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Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Cary The Triangle Area
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Old 01-15-2018, 01:48 AM
 
9 posts, read 6,267 times
Reputation: 12

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Hey Everyone,

I'm a newbie and have been lurking the CD forums for a few weeks now and decided to finally post on here. Thanks to the several similar topics on here I've been able to gather a lot of information on the area, but was hoping that the locals on here could help provide some information to help me determine if the Raleigh area would indeed be a good fit for me. I apologize if some of these questions have been asked before.

So I've been looking at potential places to relocate to, I've currently been living in Lancaster, PA for the past 3 years. Before this I lived in the Tampa/St.Pete (FL) area for the most of my adult life and relocated to PA for a job opportunity, so weather wise I've experienced quite extreme seasons be it Winter/Summer.

I work in IT, and the general consensus is that there are plenty of tech jobs around RTP, that sounds great but I was looking for some insight on career/life balance. Since I wouldn't know anyone in the area, is it easy to meet people in general through work or just by going out ? I'm a single guy in my early 30s, so just wanted to know what I should expect in terms of social culture.

Also, is Raleigh a multi cultural city ? Like in South Florida you have a mix of people from all over even though the majority of the population is white, so was just wondering if Raleigh had more or similar diversity.

I know each person's experience would be different, but I'm having difficulty gauging if there is/isn't a lot to do in the area as I've seen posts claiming both so I'm not quite sure which one's accurate.

From a career aspect, Raleigh seems quite promising, but I'd also like to be able to enjoy on the weekends. I guess I'd like to know how similar/different it is from the Tampa, St.Pete area in terms of living and people, is it more conservative or more outgoing with more things to do. My experience with FL was that people were mostly laid back and friendly so I was wondering if Raleigh had a similar or different vibe.

Appreciate any help as I literally don't know much about the area apart from what I've read on here. Thanks!
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Old 01-15-2018, 03:57 AM
 
1,527 posts, read 1,476,245 times
Reputation: 1487
Raleigh is diverse.

The quality of life is dropping fast from uncontrolled growth and home/rental prices are becoming stupid because many newcomers are coming from high cost areas and are used to being ripped off.

Schools are in crisis from overcrowding and companies/developers bribed here without impact fees.

No commuter rail and badly designed. unlighted roads.

If you want to come here, be sure your job is lined up. Lots of newcomers competing in many fields.

Good luck and beware of lies from media saying streets in NC are paved with gold.
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Old 01-15-2018, 05:43 AM
Status: "Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!" (set 21 days ago)
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,176 posts, read 76,815,786 times
Reputation: 45533
Well, now that you have seen the generic press release from the Welcome Wagon....


I moved here from Lebanon, PA, 20 years ago after working in Leola, and the Harrisburg area. I would certainly prefer the Triangle over the Lancaster area.
But, that may just be me.

Yes, tech work is plentiful here. So is competition for that work.

I was in Tampa last week for a day. Have visited several times over the years.
Found it interesting, and certainly multi-cultural with great diversity. I think diversity is more prominent in Tampa Bay region.
And sprawling urbanization.
IF I were to leave the Triangle for a warmer climate, it is an area I might consider for relocation.

I think you would find plenty to do on weekends.
Check out this blog:
https://triangleexplorer.com/

What you may miss are the major league sports in Tampa.
We have an NHL hockey team, but no other major league sports.
AAA baseball with the Durham Bulls is fun, but it isn't MLB, if you would like that.
For the sports fan, the Rays, Lightning, Bucs, Yankee spring training, combine to trump our offerings in major league sports.
If you like college basketball, you will be coming to a fine, fine area in the Triangle.
College Football? More for parents and alumni.

I think outdoors and nature, hiking and such, are more accessible here.
And, I would prefer our 4 season, temperate climate.
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Old 01-15-2018, 05:57 AM
 
2,819 posts, read 2,573,344 times
Reputation: 3554
I have lived in central PA but not FL. It is more diverse here but less affordable. The IT job market is great and it is nowhere near as gloom and doom as capitalblvd makes it out to be. Sure the school system is constantly growing and changing but I think that happens everywhere. Traffic to RTP can be bad but every IT place I have worked has offered flexible hours and work from home days to compensate. If you go in before 7 and leave by 4 (or 10 and leave after 6) it’s not bad at all. Come visit and check it out!

Also as for things to do it won’t be as exciting as say Boston or NYC but is better than central PA.
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:27 AM
 
2,584 posts, read 1,862,791 times
Reputation: 2212
(too funny Mike)

I am somewhere between capitalblvd and annabanana123 on this.

