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Things that make you go Hmmmmm???? To be honest, when you said you were sick of the brown, sprawl, and lack of recreation and activities, I was 90% sure you had landed in a clear-cut brand new treeless subdivision out in Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Fuquay, Clayton or Garner that is still “developing” its parks and rec. Sounds like your mind is pretty much made up then. Add to this you prefer grey drizzly weather and “HATE with a passion hot weather (anything over 80)” and the decision seems easy…..you should probably move back to Seattle.
I do work in one of those subdivisions in Holly Springs, and I work 55 hours a week. A lot of my weekday driving outside of my commute is in Holly Springs. Your post got me thinking maybe it is weighing on my views more then I give credit for. Especially because I'm discovering new things I like in Cary and Chapel Hill.
Thanks for your post. It definitely is something to reflect on.
Is there any possibility of your type of jobs being available in the mountains of NC? That might be a good compromise weather wise if so. But job opportunities are not as good there as they are in the Triangle. We have a family home in Boone and temps are rarely above 85 there in the summer and almost never in the 90s. Summer days are typically in the high 70s.
I have to run take my kids to the dentist, but I think I could post stock photos of NC that would be just as good as the ones you posted of WA. Those type things are here. Biltmore has a huge flower festival with tons of tulips for example. Obviously the mountains are different. It really seems like your decision is hinging on the weather and I can relate though in the opposite way.
I mean what I’m getting from your posts is weather vs COL. The stuff to do part seems like that could be an adjustment but you could find similar things in NC. The weather is not going to change though. Does a day like today bother you? It makes me so happy to finally have some warm weather and sunshine. The really hot temps are mid-May through mid-Sept. The question is, is that too much heat for you and are you willing to pay for weather you like more by moving back to Seattle?
With every post, the OP convinces me more and more that she really hasn't seen much of the area. She's been living in a little beige box and really needs to get out before uprooting and moving back to the PNW. This area is chock full of parks and lakes and forests , fun things to do and see. No, it's not a big metropolitan area, but that's why you can afford to live here!
I find those beige subdivisions with their brown winter grass depressing to look at too. Some even have brown garbage cans to match.
When I moved here almost two years ago, I really wanted to leave where I came from (in and around NYC). We chose to move here because it has a lot of qualities that I like - good restaurants, interesting grocery stores including Asian/European/Russian/Indian, easy access to nature, an active music and arts scene, diverse population of people moving here from other areas, etc. I like that Durham has a lot of city stuff going for it without really feeling like a city, at least compared to what I'm used to.
If my main reason for moving here was cheaper cost of living while in my dreams I still lived in New York, I don't think I'd like it much here either.
Last edited by robin3904; 03-29-2018 at 07:00 PM..
Given your desire for a more temperate and less hot/humid climate, I'd say leave the southeast US altogether. Go back west, to the coast or at least within striking distance of a couple hours to get to the coast. You love the PNW weather. Go and be happy. There's no point living in a place you don't like, with weather you despise 6 months of the year just for the sake of being able to afford a house. That's no life either.
This^ (after reading more of the OP's posts/responses, the more I think the weather here is a real deal breaker) +https://www.redfin.com/WA/Kirkland/6...m_content=link (1700 sqft suburban Seattle house listed for 1.5 mil sells in 1 week for 1.9 mil cash) + OP self described outdoor nature loving "eccentric" = Oregon
I think of Oregon as being more representative of the "real PNW" anyway. For raw scenic natural beauty it crushes WA state -Seattle area in particular. Columbia Gorge, the dramatic OR coast with the mountains plunging into the sea, Hell's Kitchen (like another planet), and.... way more ancient massive trees everywhere -WA has been so clear-cut-over-logged-over-developed. Oregon reminds me of Pandora (if you've seen Avatar). Also, and this is huge (IMHO), the Seattle area is becoming a victim of its own success. It is not what it used to be. It is losing its beloved character and soul related to the grunge and/or "crunchy" (free spirited-environmentally-conscious-outdoor-enthusiast) counter culture. Increasingly, it is taking on more of that toxic tech bro culture ruled by genius programmers and Wall Street Tycoons. Music and Granola has been replaced by coding and money. It's like San Fran x Wall Street = yuck.
Last edited by ncrunner77; 03-30-2018 at 07:02 AM..
Reason: hyperlink fix
NC has lots to explore, no doubt about that, but you can't change the weather. You can try to find where it might be a bit cooler (in the mountains or get near the coast for some wind), but ultimately if weather is your #1 factor then it's an accept/reject decision.
The summers here in the Triangle are beastly hot due to the high humidity, not only the temps (although yes those get high too). People who are active tend to arrange their time out and being active to the early mornings when the temps are at their coolest and then either go inside to A/C or get near some water to swim/cool off. Humidity is highest in the early mornings though, and it reduces as the sun gets higher in the sky, so there is a tradeoff.
People also take trips to the beach, to the mountains. Maybe OP would like spending weekends up in the mountains during the summer months.
But bottomline is this: if PNW is where OP wants to be and where OP's heart is leading her/hubby, then nothing else is going to suffice.
Life is to be lived, go where you want to be and make it work for you.
Life is to be lived, go where you want to be and make it work for you.
I agree with lottamoxie, but ShadesofKray, let us know if you want to try to stick it out a little longer and find more things to do here that you might like. We’re happy to help you explore our area but can’t change the weather.
Last edited by poppydog; 03-30-2018 at 10:13 AM..
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