Thinking of moving to Asheville (Henderson, Hendersonville: neighborhood, taxes, to live in)

[Zooropa]

Originally Posted by djc1949

Who are those people with these gashes on the mountain side? I have no idea. For all I know they are a cross section of folks from all over the country. Besides WHY would you want to build a house where you look down on a shopping center parking lot. Not me.

Blame the politicians, the locals who owned the land and sold to the developers, not the yankees.

Many of the locals are being forced to sell out as more and more high end development is going on. As property values rise rapidly so do the property taxes. I have a coworker who inherited a large piece of land that has been in her family for several generations but unfortunately is being forced to sell out due to the rapid rise in property taxes (it borders a high dollar community that is under construction) Another issue (and this isn't a yankee/southerner or whatever you want to call it issue) is the many developers who in some cases will pretty much admit to wanting to gentrify the area and weed out the existing residents who aren't of the same socioeconomic status as those they are trying to sell to. Not all are vocal about it but some have foot in mouth syndrome and will tell it to your face. The arrogance that some have is sad

[Zooropa]

Originally Posted by blondstar

Hi, I recently have the opportunity to move to a new city of my choosing and I need some help. I currently live in Charleston, SC and love it, but I'm looking for somewhere new with better job opportunities and quality of life. I have to admit that I am somewhat of a beach girl. I am, however, open-minded and I love to go out a lot and have fun. Is Asheville a good match for someone like me? If not, any suggestions in the Southeast?

I've been here 8 years and counting (i have a feeling i'm going to be priced out), but i enjoy it. It's a rough place to find a decent job if you're not in a medical field though. As stated by other posters the bar scene is different than in many towns but is great. The music scene is a very subjective topic. It's great if you like jam bands, jazz, and pretty much anything besides mainstream, or modern rock. If you're like me and primarily listen to modern mainstream and alt rock you won't like the music scene too much.

[Zooropa]

Originally Posted by Asheville Native

If you haven't noticed, look toward Reynolds Mtn on your way home from Asheville, you can't miss the ugly they have created.

If the planning board actually abided by its own rules and regulations Reynolds Mountain should not even exist as it is today. When the steep slope ordinance was changed, only a first draft that was vague, sketchy and ultimately changed had been submitted to the board. They were NOT TO APPROVE any plans under the old regulations unless a final blue print was already submitted before the deadline, yet they went ahead and approved Reynolds Mtn (along with a few others) against their own rules. It's insane here that we have planning board members that have to recuse themselves from voting because they are presenting their own plans for development to the board they sit on. Nevermind the conflict of interest there.....sorry to get off topic.

[vandemusser]

Originally Posted by Zooropa

I've been here 8 years and counting (i have a feeling i'm going to be priced out), but i enjoy it. It's a rough place to find a decent job if you're not in a medical field though. As stated by other posters the bar scene is different than in many towns but is great. The music scene is a very subjective topic. It's great if you like jam bands, jazz, and pretty much anything besides mainstream, or modern rock. If you're like me and primarily listen to modern mainstream and alt rock you won't like the music scene too much.

For a town it's size, the music scene is extremely good. On par with when I lived in DC, to be honest. Rock is pretty well represented here with The Orange Peel and to a lesser extent, The Grey Eagle and the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Just saw The New Pornographers Sunday night, Spoon earlier in the week. Saw 2 of the Smashing Pumpkins residency shows this summer, and can't begin to list all of the other great bands I have seen who have stopped on their way through (My Morning Jacket, The Black Crowes, Wilco, Neko Case, Mastodon, Ryan Adams, Band Of Horses, etc.). Never mind the bars around town, who all seem to get unbelievable local bands every night of the week.

For a town of 100,000 people, this is really as good as it gets. I can't think of another town this size that gets the variety and quality of music that Asheville has been fortunate to receive.

If you can't find a concert to go to, you aren't trying very hard.

[Zooropa]

Originally Posted by vandemusser

For a town it's size, the music scene is extremely good. On par with when I lived in DC, to be honest. Rock is pretty well represented here with The Orange Peel and to a lesser extent, The Grey Eagle and the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium. Just saw The New Pornographers Sunday night, Spoon earlier in the week. Saw 2 of the Smashing Pumpkins residency shows this summer, and can't begin to list all of the other great bands I have seen who have stopped on their way through (My Morning Jacket, The Black Crowes, Wilco, Neko Case, Mastodon, Ryan Adams, Band Of Horses, etc.). Never mind the bars around town, who all seem to get unbelievable local bands every night of the week.

For a town of 100,000 people, this is really as good as it gets. I can't think of another town this size that gets the variety and quality of music that Asheville has been fortunate to receive.

If you can't find a concert to go to, you aren't trying very hard.

Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh in my criticisms as it has gotten much better, and especially because I do make it out to local shows semi regularly briefly played in one of the local acts here. I think it's more a case of that I don't find many people (including some of my friends) that share similar musical tastes with me.

