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So my family and I live in the baltimore Md area, and we are sick of the area. We hate the winters and want some place that is a little more moderate during the winter and fall. Anyway...the economy is really sucky here also so that is another reason we are looking to leave. I am really just looking for some info on what it's like there. Is it fast paced or slow? Are there any areas that are "high crime" or not as safe? ( i have a teenage daughter that is in junior high) Any schools to stay away from? Is there stuff to do? Is the cost of living high? We are planning a trip soon for 3 days to take a look around and maybe see some houses. What about the taxes? We pay out the ying yang for taxes here, is it high there?? Anyway, any general information about life there/ weather would be great! Thanks a bunch!!
Depending on which county you move to, as to where the crime, drugs and violence is.
Each county has areas worse than others, and schools can be the same way.
COL is better than some and worse than others. I hear SC is better when it comes to taxes. I believe the gas is lower there?
Property taxes are lower than many northern areas.
It has been HOT and HUMID this summer. Typically it is Hot and humid most summers. More so this year.
I have lived here a whole week now, so I guess I am an expert now
I moved here from Richmond VA. Unemployment is a problem here - rate is higher than most states (probably higher than Maryland), so you definitely need a job - that's the most important thing. As for locations to avoid, I have heard the immediate south side, and have heard some say avoid the east side (knightdale) although a colleague of mine's daughter and her son live there and they love it, so I guess it depends.
Cost of living is higher than Richmond (don't know COL in Baltimore) except housing - housing, with the possible exception of Cary are probably much lower. Property tax seems pretty low here compared to Richmond, so probably much lower than Baltimore. Food, gas, car tax, state taxes are higher here than Richmond, but may be the same or lower than Baltimore. As to weather, it's definitely better than Baltimore, as Baltimore gets the worst of both summer and winter - hot humid in summer and oftentimes cold snowy in winter. Here, you get the hot humid, but not so much snowy - average 7 inches of snow which is probably 1/3 of Baltimore (Richmond average about 15 or so) and average Jan high is about 50 degress, versus probably low 40s for Baltimore. It ain't FL, but a little better than where you're at.
Knightdale gets a bad rap - but we love it. However... we don't have kids yet. I do know that Knightdale High School is having some issues right now. There is a group of parents, Knightdale 100, that are being active and trying to get changes in the school. They have the attention of the school board chair and there are some discussions on making it a magnet school.
Some areas move faster, and some slower (like I-40 at 5:30pm...). I think you'll find it slower after coming from a much bigger city. Our house values and property tax is lower, but its highly likely that our sales tax and our gas tax is higher. Some say food costs more here - but I haven't lived in another state, so I have no idea.
Weather is... weird. =0) The saying goes that if you don't like it, wait 15min. This is most true in the spring and fall. Our summers are hot and extremely humid. Pop-up thunderstorms are a normal occurence (most years). Every so many summers we go through a drought, and every few winters we'll have a pretty cold one. You can almost guarantee that during the winter we'll have a few random days that will creep up to the 60s or 70s. This is what keeps me in NC.
I don't know if I'd go as far as saying that our unemployment rate is worse than other state's... (MI anyone?) as we are continually ranked in magazines as an area that is weathering the storm fairly well. HOWEVER that doesn't mean we don't have problems, and I do recommend having a job lined up before you move.
We bought twice the house for half the cost of the same in MD. I got a big pay raise moving here so that certainly helped as well.
We moved to Fuquay Varina which is about 30 minutes south of Durham, and about 20 minutes from Raleigh. The town here is small and much slower than MD was. My wife is from a small town in Ky so she loves loves loves it here. She didn't enjoy the rat race in MD at all lol
All places you consider moving to have good and bad areas.
I live in Fuquay Varina and really like it. I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have, if you are still looking (not sure since its' been a couple of months).
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knightdale 100
