Advice on relocating to Burke County-Hickory (Valdese, Salem: homes, neighborhood, buying)

[tracygfromnj]

HI. I'd like some advice on relocating to NC. I have some friends that are in the Valdese/Rutherford College area. My main concern is the schools. My daughter is 8, my son is 16. My son is extremely involved in music. Plays drums, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, writes/reads, etc. Does anyone have information on vocational schools in NC? He was just accepted into a great audio recording program @ a Vo-Tech school here in NJ. I called a few schools in the burke county area, but unfortunately the right people weren't available to speak with. He is very talented and motivated to pursue this as a career. Any advice on good schools, in general, and for music?
Also, any info on different areas to live? We will be visiting next month. Buying hopefully in a few months. We'd like a "private" setting for our home (some property). Close to a lake, within a family neighborhood. Is the Burke County and Hickory area what I'm looking for?
Thank You So Much!

[kate9000]

Freedom High School is excellent and Lake James area is beautiful. Not only that Winston Salem is only 1/1/2 hours away with NC School of the Arts if your son decides to further his musical education after high school. Don't let the high prices of lake property scare you. There are still lots of nice places available with nice homes at reasonable prices.

Good luck.