[scotlandyard]

Asheville is fabulous!
The only thing is be ready for the temperature change.
Our area is much milder than wonderful, steamy Charleston.
That will be a bit of shocker for you.
Do you do cold weather well?

Anyway, you will love the area.
Only thing is that property is outrageous in Asheville.
Not sure if you are renting or will be buying.
This may make a difference.

USA today had a paper about 1 or 2 years back in the summer.
Front page said where is everybody going to be living in 10 to 20 years.
It was western North Carolina.
Beautiful area, great outdoor activities, culturally diverse, what else, but of course, your beach, could you ask for .
We are only about 4 1/2 to 5 hours to charleston anyway.

Come on Up!

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by djc1949

Who are those people with these gashes on the mountain side? I have no idea. For all I know they are a cross section of folks from all over the country. Besides WHY would you want to build a house where you look down on a shopping center parking lot. Not me.

Blame the politicians, the locals who owned the land and sold to the developers, not the yankees.

You won't find any natives up there, they are the yankees (sometimes via florida) that pay a premium for a view, be it a view of a shopping center or the interstate. But on the positive side the growth has created enough pollution that on many summer days you don't see anything except the haze of pollution.

[ewbrown989]

Sorry to hear it.
I'm a yankee who wanted to move down there - into a normal house on a couple acres without ruining anything. But from reading through the forums here it appears that:

1) I'd have to win the lottery to afford a house.
2) I'd end up looking across a valley at a development of sterilized/customized gated communities.
3) I'd need a perimeter fence with guard dogs to keep the Veggie Militia at bay as I still enjoy a good hamburger.
4) The weather doesn't really seem any better then where I am now (New England).

I'm half kidding on all of these points of course. But it's disheartening as I'm really looking to move and from everything I read/saw Asheville looked wonderful - until I started looking into it more.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by ewbrown989

Sorry to hear it.
I'm a yankee who wanted to move down there - into a normal house on a couple acres without ruining anything. But from reading through the forums here it appears that:

1) I'd have to win the lottery to afford a house.
2) I'd end up looking across a valley at a development of sterilized/customized gated communities.
3) I'd need a perimeter fence with guard dogs to keep the Veggie Militia at bay as I still enjoy a good hamburger.
4) The weather doesn't really seem any better then where I am now (New England).

I'm half kidding on all of these points of course. But it's disheartening as I'm really looking to move and from everything I read/saw Asheville looked wonderful - until I started looking into it more.

Well, I hope you are "looking into it more" in other places than this forum! A lot of things are grossly exaggerated here by people with strong opinions. And don't get me wrong, I certainly understand the POV on a lot of things even if I don't totally agree.

Bottom line, you need to visit the area for yourself, and talk to some of the people already living here, whether they are long term locals or transplants. I never knew about this forum until I had already purchased, thank goodness. EVERYONE I have met in Asheville, has been THRILLED with the place and has not one bad thing to say about it. People are so friendly, that you can be in a restaurant, and the next table over will just start chatting with you about how great the place is. I have heard this from young and old alike. We love the young servers in all the restaurants, they are so friendly and helpful and we are almost "senior" citizens, but we are young and accepting "live-and-let-live types.

The only criticism I have about the place is a bit of what "Asheville Native" here talks about regarding the development in the area. It does seem a bit excessive and the prices are crazy. I really would hate to see the environment irreparably harmed, and I don't want to see all the young people or natives priced out of the area. For us, we just bought a tiny house in an old neighborhood, I wouldn't dream of buying in any developement. Our neighbors are great.

Anyway, good luck to you, Asheville may not be for everyone, but we think it's a special and wonderful place.

[Asheville Native]

Originally Posted by ewbrown989

Sorry to hear it.
I'm a yankee who wanted to move down there - into a normal house on a couple acres without ruining anything. But from reading through the forums here it appears that:

1) I'd have to win the lottery to afford a house.
2) I'd end up looking across a valley at a development of sterilized/customized gated communities.
3) I'd need a perimeter fence with guard dogs to keep the Veggie Militia at bay as I still enjoy a good hamburger.
4) The weather doesn't really seem any better then where I am now (New England).

I'm half kidding on all of these points of course. But it's disheartening as I'm really looking to move and from everything I read/saw Asheville looked wonderful - until I started looking into it more.

Then you aren't one that creates the problem, but yankee's get the blame, cause the rich ones are the ones creating the butt ugly mountain scape as they carve up the mountains and cut down every tree standing on their property, as they might interfere with 'their' view, and to hell with everyone else's view.

It's not so much the 'veggie militia' but the "vegan counterinsurgency" around here, but the smoke coming from my grill works keeps them at bay like wolf bane does to werewolves.

Think the only point you really have wrong is the weather, which is mild here with enough variety to give you a sense of seasons. This year was an exception, but the majority of our summers the temp never exceeds 90 degrees.