Asheville, need help (Raleigh, Boone, Brevard: hardwood floors, for sale, apartment)

[kpfmaus]

I am kind of desperate to get some good insider info about Asheville, NC.
I am already moving in Nov. I heard a lot of good things about Asheville and love the Carolinas, but I am trying to find out what part of town is the best to live in and why, can anybody help?

[kpfmaus]

Thank you for your reply.
First for about 6 month I want to rent, than buy a house. I basicly want to know are there any bad areas in Asheville, what are the differences between North, East, West and South Asheville. I would probably want to buy a house a little outside of Asheville, or even a Condo, maybe 15 or 20 minute drive to Asheville.

[roxors]

South Asheville is nice, I live there. I would make sure you had a job before you moved here, as was said earlier, this isn't an easy place to get a job.

[Cassie]

Another great post, Liz Ann! Many move to N.C. ( not just Asheville) with a dream and have a rude awakening. I personally pay no attention to those who have lived here for a couple of months or less and rave about it, those who vacation here and rave about it, and I have my flame proof gear on.

What's really amusing to me is that some of N.C.'s greatest defenders don't even live in the state yet.

There is a HUGE difference in visiting a place, any place, and living there. Like you posted on another thread I know of many who want to move out but can't climb the ladder out once they've made the move here.

They don't dare post about it and I don't blame them. They've seen others criticized one too many times.

I very much appreciate your honesty, experience and advice. Much as I love it here, it is *not* the place for everyone, or even many who ask about it. My thanks to you, as well as to others who have the courage to share the good and the bad as well as to put themselves in the shoes of the person who is asking. Anyhoo, I'm off this forum until winter at least, dressage is calling me <g> which will no doubt be a reason to celebrate by those who want to hear or give nothing but rave reviews, but I did want to thank you for your reality check.

Best regards,

Cassie

Originally Posted by Liz Ann

Price range ? for buying a home or condo? Nothing decent under $250,000 in the areas you mentioned. Big developers building houses on tiny lots, you may get something in that venue. But if you want half way decent quality, it's precious. Rents are out of proportion actually to the price of homes. 2 BR 1 Bath in a safe decent area within 15 mile radius of Asheville: $1200 and UP. that's per month plus utilities. You need a job first here, that's the reality. Low pay scales. Can you live on $10 / hour, or are you in a professional or semi-professional occupation. Many come here with a dream and are rudely awakened. Just the facts.

[lovesMountains]

Maybe he doesn't need a job??? He didn't ask for info about employment at all, only about which side of town he should look at to live in.

[Miker2069]

Arden, Skyland, Fairview (i.e., South Asheville) are very nice, particularly if you are looking for new homes.

All the best.

Mike

[Griffis]

Could I step on here and ask about some of the smaller towns within an hour or so of Asheville?

Especially curious about Cullowhee and Brevard. Are there houses there and are they affordable? Is there the same influx of people/expansion/rising costs in those towns as there is in, say, Boone? There are a few places in both those communities where I may be able to squeak into a job if I get lucky.

I know Brevard and Cullowhee are smaller, but they sound very pretty and I like the idea of Asheville being reachable without living right in or on the outskirts of a place that size. Hoping living might be a little cheaper there too.

Thanks for any info.

[plus]

There are many places in NC and surrounding area that are affordable. I rented a temporary house in South Hill, Va - about 78 miles north of Raleigh. It was $400/month for a completely re-done Williamsburg, with hardwood floors and a 1 acre lot. The realtor said the house was for sale for $60K. I should have bought it just as an investment. It had a all new heating/cooling system. At the same time, they are selling lots on Ridge road in Raleigh for $250k or more, with houses into the millions.

Regarding employment, NC offers a significant better opportunity than Florida for instance. Florida has 4000 people per day moving into the state, looking for a change, and there just aren't enough jobs for many of them to live like they'd prefer. I think many leave after a few years. I brought my own employment to Florida, but still left after 6 years. I prefer many things about the NC area, not the least of which is the climate.

In the smaller towns of NC there is a trust you won't find anywhere else. I can cite two experiances that should bear this out. One, I rented a tractor to improve a dirt driveway to a 70 acre place near Louisburg, NC. When the guy arrived to pick it up, I asked if he took mastercard. He said, no, but how about next time I was in town, stop by his place and settle up.

The second occurance was in South Hill, Va... I rented a device you pull behind your garden tractor to punch holes in the lawn. After helping me load the item in my truck, the guy at the rental place said if it was fine with me, we'd do the rental agreement when I got back with the item... it was late in the day for him and we could just do it Monday.

Where else in the world can you be treated with this much trust?

[okaydorothy]

Hi Plus
I love what you said about trust. I am the kind of person who trusts people on a handshake. My dh on the other hand ; well he dosnt.
We are looking into moving to nc within the year and hope to be able to meed more people that have the old fashioned values.
dorothy

[kpfmaus]

Thank you far all you answers, fact is I already have a job, I will be running a healthcare facility. What I really was asking about, just where the good parts of town are, like restaurants, fun things to do at night, good neighborhoods, since I will be renting for the first 6 month I will be living closer to the city than probably when I buy and I want to use that time to get familiarized with my surroundings, so which would be the bst part of town to rent an apartment, I don't know much about eihter, are there any bad neighborhoods in any part of the town, is it better in South, West, East or North Asheville, I just don't want to rent a place and than find out oh if I would have rented on the other side of town it would have been much better. Has anybody any suggetsions? I would really appreciate any input, thanks.