Considering a move to Raleigh (sale, real estate, house)

[tiffan28]

PLEASE, PLEASE HELP!!

Our family is considering a move to Raleigh, NC. Our criteria for making the decision is the following: support for special needs children, public schools, and employment prospects.

Given the above criteria, should we make the move?

[gotsomedata]

Originally Posted by tiffan28

...support for special needs children, public schools, and employment prospects...

Your first two criteria will be well met in the area; BUT be sure to read the many posts in this Forum on the Triangle's employment situation; do not assume that since the area has historically been cited as being a great place to live (for a variety of reasons; and which it is) that that means there are lots of "general white collar" jobs here; by my observation the people moving here who have jobs are either being transfered by their companies or have highly specific specialized skills that they are being brought in for...

[CHTransplant]

I agree - employment prospects here are dismal right now in most fields. Unless you have the ability to support yourself for many months without a job, I would recommend against moving without one already lined up.

[Francois]

Our criteria for making the decision is the following: support for special needs children, public schools, and employment prospects.

This area fails, currently, on "employment prospects". Read the many other threads in this forum on people who've been looking for months without any bites.

In this economy, it's wise to find a job first, in whatever city you can, and then hone in on the other things once you've gotten an offer.

[zthatzmanz28]

2 out of 3..isn't that 66 2/3 percent ??

[mishellina]

Transfer, or have a job set up. Moving anywhere right now without a job is not a good idea. Unless as CHTransplant said - have the ability to support yourself until you find something.

[DownEastB]

We've had so many layoffs here in the white collar sector that there are already a lot of experienced job seekers in the Triangle area. So competition is going to be fierce.

And be warned...average salaries here are disappointingly low unless you specialize in a high-demand field, and even then that's no guarantee of really good pay.

[wjsluvskaz]

Originally Posted by DownEastB

And be warned...average salaries here are disappointingly low unless you specialize in a high-demand field, and even then that's no guarantee of really good pay.

I completely agree.

Low salaries few available jobs, Higher than average cost of living... the Triangle is a beautiful area, however I regret moving here.

[North_Raleigh_Guy]

How does everyone know the employment prospects are weak if we don't even know what type of job the OP is looking for?

I know the job market as a whole isn't smoking, but I guess I would want to know what field the OP is in before I tell them the job market is bad.

[mishellina]

Originally Posted by North_Raleigh_Guy

How does everyone know the employment prospects are weak if we don't even know what type of job the OP is looking for?

I know the job market as a whole isn't smoking, but I guess I would want to know what field the OP is in before I tell them the job market is bad.

True, but I would say for most....the pickings are slim If it was me I would go only with a job already set or the best would be a transfer. We only moved here without a job because 1- we had a money left from the sale of our house before the real estate bubble burst and 2 - jobs were available. But as others have said the pay is OK. My husband and I work in IT support. Unless you are a web developer or network side of things the pay was less than we thought even though we looked at listings on monster etc.