moving to floyd (Roanoke, Blacksburg, Christiansburg: real estate, crime, new home)

[rootseye]

My wife and I are moving to Floyd county. On Goose creek. Can anyone give me information on the area? Any info would help..... Jobs, the people, is there much snow in the winter?

[KewGee]

You're so lucky. I visited the area in June and fell in love with it. I particularly liked the Check area.

I really can't give you much information about the place, but just wanted to wish you well and tell you how fortunate you are to be moving to a beautiful area of the country.

[Sunset_Va]

There are not many jobs in that area, most of the people commute either to Christiansburg, or Roanoke to work, if you are not self employed. I am about 2 hours away, but have been in Floyd several times.

As far as snow, its comparable to any semi-mountainous region, which means its not like Michigan or Vermont. Summers there are much cooler than where I live, seems like the humidity is much lower. The snowfall varies , but I guess maybe 1' of snow maybe more, but more sleet and freeing rains than snow.

As far as the people, you wont be bored, the community has many independent artists and free spirited people, many arts and talented musicians live in the area. Crime is low, but do remember its a small town, not many amenities in the form of big chain stores. But that is available in Roanoke, about a 45 minute drive.

But all in all, its a very pretty area, where people arent in a rush, and are friendly. VA Tech is not far away.

Good luck and you have made a good choice, with the exception if you are looking for work there in the town or county.


[url=http://www.floydvirginia.com/[/URL]

[seanpecor]

Haha, Goose Creek. Not too far from Fred First of Fragments From Floyd fame I imagine! Check is a nice rural area. It benefits from being on the north side of Floyd County and as such is not as far a commute into the Blacksburg or Roanoke area. Just a little over 20 minutes into Christiansburg. A little over 30 minutes to downtown Blacksburg. About 40-45 minutes into Roanoke.

You'll see more than 12" of snow in Floyd on average. Even in Roanoke, the "average" is 22" a year. Floyd is a whole USDA zone colder than Roanoke. Check is probably 15 miles from me in NW Franklin County as the crow flies, but it's on the West side of the Blue Ridge and up at about 2,000' where I am at about 1,300'. Spring starts over here about 3 weeks sooner. On the down side, when it's 35F here in January and raining, it's usually 29F in Check and freezing rain is coming down. On the plus side, when it's 94F here on an August day, it's only 88F over in Floyd and is a little less humid

Someone told me once that Floyd has Cape Cod weather, but since I've never been to Cape Cod, I'm not sure

If you work from home or don't mind a 20-45 minute commute and love small vibrant rural towns then Floyd is hard to beat. Floyd the town is about as close to a small New England town that I've seen in all of Virginia.

Sean

[csread]

Floyd is wonderful and I'm telling everyone I know that if they want to invest in property, Floyd would be the place to do it. I was born in Galax, VA, lived 8 years in Christiansburg, graduated from high school in the Roanoke area and have lived in Northern Virginia for the last 25 years. I ran into an old high school classmate of mine a couple of years ago who lives in Floyd and I think it's the modern equivalent of Walden Pond - sort of.

Seriously, I understand there are many artisans there. Asheville, North Carolina, started out much the same way until real estate prices went sky high there. It's a beautiful area of the world - God's country. When you are sitting at the town's only stop light at "rush hour," you can imagine what misery the rest of us are enduring on the Beltway in DC, or LA or NYC.

Good for you! Bloom where you're planted!

[rootseye]

thanks for the comments. My wife and I have never even been to downtown Floyd. We went to Blacksburg in search for a new home. Ended up looking at at property on Goose Creek and we are buying this lovely spot we found. we have only spent a weekend in the area. We lived in rural Colorado a long time, then moved to Florida. Florida is not our thing. Colo. has gotten very expensive. My wife and I are both 50. Will we be able to make friends with folks out there ? Friendship is important to us and we know not one person(except our realtor) from Virginia.

[Sunset_Va]

Go to the country store in Floyd on the weekend, even if you dont like that type of music and you will meet some nice folks.

But then again, in your daily dealings and goings in Floyd, you will meet nice folks too.

[rootseye]

thank you for the positive feedback......would love to hear from someone that lives in Floyd county.

[seanpecor]

I live just east of Floyd County, in Franklin County. I've spent some time in Floyd and have several friends there. A few of which are bloggers:

Fragments From Floyd
Blue Ridge Muse | After 40 years on the road, a writer/photographer returns home
Making Ripples: post-corporate adventures in Floyd County Virginia

Those three guys will often be found around lunchtime at Cafe Del Sol in downtown Floyd. Fred (first link) is in his late 50s. Same with Doug from BlueRidgeMuse. David from Ripples is 70 but you really wouldn't know it, the dude never stops moving. A few lunch visits to Cafe Del Sol or Oddfellas Cantina and you'll be making friends left and right. It's that kind of town.

Another nice place to stop in town is the Jacksonville Arts Center - The Jacksonville Center for the Arts in Floyd, Virginia They offer lots of classes and have many artists' shops where you can meet locals and buy some great stuff for your future home. This is a photo of me during a blacksmithing class (taken by David from Ripples):



Sean

[ginamae]

Our family is also considering a move to Floyd! My husband is currently active duty Army. After spending the last year and a half in Iraq, we are looking forward to his retirement and being a family again. The Lord is in control, if it is His plan for us to move there He needs to bring me a buyer for our home in KY. We've already located a lovely home in Floyd, found suitable jobs nearby and know that there is nowhere anymore beautiful or down to earth to enjoy retirement and High School years with our children.