Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hi there, we are considering if we should move up to Carolinas. But there are so many considerents and we have no friends or family in the Raleigh area to ask, so we hope some friendly folks here can offer us an opinion on the following aspects:
1. We are in the remodeling residential market, having projects averaging within $10-$60,000. It has been quite slow for us here past 3-4 yrs. What is the market in Raleigh for such projects? Are there a lot of remodels or more new construction? Does anyone know if projects are paid better in Raleigh vs. Atlanta? I keep reading in the builder news that Raleigh has better unemployment, job growth and more stable housing market.
2. We don't care much for fancy shopping, night life, or sports events. But we have four children that LOVE outdoors. Can you compare the opportunities of quick, inexpensive weekend getaways for families with kids between the two areas?
3. How does the college education level compare between the two?
4. Are there a lot of homeschoolers in the area?!
5. Do you see the conservative values and hospitality being more prominent in Raleigh vs. Atlanta?
6. Local Farmers Market opportunities or small farms in the Raleigh area where to buy locally grown food like meat, eggs, milk?
7. Are there as many bugs as in Georgia? The palmetto bugs are extremely disgusting, really! :P
8. I understood that the weather is similar. While we can take hot weather, the humidity can be overpowering here, sometimes. Is it just as humid there or less? Are there more chances of hurricanes/tornadoes there than here?
9. Is gardening growing season similar to GA? I am interested in growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs.
10. Cost of living between the two cities? Gas prices in Raleigh?
11. Is housing/land more affordable or less affordable in the Raleigh area?
12. Retirement communities better than Atlanta?
I know there are a lot of aspects, but if you could compare only one or two that you are aware of, and reply by the question number, that would be AWESOME!!!! Or whatever related opinion that I might have missed on. Thank you soooo much!
When I say Raleigh or Atlanta, for housing, I mean 15-25 miles radius. We like large lots, with lots of mature trees, even if the house is older. We live in Atlanta north east suburbs right now, on an independent 1ac+, but shopping, library, mall, parks are within 6 miles from us, so we totally like the proximity to that.
So, I see... Conservative, homeschooling families with more children, nature lovers, self employed, hard working and self taught that want to support the local small farmers are not encouraged to move to Raleigh, is it?! ))))
Hi there, we are considering if we should move up to Carolinas. But there are so many considerents and we have no friends or family in the Raleigh area to ask, so we hope some friendly folks here can offer us an opinion on the following aspects:
1. We are in the remodeling residential market, having projects averaging within $10-$60,000. It has been quite slow for us here past 3-4 yrs. What is the market in Raleigh for such projects? Are there a lot of remodels or more new construction? Does anyone know if projects are paid better in Raleigh vs. Atlanta? I keep reading in the builder news that Raleigh has better unemployment, job growth and more stable housing market. I have no idea.
2. We don't care much for fancy shopping, night life, or sports events. But we have four children that LOVE outdoors. Can you compare the opportunities of quick, inexpensive weekend getaways for families with kids between the two areas? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]You have the beach and the mountains not too far away. Lots of parks and green spaces here in Raleigh.[/color]
3. How does the college education level compare between the two? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]Triangle area is pretty highly educated, but so are parts of Atlanta. [/color]
4. Are there a lot of homeschoolers in the area?! [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]No idea. I know there are people who homeschool.
[/color]
5. Do you see the conservative values and hospitality being more prominent in Raleigh vs. Atlanta? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]I don't know what you consider "conservative values". One of the things I love about the area is the diversity of thought and people. I think the triangle area in general is much more liberal in thought than say Cobb county. [/color]
6. Local Farmers Market opportunities or small farms in the Raleigh area where to buy locally grown food like meat, eggs, milk? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]Yes there is a farmers market in Raleigh, Durham and lot of other places as well as CSA's. [/color]
7. Are there as many bugs as in Georgia? The palmetto bugs are extremely disgusting, really! :P [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]We haven't noticed a difference in bugs.
[/color]
8. I understood that the weather is similar. While we can take hot weather, the humidity can be overpowering here, sometimes. Is it just as humid there or less? Are there more chances of hurricanes/tornadoes there than here? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]Weather is about the same. On average Raleigh gets more snow in the winter than Atlanta.
[/color]
9. Is gardening growing season similar to GA? I am interested in growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs. [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]I am assuming it's about the same.
[/color]
10. Cost of living between the two cities? Gas prices in Raleigh? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]We haven't noticed a difference in cost of living. Gas taxes in NC are higher. [/color]
11. Is housing/land more affordable or less affordable in the Raleigh area? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]We found it about the same. [/color]
12. Retirement communities better than Atlanta? [COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]No idea.[/color]
I know there are a lot of aspects, but if you could compare only one or two that you are aware of, and reply by the question number, that would be AWESOME!!!! Or whatever related opinion that I might have missed on. Thank you soooo much!
[COLOR="rgb(139, 0, 0)"]We moved from Atlanta in the summer of 2010. We like it a lot here. We are not conservative though so..... Take it at face value. The area and general feels way more laid back to me than Atlanta. We love not having to worry about traffic. [/color]
Laurelscubachick, thanks for your reply! I agree, the traffic can be quite horrible, here, in Atlanta. Oh, my hubby would love not to deal with that ALL day long!
meh_whatever, people don't have to answer all the questions, just take one or two that you know about. I was just surprised at 100 views that no one answered not even one... We intend to drive there soon and get a feel of the area, of the shopping, of the beach, mountains and see if it will be a good fit. We would be renting in the first year or two anyway, until we learn more about where we would like to live. I learned that Chapel Hill and Swift Creek area might be a good fit for us.
8. I understood that the weather is similar. While we can take hot weather, the humidity can be overpowering here, sometimes. Is it just as humid there or less? Are there more chances of hurricanes/tornadoes there than here?
9. Is gardening growing season similar to GA? I am interested in growing tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, herbs.
Some of your questions are easily answered with research at the main City-data.com site. Yes, the weather and gardening season are similar. Yes, you can grow tomatoes, peppers and eggplants.
I think if you had limited yourself to the really essential questions, you would have received more answers. I think your most important issue is whether you can make a living at a home-improvement business. There are probably business sites that would be more help, for example a trade or industry site.
Laurelscubachick, thanks for your reply! I agree, the traffic can be quite horrible, here, in Atlanta. Oh, my hubby would love not to deal with that ALL day long!
meh_whatever, people don't have to answer all the questions, just take one or two that you know about. I was just surprised at 100 views that no one answered not even one... We intend to drive there soon and get a feel of the area, of the shopping, of the beach, mountains and see if it will be a good fit. We would be renting in the first year or two anyway, until we learn more about where we would like to live. I learned that Chapel Hill and Swift Creek area might be a good fit for us.
Chapel Hill is liberal. I think you are looking for conservative. Overall, I think that NC is more liberal than GA and the Triangle is going to be more liberal than the state of NC on the whole. For me, that's a good thing. For you, I don't know. Like the rest of the South, the further you get from the cities, the more conservative it gets.
The education level in the Triangle is among the highest in the nation and it's reflected in the sort of industries that operate in and among the Triangle's cities and counties.
I can't answer your questions about schooling since I don't have kids.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Anybody??? Hello, Triangle residents!!! :)
