Am I crazy for considering a move to Raleigh? Single and early 30s and having to start over yet again! (Wake Forest: apartments, compensation)
Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, CaryThe Triangle Area
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So I posted on here just over 3 years ago when I was ready to get out of San Diego and was considering a move to Denver at 30 years old knowing no one. With help from the forum and a couple of visits to the city, I decided it was the place for me and haven't regreted a minute of it. Well then the economy tanked and I lost my great job. It took me almost a year to find a mediocre job in Denver then I finally landed a decent job with a company based in Raleigh but I could work remotely from Denver. This week I was just offered an amazing position with compensation that is pretty much too good to refuse but it means I'd have to relocate to Raleigh. I know absolutely no one here, I love it in Denver, yet I feel like I'd be an idiot not to do this. With all that said, has anyone else out there made the move in their early 30s to the Raliegh area knowing no one? Did you regret that move? How do you like it? Was it easy to meet people? What is the singles scene like? I'd like to get married and have kids someday, so hopefully I wouldn't be shooting myself in the foot by making this move. Any areas of town you would recommend? Any help would be great!!!!!
I moved here in my late 30's knowing no one. I married a Raleigh native a year later. After many years, we're still happily together.
My advice:
1. Make a concerted effort to meet your potential mate. Think of it as a campaign. Analyze all related issues, design and develop that plan, and implement it.
Evaluate it if things aren't going as you hoped and take another direction. In other words, take an active role in shaping your own future. Don't wait for the Absolutely Perfect Person to magically appear.
b. Meet as many people as you can. Make friends and nurture those friendships. The older you get, the more difficult it becomes. Everyone is busy.
Meetup is a good resource for finding groups with similar interests to yours. If you're not happy in one group, find another.
Go back and look up some of the posts here on City-Data from NorthRaleighGuy. He has a knack for finding fun things to do in the area.
Plan on going to the beach (south of Raleigh) at least two times a year -- once for a week and maybe once for a weekend. Don't let a year go by without going. Go to the mountains at least once a year.
Find out where all the festivals are in Raleigh and the surrounding area. Go to them and just enjoy yourself.
Hi,
I moved to the Raleigh area 4 years ago from NJ and I have to say the area is very nice. I moved to the town of Wake Forest, it's about 20 minutes from downtown. If you want the single scene you need to be in the city, if you are thinking of marriage in a few years you may want to look into my area, a bit more country and I think better for kids. My area is up and coming, but not a fast city pace, so you need to decide what you are looking for, but we do have a lot of young 30-ish families here. I would look at both areas and then decide. The one thing I miss here in NC is the better quality restaurants like in NJ/Philly/NY. In the Raleigh area I see a lot of chain type restaurants which don’t cut it for me, and I hear that from a lot of people who moved into this area. The job scene was good when I moved here and then died when the economy soured, but I am seeing a lot of companies looking to hire again and that’s a good sign. One last thing, It’s a nice mix of people here, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, straight & gay. Everyone gets a long well and that was very important to me when I looked into moving here. I would fly out and stay a weekend before you decide, that’s what I did...Jim
I'm single, mid-30s and have lived here about 8 years....there's definitely an emergence of single professionals downtown (but it's still not where other cities are at the moment!). There are tons of meet-up groups in the area with varying successes. Like others say, it's really what you make of the opportunities - they are there, you just have to look for some of them. Good luck, whatever you decide!
Hi,
I moved to the Raleigh area 4 years ago from NJ and I have to say the area is very nice. I moved to the town of Wake Forest, it's about 20 minutes from downtown. If you want the single scene you need to be in the city, if you are thinking of marriage in a few years you may want to look into my area, a bit more country and I think better for kids. My area is up and coming, but not a fast city pace, so you need to decide what you are looking for, but we do have a lot of young 30-ish families here. I would look at both areas and then decide. The one thing I miss here in NC is the better quality restaurants like in NJ/Philly/NY. In the Raleigh area I see a lot of chain type restaurants which don’t cut it for me, and I hear that from a lot of people who moved into this area. The job scene was good when I moved here and then died when the economy soured, but I am seeing a lot of companies looking to hire again and that’s a good sign. One last thing, It’s a nice mix of people here, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, straight & gay. Everyone gets a long well and that was very important to me when I looked into moving here. I would fly out and stay a weekend before you decide, that’s what I did...Jim
Great post! I'm a fan of Wake Forest too! Planning to move there soon. There's one correction I'd like to make...we do have some great indy restaurants here. While you are right about their being lots of chain ones, there are some gems in the triangle. CD has some threads about this and lots of suggestions for folks to try. This has been talked about a lot here, especially by newcomers who see the chain places and think this is all we have. I have hosted groups of folks from all over the country and from overseas. They raved over our restaurants. Try 18 Seaboard, Four Square, Angus Barn, Parizade, etc...
Lots of apartments and housing available, whatever you desire on that front. Establish yourself with your job and you never know who(m) you may meet at your job to help you with the singles info as well.
I moved here in 2001 after living in the midwest for years and dead end jobs/lack of advancement opportunities and quality of life changed abruptly. Glad I made the choice to follow the job offer here in Raleigh, and 9 years later have a new wife, family and great job that will always be around (restaurant upper management).
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