Any former Mass residents ? (Charlotte, Raleigh: transplants, sales, car insurance)

[WoosterMass]

I am from Mass now and considering Raleigh, NC as one of my choices for relocating .. I am looking for warmer weather for sure but with a season change as NC has .. I was wondering , If you were from Mass what comparisons you can give me to help with my thought process ..

[CabarrusNC]

Former Mass-hole here We chose the Charlotte area and have no regrets. Here are a few things that come to mind...
The weather here is waaay bettah!
You still get all 4 seasons but a much shorter winter. Hardly any snow unless you live in the higher elevations. I also feel it is a great place to raise a family. It just seems more family oriented here and I enjoy living in a subdivision and knowing who all my neighbors are.
Car insurance (at least mine) is half of what I paid in Mass. Housing is of course more affordable. The pace here is slower and I find people are friendlier, even the transplants. There are lots of restaurants and shopping around and everything seems so clean and new, especially compared to Boston.
The sales tax here is higher than MA. And as you probably know the unemployment rate is high here right now.
I can't comment on Raleigh but there is a thread I saw comparing Raleigh to Charlotte and if you search other threads I think you'll find a lot of opinions and some useful info. Of course the best thing to do is take a trip and explore it for yourself!

[ljd1010]

Not from MA but from just outside of Providence - almost a neighbor to "Wooster"! We moved to the Raleigh area about 17 months ago and love it!!!! The weather is super! There is a distinct change of seasons but winter is much more temperate. This allows for outdoor activities year round. The Triangle area is really pretty, gentle rolling hills, pine forests etc. Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill each have many great things to offer and there are many pretty little towns surrounding each. Great healthcare (Duke and UNC). I cannot say enough positive things - we have absolutely no regrets and would never move back to the Northeast. We're home!

[msbannett]

...I have spent a load of a lot of time in Worcester and the cousins live in Natick, Framingham, Ashland.

I relocated to Charlotte about 3 and a half years ago from the Northeast. It has a lot more to offer than Raleigh and is more affordable from a housing standpoint. I am a Realtor here and have had no problem with relocating clients "getting it" once they come down and see the place. Charlotte has sports teams, arts and culture, world class shopping, great restaurants, a diversified local economy (even though most people usually only think Bank of America or Wachovia), a major hub airport, affordable housing prices, is situated mid way between the mountains (about 2 hours drive) and beaches (about 3 hours), Atlanta is just 4 hours drive and Charleston, which is an amazing destination is just 3 and a bit.

But you asked for comparisons... Hmmm, you cant really compare Worcester with any city I can think of in NC. Things here are, for the most part, new and shiny and clean. It never gets snowed in, you can make U turns (think Route 9 and those jug handles) and most everyone is wicked polite and friendly!

It is absolutely worth taking a look at Charlotte and specifically the South Charlotte area before making a decision about committing to the Raleigh area.

Hope this helps!

[WoosterMass]

Thanks everyone for your responses ...your input has given me more to think about and some new questions ... Any good Barber shops in the areas where your from ? I am a Barber and I hear from people who have gone south , that they Never can find a good Barber from what they were use to .. LOL