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Old 05-14-2008, 09:35 PM
 
219 posts, read 811,219 times
Reputation: 60

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Hello everyone.

I am looking to make a move very soon out of Texas and am considering the beautiful state of VA. I have two children ages 13 and 18 and a Hispanic wife so I need an area that won't prejudice towards a mixed couple. (I am white). We don't care about the job market as we run an online business. Here is what I am looking for in an area.

1. Low crime
2. good public schools and/or private schools (don't have to be great...just safe, where we live now the junior high and high school have a large drug usage and my youngest sons bus driver went on a shooting spree at the junior high)
3. a decent amount of fun activities for the family
4. pretty scenery (we enjoy rolling hills and/or mountains with lots of green), 5. clean air, water and soil as I like to have a large garden (I have checked out certain areas that met my criteria but found out they dumped chemicals and/or raw sewage in their lakes and ponds!)
6. decent housing rentals/costs...we will rent for the first year and would like to keep rent at 2k or under per month
7. cold is ok but not to cold...don't like anything really below 20 degrees unless its at night...then I could care less since I will be asleep ...snow is ok as long as it does not stay for to long
8. I would like a place that is mostly sunny and warm during spring, summer and fall...I understand I can't really ask for that during the winter
9. friendly people
10. no tornadoes
11. no alligators or anything else that is dangerous in the rivers, ponds, lakes...where I lived now we can't enjoy water sports due to the alligators
12. good health care
13. don't really want to live in any city above 50,000 and would prefer a town between the populations of 10,000 - 30,000.
14. rain is good but to much rains drives me crazy...so...not to much rain

Wow. I don't ask for much do I?

Any help would be appreciated. Please feel free to respond any pics would be appreciated. If you have tons of pics then pm me and I will give you my email address and you can email them to me. If you could recommend any specific towns that would be great also.

Thank you for your time.

Last edited by johnbain; 05-14-2008 at 09:50 PM..
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Old 05-14-2008, 09:39 PM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,660,716 times
Reputation: 468
you are looking for somewhere in the Roanoke valley. Every one of your "wants" is a match.
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Old 05-15-2008, 06:44 AM
 
Location: Cleaveland, SC
183 posts, read 753,205 times
Reputation: 46
Take a look at Blacksburg, home of Va Tech.
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Old 05-15-2008, 08:42 AM
 
Location: Va Beach
3,507 posts, read 13,455,750 times
Reputation: 1034
j1n is right. That is a good area. Clifton Forge is just northwest more on the mountain range. Good fishing, wildlife, low crime, a great place to raise teens.
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Old 05-17-2008, 05:41 PM
 
219 posts, read 811,219 times
Reputation: 60
Anymore suggestions, pics, etc.?
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Old 05-18-2008, 05:20 AM
 
Location: Apex, NC
1,341 posts, read 6,190,433 times
Reputation: 618
For some wonderful aerial photos of the Roanoke area check out this photo stream:

Flickr: konrad_photography's stuff tagged with roanoke (http://www.flickr.com/photos/10966049@N04/tags/roanoke/ - broken link)

My favorite photo so far of the Roanoke Valley taken at the Mill Mountain star overlook:


(photo courtesy of Flickr: taberandrew's Photostream (http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrewbain/ - broken link))

Sean
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Old 05-19-2008, 02:09 AM
 
9 posts, read 40,681 times
Reputation: 14
Maybe Covington,Va???
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Old 05-19-2008, 02:50 PM
 
96 posts, read 385,857 times
Reputation: 33
Yep, Roanoke is always a solid choice - the New River Valley is a great place too(Blacksburg, Christiansburg & Radford). Personally I'd go with the NRV...

Other areas you might want to consider: Staunton, Lexington, Farmville (Yes, Farmville)
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Old 05-19-2008, 10:15 PM
 
219 posts, read 811,219 times
Reputation: 60
Roanoke looks sort of flat. I would like to be no more then 3 miles outside of town with a house overlooking some nice rolling hills and/or small mountains. Sitting on the back porch...look at the sunset over those mountains and/or hills...shining through the tons of trees...drinking a beer...or two...ok, ok...maybe a six pack...only if its a weekend though....anyone want to sit with me?? lol
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Old 05-20-2008, 10:38 AM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,660,716 times
Reputation: 468
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnbain View Post
Roanoke looks sort of flat. I would like to be no more then 3 miles outside of town with a house overlooking some nice rolling hills and/or small mountains. Sitting on the back porch...look at the sunset over those mountains and/or hills...shining through the tons of trees...drinking a beer...or two...ok, ok...maybe a six pack...only if its a weekend though....anyone want to sit with me?? lol
Roanoke is in a valley...a bowl surrounded by mountains. You can sit almost anywhere in the city limits and have a mountain view. Actually, as you start getting those first couple/few miles outside of town, you are in the mountains you were previously viewing. You end up with a much closer, but less dramatic view of the ridgelines. It's the whole "can't see the forest for the trees" situation. The ridgelines in Salem are pretty great as well...pretty dramatic.
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