30 somethings relocating to NC from Seattle - NEED INSIGHTS....

[rnc2mbfl]

What main strip in Raleigh were you on that seemed dead on a Friday night? Perhaps you were on the wrong strip??? If you were on Fayetteville St., that area is just being revitalized. The real social action is a few blocks to the West and North. That said, the south end of Fayetteville St. is home to the performing arts center and all that it affords. Plus, the city will soon construct an amphitheatre nearby for outdoor concerts. The CBD is still a few years away but is making giant strides toward a better future.
The reality about the sort of things that you like to do is that you will most likely have to travel among the Triangle cities to truly satiate your wants. But, that's not a difficult thing to do (non-rush hours) regardless of where you live in the Triangle. And, depending on how much money you want to spend and what sort of living situation you desire, I can give you some advise. However, I'd need more info. to help you narrow your search for a home base.
As for comparison to Charlotte, I would say that the Triangle is more liberal, more educated and more affected by university culture than the greater Charlotte metro. I'd also say that the industries in the Triangle tend to be more casual and less provincial. The economy of the Triangle more closely mirrors those in San Jose, Austin, Seattle and Northern Virginia while Charlotte's business culture might seem a bit more traditional.
From the content of your post, I'd place a good bet that you'd be a good fit for the Cameron Park area in Raleigh. It's sophisticated, charming, convenient, progressive and professional. It's very close to downtown, NC State Univ., Cameron Village and Glenwood South. But, it's also quite expensive with medium to large craftsman homes running $300+/SF.

[PDXmom]

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

But, it's also quite expensive with medium to large craftsman homes running $300+/SF.

Keep in mind that is above grade square footage. I know in the last 5 years or so price per square foot in many PNW cities include the basements. Here they don't do that as much.

You have to keep in mind Seattle is so much large and thus more metropolitian than the Triangle. You will find the things that you are looking for, but they are spread out. We moved to SW Durham from Portland about 15 months ago.

This area is not nearly as ped or bike friendly as Portland or Seattle. There isn't much in the way of mass transportation here (in comparison to PNW cities). The car is king. BUT there are pockets of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill that are nice walking neighborhoods. We currently do not live in one of those.... giving this up has been one of my most difficult adjustments.

I miss the spectacular beauty of the PNW. The skylines here are lacking. BUT here I get to see the moon and stars 12 months out of the year!!! In Portland I would go months in the winter with barely a glimpse at the moon. Also, while NC beaches do not have that rugged beauty, the water is so delightful. My kids (elementary age) love going to the beach without sweatshirts and being able to spend a lot of time in the water.

The closer you stick to the Universities in the area the more likily you will find what you are looking for.

I can't really comment on Charlotte as I don't have direct experience there. We did not consider Charlotte because it was too far from the coast for us.

For me it was/is important to keep in mind the trade offs.... there are so many things about the PNW that my heart still longs for. BUT every day I find something new that I love about NC. And the things that this area are lacking are made up for in other ways for me.... like my children being closer to grandparents & aunts & uncles, the warm ocean, my much smaller mortgage payment, my kids being able to play outside in the winter without raincoats & rainboots. All those little things add up into big bonuses.

Edit: you mentioned age & that you guys are thinking of starting a family. This is a generalization... and generalizations do not always hold true 100% of the time, but I have found most (not all) but most people here start to have children earlier than my friends in Portland. Hubby and I started our family when we were about mid 30s, which was pretty common in our circle in Portland. Of my kid's friends here in NC, it seems we started about 5 -10 years behind most (not all) but most folks. Also, I've met a whole lot more people with 3+ children here. I think the cost of living and size of homes factors into some of this. While these are generalizations.... I have also met a few parents here with one child (knew way more in Portland) and a few folks who started families in there late 30s.

[carroboroliving]

I would also recommend Chapel Hill / Carrboro. Many Seattle and West Coast transplants here. They find the liberal mentality, pace of life, entertainment, and overall mindset to be similar to Seattle. I personally know 3 Seattle families who have moved here, and love it. Good luck with your search.

[portlandshaws]

Hi VitalisticDoc---
I am in Portland and my family and I are also considering a move to NC (with the Triangle and Charlotte being the main 2 contenders). You may want to check out the comments to my post here:
Triangle area vs. Charlotte: which is better?
Good luck!

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by PDXmom

Keep in mind that is above grade square footage. I know in the last 5 years or so price per square foot in many PNW cities include the basements. Here they don't do that as much.

You have to keep in mind Seattle is so much large and thus more metropolitian than the Triangle. You will find the things that you are looking for, but they are spread out. We moved to SW Durham from Portland about 15 months ago.

This area is not nearly as ped or bike friendly as Portland or Seattle. There isn't much in the way of mass transportation here (in comparison to PNW cities). The car is king. BUT there are pockets of Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill that are nice walking neighborhoods. We currently do not live in one of those.... giving this up has been one of my most difficult adjustments.

