Moving to Roanoke, VA (Chesapeake, Salem: relocate, budget, rental)

[Stevedawg]

I'll just give a few quick thoughts about Roanoke. Grandin is the best area to live if you like more urban, cheap, and community based neighborhood. You can basically walk to theatres and restaurants and get downtown with ease. For housing I'm preferable to South and Raleigh court area, once again pretty inexpensive and fairly nice neighborhoods with character. Of course there are much classier expensive neighboorhoods but to me lack any kind of character, just bland old suburbs. Its a southern city, people tend to be friendly and outgoing I would suggest if you're like VTGrad06 and dislike country or bluegrass than the area might not appeal to you. There are alot of rednecks mostly pretty nice people if you get to know them. I'm a 24 year old recent grad and will be leaving Roanoke next month because to me it just doesn't have alot to offer. For a young person I would say its not the best place to live but for middle aged or people looking to retire than its good. I don't think there's alot of high paying jobs here outside of medical, law, or engineering fields. I'm a graphic designer who makes 7.50 an hour.

[Steven2149]

I have to agree with you Stevedawg. If I were single, looking to party, club, shop at high end stores (whether or not I could afford it), yadda yadda yadda.... Roanoke would not be the place. On the other hand.... If I were looking for a quiet, scenic, good mix of rural / urban area, good schools, a few theatres, a few minor league teams, a relatively decent amount of concerts and events, good enough food, good enough shopping, very clean, very little traffic, good family atmosphere, low crime (there are a few rough neighborhoods though.), strong sense of community, easy drive to the really big cities, yadda yadda yadda..... Then Roanoke is almost perfect. I have lived in both and if it were not for the job market where I am now, I would still be in Va.

[MikeDC&NY]

I'm interviewing for a job in Roanoke, and am worried about moving there. Spent 25 yrs in DC and currently back where I grew up in Capital District of upstate NY. Roanoke sounds geographically similar to Upstate NY, which is handsdown spectacular (geographically) to DC.
Tried finding work in Albany, but no jobs for me.
Anyhow, sounds like lots of diverse backgrounds in Roanoke. I'll be in tthe Arts environment and am gay/middle-aged/single. Am I going to get chased out of town? Very low-key and 'straight' acting/appearing. Where is the best place for me to live? Sounds like Grandin/South?

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by MikeDC&NY

I'm interviewing for a job in Roanoke, and am worried about moving there. Spent 25 yrs in DC and currently back where I grew up in Capital District of upstate NY. Roanoke sounds geographically similar to Upstate NY, which is handsdown spectacular (geographically) to DC.

Mike, I'm from Vermont and my wife and I moved our family down to just south of Roanoke (Boones Mill) in 2005. We love it here. The city of Roanoke is fairly liberal so I doubt you'd get chased out of town But not unlike Albany, you don't have to travel too far into the countryside to get a more conservative slant on the world. Roanoke, for a small city, fervently supports the Arts, so I think you'd enjoy the city. Roanoke is more topographically similar to the Green Mountains of Vermont, and less similar to the Adirondacks. It's a beautiful place to live and the winters are much shorter!

Sean

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by DivaLicious

We are also looking at Troutville. We are trying to stay within 15 miles of Roanoke. A place still in the mountains yet affordable.

Take a look at Boones Mill, just south of Roanoke. We're on the slightly warmer (east) side of the Blue Ridge. Boones Mill and southern Roanoke County is lucky to have Cahas Mountain, among others. Check out my webcam link on my blog (http://www.pecorfamily.com) (broken link). I'm a 20 minute drive from downtown Roanoke, and our farm is 5 miles west of the town of Boones Mill. It takes us 25 minutes to get to our daughters' private school, North Cross, which is on the western side of Roanoke County. A home in the mountains is still relatively affordable in Boones Mill, but you'd be better off buying sooner rather than later. Property is appreciating at 15% and higher annually. Franklin County is the fastest growing county in the Roanoke MSA.

Sean

[seanpecor]

Originally Posted by GradVT06

It's now been 2 months since I've moved from Roanoke. Don't miss it for a second. If I could sum it up in a few works, 'redneck hell-hole' best describes it.

Translation: Having dug myself into a hole with my English Major, during my 7 year stint at Virginia Tech, I now have precious few marketable skills. The only jobs I was qualified for were customer service gigs, so I gave up and moved back in with my parents, where I posted this message from the comfort of their basement.

Sorry, couldn't resist. I'm sure my generalization is just as innacurate as GradVT06's, but at least mine is funnier.

Sean

[MikeDC&NY]

Thanks Sean. Almost landed a job in Burlington last month with 'Gardeners Supply'. Really would have loved to stay back here in Adirondacks but just not much in the way of jobs.
I think I'll like Roanoke. Have exhausted info online and am anxious to look around next week.
Thanks again for info!

[eby918d]

I think that after reading your posts, you'll find that there are plenty of people in Roanoke in your age and income brackets. You mentioned that you go to the gym 3 days a week. There are numerous gyms in this area--they're really nice!--and you'll see all kinds of young-middle-older folks there that are friendly. Also, in Roanoke, along with most other American cities, you can meet people in a community church. I don't know if you go or not, but it might be worth looking into, especially first coming in. There are quite a few nice night spots too, although being a mother to a toddler, we don't really get out to them when we're visiting. (We actually live in Germany, but I'm from Roanoke--husband's from Chesapeake). We visit here all the time. It just depends what kind of mood you're in and how much you want to spend. But Roanoke has a great culture in art, music, theater, nightlife, history, and yes, even good old southern redneckness from time to time. Most rednecks I know are the kind of people you want to know. They know how to do real stuff! That's always nice when you're moving into a new/old place.

Anyhow, good luck. I love Roanoke, and after 13 years in the Army, we're making our way back here.

By the way, my husband's old neighborhood was on Greenbriar Parkway in Chesapeake. Are you from that area as well? He's 29--wonder if you know him? His name's Rob Bohr.

Take care!

Elizabeth

[eby918d]

I'd like to recommend Unity of Roanoke Valley church (non-denominational) to anyone who is gay and looking for a friendly and non-judgemental church community. My mom goes there and has many male gay friends who love the freedom to worship again. It's a nice baptist alternative in a harsh world.

[eby918d]

I think that after reading your posts, you'll find that there are plenty of people in Roanoke in your age and income brackets. You mentioned that you go to the gym 3 days a week. There are numerous gyms in this area--they're really nice!--and you'll see all kinds of young-middle-older folks there that are friendly. Also, in Roanoke, along with most other American cities, you can meet people in a community church. I don't know if you go or not, but it might be worth looking into, especially first coming in. There are quite a few nice night spots too, although being a mother to a toddler, we don't really get out to them when we're visiting. (We actually live in Germany, but I'm from Roanoke--husband's from Chesapeake). We visit here all the time. It just depends what kind of mood you're in and how much you want to spend. But Roanoke has a great culture in art, music, theater, nightlife, history, and yes, even good old southern redneckness from time to time. Most rednecks I know are the kind of people you want to know. They know how to do real stuff! That's always nice when you're moving into a new/old place.

Anyhow, good luck. I love Roanoke, and after 13 years in the Army, we're making our way back here.

By the way, my husband's old neighborhood was on Greenbriar Parkway in Chesapeake. Are you from that area as well? He's 29--wonder if you know him? His name's Rob Bohr.

Take care!

Elizabeth