The only thing I know for certain (Charlotte, Raleigh: house, neighborhood)

[Weis02]

After spending countless hours researching over the past several mos, The only think I know is when I move to NC, I will have a nicer house for my money -- everything else I have learned is speculative...

Are the schools better? Is the area more family friendly? Is there a better quality of life?

Until you move and live in area, these things are really not known...visiting a few times doesn't really tell you what life will be like.

I guess you take a chance and hope the risk is worth it all...

So many people are looking for the same things, what they don't have wherever they are - they are looking for in NC...

LI used to be a great place, it was always a litte more but you could see the value, that value is gone and my biggest concern is all the value in NC, will that be gone in a few years given all the relocators from everywhere.

[anonymous]

I recently moved from Columbia, SC to Greensboro, NC. I've never lived outside of SC. Maybe this isn't related to what you're talking about, but maybe it is.

My first impression: There is waaaaay more money up here. More jobs, more people with money, the shops are all yuppie-ish, the government has more money - you name it. Most of the roads are newer and nicely paved. Everything is landscaped and manicured. Even your run-of-the-mill middle class neighborhood is nicer. The roads all have shoulders, and the grass on the side of the road actually gets cut. There are tons of shopping centers here, too.

Also: The area doesn't really feel like 'the south' quite as much as other places I've lived (in SC). There are plenty of New Jersey license plates out there. I still see people with the telltale signs of the south (talk, dress, etc), and total strangers still smile at me and ask me how I'm doing. But most people ignore me, and people on the road will cut you off or ride your bumper with no shame. Many people have this busy sense of urgency and are always running around like ants. So it kind of feels half-and-half.

I didn't really come looking for something out of NC, though. I just graduated from college, and took an entry-level job here. And although it's not important to me, this place (Greensboro) seems like a great place to raise kids. I don't know how the schools are here, but there doesn't seem to be much crime.

But I've met plenty of people here from the north, and they all seem to like NC. It's sort of a "What the hell am I doing here?" type of liking it - but they like it nonetheless. Of course, the people I've met are new just like me, so that may contribute to that sentiment.

But - if you're from Long Island or Jersey and you REALLY want to feel at home, I suggest moving to south Charlotte. While sitting at a stoplight the other day (in S. Charlotte), I saw 2 cars from NJ, 1 from CT, and one from NY. Most of the others had NC plates - but when I looked at the dealer name of the NC cars, many of them were from Pennsyvania, NJ, Maryland. I went to a bar that night, and most of the people sitting around us had strong northern accents - as well as our waitress.

Anyway, I'm getting long-winded, but the point is that many of you probably aren't making quite as big a leap as you think. If you're moving to small-town NC, that's probably a big change. But if you're moving to Charlotte or Raleigh, you don't have to worry about being a 'yankee'.

[Marilyn Jones]

Dear Anonymous, I wish I could agree with you...I am a laid back long islander...As soon as I speak and they hear my ny accent, I get treated inappropriately....i am a nice person and was not brought up to be judgemental...I never would have believed it...Coming to a beautiful state like this..I dress stylist, and get looks and even women shaking there heads...If you are worried that I am interested in your man...You are mistaken...I am respectful of everyone be it male or female..I live in south charlotte...and wish I was accepted!!! Everyone is fighting for survival here...I just got back from Las Vegas and everyone was nice....Both visitors and people living there...I came here with a positive attitude...Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be so negative....

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by Marilyn Jones

Dear Anonymous, I wish I could agree with you...I am a laid back long islander...As soon as I speak and they hear my ny accent, I get treated inappropriately....i am a nice person and was not brought up to be judgemental...I never would have believed it...Coming to a beautiful state like this..I dress stylist, and get looks and even women shaking there heads...If you are worried that I am interested in your man...You are mistaken...I am respectful of everyone be it male or female..I live in south charlotte...and wish I was accepted!!! Everyone is fighting for survival here...I just got back from Las Vegas and everyone was nice....Both visitors and people living there...I came here with a positive attitude...Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would be so negative....

Hmmmmm . . . I live in South Charlotte. I cannot imagine the scene you have described, but I am trying. You say you "dress stylist" (stylist? I guess you mean STYLISHLY) and then you say you "get looks."

I cannot fathom this unless you look . . . inappropriate. This is the South. We are fairly conservative here, even w/ the huge influx of people from the NE. My Yankee friends are pretty conservative, as well. The biggest complaints I have heard about people from the NE is not with their ACCENTS, but w/ their shrieking at their kids, talking loudly and saying condescending things about their surroundings while in a public place.

It may well be that what you are thinking is so "styling" - other people think looks trashy or like a hooker. I am not meaning to sound disrespectful here, but you did say that you wonder if other women think you are trying to hit on their husbands. That tells me - something about the way you are dressing attracts the wrong kind of attention.

[roadpony]

Originally Posted by Weis02

After spending countless hours researching over the past several mos, The only think I know is when I move to NC, I will have a nicer house for my money -- everything else I have learned is speculative...

Are the schools better? Is the area more family friendly? Is there a better quality of life?

Until you move and live in area, these things are really not known...visiting a few times doesn't really tell you what life will be like.

There is no way to answer your questions with generalizations about the entire state. There are too many variations depending on where you are in NC... and also based on your own point of view.

[lovebrentwood]

Better than where?

Originally Posted by Weis02

After spending countless hours researching over the past several mos, The only think I know is when I move to NC, I will have a nicer house for my money -- everything else I have learned is speculative...

Are the schools better? Is the area more family friendly? Is there a better quality of life?

Until you move and live in area, these things are really not known...visiting a few times doesn't really tell you what life will be like.

I guess you take a chance and hope the risk is worth it all...

So many people are looking for the same things, what they don't have wherever they are - they are looking for in NC...

LI used to be a great place, it was always a litte more but you could see the value, that value is gone and my biggest concern is all the value in NC, will that be gone in a few years given all the relocators from everywhere.