Move to Boone or Blowing Rock? (upper-class, for sale, real estate market)
Western North CarolinaThe Mountain Region including Asheville
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Hi all - Wanted to ask some advice. We are in Bucks County, PA, and are looking to relocate to either Boone or Blowing Rock within the next few months. We have a young family and would like to live in an area or neighborhood with kids for them to play with. Also, how are the schools, both public and private? What would local insiders recommend? Thank you!
Hi all - Wanted to ask some advice. We are in Bucks County, PA, and are looking to relocate to either Boone or Blowing Rock within the next few months. We have a young family and would like to live in an area or neighborhood with kids for them to play with. Also, how are the schools, both public and private? What would local insiders recommend? Thank you!
The school system is great in Watauga County. There are K-8 Elementary Schools and one county high school in Boone. In Boone your children will go to either Hardin Park or Parkway Elementary. They are both good, but Parkway is significantly smaller if class size is important to you. Parkway also has the highest test scores of the two, but not by much as both schools perform well.
Children in Blowing Rock will go to Blowing Rock Elementary. The only private school in the county is Two Rivers Community School, a K-8 charter school recently named an Honor School of Excellence by the state. Being a charter school however, "acceptance" isn't very easy.
Boone is very busy but there's always a lot going on for children. Because of the number of college students, single-family homes are sort of at a premium in Boone. The neighborhoods in this map ban more than two unrelated people from living together, and will be the best areas for having other children in the neighborhood - http://www.townofboone.net/departmen...borhoods_1.pdf
Blowing Rock is a lot more expensive. Not just in terms of homes, but nearly everything in town down to the gas station is geared towards the upper-class. However, it's a lot quieter, but gets more busy during ski season in the winter. A lot of homes are summer homes as well.
If your are moving for the schools and money isn't an option, I would move to Blowing Rock. It's more 'up-scale' than Boone, even though they are 2 minutes apart. Blowing Rock is a lot more expensive than Boone, and taxes are higher. They also have some different ordinances and restrictions. For example, Blowing Rock city limits prevents carrying a concealed weapon, even with your permit. Boone is also expensive compared to other areas around the country. To sum it up, Boone people have septic tanks and Blowing Rock people have 'private sewage' storage, or so they think LOL. Traffic sucks in Boone especially when school is in session. Blowing Rock traffic can be a mess, too, b/c some parts of the main hwy is still a 2-lane with very sharp curves, and when it gets foggy (which is often), it can be a disaster.
I live 25 minutes from Boone and houses are way cheaper where I live. I drive to Boone for work. I keep up with the real estate market, and right now, there is a single wide trailer for sale in Blowing Rock for $130k, in Boone it would be $100k, and where I live it would be $40k. Seriously.
In addition to Two Rivers Community School (which isn't technically a private school), its a charter school, there is Mountain Pathways Montessori School. A lot of people around here homeschool as well.
If your are moving for the schools and money isn't an option, I would move to Blowing Rock. It's more 'up-scale' than Boone, even though they are 2 minutes apart. Blowing Rock is a lot more expensive than Boone, and taxes are higher. They also have some different ordinances and restrictions. For example, Blowing Rock city limits prevents carrying a concealed weapon, even with your permit. Boone is also expensive compared to other areas around the country. To sum it up, Boone people have septic tanks and Blowing Rock people have 'private sewage' storage, or so they think LOL. Traffic sucks in Boone especially when school is in session. Blowing Rock traffic can be a mess, too, b/c some parts of the main hwy is still a 2-lane with very sharp curves, and when it gets foggy (which is often), it can be a disaster.
I live 25 minutes from Boone and houses are way cheaper where I live. I drive to Boone for work. I keep up with the real estate market, and right now, there is a single wide trailer for sale in Blowing Rock for $130k, in Boone it would be $100k, and where I live it would be $40k. Seriously.
In addition to Two Rivers Community School (which isn't technically a private school), its a charter school, there is Mountain Pathways Montessori School. A lot of people around here homeschool as well.
Wow - thank you - this is great information. Also kind of funny! We are coming down the end of this month to look at both towns. We are initially from Ga, moved to PA for my husband's job, and now have an opportunity to come back south for my job. And we do miss the south!
The school system is great in Watauga County. There are K-8 Elementary Schools and one county high school in Boone. In Boone your children will go to either Hardin Park or Parkway Elementary. They are both good, but Parkway is significantly smaller if class size is important to you. Parkway also has the highest test scores of the two, but not by much as both schools perform well.
Children in Blowing Rock will go to Blowing Rock Elementary. The only private school in the county is Two Rivers Community School, a K-8 charter school recently named an Honor School of Excellence by the state. Being a charter school however, "acceptance" isn't very easy.
Boone is very busy but there's always a lot going on for children. Because of the number of college students, single-family homes are sort of at a premium in Boone. The neighborhoods in this map ban more than two unrelated people from living together, and will be the best areas for having other children in the neighborhood - http://www.townofboone.net/departmen...borhoods_1.pdf
Blowing Rock is a lot more expensive. Not just in terms of homes, but nearly everything in town down to the gas station is geared towards the upper-class. However, it's a lot quieter, but gets more busy during ski season in the winter. A lot of homes are summer homes as well.
This is good information - thank you! Do you know if there are activities for children in Blowing Rock as well? Do you know any one who has children who attend Blowing Rock Elementary School?
This will be a great opportunity for this area. As far as other stuff for kids, there are the typical dance studios, Tweetsie, hiking, skiing, etc, ASU offers several summer sports and academic camps.
Blowing Rock is very much a toursity town, their ordinance is that all buildings have rock on them, even gas stations. I drive through BR every once in a while to see whats goin on, and there is never a parking space downtown and the streets are lined with tourists. Blowing Rock Elem is in the middle of downtown.
Here is the local real estate site that is the most helpful NC Mountain Real Estate. If you are planning on renting, you are looking at around $900-$1200/month for a decent place. Rentals are seriously inflated in this are b/c of all the college kids.
To sum it up, Boone people have septic tanks and Blowing Rock people have 'private sewage' storage, or so they think LOL.
What on earth are you talking about? Both municipalities have municipal water and sewage systems. It's only when you get out in the county do you have to deal with septic. Maybe you were using it as a metaphor? Even so, that's misleading and easily misunderstood.
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Blowing Rock traffic can be a mess, too, b/c some parts of the main hwy is still a 2-lane with very sharp curves, and when it gets foggy (which is often), it can be a disaster.
The balance of US 321 (the main highway) that is not 4-laned is currently under construction for 4-laning. So, in the not too distant future, highway congestion and safety in the Blowing Rock area will be significantly improved. I do agree that the frequent fog is definitely something drivers need to be careful about, whether driving 2 or 4 lanes.
It was home to last year's state teacher of the year and gets higher than average test scores. They're in a brand new building. Students are also provided with free laptops, which sounds strange but is actually a good thing, students need to be technically proficient whether their going to college or to work after high school.
As for "careful while driving," the situation is actually a lot better than many other mountain communities.
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