Possible move to Roanoke area from Ca. (Lynchburg, Blacksburg: real estate, crime)

[Lagreen63]

Hi everyone,

I am interested in knowing more about life in Roanoke or SML area. We currently live in Palm Desert, Ca. and love it here, but feel we won't be able to afford to retire here. My brother (who lives in Mi.) mentioned they are thinking of retiring in Va. so I thought I'd look into it. My main concerns are these:

The weather?.

Humidity?. I realize it will be much different then the deserts of Ca. but how does it compare to Mi.? (I lived in Mi. for almost 10 years before moving to Ca.)

Bugs?. If there is high humidity....that would mean mosquitos, correct?

Are there any areas better than others in regards to the weather?.

I see that it is very beautiful there, but fear I won't be able to enjoy the summers if the humidity is very bad.

Thanks in advance!.

[JohnDBaumgardner]

Roanoke is a beautiful mid sized city in the southwestern portion of Virginia - it's surrounded by the Shenandoah Mountains (Blue Ridge) on one side and the Allegheny Mountains on the other side. For a city it's size, it does afford some very nice cultural amenities, shopping and pleasant residential areas. The scenic Blue Ridge Parkway traverses the area, too.

As far as humid and hot weather, it does get steamy in this area; though, it is tempered somewhat by the altitude and
mountain breezes. Most every home and public place is comfortably air conditioned, so you should find it quite tolerable.
You'll find a pleasant, mid size city with friendly and down to earth inhabitants - you'll certainly attain much more "bang for your bucks", too!

Hope this helps, good luck!

[roanoker 4]

Roanoke has been a big secret for a very long time. I believe this area is becoming ripe as a retirement/tourist area similar to Asheville, NC. If one is coming from California the real estate bargains here are awesome right now. Since the recession, I haven't seen very much home building in the area but I understand the housing
sector is improving and the prices are sure to increase. We have 4 distinct seasons, the summers tend to be humid, as everywhere in the East but our elevation helps somewhat, air conditioning is still a must! Luckily the sultry humidity is not as bad here as in the eastern part of the state. If one drives from the Roanoke Valley to a higher elevation such as the New River Valley(45 mins away), they will notice about a 10 degree cooler drop in temperature fyi. The humidity is still there but at least it is an improvement on those really hot summer days. Last summer we had over a week of 100 plus temperatures, we even lost power for the first time during the summer. I believe climate change is really becoming a factor. The mountains tend to shield us from tornadoes and hurricanes, although rain from hurricanes can cause flooding in the valleys. BTW, it is hard to find people in this state who have a negative view of Roanoke.

[Lagreen63]

Thank you for your input. I realize there are huge lifestyle differences between the west and east coast, and wish we could afford to stay here, but it doesn't seem feasible. I hope to visit the area often before we decide what we should do.

[zugor]

I retired 8 years ago and moved from the SF Bay Area to Floyd Co., about an hour southwest of Roanoke. While winters are certainly colder and snowier and summers a bit hotter I've found that the pluses far outweigh the minuses. It's not just about the weather, you have to look at the whole picture.

I haven't spent much time in Roanoke but it seems like a very good small city to live in. I do know a couple who retired to SML and love it there.

You might want to expand your area a bit and consider places like Blacksburg, Radford, etc. Those are a bit higher in elevation and so somewhat cooler and less humid. I haven't found mosquitos to be much of a concern, it's the yellow jackets and wasps that tend to get me every summer. I have dogs and ticks are an issue since they carry Lyme's disease and I've had 2 of mine come down with it.

Here's a link to Keven Myatt's weather blog for the Roanoke Times:

http://blogs.roanoke.com/weatherjournal/

Where ever you ultimately land I hope it turns out to be a great place for you.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by Lagreen63

Hi everyone,

I am interested in knowing more about life in Roanoke or SML area. We currently live in Palm Desert, Ca. and love it here, but feel we won't be able to afford to retire here. My brother (who lives in Mi.) mentioned they are thinking of retiring in Va. so I thought I'd look into it. My main concerns are these:

The weather?.

Humidity?. I realize it will be much different then the deserts of Ca. but how does it compare to Mi.? (I lived in Mi. for almost 10 years before moving to Ca.)

Bugs?. If there is high humidity....that would mean mosquitos, correct?

Are there any areas better than others in regards to the weather?.

I see that it is very beautiful there, but fear I won't be able to enjoy the summers if the humidity is very bad.

Thanks in advance!.

We get the four seasons. Weather is not in the extremes, like other places in the US. Summer is pleasant.

It isn't as humid as South Carolina and Georgia.

Bugs: gnats, stink bugs and lady bugs. Mosquitoes are also around.

Animals: Deer, raccoons, skunk, and opossum.

Real estate costs are much less than California.

There are a lot of independent restaurants and shops. We are only 2.5 hours from the outlet malls in North Carolina.

Crime is pretty low for the most part.

Smith Mountain Lake is nice but more commercial than Claytor Lake, which I find to have a better bang for the buck.

[Lagreen63]

You've all been very helpful...thank you so much. Zugor....moving from Ca. can you tell me why you chose to retire in Va. and what are the things you like about the area you are in?.

[Lagreen63]

Are there certain areas of the city that are more desirable then others?. Which outskirt towns should I look into?.

[JohnDBaumgardner]

Salem is a nice area near Roanoke. The Grandin neighborhood ( Grandin Road ) is also very pleasant.

[titaniummd]

Originally Posted by Lagreen63

Are there certain areas of the city that are more desirable then others?. Which outskirt towns should I look into?.

Roanoke City: SW City, Grandin, and South Roanoke are popular.
SW Roanoke County
Salem

Further out:

Fincastle
Catawba
Bedford
Lynchburg