I see a LOT of attrition, roles going out of state and overseas, and regular massive cuts and know a lot of people, many in IT, out of work. Some get back in the saddle quickly, others are out 6-9-12 months. Do your research and make sure you know what you're getting into, and per capitalblvd don't drink the RTP Koolade.

When you say "I work in IT" - so do a lot of people and this is very broad - what do you do, and which industry? Do you know the demand here for what you do and industry?

Edit: To add, I also know and know of a disturbing amount of people who were brought here by their companies, moved houses and families and schools, and their jobs got cut in less than a year. Not your situation but that should tell you something. This area is mainly a contractor market with little loyalty or longevity.

Last edited by Repatriot; 01-15-2018 at 09:36 AM..
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:33 AM
 
3,394 posts, read 7,750,843 times
Reputation: 3962
Quote:
Originally Posted by elchapo View Post
I know each person's experience would be different, but I'm having difficulty gauging if there is/isn't a lot to do in the area as I've seen posts claiming both so I'm not quite sure which one's accurate.
There's over a million people in the greater Triangle. There's plenty to do.

There's live music in multiple venues around the Triangle every night of the week. At least once a month, there's a night when I'm torn between 2-3 different shows going on. There's scores of breweries. We've 3 large universities with rabid fanbases for college sports, plus you've got the Carolina Hurricanes, Durham Bulls, and more. You can get together with other fans of about any NFL to watch. There's bars that cater to soccer. There's a strong art community. First Fridays in Raleigh are a big draw. The NC Museum of Art is a real gem of a property and gets some nice traveling shows in addition to the permanent collection. There's a gazillion road races (and street closures). There's meetups for various things, trivia groups, cycling group rides, run clubs, yada yada yada. There's bars, nightclubs, gyms, libraries. There's parks, lakes, greenway.
There's an ocean a couple of hours away. Mountains a couple hours the other way (and drive another hour and the mountains get even more interesting).
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:36 AM
 
459 posts, read 370,120 times
Reputation: 447
Commuter Heavy Rail and Bus Rapid Transit are coming to Raleigh, last year we voted for the required phase 1 funding. It will take roughtly 5 to 7 years for the whole initial system to go online but compared to the rest of the US, traffic in Raleigh isn't bad yet. It will be and we'll be glad with have alternative methods of transportation when that time comes.
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:41 AM
 
102 posts, read 148,772 times
Reputation: 171
I've lived and worked in eastern PA and south west VA. I really enjoyed VA, but there weren't any other IT jobs after mine closed after 30 or so years. I moved to Raleigh on a whim since RTP is the hot area for jobs. I was able to find a new job that paid very well in one month. I also had two other offers on the table. I think if you've been in the field for awhile and you are confident with the jobs that you are applying to, then you'll find work easily. I think it is a little harder for entry level folks.

As for things to do: I have a family and live in Cary since I am a transplant
We find things to do pretty much every weekend. My wife loves the beach, so during the summer we make several weekend trips to Wilmington. We go to a lot of the Durham Bulls games, and we've made some friends through Meetup and recreational sport leagues.

If you are moving here primarily for work, I think you'd be fine.
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Old 01-15-2018, 09:45 AM
Status: "Made the Retirement Run in under 12 parsecs!!!" (set 21 days ago)
 
Location: Cary, NC
43,176 posts, read 76,815,786 times
Reputation: 45533
Quote:
Originally Posted by raleighsocial View Post
Commuter Heavy Rail and Bus Rapid Transit are coming to Raleigh, last year we voted for the required phase 1 funding. It will take roughtly 5 to 7 years for the whole initial system to go online but compared to the rest of the US, traffic in Raleigh isn't bad yet. It will be and we'll be glad with have alternative methods of transportation when that time comes.
For a guy moving from Tampa Bay area to the Triangle via Lancaster, PA, he will find our public transit just fine in comparison to those two areas.
Notice that he didn't answer.

Cap'n B just had to paste that tangent into the generic press release...
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Old 01-15-2018, 10:09 AM
 
703 posts, read 777,407 times
Reputation: 1256
The OP needs to know that Cap'B is retired and is only talking about his own quality of life. He's doing his best to dissuade any new transplants to the area, not out of concern for the transplants, but because he seems to think each single one of them somehow makes his life incrementally worse.

I've been here four years now (from Western PA), and I do enjoy the weather and what this area has to offer. It is a good place to raise a family. It's not a big city type of feel here, and it does not have all the offerings of a big city. But it doesn't have all the problems either.

Job opportunities should be pretty good for someone of your age and experience, but it does matter where in IT you specialize.

For a single person like yourself, I do think that meeting people and making friends is largely dependent on what your interests are and how apt you are at getting involved in groups or organizations in those areas of interest. There are a lot of transplants here, so that often facilitates making acquaintances. It's often just finding the right venue to make those connections.
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