Interested in Ayden, Pitt County (Wilmington, Greenville: for sale, apartments, townhouse)

[sassy1]

Can anyone tell me anything about Ayden, Pitt County? I was impressed by the website. It seemed to have a real small town feel. I am from NYC, professional, single, african-american women late 30's with a 6-year old daughter.

[Richard Martin]

You're in luck. I'm not 4 miles from there.

Ayden does have some nice things going for it. It's close to Greenville and Winterville so shopping is readily abundant and within 15 minutes drive time. The town is really trying to lift itself up from the typical NC small town of depression and poverty. They have repeatedly over the last several years formed commisions to look at the problem and they have come up with some good ideas. Unfortunately they lack any kind of serious funding to impliment those ideas.

There is a good bit of community spirit however. My wife and I enjoy going to Ayden on summer Friday nights for their Friday Night Out events. A few hundred people will show up and the police close the side road in front of the bandstand. They have live entertainment and local crafts for sale.

Right now they are installing brick crosswalks at the "downtown" intersections to try and increase appeal.

Of the smaller towns Ayden isn't too bad.

[sassy1]

Well Thank you so much. You mentioned the areas that I was most interested in. However, can you tell me anything about Snow Hill? And what about the schools in the area.

[Richard Martin]

Unless you already have a job lined up I wouldn't bother with Snow Hill. That area has not seen the expansions that places like Wilmington, Greenville and Wilson has seen. There are only 16 houses for sale in Snow Hill and only a couple of those are newer.

I can't really say much about the schools other that to repeat what City-Data reports. The high school graduation rate is only 62.1% and that's pretty bad.

My wife and I went there a few months back just to see what was there and it isn't much. We won't be going back unless business requires us to.

[sassy1]

Hi Richard,
I think I'm coming to that realization as well. I'm interviewing in kinston, so right now I'm waiting for a reply. I should know something definite in about 2 weeks. Thank you, your input has been most helpful. I'm now moving on to Winterville, greenville and I am still hanging on to Ayden.

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by sassy1

Hi Richard,
I'm now moving on to Winterville, greenville and I am still hanging on to Ayden.

We really do need more people like yourself to move to the Ayden area. Upwardly mobile persons who can buy a fixer-upper and breath some life into the area. I can't do it by myself. There are some grand old homes there that are looking for some TLC to bring them back to the pride they were when they were built. If you'd like you can contact me when you get to the area and my wife and I will give you the grand tour of the whole area.

[SeattlitefromNC]

Hi, Sassy!

My family is from Ayden and many of my people still live there. I highly recommend that you come down for the Shad Festival in Grifton, to hang out and see what a shindig this place can stir up!

The cost of living is pretty reasonable, so I can imagine that it would be easier for you to raise your child there, financially.

[sassy1]

Thank you. I am planning a trip the First week in April, during the Easter break. I wanted to come down by AMTRAK does anyone know the nearest train station

[sassy1]

I really don't know anything about owning a home. I'm not too afraid of a townhouse, but, I feel in love with all of the apartments with tennis courts and swimming pools and fireplaces. Don't we have anything like that in Ayden?

[Richard Martin]

Originally Posted by sassy1

I really don't know anything about owning a home. I'm not too afraid of a townhouse, but, I feel in love with all of the apartments with tennis courts and swimming pools and fireplaces. Don't we have anything like that in Ayden?

You're not going to find any tennis courts in Ayden and as far as I have seen there aren't any livable townhomes or apartments here either. Greenville does have a bunch of the type of housing that you're looking for though. Some of it is brand new. You can call Apartment Finder at 1-800-222-3651 and request a Greenville, NC magazine of apartments for there. They can also be found online at apartmentfinder.com