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NE Girl: You must have read all my other posts about the humidity in NC ? NO? Anyway, I know its unbearable. I know you spend alot of time in AC. I spend 4-6 months in AC here. The desert is brutal in the summer. There is no relief except to drive 2.5 hours north to the mountains/pines. The drive there is not scenic, in my opinion. Anyway, I want to be in the Triangle, either Raleigh or Durham and am getting ready to put this house on the market once again.
Just my 2 cents - but I think central NC is worse in the summer than the Atlantic Coast of Florida (not that our summers here are any bargain). Winters are worse too (if there's anything worse than August in central NC - it's the ice storms they get in the winter).
FWIW - my in-laws retired to Southern Pines NC (about an hour south of Raleigh/Durham). Spent about 20 years there. We visited perhaps 2-3 times a year in different seasons. We would sometimes spend an additional night or two in Raleigh/Durham. And - although it seemed to be a pretty good place for students/younger people in the workforce - it didn't seem like an attractive retirement area to me. Note that I haven't been there for about 10 years - so my observations may well be out of date.
In any event - I assume you'll be renting at first. Giving the place a "test drive".
I also assume your mother will be moving with you. Check into the senior facilities. They were awful in Southern Pines (they still had places called "Rest Homes"). That's why we moved my late FIL here after he had a stroke.
Although it's not relevant to your situation - I dislike Naples FL - and just about all of SW Florida. Too many old people. Too many snowbirds. And the Atlantic Coast is a bit cooler than the Gulf Coast. I remember Naples when it was basically a nothing little southern town - and I liked it better then (although I wouldn't have wanted to live there back then either). Robyn
Have you been to Raleigh lately? I lived there 1997-2000 and was pretty happy to leave. Lake?? but lots and lots and lots of subdivisions. However, if you have enough money, there are some places that could be really nice. But I still would not move back.
I think many parts of many areas in the US these days consist of transplants. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Means you don't have to find a way to enter a work/social environment that isn't friendly to outsiders. I remember my first years in Florida as a young lawyer in the early 70's - when it was really a very southern kind of red-neck state. Even in Miami (where I moved - from the NE). Wasn't easy.
OTOH - there are parts of the south - even in supposedly sophisticated urban areas - that are still really southern. Where people from the north will find things that are unfamiliar. On the third hand - I find areas like San Francisco and the Upper West side of Manhattan are kind of like the moon to me. Although my husband and I are not particularly social people - we fit in fine where we live. Robyn
As an Aussie i have visted NC couple of times, i loved it there the climate was beautiful the people very friendly, i loved those small towns, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Pittsboro, i could have quite easily stayed there forever.
There are tons of retirees in Raleigh/Durham and tons of groups, tours, history clubs, and Osher for seniors. There is a Silverconnections.org group for seniors with planned activities, a way to meet other people, and newcomers are very welcomed in NC. There are real neighborhoods there also, with real meetings, get togethers, activities, and I am looking forward to all of it.
And, to answer your question, my mom will not be going with me.
There are tons of retirees in Raleigh/Durham and tons of groups, tours, history clubs, and Osher for seniors. There is a Silverconnections.org group for seniors with planned activities, a way to meet other people, and newcomers are very welcomed in NC. There are real neighborhoods there also, with real meetings, get togethers, activities, and I am looking forward to all of it.
And, to answer your question, my mom will not be going with me.
Glad you are finding the Triangle to your liking. It is a wonderful place to retire to and many do. Since you are a transplant you will not mind a place loaded with transplants. The trick now is to find the right community and neighborhood. The weather is what it is and we are more than use to it. I have said before how we handle it and while it isn't what everyone could do it works for us.
We have lived in 7 different states, and hands down, Western NC is the best of them all (Black Mountain outside of Asheville). Tons of exciting culture, the friendliest,warmest, and most helpful people we have ever encountered, very tolerable humidity because of higher elevations (and yes, we lived in the southwest also), fabulous medical care, tons of outdoor sports, great art towns, lots of access to organic and farm-fresh foods, lakes and waterfalls like you can't believe---everything from resort-type lakes to very rustic and private mountain lakes, and tons of healthy, creative, intelligent, vibrant and active retirees that keep us on our toes!
Hated Florida, sorry.....
Asheville is a totally cool place! Happened to have a breakdown along I-40 several years ago and barely made it to Asheville with my disabled car. It was a holiday weekend, so we spent the entire time there and it was a great experience. We found a motel 1/4 mile from the only Chrysler dealer in town, we practically coasted into his lot, so no tow was necessary. The dealership people were excellent, the repair was done right, my daughter drove up from Charlotte for the weekend. Quite unexpectedly, we all had a great time in this beautiful and scenic place.
I had someone say to me that the Carolinas are the "new Florida". It's true that it's getting to be more popular, especially where I am in Northern Virginia where everywhere in North Carolina is a fairly easy 4-8 hours drive away. I know our company has gotten a significant amount of interest regarding the Carolinas over the past year.
Also, I don't recall if I've mentioned this before in one of these forums (I think I have), but a number of people are relocating from Florida to the Carolinas. There's even a term for them if they were originally from the Northeast, moved to Florida and then went to the Carolinas; they're calling them "half-backers" or "J-turners" because they have gone halfway back up the coast.
Many are making this choice to avoid the heat, hurricanes, cost of living, congestion, and/or insurance costs associated with Florida.
I've heard them called 50 percenters because they're half way between NY and Florida.
I love North Carolina AND Florida too. IMO comparing coastal SW Florida to Piedmont NC is comparing apples to oranges. Now comparing coastal SW FL to the OBX and the Crystal Coast region of NC, should provoke some interesting discussion.
Love both myself, my profile pic was taken at Ocracoke. I live-semi coastal NC (Greenville, NC) I lived a year and 8 months ago. To me the beach areas I visited in the OBX are aesthetically more interesting than where I am now, even though the beach here was, but, I wouldn't switch areas for many other reasons. Presently I live in SWFL the beaches are fanatastic and love many things about this location; especially that I get to enjoy splashing about in the ocean more often due to lengthier warm seasons. For me this area of SWF is an all around better choice.
Are there lakes in the Raleigh-Durham area? I mean, real lakes? Didn't look like it on the maps I've seen...
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It's true that it's getting to be more popular, especially where I am in Northern Virginia where everywhere in North Carolina is a fairly easy 4-8 hours drive away. I know our company has gotten a significant amount of interest regarding the Carolinas over the past year.