I miss the spectacular beauty of the PNW. The skylines here are lacking. BUT here I get to see the moon and stars 12 months out of the year!!! In Portland I would go months in the winter with barely a glimpse at the moon. Also, while NC beaches do not have that rugged beauty, the water is so delightful. My kids (elementary age) love going to the beach without sweatshirts and being able to spend a lot of time in the water.

The closer you stick to the Universities in the area the more likily you will find what you are looking for.

I can't really comment on Charlotte as I don't have direct experience there. We did not consider Charlotte because it was too far from the coast for us.

For me it was/is important to keep in mind the trade offs.... there are so many things about the PNW that my heart still longs for. BUT every day I find something new that I love about NC. And the things that this area are lacking are made up for in other ways for me.... like my children being closer to grandparents & aunts & uncles, the warm ocean, my much smaller mortgage payment, my kids being able to play outside in the winter without raincoats & rainboots. All those little things add up into big bonuses.

Edit: you mentioned age & that you guys are thinking of starting a family. This is a generalization... and generalizations do not always hold true 100% of the time, but I have found most (not all) but most people here start to have children earlier than my friends in Portland. Hubby and I started our family when we were about mid 30s, which was pretty common in our circle in Portland. Of my kid's friends here in NC, it seems we started about 5 -10 years behind most (not all) but most folks. Also, I've met a whole lot more people with 3+ children here. I think the cost of living and size of homes factors into some of this. While these are generalizations.... I have also met a few parents here with one child (knew way more in Portland) and a few folks who started families in there late 30s.

Good Post PDXmom! But, I'll add that there are some walkable areas if you are willing to look. They are treasured areas but, in my opinion, if you can afford them, they are totally worth it. That's why I mentioned Cameron Park in Raleigh. I know it sounds like a broken record from my past posts but that's the only place in the Triangle that I'd actually consider buying a single family home (full disclosure: I own a condo but not in Cameron Park). From Cameron Park, one can walk to:

1. Cameron Village for shopping
2. A huge new public Library
3. NC State University
4. a newly replaced and totally tricked out YMCA
5. Broughton High School
6. A magnet progam elementary school
7. Glenwood South for Dining and Entertainment
8. Pullen Park and the Aquatics Center
9. Theatre in The Park performances
10. Charlie Goodnight's Comedy Club

Central Downtown is a nice flat walk down Hillsborough St. if you don't mind 15 min by foot. Oh, I forgot St. Mary's College for Women is also adjacent.

[ncnewby]

Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl

I know it sounds like a broken record from my past posts but that's the only place in the Triangle that I'd actually consider buying a single family home (full disclosure: I own a condo but not in Cameron Park).

Thanks for the Cameron Park tip. I drove by yesterday - what a find! Feels a lot like Ballard or Green Lake.

[rnc2mbfl]

Originally Posted by ncnewby

Thanks for the Cameron Park tip. I drove by yesterday - what a find! Feels a lot like Ballard or Green Lake.

Did you wind your way through the neighborhood between Clark Ave and Hillsborough St or did you just do a drive by near the Shopping blocks?
I am glad you liked it! When I am in Raleigh and the weather is nice, I walk from my Glenwood South Condo through Cameron Village on my way to Fresh Market, Harris Teeter or Cafe Carolina for lunch. The walk takes me a little more than 10 minutes but it's totally worth it.

[Tammy Russ]

Personally, I like Raleigh better than Charlotte, but I have never lived in Charlotte. I used to travel there for business in past years and have found that I feel "safer" in this area. I am a realtor in the Raleigh area and could probably provide you with some statistics, if you would care to write to me separately, but I don't want to use this post for that now. I think there are a lot of 30 and 40 somethings here in the Apex, Cary, Raleigh area. I don't know where you went that it was dead on a Friday night - you need to know the right places to go for the nightlife! I think it's very easy to meet people here as most as very friendly and easy to approach. There are many places to make new friends - churches, gyms, clubs, neighborhoods, etc. I don't think you'd have any problems finding people with interests similar to yours. The crime rate in Raleigh is lower than in Charlotte and we are centrally located 4 hours from the mountains and 2 hours from the beach. You can get almost anywhere from here via the airport, which has recently been expanded. If you have any specific questions that I could answer for you, please feel free to ask. It's a great area and one we have enjoyed living in for the past 20 years.

[findingmesomeday]

I don't live in NC but we've considered it seriously for the past 2-3 years. We've lived in both Seattle and Portland: my husband is a PNW native. We live in New England now. We'd like to move--taking into account the ages of our kids, we just don't know when that's going to happen. I prefer the Triangle area over Charlotte but if you asked me, blue sky--where would I go? I'd say Seattle first, then Portland, then the Triangle area and within the Triangle area, it would be Chapel Hill.

[Fairly Solid]

If you decided on Raleigh/Durham area, let us know how it went. My husband and I are probably similar, including profession, and are relocating from Charlotte to RDU. Also hoping for nearby yoga!