spend time outdoors constantly, and 3 months of summer where the days are hot, but the breeze blows lightly, the skies are blue, and the nights are balmy. I have embraced Carolina Beach Music and am just overwhelmed with the wonderful friendly people I have met at concerts, in stores, and at church. Middle aged people can actually have a social life here!

Religion? I love the fact that I can say Merry Christmas and God Bless You without being verbally attacked. Plus I found a really great church in the same denomination as up North, but it is so much more active, musical, and personal.

Jobs? Who said it's easy finding a good job ANYWHERE! All states have problems. I saw manufacturing jobs closing like crazy up north too.

Thank you to all you native North Carolinians for sharing your wonderful state with me!

Now for an addendum: Nearby power plant? There is one in Belews Creek, but I lived close to 2 nuclear plants in Sandwich and in Plymouth, MA. No difference noted.
Schools? I live in an area where people buy homes so their kids can go to the desirable High School up the street. I would suggest you really look closely at the schools in the area where you intend to live. I know several children who go to different Christian schools, and I am amazed at how many are home-schooled.

Tornadoes? Now that gets me nervous. There was a good size strike here in Clemmons this summer. It was 10 years to the day that they had the same thing going through the same area. There are occasional little ones, but so far, I have just experienced some incredibly powerful thunderstorms. Of course, I also read about the bad tornado that hit NH this summer.

[Ann in Oriental]

Originally Posted by castufari

Ann, 95 runs north too.

Oh believe me I KNOW! On the post, If you hate NC why are you still here? I answered why. I either get divorced or wait for my husband to die. Oriental isn't too bad because there are so many northerners here, but one still must deal with the heat. I'm wondering though, why is it that so many from NC get angry when someone doesn't like their state? I mean, so what. Most liberal agnostic or athiest types who don't like hot weather are not going to like it here. By the same token, most conservative christian types who do like hot weather will love it. You would be upset too if your spouse refused to leave an area that you hated.

[castufari]

Ann, my mom is in your shoes. If you weren't living in Oriental and had few kids I'd think you were her and vice versa.

The heat....it's not that bad. If you find it too warm most of the year I'd mention it to your doc, maybe there is something going on there. I lived down east for a while, July was bad but the other months not so.

Have you talked to him about relocating to a cooler part of NC, maybe VA?

I'm wondering though...do you have family back home that you miss? This could be the cause of your unhappiness, I know with my mom it still is after 35 years.

My ex liked it here until we relocated to Asheville and she was fired from work several times (can't blame the town on that). After it hit that it was her causing the problems she wanted to move but no one would hire her so I'm "stuck" here now (I really don't want to live in Raleigh if my daughter is going to br 4 hours away).

As far as "95 runs north", I know a lot of unhappy people in my area. A couple from my daughter's school moved here and built a big house way out in BFE. They couldn't sell their old place in FL and lost it. They've never been able to create the lifestyle here they had in FL and are very bitter as they feel that they've been sold a bag of damaged goods. Maybe it's so but they have a choice - relocate to some place that is better for them. I'm not thrilled with my present town either but there isn't much I can do until the economy improves. Then ZING. Bye Bye!

[PURPLE0518]

My mother was born and raised in New England and I spent all my summers there growing up. I still go whenever I get the chance and have many relatives and friends there. Anyway, I was raised in Florida, but long story short, we have been in western NC (smoky mountains) for 16 years now. It is beautiful here. There is tax on food at the grocery store, which I do not believe is right at all. And if you have a child with any type of learning difference or disability, beware of towns in NC. My son is dyslexic. They are generally geniuses, but we found out the hard way that the schools here will not deal with them. We have now been told by many others to get out of NC if you have a dyslexic child. Anyway, my son is now 20. He was not reading at the age of 14, bbut could do anything else. We did research with the Davis dyslexia institute and found one in Shallotte, NC. We took him there for 1 week and that was all it took for him to be reading. It just took someone who cared and knew what they were doing. Just beware of the schools if your kids have and learning differences. I had to pull my son out of school and take him to a specialist to even get the proper diagnosis. I kept telling his teachers i believed he was dyslexic by the way he was reversing everything. They said "no way". They simply didn't want to deal with it. Other than schooling issues, NC has been fine/ The people are friendly and warm for the most part. Good luck to you and your family.